www.nsroc.com.au 2014 Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Regional Priorities 2014 - 2016 Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Regional Priorities 2014 - 2016 Priorities for the Northern Sydney Region 2014 NORTHERN SYDNEY Contents 1 Introduction 4 2 Summary 6 3 Regional Snapshot 8 4 Strategic Planning Hierarchy 12 5 Regional Priorities 15 Regional Priority 1: Better manage urban growth 15 Outcome 1A Better mechanisms for resourcing community infrastructure 16 Outcome 1B Clearer centres hierarchy for effective planning 18 Outcome 1C Better recognition and support for local transport solutions 20 Outcome 1D Effective tools to ensure key workers, young people and ageing 22 residents can live in the region Regional Priority 2: Improved service delivery 25 Outcome 2A: Increased efficiency through regional cooperation in delivering key services 26 Outcome 2B: Sustainable funding for local government services and operations 28 6 Projects supporting regional priorities 30 Acknowledgements References 43 Prepared by Alan Cadogan of Urbanac urbanac.com.au in collaboration with Janine Ricketts, Executive Director of NSROC. Urbanac acknowledges the contribution of the many people across all of the NSROC Councils for their time and information in contributing to this report, and in particular the General Managers of each of the seven member Councils of NSROC. October 2014. Copyright This work is copyright. NSROC Regional Priorities 2014-2016 Richard Quinn President NSROC Mayor of Hunter’s Hill Council 1 INTRODUCTION NSROC’s Regional Priorities 2014-2016 captures Community infrastructure provision is The third theme relates to shared learning important and shared views of the seven local a key theme and action governments of the Northern Sydney Region. Its purposes are to ensure that the priorities of In the delivery of public infrastructure there NSROC, as a regional alliance operating since member Councils are clearly articulated inputs into is always a tension between the reasonable 1986, reflects the ongoing commitment of Northern State policy and to encourage dialogue amongst expectations of developers and land owners to Sydney Councils to regional cooperation with the all stakeholders in Region’s future growth and achieve the highest and best use of their land aim of achieving new efficiencies of scale and prosperity. assets, and the needs of communities for a range scope. There is a clear opportunity for NSROC to of less profitable, but nevertheless essential, increase regional cooperation for the benefit of our The Northern Sydney Region is significant to the land uses and facilities that support community member Councils and their communities both in the social and economic dynamic of Sydney and NSW. wellbeing. Local government has a substantial role immediate future and as and when emerging local The communities served by the seven NSROC in identifying community needs and preferences and government structures are implemented. Councils make a major contribution to NSW through using its regulatory role to ensure the right balance investment, employment creation, workforce is struck. NSROC Councils support local government reform participation and their active presence in the social that will enhance their capacity to deliver greater and political life of the State. Our region creates and Genuine partnership is the second emerging efficiencies and improved service quality to their sustains innovative businesses, provides a sought- theme in this plan communities. The results of the reform process after residential environment and offers a unique should be to give local government the authority physical environment for the enjoyment of the Local government is well placed to inform programs and capacity to establish local needs, set priorities, whole Sydney community. for integrating new infrastructure into existing develop implementation plans, work together as centres to make sure the investments made appropriate, and deliver outcomes. This high-level plan aims to ensure that we can work for property developers, local businesses effectively communicate our needs and goals to and surrounding communities. It is important that This Regional Priorities plan will be used to ensure our partners in State and Federal Governments and communities get the most from their infrastructure that the priorities of member Councils remain work collaboratively to achieve them as we continue and that expenditure is carefully applied. This can a key input into State policy development, and to grow. As local government continues to work only be achieved when local government’s roles and to encourage further and ongoing cooperation with the NSW Government to ensure that future activities in relation to community infrastructure and between Councils. governance structures are robust and effective all urban place management are integrated from the 2014-2016 NSROC Regional Priorities parties must work hard to ensure that the ongoing outset into metropolitan and sub-regional planning business of governing remains our pre-eminent and decision making. focus. There are a number of themes that have emerged from the consultation process undertaken to prepare Richard Quinn this plan. 4 NSROC Regional Priorities 2014-2016 5 2 SUMMARY The Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Within our two regional priorities are identified Regional Priority 1: Regional Priority 2: Councils (NSROC) is a voluntary organisation of priority outcomes for the region. Each outcome Better Manage Urban Growth Improved Service Delivery local government established to provide strong local represents a critical issue to be addressed if the government leadership; to work co-operatively for region is to meet its growth projections, which are Outcomes: Outcomes: the benefit of the Northern Sydney Region; and to based on Sydney’s broader public good, while at effectively advocate on agreed regional positions the same time retaining the quality of life of our A. Better mechanisms for resourcing, community A. Increased efficiency through regional and priorities. The member Councils are Hornsby, communities. They are issues NSROC cannot solve infrastructure cooperation in delivering key services Hunter’s Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, North Sydney, under a business-as-usual approach. They require Ryde and Willoughby. new collaborations, reforms and partnerships B. Clearer centres hierarchy for effective planning B. Sustainable funding for local government between levels of government, the community and services and operations. The Northern Sydney Region is an economic C. Better recognition and support for local transport business. powerhouse for Sydney and NSW. Its economy solutions generates close to $54 billion per year, employing This plan aims to ensure that we effectively D. Effective tools to ensure key workers, young over 350,000 people in over 70,000 businesses. communicate our challenges and goals and people and ageing residents can live in the This prosperity is underpinned by essential public test ourselves to measure progress against the region infrastructure. With strong growth in the region, outcomes as we move into the future. estimated to add an additional 25% to its current population of close to 590,000 in the next 20 years, In the discussion in this report, each outcome has that infrastructure is becoming increasingly stressed attached actions which we believe will help to and the region’s productivity is at risk. achieve the outcomes. They are the starting points for the new approaches and solutions we are This Regional Priorities plan sets out the priorities advocating in this plan. agreed by Councils across the region and the actions needed to enhance performance against The Northern Sydney Region is an economic them. The plan highlight opportunities for further and ongoing regional cooperation between member powerhouse for Sydney and NSW. Its economy Councils, to encourage efficiency in the delivery of Council services through regional collaboration generates $54 billion per year, employing over and to reflect the greater certainty that now exists arising from the Local Government Integrated 350,000 people in over 70,000 businesses Planning and Reporting Framework. It highlights the policy areas in which new solutions must be found and richer partnerships forged so that the identified outcomes can be achieved. Our two priorities are drawn directly from our core function as local governments: 1. To better manage urban growth, and 2. To deliver improved services. 6 NSROC Regional Priorities 2014-2016 7 3 REGIONAL SNAPSHOT Population There were 589,317 people living in Northern Sydney in June 2013, up by 9,034 from the The Dharug, Cammeraygal, Kuringgai, Darkingung previous year. The region is again experiencing and Wallumedegal Aboriginal people lived in the significant growth, with the population increasing 1 NORTHERN SYDNEY AT A GLANCE Northern Sydney Region for thousands of years 28,654 between 2006 and 2011, or 5.6%. This is before European settlement, which dates from set to continue with targets for the next 20 years 589,317 estimated resident population (Jun-12) 1792. Major population growth took place in the of 56,000 new dwellings, equivalent to 130,000 Population Approx 700,000 estimated resident population expected in 2031 1880s and 1890s, spurred by the opening of railway residents3 . lines, with villages growing up around the railway stations and many market gardens and orchards Northern Sydney’s demographic profile shows a established.