ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 INTRODUCTION We Are Pleased to Present This Annual Report to Our Community
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2019/20 ABOUT THIS ANNUAL REPORT OUR MISSION The City of Ballarat has prepared this Annual Report in accordance with the requirements and guidelines of the Working together we create Local Government Act 1989 and the Local Government a better future for our city. (Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2014 and What this means acknowledges the legal responsibility to comply with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act Working together – We are a conduit and are acting 2006 and the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. collaboratively to build strong relationships and alliances with those who support our beliefs.Create – We bring This report provides an account of the City of Ballarat’s into existence, generate, produce, initiate, develop and performance in the 2019/20 financial year against the shape our city. Better – We are continually improving Council Plan (the framework within which we deliver and becoming more desirable. We are smart, one step the everyday services, programs and projects for our ahead and exceeding as a city. Future – We achieve community) and the Budget. It is designed to keep our vision with a long-term perspective. City – Our residents, businesses, employees, stakeholders and place, our community and our people. other state and federal government agencies up-to- date on our performance and our future direction. OUR PURPOSE This document includes the following in accordance with statutory requirements: We believe in making Ballarat • Report of Operations: this includes highlights of the a better place for all. year, details about the City of Ballarat’s governance, management and operations, and a report on our What this means performance against the Council Plan and the Budget Believe – Our fundamental cause, our reason for in the 2019/20 financial year. being and what matters most. Making – We are • Financial Statements actively involved; in turn creating a positive and lasting difference for our city. Ballarat – Our city, our villages, • Performance Statement our townships, our community and our people. How to get your copy and give feedback Better – We are continually improving and becoming more desirable. We are smart, one step ahead and Electronic copies are available on our website. We exceeding as a regional city. Place – We are proud of welcome your feedback on this document. Details on our city’s beauty, identity, lifestyle and the fact it is a how to contact us can be found on the back cover. preferred regional destination. For all – We are inclusive of everyone who lives, works, invests, studies and visits our city. 2 CITY OF BALLARAT ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 INTRODUCTION We are pleased to present this Annual Report to our community. The 2019/20 Annual Report is the primary means of advising our community about the City of Ballarat’s operations and performance in the past financial year. The City of Ballarat acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we live and work on, the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. COVID–19 OUR ORGANISATION Timeline 04 Executive leadership reporting structure 41 Our essential services: keeping Ballarat running 06 Staff profile 43 Assisting businesses during COVID-19 08 Equal employment opportunity program 44 City of Ballarat staff embrace innovations and new technology 09 Working from home 12 OUR PERFORMANCE Be Kind campaign 13 Liveability 45 Prosperity 54 OVERVIEW Sustainability 58 Ballarat - a snapshot 16 Accountability 68 Fast facts 17 A message from the Mayor 18 FINANCIAL REPORT Financial report 75 A message from the CEO 20 Performance report 134 Performance highlights 21 Event highlights 25 Awards 27 APPENDIX Advisory and non-advisory committees Description of operations 28 144 Major capital works expenditure 29 CONTACT OUR COUNCIL Contact information 146 Councillors 30 The role of local government 31 GOVERNANCE Governance 32 Councillor expenses 33 Service performance indicators 34 Management 35 Governance and management checklist 36 Statutory information 38 CITY OF BALLARAT ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 3 COVID-19 TIMELINE MARCH 25 March • First day of Stage Three • City of Ballarat closes all its COVID-19 restrictions 16 March playgrounds, off-lead dog parks, • Booked immunisation • Victorian Government declares outdoor gyms and skate parks in appointments scheduled at Lucas a State of Emergency to combat a bid to restrict gatherings to no Community Hub relocate to COVID-19 more than two people Sebastopol Library • City of Ballarat instigates its 26 March • Maternal and Child Health Response and Recovery services relocate across multiple • City of Ballarat asks residents to Pandemic 2020 sites and are reduced to mostly Stay at Home telephone consultations and 17 March • Ballarat City Council calls for some home visits • City of Ballarat closes Ballarat an amendment to the Local • Lucas Kindergarten (auspiced Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre, Government Act to allow Council by YMCA Ballarat) relocates Mining Exchange, Lucas meetings to be held remotely temporarily to Lucas Primary Community Hub, Art Gallery of March 27 School Ballarat, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Civic Hall, Libraries, Eureka • City of Ballarat extends the final APRIL Centre and Parent Place rate instalment due date from 31 May 2020 to 30 June 2020 1 April 18 March without penalty for businesses • City of Ballarat Council meeting • City of Ballarat launches directly impacted by the closed to the public due to its Be Kind initiative COVID-19 pandemic COVID- 19 restrictions 20 March • Emergency Response and • City of Ballarat’s Citizenship Recovery Centre is now open on • City of Ballarat launches Ceremony is cancelled weekends Economic Response Package 2 April 30 March 23 March • City of Ballarat develops a series • City of Ballarat announces free • Special Council Meeting held of measures to reduce the parking across the CBD and to modify the CEO’s delegation financial burden on businesses hospital precinct • City of Ballarat announces no 24 March 31 March farmers’ markets are to be held • 345 City of Ballarat staff start • City of Ballarat’s Animal Shelter on Council land working from home closes • Meals on Wheels increases • Eight cases of COVID-19 are to 1,200 meals a week recorded in Ballarat 4 CITY OF BALLARAT ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 COVID-19 6 April April 24 May 29 • City of Ballarat launches Be • City of Ballarat depot crews to • Be TV – a Ballarat children’s TV Kind Be Creative, a program return to work show to overcome the isolation of which provides the community • Victorian Government announces staying at home starts streaming with an opportunity to respond legislation has been introduced to on the City of Ballarat website creatively to new and changing allow Councils to meet remotely • Ballarat Libraries launches its circumstances Click and Collect service April 25 April 10 • City of Ballarat together with 30 and 31 May • Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle RSL participates in the ANZAC • Ballarat (virtual) Heritage Centre launches the Get Active Day Driveway at Dawn initiative Weekend is held Health Hub MAY JUNE April 14 • City of Ballarat partners with 1May 1 June UFS Medical to facilitate the new • Libraries Storytime children • Libraries, Parent Place, COVID-19 testing site at the sessions reach 20,000 views on playgrounds, dog and skate parks Lucas Community Hub Facebook reopen under new restrictions April 20 13 May 15 June • City of Ballarat’s Youth Services • Ray of Sunshine virtual choir • Launched the nomination period FReeZA program and SONIKA, (Be Kind Be Creative) launches for the 2020 Youth Awards launch Fully Sick Fest, a youth 25 May online festival 19 June • City of Ballarat emergency food • First artists are commissioned for • Eight artists are commissioned to relief drop-off centre relocates the Be Kind Be Creative initiative produce work as part of Be Kind to the Ballarat Regional Soccer Be Creative • City of Ballarat emergency food Facility relief drop-off centre opens at the 23 June Ballarat Library on Doveton Street 22 May • Once Upon a Lockdown – a • Be Kind Ballarat website goes live April 22 podcast series (part of Be Kind 27 June • Meals on Wheels splits its Be Creative) airs its first episode • Launch of Ballarat Virtual services across two different Winter Fest locations in Ballarat • Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre reopens CITY OF BALLARAT ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 5 COVID-19 OUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES: KEEPING BALLARAT RUNNING The City of Ballarat continued to provide essential Depot services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in strict accordance with official guidelines. The City of Ballarat radically changed its work practices at its Ring Road depot in response to the COVID-19 These vital services kept community members engaged pandemic. and provided connection and support to Ballarat’s most vulnerable people - its youngest and oldest Depot-based teams, including roads, footpath and residents - through Maternal and Child Health services, drainage maintenance crews, waste collection staff, and Home Care, and Meals on Wheels programs. parks and gardens staff, began operating on modified duties. Temporary satellite depot sites were set up to Meals on Wheels ensure social distancing measures could be achieved. The City of Ballarat made some proactive changes to A comprehensive COVID-19 workplace and hygiene the Meals on Wheels service in response to COVID-19. induction for all teams was put in place in April and more than 200 staff were inducted. One of the key changes was opening a second Meals on Wheels site using the Eureka Centre’s commercial At the end of March, skeleton staff remained at the kitchen to ensure that if one venue was compromised depot to carry out essential services while COVID-19 by the virus, the other food site could continue to work practices were rolled out.