Annual Report 2019–20 1 Welcome to Knox City Council’s Annual Report for 2019-20 The Annual Report provides a thorough account of Council’s achievements, challenges and performance from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020. It also provides audited financial statements and a performance statement. If you would like a printed copy or wish to provide feedback, please contact Council on 9298 8000 or email [email protected] Knox City Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the City of Knox, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. Contents 02 18 Welcome Capital Works Program 05 20 Report of Description of Operations Operations 06 26 Purpose Our City 06 32 Vision 2035 Our People 07 40 Our Values Our Performance 08 92 Fast facts about Governance and our services Statutory Information 10 107 Mayor’s Performance Message Statement 12 123 CEO’s Financial Message Report 14 192 COVID-19 How to Access Knox’s Response Annual Report 16 192 Financial Contact Us Summary Annual Report 2019-20 3 A $3 million Community and Business Support Package was established to fund dedicated services and programs to support relief, response and recovery efforts and lessen the impacts of COVID-19. 4 Knox City Council Report of Operations Knox City Council is committed to transparent reporting and accountability to the community. The Report of Operations 2019-20 is the primary means of advising the community about Council’s operations and performance during the financial year. Who we are Knox City Council covers an area of 114 square kilometres and consists of the suburbs of Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Knoxfield, Lysterfield, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin, Upper Ferntree Gully, Wantirna and Wantirna South. 35% of residents were born overseas 30% 164,538 China: 3.9% United Kingdom: 3.7% of working people call India: 2.6% Malaysia: 2.1% residents are Knox home Sri Lanka: 2.1% employed in Knox 20% 21% 18% 15% 13% 13% 0 15 25 40 55 65 Family composition 39 male 51% Couple family with children 49% 33% Couple family is the average 15% One-parent family age of residents 51% female 1% Other family configurations Source: 2016 Census & id. Estimated Residential population Annual Report 2019-20 5 Purpose The role of Knox City Council is to guide and lead the community through action, decision-making and advocacy. During 2019-20, we continued to strengthen our staff’s connection to our common purpose of ‘empowering our diverse community to thrive and prosper’. We look forward to the next stage of the organisation’s cultural evolution to deepen this connection. Vision 2035 We will work with our community to achieve our vision for the future: Nestled between the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges and the wetlands of the Dandenong Valley, Knox has a rich natural environment and picturesque landscape, highly valued by residents and visitors alike. Knox encompasses the best of city and suburban living. From the thriving modern city vibe of Knox Central at its heart, plentiful public open spaces, outstanding civic facilities and diverse residential offerings to its leafy suburban centres with abundant space, clean air, excellent schools and good transport links, Knox is the preferred place to live, work and play today and for generations to come. 6 Knox City Council Our Values Teamwork Service Excellence Working and acting together in the Quality work performed for, or on interests of a common cause behalf of, others • Working collaboratively with team members, • Keeping our customers/community in mind in other work areas and stakeholders. what we do. • Actively contributing to and supporting the team. • Demonstrating a desire to meet agreed • Working with others in a way that displays an organisational performance and service standards. attitude of being part of the Knox team. • Demonstrating understanding and respect for • Dealing with any conflict in an open, diversity and inclusion. constructive manner. • Aspiring to achieve high standards of personal • Being inclusive and treating others with performance. respect at all times. • Communicating clearly and showing understanding for the views of others. • Showing energy and commitment to the goals Integrity of the organisation. Adhering to moral and ethical principles, being honest and Enjoying Work trustworthy, and being authentic Achieving satisfaction and a sense • Displaying trust, respect, honesty and of wellbeing from work accountability. • Making realistic commitments and keeping • Having a positive attitude about your own work. promises. • Contributing to the development of good team • Communicating in an honest, open manner spirit and morale. without breaching confidentiality. • Supporting systems and agreed procedures • Taking responsibility for our own actions. to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. • Being respectful when speaking about others. • Taking responsibility for the impact of our • Operating within organisational parameters own actions. and values, even in the face of opposition, or • Joining others in appropriately celebrating when a decision is unpopular. team and organisational success. Innovation Change that adds value • Learning from our own and others’ experiences. • Being creative and trying new ideas. • Sharing ideas. • Willingly taking on new challenges and supporting organisational initiatives. • Being prepared to challenge the current situation and taking considered risks, if necessary, to improve outcomes. • Seeking ways to improve processes or perform tasks. Annual Report 2019-20 7 Fast facts about our services In 2019-20, there were… 30,631 5,355 57 hard waste children provided with sportsgrounds bookings lodged maternal and child health and major reserves (MCH) services maintained 1,654 MCH four-week key age and stage visits 277, 268 241 visits to aquatic 38,921 council owned online service facilities buildings maintained requests received 31,049 m2 graffiti removed from Knox Council’s assets 1,724 25,538 6,957 animal management visits to Council’s infants and requests received Customer Service children Centre immunised 8 Knox City Council 988,616 physical library 12,095 960 community transport planning items loaned trips made applications received 38,373 4,152 threatened species 211 drainage pits planted in 21 distinct sites playgrounds maintained 2,224 maintained trees planted 724km 1,244 km 91,550 of local roads of footpaths phone calls received, with 95% resolved maintained maintained at the first point of contact Annual Report 2019-20 9 The Year in Review Mayor’s Message The past 12 months have been marked by events that have impacted our daily lives and shifted our collective focus and conversation. During this time, it is rewarding to reflect on the achievements of our Council towards delivering on our promises to the community. The devastating bushfire emergency in East Following a summer that demonstrated the fragility of Gippsland captured our hearts and minds and it our natural environment, Council was driven to ponder was humbling to see the Knox community’s response, some of the big challenges we face in preserving it sending support in the form of messages, supplies, for future generations. In October 2019, we voted funds and volunteer hours. During this time, nine unanimously to take swift action on climate change Knox staff members were deployed to assist the and I’m proud to see the progress we’ve made already recovery efforts and together provided more than on numerous sustainability initiatives while continuing 400 hours of service. preparation of a new Climate Response Plan. This typifies the generosity of the people of Knox, This action is complemented by several projects to which we see every day in the countless volunteers protect and enhance our natural and open spaces, who give their time, their skills and their passions to such as daylighting Blind Creek under Melbourne benefit the lives of other. On behalf of all my fellow Water’s Reimagining Your Creek project. This has Councillors, I thank these volunteers for brought a segment of the creek back above ground their contribution to our community. and delivered a new open space for the community to enjoy as well as creating areas of wet habitat that promote local flora and fauna. Of course the later months of this financial year were also marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has fundamentally changed the way many of us work and live. As a Council we have adapted quickly and worked hard to ensure support is provided where it is needed most, while maintaining our long term focus on community aspirations and continuing to invest for the future of our city. 10 Knox City Council My fellow Councillors and I were proud to support Similarly, we have continued delivery of infrastructure the establishment of a dedicated $3 million fund to upgrades and construction to support community support relief and recovery measures, ranging from participation in sport, with a particular focus on immediate services and resources to lessen the impacts accessible and inclusive access for all abilities, genders on residents and businesses, to continued programs and ages. For example, our Modular Buildings Program and support for our future recovery. has provided fast and cost-effective change room In such a time it was also pleasing to introduce facilities to improve inclusivity at Colchester Reserve live streaming for all Council meetings, which has in Boronia and Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully. allowed even more of our community to access and Our advocacy on behalf of the people of Knox experience Council meetings, providing greater continues, and I am pleased by Council’s success transparency and insight so our community can have securing support for a range of projects including a confidence in Council’s decision making. new expanded Knox Library, expansion of the Knox Our capital works program is more important than Regional Netball Centre, extension of Dorset Road, ever to provide a critical stimulus for the recovery of a dog park at Emerson Place Reserve in Rowville, the local economy.