Annual Report 2015-16

The Year in Review
This section of the Annual Report looks at Council’s progress in achieving the goals set out in its
Corporate Plan. Noosa Council adopted its first Corporate Plan in June 2014.
The Council’s Corporate Plan which was in place during 2015/16, identified 7 key priorities. Those
7 key priorities and the progress towards achieving them are set out below.
Council’s Operational Plan 2015/16 detailed the major priorities and initiatives that Council
undertook to work towards the implementation of the Corporate Plan. Throughout the year, the
CEO provided the Council with quarterly reports looking at progress of the Operational Plan and
details of Key Performance Indicators. The CEO also provided a separate report at the end of the
financial year to the Council on the progress towards achieving the Corporate Plan outcomes.
Both the quarterly and annual reports to Council are made available to the public via Council’s
website.



Our current Corporate Plan sets out a number of strategic goals and also identifies seven priorities
for our Council. The key priorities identified are:
1.    A financially sustainable Council
2.    Great customer service
3.    Community engagement and communication
4.    Focus on community assets
5.    Establishing new policies and strategies
6.    Custodianship of Noosa’s environment
7.    Diversification of our economy

An assessment of progress in achieving our Corporate Plan goals will be made against these key
priorities.

Corporate Plan Priority 1 - A financially sustainable Council
We will make sure that our Council is financially sustainable in both the short and long term. This
will entail a focus on strong budget control and good long term planning.

Key achievements include:
 Developing the 2015/16 budget based on a “build from base” budget methodology which
   examines every cost on its merits. The same methodology was used during the year to the
   2016/17 budget development. The Queensland Treasury Corporation is now using Noosa
   Council as a best case exemplar as it promotes the use of “build from base” budgeting to other
   Councils.
 The use of the “build from base” budget methodology has allowed Council to minimise general
   rate increases. We applied a 0% general rate increase in 2014/15, a 1.3% general rate
   increase in 2015/16 and a 1.9% general rate increase in 2016/17. This is the lowest cumulative
   general rates increase in Councils across SEQ in that period.
 We have exceeded our operating surplus budget projection for 2015/16. Revenue is above
   budget and expenditure is below budget resulting in a greater operating surplus for Council
   than budgeted. Details of the full financial year result are set out in our audited financial
   statements which are attached to this annual report.
 Council re-adopted its Financial Sustainability Policy on 29 June 2016. This policy reinforces
   Council’s determination to apply good financial discipline and long term financial strategies to
   ensure that our early success in meeting prescribed financial ratios is maintained in the longer
   term.


Noosa Council Annual Report 2015/16                                                          Page 5