2018-04-10 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                    10 APRIL 2018


4                        COMMUNITY BUSHLAND CARE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                              Environmental Services Manager, Craig Doolan
                                    Environment & Sustainable Development Department

Index                               ECM/ Subject/ Conservation Covenants/ Land Conservation/Regeneration

Attachment                          1.    Council and Community Bushland Care Partnership Operational
                                          Guidelines (Draft)



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Manager Environmental Services to the Planning &
Environment Committee Meeting dated 10 April 2018 and approve the implementation of the
Council and Community Bushland Care Partnership Operational Guidelines (provided at
Attachment 1 to the report).


REPORT
1.                       Background
The Community Bushland Care program brings together the first two themes of the Noosa
Corporate Plan, ‘The Noosa Environment’ and the ‘The Noosa Community’, and has been a key
Council-community partnership since 2002.
Over this time there has been a range of levels of service and approaches in how this program
was managed and serviced. Prior to de-amalgamation, the Community Bushland Care program
was serviced by an external contractor at an annual cost of approximately $100,000 per year,
plus a Council staff member overseeing this contract (as well as other private landholder
conservation programs). This provided for a high level of service for this program and to
community bushcare volunteers. This contract was not renewed after de-amalgamation,
significantly changing the levels of service and support of this program and bushcare groups.
The position of Community Partnerships Officer was created to support the strategic transition
from this period, to a properly-resourced, sustainable, Community Bushland Care program, that
met the needs of Council and the community. The Council and Community Bushland Care
Partnership Operational Guidelines have now been developed to clearly identify the new
processes and service levels of the program.


2.                       Proposed service levels for Community Bushland Care program
Key elements of the proposed Council and Community Bushland Care Partnership Operational
Guidelines include:
                       All Community Bushland Care groups will produce an annual work plan, the preparation of
                         which is supported by Council staff, that will detail their work program and the resources
                         required. Council officers will review resourcing requirements across the program and
                         approve the plan.



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