Annual Report Annual Hindmarsh Shire Council Shire Council 2011-2012 2011-2012 Council Shire 2011-2012 Annual Report Hindmarsh Senior Management Council Offices Chief Executive Officer Main Office Mr Dean Miller Nhill Dimboola 92 Nelson Street 101 Lloyd Street Director Infrastructure Services Nhill, Victoria 3418 Dimboola, Victoria 3414 Mr Douglas Gowans Phone 03 5391 4444 Phone 03 5391 4452 Director Corporate Services Customer Service Centres Mr Campbell McKenzie Jeparit Rainbow 10 Roy Street Federal Street Hindmarsh Director Community Development Jeparit, Victoria 3423 Rainbow, 3424 Shire Council M r Phil King Phone 03 5391 44450 Phone 03 5391 4451 For further information or queries please visit: The Hindmarsh Shire Council is a legally constituted entity under the Local Government Act 1989, www.hindmarsh.vic.gov.au or email [email protected] and was formed from the fomrer Dimboola and Lowan Shire Councils in 1995. Design and production by Hansen Design and Print Contents Shire Profile .......................................................................................................................................2 Chief Executive Officer's Report .............................................................................................4 Councillors .........................................................................................................................................6 Community Development Report ...........................................................................................7 Infrastructure Services Report .................................................................................................9 Equal Opportunity, Local Laws and Whistleblowers .................................................. 10 Staff Numbers ................................................................................................................................11 Staff Structure .............................................................................................................................. 12 Information to be made available to the public ........................................................... 13 Council Grants, Contributions and Memberships .........................................................14 Performance Statement ............................................................................................................15 Certification of Performance Statement ...........................................................................17 Victorian Auditor-General's Report on the Performance Statement ................. 18 Council Plan Strategies ............................................................................................................ 20 Victoria Local Government Indicators .............................................................................. 29 Financial Statements Comprehensive Income Statement .................................................................................... 31 Balance Sheet ............................................................................................................................... 32 Statement of Changes in Equity .......................................................................................... 33 Cash Flow Statement................................................................................................................. 38 Notes to the Financial Report ............................................................................................... 39 Certification of Financial Report .......................................................................................... 74 Standard Statements Notes to Standard Statements ............................................................................................ 76 Standard Income Statement .................................................................................................. 77 Standard Income Statement Comparison Report ....................................................... 78 Standard Balance Sheet .......................................................................................................... 79 Standard Balance Sheet Comparison Report ............................................................... 80 Standard Statement of Cash Flow ...................................................................................... 81 Standard Statement of Cash Flow Comparison Report ........................................... 82 Standard Statement of Capital Works .............................................................................. 83 Standard Statement of Capital Works Comparison Report ................................... 80 Description of the Financial Performance ....................................................................... 84 Certification of the Standard Statements ....................................................................... 85 Auditor General's Report on Financial and Standard Statements ...................... 86 2011-2012 Annual Report 1 Shire Profile Vision Dimboola. This was a joyous and significant day for all in A caring, active community striving to enhance its the Shire and the first recognition of native title in Victoria. environment, economy and liveability. Governance Mission Six elected Councillors represent three wards with two Our mission is to; Councillors in each of the wards. Councillors elected in > foster a thriving and diversified local economy where November 2008 for a four-year term are Cliff Unger (Mayor), economic growth is encouraged and supported; David Colbert, Rob Gersch, Wayne Lovett, Ron Lowe and Mick Gawith. Council elections will next be held on 27 > provide accessible services to enable the community October 2012. to be healthy, active and engaged; > provide infrastructure essential to service delivery, Landform and Vegetation and to protect and enhance our natural environment; The Hindmarsh Shire has an area of 7,527 square kilometres and and is gently undulating. It averages an elevation equivalent to sea level. Large areas of the local soils are well suited > to realise the excellence in our people, processes to dry land agriculture. A very low percentage of native and systems to provide quality services to the vegetation remains outside the National Park areas, with community. 97% of native vegetation cleared. A major focus is to preserve the indigenous vegetation remnants, protect bio- Values diversity via planted corridors (bio-links) linking the Big Hindmarsh Shire Council is committed to the following Desert and Little Desert, and to generally increase the values; amount of cover by revegetation on private land. Council considers it of the utmost importance to preserve and > Leadership and direction; enhance our biodiversity. Council is committed to an > Transparency and accountability; environmental overlay of bio-link corridors. In partnership with the Hindmarsh Landcare Network, Council has been > Honesty and integrity; very successful in the implementation of landcare projects > Trust and respect; throughout the Shire linking up the Little Desert and Big Desert, and facilitating improved agricultural and land use > Equality; practices. > Diversity; Population > Sustainability; and According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Shire’s > Aspiration. estimated residential population at 30 June 2011 was 5,798. From the 2011 census, the major towns and their Location approximate district populations were Nhill 2,278, Dimboola Hindmarsh Shire is located in the central North West 1,662, Rainbow 734, Jeparit 632, Gerang Gerung 251 and Victoria and is bounded in the north by the Big Desert Netherby 266. The majority of population loss has occurred and Wyperfeld National Park; and in the south by the Little in the rural areas as a result of farm amalgamation and Desert National Park. On the east, west and south lie the the use of modern technology. On census night 2011, Shires of Yarriambiack, West Wimmera and the Rural City there were 2,882 males and 2,916 females in the Shire. of Horsham respectively, comprising the area generally There were 89 people of indigenous origin. There were referred to as ‘The Wimmera’. The northern section of the 2,578 married people (54.1%), 506 separated and divorced Shire lies in the Mallee region. people (10.7%), 498 widowed people (10.4%) and 1,187 never married (24.9%). The median age in Hindmarsh is 47 History years compared with Australia’s median of 37 years. 89% The Hindmarsh Shire Council was created in January 1995 stated that they were Australian-born. English was the only as part of state-wide local government reform program. The language spoken in 93.2% of homes. Hindmarsh Shire consists of the former Shire of Dimboola (created 1885), and the Shire of Lowan (created 1875). Prior Water to European settlement, the Wotjobaluk community lived The Wimmera River is a major lifeline for our towns and in the area. Council acknowledges them as the first owners communities. Significant rains in recent years brought water of the land. Prior to all civic ceremonies the following to Lake Hindmarsh but Lake Albacutya remains dry. The statement is made – “Welcome to Hindmarsh Shire. We Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project has seen a significant acknowledge the Wotjobaluk community as the first owners improvement in water security and availability throughout of this country. We recognise the important ongoing role the region. that indigenous people have in our community.” In 2005, the native title of the Wotjobaluk