2015-04-28 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                         28 APRIL 2015


12             FESTIVE SEASON EVENTS GRANTS POLICY
INFORM ATION




Author                    Community Engagement Manager, Debra Bambrook
                          Executive Office

Index                     ECM/Subject/Council Policies

Attachments:              1.    Council Policy - Festive Season Event Grants


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Community Engagement Manager to the Planning &
Organisation Committee Meeting dated 28 April 2015 and:
A.             Repeal the Festive Season Strategy and Minor Grants Program Policy that transferred to
               Noosa Council from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council under the Local Government
               (De-amalgamation Implementation) Regulation 2013; and
B.             Adopt the Noosa Council Festive Season Event Grants Policy (provided at Attachment 1 to
               the report).


REPORT
Noosa Council inherited a Sunshine Coast Council Festive Season Strategy and Minor Grants
funding program. A new, Noosa-specific Festive Season Event Grants Policy has now been
developed (provided at Attachment 1).

It is proposed that the new Festive Season Event Grants Policy will continue to provide financial
support, through the community grants program, for relevant events including Australia Day
celebrations, Christmas concerts, parades and festivals and New Year’s celebrations.

The proposed Festive Season Event Grants Policy is designed to ensure the following:
             Council’s grants to festive season events held between November and January are fairly
               and equitably allocated to eligible organisations;
             There is a spread of funding to as many village precincts as possible within the Noosa local
               government area;
             The provision of grants is aligned with the intent of the Local Government Act & Regulation,
               which requires that community grants are used for a purpose that is in the public interest.

It is proposed that the initial Festive Season Event Grant round will open in July 2015, and align
in timing with the usual rounds of the Community Grants program thereafter.
The policy provides for grants for up to 3 years and for the amount available to be capped.
In addition to the community grants program for Festive Season events, Council provides tree
lighting at six locations throughout the region at Cooran (Pioneer Park, King Street), Kin Kin
(Main Street), Noosaville (Noosaville Lions Park), Tewantin (Main Street), Peregian Beach
(Norfolk Pine at Heron and Kingfisher Streets), Pomona (fig tree at Joe Bazzo Park). This has
been proposed for re-funding as part of the 2015-16 budget process.


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