ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 Contents
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Central Highlands Regional Council ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 Contents WELCOME TO OUR ANNUAL REPORT .........................4 PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT .............................................................................39 MISSION VISION & VALUES ...................................................5 Planning & Development ............................................40 OUR REGION ......................................................................................6 Ranger Services ....................................................................42 MESSAGE FROM MAYOR & CEO ......................................8 Disaster Management ....................................................43 OUR MAYOR & COUNCILLORS .......................................10 Environment ...........................................................................44 EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM ......................................10 Environmental Health ....................................................45 STRONG VIBRANT COMMUNITIES ...............................13 PROACTIVE RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP ...................47 Community Plan 2022 ....................................................14 Corporate Communications ......................................48 Arts & Culture .......................................................................15 Technology ..............................................................................49 Events ...........................................................................................16 STRONG GOVERNANCE .........................................................51 Sister City ..................................................................................16 Commercial Services ........................................................52 New Citizens ...........................................................................18 Governance .............................................................................53 Indigenous Development ............................................18 A WORKPLACE OF EXCELLENCE ....................................55 Youth Development .........................................................20 Our people ...............................................................................56 Volunteers ................................................................................21 Training and development .........................................58 Libraries ......................................................................................21 Safety and wellbeing ......................................................58 Community Facilities .......................................................22 Community Survey ............................................................59 BUILDING AND MAINTAINING QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE .......................................................................25 Customer Service ................................................................59 Town entrance signs ........................................................26 COUNCIL PERFORMANCE .....................................................60 Waste ............................................................................................26 Legislative Disclosure Requirements ..................62 Roads ............................................................................................28 Community Financial Report ....................................69 Water ............................................................................................30 Financial Statements .......................................................73 Sport & Recreation ............................................................32 Parks & Gardens ..................................................................33 SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY .......................35 Tourism .......................................................................................36 Economic & Business Development ....................37 Photo: © Simone Tessman 2 Central Highlands Regional Council Annual Report 2014 – 2015 3 Welcome to our Our Vision Annual Report 2014-2015 Working Today – Growing Tomorrow There are four parts to our Annual Report: We Value and Demonstrate Pages 1–60 contain an overview Pages 69–72 is the Community our dealings with the community Continuous Leadership, Engagement • we actively seek to encourage of the progress we’ve made on Financial Report—an easy to and provides an important Improvement and Fair Representation and acknowledge great projects and activities from our understand overview of our historical record for the region. teamwork that produces great We strive to build: • we are clear about our direction Operational Plan that are guided financial position. results for our community and The Annual Report is published and priorities by strategies in our Corporate • an environment that our organisation Pages 73–127 are the on our website at www. Plan 2013-2018 and include some encourages questions • we provide opportunities for • when mistakes are made we comprehensive audited financial centralhighlands.qld.gov.au. highlighted events and activities as • thinking and approaches that consultation treat them as an opportunity to statements of the Central Printed copies are available on well as an introduction to some of are flexible • we seek to understand the learn and grow Highlands Regional Council. request by telephoning our staff. • ability to think beyond the needs of the people we serve, 1300 242 686. Great Customer Service We believe our Annual Report in order to make balanced Pages 62–68 is a report on the norm in order to provide service reflects the diversity of the works decisions for the overall • we seek and welcome feedback requirements and obligations and value for our ratepayers and services we provide to the interests of the people of the we have under the Queensland • we communicate clearly and communities of the Central Respect for Diversity Central Highlands Local Government Act 2009 and appropriately Highlands, fulfils our promise to • we treat others as we wish to other legislation. • we provide timely and • we follow through on the be fair, transparent and open in be treated relevant information to our things we say we will do community and throughout the • we are fair and consistent in • our responses to customer’s organisation the way we treat people needs are friendly, timely and • we listen Honesty and Integrity professional OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS • we are ethical and honest Teamwork with our colleagues and our • we work collaboratively with BUDGET – framed to ensure we responsibly COMMUNITY PLAN 2022 – the long-term community our community and external deliver on the actions prioritised in the annual vision for the region determined with regular partners Operational Plan. input from consultation with our thirteen • we respect and act within • we are focussed on developing reference groups that represent the unique statutes and legislation OPERATIONAL PLAN – a twelve-month set of and maintaining positive demographic of each community. • we are fair, transparent and actions and priorities determined from strategies working relationships right open in our dealings with our contained in the Corporate Plan 2013-18. ANNUAL REPORT – an overview of the across the organisation community progress, achievements and challenges CORPORATE PLAN 2013-2018 – a five-year • we work collectively on throughout the financial year as council delivers • we accept accountability for framework that sets the strategic direction for common goals, share ideas on its strategic priorities. our actions the council to ensure it responds in a considered and encourage collaborative way to the challenges and opportunities faced thinking by the region. 4 Central Highlands Regional Council Annual Report 2014 – 2015 5 Photo: © Simone Tessman Our region The Central Highlands region is in Central This is a vibrant region with a diverse economy Queensland, Australia. based on: The region encompasses an area of around • A globally competitive coal mining industry. 60 000 square kilometres, making it just short • Robust and resilient agriculture and of the size of Tasmania. horticultural industries including beef, grain, It is home to around 30 000 people who live cotton, grapes, melons and citrus. in the thirteen unique communities of Arcadia • Dynamic small to medium-size businesses. Valley, Bauhinia, Blackwater, Bluff, Capella, • Professional and government sectors. Comet, Dingo, Duaringa, Emerald, Rolleston, Sapphire Gemfields, Springsure and Tieri. • Adequate availability of commercial, industrial and residential land. Our region is rich in minerals and agriculture, thriving on irrigation sourced from water • An evolving tourism market. storage on the Nogoa and Comet rivers. • Major health and education services. We claim the largest sapphire-producing fields • Significant new infrastructure and in the Southern Hemisphere. construction projects. Major freight routes through the region include the north-south link between Charters Towers and northern New South Wales—identified as the inland transport alternative between Cairns and Melbourne. 6 Central Highlands Regional Council Annual Report 2014 – 2015 7 Message from the Mayor & CEO Councillor Peter Maguire Scott Mason Mayor CEO During the past twelve months we’ve been Our community’s capacity for resilience is A highlight from the year’s capital spend of Dealing with government at state and federal continuing the