2020-08-11 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  11 AUGUST 2020


     The Voluntary Conservation Agreement program was expanded with 5 new properties
      coming on board: the first new properties in the program since de-amalgamation.
     Council introduced a new Land for Wildlife incentive scheme providing free trees, training,
      and contractor support to eligible properties. There are currently over 300 Noosa properties in
      this valuable voluntary conservation program.
     Through the Environment Levy, Council purchased a significant parcel of land near Boreen
      Point for conservation. The 51-hectare property contains important wetlands and koala
      habitat.
     Council completed a new Biosecurity Plan, the first under the new State legislation for
      Biosecurity. The plan outlines how we will broadly deal with pest plants and animals, and how
      we will prioritise our actions.
     A new program to monitor turtles started on Noosa’s North Shore to gather data and
      understand turtle behaviour.
     UNESCO commended the Noosa Biosphere Reserve at its 10-year review recognising the
      ongoing work that the community has done in balancing the relationship between people and
      the environment.
     The Noosa River catchment maintained its A- rating in the 2019 Healthy Land and Water
      Report Card, with the river also scoring a five-star economic and social benefit rating.
     Council commenced work on a new Waste Strategy to guide responsible waste management
      over the long term.
     The garden waste bin service was expanded to
      include units, resorts and other commercial
      premises in an effort to divert more waste from
      landfill. The changes also relieve resort and
      business      owners      of    paying   the    State
      Government’s new waste levy to dump garden
      waste.
     Council continued to crack down on illegal
      dumping with an improved surveillance program
      thanks to a $50,000 Queensland Government
      grant.
     Council worked with Plastic Free Noosa to embed
      waste reduction practices across the organisation,
      in particular reducing single use plastics in community buildings and facilities.


1.2     Corporate Plan Theme 2: The Noosa Community
“Our community is connected, safe and happy and able to meet their potential”

Key achievements as we work towards our long term goal include:

Specific Operational Plan Priorities
 Council continued implementation of Council’s Social Strategy including the Cultural Plan,
   Sport and Active Recreation Plan and Health and Wellbeing Plan. Council completed a
   review of the Cultural Plan’s 2019 Action Plan, which demonstrated 85% of the actions were
   completed or well underway. Council also endorsed a 2020/21 Action Plan to progress
   implementation of the Cultural Plan.




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