2018-06-12 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                      12 JUNE 2018


Following a presentation to Councillors on 2 February 2017, which highlighted the land’s
environmental values and the social issues on site, the CEO requested the Director of
Community Services to enter into discussions with the Johns family for the purchase of the site
and refer the issue back to Council for final consideration.

At a Special Meeting on the 24 May 2017, Council agreed to purchase the Johns Landing
property.

The purchase had two main objectives:
1.   to protect the riparian values of the site and enhance the environment of the Noosa River;
     and
2.   to address the social issues on site.

The purchase was to be funded 70% by Council’s environmental levy and 30% by the General
Rate. Purchase was dependant on vacant possession. In order to meet the criteria for
environmental levy funding 70% of the property was to be designated as a nature reserve and
conservation zone after purchase.

Establishment of the Community Partnership Roundtable

The Noosa Community Partnership Roundtable (the Roundtable) held its inaugural meeting in
February 2017 with a membership of five Queensland government departments and seven non-
government community organisations. The Roundtable is chaired by the Director of Community
Services.

Following agreement on terms of reference in April 2017, the group agreed that its first priority
would be to address the social issues at Johns Landing.

The Roundtable Outcomes

In the six months from May to November 2017, the Roundtable worked collaboratively to secure
safe housing options for all residents, with a priority on keeping families with children in proximity
to their schools.
A collaborative case management approach to the needs of each individuals and family was
adopted with a key feature being the meeting of housing service providers onsite fortnightly.
Service providers also attended the regular BBQs held by the Noosa Anglican Church at the
Landing. This allowed them to build the residents’ trust and engage them in the relocation
process.
A further key element was the employment by Council of an experienced project officer, Steven
Kelly, to help coordinate the agencies and to work with the Johns’ family to transition the property
for sale.
As a result of this cooperative effort, all residents were found housing or successfully self-
relocated by the end of October 2017. Particularly pleasing was the fact that most of the families
with children were housed in the local area, meaning that the children of these families were able
to remain at local schools and retain their social friend networks.
Other residents relocated over a wide area from Ayr to the Gold Coast. During the process, a
large number of dogs and cats were de-sexed or surrendered to the RSPCA, which increased
the residents’ ability to access public housing or to travel to a new location.

To-date this project has achieved some remarkable outcomes including:



                                                                                    Page 115 of 118