Hobart City Council Annual Report 2001/2002 Mission Our mission is to ensure good governance of our capital City. STRATEGIC OUTCOMES AND VALUES STRATEGIC OUTCOMES A LIVEABLE CITY Hobart will be a City that is a safe and convenient place for people, encouraging creativity and lifestyle opportunities • MANAGEMENT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT protects and conserves its environment and natural beauty • PROTECTION OF OUR HERITAGE conserves and enhances its significant built and cultural heritage • GROWTH OF OUR ECONOMY encourages the sustainable growth and prosperity of the community • GATEWAY TO TASMANIA as the state capital, commits itself to the development of the economic, tourism, cultural and social life of Tasmania • MANAGEMENT OF OUR RESOURCES prudently manages its affairs and the delivery of quality affordable services VALUES LEADERSHIP The Council will provide effective capital City leadership, integrity and openness in its approach and will advocate the needs and aspirations of the community • EQUITY ensure equity, consistency and co-operation in its dealings with the community and government • COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT encourage effective democratic involvement by the community in the life of the City through communication, consultation and participation • RESPONSIVENESS be responsive to the needs and aspirations of the community • QUALITY ensure continuous improvement in the delivery of all its services Vision As the capital City of Tasmania, Hobart will be a vibrant, progressive, prosperous, efficiently managed, human scale City that provides for the best possible lifestyle opportunities. HOBART CITY COUNCIL HOBART 2001/2002 2 LORD MAYOR’S MESSAGE The strategy aims to improve services to Aboriginal people, increase understanding of the Aboriginal community, culture and heritage and facilitate improved management and protection of sites of indigenous cultural significance. For the older generation, the ongoing refurbishment of the 50 & Better Centre during the year resulted I have great pleasure in presenting to you the Annual in an improved facility with a wider range of services Report for the Hobart City Council for the 2001/2002 on offer.The Centre has been used as the base for financial year. In a year in which we were rocked by the the Baby Boomer Project, a joint initiative between events of September 11, it was heartening to see the Council and the State Government. spirit of the community of Hobart continue to shine amidst the proceedings on the world scene. Other significant projects to be completed during ANNUAL REPORT 2001/2002 REPORT ANNUAL 2001/2002 were the Macquarie Street Townscape The Council has worked hard to fulfil its mission and Project and the Cornelian Bay Wastewater Scheme. stated vision for the City through the development The Cornelian Bay project involves the use of of physical, social and economic infrastructure. recycled water to irrigate the Cornelian Bay Sports A significant step in this regard was the signing of Grounds, saving up to 12 million litres of drinking the Capital City Partnership Agreement with the water per year. State Government on a range of initiatives that will provide benefits to the City and State. Awards won by Council during the year included the Local Government Gold Award for Excellence for the The long awaited re-opening of the Tattersall’s Hobart development of a virus risk management plan for its Aquatic Centre in September 2001 provided a great outside workforce and the Royal Australian Planning boost to the community.The centre had been out Institute Award for the Energy Efficiency Project. of action for six months following a fire in the plant The latter includes a published set of guidelines and room. Over 7,000 people attended the opening building fee rebate incentive scheme to encourage weekend and experienced a greatly improved facility. prospective home owners, designers and builders Everyone involved in the restoration process is to to incorporate energy efficient elements. be commended for helping restore this major public facility to full operation in the shortest possible time. The Hobart Summer Festival and its icon event, the Taste of Tasmania, continued to grow in popularity A significant project for Hobart’s youth was opened and provide a major tourism drawcard for Hobart in March 2002 with the completion of the North and Tasmania. A major review of the event has been Hobart Skate Park.This facility was developed with undertaken during the year to ensure that it continues a high level of input from the skating community to cater for the needs of our community and visitors. and has proven to be a most popular venue for this recreational pursuit. Council also played its part in In closing, I would like to thank all Aldermen and staff implementing new Australian road rules relating to the of the Hobart City Council for their work over the use of skateboards and other similar devices following past year in achieving so many important results for an extensive community consultation process. our capital City. As can be seen by the range of initiatives, programs and actions highlighted within A Youth Strategy was launched in April 2002 designed this report, Council has indeed taken significant to provide a framework for a whole-of-Council steps in moving forward with the community. approach for young people in Hobart. Council also released its Aboriginal Strategy during the year. Alderman Rob Valentine LORD MAYOR 3 GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE The theme for the year has been ‘The Year of Measurement and Review.’ In pursuit of these objectives, work on a Performance Measurement System has been commenced together with a project to revamp our key performance indicators. In addition work continues throughout the organisation in pursuing Business Excellence Australia’s Framework as the catalyst for the review The Vision for our City states: and improvement of our procedures, together with As the capital City of Tasmania, Hobart will be a work to expand Quality Assurance certification to vibrant, progressive, prosperous, efficiently managed, more areas of the organisation. human scale City that provides for the best possible lifestyle opportunities. The year has also seen further advances in our general continuous improvement program Hobart residents can be justifiably satisfied that the with the completion of our computer systems vision for Hobart is being vigorously pursued and replacement project, a number of important internal that the year in review has been one of continued reorganisations and the revamping of internal advancement. management documents to provide clearer linkages In the twelve months under review the value of new to the Strategic Plan, which was also the subject of development was in the order of $70 million which major revision last year. speaks volumes for the confidence developers and Notwithstanding the significant resource others have in the future of Hobart and Tasmania. In requirements needed to successfully manage the order to ensure that Hobart maintains its focus on matters mentioned above, the day to day activities attracting projects of worth to the City, an Economic of the Council were carried out with a continuing Development Officer was appointed during the year. emphasis on providing the best possible service to This appointment has well and truly been of benefit the community commensurate with the resources as it provides those interested in investing in the City available. Details of our major initiatives and with a readily found entry point to Council operations. achievements in the Key Strategies of the Council’s The year also saw the Council enter into the Strategic Plan are set out in this report. Capital City Partnership with the State Government. In conclusion I do want to thank the Aldermen and Covering an initial three year time span, this the employees for their very hard work and support partnership is now progressing over seventy individual of the community over the past twelve months. matters of mutual interest and has proven to be a very effective process for the two spheres of Brent Armstrong government to work together in the interests GENERAL MANAGER of both the City and the State. During the latter part of the year, the Local Government Board undertook a General Review of the Hobart City Council.This was an independent HOBART CITY COUNCIL HOBART review of the Council’s operations and is carried out every eight years.The final report has been released 2001/2002 as a public document and is available for viewing on the Council’s website at www.hobartcity.com.au 4 COUNCIL ALDERMEN LORD MAYOR DEPUTY LORD MAYOR Alderman Rob Valentine Alderman Pru Bonham MACS BSc (Hons) Committee Membership Committee Membership Council (Chairman), Policy and Intergovernment Parks and Customer Services (Chairman), Policy and (Chairman). Intergovernment, Development and Environmental Services, Community Development. Representations 2001/2002 REPORT ANNUAL Festivals and Tourism Special Committee, Australian Representations Sister Cities Association, Southern Tasmanian Councils Wellington Park Management Trust (Chairman – (Chairman),Tramway Working Party (On-Trac),Wapping Minister’s Nominee), Southern Tasmanian Councils Policy and Management Group, Kalang Avenue Residents’ (proxy), South Hobart Residents’Traffic Committee, Traffic Committee,West New Town Local Area Traffic Trustees of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Management Committee, Local Government Association Local Government Association of Tasmania General of Tasmania General