Better Suburbs Forum Member Pack Better Suburbs Forum Member Pack
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK
ACCESSIBILITY Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS) is committed to making its information accessible to as many people as possible. This report is available as a printed document, an accessible PDF and in HTML on our website at www.tccs. act.gov.au. If you have difficulty reading a standard print document and need alternative formats; if you are deaf or hearing impaired; or if English is not your first language; you can get help from the following services: Canberra Blind Society: T (02) 62474580 National Relay Service: T 133677 Translating and Interpreting Service: T 131450
For further information please contact: Director, Governance and Business Solutions Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate T (02) 6205 8479 or visit our website at: www.tccs.act.gov.au Publication number: 18/0851
2 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK CONTENTS
WELCOME ...... 4 THE FORUM MEMBER PACK . 5 WHAT IS A CITIZENS’ FORUM?. 6 THE BETTER SUBURBS PROGRAM...... 7 OUR TASK TOGETHER – A BETTER SUBURBS STATEMENT FOR CANBERRA...... 8 CITY SERVICES – AN OVERVIEW...... 10 OUR CHANGING POPULATION...... 12 POLICIES THAT RELATE TO CITY SERVICES...... 14 BETTER SUBURBS FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ...... 16 THE ACT GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL COUNCILS: A COMPARISON. 18 BUDGET SNAPSHOT 2018-19...... 19 CITY SERVICES – ASSETS AND VALUE...... 20
CITY SERVICES: DESCRIPTIONS BY SERVICE. 21
MOVING AROUND...... 21 Focus = Roads...... 21 Focus = Footpaths, verges and nature strips...... 23 Focus = Street lights . 25
SUPPORTING PEOPLE AND ANIMALS . 26 Focus = Shopping centres. 26 Focus = Graffiti . 28 Focus = Responsible pet ownership . 29 Focus = Library services . 30
CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT...... 32 Focus = Waste and recycyling (household and public spaces) ...... 32 Focus = Lakes, ponds and wetlands ...... 34 Focus = Stormwater . 36 Focus = Street and park trees . 38
USING LAND...... 40 Focus = Playgrounds ...... 40 Focus = Maintaining public spaces ...... 42 Focus = Mowing of parks and open spaces. 43 Focus = Community ovals and fitness stations . 44
NOTES PAGES...... 46
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 3 WELCOME
As Minister for Transport and City Services, I would “Canberra is growing and like to warmly thank you for taking part in the the changes in our city Better Suburbs Citizens’ Forum. need to be reflected in the Canberra is growing and the changes in our city city services we deliver.” need to be reflected in the delivery of city services. Each day, all of us experience our city services. I have gladly provided my authority for this Citizens’ Forum and am committed to putting the community at the centre of the process. You will play a valued role as part of a representative group of 40 community members. Together with up to 25 senior representatives from government, industry and non-government organisations, this Forum will plan for the right mix of city services for Canberra into the future. The outcome will be a Better Suburbs Statement, a plan to improve city services in Canberra. You will consider our shared vision and city servicing priorities so Canberra can remain a liveable and inclusive city. This is an exciting, innovative and genuine opportunity to influence the future of city services in the ACT. From roads to waste services, from streetlights to playgrounds, a broad range of essential amenities and services support day to day life in the ACT. At the end of this process, I will receive the Better Suburbs Statement, table it in the Legislative Assembly for noting, and publicly share it with the broader community. Following this, I will support the development of action plans to progress the priorities in the Statement.
Yours Sincerely, Ms Meegan Fitzharris MLA
4 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK THE FORUM MEMBER PACK
The aim of this Forum Member Pack is to provide Please read this Member Pack in preparation for you with information about: your role in the Forum. More detailed information on issues facing city services will be provided at •• current city services the Forum through presentations by experts and •• how these relate to the experience of the opportunities to meet the people that work on Canberra community the many city services. •• challenges faced with a changing and growing population and competing demands for resources •• feedback from the community on the quality and importance of city services.
Each year the ACT Government invests significant resources to deliver a range of city services to the ACT community. The task of the Forum is to ensure that these resources are used effectively and efficiently to deliver the best outcomes for the community and government. The intention is that this Forum will be the beginning of a new phase in community decision making in Canberra, in which people come together to discuss, consider and plan on issues that affect their daily lives. This process will close the space between government and the community, as we are all part of this community and we should all have a genuine say in decisions that affect us.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 5 WHAT IS A CITIZENS’ FORUM?
A Citizens’ Forum is a form of deliberative The Forum will be held over five days. It is engagement, with participants coming together for important that all members attend each of these a period of time, being given credible and reliable days, from 9:00am to 4:30pm. The Forum will be information on the topic under review, discussing located at CIT Reid, 37 Constitution Ave, Canberra. (deliberating) the subject at length and arriving at a shared view on the way forward. PART 1 Deliberative engagement is used to make shared SATURDAY 21 JULY decisions. The members of the Forum are a •• Information provision, including discussions with cross section of the Canberra community. This experts about key issues and opportunities. representative sample of the community will explore all the issues and trade-offs associated PART 2 with delivering better city services for Canberra, to SATURDAY 4 AUGUST enhance the user experience for the community. & SUNDAY 5 AUGUST The forum will be facilitated by democracyCo, a •• Developing the long term vision for city services company with expertise in running deliberative from 2018 to 2030 engagement throughout Australia. Their website is •• Developing and agreeing on the key outcomes http://www.democracyco.com.au that are important to Canberrans for city services There will be up to 65 participants in the Forum •• Agreeing on key priorities for delivering on these including: outcomes for the next four years to 2022. •• Citizens selected randomly and representative of the various elements of the Canberra community PART 3 •• Stakeholders from representative organisations SATURDAY 18 AUGUST and community councils. & SUNDAY 19 AUGUST •• Determining a targeted approach for playgrounds in Canberra •• Developing Service Assessment Criteria for play spaces •• Deciding where to prioritise the expenditure of the $1.9 million from the Better Infrastructure Fund to improve play spaces across Canberra •• Completing and finalising the Better Suburbs Statement and providing it to the Minister for Transport and Community Services.
6 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK THE BETTER SUBURBS PROGRAM
The Better Suburbs Program has been introduced In 2018, Kitchen Table conversations were held in to engage the Canberra community on the delivery the weeks leading up to the Forum. These allowed of future city services in Canberra. The aim is to us to share what the community told us in the first develop a Better Suburbs Statement, which will set consultation and seek out deeper responses. The the vision and priorities for improved delivery of feedback from the initial consultation and from the city services in the ACT to 2030. Kitchen Table conversations will be shared with you at the Forum. The ACT Government invests significant resources each year in the delivery of Canberra’s city services. Community feedback is also received by Transport It is important that decisions about city services are Canberra and City Services (TCCS) on an ongoing informed by local residents to achieve a balance basis, through the TCCS annual community in service delivery that meets community needs survey, Chief Minister talkback sessions on whilst being financially sustainable. ABC Radio Canberra and Fix my Street online requests. This feedback has all been taken into The Program is also an opportunity to redefine account to develop the themes for the community the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders engagement. – the ACT Government, industry, businesses and the broader community. The ACT Government is trialing deliberative democracy processes as a step towards setting a new standard for how we engage with the community to make decisions about service delivery in the ACT. In late 2017, the consultation journey began. Over 1200 people completed the Better Suburbs survey, 175 people attended pop up sessions, 43 people participated in an online Your Say discussion board, 302 people commented on social media and eight people lodged written submissions. The resulting Community Consultation and Engagement Report is available at www.yoursay.act.gov.au/BetterSuburbs
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 7 OUR TASK TOGETHER – A BETTER SUBURBS STATEMENT FOR CANBERRA
A vision around priorities for future city servicing CITY SERVICES AFFECT in the ACT will help to ensure we deliver the right OUR QUALITY OF LIFE level of services to meet the expectations of our Changes to our services may impact many community. elements of the day to day lives of the Canberra We hope you enjoy the opportunity to understand community, such as how people use public spaces, the business of city services better and the process move around and connect with others, spend of helping to plan our future activities. This Pack time with animals, enjoy leisure time, care for the shares introductory business information about environment and travel actively to school and work. city servicing. It includes facts about current In reviewing these services, it is important to aim servicing levels, the servicing assumptions that are for our spaces and places to be: commonly made, and a summary of the issues, •• Safe tensions and decision making processes used to plan and deliver current city services. It also •• Engaging provides you with information about what the •• Attractive community said in earlier consultation sessions, to •• Accessible ensure their voices are considered. •• Easy to get around Together, the Forum members will deliberate on: •• Connected, and 1. A vision for city servicing in Canberra •• Good for our health. 2. An agreed view about the current level and quality of the city services delivered 3. The necessary priorities for service improvement 4. The allocation of funding for playground infrastructure improvements from the $1.9 million Better Infrastructure Fund 5. Insights to assist in planning more participatory decision making activities in the future. The Forum members will look at the results from the earlier consultations to confirm an understanding of what matters to the Canberra community. Your task is then to translate these community priorities into real service delivery outcomes.
8 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK KEY OUTCOMES OF THE FORUM To achieve this the Forum will 1. The Forum will produce the Better Suburbs 1. Develop a clear and confident understanding Statement, including; of the business of city services in Canberra. –– a visionary statement to 2030 2. Gain meaningful insight into the wider community’s views about city services, through –– clear outcome statements which outline what testing the results from the 2017 consultation is important to members of the community and the Kitchen Table discussions. –– a statement of priorities for the four years to 2022. 2. The Forum will use the outcome statements as a basis for determining the community’s recommendations on individual service areas – such as investment levels, community involvement and new approaches to decision making. 3. The Forum will develop Service Assessment Criteria for play spaces and determine where to prioritise the expenditure of $1.9 million from the Better Infrastructure Fund to improve play spaces across Canberra. 4. The Forum will demonstrate a deliberative approach to decision making for city services which will offer insights for the future. In addition, the forum will give ideas and feedback about how to improve community involvement in decision making for government consideration.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 9 CITY SERVICES – AN OVERVIEW
Every day and night, the delivery of city services ALLOCATING RESOURCES continues. Annually, the City Services Division of AND COMPETING DEMANDS the Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS) Many, but not all, city services are included in Directorate contributes to making our suburbs the scope of the Better Suburbs Program. In the better in many ways, such as: Forum you will be informed about service planning, •• Mowing almost 30,000 hectares of grass in scheduling and resource allocation for each of the suburban areas and along arterial roads city services that are in scope. •• Maintaining more than 500 playgrounds, 69 Here is a summary of the city services, themed public toilets, 115 BBQs and 89 shopping centres around their contribution to the user experience: •• Maintaining more than 280 hectares of sports Moving Around grounds •• Maintain roads and paths, and equip these with •• Maintaining more than 760,000 trees on signs and lighting public land •• Manage roads and paths to promote safety, •• Maintaining 112 urban lakes and ponds adhere to national standards, and create •• Maintaining 2,500 kilometres of footpaths and connected travel routes more than 1000 km of cycle ways and on road •• Manage road and path surfaces, speed limits, cycle paths crossings and traffic calming devices such as •• Managing 77,000 street lights roundabouts, traffic lights and speed humps •• Resurfacing more than 1 million square metres •• Schedule roadworks for upgrades and repairs to of road potholes, while managing traffic to ensure safety. •• Loaning over 2.8 million library items (2017) Supporting People •• Collecting in excess of 6.8 million household •• Clean, maintain and upgrade public land at rubbish collections and 3.4 million household shopping centres recycling collections. •• Manage amenities in shopping areas such as As asset managers, City Services strives to toilets, bins, landscaping , water fountains, street meet community expectations within a budget furniture, bike racks and parking allocation. In addition to scheduling and delivering •• Remove graffiti services, the team develops policies on the use •• Promote responsible pet ownership and and performance of assets (how people are using manage a range of domestic animal services. city services assets, and whether the intended Regulate, promote and ensure compliance with experience is being delivered), service planning animal welfare and physical and financial reporting, and prepares business cases for funding. •• Provide library services which champion literacy, learning and the pleasure of reading and connect people with our community and the world.
10 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK Caring for the Environment •• Collect household waste and recycling as well as waste and recycling in public spaces •• Manage Canberra’s lakes, ponds, wetlands and storm water channels, which play a key role in managing rainfall, preventing flooding and erosion, protecting biodiversity and ensuring healthy waterways for people, pets and wildlife both in the ACT and downstream •• Manage more than 760,000 trees on public land. Assess trees for health and safety, treat trees to reduce disease and pests, remove and replace trees as required and fix the damage caused by tree roots from trees on unleased land.
Using Land •• Manage playgrounds and skate parks to create engaging play spaces and meeting points for children and families •• Manage outdoor public parks and local open spaces •• Conduct mowing of public spaces to maintain the amenity of these areas •• Manage and maintain community ovals and fitness stations •• Enforce compliance for illegal dumping, use of nature strips, use of public land and the collection of abandoned vehicles on public land.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 11 OUR CHANGING POPULATION
Canberra has developed from the original planned SOME POPULATION PROJECTIONS city of 75,000 people to an innovative, inclusive and FOR CANBERRA: modern city, with over 400,000 residents. This expansion of the city will lead to new urban Canberra is the fastest growing city in Australia areas as well as increased population density in and our residents are the most physical active existing areas. and culturally engaged in Australia. In the next •• By 2022, the Molonglo and North Canberra few decades, Canberra will change further with a districts of Canberra are projected to have the denser population base, different housing choices, youngest populations of the Territory, where the new light rail and improved bus networks, and a populations of Belconnen, Weston Creek and projected population of 500,000 by 2033. Tuggeranong are projected to age rapidly. •• The Gungahlin District is projected to have a Our city is growing and significant proportion of both the youngest and changing and our city oldest cohorts in the Territory. services need to change with it. The ACT also has an increasingly diverse population. We need to ensure that the needs As the ACT grows so does the demand for services of all of our residents are considered when we and infrastructure. Meeting community needs are planning for future city servicing. whilst addressing financial sustainability presents an ongoing challenge. The Forum will help determine how these services can be delivered effectively and efficiently to meet the growing needs of our community.
12 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK A SNAPSHOT OF 100 PEOPLE DRIVERS OF DEMAND IN THE ACT – 1976 TO 2016: As our city grows and our infrastructure ages, strategies need to address the growing demand for services while maintaining the quality of services. IN 1976: 3 For example, additional land development activity With a disability generates increased demand for city services. We call this growth demand. Drivers of demand present us with opportunities 83 14 and challenges for city servicing planning and Living in a separate From a non english house speaking background delivery. Over the next ten years, the key drivers of demand for city services infrastructure, maintenance and services are: 30 0.4 •• Responding to changing demographics in Aged >34 Indigenous Central Canberra and Woden Valley and growth in Gungahlin and West Belconnen •• Maintaining vital infrastructure as it ages •• Managing public expectation for service IN 2016: 16 level provision With a disability •• Addressing climate change challenges •• Sustaining a growing and dynamic economy. 68 21 The ACT Government Infrastructure Plan 2011- Living in a separate From a non english 2021, identified that areas such as Molonglo and house speaking background Gungahlin would experience extensive growth, whilst other suburbs would undergo urban infill. This is occurring, creating changes in demand for 46 59 assets across the city services spectrum – such Couples with children In a couple as roads, pathways, stormwater infrastructure, sportsgrounds, open space areas as well as waste 16 2 management and other local services. Living in a flat Indigenous or apartment
Source: Based on 1976 50 Census and 2016 Census, Aged >34 subject to rounding.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 13 POLICIES THAT RELATE TO CITY SERVICES
‘We will respond to global There are a number of ACT Government strategic changes as One Canberra: a documents that give direction to city service networked city of communities, provision, as well as legislative requirements and servicing standards to comply with. reinforcing, not separate from each other, with a regenerated, These documents have important impacts on city vibrant and economically servicing. Implementing the priorities within the dynamic centre.’ Better Suburbs Statement may require additional policies to be developed. Current policies and Excerpt – Canberra: A statement of ambition legislation may also need to change to deliver better city services. We would encourage you to read the Territory Plan and to peruse the other documents if you have time – but of course feel free to read them all if you wish.
STATUTORY DOCUMENT The Territory Plan is a statutory document developed under the Planning and Development Act 2007. It determines where particular land uses can occur and influences the provision of public infrastructure managed by Transport Canberra and City Services. This includes landscaping in public areas, provision of parks, paths, roads and stormwater infrastructure. Development applications are assessed against the Territory Plan.
OTHER RELEVANT STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS Canberra: Statement of Ambition sets a long term vision for Canberra over the next 20 years. http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/ pdf_file/0006/865482/Canberra-A-Statement-of- Ambition.pdf
14 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK The Canberra Plan: Towards Our Second Century The Canberra Infrastructure Plan 2011-2021 aims to defines the Government’s vision for progress. Two improve the process for prioritising infrastructure to of the seven long term Government priorities are optimize community benefit from a changing | relevant to the Better Suburbs Statement: a vibrant asset base. city with great neighbourhoods, and high quality http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_ services. file/0013/220306/infrastructureplan2011.pdf http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_ Transport for Canberra provides the foundation for file/0013/120217/canberra_plan_text_V5.pdf transport planning for the next 20 years, prepared The ACT Planning Strategy informs the future in conjunction with the ACT Planning Strategy to development of Canberra. It provides guidance to shift to more sustainable Canberra. Transport for spatial planning, development and management Canberra promotes safe, walkable, people friendly for Canberra. communities to reduce traffic congestion and emissions while increasing the number of people https://www.planning.act.gov.au/__data/assets/ using active travel and public transport. pdf_file/0008/895076/2012_Planning_Strategy. pdf https://www.transport.act.gov.au/about/policy/ transport_for_canberra_policy The City Plan sets a vision for development in the city centre. It addresses development and Canberra’s Living Infrastructure Information Paper growth, and the efficient and effective delivery of 2018. Living infrastructure will play a key role as the projects and infrastructure. It aims to unlock the city adjusts to the impact of climate change. potential of Canberra’s CBD and integrate it with http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/ public transport, residential buildings, surrounding assets/pdf_file/0011/1170965/Canberra-Living- parklands and educational institutions. Infrastructure-Information-paper-2018.pdf https://www.cityplan.act.gov.au/ ACT Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2016 The Statement of Planning Intent sets out the requires consideration of climate change impacts planning priorities for the ACT Government until to be ‘mainstreamed’ into policies and practices 2020. It focuses on liveability, sustainability and across government, households, businesses and place making to achieve quality public spaces and the community. streets. https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/ https://www.planning.act.gov.au/__data/assets/ assets/pdf_file/0004/912478/ACT-Climate- pdf_file/0006/898278/Statement_of_Planning_ Change-Adaptation-Strategy.pdf Intent_2016-web-Access.pdf
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 15 BETTER SUBURBS FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY
The first phase of the Better Suburbs project focused on gaining community views about their Quality of facilities and suburbs in 2017. Community members completed their standard of service is a Better Suburbs survey, participated in online important. The experience they offer is also valued. discussions, spoke with us at pop up sessions across Canberra, responded to social media posts and made written submissions. The full report can In the survey, 82% of people responded that they be downloaded from www.yoursay.act.gov.au/ would prefer to have community infrastructure BetterSuburbs. facilities across Canberra that are of a higher standard with better servicing, to improve the Following is a summary of the responses. The experience they have. People rated the experience task of the Forum will be to look deeper into the offered as more important than the number of feedback and ensure a clear understanding of facilities provided across Canberra. community priorities before making decisions about priorities. Shared spaces are vital to foster vibrant communities. Canberrans value their suburbs and are willing to promote them to others. Shared public spaces that are convenient and provide for a mix of activities are valued. Community feedback has indicated that locating In the survey, over 86% of respondents indicated shopping, open public space and recreation that they would promote their suburb as a great facilities together is important to allow us to place to live. The survey told us the services and socialise and have a sense of belonging. Amenities facilities that people use every day contribute most such as trees, benches and bins also make these to how they viewed their suburb. Recipients were spaces more appealing. asked to look at a list of 14 features and asked to rate the five that contributed the most to making a suburb a great place to live. The top five features Travel routes that are safe, were: access to shopping precincts; access to parks connected and convenient and amenities; safe and connected footpaths; are desirable. maintained trees and shrubs; and maintained and connected roads. Canberra residents want to use connected paths People were also asked to rank the bottom three and roads to get to shared spaces in a safe, features, which were: libraries; dog parks; and convenient and pleasant way. Many would like recreational facilities. People were, however, happy these connecting paths and roads to be well-lit, with these facilities and their services currently. well-maintained, clear of debris and designed to meet future population growth and the broad mix of our social needs.
16 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK TRENDS IN RESULTS The Chief Minister’s Talkback (ABC radio) five most common topics in 2017 included both roads and As mentioned, the survey revealed the five key trees maintenance. People also raised concerns features that contributed most to a great suburb. about parking, waste and streetlight management. A review of the Ministerial correspondence received Top 5 features that from the community in 2017 shows the five most contribute MOST common topics again included road infrastructure to a great suburb and road maintenance, while issues relating to waste and public land management were also well Access to Shopping Precincts represented.
Access to Parks and Amenities OUR CHALLENGE Safe and Connected Footpaths Our challenge is to allocate funds effectively to needed services so that our public places are safe, Maintained Trees and Shrubs health promoting, connected, engaging, accessible and easy to get around. Maintained and Connected Roads Budget tensions are not uncommon as our city grows and service demands increase. Environmental, technological and social changes The survey also revealed services areas where also require us to deliver our services differently to community satisfaction is most lacking, relative to remain effective and efficient. importance. Interestingly, the same service areas are identified. The top five gaps in satisfaction were with: 1. Parks and public amenities 2. Construction and maintenance of footpaths and cycle paths 3. Trees and shrubs 4. Construction and maintenance of roads 5. Shopping precincts.
These issues also commonly arise in the feedback regularly received by the ACT Government regarding city services.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 17 THE ACT GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL COUNCILS: A COMPARISON
Until 1989, The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) The ACT Government undertakes the functions was administered by the Federal Government. of both state and local governments. The Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate (TCCS) in The ACT was granted limited right of self- particular, performs many of the functions of a local government by the federal government in 1988 government/council as well as some functions that with the passing of the Australian Capital Territory would normally be considered state government (Self Government) Act 1998. This Act functions as functions. the ACT’s constitution as it sets out many of the arrangements that determine how its system TCCS delivers essential city services such as of government operates, including financial public libraries, the collection of recycling and arrangements. waste, graffiti removal, playground upgrades and grass mowing. It is also responsible for the Australian states have three levels of government management of urban trees, public open spaces – federal, state and local (i.e. councils). In the ACT and city places including maintenance of outdoor we have just two, the ACT Government and the areas in shopping centres, domestic animal Federal Government (also referred to as Australian services, animal welfare and other licensing and Government or Commonwealth Government). The compliance services including ranger services and states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, permits for public land use. Roads ACT (within Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia) TCCS) operates, manages and maintains the local have local government legislation (eg NSW’s Local and high order road network within the ACT. TCCS Government Act 1993). This legislation provides for also has responsibility for the public transport the establishment of local governments/councils network and services, including the light rail. and set out their roles, responsibilities and powers. In other jurisdictions this is a state government Local government legislation also outlines how responsibility. TCCS also provides input on design local governments/councils are to be funded. and considers whole of life management of assets. Councils largely raise their own funds through Unlike local governments/councils, most funds rates and charges, including land rates. The generated by TCCS through fees and charges funds raised are used by councils’ for their go into the ACT Government’s consolidated day-to-day operations, including the provision revenue and money is apportioned across all and maintenance of public assets and services ACT Government directorates (eg TCCS, Health, (e.g. playgrounds, parks, trees, libraries, footpaths, Education, Community Services) according to waste collection, domestic animal services, government priorities and community needs. While street lights and local roads). How the funds are maintenance spending on city services remains spent is largely determined by the council, which relatively constant over time, new asset funding is accountable to the state government and the (growth) fluctuates more than local councils. The community. ACT can also be more agile in reforms as there is no need to reach agreement across councils for changes in legislation.
18 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK BUDGET SNAPSHOT 2018-19
After depreciation and write offs are accounted for, the remaining funds to be spent on city services (recurrent and capital) in 2018-19 is outlined below.
ACT GOVERNMENT BUDGET
$5.6 billion
TCCS TOTAL BUDGET $695 million
CITY SERVICES BUDGET (Recurrent and capital) $226.5 million
Roads and Library City maintenance Waste and infrastructure services and services recycling (Recurrent) (Recurrent) (Recurrent) (Recurrent) $78.6m $14.8m $74.6m $34m
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 19 CITY SERVICES – ASSETS AND VALUE
As at 30 June 2017
ASSETS MANAGED BY CITY SERVICES VALUE OF CITY SERVICES ASSETS
Value Revaluation Asset type Asset $’m increment $’m
Roads* 3,122 kilometres Infrastructure 6,802.4 28.5 (6,959 lane kilometres) Heritage and community 2,263.6 96.7 Bridges and culverts* 1,246 Buildings 33.3 n/a Footpaths* 2,465 kilometres Land 42.1 0.1 Streetlights (lamps)* 77,240 Plant and equipment 42.4 13.3 Stormwater* 3,761 pipe kilometres Leasehold improvements 1.2 n/a Cycle lanes (on road)* 566 kilometres Intangible assets 4.9 n/a Cycle paths (off road)* 455 kilometres Total 9,189.4 138.6 Urban open space 6,108 hectares
Lakes and ponds 369 hectares
Urban trees 763,078
Public libraries 607,117 collection items
Playgrounds 500
Barbeques 115
Toilets 69
*IAMS database as at 30 June 2017
20 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK CITY SERVICES: DESCRIPTIONS BY SERVICE
MOVING AROUND The asset value of the Road network is $4.619 billion, which is around 40% of the total insured value of all road assets ($11.6bn). The annual maintenance on these assets has a $21 million budget, which is around 0.5% of the insured asset value. Maintenance includes street sweeping, line marking, signs, repairing pot holes, resurfacing and resealing.
Each year there are around 3,000 requests for service on roads, including pot holes, street FOCUS = ROADS sweeping, damaged signs and speed humps, line markings and more. Regular maintenance is needed to prevent The ACT road network provides a route for the deterioration. The major contributors to the life movement of freight, people to travel from home span of a road are: traffic volume, vehicle weight, to work, shops, school and other destination weather, quality of construction and time. and tourists to visit our city attractions. The road network is split into Arterial roads for travel Road surfaces have a life of between 10 and between destinations and Municipal streets 25 years before they need to be resurfaced. to access residential areas. Over time, cracks appear in the road surface which Canberra has 3,100 km of roads, 15,000 km of allows water to penetrate into the base layers of the line-markings, 53,000 traffic signs, 1,250 bridges, road and this softens this material. When vehicles 165 km of roadside barriers and 6,480 km of kerbs travel over this softer base materials the road and gutters. cracks more and this eventually leads to potholes.
CANBERRA’S ROADS Roads have a design life of 40 years and this can be extended by resurfacing before the surface deteriorates and allows water to penetrate the base layers. Roads ACT aims to resurface 5% of the Arterial roads and 4% of the Municipal Streets each year, this equates to just over 1 000 000 m2 (or around 150 km) of resurfacing each year.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 21 The arterial road network is condition tested on a three year rolling program. The municipal road KEY CHALLENGES network is visually inspected on a three year The road network is deteriorating at a quicker rolling program. rate than maintenance is being applied. 2 Roads ACT resurfaced 1 000 000m of Road resealing produces loose stones and a pavement in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. rough surface which cause the public to dislike For many years prior to that only 500 000 to this practice particularly in residential areas. 600,000m2 was resurfaced. Long periods of wet weather and large storm 90% of all resurfacing is resealing – the rest is events allow water to enter cracks in the road specialised asphalt or bitumen. surface and potholes develop. 2 Resealing costs around $10 per m , while asphalt Reductions in resurfacing areas result in higher 2 costs $40 to $100 per m depending on the future patching requirements due to more treatment used. Due to the higher cost, asphalt defects forming on our roads. treatments are generally reserved to high stress areas like intersections. Garbage trucks cause significant damage at the end of cul de sacs when turning, this Resurfacing is most effective between October causes damage to reseals. and March each year when the weather is warm, work outside this time has a higher risk of failure There have been a number of trials using due to inclement weather. crumbed rubber and toner cartridges in the asphalting process as well as recycled millings. Asphalt works can be undertaken at night but Pavement contractors are now looking at fine resealing has to be undertaken in daylight when crushed glass as a sand replacement. there is warmer temperatures. The life of each surface treatment will vary depending on the type and volume of traffic using ROAD SAFETY the road. A reseal will achieve up to 25 years on a The ACT has a good road safety record compared residential street but may only last eight years on to other parts of Australia, and the world. Despite the Tuggeranong Parkway, due to the volume and this, there is no room for complacency. Each year types of traffic. an average of 14 people are killed and 565 people Eventually road pavements reach the end of are injured on ACT roads. In the five years 2006 to their life and need to be replaced – not resealed. 2010, 71 people were killed and 2827 people were However resealing can dramatically extend injured. The ACT Road Safety Strategy 2011‑2020 the life of the road depending on the resealing recognises that accidents do occur and that materials used. humans make errors, however, these accidents and Traffic signs are usually replaced when they are human errors should not be fatal or cause serious reported as missing or damaged, or when they harm. http://www.justice.act.gov.au/safety_and_ need updated information. emergency/road_safety/act_road_safety_strategy_ and_action_plans Every street is swept at least twice a year and areas in the inner North and South receiving additional sweeps in autumn to remove fallen leaves.
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The ACT has an extensive community path network with 3000 km of paths. The insured value of the path network is $456 million, which is around 3.5% of the total insured value of all road assets ($11.6bn). Each year, around three km of paths are replaced by maintenance works which is equivalent to replacing 1% of the network every year. A budget of around $4.7 million was allocated in 2016-17. The useful life of FOCUS = FOOTPATHS, community paths is around 50 years. VERGES AND Both pedestrians and cyclists are able to use NATURE STRIPS community paths in the ACT.
A nature strip, also called a street verge, is the land Nature strips are an important part of Canberra’s between a residential property boundary and the urban streetscape and help create the ‘garden city’ roadside kerb. character. They are also vital transport corridors for pedestrians and cyclists. The urban design of In Canberra, this usually comprises a patch of Canberra allows for easy walking access to local grass with trees and a footpath close to the shops, playgrounds, parks and other facilities. property boundary. This land is publicly owned As a result, it is important that nature strips are and not part of the neighbouring property. Nature maintained and accessible for pedestrian use. strips often house infrastructure for services such as telecommunications, energy, water and Many aspects of nature strip maintenance are the wastewater. responsibility of the ACT Government, including the footpath, street trees, streetlights and driveways.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 23 However, the adjacent landholder is responsible for mowing lawns, removing fallen leaves and ensuring KEY CHALLENGES that landscaping is safe and appropriate. Residents The annual budget of around $4.7 million, does need to ensure that trees and shrubs growing on not allow the repair of all defects identified private land do not impede access to the nature each year. strip or footpath. Residents who wish to landscape their nature strip may do so after lodging an The path network is deteriorating at a quicker application but only in a way that provides for safe rate than it is being repaired / replaced. access and use by the public. Vegetation in the form of grass and hedges often reduce the effective width of the path. CONDITION OF COMMUNITY PATHS IN THE ACT This is impacted by private hedges and public mowing. Over 50% of the path network exceeds 40 years of age. The path network is constructed using Path defects are noticed more by users concrete, asphalt and pavers. Wider paths to who walk. encourage cycling were introduced in the 1980’s. Path use varies from pedestrians to cyclists The major causes of damage are tree root and there is a significant speed difference of intrusions, vehicle damage and environmental each user. damage over time. Defects are usually trip hazards The request for missing links and new paths is from vertical displacement of part of the path. Each managed through the Capital Works program. year there are over 1,500 requests for service and In general only very high priority works are 75% of these require works. Defects are repaired by delivered, which equates to only 10% of surface grinding, ramping the defect or replacing requests delivered each year. the section of path. Defects are inspected within 10 days of notification. Roads ACT has a risk based inspection regime. The busiest areas, like the city centre, are inspected every six months. Low use residential streets are inspected when required.
24 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK CONDITION OF STREET LIGHTS IN CANBERRA There are 47 types of different lamp types across the network. The asset base is growing at 2.5% per annum.
FOCUS = STREET LIGHTS
The ACT has an extensive streetlight network Streetlights in a suburb are usually the same age with 46,000 lights on municipal streets and as the suburb. Some assets are over 70 years 27,000 lights on other roads. In total there are old and require rewiring as they are susceptible 78,000 streetlights with other lights in carparks to failure. and paths across Canberra. The ACT Government has awarded a new, There is 4,100 km of underground electrical multi-year contract for streetlighting in 2018 cable and 1,200 streetlight control cubicles which requires the network to be replaced with or switches. energy efficient luminaires to provide energy The insured value of the streetlight network is savings. The annual energy consumption of the $543 million, which is around 4% of the total streetlight network prior to the new contract was insured value of all road assets ($11.6bn). 38,419 MW‑Hr per year. There are 4,000 requests for service each year. Requests are usually related to service failure of The annual maintenance budget for individual lamps or cable faults where a series of . This is split between streetlighting is $12 million lights are not working. $5 million for the supply of electricity and $7 million for asset maintenance. The aim of the streetlight contract has been to have 95% of all street lights operational at all times.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 25 SUPPORTING PEOPLE AND ANIMALS
KEY CHALLENGES With the cost of electricity rising each year, the cost to operate the street lighting system increases. This can be offset somewhat, by FOCUS = SHOPPING replacing lights with new LED lights which CENTRES use less electricity. Replacing lights has an upfront cost. In the ACT, shopping centres are commercial Too many lights, particularly close to the centres. They provide access to retail and other Stromlo Observatory and native reserves, can community and business services to meet the cause light pollution affecting flora and fauna. needs of residents and visitors. These range from Some steel streetlight columns have convenient local community shops to higher order developed rust issues at the base causing group and town centres, with the key centre being several of the columns to fall. A separate Canberra’s city centre. This hierarchy includes: inspection program has been created to 1. City Centre (Canberra City), which is the monitor the 25,000 steel columns. principal central business district for Canberra. It also serves as the primary centre for local government, commerce and entertainment. 2. Town Centres (four), which provide the main focus for shopping, community, business and recreation activity for the population within the Woden, Belconnen, Gungahlin and Tuggeranong districts. 3. Group Centres, shopping centres located throughout Canberra that serve nearby suburbs. They provide a range of shopping, community, recreation and business facilities. 4. Local Centres, which are smaller shopping centres situated throughout Canberra that provide for convenience retailing and other community facilities to meet the daily needs of the local population.
26 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK their local shops for essential items and group In total there are 90 commercial shopping centres and town centres for access to a wider centres, including 66 local shops, 19 group range of shops and services. centres, five town centres and the city centre. Local shops are intended to provide for convenience retailing and other accessible, Commencing in 2002, the ACT Government has convenient shopping and community and had a rolling program to upgrade local shopping business services to meet the daily needs of local centres and separate programs focussing on master residents, particularly those with mobility issues. planning and upgrades to group and town centres. They also intend to provide opportunities for The upgrades focus on improving safety, amenity business investment and local employment. and function as well as assist with the commercial TCCS is responsible for management, regular viability of the local centres. servicing and maintenance of the public owned 23 local shopping centres have received an spaces and assets at local centres across the ACT. upgrade to their public realm on unleased land This includes the upgrade of these spaces and over the past 15 years through this program. assets as necessary over time as they age and as requirements and standards change. These include major refurbishments in Higgins, Holder, Holt, Melba, Garran, Deakin, Ainslie, Lyons, Local Centres form a link for both community and Scullin, Farrer, Red Hill, Waramanga and Chapman. commercial business. They are a combination of public and private space (often indistinguishable to Minor upgrade works were carried out in users of the centres) and, due to Canberra’s design, Charnwood (Tillyard Drive), Griffith, Theodore, there is a large number of centres in geographically Cook, Kambah (Mannheim Street), Rivett, Evatt, dispersed areas. Florey, Hughes and Torrens. HOW DECISIONS ON UPGRADES ARE MADE The current three group centre projects have a Consultations with the local communities and total budget of $8 million. businesses are an important component that The previous budget (2016-17) for three guides the design development, along with selected local shopping centres was $1 million. site assessment and compliance to standards The new TCCS budget for Better Town Centres requirements. is $4.75m over four years. The input from those who maintain the centres is also important and considered.
A strategic review of the current program prioritisation and delivery method was undertaken KEY CHALLENGES in 2015-16. A key outcome of the review was the Disruption to business during construction. creation of a multi criteria analysis tool, which can be used to prioritise upgrades and consider Ensuring that all people in the communities alternative funding models for future funding of are engaged. these centres. Enabling co-contribution from the building and Local shops are a great community meeting business owners where there is a willingness. place in the heart of most Canberra suburbs. Canberra was designed so that people could visit
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 27 There are 27 legal graffiti sites across Canberra which provide a safe place for artists to be creative, while also minimising the impact on local residents. This is a higher number per capita than anywhere else in Australia and additional locations are being added all the time. Canberra also has the longest legal graffiti wall in Australia (in Woden). Some of the most frequently offending graffiti taggers now come to organised graffiti workshops. The ACT is taking part in the Wonder Walls art festival in 2018. FOCUS = GRAFFITI TCCS works with members from the public and artists to commission street art murals – usually on public assets, or assets owned by community organisations. Graffiti vandalism is one of thetop ten public Currently graffiti in Woden and City Centre is enquiries received by TCCS. In 2016-17, TCCS problematic. received 1,456 graffiti related enquiries of which 970 related to public assets. Graffiti removal contractors are used to manage graffiti removal on TCCS assets. Graffiti complaints have now reduced from 58 to 18 per month. On-going management includes reporting, diversionary measures and collaboration with The Graffiti budget is $250,000 which includes the Australian Federal Police to catch offenders; salary wages for the Graffiti Management working with restorative justice for juvenile Coordinator. offenders; and networking on graffiti awareness programs with schools. Graffiti prevention measures aim todeter illegal Local community volunteers, such as Crime graffiti while encouraging the use of legal sites. It Stoppers and Neighbourhood Watch in Kambah is expected that the number of incidents of graffiti and Gungahlin, remove graffiti from private fences. will decline on public and private assets over TCCS coordinates, provides materials/equipment time. Creative measures to manage graffiti include and induction to volunteers and community working with graffiti removal volunteers and groups from the public who remove graffiti from artists wishing to paint murals and identifying private assets. legal graffiti sites where artists can paint. Since February 2017, more than 840 hours of TCCS carries out regular community engagement labour has been provided under the Community with youth and community groups, artists, Services (Offender) program in removing graffiti commercial organisations researchers, local from private fences. The majority of fence painting government and other organisations for advice has been undertaken along Hindmarsh Drive around approaches to manage graffiti and mentor between Chifley and Lyons. Other sites include people doing illegal graffiti. Drakeford Drive between Athlon Drive and Erindale Drive on the Eastern Side and Athlon Drive on the Torrens side.
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KEY CHALLENGES Community perception that the removal of graffiti is a government role even if graffiti is on private assets. The removal of graffiti is very expensive and while the government removed graffiti form private assets in the past the current the cost to remove graffiti from private assets would be unrealistic. The public perception that private assets such as ACTEW AGL assets, Post Office boxes and other assets are public assets, when they are in FOCUS = RESPONSIBLE fact private assets managed/owned by private PET OWNERSHIP organisations. There has been an expectation that street artists should do artwork for free or a very low There are six purpose build dog parks for regular cost. TCCS tries not to request artists to do exercise and socialisation. There are also off leash work for free as this is not valuing artists. dog exercise areas in each suburb and these can be found on a map through www.tccs.act.gov.au/ It is difficult to evaluate the impacts of graffiti city-living/recreation/recreation-with-my-dog. management as complaints do not reflect the true amount of graffiti being carried out. Also All dogs in public areas (except for off-leash the frequency of graffiti changes over time, and areas) must be on a leash. It is the owner’s doesn’t necessarily reflect the amount of work responsibility to clean up after their dog. being done to combat graffiti. Owners must ensure their dog is appropriately Graffiti complaints and workload is heavily trained and socialised and that they have effective impacted upon in time of school holidays. control of your dog at all times. Owners must carry equipment suitable for the hygienic collection of faeces and dispose of collected faeces appropriately. The Animal Welfare and Management Strategy 2017-22 is a five year plan focused on preventative action, particularly through public education and awareness. The ACT Government is undertaking a communications campaign called ‘Paws for Thought’ which promotes responsible pet ownership and aims to drive cultural change within the community. Responsible pet ownership and management is every dog owner’s duty. This includes ensuring dogs are registered, microchipped and desexed.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 29 Declared cat containment areas currently include Bonner, Crace, Coombs, Denman Prospect, Forde, Jacka, Lawson, Molonglo, Moncrieff, Throsby, The Fair at Watson, Wright and Taylor. Further cat containment declarations are being prepared for the new suburbs of Strathnairn and Macnamara. Canberra has an estimated 60,000 dogs and 35,000 cats and is proudly a pet friendly city. Community expectations around the impact of pets on others is driving Government response. The social acceptability of having a pet off lead and not under control has reduced. People are more FOCUS = LIBRARY aware of the risk of dog attacks from roaming or SERVICES uncontrolled dogs. The Domestic Animals (Dangerous Dogs) Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 came in Libraries ACT is made up of nine public libraries to effect on 14 December 2017. This legislation located across Canberra, the Home Library improves Domestic Animal Services ability to Service and the ACT Heritage Library, as well as a enforce dog management provisions aimed at suite of electronic resources known as eResources. responsible pet ownership and reducing the risk The Libraries ACT vision is ‘Literacy and Learning of dog attacks in the ACT. The ACT Government for Life’. It aims to help create lifelong learners, takes a risk-based approach to compliance to create Canberra as a city of readers, facilitate ensure resources are targeted to where the risks information-sharing with the community, deliver of harm, unsafe practices or misconduct are the and support and provide access greatest. literacy programs to technology, the internet and inclusive spaces. Laws alone are not enough to prevent harm from Public libraries offer a range of content to reflect a dangerous dogs. The ‘Paws for Thought’ campaign spectrum of interests and diverse view points from is an important strategy to ensure pets and people the whole community. They can live in harmony. provide free access to information, based on the principle that “freedom can be protected in a democratic society only if its citizens have unrestricted access to information KEY CHALLENGES and ideas.” How can the ACT Government work in partnership with the community to increase awareness of responsible pet ownership? In 2016-17, Libraries ACT membership was 65 per cent of the Canberra population. Libraries ACT offers access to a collection of 645,000 items in various formats as well as digital collections such as eBooks, eAudio books and digital magazines.
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In 2016-17, Libraries ACT loaned 236,2795 KEY CHALLENGES physical items, as well as 379,970 eBooks, eAudio Libraries play a vital role in early literacy. books, digital magazines, downloaded music, Literacy is important in an individual’s downloaded articles and streamed content. success in education, employment and social Libraries ACT also coordinated monthly deliveries participation. Literacy development begins at to more than 300 members of the community birth with 80% of a child’s language in place who, for reasons including disability, illness before they start school, making parents their and limited mobility, were unable to access children’s first and most important teachers. the library in person. Reaching all parents is the challenge. Research indicates that about 30% of the adult Libraries ACT celebrates reading and literacy by community in the ACT cannot read or write hosting visits from authors, fostering book clubs, well enough to read instructions on a medicine loaning book sets to 161 book clubs in Canberra bottle. Libraries ACT has commenced a and coordinating reading, writing and literacy volunteer Adult Literacy tutor program. related events. Libraries are increasingly being sought for In 2016-17, Libraries ACT delivered 1,860 lifelong help by people needing access to Government learning programs attended by over 64,000 people, services online. Libraries are not being including almost 46,390 participants at Giggle resourced by these government agencies to and Wiggle and story time. meet this demand. Libraries ACT fosters digital services to develop Libraries perform better when they are located digital skills, incorporate emerging technologies where the community can link their trip to into the library. This includes providing free access shopping or other activities. Some current sites to computers, the internet and Wi-Fi. are not close to shopping precincts. Libraries ACT collects, preserves, promotes and Our libraries are amongst the most efficient provides access to the documents that record in the country but demands for staff time are the lives of Canberrans at home and in the wider increasing. community through the ACT Heritage Library. In 2016-17, 15,251 new items were added to the ACT Heritage Library’s collection of publications, archival collections, images, maps and plans and items of interest. Libraries ACT is relocating the ACT Heritage Library to Fyshwick to address its physical and historical risks and capacity issues. A project is in progress to procure and implement new software and equipment to deliver an improved customer experience trough new integrated systems for the library catalogue, searching and browsing of eResources and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems for borrowing and returning.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 31 CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
6.8 million household rubbish and 3.5 million recycling collections were undertaken in 2016‑17, resulting in over 34000 tonnes of FOCUS = WASTE material recovered from the waste stream (repurposed or recycled), and 75,445 tonnes of AND RECYCYLING waste sent to landfill. (HOUSEHOLD AND PUBLIC SPACES) The ACT generates around 1 million tonnes of waste each year, with around 70 per cent diverted from landfill. The bulk of this waste comes from construction and commercial HOUSEHOLD WASTE AND RECYCLING sites, with approximately a quarter from The ACT Government provides waste and recycling households. collection services for households in the ACT. In 2014-15, the ACT had the second largest Waste bins are collected weekly and recycling bins resource recovery rate of Australian state and are collected fortnightly. territories (behind South Australia). An opt-in ‘green bin’ organic garden waste collection service is being rolled-out across the ACT. A bulky waste collection service is also available to CURRENT INITIATIVES concession card holders once a year. Container deposit scheme – ACT residents can The Mugga Lane and Mitchell Resource redeem eligible drink containers for 10 cents at Management Centres provide recycling drop off drop-off points around the city. This provides points for residents and businesses. There is also a opportunities for charities, sporting and community free service to dispose excess recycling material at groups to raise funds. seven locations across the region. Green bins – A garden waste collection service is Other services include the regulation of the waste being progressively rolled out for all ACT residents. sector, strategic waste policy advice to Government The service is currently available in Weston Creek and community education. and Tuggeranong. Belconnen will commence in The Territory is managing the safe disposal of September 2018 and the rest of Canberra’s will have asbestos contaminated material from the Mr Fluffy access by 2020. This is an opt-in service with a one- program and the closure and rehabilitation of off payment of $50 (excluding concession holders). assets such as the West Belconnen Resource Management Centre.
32 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK Regulation – The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Act 2016 came into force on 1 July 2017 KEY CHALLENGES and requires waste transporters to be registered The ACT’s resource recovery rate has and facilities to be licenced. These entities are plateaued over the last decade, with around 30 required to report activities quarterly. This data will per cent of waste going to landfill. support future waste policy decisions. What can residents do to reduce the amount Multi-unit developments – ACT NoWaste is of waste they send to landfill? How can we leading a review of the development control code change behaviours to make sure we put the which directs building designers to incorporate best right things in our bins? practice waste management. Discussion is occurring about expanding the The ACT Waste Management Strategy 2011-2025 green bins service to accepting food waste has four strategic outcomes. (FOGO – food organic garden organics). How 1. Less waste generated can we avoid high levels of contamination 2. Full resource recovery -over 90per cent by 2025 through public education? How would people living in apartments or townhouses also have 3. A clean environment access to FOGO bins? 4. Carbon-neutral waste sector by 2020. The ACT’s resource recovery rate has plateaued at levels around 70 per cent for the last decade, and the waste sector is unlikely to be carbon neutral by 2020 under current management practices. As a result of the plateau, the Waste Feasibility Study was funded through the 2015-16 Budget with $2.8 million over two years. The Study has provided a five-year roadmap to drive change in the ACT community, businesses and waste industry, including: promote better waste management behaviour; divert organics from landfill; support and develop industry; and consider waste-to- energy options. PUBLIC SPACES – WASTE AND RECYCLING The ACT follows the ‘waste hierarchy’ principle as follows: In Canberra there are over 1,130 public bins, mostly in shopping centres and parks. They are emptied up to five times a week. Most of this material taken to the tip, although a significant amount is recyclable. Up to $4 million is spent each year to clean up litter and illegal dumping in the ACT. The ACT Government receives many requests for additional bins but there is a need to find a balance between bin provision and individual responsibility for waste when out and about.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 33 Providing and servicing bins is costly and inefficient in low use areas. Such bins are often vandalized or used to illegal dump. TCCS is trialing new sensor technology that remotely monitors the rubbish level in bins. TCCS manages compliance for illegal dumping, nature strip permits, and the collection of abandoned vehicles on public land.
Members of the public can report any illegal dumping to Access Canberra on 132281. FOCUS = LAKES, PONDS Motor vehicles abandoned on public land AND WETLANDS cause obstructions and hazards. They can be impounded with owners responsible for costs and penalties. In 2016-17, TCCS managed 1,389 on public land. abandoned vehicles There are currently 121 lakes and ponds covering 369 hectares in the urban areas , which has expanded from only TCCS investigates reported breaches of the Litter of Canberra 14 lakes 15 years ago. Act 2004. Illegal dumping and littering present challenges to the amenity of our suburbs and They are primarily designed to be ‘Water requires significant resources to manage. Illegal Quality Ponds’ to trap nutrients, soil, litter dumping is damaging to the environment, presents and debris, although they have other physical safety risks, requires tax-payer resources for clean- and amenity values. They also protect the up and disposal, diminishes the use and enjoyment water quality of the Murrumbidgee River of public places, and reduces community pride and which provides drinking water for many property values. communities downstream. In response to these issues TCCS has established The annual maintenance budget is $50 000 a cross-Directorate Illegal Dumping Working and additional funding has been provided in Group. This includes cross agency and 2018-19 and out years to increase the general jurisdictional collaboration, efficient allocation standard of maintenance of the urban lakes of resources and investigation into innovative and ponds. Please note this does not include measures. A key initial action is improved the $2.1 million from the Roads ACT budget communication and education. allocated to clean Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs).
Lakes and ponds also provide the secondary benefits of providing habitat for plants and animals, improving visual amenity and creating a leisure area for the community. There are designated areas that allow competitive training opportunities for water sports
34 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK and for businesses to test boats e.g. Molonglo Debris is removed within Kingston Harbour water‑ski area. marina where required or as requested by the public. The kayak deck is cleared weekly and the Foreshores adjacent to Town & District Parks litter trap cleared monthly or as required. The (including beaches) and litter ‘hot spots’ are Molonglo Water-ski area is inspected prior to events inspected and cleaned weekly. and/or after heavy rain events, with debris removed All other lakes and ponds are inspected and where present. cleaned at least once per year and after major Annual control of invasive weeds occurs at storm events. Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs) are selected water bodies. cleaned once they are full. After 25mm of rain, inspectors assess the need for cleaning. The GPTs Water quality testing occurs at selected sites are part of the stormwater network and are crucial weekly for Bacteria (Health Protection Services) and to the quality of the water in our lake system. Two Blue Green Algae (Environment Protection). Results areas of TCCS, Roads ACT and City Presentation, are reported weekly on the TCCS website. are starting to collaborate on how best to maintain The Environment, Planning and Sustainable the GPTs. At present the frequency of cleaning is Development Directorate (EPSDD) also undertakes not adequate to prevent contamination into the a comprehensive water quality monitoring lakes and river system, which can also affect water program. EPSDD also supports Waterwatch. quality outside of the ACT. Over 200 Waterwatch volunteers monitor water Hot spots that accumulate litter regularly and quality every month at 243 sites around the region, higher use areas will be inspected and cleaned covering a total area of more than 11,400 square monthly as part of regular litter picking programs kilometres. in that area, pending land access. Litter and illegal dumping is one of the top ten Foreshores adjacent to Town & District Parks public enquiries received by TCCS, with 2,312 (including beaches) should be litter picked enquiries received in 2016-17 alone. weekly as part of regular litter pick runs (refer to programs). Litter removal from smaller ponds are reactive in response to public requests. This can be programmed for autumn / winter when mowing slows down. This can also coincide with the annual inspection / litter removal program. Coarse washed river sand on beaches is replenished annually. Weeds are removed from sand areas annually. Litter is removed fortnightly.
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KEY CHALLENGES In 2015-16 & 2016-17 two full time positions were funded to regularly inspect and clean all urban lakes and ponds as part of the ‘Lakes Cleaning Initiative’. Funding ceased at the end of 2016-17 and as a result, lake cleaning is now reactionary rather than proactive due to competing priorities. Considering the size of this asset type and the risks associated with public perception and unhealthy waterways, a lakes cleaning FOCUS = STORMWATER component was included in the successful Better Suburbs budget initiative bid that is to commence in 2018-19. The additional annual The ACT stormwater network captures and funding will provide for two staff, a vehicle and removes storm water and other water from the equipment to be allocated to the lakes and urban area and transports it to urban lakes and ponds cleaning program. ponds including Lake Burley Griffin. The funding for regular cleaning of Gross Stormwater systems reduce the likelihood of Pollutant Traps (GPTs) is inadequate, which flooding and damage to both public and private results in litter being able to pass through and property during storm events. Water is removed by enter lakes and ponds. underground pipes and overland flow paths such Managing the differing public opinion on the as floodways and channels, which use gravity to primary function of Canberra’s lakes and create water flow. ponds is a challenge. Lakes and ponds are
primarily designed to be ‘Water Quality Ponds’ Canberra has 3700 km of stormwater pipes, to trap nutrients, soil, litter and debris to 400 Gross pollutant traps (GPTs), 100 km of protect the water quality of the Murrumbidgee major lined channels or floodways and 200 km River downstream. Lakes and ponds also of cut off drains. provide the secondary benefits of providing habitat for plants and animals, improving The asset value of the Stormwater network is visual amenity and creating a leisure area for $4.3 billion, which is around 36% of the total the community. insured value of all road assets ($11.6bn). This is the most valuable city services asset in the ACT. Many of the assets are located underground or in open space and out of normal view, and therefore ‘out of sight, out of mind’. The annual maintenance budget is approximately $7.5 million.
36 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK Localised flooding occurs in areas after construction works, in high intensity storm events, when the pipe network is blocked and when the catchment changes.
CURRENT APPROACH TO STORMWATER Stormwater pipes are cleared of blockages when they are identified as being blocked. Small section of stormwater pipes are replaced when they collapse or when damaged.
Every year there are around 1,500 requests for service, mostly related to street sweeping requests, blocking and flooding. Over 50% of the pipe network exceeds 50 years of age. The poor construction of joints and excess loading during initial suburb construction is still being found in the pipe network up to 50 years after pipe installation. Leaves and roots from street trees often block sumps and pipes and leaves are a major source of debris in gross pollutant traps. Significant sediment is collected in gross pollutant traps in suburbs under construction. GPT’s need to be inspected after rainfall events of 25mm or greater and cleaning is required to The GPT network is cleaned once a year with GPTs maintain efficiency. Below ground GPT’s are leading to important water bodies are targeted often double the cost of above ground GPT’s to under the cleaning program. clean. Solid waste removed during GPT and Sump mouths are cleaned to allow efficient entry of pipe cleaning must be disposed of to land fill water in rain events. at commercial rates. Localised flooding events are investigated and Much of the network is over 50 years of age. solutions identified to prevent further flooding.
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KEY CHALLENGES The stormwater network has a similar replacement value to the road network but receives less maintenance funding. Most of the asset is underground and “out of sight and out of mind”. Roads, paths, streetlights and stormwater share a budget, which is moved around between areas each year depending on priorities. FOCUS = STREET Much of the network has reached replacement AND PARK TREES age. As it is underground, it requires expensive inspection by camera to identify its condition and whether it needs replacement.
In older suburbs, the stormwater systems were The ACT has an urban forest of over 760 000 designed for a 1 year storm event. Systems in trees on public land, including approximately newer suburbs are designed for a one in 5 year 580,000 trees that are actively managed on storm event. Urban renewal puts pressure on residential streets, major road verges and the systems in older suburbs, with increased median strips, shopping centres, urban parks construction and the resulting density leading and other open spaces, throughout Canberra’s to increased runoff and thus a greater flooding urban landscape. potential. Trees are critical elements of the urban There is a trend to move to natural waterways landscape and contribute to the liveability rather than lined channel as they can produce of a city through the ecosystem services they a water quality outcome. provide. These benefits include shade and Water quality (downstream, affecting other urban cooling, carbon sequestration, reduced regions, as well as recreational areas in the stormwater runoff, improved air pollution and ACT) is dependent on the effectiveness of habitat for native fauna. Gross Pollutant Traps which require frequent Urban trees also strengthen landscape amenity cleaning. Insufficient funding is available for and improve the quality of urban spaces increased cleaning. bringing economic benefits andenhancing community health and well-being. The urban forest holds particular significance for Canberra’s urban landscape and ‘garden city’ character.
Trees are living assets that naturally decline and die. They need ongoing maintenance to enhance their life span and keep them safe and eventually
38 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK they need to be replaced as they near the end of their life. KEY CHALLENGES Canberra is facing extensive tree losses in the Action needs to be taken in the near future next 10-20 years, due to the concentrated tree to treat the advancing ‘wall’ of trees with life planting programs undertaken with different expectancies that are due to expire within the species at different times during Canberra’s next 0-20 years. development years. Recent audits have shown We need to develop a strategic and sustainable that 21.5% of trees planted in Canberra’s suburbs approach to early intervention to prevent large will require removal within the next 20 years. To scale canopy cover loss in Canberra’s suburbs. maintain Canberra’s existing canopy cover more than 160,000 trees will need to be removed, Eucalypt trees, especially large, mature trees, replanted and established within this timeframe. are often the source of community concern To date government has not provided adequate about safety risks. Such trees have high value funding to meet this need. and provide habitat for wildlife. A challenge is There is also a significantincrease in the in educating the community about the value proportion of trees requiring maintenance as of these trees. It is important to find a way many trees are entering the over-mature stage to reassure the community about the safety where more frequent management is required to of these trees when requests for pruning or maintain their structural integrity and keep them removal are not supported by expert advice. safe before eventual renewal is required. There is a need to reach agreement with the While Canberra has a high provision of street trees community on the removal of large, declining within our urban forest, there is a limited age exotic trees, even if they are not yet dead, range and species diversity in the tree profile. to renew the urban forest in a planned and Action needs to be taken soon and planned sustainable manner. How do people feel proactively to ensure their benefits, canopy cover, about removing and replacing one in three a spread of ages and increased species diversity is ageing trees or trees in blocks before they are achieved to ensure the urban forest is sustainable completely dead to provide a continuation into the future. of canopy cover? How would a community member feel about removing a large, over CURRENT APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT mature tree opposite their house? Public trees are only removed when they present a The challenge to increase canopy cover to significant safety risk or are completely dead. mitigate climate change is well recognised. Established public trees are pruned when they What is the role of trees located on private land present a significant safety risk or for critical in helping to achieve this objective? How can clearance requirements to other infrastructure. the ACT Government balance the community benefits of increased canopy cover with the Young trees are watered until established and are rights and expectations of private land owners formatively pruned. and developers who wish to remove trees to New residential plantings are prioritised to provide facilitate urban densification or increased solar shade and protection in known hot areas where access? vulnerable populations reside. Additional plantings can be provided upon request through Access Canberra, to replace dead trees that have been removed or are missing.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 39 USING LAND ACT playgrounds are split into three categories: District playgrounds are the largest play spaces that serve the most people and typically contain the greatest number of amenities. These are the largest playspaces that serve the greatest number of users and typically contain the greatest number of amenities. Central Community playgrounds are located to serve a whole suburb. These provide a more diverse, physically challenging range of equipment targeted at 0-14 year olds. Local Neighbourhood playgrounds are smaller and generally provided in residential areas within FOCUS = a 400 metre radius of 95% of all residences. The PLAYGROUNDS target age range is between 0-9 years old. There are also five major skate parks and 16 parks that have skate features. Skate parks are
available for use by all skateboarders, cyclists, The ACT has a higher than average provision scooters and roller bladers. The major skate of playgrounds. A 2017 national benchmark parks are suitable for all levels of use with the identified 5.2 playgrounds per 1,000 children other 12 skate features aimed at the more novice under 15. The ACT has 6.7 playgrounds per skaters and riders. 1,000 children under 15. The majority of Canberra’s playgrounds are more There are 512 playgrounds in the ACT, including than 20 years old and are providing limited 505 in urban areas. play opportunity. Even though they may appear 26,000 safety inspections are conducted per old, regular safety inspections are conducted year in accordance with national playground at all playgrounds to ensure that a safe play standards. environment is provided.
Region Central community District Local neighbourhood Rural Grand Total Belconnen 12 4 130 146 City 1 1 Gungahlin 13 1 67 81 Inner North 8 1 36 45 Inner South 5 2 15 22 Molonglo 7 7 Rural 7 7 Tuggeranong 8 5 110 123 Woden Weston 10 1 69 80 Grand Total 57 14 434 7 512
40 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK Safety inspections are regularly conducted to ensure they remain safe and fit for play. KEY CHALLENGES Visual inspections are undertaken ranging from Should refurbishment works be prioritised twice weekly to fortnightly depending on use. above building more playgrounds? Visual Inspections check for vandalism, sharps Should a new playground be offset with and obvious faults with any of the equipment and existing aged playgrounds in the local basic repairs are carried out at the time. Litter is catchment? collected and bark is raked into the heavy use areas such as under swings and slides. How would the community feel about removing or not refurbishing the playground Operational inspections are undertaken monthly opposite their houses to enable a quality to bi-monthly depending on use. This is a more playground upgrade somewhere in the detailed inspection during which the equipment is neighbourhood? tested for operation, wear and tear, deterioration and any other faults. Compliance audits are also conducted annually as THE TASK AT HAND – PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING each playground varies in age and condition. These audits are completed by an independent assessor As part of the Better Suburbs Citizen’s Forum, a to inspect the playgrounds against the current representative group of community members will Australian Playground standards. identify priority playground projects for delivery in 2018-2019. CURRENT APPROACH TO PLAYGROUNDS This is a pilot exercise for the ACT and will be a democratic process in which community members Playgrounds maintenance and refurbishment decide where to spend part of a public budget. is prioritised over building more playgrounds. This includes minor works such as replacing/ $1.9 million has been allocated from the ACT repairing items of play equipment that are broken, Government Budget 2018-19 – Better Infrastructure vandalised or at end of life. Repainting playgrounds, Fund– for this purpose. refurbishing decks and topping up soft-fall occurs The aim of this process is to allow the community to bring the playgrounds back to life and make to respond to community requests for a change in them safe and more inviting. the way playground improvements are approached. New larger capacity playgrounds are only planned The long term objective is to improve mechanisms to be provided as upgrades to existing playgrounds to determine when, where and how to upgrade our in areas with significant growth and demand. community playground assets. (e.g. planned urban densification – ACT Planning Strategy). The current approach is for resources to be focused on providing larger, more diverse play spaces at strategic locations, with local playgrounds focusing more on open space play rather than equipment. Playspaces are prioritised for upgrade on an annual basis.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 41 Maintenance works are undertaken as required on 224 artistic design features including sculptures, paintings, mosaics, street art and murals valued at approximately $4.4m. Major arterial roads and open space areas are litter picked monthly, generally prior to mowing and more often as required. Town and district parks are inspected and litter picked at least weekly. There are 117 public barbeques across the ACT. FOCUS = MAINTAINING A barbeque report is added to the TCCS website PUBLIC SPACES every Friday, to list any closed for maintenance. All dogs in public areas (except for dedicated off-leash dog parks) must be on a leash. It is the owner’s responsibility to clean up after their dog. TCCS has a regular program of works to clean and maintain our public spaces. Canberra has Licences are available for community gardens on 550,000 m2 of public paving located around public unleased land. Community gardens allow shopping centres. people to produce food, support sustainable living and encourage food cycle education. There are 90 public shopping centres across Canberra which are cleaned regularly. These Short and long term permits and licences are range in size from the large Civic shopping precinct also issued to individuals and groups for the to small suburban shopping centres. use of public land for private purposes, such as construction use, storage of materials on nature In Canberra there are over 1,076 public bins, strips, undertaking community markets and mostly in shopping centres and parks. They are events, providing carparking areas and other emptied up to five times a week. Higher use and community uses. high profile areas (town and district parks and shopping centres) are managed and maintained to a higher standard than lower use areas (neighbourhood parks, pedestrian parkland and local centres). Cleaning of 90 local, group and city shopping centres is undertaken daily or weekly throughout the city. 69 public toilets in urban areas are cleaned daily or weekly, depending on patronage. 505 playgrounds are inspected at least fortnightly with repairs carried out as required.
42 BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK MOWING BUDGET 2015-16 $8.7 million 2016-17 $9.2 million 2017-18 $9.08 million The ACT has a higher than average amount of maintained park land, outlined below:
FOCUS = MOWING OF PARKS AND OPEN Source: ACT Government Benchmark Report 2017 SPACES CURRENT APPROACH TO MOWING The mowing program involves:
The ACT Government is responsible for •• Community ovals, used for sport weekly mowing approximately 4,700 hectares of •• suburban areas, including neighbourhood irrigated and non-irrigated grass in urban parkland every four weeks (September – April) open space on a regular cycle during the grass •• every five weeks (September – growing season (September to April) with the arterial roads April) majority of this space mowed 4 or 5 times each season (more or less depending on seasonal •• fire hazard reduction mows of the urban edge factors. This includes 4,327 hectares of during late spring/summer and again in early suburban and roads mowing and 443 hectares autumn. of sports grounds. During May to September, mowing is undertaken as Approximately 70% of mowing of Canberra’s required along arterial roads and in suburbs with open spaces, comprising mainly suburban no formal program in place. areas, is delivered by ACT Government staff. The ACT Government has a base mowing Mowing is impacted by seasonal and fleet of 73 ride on mowers (including mowers immediate weather conditions including rain, specifically designed for community ovals), which heat and fire threat. are supported throughout the mowing season by additional contract mowers. The ACT Government’s Fire Management Unit monitors fuel loads across the Territory. Fire hazard reduction is undertaken in November/ December and again in autumn, subject to the drying of grass.
BETTER SUBURBS FORUM MEMBER PACK 43 During the mowing season, details of the proposed weekly mowing schedule are published via an interactive map on the TCCS website. Mowing of the arterial roads takes place under a contract with two local companies (Burhor and Canberra Mowing). Mowing contractors also assist with suburb mowing during peak grass growth and when additional mowing is needed to catch up following wet weather or to maintain the mowing program schedule. Nature strips are an area of shared responsibility between government and lessees. FOCUS = COMMUNITY It is accepted practice for residents to mow and OVALS AND FITNESS maintain the nature strip that adjoins their property STATIONS whilst the government maintains trees, paths and lighting and nature strip areas adjacent to open space areas. Sport and Recreation Facilities: •• provides for the sportsground needs of the various groups in the ACT sporting community •• ensures that sportsgrounds and related facilities are maintained in a safe and fit for purpose condition •• manages the use of community ovals for sport and related facilities in a manner that is equitable to the various sporting groups within the community and at reasonable cost.
The ACT has the highest physical activity participation rates in the country.
Sport and Recreations Facilities manages more than 280 hectares of irrigated sportsgrounds, comprising of approximately 884 individual hireable sporting fields. There are 42 free fitness equipment sites across 20 suburbs to offer exercise opportunities for people of all ages.
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During the winter period from 1 April 2017 KEY CHALLENGES to 15 September 2017, usage of the grounds All ACT Government irrigated sportsgrounds amounted to a total of 53,862 hours. This close from 18 to 31 March, 2018 (inclusive) and includes 28,134 hours associated with training activity. 17 to 30 September 2018 (inclusive) to undergo necessary renovations, at the beginning and During the summer period from 1 October end of the summer sport season. 2017 to 15 March 2018, usage of the grounds amounted to a total of 35,846 hours. This Aging facilities and infrastructure and funding includes 12743 hours associated with training for refurbishment presents a challenge. activity. Increased demand for sportsgrounds at peak The operational maintenance budget is times can affect the quality and safety of $13 million for 2017-18. A large component of the playing surface and many sporting users this is water. In 2016-17, over $5 million was require access at the same time (such as on spent on water. This varies each year. weekends). Many sportsgrounds were constructed in the CURRENT APPROACHES past on a soil base that makes maintenance difficult, for example where soil depth is not Increases to sportsground fees and charges adequate to ensure vigorous grass growth take effect each year from 1 October at the start and efficient water holding capacity, and the of each summer season. All revenue received surface may be harder than desirable. from the hire of ACT Government sportsgrounds contributes to offsetting the costs associated with the maintenance. Any reduction to sportsground fees and charges will reduce the level of funding available to maintain these assets. The ACT Government currently subsidises around 86 per cent of the cost of maintaining sportsgrounds. Operational decisions are made in consultation with the sporting peak bodies and community clubs. Any infrastructure upgrade projects are prioritised in the context of this and the available budget. Funding is generally prioritised to upgrading or replacing ageing infrastructure (i.e. sportsground irrigation systems, toilet/pavilion upgrades) to ensure existing facilities remain safe and fit for purpose.
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