DISTRICT COUNCIL OF LOWER EYRE PENINSULA Strategic Plan 2016 - 2025 “Working with our Rural & Coastal Communities” Table of Contents Message from the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer ................................ 1 Our Council District .................................................................................... 3 Demographic of District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula .......................... 4 Elected Member Makeup at Adoption of Strategic Plan ............................. 5 District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula – Organisational Chart ................ 6 Strategic Planning ....................................................................................... 7 Strategic Plan Legislative Matters............................................................... 8 Structure of the Strategic Plan ................................................................. 12 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES ........................................................................ 13 COMMUNITY WELLBEING ................................................................................... 15 ECONOMIC .......................................................................................................... 18 RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE ............................................................................... 21 STATUTORY ......................................................................................................... 23 Appendix A – Capital Works Program ....................................................... 25 OUR VISION: To promote and inspire safe, prosperous and inclusive rural and coastal communities OUR MISSION: To assist our community achieve its economic and social potential through services, programs and advocacy and responsible management. Message from the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer The District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula presents this Strategic Plan setting out the vision for our Rural and Coastal Council looking forward for a period of ten years. Elected Members and Staff have prepared a plan to provide for the future of our district which includes key infrastructure and services to support economic development, while recognising the importance of community well being. In developing the plan Council has recognised its role in providing responsible leadership to the community, while managing its statutory responsibilities. Comprehensive input was sought from the ratepayers of our district, with a survey sent to 3,286 property holders, with 503 of those being completed and returned. In addition three community meetings were held throughout the district with close to 70 people in attendance. Council considers this to be an outstanding community response. The highest priorities identified by the community in the survey were road management, fire prevention, waste management, public conveniences and effluent management. Significant discussion at the community meetings also centred on road management (in particular the prioritisation of roads by Council), the role of Council in supporting small/medium business and ensuring that appropriate quantities of residential and industrial land is available to meet the needs of the community. The District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula is vast, covering 4,754 square kilometres with a resident population of 5014, and 709 kilometres of coastline, while the road network consisting of 1323 kilometres includes 140 kilometres of sealed roads. The importance of the management of roads is recognised by Council as the big ticket item for our Rural and Coastal Council. To this end a significant capital works program is envisaged in the plan, while other actions included are aimed at improving and upgrading the road network. Council endeavours to be fair in the distribution of funding across all areas, and recognises that the needs of the community vary dependent upon location. The Council district comprises a range of Tourist and Retirement Townships, Service Townships, Rural Living Areas and Farming Communities, each with varying priorities and basic needs in relation to infrastructure, service provision and community support. These actions include the development of a ‘Level of Service Standard’ for Council roads, and ongoing investment in Council staff. Council recognises the vast array of roads and road lengths makes it difficult to address all roads as quickly as may be considered desirable, and the Level of Service document sets the standard against which Council will aspire to manage the road network. 1 | Page While Farm Beach Road has been earmarked within the plan to be sealed using a combination of Council and external funding sources in 2020/21, White Flat Road, Proper Bay Road, Fishery Bay Road, Sleaford Bay Road, Pound Lane and Airport Lane are also listed as Medium Term Priority Roads in the EPLGA Road Transport Strategy. Council recognise the strategic importance of these roads, and ongoing risk mitigation strategies will be put in place to address any major road deficiencies. Council is in the fortunate position of ownership of residential land in both Coffin Bay and Cummins, and as part of this Strategic Plan will strive to see this land developed for the betterment of these communities. Providing for the future needs of the elderly was also identified as an increasingly important issue during the Strategic Planning process. Managing this issue is many faceted, but Council recognises that it is entrusted by the community to pursue solutions that will ensure a better life for our residents within our townships and the region. The Strategic Plan as developed will be supported by a number of service level plans, covering such diverse areas as road management, footpaths, cemeteries, animal management, waste management and customer service. Council recognises that regional collaboration and a unified voice for our region is important, and in this regard is committed to working with our regional neighbouring Councils to pursue the betterment of the Southern Eyre Peninsula region and greater Eyre Peninsula.. We commend this Strategic Plan and the included actions as a positive statement as to how Council can assist its community to achieve its economic and social potential through a range of services, programs and advocacy undertaken in a responsible manner. Rod Pearson Julie Low Chief Executive Officer Mayor 2 | Page Our Council District Hundreds & Towns District Council of Tumby Bay City of Port Lincoln Council 3 | Page Demographic of District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula *Land: Land Area (Km2) 4,771.0 Land Area - % of Region 2.05 **Employing Industries: Industry Number Health Care and Social Assistance 102 Manufacturing 55 *Population: Agriculture 538 Total 4,997 Retail Trade 85 % of Regional Population 8.7 Construction 95 % of State Population 0.31 Education & Training 85 Mining 50 Accommodation & Food Services 48 Transport, Postal & Warehousing 110 Public Administration & Safety 83 *Aboriginal population: Total Employment 1,594 Number 143 % of Population 2.9 *Unemployment: No. Unemployed Unemployment Rate % *Age Groups: 116 4.8 Number Percentage *December Quarter 2014 0 – 14 years 1,087 22.1 15 – 24 years 495 10.1 25 – 39 years 799 16.2 40 – 59 years 1,549 31.5 60 years and over 985 20.0 **Top Industries Contributing to Gross Regional Product (GRP): Industry $m **Top Ten Top Ten Exporting Industries: Mining 0 Industry $m Agriculture 84 Mining 0 Construction 9 Agriculture 148 Health Care and Social Assistance 7 Manufacturing 4 Manufacturing 4 Construction 14 Transport, Postal and 12 Transport, Postal and 19 Warehousing Warehousing Education and Training 6 Aquaculture 41 Retail Trade 6 Retail Trade 3 Financial and Insurance Services 9 Accommodation & Food Services 3 Total Gross Regional Product 224 Financial and Insurance Services 7 Contribution Fishing, Hunting and Trapping 1 Total Exports 275 *2011 ABS Census ** EconSearch Economic Data 2013-14, RDAWEP and EPLGA, 2016. 4 | Page District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula Elected Member Makeup at Adoption of Strategic Plan Mayor Julie Low Councillor: 1995 - Current Deputy Chair: 2002 -2006 Deputy Mayor: 2006 – 2009 Mayor: 2009 - Current Deputy Mayor Donald Millard Councillor: 2010 - Current Deputy Mayor: 2014 - Current Cr Wendy Holman Councillor: 2010 - Current Councillor: Feb 2003-2006 Cr Peter Mitchell Councillor: 2010 - Current Cr Jo-Anne Quigley Councillor: 2010 - Current Cr Diana Laube Councillor: 2014 - Current Cr Geoff Bayly Councillor: 2014 - Current 5 | Page District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula – Organisational Chart CEO Executive Assistant Director Works & Manager Corporate Services Manager Development & Infrastructure Environmental Services Works Manager Accountant Development Assessment Planning Officer Officer (0.8) (0.3) Works Project Officer Finance Officer General Inspector Senior Development Administration Officer Works Coordinator Rates / Payroll Officer (0.8) Development Administration Officer (0.3) Trainee (Reception) Team Leader Maintenance - Southern Depot Community Development Governance Administration Corporate Services Assistant Team Leader Maintenance - Officer (0.2) Officer (0.6) Northern Depot Team Leader Construction – Southern Depot Team Leader Construction – Northern Depot Effluent Maintenance Officer Waste Transfer Station Operator Airport Manager Airport Groundsman Senior Works Administration Officer Green indicates Senior Management Team (0.8) Works Administration Officer (0.6) Strategic Planning It is a requirement of the Local Government Act that Council develop a