Noosa Shire Council Annual Report 2024 - 2025

Karen Finzel3:13

Thank you, item number five, there are no presentations. Item six, no deputations. Item seven, Reports for consideration of the Committee. We're going to item 7.1, Noosa Shire Council annual report, 2024.25, we welcome to the table Deanna Stewart and Zach Morton-Adair. Thank you for today. You're welcome. I'll give you yes, I'll give you the report, thank you, which is well written, thank you.

So in accordance with section 182 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council has prepared its annual report for 24/25 financial year as presented in attachment 1 to the report. Purpose of the annual report is to provide the community with a comprehensive overview of council's operations, performance achievements and challenges during the reporting period. There is a minimum standard of statutory reporting as you all know that must be included within the report, primarily relating to accountability, governance and financial matters associated with the act. We have addressed, as for previous years, we have addressed the minimum standard by complying with the State department's annual report compliance checklist. This is also captured in the legislative compliance section of the appendices and confirmed for the readers. However, to further strengthen transparency and improve our reporting, we have gone beyond the regulatory minimum standard in this year's annual report. In particular, we have expanded the performance section to include additional progress information against council's Corporate Plan. So you will see that in that section. For this reporting period, we must note Council obtained ministerial approval for an extension of time to complete the financial reporting component of the annual report. The extension granted until 31 January 2026 as Council satisfied the requirements of sections 212 subsection 6 and 212 subsection 7 of the Local Government Regulation. Therefore on 21 January 2026 just very recently council's financial statements were signed off by an authorised delegate of the Queensland Auditor-General and you'll see that in the report paperwork. So in summary the draft annual report encompasses the following key sections. Acknowledgements and leadership messages where at the start you see annual messages from the Mayor and CEO summarising our performance and progress for the year. Our Shire overview provides an insight into our location, key facts, environmental profile, liveability and economic prosperity. We then go into Council governance and operations of our organisation and it details your elected members, roles and responsibilities, services, customer service performance, community engagement, our organisational structure, corporate planning balance. Framework and workforce overview. We then go into the performance section of the report and it summarises the year in review, progress against our Corporate Plan themes which are environment, liveability, prosperity, future and excellence. We also highlight infrastructure project achievements and key milestones in that area and key performance indicators that we have as an we then go into the governance and statutory disclosures of the annual report. This is where we outline our governance framework, our ethics and integrity measures, our risk management approach, audit activities, Councillor and executive remuneration, complaints management, community grants. Business activities and procurement processes. This is where we go above and beyond the minimum reporting standard to let the community know what we've been doing for the year. Finally, we go to the financial performance section of the report, which is important because it presents the community financial report and audited financial statements for 2024-25, including our financial sustainability outlooks. So in summary, and as noted, this annual report demonstrates. Council's ongoing commitment to good governance and reflects council's dedication to transparency and accountability through comprehensive reporting on performance, strategic achievements and compliance with legislative requirements. I must make a note, since the report has been submitted in the Council papers. For the S&O round, we have picked up some several minor amendments that will be adjusted and it will be amended following Council adoption. Per the recommendations that allow it. I will however pass for commentary to Zach, our Finance Manager, to discuss one of the amendments relating to the financial component for you.

Frank Wilkie14:19

Thank you for the report. It is a comprehensive body of information. And 24/25 was a huge year. And it is worth reflecting on. So the annual report reflects the year where the organisation demonstrated its dedication to improving the liveability and resilience of our community. Over the past 12 months, Council has delivered over $45 million worth of capital works, in addition to $100 million worth of flood reconstruction program funds, which has resulted in a total of $145 million directed to renewing infrastructure and repairing damage, principally in hinterland communities that were impacted by the 2022 floods. I'm doing this because some of this the Council in my unprecedented territory. Roads, bridges, transport and stormwater infrastructure were a major focus. Council also spent $6.4 million improving our parks, community facilities and sports grounds. $2.3 million upgrading parks, grading paths boardwalks and trails. The second stage of Edward park is Sunshine Beach, the Peregian Beach skate park, upgrades to the Noosaville Pirate Playground and improving sports field lighting at selma oval at Cooroy Sports Complex were also delivered. Council also signed a historic commitment to join custodianship of lands, waters and Noosa in partnership with Kabi people. This commitment recognises the role we all share as custodians in respecting and preserving noosa's natural assets. Council also biggest single investment in social housing in Noosa shire's history. This commitment for a subdivision at 62 Lake Macdonald Drive in Cooroy includes an architect designed 25 unit social housing project helping deliver affordable housing for our community's most vulnerable and a key action of Noosa Housing. Strategy. Council endorsed revised planning scheme amendments to deliver greater choice of housing, increase housing supply for residents and key workers, and help meet state-imposed dwelling targets. These were proactive measures intended to maintain our planning autonomy. The future planning of Noosa, rather than waiting for the State to mandate more drastic measures to achieve dwelling targets through the SEQ planning process, Noosa Council's planning team assessed 525 development applications, approving 508, which means which 97%% of all applications were approved, ensuring thoughtful and sustainable development throughout the Shire. The biggest and most challenging construction contract in noosa's history, the $40 million landslide repair work on Black Mountain Road at Black Mountain, was also completed. We're grateful to the Australian Queensland and. Government's Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements for this, because we couldn't do it by ourselves, with our budget, for the rest of that scale. The popular Dog Beach in Noosa Spit was restored and earned a coastal engineering award. Despite challenges such as labour shortages, material supply constraints, rising construction costs, the unprecedented protected industrial action, and being targeted by an international crime syndicate, the Noosa Council will remain steadfast in its mission to deliver for our community and remain in the financially strong position, finishing with an $8.2 million operating surplus which includes some unscathed ladies and community grants. Many of the achievements, in fact I'd say all of the achievements, are a credit to our dedicated staff, directors and CEO who contently contribute to making Noosa a special place to live, work and visit and I'd also like to personally acknowledge our community Councillors, Deputy Mayor Brian Stockwell, Councillor Karen Finzel, Councillor Lorentson Lorentson, Councillor Jess Phillips, Tom Wegener and Councillor Nicola Wilson for their clear dedication to their work and in bringing about this result, reflecting the annual report