Special Meeting - 2023/2024 Budget Adoption
Date: Friday, 30 June 2023 at 10:00AM
Location: Noosa Shire Council Chambers , 9 Pelican Street , Tewantin , QLD 4565 , Australia
Organiser: Noosa Shire Council
Duration: 01:27:36
Synopsis: Budget adopted with marginal surplus, rates set, expanded capital and flood recovery programs, Equity measures amid land revaluations, KPIs and transparency strengthened, Environmental investments, Consultation retained.
Meeting Attendees
Committee Members
Clare Stewart Karen Finzel Joe Jurisevic Amelia Lorentson Brian Stockwell Tom Wegener Frank Wilkie Executive Officers
Acting Chief Executive Officer Larry Sengstock Director Community Services Kerri Contini Director Corporate Services Trent Grauf Executive Officer, Internal Audit & Corporate Performance Debra Iezzi Director - Strategy, Environment &Sustainable Development, Kim Rawlings (Via Microsoft Teams) Acting Director Infrastructure Services Shaun Walsh AI-Generated Meeting Insight
Key Decisions & Discussions Frank Wilkie led adoption noting budget consultation feedback was considered in finalising the 2023/24 Budget (Item 2.1; 08:24). Council adopted a refreshed suite of budget-related policies including Financial Sustainability, Investment, Debt, Restricted Cash, General Rate Donations, Entertainment & Hospitality, and Non-Current Asset Accounting (Item 2.2; 08:49–14:20). Council noted the 2022/23 Estimated Financial Position showing a small operating surplus (~$162k) (Item 2.3; 14:45–15:32). Council continued National Competition Policy application: Full Cost Pricing for Waste Management and Code of Competitive Conduct for Holiday Parks; other facilities not captured by NCP thresholds (Item 2.4; 16:11–19:32). Council adopted the 2023/24 Budget and 15 associated resolutions: differential general rates, extensive rating categories, special charges, separate charges (Environment, Sustainable Transport, Heritage, Bushfire), utility charges, six‑monthly levying, concessions, 30‑day payment term, interest on arrears, CEO delegation for rating categorisation, incorporation by reference, noting revised Service Level Catalogues, and an increase to 432.38 FTE (Items 2.5 Res 1–15; 20:17–01:08:45). Trent Grauf outlined $130m operating revenue, $132m operating expenditure, marginal surplus, all key financial ratios met; levies frozen; most residential minimum-charge ratepayers face ~5.5% increase, below CPI; capital works $39.4m with $28m renewals (20:17–25:18). Clare Stewart highlighted cost pressures (inflation, construction, utilities), state land revaluations averaging >62% over two years, 75% of ratepayers below CPI increase, 4,000 to see decreases from mitigation measures; pensioner rebate consolidated to $230 for all eligible (25:18–37:18). Council approved a record combined program: $39.4m capital plus ~$80m flood recovery (QRA-funded), with key allocations to roads/transport ($10.3m), bridges ($6.04m), pathways/boardwalks ($1.57m), amenities ($1.49m), waste/resource recovery (~$4.8m), parks and community facilities (25:18–33:30). Operational Plan 2023/24 adopted, aligned to the new Corporate Plan; commitment to strengthen KPIs and performance systems using TechnologyOne (Item 2.6; 01:09:03–01:12:30). Council suspended and then resumed Standing Orders to enable budget speeches (Item 2.5; 20:07–20:17; 57:44–58:25). Brian Stockwell stressed equity focus in rating for Principal Place of Residence categories given skewed valuation impacts; reiterated earlier differential approach for transitory accommodation as business use (53:50–57:27; Item 2.5 Res 3). Joe Jurisevic underscored asset management programs, bridge renewals, cemetery upgrades, heavy patching crew reinstatement, and library amenities upgrade (42:54–47:15; Item 2.5 capital). Contentious / Transparency Matters Trent Grauf reported only 40 responses to draft budget engagement versus 166/147 prior years; councillors debated continuing the process; Frank Wilkie argued continuation as good governance despite non-mandatory status (00:32–08:24; Item 2.1). Amelia Lorentson queried whether low response signaled the “potential end” of this consultation; officers to review approach annually but not revoke at this time (04:18–04:54; Item 2.1). Council openly discussed perceived service level concerns (roads, parks); Larry Sengstock confirmed no reductions, with realignments to improve delivery (06:01–07:07; Item 2.1; Item 2.5 Res 14). Brian Stockwell acknowledged significant rating pain for outliers from state land revaluation skew; Council iterated multiple times to improve equity for residents (53:50–57:27; Item 2.5 Res 2–3). Council noted a prospective rejoining of a Gambling Alliance could be handled operationally given minor cost (~$15k), without budget change (03:09–04:14; Item 2.1 report noted). Operational Plan commits to clearer KPIs and outcome tracking, addressing accountability and transparency gaps (01:10:05–01:12:30; Item 2.6). Legal / Risk Council actions tracked to Local Government Act 2009 and Local Government Regulation 2012 for budget adoption, rates/charges, special/utility/separate charges, levying frequency, concessions, payment terms, interest on arrears, and CEO delegation for differential rating category identification (Item 2.5 Res 1–13; 58:31–01:08:45). National Competition Policy compliance retained for Waste (Full Cost Pricing s44 LGA 2009) and Holiday Parks (Code of Competitive Conduct s47 LGA 2009); review showed other activities below NCP expenditure thresholds (16:11–19:32; Item 2.4). Investment & Debt Policies adopted per ss191–192 LGR 2012; officers to review investment practices amid higher rates, managing counterparty risk while maintaining existing limits (08:49–14:20; Item 2.2). Entertainment & Hospitality Policy tightened to provide “clearer articulation and boundaries” for allowable spend, following audit and QAO advice—mitigating probity risk (08:49–11:45; Item 2.2). Rates hardship risk addressed via concessions policy and messaging that majority of resident increases are below CPI; explicit concern for asset‑rich/cash‑poor cohorts flagged (53:50–57:27; Item 2.5 Res 7, 9). Performance management risk to be reduced by implementing TechOne-backed KPIs for operational plan delivery, enabling measurable outcomes and mid‑year review (01:10:42–01:12:30; Item 2.6). Environmental Concerns Clare Stewart detailed increased funding for land conservation/rehabilitation, environmental grants (+6%), Noosa River planning, flora/fauna monitoring, sea turtle strategy, bushfire vegetation mapping, and levy‑funded initiatives (29:50–33:30; Item 2.5 capital and levies). Waste/Carbon : ~$3.6m landfill cell expansion; ~$1.2m to expand green/industrial processing and recycled materials precinct; feasibility incl. polystyrene processing; aim to cut landfill‑driven emissions (31:10–33:30; Item 2.5). Brian Stockwell highlighted encroachment enforcement and bushland rehabilitation funding, and ongoing protected area expansion via Environment Levy (01:12:30–01:22:11; Item 2.6 linkages). Separate Environment Levy retained (frozen), supporting continued environmental programs (Item 2.5 Res 7; 20:17–25:18). Short-Stay/Transitory Accommodation & Rating Framework Council reaffirmed extensive differential rating categories, including distinct categories for transitory accommodation (home‑hosted, strata, non‑strata, 2–30+ dwellings), separating PPR vs non‑PPR (Item 2.5 Res 3). Brian Stockwell reiterated policy stance that transitory accommodation is a business activity warranting differential rating, with resident equity the primary focus this year (53:50–57:27; Item 2.5 Res 3). Sunshine Beach & Community Infrastructure Highlights Clare Stewart listed Ed Webb Park Sunshine Beach upgrade ($609k) and coastal works incl. Noosa Heads Dog Beach erosion plan ($500k), beach shower renewals ($61k), and beach access ($250k) (29:50–33:30; Item 2.5 capital). Council funded Noosaville foreshore stormwater renewals ($525k), hinterland pathway links ($460k), BBQ/furniture renewals, Apex fitness upgrade ($131k), and Botanic Gardens restoration/master planning ($45k + $65k planning) (29:50–33:30; 01:12:30–01:18:30; Item 2.5/2.6). Community Engagement, Service Levels & Operations Larry Sengstock confirmed no reductions to service levels; organisational establishment increased to 432.38 FTE to deliver priorities; efficiencies and realignments underway (06:49–07:07; Item 2.5 Res 15). Council will enhance outcome KPIs and mid‑year assessment; Service Level Catalogues noted to clarify “business as usual” delivery (01:10:42–01:12:30; Item 2.5 Res 14; Item 2.6). Digital enforcement expansion flagged via camera car project to improve compliance and efficiency (01:12:30–01:18:30; Item 2.6 discussion). QRA disaster recovery works (~$80m) proceed in parallel with BAU and capital program; Black Mountain Road highlighted (37:18–39:28; 01:22:24–01:24:32; Item 2.5/2.6).
Official Meeting Minutes
MINUTES Special Meeting Friday, 30 June 2023 10:00 AM Council Chambers, 9 Pelican Street, Tewantin Crs Clare Stewart (Chair), Karen Finzel, Joe Jurisevic, Amelia Lorentson, Brian Stockwell, Tom Wegener, Frank Wilkie “Noosa Shire – different by nature” SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 1. ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES COMMITTEE MEMBERS Councillor Clare Stewart Councillor Karen Finzel Councillor Joe Jurisevic Councillor Amelia Lorentson Councillor Brian Stockwell Councillor Tom Wegener Councillor Frank Wilkie EXECUTIVE Acting Chief Executive Officer Larry Sengstock Director Community Services Kerri Contini Director Corporate Services Trent Grauf Executive Officer, Internal Audit & Corporate Performance Debra Iezzi Director - Strategy, Environment &Sustainable Development, Kim Rawlings (via Microsoft Teams) Acting Director Infrastructure Services Shaun Walsh APOLOGIES Nil 2. SPECIAL MEETING REPORTS 2.1. 2023/24 NOOSA COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS CONSULTATION FEEDBACK Council Resolution Moved: Cr Frank Wilkie Seconded: Cr Clare Stewart That Council note the report by the Director Corporate Services to the Special Meeting dated 30 June 2023 regarding the 2023/24 Budget community consultation outcomes and note that feedback received was considered by Councillors during the finalisation of the 2023/24 Council budget. Carried Unanimously. 2.2. ADOPTION OF 2023-2024 BUDGET POLICIES Council Resolution Moved: Cr Frank Wilkie Seconded: Cr Clare Stewart That Council note the report by the Director Corporate Services to the Special Meeting dated 30 June 2023 and; SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 A. Adopt the Financial Sustainability Policy, which is provided as Attachment 1 to the report. B. Pursuant to section 191 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, adopt for the 2023/24 financial year the Investment of Surplus Funds Policy, which is provided as Attachment 2 to the report. C. Pursuant to section 192 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, adopt for the 2023/24 financial year the Debt Policy, which is provided as Attachment 3 to the report. D. Adopt the Management of Restricted Cash Policy, which is provided as Attachment 4 to the report. E. Adopt the General Rate Donations Policy, which is provided as Attachment 5 to the report. F. Adopt the Entertainment and Hospitality Expenditure Policy, which is provided as Attachment 6 to the report. G. Adopt the Non-Current Asset Accounting Policy, which is provided as Attachment 7 to the report. Carried Unanimously. 2.3. STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED FINANCIAL POSITION FOR THE 2022-23 FINANCIAL YEAR Council Resolution Moved: Cr Joe Jurisevic Seconded: Cr Tom Wegener That Council note the report by the Manager Financial Services (Acting) to the Special Meeting dated 30 June 2023 and pursuant to section 205 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 note the Statement of Estimated Financial Position for the 2022/23 Financial Year, provided as Attachment 1 to the report. Carried Unanimously. 2.4. APPLICATION OF NATIONAL COMPETITION POLICY REFORM Council Resolution Moved: Councillor Frank Wilkie Seconded: Councillor Amelia Lorentson That Council note the report by the Manager Financial Services (Acting) to the Special Meeting dated 30 June 2023 and: A. Continue to apply the Full Cost Pricing reform option to the Waste Management business activity for the 2023/24 financial year in accordance with section 44(1)(b) of the Local Government Act 2009; and B. Continue to apply the Code of Competitive Conduct to the Holiday Parks business activity for the 2023/24 financial year in accordance with section 47 of the Local Government Act 2009. Carried Unanimously. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 Council Resolution Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Frank Wilkie That the operation of the Standing Orders or any relevant provision thereof be suspended to allow Council to allow Budget Speeches from Mayor Clare Stewart and Councillors. Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Frank Wilkie That Standing Orders be resumed. Carried Unanimously. 2.5. 2023-2024 BUDGET ADOPTION Council Resolution 1 Moved: Cr Brian Stockwell Seconded: Cr Joe Jurisevic That pursuant to section 104 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 170 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, the budget for the financial year ending 30 June 2024, incorporating statements of income and expenditure, financial position, cash flow, changes in equity, long-term financial forecast, revenue statement and revenue policy, and 2023/24 capital program as contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023), be adopted. Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 2 Moved: Cr Amelia Lorentson Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel That pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 80 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to levy the differential general rates for the 2023/24 financial year as set out in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023). Carried Unanimously. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 Council Resolution 3 Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Frank Wilkie That pursuant to section 81 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves that the rating categories of rateable land in its local government area and a description of each of the rating categories for 2023/24, be as follows: Category Description Identification (Guidance only) 1. Rural & Land used, or intended to be used, for Land with the Agricultural. rural or agricultural or primary production following land use purposes. codes: 44, 60-61, 64-71, 73-89 and 93 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 2. Non-Residential. Land which is used, or intended to be Land with the used, for non-residential purposes other following land use than land included in categories 1, 3, 4 codes: 07-20, 22and 14 - 20. 39, 41-50, 52 and 91 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 3. Extractive Land used for the purpose of extractive Land with land use Industries. industry for more than 50,000 tonnes per code 40 or as annum of material from the earth. otherwise identified by the CEO. 4. Retirement Villages Land used for the purposes of a Land with the retirement village. following land used code 21 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 5. Residential (PPR) Land, with a rateable value of less than Land with the and Other – RV or equal to $800,000 which is- following land used <=$800,000. 1. used as the owner’s principal codes: 01, 02, 04, place of residence, other than 05 and 06 or as land in categories 10, 22, 23 and otherwise identified 25 to 36; or by the CEO. 2. not included in any other category. 6. Residential (PPR) Land, with a rateable value between Land with the and Other – RV $800,001 and $2,500,000 which is- following land used $800,001 - $2,500,000. 1. used for as the owner’s principal codes: 01, 02, 04, place of residence other than 05 and 06 or as land in categories 10, 22, 23 and otherwise identified 25 to 36; or by the CEO. 2. not included in any other category. 7. Residential (PPR) Land, with a rateable value between Land with the and Other – RV $2,500,001 and $5,000,000 which is- following land used $2,500,001 - 1. used as the owner’s principal codes: 01, 02, 04, $5,000,000. place of residence other than 05 and 06 or as SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 land in categories 10, 22, 23 and otherwise identified 25 to 36; or by the CEO. 2. not included in any other category. 8. Residential (PPR) Land, with a rateable value greater than Land with the and Other – RV > $5,000,000 which is- following land used $5,000,000. 1. used as the owner’s principal codes: 01, 02, 04, place of residence other than 05 and 06 or as land in categories 10, 22, 23 and otherwise identified 25 to 36; or by the CEO. 2. not included in any other category. 9. Residential (Not Land used for residential purposes other Land with the PPR) than as the owner’s principal place of following land used residence other than land in category 11, codes: 02 and 05 21, 24 and 25 to 36. or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 10. Residential Home Land used as the owner’s principal place Land with the Hosted Transitory of residence plus as transitory following land used Accommodation accommodation - other than land in codes: 02 and 05 category 23 and 25 to 36. or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 11. Transitory Land used as transitory accommodation, Land with the Accommodation. other than land in category 24 and 25 to following land used 36. codes: 02 and 05 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 12. Vacant Urban Land Vacant land with a rateable value greater Land with the – RV > $1,500,000 and than $1,500,000, with an area of more following land used area more than 1,500 than 1,500m2 in the locality of Castaways codes: 01, 04 and m2 . Beach or Cooroy or Marcus Beach or 06 or as otherwise Noosa Heads or Noosaville or Peregian identified by the Beach or Sunrise Beach or Sunshine CEO. Beach or Tewantin, other than land included in category 13. 13. Subdivided land Vacant land to which Chapter 2, Part 2, Land with the not yet developed Division 5, Subdivision 3 of the Land following land used Valuation Act 2010 applies. code 72 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 14. Shopping Centres Land used for the purposes of a Land with the – gross floor area shopping centre, with a gross floor area following land used between 1,000 and between 1,000 and 2,500m2 codes: 14, 15, 16 2,500m 2 or 23 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 15. Shopping Centres Land used for the purposes of a Land with the – gross floor area shopping centre, with a gross floor area following land used between 2,501 and between 2,501 and 5,000m2. codes: 14, 15, 16 5,000m 2 or 23 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 16. Shopping Centres Land used for the purposes of a Land with the – gross floor area shopping centre, with a gross floor area following land used between 5,001 and between 5,001 and 10,000m2. codes: 14, 15, 16 10,000m 2 or 23 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 17. Shopping Centres Land used for the purposes of a Land with the – gross floor area shopping centre, with a gross floor area following land used between 10,001 and between 10,001 and 20,000m2. codes: 14, 15, 16 20,000m2 or 23 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 18. Shopping Centres Land used for the purposes of a Land with the – gross floor area shopping centre, with a gross floor area following land used between 20,001 and between 20,001 and 30,000 m2. codes: 14, 15, 16 30,000m 2 or 23 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 19. Shopping Centres Land used for the purposes of a Land with the – gross floor area shopping centre, with a gross floor area following land used between 30,001 and between 30,001 and 40,000 m2. codes: 14, 15, 16 40,000m2 or 23 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 20. Shopping Centres Land used for the purposes of a Land with the – gross floor area shopping centre, with a gross floor area following land used greater than 40,000m2 greater than 40,000 m2. codes: 14, 15, 16 or 23 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 21. Strata Units Land which is a strata unit used for Land with the (Not PPR). residential accommodation purposes following land used other than as the owner’s principal place codes: 08 or 09 or of residence, other than land in category as otherwise 24. identified by the CEO. 22. Strata Units Land which is a strata unit used as the Land with the (PPR). owner’s principal place of residence following land used other than land in category 23. codes: 08 or 09 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 23. Strata Units Home Land which is a strata unit used as the Land with the Hosted Transitory owner’s principal place of residence and following land used Accommodation. is defined as transitory accommodation. codes: 08 or 09 or as otherwise identified by the CEO. 24 Strata Units Land which is a strata unit used other Land with the Transitory than as the owner’s principal place of following land used Accommodation. residence and is defined as transitory codes: 08 or 09 or accommodation. as otherwise identified by the CEO. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 25. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential - 2 to 4 which there are 2 to 4 self-contained following land used residences flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, othercode 03 or as than land in category 31. otherwise identified by the CEO. 26. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential - 5 to 9 which there are 5 to 9 self-contained following land used residences flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, other code 03 or as than land in category 32 otherwise identified by the CEO. 27. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential - 10 to 14 which there are 10 to 14 self-contained following land used residences flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, other code 03 or as than land in category 33. otherwise identified by the CEO. 28. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential - 15 to 19 which there are 15 to 19 self-contained following land used residences flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, other code 03 or as than land in category 34. otherwise identified by the CEO. 29. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential - 20 to 29 which there are 20 to 29 self-contained following land used residences flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, other code 03 or as than land in category 35. otherwise identified by the CEO. 30. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential - greater which there are 30 or more self- following land used than 30 residences contained flats, studios, cabins or code 03 or as dwellings, other than land in category 36. otherwise identified by the CEO. 31. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential Transitory which there are 2 to 4 self-contained following land used Accommodation - 2 to flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, and code 03 or as 4 residences where at least one of the self-contained otherwise identified flats, studios, cabins or dwellings is by the CEO. transitory accommodation. 32. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential Transitory which there are 5 to 9 self-contained following land used Accommodation - 5 to flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, and code 03 or as 9 residences where at least one of the self-contained otherwise identified flats, studios, cabins or dwellings is by the CEO. transitory accommodation. 33. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential Transitory which there are 10 to 14 self-contained following land used Accommodation - 10 to flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, and code 03 or as 14 residences where at least one of the self-contained otherwise identified flats, studios, cabins or dwellings is by the CEO. transitory accommodation. 34. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential Transitory which there are 15 to 19 self-contained following land used Accommodation - 15 to flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, and code 03 or as 19 residences where at least one of the self-contained otherwise identified flats, studios, cabins or dwellings is by the CEO. transitory accommodation. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 35. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential Transitory which there are 20 to 29 self-contained following land used Accommodation - 20 to flats, studios, cabins or dwellings, and code 03 or as 29 residences where at least one of the self-contained otherwise identified flats, studios, cabins or dwellings is by the CEO. transitory accommodation. 36. Non-Strata Land, used for residential purposes, on Land with the Residential Transitory which there are 30 or more self- following land used Accommodation - contained flats, studios, cabins or code 03 or as greater than 30 dwellings, and where at least one of the otherwise identified residences self-contained flats, studios, cabins or by the CEO. dwellings is transitory accommodation. Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 4 Moved: Cr Joe Jurisevic Seconded: Cr Tom Wegener That pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 94 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to levy the special charges for the 2023/24 financial year as set out in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023). The special charges set out in the Revenue Statement are: Noosa Waters Lock and Weir Maintenance Levy Noosa Waters Canal Maintenance Levy Noosa Junction Levy Hastings Street Precinct Levy Noosa Main Beach Levy Hastings Street Community Safety Program Charge Lower Noosa North Shore Electricity Charge Noosa Junction Streetscape Levy For that purpose the rateable land to which the special charges apply and the overall plans for the services, facilities or activities to which the special charges apply be the rateable land and overall plans specified in the Revenue Statement. Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 5 Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Amelia Lorentson That pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to adopt the overall plans, annual implementation plans and benefitted area maps specified in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023) for the special charges it resolves to levy under resolution 4. Carried Unanimously. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 Council Resolution 6 Moved: Cr Joe Jurisevic Seconded: Cr Brian Stockwell That pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 99 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to levy the utility charges for the 2023/24 financial year as set out in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023). Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 7 Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel That pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 103 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to levy the separate rates and charges for the 2023/24 financial year as set out in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023). The separate rates and charges set out in the Revenue Statement are: Environment Levy Sustainable Transport Levy Heritage Levy Bushfire Resilience and Response Levy Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 8 Moved: Cr Joe Jurisevic Seconded: Cr Amelia Lorentson That pursuant to section 107 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 and section 114 of the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990, Council resolves that rates and utility charges, and the Queensland Government’s Emergency Management Levy, for the year ending 30 June 2024 will be levied six monthly and as set out in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023). Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 9 Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel That pursuant to section 122 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to grant concessions to ratepayers as set out in the Revenue Statement (contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document) and Council’s General Rate Donations Policy. Carried Unanimously. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 Council Resolution 10 Moved: Cr Amelia Lorentson Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel That pursuant to section 118 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves that all rates and charges must be paid within 30 days after the date of issue of the rates notice. Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 11 Moved: Cr Joe Jurisevic Seconded: Cr Tom Wegener That pursuant to section 133 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves that all overdue rates and charges bear interest as set out in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023). Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 12 Moved: Cr Amelia Lorentson Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel That pursuant to section 257 of the Local Government Act 2009 Council delegates to the Chief Executive Officer its powers under section 81 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 to identify the differential rating category into which each parcel of rateable land in the Council’s local government area is included by using relevant information from the Council’s land record and any other information which identifies the use of rateable land. Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 13 Moved: Cr Joe Jurisevic Seconded: Cr Tom Wegener That it be recorded that in each case where a preceding Motion refers to a matter set out in the Revenue Statement contained in the Noosa Council 2023/24 Budget document (provided as Attachment 1 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023), that matter is incorporated by reference into, and forms part of the terms and content of the motion, and will be so incorporated and form part of the terms and content of Council’s resolution to adopt the motion. Carried Unanimously. Council Resolution 14 Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Karen Finzel That Council note the revised 2023-2024 Service Level catalogues provided in Attachment 2 to the Special Meeting report dated 30 June 2023. Carried Unanimously. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 30 JUNE 2023 Council Resolution 15 Moved: Cr Amelia Lorentson Seconded: Cr Clare Stewart That Council approve the proposed increase in the organisational establishment from 418.11 to 432.38 full time equivalent (FTE) as outlined in the attached report. Carried Unanimously. 2.6. OPERATIONAL PLAN 2023-24 Council Resolution Moved: Cr Brian Stockwell Seconded: Cr Frank Wilkie That Council note the report by the Executive Officer, Internal Audit and Corporate Performance to the Special meeting dated 30 June 2023 and approve for the 2023-24 financial year its Operational Plan 2023-24 , provided as Attachment 1 to the report. Carried Unanimously. 3. CONFIDENTIAL SESSION Nil 4. MEETING CLOSURE The Meeting closed at 11.27 am
Meeting Transcript
Clare Stewart 00:00.000
I note that we are meeting on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi people and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. I note that we have everyone in attendance this morning. Today's special meeting is to consider Noosa Council's 2023-2024 budget adoption. first item on our agenda is item 2.1.2023-2024 Noosa Council budget process consultation feedback. We have the Director of Corporate Services Trent Grauf in attendance. Trent could you give us a attendance Trent could you give us a summary of the report please. Trent Grauf 00:32.900
Morning councillors. The first agenda item this morning is the budget engagement consultation outcomes. The 2023-24 budget has followed a two stage engagement process similar to last year. The stage one process was the significant consultation and major piece of work through development of the youth work plan which elicited over a thousand responses. Last year the pre-budget engagement process was the livability survey which similarly elicited over 2,000 responses. The stage two process which is before you today is regarding the draft budget engagement. This elicited only 40 responses this financial year which is lower than previous years at 166 and 147 responses respectively. We followed similar channels for engagement this year as per previous year, as per previous years, including face-to-face sessions, emails, and an online survey. We recognise this is a low statistical validity for survey, but I think it's important to remember that the draft budget has followed the corporate plan engagement, and as you'll see through the operational plan as the last agenda item this morning, a lot of those outcomes in the corporate plan are feeding through this financial year. Now, the report provided for you here this morning includes a summary of the feedback topics and a summary of actions in relation to that. One of the key outcomes noted in that report is lot of the responses reflected projects and expenditure already included and provided for in the draft budget. This included additional investment in core infrastructure maintenance renewals for additional funding for civil operations for maintenance as well as additional staff for parks and landscape, significant number of waste management initiatives, environment initiatives to increase conservation and wildlife preservation, primarily through increased initiatives through the Levy, the adoption of the Encouragement Policy, transport strategy initiatives, increased funding for accessibility through new changing places, amenities, an accessibility park, furniture along Kinty Terrace foreshore, and additional... a result, the draft budget presented in front of you reflects the final budget as adopted today. Thank you Trent. Clare Stewart 03:05.772
Do we have any questions for Trent? Councillor Stockwell. Brian Stockwell 03:09.632
Trent, while there wasn't many submissions back into the draft plan, there was a little bit of a theme there for people who would like to see us reallocate some dollars for the Gambling Alliance Fund. I think in your report you state that we could do this without any further change to the budget that we have, whether it be rejoining, for example. Trent Grauf 03:49.917
Is correct. The investment is not significant relative to our $132 million budget. We're talking potentially after $15,000 if that's the full contribution to rejoin. So should the council decide to rejoin the alliance, it can be an operational it can be an operational decision for council to progress and my recommendation is from a finance perspective is we can emergently deal with that through the budget. Clare Stewart 04:14.469
Thank you, thank you Trent. Councillor Amelia. Amelia Lorentson 04:18.669
Trent, again in reference to the 40 responses that this budget engagement process has generated, I note it's I note it's a lower response than previous years. You mentioned 166 responses 2021-2022,147 responses in 2020-2021. Given that we've got already a reliable sort of source of communities views and expectations, given all these surveys that we conduct throughout the year, is this the potential end of this type of consultation? Trent Grauf 04:54.801
Through the Chair, each year as we start the budget process in November and December we look at how we undertake the process. So we will obviously sit down with the council and look at the process next year. At this point in time I'm not looking to change or revoke that engagement process. I think the important part is to make sure that through our community engagement we focus on those key strategic engagement strategic engagement processes. And we have done that very well through the corporate plan, the livability survey, the waste strategy which is underway at the moment. They're the key pieces to obviously ensure that we get appropriate community feedback. at this point through the budget, I think that feedback is important. You'll find that as you look back over previous years with the engagement, often it's a key topic or a key operational issue that gets a focus through the feedback. think what you'll find this year or one interpretation is I'm sure what's driven the changes in terms of feedback is there haven't been as many topical operational issues or topical changes to our rating structure apart from the pressures evaluation this year. Thank you. Clare Stewart 05:59.273
Thank you Trent. Councillor Joe. Joe Jurisevic 06:01.753
Not sure if this is one for you Trent or one for the CEO, particularly as it was in his area of The service levels. Concerns of efficiency, service levels and quality is reduced. Examples include road maintenance, parks, park maintenance and the like. We've had a service level catalogue included in our budget documentation for some time. I'm unaware of any reduction in service levels to those areas in particular. Are you aware of any changes, Mr CEO, that have been undertaken there and is this an opportunity for us to take those concerns if there is any need for any changes in service levels in the areas that are raised? Larry Sengstock 06:49.109
Through you Chair, no, there's been no change. We are reviewing them as part of our efficiencies and getting better at doing it and actually some of the realignment that we're doing with our operations group is to actually deliver those services. deliver those services in a bit in a better way but there's no there's no intention to reduce any service levels. Joe Jurisevic 07:07.109
So the element the opportunity for efficiency is going forward with some of these changes is there? Absolutely. Frank Wilkie 07:12.789
Madam Chair, I'm happy to move the motion. Clare Stewart 07:15.441
Okay, I'll second it. Thank You Councillor Wilkie. Would you like to speak to it? Frank Wilkie 07:18.421
Yeah, Thank you. Madam Mayor. Look, I commend staff for conducting the budget consultation process. I'll just express I'll just express a personal opinion that I believe that the budget consultation process, although it's not mandatory over the last three years, it's proved very useful in helping us to see whether or not we've got the balance and the mix right, read in concert with other surveys such as the feedback we received for the corporate plan and the liveability survey. survey, it did show that track. It's very useful feedback. Even though the numbers of respondents have diminished over the last three years, I think it's still a good show of good faith and good governance that we do offer the consultation process for feedback. And it will also provide the opportunity for us to see whether there's anything we have There's anything we have missed, and I don't think I'd be alone in suggesting that we should continue with the process, even though it's not a mandatory one. Clare Stewart 08:24.641
Thank you, Councillor Wilkie. Would anyone else like to speak to this? We'll put the recommendation... Oh, would you like to close, Councillor Wilkie? Frank Wilkie 08:31.661
No, thank you, Madam. Clare Stewart 08:32.241
Put it to a vote. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you, Trent. Item 2.2 on our agendas is adoption of... Is adoption of 2023-2024 budget policies. And again, we have Trent to give us a summary. Thank you, Trent. Trent Grauf 08:49.005
Through the Chair of Council, the Local Government Act 2009 requires us to adopt a number of policies related to the annual budget to ensure the effective and efficient financial governance of Council. These pilot membership policies are the debt policy and investment of surplus cash policy. These... However, the agenda also includes, primarily for the first time, a number of other finance-related policies, which are obviously critical and mandatory... mandatory to the operation of the organisation, but not mandatory to the budget process. However, it's proposed to review and re-adopt these annually through the budget process as part of proactive measures, discretionary measures, to seek to achieve better practice in the chairing council's suite of financial related policies and financial governance is kept always current. This approach follows sound advice from the council received through our expert independent leaders of council's audit and listening. And also noting independent Queensland Audit Office, who audit our financial statements annually, also identified... that there has been a number of years since these policies have been reviewed, and this was an opportune process to ensure that our policies remain current. So then a mandatory, non-mandatory budget budget policies included here for finance are: financial sustainability policy, the non-current asset policy, the general rate donations policy, management of restricted cash policy and the entertainment and hospitality policy. The purposes of The purposes of each of these policies is outlined in the report and each of those detailed policies contain appendices. Only minor changes were proposed to these policies and it's primarily around wording and clarification of their intent. It does not change their application. For the debt policy it's outlining our borrowings for the next financial year. For the investment policy there are no changes to our investment or counterparty limits however this is something we will review during the year as we look at our investment practices as an organisation particularly given our interest rates and our cash holdings. General rate donations again it's only minor clarification of wording and no changes to the intent or outcome of eligibility. Our entertainment for the investment Policy is probably undertaking and hospitality policy has probably undertaken the most change and the intent here was to provide much clearer articulation and boundaries of what is allowable hospitality and entertainment spend by officers. In particular this policy was reviewed by our committee members as well to ensure that we achieve best practice outcome for policy. our non-current asset policy finally was reviewed given the number of years since change and was updated to reflect current clarification on our disclosure treatment of non-current assets through the financial statements. This will not change our financial statement position or disclosures financially. Thank you Trent. Clare Stewart 11:45.262
Any questions for Councillor Finzel? Trent Grauf 11:49.166
Thank you Trent. Karen Finzel 11:50.866
Through the Chair and a question to the CEO, given the importance of policies and continuous improvement, can you please advise how often we review the policies to make sure that we are on track? Larry Sengstock 12:05.686
Through the Chair, it's a regular process, so if it's required on a 12-monthly basis or as changes occur. sometimes regulations come through that ensure that we, or cause us to then make sure that we look at our policies and make sure they're still relevant to the new regulations. So it's a regular exercise. Thank you. Clare Stewart 12:27.806
Any other questions for Trent? Councillor Joe. Joe Jurisevic 12:31.366
Just one for clarification. The term non-current asset, just so for the people that may be watching online, can you just define the difference between a current and a non-current asset? Good question. Trent Grauf 12:44.146
Through the Chair, current assets are in our balance sheet items that we could consume if you like within a year. So it can be cash, it can be debts that are owed to us, so those smaller items of equity that that can be easily consumed. Non-current assets primarily relate to your infrastructure. It's your roads, your bridges, your buildings. It's the- if you like the assets, you can keep- So this is a very important one because the value of our assets, of our roads and bridges, et cetera, is nearly $1.3 billion over the coming year, so it's the primary part of our equity and making sure Frank Wilkie 13:46.534
Integral to ensuring Noosa Council remains a financially viable and financially responsible council, as it always has been, one that's able to maintain its $1.3 billion worth of community assets, have very have very low levels of debt and always return a small surplus at the end of the financial year. That's it in a nutshell. They're very important and they're integral to keeping Noosa Council financially viable and be able to provide the services for its community. Clare Stewart 14:20.202
Thanks Councillor Wilkie. Anyone else like to speak to this? Not to close? No thank you. We'll put it to a vote. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you, thank you Trent. Next item on the agenda is 2.3 statement of estimated financial position for the 2022-2023 financial year and we have our Acting Financial Services Manager Pauline Coles here to give us a summary. Thank you Pauline. Pauline Coles 14:45.498
Morning councillors. In accordance with section 205 of the local government regulation 2012, council is required to present a statement of estimated financial position as part of its annual budget process. The statement of estimated financial position provides an estimate of council's position for for the 2022-23 financial year, and this position is presented in the report and is consistent with the adopted position at Budget Review 2, which was adopted by Council in April. It's currently showing a small surplus of $162,000. Clare Stewart 15:15.230
Thank you, Pauline. Thank you, Pauline. Any questions for Pauline? Anyone like to move this recommendation? Councillor Joe. All right. Seconder, Councillor Tom. All right. We all three. I was looking at Tom. He got it. Councillor Joe, would you like to speak to this? Joe Jurisevic 15:32.202
I need to acknowledge that the financial position that's estimated for the end of this financial year is slightly ahead of... the net operating result anticipated. We're on track and maintaining a sound financial position. Thank you. Clare Stewart 15:50.378
Thank you, Councillor. Would anyone else like to speak to this? No? you like to close, Councillor Jo? Joe Jurisevic 15:56.078
No. All right. Clare Stewart 15:57.138
We'll put the recommendation to a vote. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you, Elinda. Thank you, Pauline. Next item on the agenda is item 2.4, application of national competition policy reform and Pauline. Thank you. Pauline Coles 16:11.258
Each year, financially, our Council is required to decide whether to apply national competition policy reforms to identified business activities. National competition policy reform provides greater transparency over Council business and assists with removing any anti-competitive conduct and ensures the best allocation of Council's limited resources. Council has adopted NCP reforms with respect to its waste and holiday park businesses since the amalgamation. Council has adopted... The 2023 year Council undertook a review of its other businesses to determine whether or not NCP should apply to those. We considered the community facilities including aquatic centres, leisure centre, events, arts and respite centres and cemeteries. And whilst these operations generate fees and operate on a partial user pay system, they do not necessarily have a full cost recovery or profit making focus and as such we're not seeking to apply NCP principles to those. The digital hub provides an economic focus and while it also does earn income from rental and a partial user pay system, it is very heavily reliant on grants and its primary focus is economic development so we're not we're not suggesting to apply NTP policies to that as well. Accordingly, we're recommending to Council to continue to adopt full soft pricing principles to business management business activities and to apply the Code of Competitive Conduct to the holiday parks, which is consistent with the previous year. Clare Stewart 17:34.842
Thank you, Pauline. Councillor Joe. Joe Jurisevic 17:38.142
Pauline, you mentioned the rental income for the digital hub, but we also have the Sunrise Beach shops, which derives an income for Council. Is there any reason why the Sunrise Beach shops wouldn't be considered for for any sort of commercial operation? Pauline Coles 17:52.857
So, the Sunrise Shop... If it's a commercial operation? Yep. So, Sunrise Shop is purely a lease arrangement. While the digital hub is similar in nature, it has a membership base as well as office and venue rental, so it's slightly different in perspective. It does also have some lease sites that sit within that precinct as well. Trent Grauf 18:13.880
For the Chair, just to add, the thresholds set on the national competition policy are also based on expenditure. So whilst it has a revenue generating focus, the thresholds under the regulation in the Act are about how much expenditure occur. Sunrise Beach on its own, in terms of its maintenance and operating and lease costs, doesn't pick over the That said, as Council works down a path of revenue diversification, potential future activation of some of its vacant land parcels around the Shire for commercial and industrial purposes, that activity as a whole might in future years trigger the threshold and it might be a conversation we bring back in future years till we've got our commercial land holdings as an activity as it may. Joe Jurisevic 18:58.664
Thank you for bringing up the next part of my question. Clare Stewart 19:02.404
Any further questions? Would anyone like to move? Happy to move it. Okay, seconder? Alright, Councillor Lorentson, Councillor Wilkie. Frank Wilkie 19:09.975
Thank you, thank you Mayor. This policy is mandatory, very important. Basically it's to ensure that local governments don't use through their commercial operations to unfairly disadvantage other businesses that are operating in the same sphere. In the case of Noosa Council, that's in waste management and also holiday parks. Clare Stewart 19:32.846
Thank Thank you, Councillor. Would anyone else like to speak to this? All right, we'll put it to a vote. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you very much. We are now up to 2.5, which is our 2023-2024 budget adoption. But I would like to move, before we actually vote on this or talk to this, that we suspend standing orders for Council to be able to speak to this and to have speeches and to also hear from Trent. So I move that we suspend the standing orders. Frank Wilkie 20:07.654
I'll second that, Madam Clare Stewart 20:08.514
Mayor. Thank you. All in favour? Unanimous. Thank Standing orders are now suspended and Trent would you like to give an outline overview of the budget? Thank you. Trent Grauf 20:17.857
Through the Chair. Under the Local Government Act, Council is required to adopt a budget at least annually. This agenda item as part of the Budget Adoption Special Meeting is the primary budget paper to discuss this morning. This agenda item... It provides our budget document, financial statements, rating and charges adoption and is the legislative... legislative approval to levy rates charges for the financial year. Consequently, as you will note as we work through this agenda, there are no less than 15 separate motions that you will need to adopt this morning. Given the conversation in regards to the matters, initiatives, projects, capital works, that we will talk through as each of you speak to the motion, I'll keep my summary quite high level and executive matter, and we'll focus on the technical financial performance aspects of the budget. Now, in terms of financial sustainability, the 2023-24 operating position is again in is again in line with previous years and marginal surplus. The aim is to obviously ensure that we find the right balance between financial sustainability and investment in community initiatives and projects. All key financial sustainability ratios are met which includes our operating surplus ratio, our asset sustainability ratio and our... Net liabilities. The financial net liabilities ratio. Thank you, Pauline. I've been looking at numbers far too long. I also believe the budget adheres very well to the principles outlined in our financial sustainability policy again this year. In terms of operating revenue, you will see the budget has $130 million on operating revenue. Some key highlights in terms of movements year on year here, interest revenue... Interest revenue is currently benefiting from our high interest rates that have been offered in terms of investing cash and those cash accounts have been held at the bank, as well as our cash reserves being highly anticipated. This is primarily due to funds that we've received in advance and are held restricted in terms of disaster experience. I'd spend capital works where we're still progressing through our adopted capital works programs for the 2023-24 financial year as well as levies that have an unspent balance that we hold in reserve for that purpose for future years. Our fees and charges have also been reviewed to ensure that the principles of full cost pricing remain in place and that the general rate payer is not unduly burdened by the cost of delivering those fee generating activity permits and other services. Our rates. The goal of the rates is to ensure that the majority of the rate rise is kept below CPI. And as you will see in the budget documents, for the majority of residential rate payers that are on the minimum charge, the net rate increase is 5.5%, which is again still below our March quarter CPI and indicative of the recent notification from RBA as to our interim CPI, which I believe was 5.5%. Debra, this has been also achieved through a freeze on all our four key levies, which is the environment levy, our heritage levy, our sustainable transport levy and our bushfire resilience and recovery levy. That has ensured that we keep those net rate charges sustainable year-on-year. Now, in terms of operating expenditure, again, it's $132 million of operating expenditure, which aligns closely with the revenue. The key driver of the cost increase for the next financial year has been our CPI, employee bargaining agreement for staff costs, which did not anticipate a lot of services, goods, construction materials over the last 18 months did not anticipate unprecedented CPI levels in Australia. Our construction cost pressures have also impacted depreciation in terms of the value of our assets, which we talked about earlier, as well as the materials component of our civil works works, parks and gardens maintenance costs. Our capital works, $39.4 million capital program. This does not include disaster, but it's important to note that $28 million of that spend is renewals in terms of keeping and maintaining service level and condition of our assets, which is significant. In fact, the renewals itself is larger than many of our previous year's capital works program. This $39.4 million has been funded through $9 million in grants, $3 million of use of restricted reserves and and levies: $3 million in loans, $20 million funded through our appreciation funds, leaving $5 million to go on our operating surpluses for this year, timing of cash flow through financial years and our unrestricted cash reserves. Thank you Council, do you have any questions? Clare Stewart 25:18.470
Questions for Trent? Okay, I'll speak to it. It's going to take a little longer than five minutes, but it was definitely under ten. Good morning, my fellow councillors, CEO and staff. It is with pleasure pleasure that I recommend this Council's fourth budget as Mayor of Noosa Shire. The budget we vote on today is a collaborative one arising from the hard work and wisdom of many. It's a budget that has undergone robust debate, scrutiny, feedback from our community and is quite simply a reflection of our collective values. I'd like to acknowledge all my fellow councillors who have worked tirelessly over the past few months. I would also like to acknowledge our Director of Corporate Services Trent Grauf and Pauline Coles and our Acting Financial Services Manager who have walked this journey every step of the way with us. Thank you for your ongoing support, advice and expertise. The Noosa Shire Council The Noosa Shire Council budget 2023-2024, just like our previous three budgets, has not been without its challenges. In fact, it's been our toughest yet, and perhaps the toughest since de-amalgamation. This year we continue to deliver an $80 million flood recovery program, with inflationary pressures and massive land valuation increases for the second consecutive year. In fact, re-evaluation of land by the State government for a second year in a row has seen average land values increase by over 62% across our Shire. This year we have, like last, weathered much. But like our Shire, like our community, this budget is one of resilience and recovery. And above all, it's about investment. Investment into our community, our environment, our economy, our businesses and our budget has a renewed focus on significant foundations, renewing and maintaining infrastructure, helping pensioners, maintaining our liveability to ensure a bright future for our Shire, a focus on back to basics, grassroots spending. Grassroots spending where our community needs it most. Prior to today, just as we have in the past two years, we took our draft budget to our community. Armed with the feedback from significant community consultation through our recently adopted corporate corporate plan which informed budget priorities during its development as well as budget feedback. It was clear that our community wanted many things, all of which were already addressed in the draft budget through initiatives and actions. as we've heard about the Alliance, we can take them as operational down the track. And if they weren't... Budget figures. Today's record $171.7 million budget incorporates an operating expenditure budget of $132.3 million and a capital works budget of $39.4 million, which includes loan repayments of $1.2 million. The significant capital program is on top of the $80 million suite of flood recovery works funded by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. The significant... Importantly, it complies with our financial sustainability policy. While there are significant investments, there is a necessary rate increase. Like our fellow councils across Queensland, we are not immune to the rising costs and rising challenges of our current environment. Like all households and businesses our council has had to bear current inflationary conditions, construction costs which have risen by as much as 30% for construction and rising utility charges. In saying that, the average residential rate payer faces a 5.5% increase on their total rates notice, equivalent to an extra $1.72. to $1 In fact, 4,000 property owners will have a drop in their total rates bill because of the mechanisms implemented to combat the unprecedented land valuations. 75% of rate payers will have an average rate rate rise which is lower than CPI. Although we did our absolute best and most to reduce the impact of state land valuations, a number of outlying properties were unable to be captured and will incur a significant rate rise. We have all worked We have all worked hard to keep rates as low as possible as we understand the impact that rising living costs have had on our community. That is why we were resolute in our commitment to consolidating the pensioner rebates and giving nearly 5,000 of our pensioners a helping hand. All eligible pensioners now receive the full rebate of $230 per year, whether they are a single or a couple pensioner. role our vision is to help where we can and we continue to help our elderly, something we are all proud of. Continuing with our commitment to keep rates as low as possible, we have put a freeze on all levies to help minimise the financial on ratepayers. we continue to deliver record amounts of capital projects. This year's budget includes an ambitious $39.4 million investment in capital works on top of the $80 million. Roads and transport the big focus, with $10.3 million worth of projects, followed closely by environment, waste and resource recovery programs, which will see an $8.15 million spend. Delivering almost $120 million of infrastructure infrastructure projects in just 12 months is no easy feat. We're fortunate that an incredibly skilled infrastructure team that last year delivered a record capital program, despite difficult and challenging economic conditions, are at the helm once again. $6.04 million will be spent on bridges. A further $1.57 million will be spent on pathways and boardwalks and public amenities will receive upgrades amounting to $1.49 million. Other key capital work projects include $4.3 million for the Shire Road reseal program and $475,000 to continue the Shire Wide Gravel Road re-sheeting program. Ed Webb Sunshine Beach upgrade $609,000. Noosaville foreshore stormwater renewals $525,000. Noosa Head Dogs sand erosion beach management plan $500,000. $460,000 investment to build missing links in the hinterland pathway network delivering on our commitment to our walking and cycling strategy. $80,000 renewing the Shire's barbecues. $100,000 barbecues: $100,000 to renew park furniture and $40,000 for park shelter maintenance. Noosaville's Apex Fitness equipment will receive $131,000 in upgrading and modernising. $45,000 will be put aside for restoration of the Noosa Botanic Gardens. $61,000 for beach shower renewals and $250,000 to improve beach access. We turn our minds to other big ticket items in this year's budget and our focus is firmly on our war on waste. This budget sees of just over $3.6 million to complete the expansion of the Eumundi Noosa Road landfill cell as well as an additional $1.2 million investment to expand the green waste and industrial waste processing and storage areas and develop a new area for the display, sale and loading of processed and recycled materials including a feasibility study into resource recovery options such as the polystyrene processing machine. With the majority With the majority of Council's carbon emissions resulting from our landfill we can, with the right strategy in place, the right initiatives undertaken, turn this essential service into an opportunity to be innovative, forward-thinking and proactive. budget provides for just that: livability and the environment. A newly adopted corporate plan highlights the importance of our environment. Funds to continue and nurture our natural environment are a critical component of this budget. in land conservation and rehabilitation work is up fifty percent to facilitate more land for wildlife and voluntary conservation agreements. Funding for environmental grants is increased by six percent. In this budget Council continues its partnership funding arrangements for a range of conservation projects such as Noosa River planning, flora and fauna monitoring and developing a sea turtles conservation strategy. An ongoing science-based water quality monitoring program and ongoing vegetation mapping review to identify critical bushfire hazards and inform conservation are also part of this year's budget. Our community programs are paramount and also feature prominent prominently in this year's budget. Around $15.2 million of our budget is being spent to operate libraries, community facilities and to provide community development services. Of this we are continuing with funding of our Living Well Noosa program, continuing with our Go Noosa free weekend buses, undertaking master planning for our Noosa Botanic Gardens and progressing our destination plan. We've also provided $465,000 for heritage and restoration upgrades to the Cooroy Butter factory. The J will get a new air conditioning system and the heat pump at the Noosa Aquatics Centre is also earmarked. We're also continuing with our feasibility study for a new regional art gallery and a business case. Our business community Our business community, largely small businesses, are very much the lifeblood of this Shire and we have over 7,000 of them. They continue to be supported. This budget reaffirms our commitment to our business community with implementation of a small business friendly council program, education and industry development program, green economy, as well as a digital connectivity investigation. This is all in addition to our ongoing industry support and economics grants. Special interests: we all have a few favoured projects or things we are most proud of. For me my mind turns to the following: fire management and safety. The bushfire resilience and recovery levy is in its third year now and continues to provide valuable programs to mitigate... bushfire risk on Council bushland reserves through controlled burns and fire trial maintenance. Capital spending on sports and recreation. Designs for the upgrade of Cooroy Sports Complex will progress to completion over this year and Council will undertake a much-needed future needs assessment of the Noosa Leisure Centre to ensure... Council can cater for the growing demands of indoor sport and active recreation in the future. River support. Investigation into the upgrade and... replacement of the jetty at Noosa Woods is something I'm looking forward to as it... progresses to completion over the coming year. Its potential lies in increasing transport solutions via river travel. Salmation. Over the past Over the past three years I've used the mantra save where we can to spend where we must. It's an ideal I still espouse. This year like the last three years have put a focus on delivering tangible outcomes for our community providing grassroots style projects that will make a lives of our residents. This budget does this and more. It has a firm back to basics approach. Considering the challenges we have faced I'm incredibly proud to be delivering alongside all councillors a budget of this calibre which is another investment caliber which is another investment in enhancing our lifestyle and providing a bright future. In closing I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Deputy Mayor and my fellow councillors for their deliberations and sensible approach to formulating this budget. As I said it is very much a collective process and has been a collective budget. I believe this budget is a good one and if we have all worked very hard together to achieve it. I'd also like council management team for their detailed work in preparing this budget. Special thanks go to our acting CEO Larry Sengstock and our hard-working finance team led by Trent Grauf and Pauline Coles and also to our executive executive team who have worked so incredibly hard on this budget. A great team effort by so many of our wonderful staff. The collective efforts of so many to get us here today has not gone unnoticed. It is appreciated and it is acknowledged. As Councillors, we are all very grateful. As councillors acknowledged. In registering appreciation, it should be noted that we continue to remain in surplus. We have a modest operating surplus of 121,000. This is a remarkable result because of what has continued to be at such challenging financial contexts. A quote I've used in the past, so please allow me a little latitude, is one that I think is still current. series of numbers on a page. A budget is more It is an embodiment of our values. To our community, it is you who we value and it is with you in mind this budget was crafted. On behalf of all our council team, I commend it for adoption. Thank you Madam Frank Wilkie 37:18.666
Mayor. Once again you leave very little for the rest of us to say. As you've done every year for the last four years. Very comprehensive and detailed summary and gracious summary of the budget. Very accurate and factual. So thank you Madam Mayor. I'd like to just make a few comments about the broader context in which we've operated over the last four years. This has been a context in which we've operated in, it's been one of disruption. Ever since disruption ever since the first budget we had to face which was facing the impacts of COVID. We were either facing the impacts of COVID or recovering from COVID. Then there was the flood disaster. We're facing an unprecedented 31 landslips across the Shire and as the Mayor mentioned $88 million worth of capital works which you won't see in the budget papers which is happening alongside our $39 million worth of capital works. worth of capital works. Record inflation. We'll have to combat that as well as well as two consecutive land valuation hikes in two years in a row but at the heart of it everyone around this table has borne the cost of living impacts on ratepayers foremostly in mind and the fact that we've been able to come up with rates a budget that minimises impacts on our residents we've still been able to deliver good services for our community and I think it's something we're hoping that the residents will be of I'm pretty certain we've got the balance right and that there is everyone's taken a very equitable approach to the distribution of resources throughout the Shire so once commend again I would each also like to and every councillor and also Trent and Pauline for their great help the advice from the directors has been invaluable as well and of course Larry being oil on the water very calm and measured approach that keep things on track so just like to thank everyone as well. Thank you Councillor Wilkie. Clare Stewart 39:28.752
Would anyone else like to talk to this? Oh okay Councillor Amelia. Amelia Lorentson 39:40.966
Our mantra this year was go back to basics. Go back to all the Rs. Collect rubbish, fix local roads, keeps rates down, reduce waste, the most important are to reflect community values in every dollar that we spend. We've been mindful of the expectations of our community and the standard of service they're seeking from our council. We've been mindful that this has also been a really tough year for our residents given the enormous cost of living pressures. Households are under due to inflation and rising interest rates. Cost pressures cost pressures that have also been felt by Council. Our focus was to deliver minimal rate increase and to put our residents first, and I believe that we've done that. We've budgeted for essential capital works for infrastructure and services that... that support our community and create an environment to grow our economy, both in the hinterland and in coastal precincts. We've done our best to minimise our rate increase and spend ratepayers' money on matters that told us are most important to you. And we've also done our best to provide a budget that prepares us for the immediate and future challenges that lie in front of us. I want to take this opportunity to thank our community for giving us your trust to lead you. And I want to just reference page 64 of the report. The numbers just jump out at me. Running this Running this Shire is big business. We're throwing numbers around like we have $1.3 billion in assets. That our total expenditure budget is $171.7 million. Our operating expenditure budget, $132.3 million. Our capital works, $39 works, $39.4 million. Running Council is huge business. And again, thank you to the residents who trust us to spend their money. But with every big business, it needs great people to run it and I really need to reinforce what we all know, that our most important asset in any business is its people. to the council staff, thank you for going above and beyond every single day to deliver services to our community. And to our engine room, they're all sitting in this room today, to Trent, to Pauline. acting CEO, Larry, and to the executive team who are committed to keeping us councillors on track and also to keeping our future sound. Thank you. And finally to our wonderful Mayor for your leadership and to our Deputy Mayor and to my fellow councillors. We are all so committed to making Noosa better. It's an honour to be able to stand here today. Thank you, Councillor Lorentson. Well done. Clare Stewart 42:53.866
Councillor Joe. Joe Jurisevic 42:54.786
Yeah, I mean, he'd like a lot better. But likewise, I'd like to thank Trent, Pauline and the executive team, CEO, and particularly with the changes that have been undergone in upper management in the last 12 months. The managers and all of the staff that have had an an input into facilitating this budget for the financial year going forward, but also want their work in keeping Council afloat and Council operating in the years to come, particularly this year. We've had a few challenging and trying years with COVID. Hopefully we can see some clean air and get on with the business of operating Council. Some of the areas that I think don't often get mentioned is the asset management. I mean we do undertake a lot of log work and inspections and maintenance programs with regard to keeping our assets viable and the things that are in here are the bridge programs, the drainage programs and the infrastructure assets. Management and condition programs. Without those ongoing things, we wouldn't know the condition of our assets, we wouldn't know what maintenance is required, we wouldn't know what upgrades and facilitations are done. So to the staff that undertake those projects, there's $459,000 in the budget towards those. There are bridge renewal projects, Blackmount, Warrenville Road renewal and the Tewantin Bridge renewal. We're keeping an eye on that ageing asset. And some work with regards to Garth Prowd Bridge. Some improvements and enhancements to the entrance of Cooroy Cemetery, which probably hasn't had a lot of speed on it over the years, but it's well and truly reached time. The elements of Dog Beach. Dog Beach will get half a million dollars with sand replenishment this year. And a number of other elements in there. But one of the things that I'm pleased I'm pleased to see in this is the return of a heavy patching crew to Council's delivery of services. We heard one of the comments from the community feedback was potholes, potholes. are a pain to patch and they don't always last. The heavy patching crew will get on top of those and hopefully we'll be able to stop those potholes from becoming problems going forward but also... on some of the reseal programs to be able to patch the pieces that need patching and be able to manage those reseal programs and better expend the money on that on asphalt around the place. Community facilities: always great to see money being spent on community facilities and there's a lot of community facilities. One of the main upgrades happening happening is within our library and that's the the amenities upgrade in the in the Noosaville library. A number of pathways, parks and playgrounds and the Mayor mentioned the Cooroy Sports Complex. We've been doing some great spending on the Tewantin Complex with the new set of change rooms soon to be complete. I'm glad to see we're go into the design and implementation of upgrades for the Cooroy Sporting Complex which are well overdue as well. So I commend the program here. It's been a robust discussion around the table. I can assure everyone that we nutted out and challenged every dollar spent and tried to get the best bang for buck out of the money So that the spend was equitable across the Shire, that the main areas of focus that needed focus were delivered upon. We continue to look at the... redraw gallery going forward and I'm delighted to see that there's some spend going forward for the Botanic Gardens as well. One of our most prized assets that probably needs the attention it's going to get. the last and foremost, and the Mayor did mention it, the amount of money being spent with regard to waste management going forward including polystyrene machines that we've implemented this year and container deposit scheme return point which is a new one there and state-of-the-art stuff there being implemented so I look forward to seeing all those projects. Thank you. Clare Stewart 47:15.951
Thank you Jack. Councillor Tom. Tom Wegener 47:20.391
Yes Mayor Joe definitely summed up many many of the great things. I would like to also thank Pauline, Trent and staff for this budget and working with us and bringing us along the journey but I'm just gonna tell journey but I'm just gonna tell a little story of my most proud moment this year as a counselor and I was driving into Tewantin with my mother-in-law and she's elderly we were lamenting the woes of the world Ukraine blah blah and as we're driving in to Tewantin we see the roundabout and grandma says oh look at that beautiful roundabout I'll get it and the hedges were perfect and the points Yana blooming and it was just gorgeous then we drove down to the next roundabout it was gorgeous in the hedges and they make me feel good what a beautiful that is incredible and to me that's a symptom of things going right from Larry to Sean to Brian O 'Connor to Matt Hanson to the crew to Piper the newest trainee down there and I think that there's I think that there's a lot of aspects of council that are very similar. So I really appreciate the team, the effort that goes in and the team building that's happening. That brings that final roundabout beauty to us. And I think that the budget is the key. keel and rudder to the good ship Noosa. And we're just so happy that you've done such a good job. And thank you, staff, for this year. Clare Stewart 48:41.999
Thank you, John. Thank you, everyone. Karen Finzel 48:48.888
Thank you for your rousing story. I loved it. And I had a quote for Peter. It sort of leads into it, especially when we talk around diversity around the table. In diversity, there is beauty and there is strength. And I think this table here shows that. the organisation. And firstly, I'd like to acknowledge the wisdom inherent in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians as the oldest surviving culture in the world and recognise their custodianship of the land on which of the land on which we stand, live, work and play. So everything has been captured at the table beautifully so I'll just give a brief overview but firstly I'd like to acknowledge and commend the hard work of my fellow councillors and the great work of Mayor Clare who you know stands and is the outward face of this council and you have strongly strong leadership and love for this community and it's really thank you so thank you and I'd like to thank Acting CEO and all the staff including Trent and Pauline and the executive who have diligently committed to the task of working together in delivering a really robust budget. The Noosa Shire Council budget is a call to action with a focus on fairness with no one left behind. To build a To build a future where we have access to housing for all, where the environment and open spaces is desirable, vibrant and inclusive. Where education and retention of our young people is kept in the Shire, as we work to deliver innovative and successful sectors and small business to provide ongoing and meaningful employment. one inch. From the Shire hinterland trails to the coastline this council has worked hard to achieve equity throughout our decision-making process to focus on our people our environment and our economy with diligence. robust debates around the table without a doubt. United with empathy sitting at the heart of this budget in conjunction with strong fiscal responsibility and with fairness. have listened to what our community has had to say through our online surveys, meaningful engagement and to include our five year corporate plan, which hopefully we're sitting around the table all of us to deliver. In summary, we endeavoured to capture the aspirations of our community to work collaboratively side by side, shoulder to shoulder. essence, this budget encapsulates the desire to build a better future with council, with our community that community can be proud of. As we walk the road to recovery, building resilience in our communities, emerge as leader in our commitment to be proactive in delivering climate change targets, address the housing Address the housing crisis and work with all levels of government, private enterprise and industry to address homelessness, ensuring there is equitable access to housing for all. To consider young people, working families and our senior To support our small business community and tourism sector, reinvent our economy through diversity with strong emphasis on converting waste to resource. Promote safe, friendly and neighborhoods, invest in education and training for lifelong learning. And of course, a major one I love is to engender trust within our community through welcome and open conversations with a responsive and transparent outward facing council with an internal focus on best and continuous practice. Our desire is to improve connectivity through ongoing infrastructure build of trails and pathways throughout the Shire with an emphasis on achieving equitable outcomes for the hinterland and across the Shire. This council seeks to support healthy and active communities, strengthening communities with a focus on the arts and culture to build inclusion and resilience. resilience, to protect our Shire's heritage, environment. Raise awareness to support reconciliation and diversity. Deliver key outcomes and services to our community and reinforcing Noosa identity through planning projects with a priority on preserving the natural environment. We're mindful of our future and we're active in empowering young people towards sustainable futures, providing hope. we deliver future focused strategies to include the Shire's adaption strategy to climate change response. I encourage everyone to continue to engage and respond to the call of action to build the future up we want to see for future generations. Together we are stronger. Thank you. Clare Stewart 53:44.130
Thank you Councillor Finzel. That's lovely. Thank you. Karen Finzel 53:46.830
Councillor Stockwell. Brian Stockwell 53:50.300
Very briefly. A hallmark of the preparation of this budget has been the public debate around the impact of valuations. The key problem wasn't that it's happened twice in a year. That created a lot of work for these people that they don't really do every year. The key problem is the distribution the distribution of those increases. We talk about a bell curve. Well, it wasn't one of those. Bell curves where you have this nice central tendency and things. We had a very skewed distribution, so it's for those way out here. The rise was very significant. Now, we don't get involved in the valuations, and we know by looking at it, some of those changes or results are probably reflecting past errors. They've realised that, oh, all of a sudden, this end of the street's got of a sudden, this end of the street's got ocean views. We'd better change it to charge them the same, value them the same as the street next door that's got ocean views. But why does that matter in the context of a budget? It matters because We have the ability to set a rate in the dollar that tries to minimise the impact on those people who live here. We have a category that's called principal place of residence and that has been where we probably had the most debate, the most focus. We probably revisited our decision at least six if not ten or twelve times to try and get that response that had the the most equity and still said the majority of people would be under the cost price index. All that debate has been focused on people who live here and own properties. Two years ago, we recognised that people who own properties let out the holidaymakers, they provide a valuable service, but they're running a business. So we set up for transitory accommodation. There was a little bit of discussion about what the increase meant, but for most people, it was an extra night that they had to pay. Now, one more night for one of their guests was about the of them. Since that two years, a whole host of other councils have followed to recognise it. And I think this year, Brisbane's making a bit of a song and dance about it. That's not where our focus has been this Okay? That's flowed through. Our focus in this budget, and when we say we're keeping the minimum general rate to below CPI, that means that the vast majority of people who live here, their rates will their rates will increase less than their electricity, their petrol and everything else that's gone up ginormously. What it won't do is for those people who have been caught in the big bubble of real estate and maybe their valuations went up significantly. the problem we've had in Noosa for decades is that we'll have people who bought here years ago are asset rich but catch poor and there's a range of different mechanisms that this council will do to ensure those people are not unduly burdened by trying to pay their rates. So, as our message will be when the people get their lovely rates bill, it really was the major input at a political level this year was about putting residents first. Clare Stewart 57:27.727
Thank you, Councillor Stockwell. Frank Wilkie 57:30.327
Madam Mayor, a point of clarification, if I may. There's been some reference to robust debate around the table. I think it's important to say that while there was sweat say that while there was sweat and there was tears, there was no blood. Clare Stewart 57:44.572
Thank you Councillor Wilkie, that would be an apt assumption. On that note, I might move that we resume standing orders. I'll second. Okay, thank you. All in favour? Unanimous, thank you. We are back in formal debate. We have a number of motions, I believe 15 for adoption of 2.5, so I think it's So I think it's mandatory to read out each motion and we vote on each motion separately. So this is on page 57 and it's also on the screen, Councillor Finzel. So 2.5, 2023, 2024 budget, Councillor Stockwell. Brian Stockwell 58:25.193
I'm just going to move the first one. All right, would you like to speak to it? No. Okay, would you like to speak to it? Clare Stewart 58:31.453
It's all right. Okay, I might just say quickly because I thought there's, I wrote down some words as everyone was talking around the table and I think that you're right, Councillor Wilkie, disruption is a great word because two years ago, I don't know if you recall, but I was sitting here alone with the then CEO and you were all on Zoom because of COVID. Now that was in 2021. In 2020, we had just come off new council, off new council, come off the campaign trail, and we were two or three months into the job. So everything was new. Then 21, we had COVID. Obviously in 20, we did as well. Then last year, we were very much feeling the impacts of the floods. So you're exactly Disruption is a really good word. And I think Councillor Amelia, you talked about residents first. And I think that was really apt because I think in all our debates across all the years, although we've disagreed along the way, we've all, we all put residents put residents first and I think we all come to a to a position that does put our residents first and you know Councillor Finzel you talked about empathy and fairness and I think they're great words because we all have empathy we've all recognised how how difficult it is in in these economic times and and we've tried to provide a budget that is fair that is equitable and shows and the other word we should use is care because everyone around this table deeply cares for this community so I I firmly believe that this budget reflects that. Anyway, I just want to say that. Thank you. Joe Jurisevic 01:00:00.889
I'll add a little bit to the element of what's before us that it incorporates statements of income, expenditure, financial position, cash flow, change and equity, long-term financial forecast, revenue statements, revenue policies, capital program, all of those. There's a lot of other documents in here as well that don't get a mention in there and aren't necessarily something that we're required to deliver but we do deliver and one of those is a service catalogue, the service level catalogue and I urge anybody that wonders what goes on in council and what goes on in the day-to-day operations of council, have a look at the service level catalogue, have a look at the number of elements that are facilitated within and see the see the work that goes on to keep the Shire and and the ratepayers well looked after with regards to the the staff and the the implementation of the the expenditure expenditure that goes on in this in this council thank you um before we um vote on it um i do have to under um legislation i think read out each motion so i'll just just read it out so so everyone's aware motion one that to section 104 of the local government act 2009 and section 170 of the local government regulations 2012 the budget for the financial year ending 30 June 2024 incorporating statements of income and expenditure financial position cash flows changes in equity long-term financial forecast revenue statement and revenue policy in the 2023-24 capital program as contained in the Noosa council 2023-24 budget document provided as attachment document provided as attachment one to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023 be adopted. Clare Stewart 01:01:38.313
Just so, just for clarification. That's exactly what I moved. Yes, thank you. Joe Jurisevic 01:01:43.173
All right, would anyone else like to speak to this? We'll put it to a vote. All in favour? Unanimous. Clare Stewart 01:01:49.193
Congratulations guys. And motion to the pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 80 of the Local Government Regulation 2012. Council resolves Council resolves to levy the differential general rates for the 23-24 financial year as set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23-24 budget document provided as attachment one to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023. Laurinston moved. Seconded. Thank Councillor Finzel. Would anyone like to talk to it? All in favour? Unanimous. Thank you. Motion 3. That pursuant to section 81 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves that the rating category of ratable land category of rateable land in its local government area and a description of each of the rating categories for 2023-24 be as follows and is tabled in the report. We won't read out all of that. move that. I'll second it. Thank you Councillor Wilkie. All in favour? Unanimous, thank you. Motion for that pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 94 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, council resolves 2012 Council resolved to levy the special charges for the 23/24 financial year as set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document provided as attachment 1 to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023. Special charges in the revenue statement are Noosa Waters Waters Lock and Weir Maintenance Levy, Noosa Waters Canal Maintenance Levy, Noosa Junction Levy, Hastings Street Precinct Levy, Noosa Main Beach Levy, Hastings Street Community Safety Program charge, Lower Noosa North Shore Electricity charge: Charge, Noosa Junction Streetscape Levy. Okay, seconded. Councillor Wegener, thank you. We should speak to it. Joe Jurisevic 01:03:28.397
I've got a question, actually, for our director of foot services. The lower North Shore, Noosa North Shore electricity charge. Am I correct? Is this the last year that we'll be implementing that? Is this the end of the loan to the residents to get electricity to the North Shore? Trent Grauf 01:03:44.582
To the chair, yes, that is correct after a extended term covering that cost. This is the last year and it will finish as of June next year. Thank you. Clare Stewart 01:03:56.982
Okay, thank you. And the final bit of that was for that purpose, rateable land to which the special charges apply and the overall plans for the services, facilities or activities to which the special charges apply be the rateable land and overall plan specified in the revenue statement. statement. So put it to a vote, all in favour? So put- To the chair, yes, Unanimous, thank you. Motion five, that pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to adopt the overall plans, annual implementation plans, and benefited area maps specified in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document provided as attachment one to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023 for the special charges. resolves to levy under resolution four. I'll move that. Thank you Councillor Lorentson. All in favour? Unanimous. Thank you. Motion six. That pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 99 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Councillor resolves to levy the utility charges for the 23/24 financial year as set out in the revenue year as set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document provided as an attachment line to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023. Councillor Stockwell. Thank you. That was Councillor Jurisevic. Would you like to speak to a judge? Okay. All in favour? Unanimous. Thank you. Motion 7. The pursuant to section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 103 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Councillor resolves to Council resolves to levy the separate rates and charges for the 23/24 financial year as set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document provided as attachment one of the Special Meeting Report dated 30 June 2023. Separate rates and charges set out in the revenue statement are: environment, sustainable transport levy, heritage levy, bushfire resilience and response levy. 8. That pursuant to section 109 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 and section 114 of the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990, Council resolves that rates and utility charges and the Queensland Government's emergency management levy for the year ending 30 June 2024 will be levied six six monthly and as set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document provided as attachment one to the special meeting report dated 30 June 23. Councillor Jurisevic, thank you. Seconded by Councillor Lorentson, thank you. All in favour? Unanimous, thank you. The pursuant to section 122 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves to grant concessions to ratepayers as set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document and Council's general rate donations policy. Motion 9. Councillor Wilkie, seconded by Councillor Finzel, all in favour? Unanimous. Motion 10, the pursuant to section 118 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves that all rates and charges paid within 30 days after the date of issue of the rates notice. Councillor Lorentson, or Councillor Finzel, all in favour? Unanimous. Motion 11, the pursuant to section 133 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council resolves that all overdue rates and charges bear interest as set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document provided as attachment 1 to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023. Councillor Jurisevic, Councillor Wegener, second. All in favour? Unanimous. Motion 12. That pursuant to section 257 of the Local Government Act 2009, Council delegates to the Chief Executive Officer its powers under section 81 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 to identify the differential rating category into which each parcel of rateable land the council's local government area is included by using relevant information from the council's land record and any other information which identifies the use of rateable land. Councillor Lorentson, Councillor Finzel, all in favour? Unanimous. Motion 13. That it be recorded that in each case where a preceding motion refers to a matter set out in the revenue statement contained in the Noosa Council 23/24 budget document provided as attachment one to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023, that matter is incorporated by reference into and forms part of the terms and content of the motion and will be so incorporated and form part of the terms and content of council's resolution to adopt the motion. to move it. Councillor Jurisevic seconded, Councillor Wegener all in favour. Unanimous, thank you Elinda. Motion 14. That Council note the revised 23/24 service level catalogues provided in attachment 2 to the special meeting report dated 30 June 2023. I'll move this. Councillor Finzel second. All in favour? Unanimous. Last one. Motion 15. That Council approve the proposed increase in the organisational establishment from 418.11 to 432.38 full-time equivalent FTE as outlined in the attached report. Councillor Lorentson or I'll second that I'm all in in favour that is unanimous thank you well done everyone okay one more now for the last item on the agenda which is item 2.6 and is the operational plan and I believe we have our executive officer internal audit and corporate performance Deb Yetze to present Deb Good morning Councillor. Debra Iezzi 01:09:03.466
The local government regulation requires that council prepare and adopt an operational plan consistent with its annual budget and the operational plan has been prepared on that basis. We also have a new corporate plan that was endorsed earlier this year so the operational plan also reflects the priorities operational plan also reflects the priorities and the deliverables for the first year of the corporate plan and they're structured in five teams and so the operational plan is also being structured to align with the corporate plan. other source of initiatives is from the actual budget process where proposed initiatives are put forward and considered by the executive team but also council and then either put forward for inclusion in the budget or not. You also have initiatives that have come from our key strategies and plans such as our environment strategies which are endorsed strategies and plans of the council. So that is the basis of the operational plan and that's what's being put forward today for adoption. Clare Stewart 01:10:02.828
Thank you, thank you. Councillor Stockwell. Brian Stockwell 01:10:05.028
I have a question that I think we'll have to see. As part of the corporate planning process we made a commitment and we did some investigation about how we can improve the effectiveness of our performance evaluation systems, our key performance indicators, how we track those so that as a councillor we get a feeling not of just what we've done but what the outcome, what is the impact on it. Can you let me know whether we will be in a position to, either through software or other processes, start that process to look at the performance of this operational plan and when it's likely to occur. it. Sure. Larry Sengstock 01:10:42.761
Thank you for the question and through you, Madam Mayor. Absolutely, we are. Obviously it's been a very busy period with the budgets and the corporate plan and the operational plan being developed over a very short period or a tight period. So the next phase for for us is now to, with the operational plan, is to unravel that even further in terms of KPIs for our staff and that's something that we're very conscious of and something that we're really keen to put in place and I think, to be honest, so to be honest so are our staff everybody everybody wants to know what what the expectation is and what they what they need to achieve so I don't think that that's an unreasonable thing but I think it's something that we need to formalize a little bit more than we have in the past and I think that's what you're getting at Councillor and we do want to formalize that and we also are in the process of as part of our development of the corporate plan was to look at technology that to help us with that that's sort of found its way along but it's something that we now know we've got this here this got out of the way but this done we need to now focus on that technology and implementing implementing it. Picking the right one and implementing it. We're in the phase of chosen the right one with tech one, we now need to just put it into play. So that's our next focus and I think it's a reasonable request. think that that's something that we all like to know. We all like to know where we are, be able to measure ourselves against it so at the end of the year or end of the period or various periods during the year, we don't want any surprises either as individuals or as humans. So to have that in play is a good thing and that's something that we're more than keen to implement. I'll second it. Thank you, Councillor Wilkie. Thank you, should I speak to it? Brian Stockwell 01:12:30.510
You might have to pretend that we still suspended standing orders. Alright, he's got the clock on. I have left the majority of my comments to the operational plan because this is an area that neither councillors or the community have had a chance to look at publicly again. And we actually haven't at this point published some of the figures around the operational initiatives that have been put forward this year. It's new. There is some mention in the budget report of our new staff members. I think looking at how we do it to get the maximum impact of what we invest in is really important and the operational plan for me is where that rubber hits the road. We're in a position We're in a position where we've just got a large new suite of managers all about to start and I would have thought it would have been really important that you know they all come up with their first hundred day plan that one of those things is you establish how you're going to measure the impact by this time next year and that's that's where a good performance management system come into place but that's not where the majority of my comments are aligned. My majority of my comments are about someone said that the current mantra is about just getting on and doing it and so I thought I'd And so I thought I'd pull out a few things that for me are important to get on and do and I'm going to start with an issue that's been over 200 years in the making and I'm going to finish with one that's very fresh in the last week. So obviously the one that's 200 years in the making is Councillor Finzel did acknowledge traditional owners. And when we pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging, we follow through by doing things that reduces the inequity that has resulted from the injustice that occurred historically. We know that this landscape was, you know, inhabited. By the Kabi Kabi people and was taken from them and they were moved, many of them moved off the land. So for the last few years we've been focusing our effort on about how to address inequity by being part of the process of native title. That's nearly coming to the end so in this budget, in the operational initiative, we're moving to the next step of starting looking at how is it best for this council to start honouring that commitment. Now there's a lot of debate at the moment through the federal government referendum process but basically what we'll be doing is how do we make it fair, how do we actually encourage both ownership but also involvement of both Kabi Kabi and other Indigenous people within our community in the future prosperity, sustainability of the Shire and one of the things that we do really well is care for country. so in this operational budget we'll be adopting a Noosa River plan so one of the initiatives perhaps in the reconciliation plan will be to negotiate how we may work with them so they get land and sea ranger funds say from the federal government to help us implement that plan. They can be very practical. So that's the one for 200 years in the making. Talking about caring for country. The next one I'm The next one I'm going to mention, I've been advocating for every budget since 2018 and if anyone would be a fly in all these budget sessions, it generally takes you about three or four years as a council to get something up. But we have $380,000 for the implementation of the enforcement encroachment policy and that includes a sizeable allocation to rehabilitation of our bushland reserves. That's part of it, as well as staff members to do that encroachment, staff members to do that implantation. So for me, 2018, done. Another one we get, sometimes we'll look I think this is the first time since 2016 where I can stand up and say we've got two new outside workforce members in the budget and the Hitland Playground and we have a have a new ganger to add to the staff at the Botanical Gardens and what's more we have $65,000 to do a master plan to say how the Botanical Gardens on the beautiful shores of Lake Macdonald will in the future and I'm sure that will include a whole lot of rare and endangered native plant propagation. We move on from parks which were a really clear priority for people when we did the liveability survey. When we did the corporate plan, a surprise package when people were writing about what they wanted, housing came housing came up as a second highest priority. So this is one that since 2019 I've been advocating for and we actually have five hundred or six hundred five hundred thousand in a social housing partnership but that's not coming, it's not now identified to come out of grant paid funds. That's identified as gaining state government funding to work with them on probably two really important sites to develop both community develop both community housing and public housing on the State government land. So to me, that's excellent. But council is really a cradle to the grave organisation. And because one of those sites is a site that was bought for people to lie on down in for an extended period of time. We're also investing in a cemetery spain because we have to look at the future because no matter what you do, there's one thing inevitable. life it comes to an end so we'll go on bring the mood down another one that actually this is one of those ones that gets up every budget hopefully it'll actually be implemented this year and that's the strategic land review That's about looking at Council's assets and saying what land have we got and what is the best use for it? Are there commercial opportunities? Are there sale opportunities? Are there community uses? And so that's in there. And one of those areas that are going to be looked at is the land we bought on John's Landing, which is currently part of the wonderful floating land exhibition. And so we're looking at the options out there. We're looking at how to do things more efficiently. And so when we look at getting down to doing it, we don't necessarily have to use people We can use technology. So there is 281 K in camera car project, and that's with local laws. And so there's no points for guessing how that's going to pay for itself. My warning is make sure you park at the right amount of time and in the right spot. But we also, and this one is probably going to be a surprise to people, we've got 94 K to actually go to this really leading edge system. It's called electronic time and payroll system. It's really amazing that an organisation our size hasn't got one. People are still filling in Excel timesheets. So but as part of this budget what we also haven't spruced is to get a lot of these operation budget funded. The first point that the new mean director of corporate services did was get everyone to find their savings and there was $250,000 worth of savings identified. Now we all know every time we ask the community the number one priority of what they want to see council do is protect the environment. is my last one. And we know that in the news there has been a battle that has been ostensibly lost in the last week but that's not saying that we've lost the war. In our corporate plan we had a new outcome that we put up and that was to be nature positive. That means that from the beginning of the corporate plan to the end we'll have more nature than we did when we started and the started and the best demonstrate that is in the operational initiatives we are investing in environment levy we continue to purchase land that has high environmental value so we haven't said where but we have put a contract on 69 hectares of That's Blue Gum, Bloodwood, Grass Trees. But one of the species that occurs in that ecosystem is Alacruz Arena, Turulosa or Forest Yeagok, one of the glossy black cockatoo feed trees. So 67 hectares adding. protected areas stay. So I think it's important to understand that we're not, a budget's not just about building roads, collecting rates and reducing rubbish. It's also about creating a place where people like to live and protecting the environment where they like to enjoy their relaxation. Clare Stewart 01:22:11.771
Thank you Councillor Stockwell, that was yes. Would anyone else like to talk to the operational plan? Councillor Joe Jurisevic 01:22:24.536
There's a couple of things in here. I mentioned the service label catalogue and that's the business as usual activities, but what this does is fundamentally outlines what the priorities are for the next 12 months with regard to the other programs. Another great document to read if you want to see what Council's undertaking. Some of the priorities and key projects Councillor Stockwell alluded to, but some of the ones that he might have missed he might have missed there is the community halls DDA compliance and asset condition review to improve quality and use. One of the things that we find is the legacy of times gone past is legislation change but also we understand the needs within the community are required and DDA compliance is one of those. That's one of the points that I... points that I requested this year was that we start to review our community halls to go to DDA compliance and asset condition to see what improvements can be made and how we can structure a process of improvement into the future. The most significant one apart from the capital program of $39 million which is right up there with some of the highest years in capital programs in addition to that a disaster recovery infrastructure program estimated at over $80 million to reinstate infrastructure impacted by the February 2022 flood event with funding provided by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority that's a bucket load of work on top of the business as usual council to try and reinstate all the impact of that flood event and we thank the Queensland we thank the Queensland Reconstruction Authority for their support in supporting our community with the projects that are needed to be, the elements that need to be reconstructed, the major project of course being Black Mountain Road, and the benefits of these. This is how long it takes for these things to come through the process to come to fruition. So that one for me is the one I'll be watching with bated breath to see all of those projects and those areas being rehabilitated back to or enhanced from their previous condition. Thank you to generous support of QRA. Clare Stewart 01:24:32.033
Thank you Councillor Jurisevic. Councillor Lorentson. Amelia Lorentson 01:24:35.473
We've spoken a lot about mantras and taglines, getting things done, back to basics, all our R's. I want to just reinforce who we are and I think that's really well articulated in the operational plan, our mission. We are Noosa different. different by nature and I think that's got to underpin every decision we make and remind us all what our competitive edge is and it's our environment and our community. Oh thank you, lovely. Clare Stewart 01:25:11.503
Councillor Finzel? Karen Finzel 01:25:13.083
Oh sure, why not? Clare Stewart 01:25:14.943
You can have eight minutes, you can have eight minutes too. Karen Finzel 01:25:20.163
And go. With regards to the operational plan I'd like to also reference you know the KPIs. I think it is really important that as we deliver our budget and we are looking back to basics. I think efficiency and productivity you know two main things that we areas we should be focusing on as we try to engender trust with our community to show that we are delivering an efficient organisation with measurable outcomes and we can you know track where we're at and be accountable to our community. So you know I'm really you know I'm really enthusiastic to see that we're going to proceed forward and really focus on those outcomes and where we're going and we can bring everyone on that journey and we can measure the outcome and I also think that it's really great to be able to apply the Reconciliation Action Plan plan and get that underway so that it becomes embedded in this organisation, that we can be a leading organisation when it comes to looking at cultural awareness and education and identity as we work towards inclusion and a respectful society. So, I'd like to thank all my councillors here today for your commitment to that course, Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Clare Stewart 01:26:32.058
You've still got seven minutes left if you want to... no i think we should be moving Councillor Wegener Wegener all right we just closed do you dare to close i'll close by saying the proof will be in the book that an operational plan is a guide to what we do in a year and will be assessed halfway through the year in about March whether we we've back actually been operating any good rules all right it's um something happening in March well on that note we'll put the recommendation to a vote all in favour unanimous thank you elena that brings us to the there are no confidential items and um that brings us to the end of the meeting uh 11 27 we close it and congratulations everyone that Related Noosa Council Meetings
← Browse all Noosa Shire Council meeting transcripts
