northsydneynews |nsn summer | 2007 North Sydney given sound bill of health North Sydney Council has been given a sound sustainability rating by asset management consultants Jeff Roorda & Associates. Mr Roorda told Council that its sustainability ratio of .7 was the highest of any council the company had assessed to date. The company was commissioned by council to assess the sustainability of North Sydney’s infrastructure and develop an asset management plan. The ratio assigned to assets was a measure of the average amount council spends on assets divided by the amount that should be spent for optimal maintenance. As well as giving us an overall rating, the plan rates individual asset categories. Regional roads (ratio of 1.28), footpaths (1.09), bus shelters (.85) street signs (.81) and local roads (.79) have acceptable ratings, while seawalls (.65) and drainage (.62) have been identified as priorities and have received additional funding from this year’s infrastructure levy funds (see page 11). Council’s overall financial position was also assessed as sound by Auditors Spencer Steer and Associates. The operating result for the year was a surplus of $7.138 million. General Manager Penny Holloway said she was pleased but not surprised by the good bill of health. “North Sydney is debt free, we operate on a small surplus each year and have $48 million invested. This achievement is particularly impressive when you consider that North Sydney continues to have the lowest average rates in Sydney and a high level of customer satisfaction with our services.” Other key financial results for the 2006/2007 financial year included: • a total amount of $3.194 million worth of unrestricted cash and investments, which is available for day-to-day operations • developer contributions increased substantially compared to the previous financial year • user charges and fees, as well as investment interest, provided additional revenue. Ms Holloway said the infrastructure rating was also a pleasing result. “All local North Sydney Council’s full councils are aware that more needs to be spent on infrastructure. Older areas such Statement of Accounts can be as North Sydney have ageing drainage systems and seawalls while newer regions are still working to provide footpaths, kerb and guttering across their areas. viewed on our website “Our infrastructure levy is helping us to address some of the poorer performing www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au areas such as drainage and seawalls. We now have the plans in place to monitor or at our Customer Service Centre. and improve our infrastructure in a systematic way.” halt weeds hands off nutcote page 4 page 6 & 7 page 8 nsn | news From the Mayor Local government has always been associated with the three Rs – If we can expect more from our children, why should we accept roads, rates and rubbish. In North Sydney, I think the three Ps are such behaviour from adults. more relevant. That’s P for planning, parking and parks. Yes, it is frustrating to receive a parking fine. I should know – I’ve It’s easy to understand why these are important to inner city had my share. But when you park illegally or choose not to pay residents. In densely populated areas we are affected by each new the meter, you choose to take a risk. development and we are rightly concerned that infrastructure, such as childcare, transport and open space, isn’t keeping pace. As It is not a parking officer’s fault if there are no legal parks for parking spots, they are becoming as rare as the proverbial hens available. You can sheet the blame for that home to government teeth. policy that is investing in roads rather than public transport. We’ll all keep driving – and doing battle over limited parking spaces – The three Ps are not concerns that a council can resolve alone. We as long as public transport doesn’t meet our needs. need a whole of government approach to planning our cities. Unfortunately, the hard decisions that need to be made seem to be Council has launched a campaign to protect our officers from getting lost between a focus on economic growth at any cost and abuse. This campaign has my full support and I hope that it will party politics. have yours too. I would like to think that the people who serve us It’s clear that as every-day living gets harder, our quality of life – whether they’re mowing our verge, collecting our waste, issuing decreases and frustration increases. Whatever the provocation, our library book or managing the parking on our street – will there’s no excuse for taking out our frustration on others. always be treated with courtesy and respect. Over the past year, Council staff have noticed that people are more If you don’t like the changes in Sydney that are affecting your likely to be verbally or physically abusive. I’m not sure why everyday life, take the matter up with the people who can make a anyone would think this is an appropriate way to behave. As a difference – the people you elect at local, state and federal community, we don’t tolerate abuse in our preschools or schools. government. Mayor Genia McCaffery H: 9955 1560 W: 9936 8100 [email protected] Cremorne Richard Pearson H: 9953 5766 W: 9929 3068 [email protected] Ward Sarah Burke M: 0403 551 153 [email protected] Craig Carland H: 9953 4834 [email protected] Tunks Paul Oglesby H: 9954 3968 M: 0411 213 043 [email protected] Ward Veronique Marchandeau H: 9955 3348 M: 0414 683 185 [email protected] Patrick Conaghan M: 0413 844 585 W: 9976 0215 [email protected] Victoria Jilly Gibson H: 9964 9262 [email protected] Ward Michel Reymond (Deputy Mayor) H: 9955 4330 Virginia Bevan H: 9956 8201 [email protected] Wollstonecraft Trent Zimmerman H: 9460 1175 M: 0419 690 617 [email protected] Ward Evan Predavec H: 9922 3260 M: 0402 052 967 [email protected] Nicholas Ritten H: 9955 2576 M: 0411 279 970 [email protected] 2 news | nsn Baby boom confirmed New North Sydney resident Blake Alberts with mum Sophie government area increased from 3.9% in 2001 to 4.5% in 2006. However, this was offset by a decrease in the proportion of children aged 5-14 years from 5.6% to 5.1%, and young people aged 15-24 years from 12.1% to 10.6%. North Sydney has one of the largest populations of older mothers; in 2006, 71% of the women caring for children of their own were aged 35 years or above. With strollers and prams parked at Now the 2006 Census statistics have every outdoor café across North confirmed its true. The full Census results have not yet been released. Sydney, it certainly appeared there They will be published on Council’s website was a baby boom in the North The proportion of children aged 0 to www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/community when they Sydney area. 4 years in the North Sydney local become available. Welcome to the precinct Council blog Meet Jenny Gleeson - Council’s new Have your say on current issues on our new blog at community engagement coordinator. www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au The blog will be used to gain community feedback on projects and policies One of Jenny’s key roles will be to being considered by Council. General Manager Penny work with precincts, which are Holloway said she hoped the blog would also encourage neighbourhood groups that meet discussion and greater understanding of the broader each month and provide vital challenges facing local government. The first issues up feedback to Council on issues ranging for comment were illegally parked delivery trucks and from local development applications funding from a tobacco company for a cigarette butt to major projects in the North litter education program. Sydney Council area. “One of my key roles is to first was to attend all the precinct reinvigorate the precincts that aren’t annual general meetings that were CBD update active.” Five of Council’s 24 precincts due to take place during November. Work is beginning on Ark, a new 21-storey office are currently not operating. building in Mount St, North Sydney. The new building, “I think it’s great for people in the which will feature floor to ceiling windows to take Working with precincts will be a new community to be involved with their advantage of expansive harbour views, will add an experience for Jenny, who previously local council, and understand what it additional 28,500 square metres of premium grade worked as a Youth Development does and how it’s represented.” commercial space to the CBD. The work is expected to Coordinator at Campbelltown City Jenny will also be working with the be complete in 2010. Nearby 101, formerly the Optus Council. local chambers of commerce to Tower, is being progressively upgraded as Optus staff She’s looking forward to the promote their activities and liaise move out. The $40 million upgrade will include a new challenges of her new job; one of the with them on issues of concern. luxurious lobby. 3 nsn | environment There are many good reasons to bag, sealing it and 'baking it' in keep weeds under control in your the sun until destroyed. This garden. Weeds are among the most method alone may not kill all serious threats to our natural parts of the weed, for example Help halt environment because they displace bulbs, and may need to be used native species and contribute in combination with other significantly to land degradation.