Annual Report 2015-2016
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City of Greater Bendigo Annual Report 2015-2016 Annual Report 2015-2016 1 INTRODUCTION CONTENTS Introduction 4 Welcome to the report of operations 2015-2016 4 Snapshot of Council 5 Highlights of the year 8 Challenges and future outlook 11 The year in review 12 Mayor’s message 12 Chief Executive Officer's message 14 Financial summary 22 Description of operations 23 Our Council 26 Greater Bendigo profile 26 Council offices 28 Councillors 29 Our people 30 Organisational structure 32 Council staff 33 Equal employment opportunity program 35 Other staff matters 38 Our performance 40 Planning and accountability framework 40 Council plan 41 Performance 41 Theme 1: Leadership and Good Governance 42 Theme 2: Planning for Growth 54 Theme 3: Presentation and Vibrancy 62 Theme 4: Productivity 76 Theme 4: Sustainability 81 Governance, management and other information 89 Governance 89 Management 92 Governance and management checklist 93 Statutory information 96 Financial statements 2015-2016 103 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY The ancestors and descendants of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples are the traditional owners of this Country. The City of Greater Bendigo acknowledges that they have been custodians for many centuries and continue to perform age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. We all acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region. Annual Report 2015-2016 3 WELCOME TO THE REPORT OF OPERATIONS 2015-2016 Council is committed to transparent reporting and accountability to the community and the Report of Operations 2015–2016 is the primary means of advising the City of Greater Bendigo community about Council’s operations and performance during the financial year. 4 INTRODUCTION SNAPSHOT OF COUNCIL The City of Greater Bendigo (the City) has nine Councillors across three wards. Lockwood Ward Localities include: Big Hill, Golden Gully, Golden Square, Harcourt North, Kangaroo Flat, Leichardt, Lockwood, Lockwood South, Maiden Gully, Elmore Mandurang, Mandurang South, Marong, WHIPSTICK WARD Myers Flat, Quarry Hill, Ravenswood, Raywood Sailors Gully, Sedgwick, Shelbourne, Spring Gully, West Bendigo, Wilsons Hill. Neilborough Sebastian Goornong Whipstick Ward Huntly Localities include: Ascot, Avonmore, Eaglehawk Bendigo Myers Flat Bagshot, Bagshot North, Barnadown, Epsom Marong Bendigo, California Gully, Drummartin, Maiden Eaglehawk, Eaglehawk North, East Gully Golden Square Flora Hill Bendigo, Elmore, Epsom, Fosterville, Axedale Strathfieldsaye Goornong, Hunter, Huntly, North LOCKWOOD WARD Ironbark, Jackass Flat, Kamarooka, Kangaroo Mandurang Long Gully, Neilborough, North Bendigo, Lockwood Flat EPPALOCK WARD Raywood, Sebastian, Wellsford, Costerfield Whipstick, White Hills, Woodvale. Ravenswood Heathcote Eppalock Ward Mia Mia Localities include: Argyle, Axe Creek, Axedale, Bendigo, Costerfield, Derrinal, Redesdale East Bendigo, Emu Creek, Eppalock, Flora Hill, Heathcote, Junortoun, Kennington, Kimbolton, Knowsley, Ladys Pass, Longlea, Lyal, Mia Mia, Mount Camel, Myrtle Creek, Redcastle, Redesdale, Strathdale, Strathfieldsaye, Tooleen. Annual Report 2015-2016 5 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE • Greater Bendigo has an estimated • Greater Bendigo SEIFA score (983) residential population of 112,853 (index of inequalities) is lower than people (as at June 30, 2016) the Victorian average (1,010) • More than 21% of the population are • Percentage of residents living within aged 60 years and over (ABS 2011) urban Bendigo 85% • About 15,000 people currently live in • Percentage of people with no formal the City’s rural communities; about qualifications 47.3% onein seven of the entire residential • Percentage of lone person population households 26% • The population of the rural • Percentage of people in Greater communities and towns is growing Bendigo who volunteer 21.5% at a similar rate to urban Bendigo, • Compared to the regional Victorian 1,427 about 1.7% per year, although with average Greater Bendigo has: Number of babies some rezoning of areas on the urban - A larger percentage of persons aged fringe this is likely to change 20 to 24 (7% compared to 5.5%) born in the 2015-2106 • 7% of the population were born - A smaller percentage of persons year overseas compared to the Victorian aged 65 to 69 (4.5% compared to average of 26.3% 5.2%) • Percentage of households who rent - Percentage of residents aged 26.1% between 0 and 15 years 20.4% 6 INTRODUCTION • Clear, decisive and consistent planning - In a rapidly growing municipality, Council undertakes to plan effectively for our long-term future • Respect for community priorities and needs - Council will advocate for improved services for community members and will consider their feedback when making decisions $336,324 Median house price FAST FACTS (June 2015) • 7,507 registered local businesses • 69,947 hours of domestic, personal (June 2015 Remplan) and respite care service were provided • 40,549 local jobs (FTE) (2014-2015 Remplan) • Amount of funds distributed by Council to the community through • Gross Regional Product $5.56B in the two rounds of Community Grants the year ending June 2015, growing funding and Quick Response Grants: 11.1% since the previous year $432,711 (Remplan) • Number of domestic day-trip visitors to Bendigo (2014-2015) 1.4 million PURPOSE (Tourism Research Australia) • Value of agricultural output (2010- 2011 - most recent available data) $133M VISION: • Weight of garbage, recyclables Greater Bendigo - and green organics collected from Working together to kerbside bins 38,196 tonnes be Australia’s most • liveable regional city. 16,995 Active library members Council values Council wants the community to be • The City is responsible for looking proud of it and the work of the City. after:- Council strives to achieve this through: - 304 bridges valued at over $76.6M • Transparency - Information about - 1473 kms of sealed roads valued at Council decisions is readily available over $476.7M and easily understood - 1400 kms of unsealed (gravel) roads • Efficiency and effectiveness - valued at over $46.8M Council provides services based on - 814 kms of footpaths (includes bike evidence of need and demonstrates paths and paths within reserves) continuous improvement in the valued at over $123.6M delivery of services - Over 1,180 public buildings, • Inclusion and consultation - structures and shade sails valued Council uses a range of engagement at over $346.2M strategies to ensure community - Over 80 toilet blocks members can understand and take 25,799 - Over 70 sporting reserves part in discussion that informs the development of new strategies and Number of registered actions animals (dogs and cats) Annual Report 2015-2016 7 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR Theme 1: Leadership and Theme 2: Planning for from the State Government. In recent months, the Government has Good Governance Growth announced the Bendigo Metro Rail • Successful lobbying brought • Council adopted the new Residential Project; more frequent, coordinated additional funds to progress Strategy, which sets out the and direct bus services; a trial of development of the Bendigo Airport blueprint for land-use and housing bike racks on buses and funding to and commence construction of the development for the next 20 years develop a Transport Precinct Master Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic • Significant planning activities are Plan for Eaglehawk Station – all Leisure and Wellbeing Centre at underway to set future strategic actions identified in ITLUS Kangaroo Flat directions for growth areas including • Redevelopment of the Bendigo • Council supported a Citizens' Jury Marong and Strathfieldsaye Stadium complex is progressing as process for Greater Bendigo, a • Contracts have been signed for the planned method for a randomly-selected construction of the Greater Bendigo group of community members to Indoor Aquatic and Wellbeing Centre spend considerable time together at Kangaroo Flat discussing key priorities for the future of Greater Bendigo • The project to upgrade Bendigo Airport is progressing as planned • The final report addressing recommendations of the 2013 • An upgrade of the Spring Gully Independent Review of Council was Soccer Pavilion was completed completed • The Greater Bendigo Wellbeing • The Executive Management Team Survey 2015 was undertaken to has developed a program of internal provide further evidence as the basis service reviews, to be implemented for strategic decisions over the next four years to ensure the • The City's Hospital Precinct Structure organisation continues to provide Plan won the Best Planning Ideas – services that meet the needs of Small Project category at this year’s community and its other service- Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) provision and reporting obligations Planning Excellence Awards in the best and most-efficient • Greater Bendigo City Council’s manner transport plan, Connecting Greater • Council resolved not to seek a Bendigo: Integrated Transport and variation to the State Government Land Use Strategy (ITLUS), is being rate cap rolled out thanks to funding support 8 INTRODUCTION Theme 3: Presentation and Theme 4: Productivity Theme 5: Sustainability vibrancy • A range of in-person and on-line • The Lighting the Regions Project has • Council continued to support strategies were presented to foster been completed in collaboration greater connectivity in cycle and small business success with neighbouring councils and will walking infrastructure across the • The Marilyn Monroe sculpture and significantly reduce energy used and