Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

Key Decisions & Discussions
• Karen Finzel : Meeting opened; attendance confirmed with Jessica Phillips online; no presentations or deputations; minutes of 11 Nov confirmed (00:00–01:36) (Item 4.1).
• Michael Brennan : RADF 2025/26 annual round recommended 4 grants from 6 eligible applications, totalling $37,000; 6 applications pre-assessed non-compliant (02:18–03:41) (Item 7.1).
• Karen Finzel : Noted spreadsheet error in Attachment 1; Jelly Productions’ score should be 13.3; attachment to be corrected before ordinary meeting (03:41–05:41) (Item 7.1).
• Council : Approved RADF Committee’s funding recommendations for 2025/26; carried unanimously (13:05) (Item 7.1).
• Karen Finzel : Sector feedback led to trial shift from twice-yearly to annual RADF round; review planned after next year’s round (05:50–06:23) (Item 7.1).
• Karen Finzel : Rapid Response grants to be reviewed due to dwindling uptake; potential refocus on exceptional opportunities (06:32–09:42) (Item 7.1).
• Robert Mercer : Proposed forward fees for Noosa Holiday Parks (Jan–Jul 2027), citing benchmarking, industry trends (softening demand), and rising costs; aim is competitive neutrality and sustainability while remaining below or consistent with comparable parks (13:21–15:13; 28:31–29:50) (Item 7.2).
• Jessica Phillips : Sought detail on occupancy declines and operational costs; asked about contractor revenues and guest origin data (16:02–22:28) (Item 7.2).
• Robert Mercer : Management fees are largely percentage-of-revenue with a small fixed portion, aligning incentives for efficiency; discretionary-spend constraints and post-COVID correction driving lower occupancy; postcode analysis will be provided in Feb report (18:41–22:28) (Item 7.2).
• Frank Wilkie : Queried price sensitivity and benchmarking breadth; officer confirmed Noosa prices currently sit below Sunshine Coast/Gold Coast/Fraser/Tweed comparators, proposing $5–$6 step to avoid undercutting (24:10–29:50) (Item 7.2).
• Jessica Phillips : Moved to refer Holiday Parks fees to General Committee for further information; carried unanimously (30:07–34:49) (Item 7.2).
• Council : Entered confidential session under s254D(3)(g) LGR 2012 regarding TMR freehold land dedication at Doonella Lake (35:32–36:43) (Item 9).
• Council : Supported dedicating Lots 5RP219193, 4RP219193, 412RP800226 as road reserve; authorised CEO to execute title documentation; carried unanimously (48:44–50:59) (Item 9.1).
Contentious / Transparency Matters
• Jessica Phillips : Pressed for contractor revenue transparency to assess fee rises; CEO said contract figures are commercial-in-confidence but councillors can access confidential information to satisfy themselves (20:09–32:09) (Item 7.2).
• Larry Sengstock : Confirmed commercial-in-confidence limits on disclosure; offered to brief councillors on terms (percentages) and relevant details confidentially (30:43–31:35) (Item 7.2).
• Committee : Chose referral to General Committee for “further information,” implicitly to address data gaps (contractor revenue, postcode origin analysis) before adopting fees (32:38–34:49) (Item 7.2).
• Governance : Spreadsheet “REF” error in RADF scoring acknowledged on record with a plan to fix before ordinary meeting, preserving decision integrity (03:41–05:41) (Item 7.1).
• Confidentiality : Meeting closed citing LGR 2012 s254D(3)(g) to discuss potential commercial negotiations with TMR; re-opened with a clear public recommendation (35:32–49:59) (Items 9, 9.1).
• Public interest balance : For holiday parks pricing, officer articulated competitive neutrality constraints and benchmarking inputs but contractor revenue quantum remained withheld publicly (20:09–32:09) (Item 7.2).
Legal / Risk
• Statutory basis : session lawfully invoked under Local Government Regulation 2012, s254D(3)(g) for potential commercial negotiations on TMR land transfer (35:32–36:43) (Item 9).
• Competitive neutrality : Officer emphasised full cost pricing and competitive neutrality under local government framework to avoid undercutting private sector; noted Queensland Competition Authority scrutiny risk if Council sits materially below market (21:19–21:45; 27:52–29:50) (Item 7.2).
• Pricing risk posture : Benchmarking shows Noosa below peers; recommended incremental increases ($5–$6 vs usual $3–$4) to maintain compliance and financial sustainability while industry demand softens (28:31–29:50) (Item 7.2).
• Contractual confidentiality : CEO affirmed contractor revenue details are commercial-in-confidence; councillors may receive confidential briefings to inform decisions, mitigating procedural fairness concerns without public disclosure (30:43–32:09) (Item 7.2).
• Doonella Lake land : Title dedication from TMR at no cost reduces acquisition risks; minor maintenance costs expected; buffers waterway and aligns with adjacent Council landholding, reducing exposure (50:13–50:55) (Item 9.1).
• Grant integrity : RADF process recorded non-compliant applications and corrected scoring error pre-endorsement, supporting defensible grant-making (02:18–05:41; 13:05) (Item 7.1).
Environmental Concerns
• Frank Wilkie : Land dedication at Doonella Lake will serve as a buffer to the waterway with minimal financial implications, suggesting ecosystem protection benefits alongside transport title regularisation (50:13–50:55) (Item 9.1).
Holiday Parks Pricing, Demand & Community Access
• Robert Mercer : Industry-wide occupancy softening attributed to discretionary spend pressures and shorter booking windows; not primarily price-driven at Noosa parks (16:24–18:05; 24:22–26:39) (Item 7.2).
• Robert Mercer : Product-tiered pricing maintained across parks (e.g., Noosa River vs Boreen Point) to keep access for different demographics while sustaining quality standards (26:39–27:46) (Item 7.2).
• Nicola Wilson : Queried reconciliation between downturn and “good news” financials; officer cited cost controls and timely pricing adjustments achieving budget despite softer occupancy (22:44–24:10) (Item 7.2).
• Frank Wilkie : Sought assurance on social feedback; officer reported limited pushback, ongoing focus on value and cleanliness to uphold “low-cost quality” positioning (26:20–27:52) (Item 7.2).
• Jessica Phillips : Requested postcode-origin analysis to understand resident vs tourist usage; officer to include in February update (21:19–22:28) (Item 7.2).
• Council : Decision deferred to General Committee to incorporate further information before setting 2027 pricing (30:07–34:49) (Item 7.2).
Arts Funding Model & Sector Support
• Karen Finzel : Sector consultation driving trial of annual RADF round for project certainty; potential recalibration from pure grants to residencies and targeted support given application patterns (05:50–10:30) (Item 7.1).
• Karen Finzel : Rapid Response grants under review; may be narrowed to exceptional opportunities with demonstrable career impact (06:32–09:42) (Item 7.1).
• Michael Brennan : Noted 12 applications with 6 non-compliant; committee recommended 4 grants; suggests need for guidance/eligibility clarity to lift compliance (02:18–03:41) (Item 7.1).
• Councillors : Emphasised making ad hoc creative spaces available and leveraging “The J” residency to meet strong demand (36 applications) and sector growth (09:42–10:22) (Item 7.1).