A greener bolder more connected city Darebin City Council 2017–18 Annual Report Alphington • Bundoora • Coburg • Fairfield • Kingsbury • Macleod • Northcote • Preston • Reservoir • Thornbury The Darebin Council Plan 2017–21 recognises that a new direction is needed on the critical challenges affecting the Darebin community. These include climate change, unprecedented population growth, growing inequality, new technology and reduced funding. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Darebin’s Diversity Statement Darebin City Council acknowledges the The City of Darebin is home to people of Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners diverse races, ethnicities, faiths and beliefs, and custodians of the land we now call abilities, talents and aspirations, sexualities, Darebin and pays respect to their Elders, sex and gender identities, ages, occupations, past, present and future. Council also pays incomes and lifestyles. Darebin City Council respect to all other Aboriginal and Torres acknowledges the history and contributions Strait Islander communities in Darebin. of the various communities, migrants and Council recognises and pays tribute to the refugees that have settled in the municipality diverse culture, resilience and heritage and made it their home. Their endeavours of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have enriched the economic, social, cultural, people. We acknowledge the leadership of artistic, community and civic character of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities City and created a cosmopolitan locality and the right to self-determination in the where variety and difference are welcomed spirit of mutual understanding and respect. and encouraged. Contents Welcome 2 Welcome 3 A plan for a changing world 3 A greener, bolder, more connected City 3 Our mission 3 2017–18 Highlights from the first year of our Council Plan 2017–21 4 Introduction 6 The purpose of the Annual Report 7 Charter of Good Governance 8 Our values 8 Our services 9 Our stakeholders 10 The year in review 14 Message from the Mayor 15 Message from the Chief Executive Officer 18 A summary of how we spent your rates in 2017–18 19 2017–18 financial summary 20 Capital works 2017–18 23 Sustainability 28 Calendar of events 30 Awards 32 Our City 34 About Darebin 35 Our residents – who we are 37 Our Council 39 Council meetings 39 Darebin map of wards 40 Our Councillors 41 Our people 46 Organisation Structure as at 30 June 2018 47 Changes to our structure in 2017–18 50 Workplace report 52 Celebrating Darebin’s volunteers 60 Our performance 62 Overview 63 Goal 1 – A sustainable City 66 1.1 Environmental report 76 Goal 2 – Opportunities to live well 80 Goal 3 – A liveable City 87 Goal 4 – A strong economy 94 Goal 5 – Involving our diverse communities 98 5.1 Diversity report 102 Goal 6 – A well-governed Council 107 6.1 Technology report 111 6.2 Consultation and engagement summary 112 6.3 Advocacy in Darebin 114 Governance and corporate information 119 Annual Financial Report and Performance Statement 156 Collages of photos are used throughout this Annual Report to represent our diverse community and the many facets of life in the City of Darebin. The collages encompass issues we are passionate about, such as equality, our environment, transport, the arts, wellbeing, economic growth and development, and bringing people together. Macleod Reservoir La Trobe Ward Bundoora 2 1 3 Kingsbury 4 1 Edwardes Lake Park, 6 7 9 Reservoir Cazaly Ward 2 La Trobe University, Bundoora 8 Preston 3 Reservoir Leisure Centre, Reservoir 4 Darebin Resource Recovery Centre, Reservoir 5 Northcote Golf Club, 5 Thornbury Normanby Ave 6 Preston Market, Preston Fairfield 12 7 Preston Civic Centre Rucker Ward 8 Darebin Arts Centre, 10 Bell St Preston 9 Northland Shopping Northcote Centre 11 Alphington 10 All Nations Park, Northcote 11 Northcote Town Hall, Northcote 12 Darebin International Sports Centre (DISC), Fairfield DAREBIN CITY COUNCIL 2017–18 ANNUAL REPORT 1 1. Welcome 4. Our City 7. Governance and corporate information 2. Introduction 5. Our people 8. Annual Financial Report and Performance Statement 3. The year in review 6. Our performance Index SECTION 01 Welcome 01 Contents Welcome 3 A plan for a changing world 3 A greener, bolder, more connected City 3 Our mission 3 2017–18 Highlights from the first year of our Council Plan 2017–21 4 2 1. Welcome 4. Our City 7. Governance and corporate information 2. Introduction 5. Our people 8. Annual Financial Report and Performance Statement 3. The year in review 6. Our performance Index Welcome We are pleased to present the Darebin community is better connected through City Council 2017–18 Annual Report. improved public transport, infrastructure, It provides comprehensive information open space, and safer public areas. We on how we served our community and are committed to creating a City where performed against the Budget 2017–18 our citizens can thrive and feel welcome. and the goals of our Council Plan 2017–21. Our mission A plan for a changing world To preserve and improve the physical, Darebin’s Council Plan 2017–21 focuses social, environmental, cultural and on a new direction to address the critical economic health of all our neighbourhoods, challenges affecting our community. These and ensure quality of life for current and include climate change, unprecedented future generations. population growth, growing inequality, new technology and reduced funding. The Plan’s goals are: Goal 1: A sustainable City Goal 2: Opportunities to live well #discoverdarebin Goal 3: A liveable City This year we ran an online competition asking community members to contribute photographs of Darebin that reflected our Goal 4: A strong economy vision of becoming a greener, bolder, more connected City. Entries were submitted via Goal 5: Involving our diverse Facebook, Instagram and Twitter under our #discoverdarebin hashtag. The winning communities photographs are included throughout this Annual Report. Goal 6: A well governed Council The competition was a fantastic way to interact and engage with our local This is the first year of reporting against community and others who visit, work or the Council Plan 2017–21. More information study in Darebin. Thank you to everyone in about the Plan and the Council Plan our community who submitted photos and Action Plan 2017–18 can be found on our showed passion for our City. website darebin.vic.gov.au/CouncilPlan. A greener, bolder, more connected City The vision of the Council Plan 2017–21 – A greener, bolder, more connected City page 12 page 38 – is the theme for our 2017–18 Annual Report. To achieve this vision, we are working to: increase our use of renewable energy; find ways to reduce energy consumption; create more open space, and an urban forest; be courageous in shaping our City; and ensure our page 51 WELCOME DAREBIN CITY COUNCIL 2017–18 ANNUAL REPORT 3 1. Welcome 4. Our City 7. Governance and corporate information 2. Introduction 5. Our people 8. Annual Financial Report and Performance Statement 3. The year in review 6. Our performance Index 2017–18 Highlights from the first year of our Council Plan 2017–21 GOAL 1 GOAL 2 GOAL 3 A sustainable City Opportunities to live well A liveable City (p 66–79) (p 80–86) (p 87–93) Highlights Highlights Highlights • A trial to divert food waste • The Hub, a bold and bright • Darebin’s inaugural Creative from landfill was conducted, purpose-built centre that and Cultural Infrastructure with approximately 1,000 delivers a co-located service Framework, adopted by Kingsbury residents placing in partnership with Council’s Council in March 2018, will food waste in green bins. Youth Services and Northland ensure consideration of • Darebin’s Climate Emergency Shopping Centre, opened in creative spaces in new Darebin Advisory Committee April 2018. buildings. was established. • Darebin’s Young Citizen • We delivered road safety • Council introduced its Jury identified seven priority projects along four streets Single-Use Plastic Free initiatives they want to work and reduced speed limits to Events Policy for events held with Council to implement. 40kmh in three residential by Council and at our sites. These include life skills, precincts. This, along with homelessness, mental tree planting, is creating more Results health, social connection, attractive places to support employment, training cycling and walking. % of bins collected on the and education. scheduled day Results Target: >99% Results % of community satisfied with Result: 99.9% ✔ % of community satisfied our maintenance of parks, with our Aged Care services reserves and open spaces Reduce waste from landfill annually by one kilogram Target: ≥85% Target: ≥85% per person Result: 86% ✔ Result: 88% ✔ Target: >1 kg reduction % of under five-year olds % of community satisfied with Result: 12.6 kg ✔ fully immunised public arts and infrastructure Target: ≥95% Target: ≥85% Looking ahead to 2018–19 Result: 95% ✔ Result: 96% ✔ • Install more than 4,000 kilowatts of solar panels on Looking ahead to 2018–19 Looking ahead to 2018–19 1,000 homes and businesses. • Continue transitioning our • Complete the review of the • Finalise a model for a youth program to a skills- Planning Scheme. City-wide food waste based approach through recycling service and • Consult the community partnership programs with on a vision to guide future explore lowest-carbon Northland Shopping Centre. options for food waste. development in the Central • Finish construction of the Preston Precinct. • Plant 2,400 additional Changing Places toilet in • Complete the restoration of trees and 5,000 indigenous Gower Street, Preston, plants across Darebin. the FIDO public artwork in and complete designs for Fairfield. three others in Thornbury, Reservoir and Northcote. • Complete 12 street-art murals to minimise graffiti occurring • Progress the Aged Friendly at hot-spot locations. Darebin review. For more details about our performance in 2017–18, go to page 62. You can read the Council Plan on our website darebin.vic.gov.au/CouncilPlan.