Annual Report 2019-20

          Noosa Shire Council                                                                                                                                                           2019 - 20 Annual Report


  •	Council’s service facilities
     provided a range of innovative
                                                                                                          Corporate Plan - Theme 3: The Noosa Economy
     online programs through the                                                                          Key achievements as we work towards our long term goal include:
     Covid lockdown to help engage
                                                                                                          Specific Operational Plan Priorities
     and connect our community.
  •	The refurbishment and repair of                                                                      •	Council continued to successfully implement its
     community buildings and sports                                                                          Local Economic Plan (LEP) in partnership with local
     facilities included restumping                                                                          businesses, government agencies and key industry
     and repainting Wallace House                                                                            groups. In January 2020, prior to the impact of the
     (Noosa Arts & Crafts Assoc),                                                                            Covid-19 pandemic, Noosa’s annual Gross Regional
     repairing termite damage at the                                                                         Product reached $3billion for the first time. Since
     Tewantin SES and improving                                                                              early March 2020, as the impacts of the pandemic
     the standard of all community                                                                           took hold, there has been a sharp downturn in
     building fire services.                                                                                 the economy and economic forecasts suggest a
  •	Council allocated $27,000 to a                                                                          continuing economic contraction into 20/21.
     Community Disaster Response                                                                          •	The Local Economic Plan review commenced
     and Recovery Grant to support                                                                           with background research underway. The studies
     community organisations that                                                                            undertaken to inform the Covid Business Recovery
     had immediate essential needs                                                                           Plan will provide the base for the full LEP review.
     as a result of Covid-19.                                                                             •	Council’s Industry Development Program was
  •	Council continued to provide its community grant program supporting our community groups.               progressed across the priority sectors of digital,
     During 2019/20, $849,525 was provided in community grants to 163 recipients to support projects,        education and training. The Peregian Digital
     acquisition of equipment or events. Council staff also facilitated a number of evening information      Hub, in its second year of operation, is home to
     sessions for community organisations to help improve their governance and grant writing skills.         around 50 technology specialists and is building a
     Details of the grant categories and amounts are set out below.                                          strong network of digital sector sub-groups, with
                                                                                                             membership exceeding 1000 digital marketers,
  Table 1 – Community Grants                                                                                 coders, screen and music producers. The Noosa
                                                                                                             Education and Training Alliance (NETA) has expanded
   Grant Type                                      Number of Recipients          Total grant value           and is progressing projects that include education
                                                                                                             and industry pathways and the establishment of a Future Skills Learning Hub.
   Community Projects                                        60                       $299,874.25
                                                                                                          •	The design team completed the preliminary phase to remodel the existing Peregian Community
   RADF                                                      17                       $59,390.00             House as the next stage of the Digital Hub. The design options feature a presentation and
   Alliance Agreements                                       10                        $81,628.68            events space, small training facility and an upgraded office environment. Detailed design will be
                                                                                                             complete in 20/21 and construction will occur in 21/22.
   Economic                                                   9                       $23,500.00
   Emergency Alliance Agreements                              2                        $21,959.24
                                                                                                          Other Initiatives to enable Council to achieve its goal for this theme
   Environmental                                             15                       $399,873.64
   Halls and Community Centres                               10                        $81,800.89         •	Noosa Council worked with local businesses to provide targeted economic development support
                                                                                                             through the disaster events of the 2019 bushfires and the 2020 coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic,
   Festive Season Events                                      9                        $45,905.28
                                                                                                             both in the response and recovery phases.
   Signature Events                                           4                         $37,123.13
                                                                                                          •	The Economic Development team led the economic recovery for the bushfires in partnership
   Sports Fields                                             12                       $170,269.16            with State agencies, supporting businesses impacted in Peregian Beach, Tewantin, Noosa North
   Water Rebates                                             54                        $86,791.40            Shore and Cooroibah with issues such as clean-up, insurance and funding applications.

    Total                                                   202                     $1,308,115.67



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