LIVE-WORK-INVEST-VISIT - NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE COUNCIL COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021 - NORTHERN ...
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2017-21
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE COUNCIL
COUNCIL PLAN
2017-2021
1
LIVE-WORK-INVESt- VISiT
CONTENTS
• Your Council 3
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
• Our Shire at a glance 4
• Message from THE MAYOR 5
• Council Plan Objectives 6
• Strategies & Indicators 7-10
2
YOUR COUNCIL
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
KARA KARA WARD
Cr Tony Driscoll Cr Merrilee Reid
SOUTH WEST WARD CENTRAL WARD
Cr Jason Hosemans Cr Kevin Erwin
STAWELL WARD
3
Cr Murray Emerson Cr Karen Hyslop Cr Rob Haswell
OUR SHIRE AT A GLANCE
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
Possessing some of the world’s most spec- of the St Arnaud Range State Forest.
tacular natural scenery and a rich golden Industry: The shire’s economy is based on
heritage, the Northern Grampians Shire manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and
has established an exceptional reputation as wine production. The two main centres of
an ideal place to live, work, invest and visit. Stawell and St Arnaud supply and service
Location: Located in the picturesque agricultural machinery and are home to
Grampians region of Victoria, the shire industries including brick, steel fabrication
covers almost 6,000 square kilometres and and meat production.
services the major towns and villages of
Stawell, St Arnaud, Great Western, Halls
QUICK STATS
Area - Approximately 5,918 square kilo-
Gap, Navarre, Glenorchy, Marnoo and
metres
Stuart Mill.
Population -11,471 (Estimated Resident
National Parks: The Grampians National
Population June 2016)
Park is one of Victoria’s most iconic holi-
Road Length - 3,408km of local roads
day destinations, attracting more than 1.5
Rateable Properties - 9,273
million visitors each year. Renowned for its
Rates and Charges Revenue- $16.8 million
breathtaking views and unspoilt nature, the
Total Revenue (inc flood restoration
area is a noted rock climbing destination,
grants) - $40.7 million
popular among campers and bushwalkers.
Industry - There are more than 700 busi-
Declared in 1884, the 168,000 hectare park
nesses operating in the shire, with major
is rich in Aboriginal culture, European her-
activity based in the thriving tourism, man-
itage and stunning wildflower displays. It
ufacturing and agricultural industries.
is also home to almost a third of the state’s
Major Attractions - Stawell Easter Gift Fes-
plant species and an abundance of wildlife.
tival, Grampians Grape Escape, Festival of
The Kara Kara National Park spans 13,900
St Arnaud, St Arnaud Country Music Fes-
hectares of predominantly steep terrain
tival, Great Western Rodeo, Stawell Gold
and allows visitors to experience what the
Cup, St Arnaud Cup, Great Western Cup,
forests were like before the gold rushes. The
Halls Gap Cup, Run the Gap, St Arnaud
park has one of the largest intact areas of
Rodeo, Grampians Music Festival, Stawell
Box-Ironbark vegetation and encompasses
Gift Hall of Fame
the former Kara Kara State Park and much
4
MESSAGE FROM
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
THE MAYor
Northern Grampians Shire Coun- With increased investment in
cil is pleased to present the 2017- our region comes new jobs, new
2021 Council Plan to its residents and an increased rate
communities. This plan is a road- base, which will alleviate the
map for the future direction of our financial pressure placed upon us
Council, and will be used to lay all by the introduction of the State
the foundations for what Council Government’s rate capping mea-
hopes is a sustainable and pros- sures and the freezing of Federal
perous future for our region. Government funding. This will be
achieved by the implementation of
Councillors have identified and our carefully structured economic
analysed four key factors which development plan, the success of
they believe are integral to the which is already apparent in the
ongoing progression of the Shire, establishment of projects such
along with accompanying as the Nectar Farms Hydroponic
indicators which will assist in project and the Stawell Under-
determining that future. ground Physics Laboratory.
However, Council acknowledges
that it must make some crucial Most importantly, however,
decisions within this timeframe Council wants to hear from you,
in order to address issues which the people who live in our shire,
confront many small rural shires and who form the community
around the state. which Council represents. During
the next few years, Council is
In 2015/16, Northern Grampians committed to engaging with the
Shire Council was one of 19 small local community in order to help
shires identified as being unsus- shape the future of this region, via
tainable in the Victorian Auditor increased opportunities for the
General’s Office audit of Local public to assist in and determine
Government. This is a significant the manner in which we progress.
issue for our Shire, and one which We are a unified, resilient com-
Council is committed to munity, and I have no doubt that
confronting head-on. Already, with your input, the path we are
plans are in place to advocate on will lead to a brighter, more
for increased funding from both sustainable future for the North-
State and Federal Government, to ern Grampians Shire.
continue playing a crucial role in
boosting local productivity and to
present a compelling case for the
establishment of new businesses
and the relocation of existing eco- Cr Tony Driscoll
nomic prospects. Mayor, 2016/17
5
BY 2021, COUNCIL AIMS TO...
COUNCIL PLAN OBJECTIVES
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
Enhance Lifestyles and Boost Economic Growth
Community
Provide Sustainable Improve Organisational
Infrastructure Effectiveness
6
ENHANCE LIFESTYLE
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
AND COMMUNITY
STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING
• Building community pride by en-
gaging residents in our towns to
participate in events and activ-
ities which will build a sense of
pride.
• Creating happy, healthy, vibrant
and safe communities by provid-
ing opportunities and encour-
aging participation in healthy
activities.
• Advocacy for increased educa-
tion and training opportunities.
INDICATORS
• Work with agencies to promote • Implementation of community plans.
the benefits and value of recre- • Endorsement and Implementation of
ational water. the Municipal Public Health & Wellbe-
ing Plan.
• Increased education and training
opportunities.
• Positive promotion of the value
of recreational water for our
community
• developing and implementing key ac-
tions in line with the Communities of
Respect and Equality Plan 2016-2020.
7
BOOST ECONOMIC
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
GROWTH
STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING
• Increase new investment into
the shire.
• Provide support to existing
businesses to ensure long term
sustainability.
• Workforce and investment
attraction.
• Advocacy for regional develop-
ment.
INDICATORS
• Implementation of sector plans and
other supporting strategies.
• Provide workshops and other tools
to support existing businesses.
• Create a workforce attraction and
retention plan to support new invest-
ment.
• Additional services and funding pro-
vided for our community.
8
PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
INFRASTRUCTURE
STrATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING
• Enhance the natural and built
environment to improve life-
styles and visitation.
• Advocating for better telecom-
munication for the region.
• Advocate for better transport
links for the region.
• Advocacy for new and existing
infrastructure.
INDICATORS
• More than 90% of budgeted
capital works delivered.
• Better telecommunication
for the region.
• Better transport links for
the region.
• Additional grant funding
received.
9
IMPROVE ORGANISATIONAL
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
EFFECTIVENESS
STrATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING
• Streamline processes by
reviewing internal pro-
cesses to reduce red tape
and increase efficiency
• Public information and
transparency by devel-
oping a plan for improved
community engagement.
• Be more customer-focused
by developing a plan to
improve community inter-
actions with council.
• Organisation viability by
reviewing all services
INDICATORS over three years.
• Implement the community
experience improvement plan
• Service reviewed as per the
schedule
• Implement the community
experience improvement plan
• Service reviewed as per the
schedule
10NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE COUncil
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
2017-2021
STRATEGIC RESOURCE PLAN
11STRATEGIC RESOURCE
2017-2021
STRATEGIC RESOURCE PLAN
COUNCIL
PLAN
PLAN 2017-2021
The Strategic Resource Plan (SRP) out- • is linked to the Council Plan
lines the resources, both financial and non • is committed to achieving an annual
financial, required to enable the Council surplus to contribute to capital projects.
Plan. The purpose of the SRP is to maintain •
Council’s financial viability over the medi- Cash Management Principle
um and long term by: Council will manage cash to ensure suf-
• establishing and reviewing a long term ficient levels to meet its requirements and
financial plan, will:
• providing key strategic directions to in- • aim to maintain a minimum cash bal-
form Council’s financial decisions, and ance of 20% above the sum of current
• establishing sound financial management deposits and current interest bearing
principles liabilities, plus the amount of reserve
funds as determined appropriate
General Financial Principles • maintain sufficient cash to avoid over-
Sustainable Budgeting Principle draft interest.
Council will implement a sustainable finan-
cial strategy that:
• caters for short and long term
• factors in community expectations
2 12Revenue Principles Costs will include:
2017-2021
STRATEGIC RESOURCE PLAN
COUNCIL
Rates and Charges Revenue Principle • overheads
Council will: • identification of service subsidy.
• review rates annually following the an-
nouncement of the rate cap set by the Council will:
Minister • increase fees based on cost increases
• consider making an application for a • consider pricing to encourage be-
higher cap should there not be sufficient haviour changes
income to fund the: • advocate for statutory fees not gov-
• Council Plan erned by Council to be increased
PLAN
• Long Term Financial Plan appropriately.
• to meet current expenditure commit-
ments. Grant Revenue Principle
• Council supports funding from oth-
Differential rating should be applied as equi- er levels of government and will seek
tably as is practical and will comply with the to maximise all appropriate external
2017-2021
Ministerial Guidelines for Differential Rating. funding opportunities.
Where it is possible to identify the direct ben- • Council opposes cost shifting, and
efit of a service, charges should reflect the cost where cost shifting occurs Council will
of the service to help reduce rates subsidies. communicate to its community the
impact of these cost impositions.
Council will consider pricing and contracts to
deliver waste services that: • Council will only accept external fund-
• reduce waste to landfill ing if consistent with the Council Plan.
• increase reuse of resources through recy-
cling and avoidance initiatives • Council will avoid distortion of prior-
• encourage community understanding of ities due to the availability of external
waste management funding.
• are in line with legislative requirements
and best practices • Funds received from other levels of
• are cost neutral through appropriate fees government would be expected to meet
and charges and rating strategies. full direct and indirect costs.
User Fees Principle • Where Council chooses to subsidise a
Council will set fees and charges having re- funded service the contribution should
gard for: not outweigh the community benefit.
• pricing principles (profit, break even,
subsidy)
• marketplace competition
• users capacity to pay
• equity between services
• community service benefit
• benchmarking of similar services.
3 13Borrowing Principle basing maintenance and renewal on
2017-2021
STRATEGIC RESOURCE PLAN
COUNCIL
• Borrowing will not be used to fund ongo- condition rating and interventions set by
ing operations. asset management strategies
• anticipating and managing risks of asset
• Where possible debt will be increased failure
only to the extent that: the costs savings committing to increasing expenditure on
are realised from investment in capital renewal to sustainably manage assets
debt servicing costs are funded from fu- ensuring appropriate expenditure is pro-
ture revenue streams. vided for compliance and safety regula-
tions.
PLAN
• Borrowings are appropriate for funding
large capital works where the benefits are New Asset Principle
provided to future generations. Council will ensure that community has
access to infrastructure that meets its
• Council will maintain its debt at levels needs with regards to current and future
which are sustainable, with: indebtedness needs.
2017-20212017-2021
STRATEGIC RESOURCE PLAN
Service Delivery Principles Council’s capacity to provide the service
COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021
availability of Victorian or Australian
Expenditure Review Principle
Government funding
Council will review levels of expenditure.
other budget priorities.
Ongoing service reviews will assess service in
accordance with:
• a demonstrated community need
• stakeholder views
• access, equity of need and benefit to the
community
• community expectation of service level and
quality
• legislative imperatives
• identification of alternative providers, both
public and private
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