2016-12-06 Services and Organisation Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               6 DECEMBER 2016


3.    Way Forward

As a result of conducting the audits staff are requesting that Council consider four key items:

•     As a first step it is recommended that Council fund membership to the Sports Turf
      Association QLD (STA QLD) for each individual sports club who maintain sports fields to
      the value of $780.
      STA QLD is a not-for-profit association run by volunteers to provide a network of turf
      grounds managers who are involved in managing sports and passive turf facilities in
      Queensland. STA QLD was established to provide education, training opportunities and
      enhancing the professionalism of turf grounds managers within the state.
      The benefits of offering clubs membership of STA QLD include:
      o    STA QLD can work with Noosa grounds volunteers to help provide a ‘Noosa Council’
           chapter of the association.
      o    Education and training. At least 4 field days are held annually free of charge for
           members.
      o    Networking with other turf managers from across Queensland. Members include
           community and elite grounds managers.
      o    Members are provided with annual subscriptions of Australian and New Zealand Turf
           Management Journals to continue the learning and education process.
      o    Members will also receive e-newsletters from STA QLD which will inform them of
           forthcoming events and turf management information.

•     Council allows community and sporting clubs to dispose of sports turf green waste, which
      includes excessive thatch, from their fields to Council’s approved landfill facility at no
      charge.

•     Council consider allocating funding of $10,000 each year for three years for sports field
      auditing and improvements works to address the major areas of concern/risk throughout
      the sports field network that is beyond the capabilities of volunteers. This program to then
      be evaluated to ensure the maintenance of the fields is improving.

•     Council officers to facilitate six-monthly meetings for Sports Field Managers to get together
      to network, discuss issues, share expertise, resources and the like.


Previous Council Consideration

Nil

Finance & Risk

Funding for the membership for each individual sports club to the Sports Turf Association QLD is
to be allocated as part of the 16/17 Community Grants funding.

Funding for further audits and improvements to be considered as part of the 2017/18, 2018/19
and 2019/20 budget process.

Consultation

External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder

The auditing of the fields was followed up on by an open forum where sporting organisations
were able to ask questions and receive expert advice from the consultant.

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