2013–14 City of Sydney ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14 Statutory Returns For more information on the City’s projects and programs visit cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Contents Message from the Lord Mayor 3 Message from the CEO 5 About Sydney 6 About the City of Sydney 8 Legislative requirements 11 Legend $ Cost °C Degrees Celsius Ha Hectare Kg Kilograms kL Kilolitres kWp Kilowatt-peak LED Light Emitting Diode LGA Local Government Area M3 Cubic metre ML Megalitres Mm Millimetre MWh Megawatt hour MWe Megawatt equivalent pphm Parts per million per hour ppm CO2 Parts per million carbon dioxide t Tonne tCo2e Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent µg/m3 Micrograms per cubic metre 2013/14/Statutory Returns from the Lord Mayor The City of Sydney is doing well and it’s Projects include $240 million to upgrade We’ve developedi the result of a decade of strong, stable, footpaths, roadways and paving, $220 independent, leadership with a long- million for public domain works as part better options fori term vision. of the State Government’s light rail One of my first priorities as Lord Mayor expansion, $130 million on upgrading walking, riding andi was to develop a long-term strategic parks and open spaces, $53 million on plan to secure our city’s future. We six new child care centres and $440 public transport.i commissioned extensive research and million in Green Square – the city’s newest undertook the largest ever community town centre – for essential infrastructure consultation in the City’s history. including drainage, new roads and We’re taking actioni footpaths, a library and plaza, an aquatic The result was Sustainable Sydney 2030 – centre and sports field, affordable housing the cornerstone of everything we do which and child care. with business toi has wide support and won worldwide acclaim. Following the completion of the 2013/14 protect ouri Financial Statements, our external auditors, While other Governments have struggled PricewaterhouseCoopers, confirmed the environment andi to control their budgets, the City is City's long term financial sustainability, financially secure. A real achievement noting that the City remains the financially when you consider that it was close strongest council in NSW. address climatei to bankruptcy in the 1990’s. We’ve responsibly planned for the future In the last ten years we’ve worked closely change. We’vei through investment and prudent financial with leading experts, consulted our management, delivering debt-free budgets community and delivered hundreds of invested in thei and a substantial capital works program. projects. This year, we approved a record $1.94 We’ve developed better options for city’s creative andi billion publicly funded building and walking, riding and public transport. We’re construction program over the next taking action with business to protect our decade to provide new and refurbished environment and address climate change. digital industriesi facilities for a rapidly growing population We’ve invested in the city’s creative and workforce. and digital industries and they’re now and they’re nowi recognised internationally. The small bar revolution we championed has helped create more options at night and enlivened recognisedi many of the city’s laneways and forgotten internationally.i spaces. Clover Moore, Lord Mayori Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected We’ve completed street upgrades, Sydney is now the most popular city to ...a new studyi provided more child care, hosted study in, ahead of 83 other cities including bigger and better events, cultivated London and New York as revealed in this has shown Sydneyi more engagement with businesses year’s Global Cities Index. and constructed beautifully designed And a new study has shown Sydney is the is the fourthi community facilities such as pools, fourth most appealing destination for skilled libraries, theatres, community centres and international workers, behind London, New mostiappealingi playgrounds. York and Paris. And we’ve made design-excellence a These things don’t just happen by accident destination fori standard part of Sydney’s development – it takes careful planning and investment with City staff working closely with in tune with economic and social change. developers to guide outcomes including By creating a city where people come first, skilled internationali public benefits, where appropriate, like we’ve shown how jobs, new businesses, child-care centres, public art, creative investment and interest can follow. workers, behindi spaces and cycle facilities. Our own public projects have won more London, New Yorki than 50 national and international design awards. and Paris.i We are now one of the fastest growing residential areas in NSW. Five years ago, less than 50 per cent of our residents lived Clover Moore, Lord Mayori and worked in our local government area, that figure has now increased to 65 per cent. In that time more than 50,000 new jobs have been created in our area and 2,000 Clover Moore new businesses have been opened. This Lord Mayor is close to 40 per cent of all jobs growth in metropolitan Sydney in our area alone. Some of the biggest jobs growth has taken place in our villages. 2013/14/Statutory Returns from the CEO The 2013/14 year has been another A four year program to reduce fleet ...we are workingi busy year for the City of Sydney. Our CO2 emissions by 20% before end commitment toward the Sustainable 2013/14 was completed. The target was to create locali Sydney 2030 outcomes has seen the exceeded, with an end result of 2,351 delivery of an ambitious capital works tonnes CO2 against a target of 2,746 village-style lifei program, engagement and delivery tonnes, effectively reducing emissions by of our social, cultural and green 26% across the four year program. initiatives and maintains our strong The City signed its third Environmental where shops,i fiscal diligence within a challenging Upgrade Agreement for an existing environment. commercial office building at St James libraries, pools,i Financials Hall on Phillip Street, Sydney. The With an operating surplus of just under $700,000 agreement will fund energy- and parks are onlyi $97 million and a healthy balance check, efficient lighting, air-conditioning and our financial statements show our building management system upgrades, a walk or a bikei continuing ability to deliver the highest supporting the building owner in reducing quality services and facilities to our operating costs and upgrading their asset. ride away.i residents and businesses. Sustainability The City’s Laneways Revitalisation and is the key factor in the design and Finegrain Program continue to be a major implementation of our services and catalyst in redefining the City’s unique Monica Barone, Chief Executive Officeri facilities. Ultimately, we are working to character and visual appeal. The Program, create local village-style life where established in 2008, has supported the shops, libraries, pools, and parks are establishment of over 80 small bars only a walk or a bike ride away. generating more than $60M in turnover Achievements per annum, 60 small businesses located in The City won the National Excellence laneways, contributing to local employment Awards from Mobile Muster for the City’s during a difficult economic period. new library recycling stations and apartment recycling trial that make it With our record capital budget for the easier for the community to recycle their next ten years, I look forward to working mobile phones, batteries, light bulbs and with our community to continue to e-waste. Over 650 mobile phones have improve our unique and wonderful been recycled through the recycling villages and create a truly sustainable stations at libraries and Neighbourhood city. Service Centres since November 2013. During this year, the innovative food truck program expanded to allow 50 trucks, winning the Local Government Arts & Culture Award, while our Late Night Monica Barone, Chief Executive Officer Library program won the Libraries and Literature Award for 2014. The City’s Sydney Food Truck food trucks trial that earned the award for its role in developing creative and cultural industries comes two months after Council announced the food trucks will become a permanent feature on city streets. Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected About Sydney Defining Sydney The area The economy1 For clarity, the City of Sydney (or the City) The City of Sydney local government area The gross domestic product (GDP) of the refers to the council as an organisation, (LGA) covers 26.15 square kilometres. It city in 2010/11 was approximately $100 responsible for the administration of the City. covers the Sydney Harbour foreshore from billion. This represents 7.5 per cent (nearly The Council refers to the elected Rushcutters Bay to Glebe and Annandale one-twelfth) of the national Australian Councillors of the City of Sydney. in the west, Sydney Park and Rosebery GDP, more than 30 per cent of the Sydney in the south, and Centennial Park and metropolitan area, and almost one-quarter The city refers to the geographical area Paddington in the east. of the entire state’s GDP. that is administered by The City of Sydney and its physical elements. Within the LGA boundaries, waterways and There are over 21,500 separate business some public areas are under the executive establishments located in the city. A large The city centre encompasses the old control of various NSW Government number of the top 500 companies in Sydney ‘Central Business District’ and agencies including the Sydney Harbour Australia are located in the city. includes major civic functions, government Foreshore Authority, Transport for NSW, Overall the city has a working population offices, cultural and entertainment assets Sydney Ports Corporation, The Centennial and runs between Circular Quay and that is just under 4 per cent of the total and Moore Park Trust, the Royal Botanic workforce in Australia.