Moreland City Council Annual Report 2014 – 2015
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Moreland City Council Annual Report 2014 – 2015 Out for a walk, Gowanbrae GREG I get a lot of comments about the beard. The most common question is whether or not I’m Santa. I haven’t shaved in 36 years, but I brush the beard every day. Moreland City Council Annual Report 2014–2015 WELCOME Moreland City Council is committed to transparent reporting and accountability to the community. Our Annual Report 2014–2015 is the primary way we communicate to our community about our operations and performance for the financial year. Our Council Plan 2013–2017 is the We also welcome your feedback on Moreland language link guiding document for this Annual this Annual Report. You can contact Report. The Council Plan describes us on (03) 9240 1111, email us at our strategic objectives in four focus [email protected] or write 9280 1910 areas and the key initiatives to be to us at Locked Bag 10, Moreland, 9280 1911 implemented to achieve them. Victoria 3058. The Annual Report provides 9280 1912 an update on the highlights, achievements originating from this 9280 1913 plan and addresses the challenges Citizens Service Centres 9280 1914 experienced throughout the year. Open from 8.30 am to 5 pm 9280 1915 If you would like to view or order » Moreland Civic Centre a copy of the Annual Report or 90 Bell Street, 9280 1918 the Council Plan, you can visit Coburg, Victoria 3058 our Citizens Service Centres or contact us (03) 9240 1111. You » Brunswick Citizens 9280 0750 can also view these documents Service Centre at any of our libraries or on our 233 Sydney Road, 9280 0751 website moreland.vic.gov.au. Brunswick, Victoria 3056 » Glenroy Citizens All other languages including Service Centre 796N Pascoe Vale Road, Polski Glenroy, Victoria 3046 Croatian 9280 1919 Tagalog Indonesia Sydney Road, Coburg CONTENTS ANNUAL REPORT 9 2014 – 2015 10 44 INTRODUCTION OUR PERFORMANCE Mayor’s message / 10 Council Plan 2013–2017 / 44 Chief Executive Officer’s report / 12 Strategic Planning Framework / 45 Description of our municipality / 17 Council Plan Performance Monitor / 46 Performance review / 52 Performance statement / 63 20 Certification of the THE YEAR IN REVIEW performance statement / 71 Independent Auditor’s report A year in the life of Moreland / 20 for performance statement / 72 Financial overview / 26 Victorian Government Performance Indicators / 76 Service delivery / 28 Governance and Awards and citations / 29 management checklist / 82 Community satisfaction / 29 86 GOVERNANCE 32 AND MANAGEMENT OUR COUNCIL Council meetings / 86 Councillors / 33 Major committees / 87 Councillor expenses / 87 Councillor code of conduct / 87 36 Statutory information / 90 OUR PEOPLE 96 Corporate structure / 37 FINANCIAL REPORT Council staff / 38 Occupational health, A plain English guide safety and risk / 40 to the financial report / 96 Financial report / 99 Independent Auditor’s report for financial report / 152 Certification of financial statements / 154 INTRODUCTION 10 Moreland City Council MAYOR’S MESSAGE We hope that you’ll agree that the document that you hold in your hands is the culmination of an ambitious year of hard work and achievement. The City of Moreland continues to be Moreland also became an even a fierce advocate for the issues that better place to get out and get active matter to our community. In the last in 2014–2015, with the opening OUR PEOPLE financial year we were successful in of the $6.4 million CB Smith Sport leading the charge against the East and Education Facility in Fawkner CONTINUE TO BE West Link, our long-running campaign and the $300,000 Gowanbrae OUR GREATEST ASSET, for noise walls in Glenroy resulted in Multipurpose Courts. a $10 million commitment from the AND I AM PROUD TO Events like the Coburg Carnivale, state government, and we are looking Sydney Road Street Party and LEAD A COUNCIL THAT forward to seeing grade separations Brunswick Music Festival, Coburg at priority level crossings at Bell Street, PLACES A PRIORITY Night Market and Carols by the Moreland Road and Glenroy Road. Lake, Glenroy Festival and Fawkner ON INVESTING IN We are working to deliver an even Fiesta continue to draw visitors to YOUR WELLBEING, safer city in which to live, work our community and celebrate all and play, with brighter, more energy- that is great about Moreland. DEVELOPMENT, efficient LED lighting along the Upfield Planning and development ENJOYMENT AND shared path and the Sydney Road continues to be an area of concern corridor, illuminated taxi ranks on RECOGNITION. for many of our residents. This Sydney Road, and nine new CCTV year we successfully introduced cameras. But a true highlight of 2014– the Municipal Strategic Statement 2015 was building the award-winning and our Residential Zones, which Wilson Avenue Public Park, a unique provide greater certainty around safety initiative and Brunswick’s first heights and amenity in our residential new park in 15 years. areas. We also made great strides towards implementing structure Cr Meghan Hopper plans in Coburg and Brunswick, lead a Council that places a priority heritage controls on Lygon Street, on investing in your wellbeing, environmentally sustainable MORELAND development, enjoyment and development practices, and recognition – not just this financial better apartment design. CONTINUES TO year, but always. Moreland continues to flourish as FLOURISH AS I hope that you feel equally as One Community, Proudly Diverse. ONE COMMUNITY, proud of the community that We built on that diversity as we hosted we are building, together. citizenship ceremonies where over 700 PROUDLY DIVERSE. people chose to make Moreland their new home. We proudly acknowledge the contribution of migrants and and yes, roads, rates and rubbish. refugees to our municipality, with Speaking of libraries, I hope you’ve around 40 per cent of our population had the opportunity to make the Cr Meghan Hopper speaking a language other than most of the new and improved English at home and around Brunswick Library, which we 30 per cent born overseas. reopened in August 2014! And for many of you, your We also provided $382,000 worth of engagement with Council is about the grant funding to community groups services that we deliver on the ground, and individuals to put on a range of every day – which is why we’re always classes, activities and exhibitions, striving to be the best we can be with upgrade sports facilities, and more. our Meals on Wheels, home care, Because that’s what we’re about – Maternal and Child Health Service, you. Our people continue to be our sports and aquatic centres, libraries greatest asset, and I am proud to INTRODUCTION 12 Moreland City Council CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT Nerina Di Lorenzo ANNUAL REPORT 13 2014 – 2015 Welcome to Moreland City Council’s Annual Report 2014–2015. I began as CEO in February, and am happy to report that Council has continued its strong financial and operational performance during this financial year. Our operating expenses for the year On the planning front, new residential totalled almost $150 million, with an zones were introduced in April, accounting surplus of $34.06 million. NONE OF THIS including a two-storey height cap for Overall financial outcomes were in developments for 66 per cent of the line with the Five Year Financial Plan, COULD HAVE BEEN municipality, while busier areas close which outlines our medium-term DONE WITHOUT to transport, shops and services are blueprint for delivering services open to appropriate development and maintaining assets. THE HARD WORK to encourage more sustainable lifestyles. While the state government We invested $41.9 million into OF OUR STAFF AND did not accept all our proposals, this capital works in 2014–2015. Of this, THE CONTRIBUTIONS change will go a long way to ensuring the largest share was invested in our city remains a liveable, vibrant roads and car parks ($8.2 million), AND COOPERATION and sustainable place. with land assets ($8.2 million), parks OF THE COMMUNITY, and reserves ($3 million) and climate In addition to the projects and change mitigation works ($2.3 million) AND I THANK THEM improvements I’ve mentioned, also receiving significant investment. FOR THEIR EFFORTS. we continued to provide vital everyday services to our citizens. In March we installed the last of We collected more than 50,000 450 solar panels on the roof of tonnes of household waste, green the Coburg Civic Centre. Council and a range of other ways residents waste and recycling this year. We received carbon neutral certification can conduct their dealings with planted 23,935 trees and shrubs, the previous year, thanks in part us from the convenience of their registered 16,010 pets, delivered to paying carbon offsets. The Civic computer or mobile device. 116,711 meals to elderly Moreland Centre solar panels, along with Several Council facilities received an residents and lent books and other those on the Coburg Leisure Centre, upgrade this year and two new sports media out 1.3 million times. are reducing the cost of our carbon facilities became available to the neutral status while reducing our None of this could have been done community. In August the Brunswick emissions. without the hard work of our staff and Library was reopened to the public the contributions and cooperation of Almost 3,000 street lights in after a $4 million redevelopment, the community, and I thank them for Brunswick were replaced with LEDs with a more pleasant and energy- their efforts. between February and June 2015. efficient interior and more space The new lights are not only more for digital learning and enjoyment. I look forward to another year efficient, but will also last much longer of helping to make Moreland The $6.4 million CB Smith Sport than traditional lights, saving money the fantastic place that it is to and Recreation Facility, for which on maintenance and renewal.