In memory of CITY COUNCIL Mayor Joy Baluch AM ANNUAL REPORT 2012 / 2013 In memory of CITY COUNCIL Civic Centre 4 Mackay Street (PO Box 1704) PORT AUGUSTA SA 5700 Telephone: (08) 86419100 Facsimile: (08) 86410357 Email: [email protected] Website: www.portaugusta.sa.gov.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/PortAugustaCityCouncil Prepared by Lee Heron Mayor Joy Baluch AM Director – City & Cultural Services Printing & cover design by Worldwide Printing Solutions Flinders Street Adelaide Telephone: (08) 82328222 Thank you to: Melanie Jenkins and Cynthia Collins for proof reading the Annual Report IIINNNTTTRRROOODDDUUUCCCTTTIIIOOONNN Port Augusta City Council covers Port Augusta, Port Augusta West, Miranda and Blanche Harbor Coastal Homes and the outer suburb of Stirling North. Port Augusta is situated 300km north of Adelaide on the Augusta Highway. It is positioned at the beginning of the Stuart Highway, the main thoroughfare to the Northern Territory with the Eyre Highway leading towards Eyre Peninsula and Western Australia. The beautiful Flinders Ranges are only 10 minutes from the City to the east and the City is divided by the gentle waters of Spencer Gulf. Port Augusta’s population is 14,249 based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011 Census and caters for a regional population of approximately 32,000. Port Augusta City Council owns, operates and supports many quality services and facilities over and above what Local Government normally provides for the benefit of the community to support economic and employment growth. These include Aged Care Facilities and Services – Nerrilda Nursing Home, AM Ramsay Village, Men’s Shed, Health Focus; Child Care – Port Augusta Childcare Centre and Miriam High Special Needs Centre; Substance Misuse Services – Mobile Assistance Patrol, Sobering Up Unit and Exceptional Needs Program for Homelessness; Sport and Recreational Programs, Ryan Mitchell Swim Centre, Outdoor Adventure Centre; Port Augusta Cultural Centre – Yarta Purtli, Theatres; General Inspector Services including Dog and Cat Management; Tourism Facilities – Wadlata Outback Centre including a Visitor Information Centre and Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden; Aboriginal Community Engagement Services supporting the Urban and Regional Strategy, OPAL Program and a City Safe Patrol . Council’s Civic Centre and Public Library strive to provide excellent service to the community through quality customer service practices and our Parks and Gardens and Works Depot staff are committed to ensuring that the City of Port Augusta is well maintained and provides access for all members of the community to quality public open space areas. The Port Augusta community is proud of its culture, history and future vision for the City, are passionate about promoting the City as a great place to live, work, play and visit. 1 Port Augusta City Council is pleased to present its Annual Report for 2012/2013. The report provides an overview of the Council’s activities throughout the 2012/2013 financial year and includes information required to comply with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1999 and Freedom of Information Act 1991 as well as other general information to keep the community and other interested parties informed as to Council’s progress of its Strategic Plan Objectives. The Annual Report is separated into six (6) different sections, as follows: Section 1 Executive Overview (Acting Mayor’s and City Manager’s Reports) Section 2 The Council, Management and Human Resource Section 3 Strategic Plan and Performance Section 4 Compliance Report - Information Statement pursuant to Section 9 of the Freedom of Information Act 1991 Section 5 Governance Report Section 6 Community Acknowledgement Our Vision A harmonious, unique, vibrant, community and environment Our Mission To create and sustain a safe and vibrant community where people want to live, work, play and visit Our Principles Respect, social justice, equal opportunity, inclusiveness and accessibility 2 CCCOOOUUUNNNCCCIIILLL BBBOOOUUUNNNDDDAAARRRIIIEEESSS Port Augusta, Stirling North, Blanche Harbor & Miranda 3 4 CCCOOONNNTTTEEENNNTTTSSS Page Section One EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW 6 1.1 Acting Mayor’s Report 7 1.2 City Manager’s Report 8-9 Section Two THE COUNCIL, MANAGEMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCE 10 2.1 Elected Members Information 2012/2013 11-14 2.2 Council and Committee Structure 14-15 2.3 Council & Key Committees Attendance Record 15 2.4 Other Advisory Committees 15-19 2.5 Reference Groups/Working Parties 19-20 2.6 Elector Representation Review & Quota 20-21 2.7 Elected Members’ Allowances and Benefits 21-22 2.8 Elected Members’ Training and Development 22-23 2.9 Management and Staffing including Organisational Structure 23-24 2.10 Human Resource Management 24-25 Section Three STRATEGIC PLAN & PERFORMANCE – Strategic Plan 2008-2011 26 Review Community Vision and Strategic Plan 2013-2017 27 Goal Area 1: Community Development 1.1: Our community feels safe 28 1.2: Recognise & value the diverse needs & cultures of our community 29-35 1.3: Best practice in community programs and facilities managed by Council 36-54 Goal Area 2: Image of City 2.1: A positive & progressive image of our City 55 Goal Area 3: Economic Development 3.1: Economic growth for long-term benefit 56-63 Goal Area 4: Infrastructure & Asset Management 4.1: Sustainable and effective maintenance, management and enhancement of the City’s 64-68 existing infrastructure assets 4.2: Plan for the provision of additional infrastructure to meets the needs of our growing City 69 Goal Area 5: Environment Management 5.1: Effective management & maintenance of the City’s unique natural and built environment 70-73 Goal Area 6: Organisational Effectiveness 6.1: A professional, effective, efficient & customer-focused organisation, responsive to the 74-76 needs of the community 6.2: Optimise the use and management of the Council’s financial and physical resources 77-80 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT Section Four COMPLIANCE REPORT – INFORMATION STATEMENT 82 4.1 Decision Making Structure and Functions of the Council 83-84 4.2 Public Participation 84-85 4.3 Delegations 85 4.4 Community Consultation 85-89 4.5 Confidentiality Provisions 90-92 4.6 Public Access to Council Documents 92-95 4.7 Freedom of Information Requests 95 Section Five GOVERNANCE REPORT 96 5.1 Rating Policy 2012/2013 97-107 5.2 Rate Rebates 108 5.3 Auditor Independence 108 5.4 National Competition Principles 108 5.5 Competitive Tendering Statement 108 5.6 Fraud and Corruption 109 5.7 Internal Review of Council Actions 109 5.8 Community Land Management Plans 109 Section 6 COMMUNITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 110 6.1 Tribute to Past Mayor Joy Baluch AM 111-112 6.2 Academic Achiever Award 113 6.3 Australia Day Awards 113 6.4 Rotary Christmas Pageant 114 6.5 Mayoral Christmas Party 114 6.6 Christmas Lighting Festival 114 6.7 Australian Citizenship Ceremonies 115 6.8 Annual ‘Staff Thank You Function’ 115 5 EEEXXXEEECCCUUUTTTIIIVVVEEE OOOVVVEEERRRVVVIIIEEEWWW SSSeeeccctttiiiooonnn OOOnnneee 1.1 Mayor’s Report 1.2 City Manager’s Report Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden – Proudly owned and operated by the Port Augusta City Council 6 1.1 Acting Mayor’s Report It is with great sadness that I write this report in place of Mayor Joy Baluch AM who continued to fulfil her duties as Mayor and fight for our city right until her untimely end in May of 2013. I was privileged to support Joy by acting in the Mayoral role when she was unable to do so and continued to keep her briefed on what was occurring in her city. Joy continued to fight for solar thermal power to replace coal fired power generation in Port Augusta and in support gave a forceful and passionate interview to the “Lateline” program from her hospital bed under severe difficulty. Joy was a real fighter for our city and for what was right. Joy unfortunately did not live to attend the Council meeting that approved the Central Oval project. This was a critical project for the future of our community and had Joy’s full support. During the reporting period Joy was pivotal to the establishment of the Upper Spencer Gulf Alliance through then Commonwealth Minister Hon Simon Crean. Joy had known Minister Crean for a number of years and following a number of discussions with the Minister about how the Upper Spencer Gulf Region could be better supported the Alliance involving Commonwealth, State and Local Government was created. This was just another example of how Joy’s lifetime of contacts provided a benefit to our city and region. Joy continued her involvement with the Urban and Regional Strategy to ensure that Aboriginal residents achieve better life outcomes. Joy chaired the Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group, Provincial Cities Association and the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden Strategic Management Committee. Joy did not just chair meetings but took ownership for all of these committees to ensure that they drove forward to achieve outcomes for our city. I have been fortunate to be Joy’s deputy for a number of years and took great pride in assisting Joy to fulfil her role as Mayor during the reporting period. In respect of Joy we all need to keep working on making Port Augusta an even better place that Joy would be proud of. Phil Greagen Acting Mayor 7 1.2 City Manager’s Report This has been a watershed year for the City. The loss of our dear Mayor Joy Baluch has meant the loss of a great champion and character who created national recognition for our city and the issues it faced. From now on we who have benefited from Joy’s contribution to our city need to repay her commitment by continuing to manage and build the city and its community as a harmonious and prosperous example of what a regional city should be. Joy was a long term crusader for clean air in our city and was a strong promoter of solar thermal power in Port Augusta.