Agenda of Ordinary Council Meeting - Tuesday, 27 June 2023

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 9.1 - 27 June 2023

9.0 Corporate and Legal Division Reports

ITEM 9.1	Outcome of Public Exhibition - Draft Delivery Program 2023-2027, Operational Plan 2023/24 and Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033
REPORTING MANAGER	executive manager financial planning & systems and executive manager strategy & performance
TRIM file REF	2023/227308
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨Proposed Changes to the Documents Since Exhibition (Included In Attachments Booklet) 3 ⇨Revised Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 (Included In Attachments Booklet) 4 ⇨Revised Fees and Charges 2023/24 (Included In Attachments Booklet) 5 ⇨Revised Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033 (Included In Attachments Booklet)

SUMMARY

purpose

To consider submissions received during the public exhibition of the Draft Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033, Draft Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 (including the Budget and Fees and Charges) and seek Council’s adoption of these documents along with any revisions. Council’s approval to refinance two existing loans along with an internal loan is also sought.

executive summary

Council at its meeting on 18 April 2023 resolved to exhibit the Draft Delivery Program 2023-2027, Operational Plan 2023/24 (including Fees and Charges 2023/24) and Draft Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033.

A total of 104 individuals and groups made submissions, raising some 184 issues. The response to these issues is at Attachment 1.

As a result of items raised in submissions, as well as new and updated information being available since the draft documents were placed on exhibition, a range of amendments are proposed prior to adopting the documents. The Delivery Program 2023-2027, Operational Plan 2023/24 and Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033 have been revised to reflect changes outlined in this report.

The 2023/24 budget projects total expenditure of $507 million, including a capital works program of $102 million. A further $4 million in loan repayments will also be made during the year, reducing the loans balance to $9 million by 30 June 2024.

The operating result has decreased from the $3.3 million surplus exhibited in the draft budget to a surplus of $0.4 million, primarily due a $3.1 million increase in the Emergency Services Levy (ESL). While the increase in the ESL reduced the forecast operating result, the impact of the increase has been offset through reductions in the capital expenditure program to retain a balanced budget position. Despite this reduction, the overall capital expenditure program has increased from $93 million to $102 million primarily due to budget rollovers approved in the March quarterly budget review and projects funded by new grants.

Highlights of the $102 million capital works program include:

· $14.5 million resurfacing 6.6km of roads and improving other road assets

· $13.4 million on community facilities including Warriewood Valley community centre

· $9.2 million on footpaths, shared paths and cycleways

· $8.4 million on stormwater to reduce flooding and pollution

· $7.4 million improving reserves and parks at Balgowlah, Dee Why, Frenchs Forest, Manly, Narraweena, Seaforth and Warriewood

An internal loan of $4.6 million from the Mona Vale Cemetery Internal Cash Reserve is proposed to part fund the Enterprise Resource Planning system replacement. The anticipated drawdown is $2.2 million in 2023/24 and $2.4 million in 2024/25. The loan will be repaid to the Reserve over six years with the equivalent interest the funds would have earned over the same period.

Refinancing of two existing loans which have an initial 10-year term will be undertaken over the next 2 years. The residual at maturity of the initial term was based on repayments over a term of 20 years. The refinancing of these loans is consistent with the loan documentation and planning undertaken at their initiation.

Following significant weather events along with the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years, restoration of working capital funds is a priority over the 4 years of the Delivery Program. Working capital provides funding to respond to unexpected events, invest in new opportunities, and ensure a financially sustainable position into the future.

While the 2023/24 budget is balanced and financial performance benchmarks met, the impact of high inflation, the $3.1 million increase in the Emergency Services Levy and constraints on rates income may challenge our ability to continue to sustain the same level of service to our community in future years. The Long-Term Financial Plan illustrates an alternative scenario to strengthen our position in the future. Should Council choose to explore this option, further engagement would be undertaken with the community to develop this option.

RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING Director Corporate and Legal

That Council:

1. Note the Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report at Attachment 1.

2. Note the changes to the documents following exhibition at Attachment 2.

3. Adopt the revised Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 at Attachment 3.

4. Adopt the revised Fees and Charges 2023/24 applying from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 at Attachment 4 as the fixed fees in accordance with Part 10 of Chapter 15 of the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act).

5. Adopt the revised Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033 at Attachment 5.

6. Make the following rates and charges:

A. In accordance with sections 494 and 495 of the Act, Ordinary and Special Rates are made as shown in Table 4 in the report for this Item.

B. In accordance with section 496 of the Act, Domestic Waste Management Charges are made as shown in Table 5 in the report for this Item.

C. In accordance with section 496A of the Act, Stormwater Management Service Charges are made as shown in Table 6 in the report for this Item.

D. In accordance with section 67 of the Act, set the fee for works on private land carried out by Council to be charged at the appropriate commercial rate (being cost of the works and standard on-costs, to provide full cost recovery plus a return to Council).

E. In accordance with section 611 of the Act, a charge on the person for the time being in possession, occupation or enjoyment of a rail, pipe, wire, pole, cable, tunnel or structure laid, erected, suspended, constructed or placed on, under or over a public place.

7. Adopt an interest rate of 9% on overdue rates and charges, in accordance with section 566(3) of the Act.

8. Authorise an internal cash allocation from the ‘Mona Vale Cemetery Reserve’ of $4,600,000 towards funding the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Replacement Project. These funds are to be returned to the ‘Mona Vale Cemetery Reserve’ from general revenue inclusive of the interest the reserve would have otherwise earned on these funds by 30 June 2029.

9. Authorise the Chief Executive Officer to negotiate and accept loan/s for a period of 10 years from the lending market, and that the Seal of the Council be affixed to all relevant documents, in order to refinance the following loans:

A. $2,500,000 (Westpac Bank – Former Manly Loan 47)

B. $2,400,000 (Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Former Manly Loan 48)

REPORT

BACKGROUND

At its meeting on 18 April 2023, Council considered the draft Delivery Program 2023-2027, Operational Plan 2023/24 (including the Fees and Charges 2023/24) and revised Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2027 and resolved, in part, that:

1. In accordance with essential elements 3.10, 4.10 and 4.25 of the Integrated Planning and Reporting, Guidelines for Local Government in NSW 2021, the following draft documents be exhibited for a minimum of 28 days:

A. Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 (including Fees and Charges 2023/24)

B. Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033

2. The outcomes of the public exhibition be reported back to Council.

3. Council delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

The documents were placed on exhibition and an application made to IPART. This report outlines the exhibition, the community response, and provides further detail and explanation including recommended changes.

CONSULTATION

The exhibition was open for 31 days from 21 April to 21 May 2023. A dedicated page on Council’s YourSay community engagement platform hosted the exhibition.

The exhibition was widely promoted via:

· Six community pop up/information sessions, distributing 988 QR coded information cards.

· Six editorials (Council, Inside Local Government, Manly Observer, Northside Living, Peninsula Living, Pittwater Life).

· Four electronic direct mails (EDMs) with 96,553 opens.

· 13 facebook posts with 11,885 clicks.

· Two videos covering the budget and capital works program with 315 views.

· One online community information session attended by four community members.

· Two resident association meetings (Manly Ward Executive, Pittwater Community Alliance)

· Over 9,992 visits to the online engagement page spending on average 40s on the site.

In addition, material was available online making it easier for the community to see what was happening in their local area via 12 local snapshots covering the Northern Beaches. Fact sheets were also provided on footpaths and road re-sheeting programs, environmental programs, recreation programs and your dollars at work.

Consideration of submissions, themes and issues raised

Submissions

A total of 104 individuals and groups made submissions, comprised of:

· 66 online submissions using YourSay Northern Beaches engagement platform.

· 38 emails/letters direct to Council.

As a result of Council’s expanded engagement there was a 50% increase in submissions from prior year.

A breakdown of the 104 submissions as to how they relate to each document is outlined below (noting that some respondents provided comments on more than one document):

Document	Number of Issues raised on each document
Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24	168
Fees and Charges 2023/24	13
Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033	3

Themes

The Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report at Attachment 1 outlines the engagement, submissions, and responses from Council staff. A summary of the key themes and number of issues raised in each theme is outlined below:

Themes	Number of issues raised
Transport and civil infrastructure	65
Parks and Recreation	40
Sustainability	14
Fees and charges	13
Finance	11
Environment	10
Property	8
Community and Belonging	6
Strategy, Place Planning and Economic Development	5
Draft Delivery Program	5
Environmental Compliance	4
Community and Engagement	2
Library	1

Issues

Of the 104 submissions made, the issues receiving the most attention (five or more submissions) are outlined below.

Issues	Number of submissions on each issue
Active Travel - Total Footpath comments/requests	20
Active Travel - Total New Footpath requests	13
Active travel - Bike and shared paths - Various comments/requests	13
Requests for Road Repairs	9
Freshwater High sportsground lighting - comments opposing	7
Childcare (including Family Day Care) Fee increase - oppose	6
Manly Town Centre Special Rate - Oppose Allocation of Spend	5
Tree management - comments regarding planting and protection	5

Amendments and additions

Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24

A total of 168 issues were received on the Delivery Program itself. Detailed responses to the issues raised in the submissions are at Attachment 1.

The submissions were seeking additional/priority funding of specific projects in 2023/24 - footpaths, bike and shared paths, road improvements, traffic issues, parks and playground improvements. Some of the items are programmed for 2023/24 and many others are in planning to be delivered over the next four years. As such major changes to the program are not recommended.

Community concern has also been expressed about the sportsground lighting at Freshwater High School. Community engagement on the proposed lights will take place in the second half of 2023 which will help inform the decision on whether a Development Application is lodged.

Attachment 2 outlines changes proposed to the Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 to reflect revisions to the budget outlined in this report. The revised Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 is at Attachment 3.

Fees and Charges 2023/24

13 issues were raised on the proposed Fees and Charges 2023/24. Six issues were received opposing increases to childcare and family daycare fees. The proposed fee increase for childcare is consistent with the direction in the Children Services Strategy that the service be cost neutral (the service is fully funded by users rather than general revenue).

Three issues were received opposing increases to community centre fees. Benchmarking has identified that Council’s Community centre fees are lower than fees charged for other venues, as Council aims to keep fees as affordable as possible. All hire fees contribute to the operational costs of managing the centres and are increased slightly each year to keep up with these rising costs.

Attachment 2 outlines changes proposed to the Fees and Charges 2023/24. The revised Fees and Charges 2023/24 is at Attachment 4.

Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033

Three issues were received on the Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP). One submission suggested the plan include an Executive Summary, which has been incorporated into the revised document. Another submission sought more information on loans taken out for car parks. The loan for the Bungan Lane, Mona Vale car park was fully repaid in 2022/23, while the Church Point car park loan will be repaid by the end of the 2025/26 financial year.

One submission disagreed with the budget principles, sought more information on the asset expenditure gap and expressed a view that Council should offset inflation pressures by reducing or eliminating unnecessary services. The LTFP is part of the 10 year Resourcing Strategy, along with the Asset Management Plan, which is available on Council’s website. The plan is required to present at least two scenarios. The alternative model in the LTFP explores an increase in rates from 2025/26 (year 2) to provide more funding for asset renewal and maintenance based on the preferred level identified in the Asset Management Plan. This is an alternative model and not the basis of the Delivery Program. Should the need arise, Council would engage the community in further developing this option.

Council undertakes service reviews each year to ensure we are continuously improving and delivering the services our community expects. We also work across the organisation to provide efficiency improvements and reduce operating costs, and the budget for 2023/24 includes further efficiency savings which have assisted us in balancing our budget with a rate increase of only 3.7% while inflation is currently almost double this. Only one submission was received opposing the rate increase of 3.7%.

Attachment 2 outlines changes proposed to the Long-Term Financial Plan. The revised LTFP 2023-2033 is at Attachment 5.

Proposed changes to the Budget 2023/24

The 2023/24 Budget remains balanced, however the operating result has changed due to rollovers from the 2022/23 budget approved through the March Quarterly Budget Review, adjustments in response to the increase in the Emergency Services Levy along with new information available since the draft documents were placed on exhibition.

The following table summarises the movement from the draft to the revised 2023/24 Budget.

Table 1: Movement in the draft 2023/24 budget - Income Statement and Capital Expenditure

	2023/24 Draft Budget April 2023 $'mil	2023/24 Revised Budget June 2023 $'mil	Change Incr / (Decr) $'mil



Income from continuing operations
Rates and annual charges	246.5	246.5	-
User charges and fees	96.9	96.8	(0.1)
Other revenues	20.8	20.8	-
Grants and contributions - operating purposes	29.6	27.5	(2.1)
Grants and contributions - capital purposes	26.2	32.3	6.1
Interest and investment revenue	6.5	6.7	0.2
Other income	6.4	6.4	-
Net gain from the disposal of assets	0.4	0.4	-
Total income from continuing operations	*433.2*	437.4	4.2

Expenses from continuing operations
Employee benefits and on-costs	157.0	157.1	0.1
Materials and services	173.8	173.3	(0.5)
Borrowing costs	2.6	2.6	-
Depreciation and amortisation	49.6	49.6	-
Other expenses	20.8	22.1	1.3
Total expenses from continuing operations	*403.8*	404.7	0.9

Operating result - Surplus / (Deficit)	*29.4*	32.7	3.3

Operating result - Surplus / (Deficit)	*3.2*	0.4	(2.8)
before Capital Grants and Contributions	*3.2*	0.4	(2.8)

Capital expenditure	*92.6*	102.1	9.5

Operating Budget 2023/24 - changes

There has been a reduction in the operating surplus (excluding capital grants and contributions) from $3.3 million exhibited in the draft budget to $0.4 million, as outlined below in Table 2.

Table 2: Summary of proposed movement in operating budget result (excluding capital grants and contributions)

	Net	Income	Expenditure
	$’mil	$’mil	$’mil
Draft operating result before capital grants and contributions	3.226	407.015	(403.790)
Emergency services levy contribution¹	(3.108)	(1.857)	(1.251)
Regional and Local Road Repair Program	-	(1.269)	1.269
Active Transport Pipeline Corridor	-	0.932	(0.932)
Interest and Investment Income (restricted)	0.231	0.231	-
Freshwater High School Sportsfield – partly rephased into 24/25 (dev contri funded)	0.350	-	0.350
Grant funded projects rolled from 22/23 to 23/24	(0.201)	0.031	(0.232)
Minor amendments	(0.091)	0.013	(0.104)
Changes to budget	(2.820)	(1.921)	(0.899)
Revised operating result before capital grants and contributions	0.406	405.095	(404.689)

1. NSW Emergency Services Levy Contribution: In May 2023, Council received notification of a $1.5 million (19.5%) increase in the annual Emergency Services Levy (ESL) for the 2023/24 financial year and the removal of the levy subsidy ($1.6m was received for the 2022/23 year). This levy comprises the funding contributions of Council to Fire and Rescue NSW, the Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service. In 2022/23 the net cost of the ESL was $6.2 million and in 2023/24 the levy will increase to $9.3 million – this is $3.1 million more than Council’s exhibited 2023/24 draft budget. The revised budget has been adjusted to reflect this increase (with a corresponding reduction in capital expenditure to fund the increase).

Capital Expenditure Budget 2023/24 - changes

The 2023/24 capital expenditure program has increased from $92.6 million to $102.1 million due to budget rollovers approved in the March quarterly budget review ($7.9m) and new grants ($4.8m), partially offset by the $3.1m reduction in the program to fund the increase in the ESL.

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Please refer to Table 3 for proposed changes to the capital works program.

Table 3. Proposed changes – Capital Works Program – Increases / (Decreases)

Project		Budget 2023/24 $'mil	Forecast 2024/25 $'mil	Forecast 2025/26 $'mil	Forecast 2026/27 $'mil
Reduction to fund increase in Emergency Services Levy:
CR05082	Library Books - Replacement	(0.100)	(0.100)	(0.100)	(0.100)
CR05011	Footpath renewal works	(0.189)	(0.297)	(0.304)	(0.312)
CR05012	Kerb and gutter renewal works	(0.187)	(0.191)	(0.196)	(0.201)
CR05014	Road resheeting program	(0.802)	(0.822)	(0.843)	(0.864)
CR05000	Sportsfield renewal program	(0.060)	(0.100)	(0.100)	(0.100)
CR05001	Reserves renewal program	(0.065)	(0.150)	-	-
CR05002	Foreshores renewal program	(0.519)	(0.200)	(0.500)	(0.500)
CR05004	Playground renewal program	(0.008)	(0.150)	-	-
CR05007	Planned stormwater renewal works	(0.570)	(0.584)	(0.599)	(0.614)
CR05015	Public amenities works program	(0.307)	(0.315)	(0.323)	(0.331)
CR05045	Beach buildings works program	(0.100)	(0.076)	(0.100)	(0.125)
CR05120	Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park, North Narrabeen renewal works	(0.100)	(0.100)	(0.100)	(0.100)
CR05122	Pittwater Golf Driving Range, Warriewood renewal works	(0.100)	(0.100)	(0.100)	(0.100)
TOTAL reduction to fund increase in Emergency Services Levy		(3.108)	(3.185)	(3.265)	(3.347)

Project		Budget 2023/24 $'mil	Forecast 2024/25 $'mil	Forecast 2025/26 $'mil	Forecast 2026/27 $'mil
Projects re-phased: primarily due to rollovers from 2022/23 as approved by Council May 2023 (and not already incorporated in the 2023/24 budget):
CR05068	IT infrastructure - replacements	0.315	-	-	-
CN01121	Coast walk - art trail	0.267	-	-	-
CN01010	New footpaths	0.944	-	-	-
CN01011	New traffic facilities	0.190	-	-	-
CN01020	Warriewood Valley – traffic and transport infrastructure	0.100	-	-	-
CN01198	Safer schools infrastructure	0.415	-	-	-
CN01221	Queenscliff Headland access ramp	0.280	-	-	-
CR05013	Retaining wall renewal works	0.700	-	-	-
CR05070	Major plant renewal	0.658	-	-	-
CR05075	Bridge renewal works	0.300	-	-	-
CR05081	Wharves works program	0.900	-	-	-
CN01053	Sports club capital assistance program	0.060	-	-	-
CN01116	Freshwater Beach masterplan implementation	0.077	-	-	-
CN01146	Commercial centre upgrade program	0.442	-	-	-
CN01147	McKillop Park, Freshwater boardwalk	(0.664)	0.700	-	-
CN01197	Manly Dam boardwalk	0.166	-	-	-
CN01199	Frenchs Forest Precinct park upgrades	0.169	-	-	-
CN01203	Griffith Park Playground Upgrade	0.111	-	-	-
CN01206	Dee Why Beach (Michaela Howie) Playground Upgrade	0.208	-	-	-
CN01207	Little Manly Beach Masterplan Implementation	0.115	-	-	-
CN01209	Ivanhoe Park Masterplan Implementation	0.147	-	-	-
CN01211	Fern Creek Bridge and Shared Paths	0.590	-	-	-
CN01214	Lynne Czinner Park, Warriewood new park	(0.567)	0.750	-	-
CR05002	Foreshores renewal program	0.380	-	-	-
CR05003	Recreational trails renewal program	0.190	-	-	-
CR05005	Rockpool renewal program	(0.055)	0.150	-	-
CR05054	Dinghy storage	0.020	-	-	-
CR05134	Commercial centre renewal	0.116	-	-	-
CR05156	Bayview Seawall and Path	0.543	-	-	-
CN01007	Collaroy-Narrabeen coastal protection works	1.322	-	-	-
CN01096	Mona Vale Library - Upgrades and New Works	0.228	-	-	-
CN01109	Terrey Hills Emergency Services Headquarters	0.139	-	-	-
CN01180	Little Manly Point Amenity	0.400	-	-	-
CR05085	Mona Vale Cemetery works program	0.150	-	-	-
CN01031	Connecting Communities - footpaths programs	0.348	-	-	-
CN01032	Connecting Communities - cycleways program	(2.094)	2.500	-	-
CN01068	Warriewood Valley Community Centre	0.258	-	-	-
TOTAL projects rephased		7.868	4.100	-	-

Project		Budget 2023/24 $'mil	Forecast 2024/25 $'mil	Forecast 2025/26 $'mil	Forecast 2026/26 $'mil
New grants:
CN01010	New footpaths	1.720	-	-	-
CN01242	Accessible Parking Infrastructure	0.359	-	-	-
CN01244	Pedestrian and cyclist bridge Pittwater Road, Queenscliff	1.161	2.000	-	-
CN01243	Manly Dam Memorial Shelter and Accessibility Works	0.327	-	-	-
CR05000	Sportsfield renewal program	0.100	-	-	-
CN01142	Manly Life Saving Club	1.100	1.900	3.000	-
TOTAL new grants		4.767	3.900	3.000	-

Capital expenditure summary		2023/24 $'mil	2024/25 $'mil	2025/26 $'mil	2026/27 $'mil
	Draft budget	92.570	66.385	69.308	65.892
	Above changes	9.528	4.815	(0.265)	(3.347)
	Revised budget	102.098*	71.200	69.043	62.546

* Capital expenditure in 2023/24 includes the large-scale project Warriewood Valley Community Centre ($10.6m) along with a number of large grant funded projects, therefore elevating the 2023/24 annual capital expenditure in comparison to outer years.

Overview of the Revised Budget 2023/24

The Council’s revised budget for 2023/24 projects total expenditure of $507 million, including a capital works program of $102 million. The $102 million capital works program includes investing $44 million in asset renewal to improve the overall condition of our assets, thereby reducing ongoing operational costs associated with asset repair and maintenance. A further $58 million is for delivering high priority new assets to the community including footpaths, cycleways, playgrounds, sportsfield improvements and upgrades to facilities.

The budget forecasts an Operating Surplus before Capital Grants and Contributions of $0.4 million along with a further $4 million in loans repaid. Despite high inflation and a $3.1 million increase in the ESL, the 2023/24 budget is balanced and financial ratios met. However, there may be challenges in maintaining this position in future years. The impact of inflation on costs will need to be closely monitored throughout the financial year. If the impacts threaten Council’s ability to deliver services, we will report back to Council to identify strategies to mitigate any issues.

The Delivery Program is focused on rebuilding working capital funds following the impact of significant events in recent years including storms and the COVID-19 pandemic. Strengthening of working capital provides greater capacity to Council to respond to unexpected events and future opportunities into the future.

Financial position and performance

The 2023/24 forecast operating surplus of $0.4 million (excluding capital grants and contributions) provides an Operating Performance Ratio of 0.02%. This is above the industry benchmark of 0%, but has been weakened by the $3.1 million increase in the ESL and a $6.6 million investment in the implementation of new software. The software project is funded and would have previously been considered a capital expenditure project. However, under changes in accounting practices, this project is now classified as an operating expense. The Operating Performance Ratio would be 1.65% excluding this project.

Liquidity remains within the industry benchmark (>1.50x) with an Unrestricted Current Ratio 2.2x, meaning for every $1.00 in current liabilities there is $2.20 in current assets. Rebuilding working capital following the significant events of recent years provides a strengthening of this ratio over the four years of the Delivery Program, growing to 2.4x by 2026/27.

While the Building and Infrastructure Renewals Ratio meets the benchmark in 2023/24, in future years depreciation outpaces the investment in the renewal of assets.

Net cashflow will be a negative $42 million in 2023/24, primarily due to the large capital investment in 2023/24, funded through Kimbriki’s working capital, grants and development contributions received in the past. Net cashflow will return to a positive position from 2026/27.

Financial performance and position snapshot

	Result	Forecast	Budget	Projected	Projected	Projected
	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26	2026/27
	$ 'mil	$ 'mil	$ 'mil	$ 'mil	$ 'mil	$ 'mil
Operating budget
Income	408	421	437	426	431	439
Operating expenses	(346)	(379)	(405)	(413)	(421)	(426)
Operating result	62	42	33	13	10	13
Less grants and contributions for capital projects	(44)	(33)	(32)	(18)	(11)	(11)
Operating result - excl capital income	18	9	0.4	(5)	(1)	3

Capital expenditure
New works	(44)	(45)	(58)	(31)	(20)	(9)
Renewal works	(33)	(46)	(44)	(40)	(49)	(53)
Total capital expenditure	(77)	(91)	(102)	(71)	(69)	(63)

Loan repayments	(5)	(5)	(3)	(2)	(2)	(1)

Cash and investments
Externally restricted	41	48	34	31	29	35
Internally restricted	80	84	63	62	64	68
Unrestricted	37	27	21	20	18	20
Total cash and investments	158	160	118	113	111	123

Cashflows
Net cash from operating activities	90	96	72	73	74	78
Net cash from investing activities*	(73)	(89)	(109)	(75)	(72)	(65)
Net cash from financing activities	(6)	(6)	(5)	(3)	(3)	(2)
Net increase / (decrease) in cash	11	2	(42)	(5)	(2)	12
* Exclude purchase and sale of investments

Financial position
Assets	5,245	5,602	5,723	5,823	5,926	6,035
Liabilities	(199)	(177)	(156)	(154)	(154)	(156)
Net Assets	5,047	5,425	5,568	5,669	5,771	5,879

Sensitivity Scenario Analysis

The following table demonstrates the impact that an unexpected significant event could have on the financial performance and position of Council, if no adjustment was made to fund the event. Given the low operating surplus forecast in 2023/24, a shock such as a $5 million storm event, inflation on contracts at 10%, a $10 million unfavourable income shock or a higher Award increase would all result in an operating deficit. Key performance and liquidity ratios would be weaker, with the Operating Performance Ratio falling below the industry benchmark.

The Long-Term Financial Plan (Attachment 5) also includes a Sensitivity Analysis to further test the impact of inherent economic risks.

INTERNAL LOAN FROM INTERNALLY RESTRICTED RESERVE

In 2002 the former Pittwater Council established a cash reserve for Mona Vale Cemetery to fund long-term maintenance of the cemetery, especially once new burial sites have been exhausted. Surplus funds from the operation of the cemetery are reserved and interest is earned on the balance each year. The balance of the reserve on 30 June 2022 was $7.2 million.

As part of the 2023/24 budget, an internal loan of $4.6 million from the Mona Vale Cemetery Reserve is recommended to part fund the replacement of Council’s core software system. As a more cost-effective solution than an external loan, this saves ratepayers money while still returning the same level of funding back to the cemetery reserve well before it is required. The anticipated drawdown is $2.2 million in 2023/24 and $2.4 million in 2024/25. The loan will be repaid to the Reserve over six years with the equivalent interest the funds would have earned over the same period.

The following graph summarises Mona Vale Cemetery’s projected income (green bar) and expenditure (red bar) over the next 20 years. The blue bar indicates the drawdown and return of the loan with interest. The yellow line is the balance of the cash held in the reserve at 30 June in each financial year. This indicates the reserve balance remains over $3 million during the loan period and returns to same position once the loan is repaid. The dashed purple line shows what the balance of the cash reserve would have been at 30 June without the loan.

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REFINANCING OF EXISTING LOANS

No new borrowings are proposed in the 2023/24 financial year, however refinancing of 2 existing loans which have an initial 10-year term is proposed to be undertaken over the next 2 years. The residual at maturity of the initial term for the two existing loans was based on repayments over a term of 20 years. The refinancing of these loans is consistent with the loan documentation and planning undertaken at their initiation by the former Manly Council.

Loan number

Opening principal

Refinance amount

Current term

Purpose of loan

Westpac 47

$5,000,000

$2,500,000

Commenced July 2014

To expire June 2024

To assist with the construction of the Manly Oval Detention Tank (2014/15 financial year)

CBA

$4,000,000

$2,400,000

Commenced June 2015

To expire June 2025

Public domain capital improvements

(2015/16 financial year)

Once the refinancing of the two (2) existing loans has been approved by Council and prior to the end of their initial terms, an ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI) process will be conducted whereby authorised financial institutions licensed by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) to carry on banking business (Authorised Deposit Taking Institutions or NSW Treasury Corporation) will be invited to submit written quotations on the refinancing requirements. As prescribed in the Local Government Borrowing Order “A Council shall not borrow from any source outside the Commonwealth of Australia nor in any currency other than Australian Currency”. A minimum of three (3) institutions will be invited to provide submissions.

Appropriate and acceptable documentation must be provided to Council by any prospective lender during the EOI process.

Written quotations will be required to include the:

1. Interest rate.

2. Term of the loan.

3. Proposed repayment intervals (quarterly or semi-annual).

4. The amount of the repayment instalments.

5. The calculation process for any loan break costs.

6. Any applicable fees.

NSW TCorp has responsibility for collating and reporting to NSW Treasury the aggregate borrowings of councils in its annual proposed borrowing return. Council is required to complete and return a Proposed Borrowing Return to TCorp annually regardless of whether it has any new borrowings. The Return must include total estimates of borrowings for the next three years. A council’s proposed borrowing amount must be contained in its Operational Plan. Council’s Chief Executive Officer is also required to advise the Secretary, Local Government, of amounts borrowed within 7 days after a council borrows money under a loan contract are taken out in accordance with clause 230 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.

The intent of the recommendation is to support the Council’s statutory requirements and minimise the cost of borrowings.

Revenue Policy

IPART rate peg increase

The total income that can be raised from levying rates on property is capped by the NSW Government, based on a ‘rate peg’ determination by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). IPART has determined that income from rates in may increase by a maximum of 3.7% in 2023/24.

The 2023/24 Budget is based on the IPART approved rate increase of 3.7%, which raises approximately $6.7 million in additional income in the 2023/24 financial year. This supports Council in funding increases in costs due to inflation.

The average residential rate is proposed to increase by $58 for the year under the 3.7% rate peg as illustrated in the following table:

Average residential rates

	Rates with 3.7% rate peg
Average residential rate	Additional Rates	Total Rates
Per annum	$58	$1,619
Per quarterly instalment	$14	$405

Rating Structure 2023/24

The rating structure will be based entirely upon property valuations (ad valorem) but with minimum rates applying where appropriate. Rates for 2023/24 will be assessed on land values as at 1 July 2022 and are forecast to raise $188.2 million before rebates and adjustments.

It is recommended that Council adopts the maximum rate increase of 3.7% approved by IPART and in accordance with Sections 494 and 495 of the Local Government Act 1993, makes the following Ordinary and Special Rates for 2023/24:

Table 4: Ordinary and Special Rates 2023/24

Rate	Ad valorem rate*	Minimum Rate $	Income $’000
Residential	0.099107	1,048.41	155,555
Business	0.336316	1,365.07	25,572
Business - Manly CBD	0.536219	1,365.07	4,141
Business - Warriewood Square	0.548792	-	132
Business - Warringah Mall	1.032715	-	929
Business - Strata Storage Units	0.336316	652.44	378
Farmland	0.038299	1,009.37	16
Special - Manly Business Centre Improvement	0.184323	-	1,370
Special - Balgowlah Business Centre Improvement	0.100292	-	92
Total rates income - $’000			188,185

* Ad valorem rate – cents in the dollar, charged for every $1 of land value

Further details on the special rates as well as properties covered by business sub-categories and special rates are shown in Attachment 3 (Delivery Program) to this report.

Domestic Waste Management Charges

Domestic Waste Management Charges for 2023/24 reflect the forecast cost of the Northern Beaches Council service. The standard domestic waste charge is proposed to be $555 in 2023/24, a $50 increase on the 2022/23 charge. The increase is attributed to inflation on disposal and collection contracts, increased waste disposal costs due to a higher EPA Waste Levy and investment in waste service improvements.

In accordance with Section 496 of the Local Government Act 1993, it is recommended Council makes and levies the following Domestic Waste Management Charges for 2023/24:

Table 5: Domestic Waste Management Services 2023/24

Description	Number	Charge	Income $’000
Domestic waste management service (includes 80L red, 140L blue, 140L yellow and 2x240L green lid services and 2 booked clean ups per year)	98,046	$555.00	54,416
Availability charge	1,320	$113.00	149
Additional 80L red lid rubbish service	11,587	$309.00	3,580
First additional 140L blue lid recycling service	3,450	$34.00	117
Subsequent additional 140L blue lid recycling service	151	$116.00	18
First additional 140L yellow lid recycling service	3,450	$34.00	117
Subsequent additional 140L yellow lid recycling service	152	$116.00	18
Third or fourth green vegetation lid service	3,451	$34.00	117
Wheelie bin extension handle / tow hitch	-	$40.00	-
Clean up excessive or incorrectly presented waste	-	$211.70 per hour + cost recovery on landfill disposal charges	-
Clean up contaminated or excessive booked bulky goods collection in excess of the permitted 3 cubic metres	-	$81.40 per excess cubic metre	-
Empty contaminated bin	-	$33.50 per bin	-
Total domestic waste charge income $’000			58,532
Cost of domestic waste service $’000			(57,436)
Allocation to reserve $’000			1,096

Stormwater Management Services Charges

The Stormwater Management Services Charge is levied to all eligible residential and business ratepayers to fund a program of stormwater improvement projects and is forecast to raise $2.2 million in 2023/24. No changes to the charge are proposed.

In accordance with Section 496A of the Local Government Act 1993, it is recommended that Council makes and levies the following Stormwater Management Services Charges for 2023/24:

Table 6: Stormwater Management Services Charges 2023/24

Stormwater Management Service	Charge
Residential – single dwelling	$25.00
Residential - strata lots	$12.50
Business	$25.00 per 350 square metres (or part thereof) for land categorised as business (excluding strata lots)
Business strata lots, business company title	$5.00 or the relevant portion of the maximum annual charge that would apply to the strata scheme if it were a parcel of land subject to the land categorised as business

Interest Charges on Overdue Rates and Charges

The Minister for Local Government has determined the maximum rate of interest payable on overdue rates and charges is 9% per annum for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 (inclusive).

The methodology used to calculate the interest rate is consistent with the Supreme Court methodology utilised to provide a nationally harmonised provision for the awarding of post-judgement interest (the Reserve Bank cash rate plus 6%), rounded to the nearest half per cent of the maximum interest rate for the previous year. The cash rate used for the purposes of the maximum interest rate for local government is based on the cash rate as at 6 December 2022.

In accordance with Section 566(3) of the Local Government Act, it is recommended that Council adopts the maximum interest rate allowed and this be applied to all Northern Beaches properties.

Section 611 Charges

That an annual charge under Section 611 of the Local Government Act 1993 be made and levied for the year commencing 1 July 2023 on the person for the time being in possession, occupation or enjoyment of a rail, pipe, wire, pole, cable, tunnel or structure laid, erected, suspended, constructed or placed on, under or over a public place.

Works on Private Land

Council may carry out work on private land, either on request or agreement with the owner of the land, or under relevant legislation. The amount or rate to be charged will be the appropriate commercial rate – the actual cost of the works and standard on costs to provide full cost recovery plus a return to Council.

Overview of the Revised Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033

The Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) has been revised to reflect the changes to the budget. The LTFP provides two scenario models.

Scenario 1 ‘Delivery Program Model’

This scenario maintains a balanced position and responsible cash management. However, the ongoing renewal of infrastructure assets falls below depreciation levels from 2024/25 due to the $3.1 million reduction in the program to offset the increase in the Emergency Services Levy. The existing unfunded items within the Asset Management Plan will also not be funded and the lag between the rate peg and inflation levels is not addressed. The Building and Infrastructure Asset Renewals Ratio benchmark is not met from 2024/25.

The Operating Performance Ratio benchmark is also not met in 3 of the 10 financial years due to operating deficits:

· 2024/25 deficit of $5.1 million - primarily due to the election ($1.9m) and implementation of new software ($9m) in that year. These projects are funded, but the deficit will result in Council not meeting the Operating Performance Ratio benchmark in that year.

· 2025/26 deficit of $1.1 million – this is the final year of the new software project ($3.8m)

· 2032/33 deficit of $0.2 million – due to the election ($2.1m)

All other performance measures remain within the industry benchmark, however the results are weaker especially regarding asset management and operating performance.

Scenario 2 ‘Alternative Model’

Scenario 2, the Alternative Model, explores the revenue implications of addressing the current gap between preferred and actual asset renewal and maintenance outlined in Council's Asset Management Plan. It is illustrative only of the impact on rates income if Council was to increase its asset maintenance and asset renewal service levels without reducing service levels elsewhere. Should the need arise, Council would engage the community to further develop this option.

In this scenario rates income increases are also based on the rate peg in each year with the exception of an additional increase of 7.7% in 2024/25 (year 2). This results in $14 million more income in that year (which is retained in future years). The increase has changed from the 6% proposed in the draft LTFP in April 2023. This recovers the additional $3.1 million lost from the program due to the increase in the ESL and returns this to the asset renewal program.

The additional income would result in an increase in investment in infrastructure assets due to the $140 million increase in income over the remaining 9 years of the plan. This produces a stronger operating result and asset management ratios, with all performance measures met in each year along with operating surpluses.

The following table compares key performance measures for the 2 scenarios.

Performance measures – Long Term Financial Plan Scenarios Comparison

Adoption of Revised Documents

Revisions have been made to the Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) documents placed on exhibition in accordance with the changes at Attachment 2. It is recommended that Council adopt the revised:

· Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 at Attachment 3

· Fees and Charges 2023/24 at Attachment 4

· Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033 at Attachment 5

TIMING

In accordance with the Local Government Act 1993 Council needs to adopt the Operational Plan 2023/24 and Fees and Charges 2023/24 by 30 June 2023. The Delivery Program 2023-2027 has been updated as a rolling 4-year plan, along with the update to the Long-Term Financial Plan as a rolling 10-year plan.

See sections 404(2), 405, 610F(2), 610B(1) and 406(1).

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Good Governance - Goal 19: Our Council is transparent and trusted to make decisions that reflect the values of the community.

· Good Governance - Goal 20: Our Council is proactive, and efficiently and effectively responds to, and delivers on, the evolving needs of the community.

· Participation and Partnership - Goal 21: Our community is actively engaged in decision making processes.

· Participation and Partnership - Goal 22: Our Council builds and maintains strong partnerships and advocates effectively on behalf of the community.

The projects and programs in the Delivery Program 2023-2027 and Operational Plan 2023/24 proposed over the next 12 months will contribute to the advancement of all outcomes and goals in the Community Strategic Plan 2040.

financial considerations

2023/24 Budget and Delivery Program

The budget for 2023/24 projects total expenditure of $507 million, including a capital works program of $102 million.

The budget includes $44 million in asset renewal expenditure to improve the overall condition of our assets and a further $58 million in delivering high priority new assets to the community. The budget projects an Operating Surplus before Capital Grants and Contributions of $0.4 million, a further $4 million in loans repaid along with a balanced budget position.

The budget is based on the IPART approved 3.7% increase in general (rates) income.

Uncertainty about the inflation outlook and the $3.1 million increase in the Emergency Services Levy have challenged the preparation of this budget. The impact of inflation on costs is being closely monitored. If the impacts threaten Council’s ability to deliver services, we will report back to Council to identify strategies to mitigate any issues. The unexpected increase in the Emergency Services Levy has been offset by a reduction in the capital expenditure program.

Restoration of working capital funds is a priority over the four years of the Delivery Program along with continuing to repay loans taken out by the former Councils. Strengthening of working capital will ensure Council maintains sufficient funding for unexpected events and future opportunities.

Council is anticipated to achieve the Office of Local Government’s financial and asset performance benchmarks in 2023/24, however in the following three years of Delivery Program the operating performance and asset renewal ratios are weaker due to the ongoing impact of the $3.1 million increase in the Emergency Services Levy. The 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years are also impacted by expenditure on the replacement of Council’s core software system and an election.

Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033

The Long-Term Financial Plan provides two 10-year financial models.

Scenario 1, the Delivery Program Model, is the primary model and is the basis upon which the Delivery Program and budget is prepared. It assumes that rates income will increase by the rate peg each year. In this scenario results are weaker especially regarding asset renewal and maintenance and operating performance. This position has been further weakened since the draft LTFP was prepared in April 2023 due to the $3.1 million increase in the ESL.

Scenario 2, the Alternative Model, explores the revenue implications of addressing the current gap between preferred and actual asset renewal and maintenance outlined in Council's Asset Management Plan, including the $3.1m reduction in the program due to the increase in the ESL. In this scenario a rates increase of 7.7% (in addition to the rate peg) is applied to the 2024/25 financial year (year 2). This results in an increase in investment in infrastructure assets due to the $140 million increase in income over the remaining 9 years of the plan ($14 million in the 2024/25 year). Financial and asset performance ratios are also met in all 10 years.

Scenario 2 is illustrative only and would involve further engagement with the community to develop this scenario should Council wish to explore this option further.

social considerations

The Deliver Program and Operational Plan includes initiatives aimed at continuing to build resilience within a connected, safe and diverse community.

environmental considerations

Protecting the environment and ensuring that we can live sustainably on the Northern Beaches are key community aspirations captured in the outcomes and goals of the Community Strategic Plan. The Delivery Program, Operational Plan and Budget feature programs and activities that protect the environment and support the community to live sustainably.

governance and risk considerations

The review and updating of the Delivery Program, Operational Plan and Long-Term Financial Plan are integral to good governance at Council. These documents have been prepared in accordance with Sections 403-405, 406, 610B, 610F and of the Local Government Act 1993 and the Office of Local Government’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidelines for local government in NSW (2021) and Integrated Planning and Reporting Handbook for Local Government in NSW (2021).

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 9.4 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 9.4	Response to Notice of Motion No 5/2023 - Australia Day Citizenship Ceremonies - Newport Beach
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Community Engagement & Communications
TRIM file REF	2023/332324
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨Minister for Immigration - Media Release (Included In Attachments Booklet)

SUMMARY

purpose

To respond to a resolution in respect of a Notice of Motion dealt with at Council’s May 2023 meeting that requires the preparation of a proposal for trialling a citizenship ceremony in Newport on Australia Day in 2024

executive summary

Newport Beach, like Dee Why Beach and Manly Corso hosted small outdoor citizenship ceremonies as part the Australia Day events prior to 2016. Event evaluation reports indicate there were significant logistical issues, including wet/ hot weather contingencies, parking shortages, high staffing ratios and inflated costs due to the need for infrastructure like marquees and the impact of the public holiday.

Council currently hosts twelve large ceremonies each year at Glen Street Theatre with an average of 136 conferees becoming citizens every month (aim is to have 150 conferees per month this varies with availability and illness). In addition, there are an estimated 120 family and friends in attendance with the average total monthly attendance at each ceremony being approximately 250 people.

The ceremonies aim to host the maximum number of conferees as the average wait time to attend a ceremony is currently six months. There are over 800 people on the waitlist at any given time. A reduction in the number or size of ceremonies held annually would lead to an increase in the average wait time for conferees to become citizens. It is therefore important that Council continue to host the maximum number of conferees at every ceremony.

The proposal to host a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day 2024 at Newport Beach provides the following options for consideration:

1. Australia Day Newport ceremony only. Plan to host all 270 conferees and attendees. This involves major changes to the community event site layout with a large marquee, infrastructure, sound, and additional staffing. Estimated to cost $27,300.

2. Australia Day Newport and Glen Street Theatre ceremonies. Plan to host either only Pittwater Ward conferees (approximately 13) or a small number of conferees from across the beaches at Newport, with all other conferees from across the beaches to attend Glen Street Theatre (as per advice from Department of Affairs). This involves significant changes to the community event site layout with a substantial marquee, infrastructure, sound, and additional staffing for both venues. Estimated to cost $17,100.

3. Newport ceremony only (3 days before/ after Australia Day). Plan to host all 270 conferees and attendees at Newport on a day three days prior or three days after Australia Day 2024 (not a public holiday). Estimated to cost: $23,250.

4. Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (not a public holiday). Plan to host all 270 conferees and attendees from across Northern Beaches. Estimated to cost: $3,000.

5. Australia Day ceremony at Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (current format). Currently the budget allocation proposed for the Australia Day citizenship ceremony at Glen Street theatre in 2024 is $6,150.

RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING Director Corporate and Legal

That Council note the report.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

This report is in response to Council’s resolution in respect of Notice of Motion No 12/2023 at the Council meeting held on 23 May 2023 at which it was resolved (140/23) that:

1. Council officers prepare a proposal for trialing a citizenship ceremony in Newport on Australia Day in 2024.

2. The proposal be brought to Council's June 2023 meeting for further consideration.

Context

Council is proud to host twelve ceremonies each year at Glen Street Theatre with an average of 136 conferees becoming citizens every month. Each conferee can bring a guest or more if requested so each ceremony hosts approximately 120 family and friends. The average total monthly attendance is approximately 250 people at each ceremony.

Glen Street Theatre is the current venue and has a seating capacity of four hundred. It provides amenities for refreshments, facilities, air conditioning and seating in the foyer for the conferees to wait in as there is a detailed registration process they must go through prior to the event. All conferees are asked to attend one hour prior to the ceremony to allow the registration process to take place.

The ceremonies aim to host the maximum number of conferees as the average wait time to attend a ceremony is currently six months, with over 800 people on our waitlist at any given time. On average 180 new conferees are added to the waitlist each month. A conferee must attend a ceremony within 12 months of approval by the Department of Home Affairs. A reduction in the number of ceremonies held annually, or a number of conferees involved, would lead to an increase in the average wait time.

A Citizenship ceremony is the final legal step in the acquisition of Australian Citizenship. At the ceremony, conferees (person who has made an application for Australian citizenship which has been approved and whose details have been provided by the Department of Home Affairs to an organiser for attendance at a ceremony) make the pledge of commitment that they share Australia’s democratic beliefs and respect the rights and liberties of the people of Australia.

Citizenship ceremonies run according to the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code (Attachment 1) that sets out the requirements for conducting citizenship ceremonies in line with the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.

Prior to amalgamation, the former Pittwater and Warringah councils hosted outdoor citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day on occasions at Bert Payne Park, Newport Beach, and Ted Jackson Reserve, Dee Why and in the Corso at Manly.

Newport ceremonies hosted an average of forty conferees and twenty-five were invited to the Dee Why ceremony. The reduced number at Dee Why was due to the complex planning of transporting conferees and their family from the reserved parking at Dee Why library to the event site, restricted space due to crowds and the processing times on site.

Event evaluation reports indicate there were significant logistical issues, including wet/hot weather contingencies, parking shortages, high staffing ratios required and inflated costs due to the public holiday. Feedback from conferees to staff indicated it was not the experience they had hoped, citing long waits in the heat, and overcrowding in the Newport Surf Club in wet weather.

Newport Beach Australia Day

The Northern Beaches Zonta Club currently hosts an annual Australia Day Breakfast at Bert Payne Park at Newport on January 26 with financial support from Council’s event grants program. Previously it was organised and funded by Council in conjunction with local community groups. The event attracts approximately 2,000 attendees. The event includes BBQ, drinks, face painting, family activities, emergency services vehicle display and carnival rides.

Issues for consideration

1. Number of conferees from Pittwater Ward

The analysis of the number of conferees at each monthly ceremony by Ward shows that over the past year an average of 9% (13) of these citizens who attended Council’s ceremonies resided in the Pittwater Ward. The annual breakdown of conferees at each monthly ceremony by Ward is as follows:

Curl Curl Ward	37%
Manly Ward	29%
Narrabeen Ward	15%
Frenchs Forest Ward	13%
Pittwater Ward	9%

The risk with separating conferees by Ward is it will reinforce notions of separatism and is not consistent with the one Northern Beaches approach that Council has been championing since 2016.

2. Wet weather contingency

Due to the unpredictability of the weather and the risk of rain, storm, and impact of summer heat on people attending, additional infrastructure including marquees, seating, staging, sound and parking will be required. Citizenship certificates are only issued once by the Department of Home Affairs and there are multiple documents with sensitivity that need to be protected on the day.

The experience of ceremonies at Newport has shown that the nearby facilities such as the Newport Surf Club or Community Centre do not have adequate capacity to host the ceremonies. Thus, a large marquee and infrastructure will need to be temporarily installed, that will impact the provision of other family activities at the community event site and come at a cost to Council.

3. Parking

Parking at Newport Beach on Australia Day is usually at capacity in fine weather. This could impact on conferees and family and friends wishing to attend. Resources, staffing and signage would need to be deployed the day prior to reserve parking for ceremony attendees.

4. Event site layout

Currently the community BBQ event footprint uses all available space at Bert Payne Park and activities would need to be reduced/ moved to accommodate a ceremony, this may impact the provision of family activities, stalls and carnival rides. As the ceremony will only run for approximately one hour, this will also leave a large empty space after the ceremony.

There is an option that if the ceremony was held prior to or after Australia Day, then the community event may be able to utilise the large marquee on Australia Day however it would still be an additional cost to Council.

5. Advice from Department of Home Affairs

The Department has advised that pending approval by the National Office, Council can hold a ceremony for Pittwater Ward conferees provided another ceremony is held on the same day for conferees not residing in the Pittwater Ward. This is to ensure the waitlist is not compromised and conferees are still invited to a ceremony by date of approval.

Email advice received from the Department of Home Affairs (June 2023) states:

“However, in order to ensure fairness and that conferees are not being disadvantaged or placed ahead of others, Northern Beaches Council would be required to conduct more than one ceremony on a set day to ensure all conferees in the list provided, are given the opportunity to attend a ceremony on the same day. We are unable to hold back conferees to attend a specific ceremony as this would delay conferees acquiring citizenship and would disadvantage them based on where they are residing.”

6. Nomination of presiding officers

It is a requirement under the Australian Citizenship Act (2007) that a citizenship ceremony is attended by an authorised presiding officer. The availability of an authorised presiding officer must be considered when planning citizenship ceremonies, particularly if two ceremonies are held on one day.

The role of the presiding officer is usually filled by the Mayor, however, if required it may be filled by one of the following: Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, a person who is Governor of a State, a Member of the House of Representatives, a Member of the Senate, Deputy Mayor, Chief Executive Officer (GM) of Northern Beaches Council. They are required to be an Australian citizen.

Changes to the timing of ceremonies on / around Australia Day

According to Federal Government advice, there is a strong expectation that councils conduct citizenship ceremonies 26 January (Australia Day).

However, changes announced in a statement from The Hon Andrew Giles MP Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs published on 16 December 2022 (Attachment 2), contemplate councils can host Australian citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, or on the three days before and after. That is, from 23 to 29 January.

This change came about due to several councils indicating they will move to no longer hold a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day due to the high operational costs of hosting ceremonies on a public holiday, and the desire to hold ceremonies as part of a broader events program of Australia Day activities.

Thus, Council can consider holding the Australia Day ceremony on the three days before or after Australia Day, from 23 to 29 January.

Proposal – Citizenship ceremony at Newport Beach

There are several options to consider, most of which will require additional funding or a reallocation of funding under the Events operational budget 2023/24, this includes:

Option one: Australia Day Newport ceremony only.

· Newport to host all Northern Beaches conferees only (approximately 150 plus family and friends. Total: 270).

· Major changes to site layout.

· Large additional marquee, infrastructure, sound and parking.

· Additional staffing.

· Estimated cost: $27,300.

Option two: Australia Day Newport and Glen Street Theatre ceremonies.

· Newport to host Pittwater Ward conferees only invite 13 conferees (average) plus family and friends). Total: 25

· Plus, Glen Street Theatre ceremony (invite 137 conferees and approximately 108 family and friends). Total: 245.

· Significant changes to site layout.

· Additional marquee, infrastructure, sound and parking.

· Additional staffing.

· Estimated cost: $17,100.

Option three: Newport ceremony only (3 days before or after Australia Day).

· Newport to host all Northern Beaches conferees (approximately 150 plus family and friends. Total: 270 on a day three days prior or three days after Australia Day 2024 on a weekday (not a public holiday).

· Changes to site layout.

· Large additional marquee, sound, infrastructure and parking.

· Additional staffing.

· Estimated cost: $23,250.

Option four: Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (3 days before/ after Australia Day).

· Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (invite 150 conferees and approximately 120 family and friends). Total: 270.

· Held on a day three days prior or three days after Australia Day 2024 on a weekday (not a public holiday).

· Estimated cost: $3,000.

Option five: Australia Day Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (current format).

· Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (invite 150 conferees and approximately 120 family and friends). Total: 270.

· Estimated cost (within proposed budget): $6,150.

CONSULTATION

Council staff involved in the delivery of ceremonies in the former Manly, Warringah and Pittwater councils have been consulted regarding the evaluation of the previous outdoor events.

Suppliers have been contacted to provide costs and availability for an outdoor ceremony on Australia Day 2024.

Discussions have taken place with Council’s Open Spaces team to ascertain the availability of Bert Payne Park, Newport. It is expected to be booked by The Zonta Club for their Australia Day BBQ.

TIMING

There is adequate time available should a decision be made at the June meeting to deliver any of the options detailed in January 2024.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Community and belonging - Goal 9 Our community is inclusive and connected

This further relates to the Northern Beaches Events Strategy 2018 – 2023 Strategic Direction for Events:

1. Promote a shared identity across the Northern Beaches.

2. Connect people with each other and to places.

3. Activate and make our diverse places vibrant, safe, inclusive and accessible.

4. Demonstrate best practice in risk management and public safety standards.

5. Showcase what makes the Northern Beaches a great place to live and play.

financial considerations

An annual budget of $38,200 has been proposed in the 2023/24 operational budget under the Event Delivery Program for the delivery of twelve ceremonies, including one on Australia Day.

A proposed outdoor ceremony will require higher levels of production and planning, including a risk assessment, staffing, traffic management and onsite registration. Additional costs that have been calculated include:

· Staging and AV.

· Marquee.

· Infrastructure, including seating and tables.

· Resident notification letter distribution.

· First Aid.

· Security (asset protection).

The estimated cost allocation per option is as follows:

Options	Location & format	Capacity for conferees plus guests	Cost
1.	Australia Day Newport ceremony only	150 conferees 120 guests	$27,300
2.	Australia Day Newport and Glen Street Theatre ceremonies	150 conferees 120 guests (split over two sites)	$17,100
3.	Newport ceremony only (3 days before/ after Australia Day)	150 conferees 120 guests	$23,250
4.	Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (3 days before/ after Australia Day)	150 conferees 120 guests	$3,000 (within current budget)
5.	Australia Day Glen Street Theatre ceremony only (current format)	150 conferees 120 guests	$6,150 (within current budget)

social considerations

The notion of Australia Day celebrations has become an issue many communities are debating.

Historically, the traditional Australia Day BBQs at Newport have attracted strong local crowds and community groups like Zonta, the Rural Fire Brigade and others continue to deliver the event with the support of Council.

An outdoor ceremony at Bert Payne will impact on the event site layout and have an impact on residents via increased local traffic and noise. Council would notify residents of the event and impending impacts to the local area, including set up the day before the event.

environmental considerations

Consideration of noise restrictions on residential areas will need to be factored in if planning an outdoor ceremony. Any necessary approvals for an outdoor ceremony will need to be obtained.

The events will also comply with Council’s Policy on Waste Minimisation for Functions and Events.

governance and risk considerations

Risks

Health and safety

A detailed risk assessment for an outdoor citizenship ceremony would be completed ahead of the event with special consideration and control measures developed to minimise the risks of adverse weather and risk to the health of attendees with the potential for heat stroke and the like.

Event site layout

The Zonta Club of Northern Beaches receive a Grant, through Council’s Event Grants & Sponsorship Program to support the delivery of their Australia Day Breakfast at Newport Beach. Hosting a citizenship ceremony at the same location and time will impact the proposed community activities.

Reduced number of conferees at a ceremony

There is a risk if Council reduces the number of conferees invited to a ceremony, this will impact the waiting list time and increase the number of people waiting to be invited to a ceremony. Currently Council has an average of 180 new conferees being added to the waitlist each month. A conferee must attend a ceremony within 12 months of approval by the Department. When a Council waitlist is at risk, the Department will host additional ceremonies in their Sydney City or Parramatta offices.

There are no known governance issues at this time.

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 9.5 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 9.5	Monthly Investment Report - May 2023
REPORTING MANAGER	Chief Financial Officer
TRIM file REF	2023/271723
ATTACHMENTS	Nil

SUMMARY

purpose

To provide a report setting out details of all money that Council has invested under section 625 of the Local Government Act 1993.

executive summary

In accordance with section 212 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, a report setting out the details of money invested must be presented to Council on a monthly basis.

The report must also include certification as to whether or not the investments have been made in accordance with the Act, the Regulations and Council’s Investment Policy.

The Investment Report shows that Council has total cash and investments of $188,995,234 comprising:

· Trading Accounts	$1,178,149
· Investments	$187,817,085

The portfolio achieved a return of 0.376% for the month of May which was 0.086% above the benchmark AusBond Bank Bill Index return of 0.29%. For the past 12 months the portfolio achieved a return of 3.239% which was 0.599% above the benchmark AusBond Bank Bill Index return of 2.64%.

The weighted average interest rate of the portfolio is 4.42% compared to 4.27% for the prior month. For the past 12 months the weighted average interest rate of the portfolio was 3.38% compared to the average Ausbond Bank Bill movement of 0.22% and the average Reserve Bank of Australia Cash Rate of 2.70%.

Certification – Responsible Accounting Officer

I hereby certify that the investments listed in the attached reports have been made in accordance with section 625 of the Local Government Act 1993, section 212 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 and existing Investment Policies.

RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING Director Corporate and Legal

That Council note the Investment Report as at 31 May 2023, including the certification by the Responsible Accounting Officer.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

In accordance with section 212 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, a report setting out the details of money invested must be presented to Council on a monthly basis.

The report must also include certification as to whether or not the investments have been made in accordance with the Act, the Regulations and Council’s Investment Policy.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Good governance - Goal 19 Our Council is transparent and trusted to make decisions that reflect the values of the community

financial considerations

Actual investment income for the period from 1 July 2022 to date was $6,042,782 compared to budgeted income of $556,800, a positive variance of $5,485,982.

social considerations

Council’s investments are managed in accordance with Council’s Investment Policy. Council’s Investment Policy requires consideration of social responsibility when making investment decisions.

environmental considerations

Council’s investments are managed in accordance with Council’s Investment Policy. Council’s Investment Policy requires consideration of environmental responsibility when making investment decisions.

governance and risk considerations

A revised Investment Policy was adopted by Council at its meeting on 26 July 2022. The Policy is reviewed annually by the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee. It was reviewed by the Committee at their meeting in December 2022, and no changes to the Policy were proposed, with the next review by the Committee due by December 2023.

Council’s Investment Strategy was reviewed in November 2022 by Council’s Investment Advisors, Laminar Capital Pty Ltd, who confirmed that the current policy “remains consistent with the Ministerial Investment Order and guidelines issued by the Chief Executive (Local Government), Department of Premier and Cabinet” and that they “do not recommend any changes to the list of approved investments or credit limit frameworks”.

Investment Balances

*Rating is based on a private rating advised by the issuer to Council’s Investment Advisors.

Portfolio Analysis

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Institutional Credit Framework – Compliance with Investment Policy Requirements

Clause 4.2.2 of Council’s Investment Policy requires that the exposure to an individual institution be restricted by their credit rating so that single entity exposure is limited, as detailed in the table below:

S&P Long Term Rating*	S&P Short Term Rating*	Maximum %	Portfolio Complies with Policy?
AAA (incl. government guaranteed deposits)	A-1+	50%	Yes
AA+
AA
AA-
A+	A-1	40%	Yes
A	A-1	40%	Yes
A-	A-2	30%	Yes
BBB+
BBB
BBB-	A-3	10%	Yes
Unrated**TCorp Funds	Unrated**	5%	Yes ($Nil)
Unrated***ADIs	Unrated***	$250,000	Yes ($Nil)

* Or Moody’s / Fitch equivalents

** Unrated Category is restricted to eligible managed funds such as the NSW Treasury Corporation Hour Glass Facilities

*** Unrated ADIs Category is restricted to those ADIs that are under the Australian government guarantee scheme and limited to maximum $250,000 per unrated ADI.

Overall Portfolio Credit Framework – Compliance with Investment Policy Requirements

Clause 4.2.1 of Council’s Investment Policy requires that the total percentage exposure within the market to any particular credit rating category be limited, as detailed in the table below:

S&P Long Term Rating*	S&P Short Term Rating*	Maximum %	Portfolio Complies with Policy?
AAA (incl. government guaranteed deposits)	A-1+	100%	Yes
AA+
AA
AA-
A+	A-1	100%	Yes
A
A-	A-2	80%	Yes
BBB+
BBB
BBB-	A-3	30%	Yes
Unrated**	Unrated**	5%	Yes ($Nil)

* Or Moody’s / Fitch equivalents

** Unrated Category is restricted to eligible managed funds such as the NSW Treasury Corporation Hour Glass Facilities and ADIs covered by the government guarantee scheme.

Term to Maturity Framework – Compliance with Investment Policy Requirements

Clause 4.2.4 of Council’s Investment Policy requires Council’s investment portfolio is to be invested within the following maturity constraints:

Overall Portfolio Term to Maturity Limits			Portfolio Complies with Policy?
Portfolio % <1 year	Min 40%	Max 100%	Yes
Portfolio % >1 year ≤3 year	Min 0%	Max 60%	Yes
Portfolio % >3 year ≤5 year	Min 0%	Max 30%	Yes

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Investment Performance vs Benchmark

a) Portfolio Return vs Benchmark

	Investment Portfolio Return *	Benchmark: AusBond Bank Bill Index
1 month	0.376%	0.29%
3 Months	1.076%	0.89%
FYTD	3.142%	2.58%
12 Months	3.239%	2.64%

* Excludes trading account balances

Council’s Investment Advisors have stated this form of portfolio reporting conforms to global investment performance standards and that these standards say that periods below 12 months should not be annualised.

The above table shows a comparison of Council’s investment portfolio return to the benchmark. Council’s Investment Advisor, Laminar Capital, has created an accumulation index for the portfolio which increases each month by the portfolio internal rate of return to enable meaningful comparison to the benchmark AusBond Bank Bill index, which is an accumulation index.

The Bloomberg AusBond Bank Bill Index is engineered to measure the Australian money market by representing a passively managed short term money market portfolio. This index is comprised of 13 synthetic instruments defined by rates interpolated from the RBA 24-hour cash rate, 1M BBSW, and 3M BBSW.

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b) Portfolio Interest Rate vs Benchmarks

	Weighted Average Portfolio Interest Rate (%pa) *	Average Benchmark: AusBond Bank Bill Index	Average RBA Cash Rate
1 month	4.42%	0.29%	3.85%
3 Months	4.28%	0.29%	3.68%
6 Months	4.07%	0.27%	3.43%
FYTD	3.56%	0.23%	2.87%
12 Months	3.38%	0.22%	2.70%

* Excludes trading account balances

The above table shows the weighted average interest rate of the portfolio as at month end. This is an average of all the interest rates that each term deposit is earning. It is the current earning rate of the portfolio and this information is useful as it shows how the earning rate is changing each month in line with changes in market interest rates. Each time a term deposit matures during the month it is being reinvested at current interest rates. To facilitate meaningful comparison, the weighted average interest rate of the portfolio is compared to the average AusBond Bank Bill Index and average RBA Cash Rate for the same period.

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Monthly Investment Income* vs Budget

	May 2023 $	Year to Date $
Investment Income	682,621	6,022,349
Adjustment for Fair Value	4,687	20,433
Total Investment Income	687,308	6,042,782

Budgeted Income	47,600	556,800

*Includes all cash and investment holdings

Statement of Compliance

Portfolio Performance vs Bank Bill Index over 12-month period.	✔	Council’s investment performance did exceed benchmark.
Monthly Income vs Budget	✔	Council’s income from investments did exceed monthly budget.
Investment Policy Compliance
Legislative Requirements	✔	Fully compliant
Portfolio Credit Rating Limit	✔	Fully compliant
Institutional Exposure Limits	✔	Fully compliant
Term to Maturity Limits	✔	Fully compliant

Restricted cash, cash equivalents and investments

The breakdown of restrictions is not available for the current month within the timeframe for the completion of the Monthly Investment Report. Accordingly, the total cash and investments and restrictions related thereto are presented for the previous month.

At the end of April 2023 total cash & investments were $180,536,376 and were made up of the following reserve allocations.

Allocation of Funds	Amount ($)	Percentage
Externally Restricted	53,597,750	29.69%
Internally Restricted	88,220,370	48.87%
Total Restricted	141,818,120	78.55%
Unrestricted	38,718,256	21.45%
Total	180,536,376	100.00%

ECONOMIC NOTES

(Source: Primarily extracted from information supplied by Laminar Capital Pty Ltd)

In May, economic indicators point to moderating global economic growth and slow, bordering stalling, progress containing high inflation. Central banks remained focused on bringing inflation down with some, including the US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the RBA, hiking official interest rates further in the face of signs of slowing demand. Government bonds that rallied strongly in Q1 on hopes of central banks moving quickly to lower official interest rates later this year, gave up some gains in April and May amid growing concern that central banks may need to lift official interest rates higher and then keep them high for longer.

In the US, most economic reports released in May show signs that the pace of economic growth is slowing, but not yet to the point of recession. At times during the month, the risk of recession rose from an added credit crunch developing in the wake of recent regional bank failures and political turmoil dealing with the approach of the $US 30 trillion government debt ceiling and consequent shutdown of government payments if the ceiling is not raised. Towards month-end, the banking problems appear to be stabilising and President Biden and Republican House Speaker McCarthy reached an in-principal deal on the debt ceiling providing hope that recession risk from the banking and debt-ceiling issues is becoming less pronounced.

In China, economic releases in May show continuing recovery, but led by retail spending this time rather than fixed investment spending and industrial production the drivers of growth in the past. In April, fixed asset investment spending rose 4.7% y-o-y, decelerating from 5.1% in March. Industrial production accelerated to 5.6% y-o-y in April from 3.9% in March, but the strongest lift in activity came in retail sales, up 18.4% y-o-y in April from 10.6% y-o-y in March. After the policy reversals away from restrictions since late last year, China is likely to provide a growth engine for an otherwise slowing global economy in 2023. By the standards of growth recoveries in China over the past two decades, the lift in China’s economic growth rate will be modest – perhaps 4.5% in 2023 as opposed to growth nearer 10% in the first year of earlier recoveries.

In Europe, GDP growth slowed in Q1 2023 to 0.1% q-o-q, 1.3% y-o-y with the biggest economy, Germany, already in the early stages of recession. Anomalies remain between weak goods production and still strong services. Also, the labour market remains very tight with the EU unemployment rate down at a quarter century low point of 6.5% in March. European inflation remains high and sticky with the preliminary May CPI up 7.0% y-o-y. Inflation is especially problematic in the United Kingdom where CPI inflation stands at 8.7% y-o-y. Both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England remain most strident in their warnings about the need to reduce inflation, even in the face of the risk of recession. At their respective May monetary policy meetings, the European Central Bank hiked its deposit rate 25bps to 3.25% while the Bank of England lifted its Base Rate by 25bps to 4.50%. The only concession to a deteriorating economic growth outlook is that both central banks are moving official rates up in steps of 25bps rather than 50bps. Sticky and high European and British inflation mean that both central banks are likely to hike rates at least once more over coming months.

In Australia, when the RBA surprised many by hiking the cash rate by 25bps to 3.85% at its early-May policy meeting it was a line-ball decision. Although inflation was falling down to 7.0% y-o-y in Q1 and on the monthly CPI report down to 6.3% in March it remained too high. Signs of weakening consumer spending provided hope that inflation would continue to fall, but that hope was offset by early signs of revival in housing demand pushing up prices and rebounding wage growth against a backdrop of three years of no productivity growth that could prevent inflation returning to 2-3% target. After the May rate hike decision, the RBA received the Q1 wage price index release showing wages up 0.8% q-o-q, 3.7% y-o-y. Given poor productivity, that was too high for comfort. Also, big wage rise decisions over recent months, particularly in the public sector and championed by government, are likely to push the wage price index well above 4% y-o-y later this year. Looking ahead to the June RBA meeting, the Reserve Bank could justify another 25bps rate hike on the basis of risks of too high wage growth at a time of weak productivity growth.

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 10.1 - 27 June 2023

10.0 Community and Belonging Division Reports

ITEM 10.1	Public Exhibition of the Draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive manager library services
TRIM file REF	2023/219857
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨Stage 1 - Community Engagement Report - Library Strategy (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨Draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028 (Included In Attachments Booklet)

SUMMARY

purpose

To see Council endorsement to publicly exhibit the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028.

executive summary

Council has developed the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028, setting the vision for the future of public library services on the Northern Beaches and providing clear directions for the development and delivery of community-focused services that meet the diverse needs of the people who live and work on the Northern Beaches.

Northern Beaches Council operates one of the largest, well-used and respected public library services in NSW. The library network has six physical branches across the Northern Beaches – Manly, Warringah Mall (Brookvale), Dee Why, Forestville, Glen Street (Belrose) and Mona Vale. It offers outreach services in community locations and an extensive range of collections and services.

The development of the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028 has been informed by research and consultation over a two-year period with the Northern Beaches community, external stakeholders, and Council staff. The consultation engaged library users and non-users, key stakeholders and community partners, allied Council business units and the library team. More than 4,000 individual responses were received and reviewed throughout the engagement period.

Through the detailed comments some key themes emerged.

1. The Northern Beaches community highly value their libraries for the services they provide. They love the collections, the programs, the spaces, the interactions and the experiences they have when they are at the library.

2. Library users are proud of their libraries. They think Northern Beaches Libraries provide an excellent service that connects with them and makes them feel part of a unique community.

3. Innovation is the key to the library’s success. The community admire the fact that the libraries are continually striving to explore new ways of expanding access and delivering community focused services, even in difficult times.

These broad themes have guided the framing of the library’s future strategic directions alongside research into contemporary library service provision.

In response the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028 outlines a targeted focus on four strategic directions.

1. Experience – Explore and Engage

Northern Beaches Libraries plays a vital role in enriching people’s lives through our collections, literacy and lifelong learning programs, welcoming spaces and access to information, technology, leisure opportunities and cultural engagement. There is something for everyone at the library, and our team will strive to ensure that every library user, whatever they are seeking, can find what they are looking for and maybe more.

2. Connection – Belonging and Pride

People who live and work in the Northern Beaches are proud of their home, their community, their casual lifestyle and the unique natural environment. Northern Beaches Libraries are safe, inclusive and connected and contribute to this sense of belonging by being accessible to all, showcasing the area’s unique character and history, and by being a place where people come together to tell and create their own stories.

3. Together – Partnerships and Collaboration

Northern Beaches Libraries understand that meeting the diverse spectrum of the community’s reading, learning and information needs cannot be met by working in isolation. It requires a strategically aligned and coordinated approach to working with different organisations in the Northern Beaches and community members themselves.

4. Leadership – Excellence and Innovation

Northern Beaches Libraries has proven itself to be a leader in exploration of contemporary library service models. We will continue to invest in our people and innovation to ensure that the Northern Beaches community has convenient and efficient access to high quality public library services that are valued by our community and peers.

Council will evaluate the progress of key priority actions through detailed reporting and monitoring of key performance indicators alongside Council’s standard monthly and annual reporting processes.

The Australian Public Library Alliance – Australian Library & Information Association (APLA-ALIA) Standards and Guidelines and Outcomes for Australian Public Libraries form the basis of library performance standards and aspirations for performance. These standards and guidelines set expectations for the provision of community-based public library services. In addition to evaluating the progress of key priority actions, Council will assess library performance against these standards and guidelines on an annual basis.

RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING Director Community and Belonging

That:

1. Council place the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028 on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days.

2. The outcomes of the public exhibition of the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028 be reported to Council.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

Identified as an operational project action item in the Council Delivery Program 2023-2027, the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028, sets a vision for the future of public library services on the Northern Beaches and provides clear directions for the development and delivery of community-focused services that meet the diverse needs of the people who live and work on the Northern Beaches.

In 2021-22 more than 63,000 members of the community actively used the library service, with more than 474,000 visits, 1.11 million loans of physical and digital collection items and 11,000 attendances to library learning, cultural and social engagement programs.

As evidenced by the continued and ongoing use, Northern Beaches Libraries continues to be one of the community’s most valued civic institutions with high levels of customer satisfaction. More than just a place for books, our libraries support learning, creativity, social and digital inclusion, community wellbeing and resilience.

Northern Beaches Libraries operate in a complex, dynamic and challenging environment where the services offered and the capacity to deliver those services professionally and efficiently is influenced by a range of social, economic, environmental, technological and political factors.

In response to changing community needs, economic stress, social trends and technological advancements Northern Beaches Libraries must evolve and adapt on a continuous basis to ensure we continue to reflect our community, support social inclusion, resilience and community wellbeing.

The draft Library Strategic Plan outlines a targeted focus on four strategic directions. Three goals have been identified under each strategic action. Priority actions have been listed against each goal and will be progressively implemented and embedded in everyday library operations over the life of the Strategic Plan.

Direction 1- Experience. Explore and Engage

Northern Beaches Libraries play a vital role in enriching people’s lives through our collections, literacy and lifelong learning programs, welcoming spaces and access to information, technology, leisure opportunities and cultural engagement. There is something for everyone at the library, and our team will strive to ensure that every library user, whatever they are seeking, can find what they are looking for – and maybe more.

· Community Centred Collections. The delivery of contemporary library collections and content that is shaped by and reflective of our diverse community will be achieved through the improvement of curation, selection and purchasing workflows including a review of collection layout for an improved user experience.

· Dynamic Programming. The delivery of programs, events and exhibitions that engage, inform and inspire our community will be increased and targeted to support our commitment to inclusive and diverse programming.

· Exceptional Service. Supporting the Northern Beaches community with library experiences that are both personal and productive, driving library use and creating a sense of pride and belonging will be achieved through several mediums including the development of a library customer service charter, increasing access to emerging technologies and reviewing fees and workflow improvements.

Direction 2 – Connection. Belonging and Pride

People who live and work in the Northern Beaches are proud of their home, their community, their casual lifestyle and the unique natural environment. Northern Beaches Libraries are safe, diverse, inclusive and connected, and contribute to this sense of belonging by being accessible to all, showcasing the area’s unique character and history, and being a place where people come together to tell and create their own stories.

· Access and Inclusion. The creation and delivery of safe, inclusive library places and experiences that enhance service access for all people will be achieved through the development of a Library Access and Inclusion Plan and a review and re-design of services, branch layouts and workflows to remove or reduce barriers to access.

· Local Stories. The documentation, preservation and celebration of the Northern Beaches unique local history, Aboriginal heritage and living cultures will be delivered through a focussed and strategic approach to the digitisation program and exploring new ways to capture, conserve, exhibit and share local stories.

· Pride in Place. Creating welcoming and vibrant library places and experiences that engender a sense of belonging and pride will be achieved through the exploration of opportunities to showcase our Northern Beaches history, culture and vibrant lifestyles.

Direction 3 – Together. Partnerships and Collaboration

· Community and Volunteers. Improving opportunities for the Northern Beaches community to learn about, contribute and support library services will be achieved through a review of our marketing approach and the creation of new opportunities for volunteering.

· Community Organisations. We will seek out and foster community-based partnerships with organisations that leverage our resources, build community capacity and celebrate our local culture and heritage.

· Council Partners. By working collaboratively with other Council business units community outcomes can be improved and maximise the return on Council investment in the Northern Beaches community.

Direction 4 – Leadership. Excellence and Innovation

· Service Transformation. As a leader in the delivery of flexible and innovative service models for improved community access and satisfaction, we will continue to drive the expansion of 24/7 service where feasible and explore opportunities to deliver and trial innovative digital technologies.

· Culture and Capability. Developing, nurturing and growing a library workforce and culture that is professional, high-performing and future ready is critical to the success of the Strategic Plan and will be achieved through the development of a Workforce Development Plan and strategic alignment of workforce tasks with strategic outcomes.

· Industry Leadership. Integral to a high performing workplace and culture, we will monitor industry trends, maintain strong connections with national and NSW industry bodies to inform strategic planning and service innovation.

CONSULTATION

Community and stakeholder engagement aimed to:

· Build community and stakeholder awareness of participation activities.

· Provide accessible information so community and stakeholders can participate in a meaningful way.

· Identify community and stakeholder concerns, local knowledge and values.

Consultation activities included:

· Your Say project page outlining project objectives and timelines, promoting engagement opportunities and seeking feedback from library users and non-users.

· Library user survey conducted in March 2021 seeking feedback from library users.

· Review of library customer feedback, an ongoing library evaluation approach between 2021-2022.

· Review of feedback from specific programs and events targeting identified cohorts including youth and children.

· External and internal stakeholder engagement sessions undertaken in 2022 with an external consultant.

· Council’s Strategic Reference Groups were involved in three workshops during the development of the Strategy.

More than 4,000 individual responses were received and reviewed throughout the engagement period. An overview of the engagement can be found in Attachment 1: Stage 1 Community Engagement Report - Library Strategy

Feedback from library users has highlighted the many things that Northern Beaches residents love about their libraries. These include:

· extensive collections – both the physical collections and increasing e-book collection, and especially the children’s collection

· a widely distributed network – with library branches spread across the Northern Beaches.

· light and colour – especially at Forestville and Glen Street, with most branches offering a range of different casual, work and activity spaces.

· welcoming helpful library staff – whose personal approach to library users helps to create a sense of connection and belonging.

· a Northern Beaches feeling – with the use of artwork and artefacts creating a sense of place and ownership of library spaces.

There were also many suggestions for improvement. Particularly, library users wanted:

· expanded and more responsive collections – with faster purchasing of new books, greater rotation of stock between branches, more e-books and e-audiobooks.

· fewer fees – to encourage more active and sustained library use.

· more diverse programming – with greater variety of content for users of all ages and interests and more convenient program times

· extended opening hours – notably in evenings and on weekends, especially for people who cannot access the library during standard working hours.

· more flexible spaces – including quiet spaces, dedicated study and remote working spaces, group meeting rooms, and spaces for entertainment and community activities.

· greater promotion of what’s available and what’s on at the library

· more attractive, appealing and accessible buildings – especially in comparison with other libraries in Sydney.

For current non-users of library services, issues of access (both locational and timing) and awareness (of what services are available in a contemporary public library) were most relevant in planning for increased service reach.

Through the detailed comments, several key themes emerged.

2. Library users are proud of their libraries. They believe Northern Beaches Libraries provide an excellent service that connects them with and makes them feel part of a unique community.

3. Innovation is key to the library’s success. The community admires the fact that the libraries are continually striving to explore new ways of expanding access and delivering community-focused services, even during difficult times.

These broad themes have guided the framing of the library’s future strategic directions alongside extensive research into contemporary and future library service trends.

External Stakeholders

Throughout 2022, regular engagement with local community, education and cultural organisations and industry partners strengthened our commitment to community and cross-sector partnerships. By working together, we can:

· better understand the needs and demands of our unique community.

· expand service reach.

· realise efficiencies in service delivery and achieve mutual benefits.

· maintain connections with our community that inform and facilitate service planning.

Internal Perspectives

Internal consultation with Council stakeholders and library staff reinforced the perception of Northern Beaches Libraries as valuable community assets with broad community appeal and accessible locations. In addition to highlighting opportunities for stronger collaboration and integration in planning, programming and service delivery, stakeholders saw potential improvements through:

· more flexible service models, especially through use of digital technology and outreach services.

· more flexible library spaces that respond to the needs of different user groups.

· targeted support for priority population cohorts (families, youth, older people, researchers, people experiencing homelessness).

· more innovative programming that supports literacy and lifelong learning, intergenerational activities, digital literacy and creative pursuits.

· increased volunteering opportunities.

These aspirations are also reflected in the library’s future strategic directions.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

It is proposed to publicly exhibit the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028, Plan on a Page, Easy-to-Read version of the draft Strategy, and the Community Engagement Report in July - August 2023. Public exhibition is proposed to be undertaken for a minimum of 28 days.

When the consultation commences, the community will be invited to participate in a review of the Strategic Plan through the following methods (as a minimum):

· Information on the Your Say page, including an online submission for community feedback.

· Council and Library weekly and monthly e-Newsletters, social media including KALOF and the Wave Disability Newsletters.

· Onsite and digital signage on Council and library websites, library app and catalogue.

· Pop up roadshows onsite at library branches, events and outreach activities, including targeted cohorts including youth and children.

· Direct engagement with relevant stakeholders.

The Youth Advisory Group will be engaged on 26 June 2023, and feedback will be considered as a submission to the draft Strategy.

Following the completion of the exhibition period the community’s comments will be considered and amendments made where appropriate.

TIMING

Following the 28-day public exhibition period all submissions received will be reviewed and any necessary changes will be made to the draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028.

The submissions and final Library Strategic Plan will be reported back to Council for adoption.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This Library Strategic Plan is framed by, complements, and will directly contribute to achievement of the Council’s Community Strategic Plan 2040 and its Better Together, Social Sustainability Strategy 2040.

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Community and belonging - Goal 7 Our diverse community is supported to participate in their chosen cultural life

· Community and belonging - Goal 8 Our community feels safe and supported

· Community and belonging - Goal 9 Our community is inclusive and connected

· Good governance - Goal 20 Our Council is proactive, and efficiently and effectively responds to, and delivers on, the evolving needs of the community

This Library Strategic Plan also has an important role to play in supporting achievement of several aligned Council strategies, notable the Northern Beaches Resilience Strategy, Children’s Services Strategy, Arts and Creativity Strategy, Youth Voice Action Plan, Disability Inclusion Action Plan and Community Centre’s Strategy.

financial considerations

Operational actions will be undertaken within the annual allocation of funds through the budget and operational plan approval. Delivery of future actions are subject to normal budget processes. Any required additional funding will be determined on a cases-by-case basis and provided within the business case for the project.

Where additional funding may be required, grant funding opportunities through the State Library New South Wales Public Library Infrastructure Grants may be investigated to assist in the implementation of proposed projects.

social considerations

The draft Library Strategic Plan has a strong synergy with and has been developed to complement the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy 2040.

The Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy 2040 is centred around creating inclusive and resilient communities that have the required skills, services, people and infrastructure to respond to and recover from social, political, environmental and economic change. The draft Library Strategy’s three key directions, a safe, inclusive and connected community explicitly focus on the Plan’s Community and Belonging outcomes.

The implementation of the draft Library Strategic Plan will continue Council’s efforts to support and develop a safe, inclusive and connected community through the provision of innovative and contemporary library services, programs and spaces.

environmental considerations

The draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028 has minimal environmental considerations.

Any implementation of actions that require consideration of environmental perspectives will be considered in line with the underpinning community values of the Community Strategic Plan 2040.

governance and risk considerations

The draft Library Strategic Plan 2023-2028 sets out a clear path for the future of public library services on the Northern Beaches and provides clear directions for development and delivery of community-focused services that meet the diverse needs of the people who live and work on the Northern Beaches.

This plan will provide clear alignment and direction for Council teams who contribute resources, time and staff support in the delivery of innovative, contemporary and community-focused library services.

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 10.2 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 10.2	Response to Notice of Motion No 6/2023 - Brewarrina Sister City Youth Program
REPORTING MANAGER	acting Executive Manager Community, Arts & Culture
TRIM file REF	2023/236934
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

SUMMARY

purpose

To respond to Notice of Motion 6/2023 regarding future options for the Sister City relationship between Northern Beaches Council and Brewarrina Shire Council, including its youth exchange program.

executive summary

At the Council meeting on 28 March 2023, the Notice of Motion No 6/2023 resolved:

That Council:

1. Investigate future options of supporting our Sister City relationship with Brewarrina in supporting youth from both Brewarrina and the Northern Beaches LGA.

2. Staff prepare a report to come back within 3 months outlining future possible options to continue this support, including the financial cost for consideration in the 2023/24 Budget.

The Sister City relationship between former Warringah Council and Brewarrina Shire Council was established by a signed Sister City Agreement on 24 July 2000. Since that time, the Sister City relationship has included staff exchanges, cultural exchanges, sports exchanges, youth exchanges and various special projects.

This report identifies several future options to support the Sister City relationship. Staff have consulted with the General Manager and Economic Development Manager of Brewarrina Shire Council, who support strengthening the Sister City relationship with a current priority to work towards staff exchanges to build the capacity of their staff.

Other options are also explored regarding the youth exchange program to extend the reach and impact to more young people across the Northern Beaches and Brewarrina Shire. One of these is through the establishment of sister school relationships, recognising that school to school relationships is the most effective and efficient way to develop and maintain youth exchange programs.

The 2023/24 Operational Budget for the Brewarrina Youth Exchange is $10,700, plus staff resources. Additional financial and staff resources are required to pursue other options presented in this report.

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcomes of:

· Partnership and participation - Goal 22 Our Council builds and maintains strong partnerships and advocates effectively on behalf of the community

· Community and belonging - Goal 9 Our community is inclusive and connected

RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING Director Community and Belonging

That Council:

1. Note the funding of $10,700 allocated to the Brewarrina Youth Exchange in the 2023/24 operational budget.

2. Note the content and cost implications of other options presented in this report.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

Sister City relationships concern an agreement between two cities or councils, where each city or council agrees to promote mutual understanding, friendship and professional conduct for the benefit of both communities and the promotion of local government.

Sister cities are an agreement between towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties. The goal is to help develop enduring networks of communication between the cities of the world to learn from one another, strengthen and upskill one another, cut across boundaries of difference and at an international scale to reduce the likelihood of polarisation and conflict among nations.

The Sister City relationship between former Warringah Council and Brewarrina Shire Council was established by a jointly signed Sister City Agreement on 24 July 2000. The Agreement sought ‘to not only establish long lasting friendship, but also lead to the promotion of goodwill and amity for city-rural relations’ and to ‘promote exchanges in areas such as culture, economics, education, sport and management with the goal of deepening understanding and working together to bring about mutual happiness and prosperity.’

At the Council meeting on 28 March 2023, the Notice of Motion No 6/2023 resolved:

That Council:

1. Investigate future options of supporting our Sister City relationship with Brewarrina in supporting youth from both Brewarrina and the Northern Beaches LGA.

2. Staff prepare a report to come back within 3 months outlining future possible options to continue this support, including the financial cost for consideration in the 2023/24 Budget.

Brewarrina, 800km from Sydney, is of great significance to the Aboriginal people of the region, as the town was one of the great inter-tribal meeting places of eastern Australia. It is also known for the Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps on the Barwon River at Brewarrina which are NSW and National heritage listed. These fish traps are one of the oldest human constructions in the world.

Since 2000 the Sister City relationship has included:

· Staff exchanges, such as staff assistance during floods in Brewarrina in 2010.

· Cultural exchanges, including Northern Beaches artists visiting and holding art classes.

· Sports exchanges, where staff accompanied sports teams to Brewarrina, including local sports clubs and schools.

· Provision of administrative support for upgrading of systems at Brewarrina.

· Youth exchanges, with up to six young people aged 12-17 years participate in a week-long cultural immersion experience. The program is free for those participating and the groups are accompanied by a male and female Council employee.

· Various special projects such as an award-winning project ‘Connexions in Time’ culminated in a travelling exhibition of photographs by young people of Warringah and Brewarrina, illustrating the differences and similarities of lifestyles and issues in both communities. Other projects include Red Earth Blue Sea Seniors Week Video in 2015, Northern Beaches contribution of $2,000 towards scholarships in Brewarrina in 2018 and attendance of Northern Beaches dignitaries at events in Brewarrina in 2011 and 2013.

The program has won the ‘Assistance to a Sister City’ and ‘Sports Project’ categories in 2003 and the ‘Best Publicity by Print Media’ in 2008 at the annual Australian Sister Cities Association Conference.

Separate to Council’s relationship with Brewarrina Shire Council, other community organisations have their own established programs, the most well-known being “Bush to Beach” where annually, up to 40 young Aboriginal children from Brewarrina and surrounds are provided an opportunity to experience the Northern Beaches. This program has been developed, funded and hosted by South Narrabeen Surf Lifesaving Club. The Bush to Beach program also creates strong connections between the Northern Beaches and Brewarrina.

Youth Exchange Program

The only current activity in the Brewarrina Sister City program is the Youth Exchange Program, which consists of up to six young people from the Northern Beaches spending a week in Brewarrina and a reciprocal visit by six Brewarrina young people for a week at the Northern Beaches. Over the years, youth exchange activities have also included sports exchanges, surf challenges photography workshops and donation campaigns for books and sporting equipment (Books4Bre and Boots4Bre).

Previous activities for Northern Beaches student travelling to Brewarrina have included:

· Visits to rock paintings at Gundabooka National Park

· Learning about the Brewarrina Aboriginal fish traps

· Tour of local radio station in Brewarrina

· Mural painting

· Visit to Lightening Ridge Art Gallery

Previous activities for Brewarrina students travelling to the Northern Beaches have included:

· Visits to Circular Quay, the Opera House and Paddy’s Markets

· Lunch in China Town

· A walk across the Harbour Bridge

· Meeting Manly Sea Eagles players

· Meeting ‘Home and Away’ actors at Palm Beach

· Twilight Sailing in Pittwater

· Shopping at Warringah Mall

· Learn to Surf lessons and a beach safety day at Dee Why Beach with Council Lifeguards

· North Fort Tour

· Visits to Manly Dam and Brookvale TAFE

There are many benefits to the exchange program. Some of the main benefits relate to personal growth and development, increased understanding of Aboriginal culture, cultivation of new friendships and an increased sense of belonging. It is difficult to fully quantify the benefits of these exchanges, however, it is recognised that they can be life changing experiences for the individuals participating.

For young people from the Northern Beaches, the benefits focus on a deeper understanding and respect for Aboriginal culture and heritage, an appreciation for the challenges facing regional and rural communities, and the many privileges of life on the Northern Beaches.

The primary benefits for young people from Brewarrina include developing their understanding of life in metropolitan areas and opening up various possibilities and pathways to positively impact their educational and employment futures. In recent years, the Brewarrina group has comprised of young people who have gone on to Year 11 at Brewarrina Central School and serves as an incentive for them to continue with their education. The youth exchange provides opportunities for young people to share aspects of their lives and culture with others from outside their region and receives positive media coverage.

Council’s Strategic Direction: Youth Voice Action Plan

The Youth Voice Action Plan 2028 – Shaping the Beaches’ Future (the Plan) was adopted in April 2023 and outlines five years of actions for youth development and capacity building that will support and engage young people to participate in community life. The Plan sets the direction and prioritises action for youth development over the next five years on the Northern Beaches to drive positive change for young people.

The four directions represent areas of importance to young people and will deliver the support and resources young people have identified.

Direction 1: Connection and resilience

Objective: Developing emotional resilience and shared values.

Direction 2: Belonging and safety

Objective: Strengthening belonging by helping young people feel safe and included.

Direction 3: Building skills and knowledge

Objective: Building skills and knowledge that young people need to transition into adulthood.

Direction 4: For youth, by youth

Objective: Supporting our next generation of decision makers, innovators, and caretakers.

Whilst there are no actions making specific reference to youth exchange programs, it is recognised that this program builds resilience and various skills and knowledge as a result of the exchange. Action 2.3 of the Plan states:

‘Engage First Nations young people to contribute to developing programs to increase understanding of Aboriginal culture and heritage including local history and story-telling.’

The youth exchange program is one way to increase understanding of Aboriginal culture and heritage and is an important outcome of the program for young people from the Northern Beaches. However, it does not directly align with Action 2.3 of the Plan.

Options

The General Manager and Economic Development Manager from Brewarrina Shire Council have been consulted regarding priorities for the Sister City relationship. They have indicated support for the current youth exchange program but are unable to confirm when it can proceed due to workforce challenges. Council staff will continue to liaise with their relevant counterparts to determine the next suitable time for the youth exchange.

The main priority outlined by Brewarrina Shire Council is the revitalisation of staff exchanges as part of the Sister City relationship.

In response to the Council resolution, other options are detailed below, noting that further discussions with Brewarrina Shire Council are required to confirm level of support and capacity towards these, should Council wish to pursue any of the options.

Option 1. Continue the youth exchange program in its current form

As detailed above, Brewarrina Shire Council has confirmed support for this program in principle. Whilst the benefits of the program can be numerous for the individuals, they are experienced by a small number of participants, especially when considering the amount of staff time spent in the planning and implementation of the program. The draft Operational budget 2023/24 allocates $10,700 to this program, in addition to 50 days of staff time.

The program in its current form provides great benefit for those fortunate enough to be able to participate and has been an ongoing initiative for many years between the two Councils.

Option 2. Broaden the scope of the Sister City relationship

The General Manager and Economic Development Manager from Brewarrina Shire Council have identified staff exchanges as the principal way to best broaden the scope of the Sister City relationship. A staff exchange would help build the capacity of their staff in key areas of need including economic development, tourism, place planning, facilities management and youth and community services.

Other support could also be provided by Council in areas of high social need for the Brewarrina region, such as suicide prevention. In accordance with a previous resolution of Council, approaches have been made regarding suicide prevention with Brewarrina Shire Council, community leaders and elders.

Additional budget related to travel and accommodation costs would need to be allocated, alongside consideration of existing workloads and capacity of Council.

Option 3. Incorporating Youth Advisory Group into youth exchange program

Following agreement by Brewarrina Shire Council, the current youth exchange program could be expanded to include the involvement of Council’s Youth Advisory Group. This could be particularly useful if Brewarrina would like to develop or expand a youth advisory group as part of their program.

It is anticipated that this could expand to include up to twenty (20) young people, requiring an additional program budget of $30,000 and 70 days of staff time for effective planning and implementation over several months.

This development could contribute to building a ‘for youth, by youth’ element to the planning of the exchange program, aligning with one of the strategic directions of the Youth Voice Action Plan.

As with the Youth Exchange option, a program with 20 young people from the Youth Advisory Group may provide limited benefit to a broader cohort of young people across the Northern Beaches.

Option 4. Create a scholarship program

As in past years, a scholarship program could support young people from Brewarrina to meet their educational and employment goals. Whilst this may have some excellent outcomes for young people from Brewarrina, it lacks the relational connections that are made through an exchange program.

This would require support and direction from Brewarrina Shire Council to determine whether this is a relevant and suitable program to consider.

Option 5. Facilitating sister school relationships

Council could expand the youth exchange program by shifting Council’s role from hosting one Council led youth exchange program, to that as a facilitator and enabler that would promote, support and equip local high schools on the Northern Beaches to establish various school to school youth exchange programs between regional and remote school communities, including Brewarrina Central School.

This option would change the focus from managing one youth exchange program to building the capacities of local schools interested in developing their own sister school relationships. School to school relationships are well suited to youth exchange programs and can be an effective and efficient mechanism to develop and maintain. This also includes the ability for schools to facilitate online aspects to the relationships, particularly if tailored to a specific subject in the curriculum. Over time, this would extend the benefit to a far greater amount of young people.

The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development produced a report in 2012 on the benefits, impacts and success factors for successful sister school relationships. This report found that sister school programs have a significant positive effect on the awareness, attitudes and response of students across both primary and secondary schools. It also found that these benefits are of greatest significance during the third year especially, once relationships had been well established and embedded within the school.

Benefits of Sister School Relationships include:

· Intercultural understanding, awareness and perspective within the school community

· Opportunities to better understand one’s own culture/country

· Personal development of the student e.g. leadership, maturity, independence

· Improved ability of students to adjust to different situations

It is recognised that other schools across the Northern Beaches may already have existing sister school relationships. For example, Barrenjoey High School has a relationship with Goodooga Central School, located just 100km north of Brewarrina. This has been facilitated by Connecting Communities Australia and their Schools Walking Together Program, which develops genuine partnerships focused on building long term and sustainable connections between First Nations children of Western NSW and children from Metropolitan Sydney.

Facilitating and promoting sister school relationships does not require the cessation of the current youth exchange program. This option would have no impact on the financial resources required, however, would require significant staff time to facilitate and broker these relationships, both with schools across the Northern Beaches and various schools in regional and remote NSW.

The process to facilitate and promote sister school relationships would progress over time involving initial scoping with local primary and high schools to identify which schools have existing sister school relationships and to determine the levels of interest of schools in establishing new sister school relationships.

There may be a risk with this option that the priorities of schools’ change, as a result of natural disasters or significant events. Schools may make decisions to provide opportunity and assistance to other areas in difficult times, at the expense of a sister school relationship with Brewarrina.

Upcoming 2023 National Conference

Sister Cities Australia, an umbrella organisation supporting and promoting Sister City relationships, in Partnership with Wyndham City are hosting the 2023 National Conference title ‘Sister Cities - Linking the World Together’ to be held in Werribee, Victoria from Wednesday 11 October to Friday 13 October 2023. The Conference is the first face-to-face event since 2020 and includes speakers and international representatives.

The Conference will cover topics such as Economic Development of Sister Cities, their Impact on International Relations, the Role of the Consular Corps, Cultural Assets of Sister City Relationships, Youth Participation, and several Case Studies looking at specific relationships, how they coped during Covid, and the Future of Sister City Relationships.

Attending this conference could be a constructive way for Council to engage with recent research regarding Sister City relationships, both domestic and international, including how to review existing relationships and identify the best options going forward.

The cost of the conference is $600 for non-members with more information to be released including the full Conference Agenda in coming weeks.

CONSULTATION

Staff have consulted with the General Manager and Economic Development Manager of Brewarrina Shire Council, who support strengthening the Sister City relationship. Whilst this includes the youth exchange program, they particularly highlighted the value in staff exchanges to build the capacity of their staff, especially alongside various workforce challenges.

Further consultation is required to ensure any options explored align with the current priorities and capacity of Brewarrina Shire Council.

TIMING

The Brewarrina Sister Cities Youth Exchange Program is run over the period of 5 to 7 days at each location, at total of 10 to 14 days per annum. It is anticipated that young people from Brewarrina may visit the Northern Beaches in October 2023, if able to be resourced by Brewarrina Shire Council.

Expansion of the youth exchange program to include the Youth Advisory Group could commence in 2024, subject to resources being available.

Staff exchanges could occur at any time throughout the year, subject to discussions with Brewarrina Shire Council.

The development of sister school relationships would progress over time, determined by the readiness and capacity of local schools and their partner schools.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcomes of:

· Partnership and participation - Goal 22 Our Council builds and maintains strong partnerships and advocates effectively on behalf of the community

· Community and belonging - Goal 9 Our community is inclusive and connected

This report relates to the Better Together Strategic Plan Outcomes of:

· Value of all people is recognised, respected and embraced

· Celebrating First Nations people.

This report relates to the Youth Voice Strategic Plan direction of:

· Strengthening belonging by helping young people feel safe and included.

financial considerations

The 2023/24 draft Operational Budget includes $10,700 towards the Brewarrina youth exchange program, in addition to 50 days of staff time.

Additional resources are required to pursue other options presented in this report. For example, a budget of $30,000 would be required to expand the youth exchange program to twenty (20) young people, plus 70 days in staff time.

It is anticipated that a budget of $15,000 for travel and accommodation costs, would enable up to 10 Council staff to participate in an exchange program. The cost of backfilling roles whilst an exchange takes place have not been included in this estimate.

Facilitating and promoting sister school relationships would require no additional program funding but will impact on staff resources, leading to a reduction in other projects and activities by the Community Development Team while this is being established.

Attendance to the upcoming 2023 National Conference run by Sister Cities Australia is $600 exclusive of travel and accommodation costs.

social considerations

Sister City Relationships can have long lasting meaningful impacts on the cities or regions in a relationship. They can provide cultural, economic and educational interchange between communities and encourage friendship, cooperation and understanding.

The Youth Exchange Program seeks to build strong connections between young people of the Northern Beaches and the Brewarrina Shire Council area. Young people from the Northern Beaches benefit from an increased knowledge and respect for Aboriginal culture, increased sense of belonging and connectedness and improved interpersonal skills, self-confidence, resilience and independence. In turn, young people from Brewarrina could benefit from increased self-confidence, resilience, improved interpersonal skills, and exploring possibilities for educational and employment pathways.

environmental considerations

There are no environmental considerations.

governance and risk considerations

When delivering exchange programs, any risks will be addressed through relevant risk assessments and planning.

Agreement and commitment of Brewarrina Shire Council is critical to the success of the implementation of any of the options outlined this report.

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 10.3 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 10.3	Response to Notice of Motion No 44/2022 - Arts & Culture Events Action Plan and Fundraising Strategy
REPORTING MANAGER	acting Executive Manager Community, Arts & Culture
TRIM file REF	2023/244129
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨Draft Manly Art Gallery & Museum Fundraising Strategy 2024-2030 (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report: Manly Art Gallery & Museum Fundraising Strategy & Arts and Culture Events Action Plan (Included In Attachments Booklet)

SUMMARY

purpose

To provide a response to Council on Notice of Motion No 44/2022 regarding a fundraising strategy and investigation into Council’s participation in major arts and culture events across the Sydney region.

executive summary

In response to Council resolution in relation to Notice of Motion No 44/2022 at the 22 November 2022 meeting, this report presents a draft fundraising strategy for the future growth of Manly Art Gallery & Museum (MAG&M), including public art, and arts and culture actions to integrate Council and the Northern Beaches arts and cultural programs into major Sydney events.

As Council’s major cultural institution and due to the establishment of the Manly Art Gallery and Museum Gift Fund and associated restricted cash reserve, the fundraising plan has been developed under the banner of MAG&M.

As the oldest metropolitan purpose-built regional gallery in NSW, MAG&M is a treasured cultural icon that has been a vital part of Sydney’s cultural life on the Northern Beaches for 100 years. Today, MAG&M forms the heart of a network of creatives and activity across the Northern Beaches region. A proudly public gallery and museum, MAG&M’s nationally significant collection currently contains over 5,000 objects including paintings, ceramics, works on paper, photographs, museum objects, documents, and public art. 2024 marks 100 years of collecting at MAG&M, while 2030 marks 100 years of the gallery in its current location on West Esplanade. The draft Manly Art Gallery & Museum Fundraising Strategy 2024-2030 (draft Fundraising Strategy) seeks to maximise its story of community, collecting and custodianship by Council, while maximising its Deductable Gift Recipient status to successfully fundraise (Attachment 1).

The local creative community, during community consultation for the development of Culture Map Live, advised that its core needs included: greater cultural connection; purpose-designed, multifaceted, and affordable creative spaces and places; cohesive engagement; and greater cultural vibrancy, including more integration with the Greater Sydney creative arts scene and programming.

Engagement with 10 local and Sydney-wide cultural organisations indicates strong support for MAG&M and its activities including public art, the development of a fundraising strategy, and strategic participation in Sydney-wide events that meet the needs of the Northern Beaches community (Attachment 2 – Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report).

This item supports the Community Strategic Plan outcomes of Environmental Sustainability, Community and Belonging and Partnership and participation.

The implementation of the Fundraising Strategy has financial implications as only some of the actions can be implemented within current budget allocations. Major fundraising campaigns require additional staff resources that are required for the 2024/25 budget to fully implement the Strategy.

The inclusion of Council activities in major events across Sydney also has a financial implication, with no funding allocated to these actions in the draft 2023/24 Operational Budget.

RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING Director Community and Belonging

That Council:

1. Note the draft Manly Art Gallery & Museum Fundraising Strategy 2024-2030.

2. Consider the allocation of funding in the 2024/25 Operational Budget to fully implement the draft Manly Art Gallery & Museum Fundraising Strategy 2024-2030.

3. Note the proposed arts and cultural actions to be implemented as part of Connected Through Creativity: Arts and Creativity Strategy Action Plan 2023-2026.

4. Receive a report following the exploration of participation in Vivid, Sydney Film Festival and Sydney Festival in 2024.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

On 23 February 2021, Council resolved (027/21):

That Council:

1. Note the research undertaken regarding the steps and commitment required to successfully fundraise.

2. Support the development of a detailed fundraising plan for the long-term funding of public art on the Coast Walk.

3. Establish an internally restricted cash reserve named Manly Art Gallery and Museum Gift Fund for the purpose of managing cash contributions through Manly Art Gallery and Museum’s existing Deductable Gift Recipient Status for expenditure on the development, housing, display, administration, management and maintenance of its collection and associated matters.

4. Rename the existing internally restricted cash reserve ‘Manly Art Gallery’ to ‘Manly Art Gallery Bequest Fund’ to differentiate the gift fund from the funds received through a bequest to Council from Theodore Batten to fund youth art award programs and artwork acquisitions.

5. Place the amended Cultural Collections Management and Gifts Policy on public exhibition for 28 days to include public art in the Manly Art Gallery and Museum collection.

Research and planning for the long-term fundraising strategy commenced; the Manly Art Gallery and Museum Gift Fund was established; the restricted cash reserve was renamed ‘Manly Art Gallery Bequest Fund’; and the Cultural Collections Management and Gifts Policy was placed on public exhibition and readopted by Council at its June 2021 Meeting.

At the 22 November 2022 Meeting (Notice of Motion No 44/2022), it was resolved (382/22):

That:

1. Within the next six months, Council staff prepare a long term and ongoing draft fundraising strategy to raise funds that contribute to the development of public art programs including for the Northern Beaches Coast Walk Art Trail, the future growth of the Manly Art Gallery & Museum, including its upcoming centenary celebrations and for other arts and cultural programs across the Northern Beaches LGA.

2. The draft fundraising strategy consider / include the appointment of an experienced and professional dedicated development expert to develop programs, build relationships and attract targeted financial resources.

3. Within the next six months, Council staff prepare an action plan to integrate Council and the Northern Beaches arts and cultural programs into major event circuits including: the Sydney Film Festival, Sydney Writer’s Festival, Festival of Sydney, VIVID, Heritage Week, NAIDOC Week, Byron Bay Blue’s Fest and other identified major events.

4. The above documents be prepared in consultation with relevant Northern Beaches arts and cultural organisations including the Barrenjoey Alliance for Arts and Culture and the Manly Art Gallery and Museum Society, local historical associations, and other identified organisations.

Fundraising Strategy

As Council’s major cultural institution and due to the establishment of the Manly Art Gallery and Museum Gift Fund and associated restricted cash reserve, the Fundraising Strategy has been developed under the banner of Manly Art Gallery & Museum (MAG&M). In developing the draft Fundraising Strategy 2024-2030 (Attachment 1), research has been undertaken to understand the current fundraising landscape including a review of relevant reports and resources, meetings with representatives from the Australian Museum, Sydney Theatre Company, and Creative Partnerships Australia.

There are 3 main external sources of funding available to support the activities of MAG&M including public art, its upcoming centenary, and arts and cultural programs, in addition to Council funding from rates or levies, namely:

· Government – such as grants and in-kind support.

· Business partnerships – such as sponsorships.

· Philanthropy – donations from private individuals and businesses.

Current Arts and Culture Funding Landscape

The 2019 report Public Expenditure on Artistic, Cultural and Creative Activity in Australia notes that there should be better recognition of the essential role that local government provides in supporting arts and culture. The report reveals that over the last decade, local government has increased expenditure by 11.0 percent per capita, compared to 3.9 percent per capita for state governments and a federal government decrease of 18.9 percent per capita. The capacity for local government to provide for arts and culture has traditionally been limited to self-funding, income-generating activities, grants from other levels of government, and business partnerships.

Creative Partnerships Australia research, presented in Giving Attitude: Private Sector Support Survey 2020 Research Report showed that in 2019, private sector support for arts and culture was $540 million down from $608 million in 2017 in Australia, representing an 11% decline. This includes all cash and in-kind support provided through donations, sponsorships, bequests, fundraising, and volunteering. There was a rise in cash contributions to the sector from donations and sponsorships, with an increase of $26 million between surveys. Cash support remains a significant contributor to the sector in addition to government support and earned income.

The Report showed that the sector remains reliant on private and government support for over 50% of all funding. The estimated share of private sector support of overall revenue dropped from 25% to 23% while government support increased from 27% to 33% in this reporting period. Nevertheless, arts and cultural organisations do anticipate private sector support to rebound within five years.

The most effective strategies to raise private sector support include personal approaches and direct engagement with individuals and businesses for donations and sponsorships. Directly approaching individuals for donations remains the most common fundraising activity (77%). Organisational size had the most influence on private-sector support in terms of fundraising skills, knowledge, resources, and confidence in raising private-sector support. With a greater capacity to resource fundraising activities, larger organisations raised more funds and saw a greater return on investment than smaller organisations.

The report notes that there is a growing understanding of the importance of private sector fundraising and the need for expertise in this area, including:

· internal fundraising strategy with goals and outlines a compelling proposition for support

· improved profile-raising activities

· having dedicated and experienced staff to seek and maintain fundraising relationships

· support and engagement from the organisations’ boards.

Arts and cultural organisations are spending more to raise funds with the return on investment for every $1 spent only $2.72, compared to Giving Attitude 2018 the return on investment was $3.50 for each dollar spent. The increase in expenses is related to salaries, marketing, consultancies, and event expenses.

The Report also notes that successful fundraising campaigns comprise the following features:

· Commitment to building long-term relationships with a community of donors and sponsors

· Direct approaches to individuals

· Board engagement

· Dedicated staff with requisite skills manage the relationships.

Current Fundraising

MAG&M operates through the support and generosity of many partners and friends, including:

· Northern Beaches Council: operating costs

· Bequests: eg Theo Batten Bequest, programs, and acquisitions

· Friends of MAG&M: acquisitions and youth programs

· Volunteers: front of house, exhibitions, and collections support

· Corporate partners: program support

· Artists: donations and programs

· Community members: donations

· Government partners: exhibition and project grants

· Industry partners: exhibition and project support.

Fundraising Challenges and Opportunities

There are several challenges for Council to consider as part of fundraising:

· The current economic climate affects the giving capacity of businesses and private individuals.

· Competition and donor fatigue.

· Organisational preparedness: to effectively attract and manage donors, operational resources are required. Investigation is underway to identify these resources so that a range of fundraising and sponsorship campaigns could be implemented to support several activities of Council, such as community events, public art, community education, and competitions/ prizes.

· Timing commitment: a fundraising plan should be considered an ongoing and long-term initiative.

· Perception of Council: as a government agency, Council may likely be perceived as not requiring private support.

In developing the draft Fundraising Strategy key opportunities have been considered, including the following:

· Presenting a strong case for support for MAG&M, as it heads towards its centenary in 2030 to provide a legacy for current and future generations.

· Maximising MAG&M’s Deductable Gift Recipient Status to attract donations for MAG&M, its collection that includes public art and cultural programming.

· Developing a strong brand and profile for MAG&M as a treasured cultural icon that has been a vital part of Sydney’s cultural life on the Northern Beaches for 100 years.

· Promoting MAG&M and its collections as a community asset with Council as custodian, acting on behalf of its community.

· Engaging with individuals interested in contributing to a cultural legacy for local communities and all Australians.

· Developing a plan with a range of fundraising mechanisms, including major campaigns, growing a giving culture, and making donating easy.

· Creating a whole-of-organisation approach including Councillors, senior leaders, and staff to ensure success over a long period.

Arts and Culture Action Plan

Council has several relationships with major events in Sydney and currently participates in NAIDOC Week, Gaimariagal Festival, Sydney Craft Week, and one-off events such as Sydney WorldPride. It has also participated in Sydney Festival, most recently in 2021 through the Destination Sydney exhibition at MAG&M. In 2023, Council will again participate in the Gaimariagal Festival, NAIDOC Week, and Sydney Craft Week.

In terms of the expressed needs of the local creative community, during community consultation for the development of Culture Map Live, 632 members of the local community provided input on arts and culture on the Northern Beaches via a survey on Council’s Your Say online platform, and directly through phone conferences and virtual meetings. The core needs that emerged during this engagement were:

· Greater cultural connection with like-minded creatives, through collaboration and mentoring opportunities, to enhance networks and creative practices

· Purpose-designed, multifaceted, and affordable creative spaces and places

· A cohesive engagement strategy to increase the visibility of Council’s creative resources, programming, and creative opportunities

· Greater cultural vibrancy, including more integration with the Greater Sydney creative arts scene and programming.

The outcomes of this consultation included some innovative and creative suggestions from community members for addressing the above needs. These included:

· Connections between local businesses and the arts

· Networking opportunities for artists and creatives

· Creative hubs that bring many different disciplines together in the same space

· More live music venues, rehearsal, and performance spaces

· More outreach to Greater Sydney

· Educational pathways for local young people into the arts

· Better representation and programming of Aboriginal art and culture

· Better representation and programming for multicultural artists and audiences

· Affordable, multidisciplinary creative spaces.

This feedback is being addressed through the implementation of Connected Through Creativity 2029: Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy that includes the following 3 key outcomes supported by 9 strategies:

Outcome 1 – Inspiring Places and Spaces

· Infuse public places with creativity

· Make room for creative expression

· Celebrate cultural heritage.

Outcome 2 – Innovative and Creative Industries

· Enable creative sector vitality

· Collaborate to innovate

· Grow thriving arts hubs.

Outcome 3 - Engaged Community

· Share local stories

· Listen to and support Aboriginal communities

· Make creativity inclusive.

The Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy is currently being implemented through the Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026.

The Coast Walk Public Art Strategic Plan includes actions for both permanent and temporary art installations and programming in Section 4.2 Recommended Artistic Approaches, although to date only permanent public artworks have been commissioned. There is an opportunity to explore the development of cultural programs and art-based activities which may include activation and ephemeral art installations, talks, tours, festivals, events, and temporary exhibitions.

There is sufficient scope within these documents to incorporate arts and cultural projects and partnerships with Sydney-wide events.

The organisers of key Sydney-wide events interviewed in the development of this report indicated that they are interested in working with MAG&M and Council and maintaining a working relationship going forward. They did advise that most Councils they partner with provide cash and value-in-kind support with the value dependent of the type of event/program. For example, Sydney Festival suggested that a cash investment of $20,000 to $30,000 for 2024 could deliver an event at Freshwater. There was also discussion of a ticketed event at MAG&M as part of the Lost in Palm Springs exhibition, with in-kind support. The Biennale of Sydney also expressed interest to work with MAG&M in 2026.

In 2017, Council investigated the opportunity to host an activation as part of Vivid Festival 2018. It was agreed not proceed due to the high cost of participation. Staff received advice from both Destination NSW and a previous local government participant about the significant costs that would need to be incurred to present Vivid in a precinct such as Manly to a standard acceptable to Destination NSW. Recent contact with Vivid organisers have identified that an expressions of interest for Vivid 2024 would be considered.

Based on the consultation, the actions below will be included within the Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026:

Action	Strategic Alignment	Timeframe	Responsible Team
1. Engage with Sydney Festival organisers regarding participation in 2024 Festival program with an event for the Lost in Palm Springs exhibition at MAG&M	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.3.2; 1.3.5; 2.1.9, 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2023-2024<	Community, Arts & Culture
2. Engage with Sydney Festival organisers regarding participation in 2024 Festival program with an event at Freshwater or similar area	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.1.6; 1.1.8; 2.2.10; 2.3.1; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2023/2024<	Community Engagement & Communications
3. Engage with Sydney Writers Festival regarding participation in 2024 and beyond	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.1.6; 1.1.8; 2.1.9; 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2024<	Library Services
4. Maintain participation in Gaimariagal Festival, Sydney Craft Week and NAIDOC Week	Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 / Actions 1.3.2; 1.3.5; 2.1.9, 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2023<	Community, Arts & Culture
5. Submit an Expression of Interest for Vivid 2024	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.3.2; 1.3.5; 2.1.9, 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2023/24	Community Engagement & Communications
6. Engage with Sydney Film Festival organisers to explore hosting a satellite venue for 2024	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.3.2; 1.3.5; 2.1.9, 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2023/24	Community Engagement & Communications
7. Engage with Biennale of Sydney regarding participation in the 2026 event	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.3.2; 1.3.5; 2.1.9, 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2025<	Community, Arts & Culture
8. Monitor opportunities to participate in large Sydney-wide festivals and events	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.1.6; 1.1.8; 2.1.9; 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2023<	Community Engagement & Communications
9. Monitor opportunities to participate in Sydney-wide arts events and programs	Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy: Connected Through Creativity 2029 Action Plan 2023-2026 - Actions 1.3.2; 1.3.5; 2.1.9, 2.2.10; 2.3.8; 3.3.10	2023<	Community, Arts & Culture

CONSULTATION

Community and stakeholder engagement was conducted between February and June 2023 and consisted of a series of online meetings and interviews that provided opportunities for the community and stakeholders to contribute.

The following organisations were engaged in the development of this report:

· Barrenjoey Alliance for Arts and Culture (BAAC)

· Brookvale Arts District

· Friends of MAG&M Committee

· Pittwater Artist Trail

· Manly Warringah & Pittwater Historical Society

· Sydney Festival

· Sydney Biennale

· Sydney Writers Festival

· Vivid Festival

· Sydney Film Festival.

The Community Engagement report (Attachment 2) details key themes raised in the feedback, including:

· Fundraising methods

· Partnerships

· Strategic collaborations

· Sustainable outcomes

· Connections to Greater Sydney

· Donations, gifts, and bequests.

The organisation representatives interviewed indicated strong support for MAG&M and its activities, the development of a fundraising strategy, and strategic participation in Sydney-wide events that meet the needs of the Northern Beaches community.

Specialist fundraising advice was also received from Australian Museum, Creative Partnership Australia, and Sydney Theatre Company.

TIMING

The draft Fundraising Strategy would commence in 2024 and end in 2030, with actions implemented as resources allow.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Environmental sustainability - Goal 6 Our Council is recognised as a leader in environmental sustainability

· Community and belonging - Goal 7 Our diverse community is supported to participate in their chosen cultural life

· Partnership and participation - Goal 22 Our Council builds and maintains strong partnerships and advocates effectively on behalf of the community

financial considerations

Some actions included in the draft Fundraising Strategy can be undertaken within Council’s current operational budget. Delivery of future actions would be subject to normal budget processes. Any required additional funding will be determined on a case-by-case basis within the project business case.

The Coast Walk Public Art program has been funded by the allocation of $2 million from the Merger Savings Fund, as per the Council resolution of 27 June 2017, and a $200,000 grant from Clubs Community NSW Infrastructure Fund for the Aboriginal Art and Storytelling Project. No funding has been allocated for temporary art installations and arts and cultural programming as part of the Coast Walk. Council will continue to seek funding from state and federal grant funding bodies to progress the implementation of this Strategy.

The draft Fundraising Strategy has been developed to minimise costs to Council, with several actions achievable within current Operational budgets, including broad marketing initiatives such as the promotion of MAG&M and its programs and collections. Other initiatives, such as specific fundraising campaigns, establishing and managing a MAG&M Giving Group, and building and maintaining donor relationships, will require additional funding for specialist staff support and programs.

It is not uncommon for Councils to employ specialist fundraising staff to support their galleries. Research has identified a gallery similar to MAG&M have fully funded positions for this purpose.

It is anticipated that the draft Fundraising Strategy will commence implementation in July 2024, with budget requests to be considered by Council for the 2024/2025 Financial Year to fully implement all the actions. A draft implementation budget for the Strategy is as follows:

Financial Year	24/25	25/26	26/27	27/28	28/29	20/30
TOTALS	$144,934	$93,802	$93,802	$93,802	$103,802	$108,802

Fundraising targets will be set for each campaign during the campaign development phase and require fundraising skills to ensure accuracy and success. Targets will be influenced by the general fundraising climate at the time of implementation.

To participate in the large Sydney events, Council would be required to allocate resources including cash and in-kind value. In-kind value may include staffing, venue hire, marketing, operational logistics including traffic management, waste services, and security depending on the type of activation. To participate in the Sydney Festival 2024, organisers have indicated that Council would need to allocate approximately $20,000 cash plus value-in-kind.

social considerations

The implementation of the draft Fundraising Strategy will enable partnerships and donations to support the implementation of the following adopted strategies and plans:

· Connected Through Creativity 2029: Northern Beaches Arts and Creativity Strategy

· Coast Walk Public Art Strategic Plan

· Manly Art Gallery & Museum Business Plan.

Successful fundraising will support the ongoing development of MAG&M, the management of the community’s art collections, and grow its community of supporters to build its enduring cultural legacy for future generations.

By engaging visitors in uniquely Australian stories through the presentation of innovative exhibitions and programs in contemporary spaces, MAG&M will remain a cultural institution treasured locally, nationally, and internationally.

It must be noted that these benefits may not be fully realised without the required financial allocation, as listed above.

environmental considerations

The implementation of the draft Fundraising Strategy poses no significant environmental risks.

governance and risk considerations

The draft Fundraising Strategy 2024-2030 is an operational Council strategy that will be updated as required during its implementation to meet the needs of MAG&M, Council, and the fundraising landscape.

MAG&M’s existing Deductible Gift Recipient rules permit expenditure on the development, housing, display, administration, management and maintenance of its collection and associated matters. Public art is part of MAG&M’s collection. Working through the frame of MAG&M’s Deductable Gift Recipient status will enable the best chance of success for fundraising and appeal to potential donors. Cash donations will be managed through the Manly Art Gallery and Museum Gift Fund, with specific projects established.

Fundraising is a challenging undertaking, even for experienced organisations. Council will need to consider the risk that it may not see returns on investment as expected due to dependent factors described earlier in this report, such as the economic climate, availability of skilled staff and sufficient resources.

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 10.5 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 10.5	Response to Council resolution 94/23 - Social Services Needs Assessment and Priorities for Grants Program
REPORTING MANAGER	aCTING Executive Manager Community, Arts & Culture
TRIM file REF	2023/340241
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

SUMMARY

purpose

To provide a response to Parts 7 and 9 of Council Resolution 094/23 regarding the alignment of priorities identified in the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy to grant funding and the cost and process to undertake a full needs assessment for social services on the Northern Beaches.

executive summary

At the Council meeting of 18 April 2023, Council resolved, in part, the following:

That Council:

7. Prepare a report, within the next six months, setting out the criteria for the grants program aligning priorities for funding with Council’s adopted direction in the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy identifying the social areas of needs….

9. Council receive a report on costs and recommendations for the process of implementing items A to D at the June 2023 Council meeting:

A. Carry out a full needs assessment for social services on the Northern Beaches, including for youth mental health, shelter accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence, and affordable housing in general.

B. Assess the outcomes of Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter, the Avalon Youth Hub and Community Northern Beaches in meeting those needs and achieving KPIs.

C. Carry out a gap analysis to identify what other social services are needed.

D. Draft a new social services grants program, informed by this research, that caters for the areas of greatest need within the community.

This report will provide detail on how the social services grants program aligns to the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy. It also outlines the cost, process, opportunities and risks associated with the implementation of Items 9A to 9D, the carrying out a full needs assessment for social services.

There are a number of opportunities for Council through the development of a full needs assessment and gap analysis of social services, such as taking on a leadership role that could provide Council with the ability to better advocate to funding bodies on behalf of the community. It could also assist in the targeted allocation of Council resources to the social services sector using an evidence-based approach.

With these opportunities come significant risks, including the financial and resourcing requirements for the project and raised community expectations. The outcome of the project could result in compelling cases for more funding and a redirection of Council priorities to meet expectations created. Other considerations are the role of Council in the social services sector and ability to effectively undertake a full needs assessment and gap analysis given the complexity of the task.

There is no identified funding source in the draft 2023/24 Operational Budget or Long-Term Financial Plan for a full needs assessment of social services. It will require considerable stakeholder engagement and up to two years to undertake, over $200,000 in consultancy fees and the employment of a specialist staff resource to manage the project for a minimum of two years.

Council has an adopted position in relation to support for the social service sector, detailed in the Social Sustainability Policy and the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy, both adopted 24 August 2021. These documents recognise that community and social services are generally funded and within the remit of the NSW Department of Communities and Justice and the Federal Department of Social Services.

The project is linked to the Community Strategic Plan: Community and belonging - Goal 8 Our community feels safe and supported.

RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING Director Community and Belonging

That Council:

1. Note the information provided on the alignment of the social services grants program to Strategic Outcomes in the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy 2040.

2. Not proceed with a full needs assessment of the social services on the Northern Beaches.

3. Continue to monitor social service needs and gaps on the Northern Beaches through:

A. The 5-year review of the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy in 2025/26

B. Ongoing engagement with the social services sector

C. Coordination of the Better Together Leadership Group.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

At the Council meeting of 18 April 2023, Council adopted the following resolutions.

Resolution 091/23:

That Council:

1. Continue financial assistance to Community Northern Beaches at the existing rate for a further 3 years.

Resolution 092/23:

That Council:

2. Continue financial assistance to Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter at the existing rate for a further 3 years.

Resolution 093/23:

That Council:

3. Continue financial assistance to Avalon Youth Hub at the existing rate for a further 3 years.

Resolution 094/23:

That Council:

4. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer as required to implement the decision of Council including any provision of financial assistance under Section 356 of the Local Government Act, 1993.

5. Note the proposed change to the annual Community Development Grants Program to include a Small Grants Program within the existing operational budget.

6. Present to Council in a briefing the information submitted by the Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter; Community Northern Beaches and the Avalon Youth Hub on how funding provided by Council has been allocated, and their performance against agreed KPIs and give each organisation the opportunity to provide a Special Briefing to Councillors, to brief the councillors on their work and impact on the Northern Beaches

8. Write to the relevant State Government Ministers and Shadow Ministers outlining Council’s support for on-going core funding from the State Government for local Community Services Centres.

9. Council receive a report on costs and recommendations for the process of implementing items A to D at the June 2023 Council meeting:

B. Assess the outcomes of Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter, the Avalon Youth Hub and Community Northern Beaches in meeting those needs and achieving KPIs.

C. Carry out a gap analysis to identify what other social services are needed.

D. Draft a new social services grants program, informed by this research, that caters for the areas of greatest need within the community.

This report is in response to items 7 and 9 above.

Item 7 - Alignment with Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy 2040

Item 7 of Council resolution 094/23 has requested information regarding how funding criteria for the grants program aligns with Council’s adopted direction in the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy 2040 (Better Together).

Better Together aims to collaborate with the broader community as we all work together to ensure our community is stronger, more resilient, equitable and socially sustainable today and tomorrow. It uses a whole of community, strengths-based approach that establishes a cycle of social sustainability and inclusiveness where the Northern Beaches’ key challenges are identified and addressed in an integrated way, ensuring we are better together.

Strategic Directions and Outcomes were developed in consultation with social services and the community using a co-design approach. These guide Council’s teams to facilitate and support the capacity of the social service sector through a community development role, the identification of funding priorities for the Community Development Grants Program and the allocation of staff and program resources by Council.

The following table highlights the Strategic Directions and Outcomes of Better Together which guide how Council supports social services and community development activities:

Strategic Direction	Strategic Outcomes
Safe	Safe places -Our community is safe in public, at home and online
Safe	Safe people - Our community has access to people, organisations and information that can help when they need assistance
Inclusive	Celebrating First Nations people - First Nations people and Indigenous heritage are included in all decision making
	A resilient and adaptive social services sector We have an active, resilient and engaged social services sector
	Value of all people is recognised, respected and embraced Everyone in the community feels welcome
	Ensuring equity and inclusion - The whole community has access to inclusive growth and opportunities
Connected	Strong volunteering culture - We have a thriving volunteering culture
	Services, programs and facilities are affordable and accessible to all - Our community has access to the services, programs and facilities they need
	Broad range of supportive community and social networks that reflects the diversity of the Northern Beaches -Community networks reflect the diverse interests of people living on the Northern Beaches
	Sense of belonging to life on the Northern Beaches Everyone who participates in community life feels like they belong

Allocation of financial assistance by Council to social services aligns closely with the outcomes of Better Together, including the Funding Agreements between Council and Community Northern Beaches, Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter and the Avalon Youth Hub. All three of these organisations are closely aligned to the Outcomes of:

· Our community has access to people, organisations and information that can help when they need assistance.

· A resilient and adaptive social services sector.

· Services, programs and facilities are affordable and accessible to all.

They are also aligned to the following Actions from Better Together:

· Continue to use advocacy to improve access to key referral services including mental health and domestic and family violence services.

· Work collaboratively with local social services to focus community capacity building efforts in the domestic and family violence and mental health sectors to address core community needs in this area.

· Identify and collaborate on initiatives that reduce/subsidise service and program costs to ensure access for all.

The organisations also address several of the social sustainability challenges outlined in Better Together, such as:

· Social services funding

· Access to services and support

· Mental health and social isolation

· Housing affordability and suitability

· Access to information

· Pockets of disadvantage

The 3-year Funding Agreements with these organisations will commence on 1 July 2023 and have been developed in consultation with each of the services. They include outcome measures and targets that will demonstrate how the funding has contributed to addressing the social sustainability challenges on the Northern Beaches, listed above.

Community Development Grants Program 2023/24

In relation to the Community Development Grants Program, Better Together Outcomes are used to set criteria for funding. The funding priorities and outcomes for 2023/24 are detailed below, which align directly with Strategic Outcomes in Better Together.

Funding Priorities

Outcomes

Deliver programs and activities that support:

· First Nations people

· Older people 60+

· People with disability

· People with dementia and their carers.

· Everyone who participates in community life feels like they belong

· Our community has access to the services, programs and facilities they need

· Celebrating First Nations people.

Deliver programs that support mental health, build resilience and strengthen individual and collective wellbeing.

· Everyone who participates in community life feels like they belong

· Our community has access to the services, programs and facilities they need.

Item 9 - Full Needs Assessment of Social Services:

The social services sector is wide and varied, ranging from mental health, children and family services, welfare services to social housing providers and homelessness.

A definition provided by the Federal Department of Social Services is:

Social services are organisations that provide services that improve the wellbeing of individuals, families, and community.

A full needs assessment of social services would assess community demand against current supply of social services, identifying gaps in service provision. It would also determine how to address the gaps between a community’s current and desired state.

To address items 9A and 9C from the Council resolution, the following is an indicative process to be undertaken:

1. Scope - Determine purpose of the needs assessment and how it would be used - develop objectives and identify outcomes desired by Council.

2. Plan – identify what social service sectors to include in the needs assessment, what data is required and how it would be collected and analysed.

3. Resource – determine how to resource the project by staff and consultants and any potential outcomes.

4. Data gathering to identify supply – what is currently available to the community.

5. Data gathering to identify demand – the desired state of the community.

6. Analyse data and prioritise findings / gaps.

7. Develop strategies and actions to address findings / gaps.

8. Evaluating and monitoring progress on a regular basis.

An initial high-level scoping has been undertaken and it is considered that the following data is required, as a minimum, to provide meaningful results:

Demand data:

Supply data:

• Census data

• Regional health data

• Primary research with the community:

• service users

• priority population groups

• broad community

• Data and evidence used to determine programs and funding priorities by State and Federal Government Departments.

• Survey and meetings with social service organisations (40 – 60 in the region)

• Funding programs and funds allocated by the State Government to Northern Beaches services by the Department of Communities & Justice, NSW Health and other relevant State Departments.

• Funding programs and funds allocated by the Federal Government to Northern Beaches services through the Department of Social Services and other relevant agencies.

Once the needs assessment and gap analysis has been completed, items 9B and 9D can be undertaken. This includes an assessment of the outcomes of Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter, the Avalon Youth Hub and Community Northern Beaches in meeting identified needs and the drafting of a new grants program to address any need and gap identified in the research.

Opportunities, Risks and Considerations:

There are a number of opportunities for Council through the development of a full needs assessment and gap analysis of social services, including:

· Leadership and innovation, with Council taking a lead in this area.

· Provide Council with the ability to better advocate to funding bodies on behalf of the community in areas of high need using an evidence-based approach.

· Enables more targeted allocation of Council resources to the social services sector. Grants programs can be developed to provide funding to the area with the highest need or gap.

These opportunities also come with significant risks, particularly if the intent of the research is not communicated clearly to the social services sector, stakeholders such as funding bodies, and the community.

Clear direction from Council on the rationale of this project would be determined in the first stage of the project. At that point consideration should be given to whether the project would:

· Provide a mechanism to fund social service providers using the existing budget available of $261,085 per annum (2023/24 FY).

· Provide a mechanism to allocate additional Council funds should the gaps be significant and in a range of sectors.

· Identify the methods that Council could use to further support the social services sector, in addition to the current remit as outlined in the Social Sustainability Policy.

There are a number of project risks, including:

· Due to the current lack of available data, this project requires significant primary research and data gathering. Accurate data is essential and requires commitment from service providers, State and Federal Government Departments and current clients to disclose data. Data sharing agreements would need to be negotiated.

· Data is collected differently by every organisation, government department and program which will pose a significant challenge for data analysis and data quality.

· The data would need to be refreshed on a regular basis as community need and available funding to social services changes over time. Data collection and analysis will be required every 5 years, at a minimum, to keep the information current and useful.

· Community expectations may be raised that Council will change priorities to direct more resources to social services and that any gaps identified will be addressed with additional Council funding.

Clear consideration and direction from Council on the project intent would be required to manage community expectations and ensure that the project meets desired Council objectives.

Council’s adopted approach:

Council has an adopted position in relation to support for the social service sector, detailed in the Social Sustainability Policy, adopted 24 August 2021. The Policy Statement is:

Northern Beaches Council acts principally as a facilitator and enabler of social sustainability in order to build the capacity and resilience of the community to achieve individual and collective wellbeing. Community development activities are carried out in collaboration with individuals and service providers, including community groups, charitable organisations, government and nongovernment agencies and neighbouring Councils.

Council provides leadership and advocacy, promotes safe, inclusive and connected communities, supports community capacity building, provides referral and information services and essential infrastructure, including social infrastructure. Through these activities Council will work strategically with local services to maximise the efficiency and quality of service delivery to the Northern Beaches community.

Council encourages, enables and assists local groups and organisations to provide relevant services and activities for residents of the Northern Beaches and will consider providing services directly when there is an identified priority and where no other organisation has the capacity or ability to provide the priority service.

The Policy also includes the following:

1. Community capacity building

Council builds the capacity of the community and helps the community to determine and achieve its own outcomes, through partnerships and support with community, not-for-profit and charitable organisations. Council supports the building of connections, encourages collaboration and facilitates knowledge sharing across the social sector and other levels of government to enable program and service delivery that achieves collective outcomes. Community grants are provided to organisations delivering programs that build capacity in the community to address current issues.

6. Delivering programs and services

Council partners with community organisations to deliver support services that respond to the changing needs of our community. Consideration will be given to the direct provision of community services that are responsive to community outcomes where there is a gap, and work to access a provider to deliver this service to the community.

The Policy also identifies that community services are generally funded and within the remit of the NSW Department of Communities and Justice and the Federal Department of Social Services.

As detailed in the section above in this report, Council has an adopted Social Sustainability Strategy (Better Together). The development of the Social Sustainability Policy and Better Together did not include a full needs assessment as it identifies Council primarily as a collaborator, supporter and enabler to improve the capacity of the social services sector to improve services for the whole community, not a commissioner or provider of social services.

Better Together is implemented in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, through the Better Together Leadership Group, in operation since November 2021. The Leadership Group includes representation from Council, government entities, local community service organisations and community members. It works collaboratively to enable delivery of the actions identified in the plan and is fundamental to achieving the aspirational targets identified for each strategic direction.

Adopted in August 2021, the Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy will be reviewed every 5 years, with the first review due to commence in 2025. As an alternative to a full needs assessment, the review will include engagement and co-design with the community and social services sector and a high-level needs analysis, similar to that undertaken for the initial Better Together.

This review will be undertaken in advance of 30 June 2026, which is when the 3-year funding agreements with Community Northern Beaches, Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter and the Avalon Youth Hub will cease. It will provide Council with a mechanism to review the funding and to determine funding and support from Council to the social services sector and priorities for the Community Development Grants Program from 2026 to 2031.

CONSULTATION

This report has been drafted without external engagement.

The implementation of a project to conduct a full needs assessment for social services would require significant engagement with the following stakeholders:

· Local social service providers (40 - 60 organisations)

· Customers of local service providers

· State and Federal Government Departments

· Community members.

The level of engagement would be determined during the project brief development and documented in the detailed Community Engagement Plan for the project.

The review of the Social Sustainability Strategy 2040 will include engagement with local social services, the general community and government stakeholders to ensure that social needs are identified and the Strategy amended to remain relevant to the Northern Beaches community. It will provide Council with a mechanism to determine funding and support from Council to the social services sector and priorities for the Community Development Grants Program from 2026 to 2031.

TIMING

The implementation of 9A to 9D of the Council resolution could be completed by the end of 2025 if the project commences in mid-2023, subject to resourcing and budget.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Community and belonging - Goal 8 Our community feels safe and supported

financial considerations

A full needs assessment of social services has no identified budget in the draft 2023/24 Operational Budget or the Long-Term Financial Plan. It will require over $200,000 in consultancy fees and the employment of a specialist staff resource to manage the project for a minimum of two years, at an estimated cost of $120,000 per annum. The outcome of the project could also result in cases for more funding and a redirection of priorities to meet expectations created.

social considerations

Council support for the social services sector has significant positive impact on the provision of social services to the Northern Beaches community. While it is difficult to quantify the precise social and economic value of Council’s support, by resourcing and supporting services and organisations it enables them to achieve community outcomes that far exceeds Council’s capacity to achieve these outcomes alone.

A full needs assessment of social services could provide valuable information and data for the social services sector, enabling resources from Federal, State, Local and non-government agencies to be delivered in areas of most need, which could strengthen the sector and services available to the Northern Beaches community. Collaboration and buy-in from State and Federal Governments would be critical to this project.

environmental considerations

Should Council determine to progress a full needs assessment of social services, the appropriate environmental considerations will be included in any Request for Quotation or Tendering documentation.

governance and risk considerations

The project of undertaking a social services needs assessment would be managed in accordance with Council’s project management and procurement policies and guidelines.

This project may have significant community and reputational risks to Council. Community expectations may be raised that Council will change priorities to direct more resources to social services. The adopted Social Sustainability Policy states that Council will only provide direct services if there is a gap in services in the community and the development of a needs assessment may see Council taking on more of a commissioner and service provision role, depending on the outcome of the needs assessment.

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 12.2 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 12.2	Outcome of the Public Exhibition of Planning Agreement for 321-331 Condamine Street Manly Vale
REPORTING MANAGER	ACTING EXECUTIVE Manager Strategic & Place Planning
TRIM file REF	2023/305820
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨Planning Agreement (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨Community Engagement Report - Planning Agreement (draft) 321-331 Condamine Street Manly Vale (Included In Attachments Booklet)

PURPOSE

To present the outcome of the public exhibition of the draft Planning Agreement for 321-331 Condamine Street, Manly Vale and to seek Council’s endorsement of the Planning Agreement and give delegation to the Interim Chief Executive Officer to execute the necessary documentation.

Executive Summary

On 22 December 2021, Manly Vale Developments No. 2 Pty Limited (the ‘developer) lodged an Offer to Enter into a Planning Agreement (the ‘offer’) with Northern Beaches Council for 321-331 Condamine Street, Manly Vale (the ‘subject properties’). The offer is to dedicate land 1.4m wide to Council to become part of Somerville Place road reserve, in association with DA2020/0824 for shop top housing development approved by the NSW Land and Environment Court. The offer was updated on 12 August 2022 providing the following details:

1. Dedication of land 53.3m² (1.4m wide x 38.075m long) adjacent to Somerville Place, to Council.

2. The land dedication to be part of the Somerville Place road reserve laneway, with the resulting road reserve increasing to 6 metres in width.

3. The dedication of land will occur by plan of subdivision, and the plan of subdivision registered once building and civil works are complete and prior to issue of any Occupation Certificate.

4. An easement (limited in height) for public access over private land to the benefit of Council.

At its meeting of 28 March 2023, Council considered an assessment of the offer and the draft Planning Agreement and resolved as follows:

That:

1. Council place the draft Planning Agreement and supporting documentation on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days.

2. The outcomes of the public exhibition of the draft Planning Agreement be reported to Council.

The draft Planning Agreement and supporting documentation were publicly exhibited in accordance with Council’s resolution, Council’s adopted Community Participation Plan, and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021. The exhibition period was from 3 April 2023 to 7 May 2023. During the exhibition period, 1,074 people viewed the Have Your Say page on Council’s website and one submission was made.

The submission relates to the access arrangements associated with the construction of an approved development. Conditions have been imposed under the consent DA2020/0824 in relation to access to neighboring sites during construction and this submission does not result in any amendments to the Planning Agreement as exhibited.

The Planning Agreement has public benefit and is recommended for Council support.

RECOMMENDATION OF Acting Director Planning and Place

That Council:

1. Note the outcomes of the public exhibition of the draft Planning Agreement.

2. Agree to enter into the Planning Agreement.

3. Delegate authority to the Interim Chief Executive Officer to execute all necessary documentation to give effect to this resolution.

4. Advise the submitter of Council’s decision regarding the Planning Agreement.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

Planning Agreements are a legal arrangement made between a developer and Council to facilitate land dedication at no cost to Council, cash contribution paid to Council towards a public purpose not in the applicable Contributions Plan, or Material Public Benefit/Works in Kind for public purposes. Planning Agreements are voluntary and initiated by the developer. The current legal and procedural framework for Planning Agreements is set out in Division 7.1 of Part 7 of Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (the ‘Act’) and Division 1 of Part 9 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021.

In June 2022, Council adopted the Planning Agreements Policy (Council Policy), which identifies the legal and procedural obligations to be satisfied by the developer, and details the criteria Council uses to assess the offer. Accompanying this Policy was the Guide for Developers 2022, developed to help guide developers on Council’s preferred approach to planning agreements.

Council’s assessment of an offer and progression of a Planning Agreement to execution will need to be in accordance with this legislative requirements, Council Policy and the Planning Agreements Practice Note (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment; February 2021).

The Site

The land that is subject to the offer comprises five (5) allotments located on the western side of Condamine Street and is at the north-western corner of the intersection of Condamine Street and Sunshine Street.

The land is regular in shape with a total frontage of 35.66m along Condamine Street, a frontage of 31.09m to Sunshine Street, a frontage of 38.10m to Somerville Place and a depth of 33.53m. This site has a total surveyed area of 1,274.4m².

The site is zoned B2 Local Centre under Warringah Local Environmental Plan 2011.

Currently, the section of Somerville Place immediately abutting the rear of the land is 4.56m wide. Access into these properties is limited to pedestrian access from Condamine Street whilst vehicular access is from the lane by entering Somerville Place from King Street only. See Locality Map - Figure 1.

Figure 1 – Locality Map

Vehicular Access into Somerville Place

Somerville Place is a one-way street parallel to Condamine Street. Access into Somerville Place can only be gained via King Street, with vehicles travelling in a southward direction to exit onto Sunshine Street (and turn left to the Condamine Street-Sunshine Street intersection).

The properties at 321 to 341 Condamine Street inclusive have their vehicular access at the rear, from Somerville Place.

Somerville Place currently has a varied width from ranging 3 metres, for example adjacent to 339 Condamine Street, to 6 metres wide at some locations such as at 341-343 Condamine Street, where a Planning Agreement (VPA2021/0005) was executed between Joesandra Pty Ltd, CES Developments Pty Ltd and former Warringah Council on 30 June 2016. A 2.34m wide strip of land was transferred to Council on 17 May 2016 for the public road.

The land dedication proposed as part of this offer will result in the laneway increasing to 6 metres in width adjacent to the subject properties.

The Planning Agreement

The draft Planning Agreement (the draft PA) prepared by Council was reviewed and agreed to by the Developer before it was presented to Council. This same document was exhibited, and it encompasses the following elements:

1. Dedication of land to Council free of charge

2. Easement for public access over private land

3. Timing of the Developer’s obligations, including appropriate inspections by Council staff.

The exhibited draft Planning Agreement has public benefit, namely:

· The Somerville Place road reserve adjacent to the site is currently 4.56m wide. Dedication of land and road widening will result in a 6 metre wide reserve that will improve the efficiency of the existing road and will contribute to the future anticipated two-way operation, improving traffic movements. The road will be constructed by the Developer to Council’s standards and will help improve the road conditions in that section of Somerville Place.

· An easement will be provided that will allow public access over privately owned property. Currently, there is no footpath along this section of the Somerville Place road reserve. The footpath construction is required by the development consent (DA2020/0824) and will be constructed in accordance with Council adopted standards with appropriate stormwater management. Public access by way of a registered easement over the privately-owned land (that will contain a footpath constructed under the consent) provides a safe pedestrian access to the local road network.

Minor changes have been made to the Planning Agreement (Attachment 1) post exhibition to remove the word “Draft” from the document.

CONSULTATION

The draft Planning Agreement, Explanatory Note and supporting Plan of Subdivision were publicly exhibited from 3 April 2023 to 7 May 2023 in accordance with Council’s resolution of 28 March 2023, Council’s adopted Community Participation Plan, and the Environmental Planning & Assessment Regulation 2021.

During the exhibition on the ‘Your Say page’ 33 letters were sent. One submission was received.

A Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report (Attachment 2) has been prepared and is included in this report.

TIMING

Subject to Council support (and the developer’s reliance) of the Planning Agreement, the Agreement can be entered into. It is recommended that Council delegate authority to the Interim Chief Executive Officer to execute the Planning Agreement (PA) on Council’s behalf.

If the PA is entered into, Deferred Commencement Condition 1 of DA2020/0824 will be satisfied and the consent becomes operational.

The Executed PA requires the Developer to register the PA on the subject land. As this will be on the title of the land, it is legally binding and can only be extinguished with agreement of both parties.

The dedication of land to Council is to occur:

· following the construction of Somerville Place and appropriate inspections/signoff by Council, and

· via the issue of a Subdivision Certificate by Council, and

· prior to the issue of an Occupation Certificate for DA2020/0824.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Places for People - Goal 8: Our neighbourhoods inspire social interaction, inclusion and support health and wellbeing.

· Transport and Infrastructure - Goal 16: Our integrated transport networks meet the needs of our community.

· Good Governance - Goal 19: Our Council is transparent and trusted to make decisions that reflect the values of the community.

· Participation and Partnership - Goal 22: Our Council builds and maintains strong partnerships and advocates effectively on behalf of the community.

financial considerations

All planning agreements must state the relationship to other development contributions including section 7.11 and section 7.12 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. This Planning Agreement does not exclude the application of section 7.12 contributions applicable to this land.

If the Planning Agreement is supported and executed, this facilitates the development consent becoming operational. There is currently a condition on the development consent requiring the developer to pay development contributions imposed under Northern Beaches Section 7.12 Contributions Plan 2022 to be paid to Council.

The land being dedicated to Council through the Planning Agreement was valued at $491,400 (15 June 2022, land valuation prepared by Ross Sheerin AAPI Valuer submitted to Council).

As part of the Planning Agreement, Council’s costs associated with the preparation and execution of this Agreement and any related documents, and registration of same is to borne by the developer.

social considerations

The Planning Agreement facilitates the dedication of 54.6m² of land to Council for the purpose of road widening at Somerville Place. The dedication of land and provision of a footpath on private land adjacent to Somerville Place facilitates a safe and accessible pathway which is a social benefit for future users of this footpath and road.

environmental considerations

The road widening works on the land to be dedicated to Council provides for appropriate management of stormwater and improved efficiency and pavement condition for Somerville Place.

governance and risk considerations

An assessment of the Offer and preparation of the Planning Agreement has occurred in accordance with Council Policy and the Planning Agreements Practice Note (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, February 2021).

The Planning Agreement has been prepared in accordance with the legislative requirements of Division 7.1 of Part 7 of Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Division 1 of Part 9 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021.

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 13.1 - 27 June 2023

13.0 Transport and Assets Division Reports

ITEM 13.1	Review of The Strand Streets as Shared Spaces Project
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Transport & Civil Infrastructure
TRIM file REF	2023/224187
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨The Strand, Dee Why - Human Movement Data and Traffic Study (April 2023) (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨The Strand Dee Why - Human Movement Data and Traffic Analysis (February 2022) (Included In Attachments Booklet) 3 ⇨Community Engagement Report - Streets as Shared Spaces - The Strand, Dee Why - Trial Evaluation (Included In Attachments Booklet) 4 ⇨Community Survey Analysis - Streets as Shared Spaces - The Strand, Dee Why (April 2022) (Included In Attachments Booklet)

SUMMARY

purpose

To report back to Council on the Streets as Shared Spaces trial project at The Strand, Dee Why, which includes data and community feedback collected and to recommend Council that the Streets as Shared Spaces infrastructure remain in place.

executive summary

Council, at its meeting in May 2021, adopted a trial for the implementation of a northbound one-way traffic flow and two way separated cycleway, addition of a boardwalk footway and other measures to enhance the amenity along the beachfront restaurant precinct at The Strand, Dee Why. The trial was funded through the NSW Government’s Streets as Shared Spaces grant program during COVID 19.

The trial has operated since the completion of works in August 2021. Council resolved to extend the trial for a further 12 months at the Council meeting held on 26 April 2022 to allow a thorough assessment of the trial in a traditional summer period, not affected by covid or wet weather.

The trial has been assessed against the project outcomes of supporting business, enhancing pedestrian activity and access, and prioritising space for people. Overall, feedback received from both businesses and the community has been positive, however, there were divided opinions regarding the traffic and parking arrangements. The trial has resulted in reduced overall vehicle traffic volumes, improved pedestrian, and improved visitor experiences along The Strand.

Restaurants were able to expand their outdoor dining areas whilst providing additional space on the boardwalk area for pedestrians and areas for consumption of take away meals. Given the feedback regarding the improvements in The Strand, Council should investigate options to progress improvements, including funding, and in consultation with the community consider solutions to address the impacts associated with changes in traffic flow.

The reallocation of traffic routes to the adjoining road corridors, mainly Clyde Road, Oaks Avenue, Pacific Parade and Avon Road was one of the key concerns raised along with the increased traffic affecting pedestrian safety. The data suggests that whilst there has been an increase in the adjoining streets overall there has been an overall reduction in traffic using the Dee Why Beach residential area with up to 2000 per day of the pre-trial traffic now continuing along Pittwater Road to head south from Dee Why.

Pedestrian safety is a key issue with several issues raised regarding the walkability of the overall Dee Why area and the need for additional safe pedestrian crossings at key intersections in the high-density area of Dee Why. Four key locations were considered initially, and proposals approved at the March 2022 meeting of the Northern Beaches Local Traffic Committee. These crossings were installed in June 2022. Additional investigation of other locations raised by the community during the trial are currently underway with options being prepared for the future works program to assist in improving the overall walkability of Dee Why.

Work on the broader improvement to the walkability of the Dee Why area is continuing in partnership with Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW), to assess and refine improvements required to increase the livability of the broader Dee Why area.

Independent assessment of the way people use the space, where they come from and how they move through and around the area was commissioned to verify the impacts / benefits of the trial, along with economic spend data for the dining and entertainment sector to determine how the trial has benefited the area.

RECOMMENDATION OF Director Transport and Assets

That:

1. Council note the ongoing benefit to the overall community and businesses along the Dee Why beachfront of the current arrangements.

2. Council note the impacts of the changes on the residents in adjoining streets.

3. Council endorses the Streets as Shared Spaces infrastructure remain in place.

4. Council seeks grant funding to allow the installation of permanent infrastructure along the extent of The Strand, noting that the project is currently not a funded project and will be part of future consideration with the long-term financial plan.

REPORT

BACKGROUND

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPIE) Streets as Shared Spaces program is designed to allow Council to gauge the community’s response to changes to the road environment before considering longer term changes or future activations. The program benefits to the community are to encourage physical activity and wellbeing, whilst providing opportunities to improve social distancing in high pedestrian activity areas.

Reclaiming space for pedestrians aligns with Council’s strategic vision for a green and connected city and the focus on creating walkable neighbourhoods with accessible local centres and village streets and prioritising space for people on streets to enable easy movement. Council, at its meeting in May 2021, adopted a trial to allow the implementation of a northbound one-way traffic flow and two way separated cycleway, with the addition of a boardwalk footway and other measures to enhance the amenity along the beachfront restaurant precinct at The Strand, Dee Why.

Funding was provided by the DPIE’s Streets as Shared Spaces (SaSS) program. The project was the subject of significant community consultation prior to being reported to Council and some further changes were made to the design based on the feedback and resolution of Council.

Council resolved to extend the trial for a further 12 months at the meeting held on 26 April 2022, to allow a thorough assessment of the trial in a traditional summer period, not affected by covid or wet weather. Restaurants have been able to further expand their outdoor dining areas whilst providing additional space on the boardwalk area for pedestrians and areas for consumption of take away meals.

In assessing the trial against the project outcomes of supporting business, enhancing pedestrian activity and access, and prioritising space for people, the trial is largely considered to have been successful. Overall, the feedback from both businesses and the community was positive, however, there are some divided opinions regarding the traffic and parking arrangements. The trial resulted in improvement to pedestrian safety and better visitor experiences along the beachfront.

DISCUSSION

In approving the extension of the SaSS trial in The Strand, Council resolved to receive an evaluation of the trial. To complete the evaluation, Council undertook several data collection methods to assess the outcome of the trial and the realisation of the benefits to business, the local community and visitors.

Initially (in 2021) businesses supported the additional space for pedestrians, customers waiting for take-away and outdoor dining but felt changes have not impacted customer behaviour or spend, positively or negatively. Several businesses acknowledged ongoing COVID staff shortages may have impacted their ability to fully utilise the space available. During the extension of the trial period the businesses were able to further utilise the space and with an improved summer period, without restrictions and better weather the spend increased by 12.38% year on year for December and 8% year on year for January.

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Economic Spend Data (pre-covid to March 2023)

Human movement data surveys were also undertaken to determine whether the location was acting as a destination for local residents or was attracting people from further afield. This has been used to gauge whether the trial was improving business by attracting visitors from outside of the area. The independent report, The Strand Dee Why - Human Movement Data and Traffic Analysis Report (April 2023) (attachment 1) prepared by Urbis provides traffic counts taken during the trial at regular intervals and have been compared against the pre-trial counts to determine the effect on traffic volumes, distribution, and speeds.

For comparison, the previous Human Movement Data (HMD) study (attachment 2) undertaken in January 2022 is provided for reference.

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Visitor Distribution 2023 report

The traffic and parking changes that were installed as part of the trial included speed limit changes (reduction to 30kph in The Strand), pedestrian safety measures and parking changes. Traffic speed surveys and counts were conducted to assess speed and volume of traffic. The traffic data from these counters was used in conjunction with the Human Movement Data (HMD) to determine changes in vehicle trip behaviours on the streets of Dee Why before and after the implementation of the one one-way northbound traffic conditions along The Strand in Dee Why.

	Weekly Total Volumes
Traffic Counter Locations	Feb 2021	Sep 2022	Apr 2023
S2 – The Strand (Oaks & Howard)	74,927	28,242	27,112
S1 – The Strand (Howard & Dee Why		33,582	31,903
D1 – Dee Why Pde (The Strand & Clyde)	63,029	42,060	40,378
D2 – Dee Why Pde (Clyde & Avon)	69,627	39,095	37,140
H2 – Howard Ave (Clyde & Avon)	25,493	19,766	18,975
H1 – Howard Ave (The Strand & Clyde)	23,003	15,649	15,001
A3 – Avon Rd (Oaks & Howard)	59,339	67,820	65,107
A2 – Avon Rd (Howard & Dee Why)	52,217	58,683	56,336
A1 – Avon Rd (Dee Why & Richmond)	14,101	11,907	11,312
C3 – Clyde Rd (Oaks & Howard	6,840	12,275	12,250
C2 – Clyde Rd (Howard & Dee Why	4,997	9,676	9,373

It is noted that during the peak season, reallocation of traffic routes to the adjoining road corridors, mainly Clyde Road, Oaks Avenue, Pacific Parade and Avon Road was one of the key concerns raised along with the increased traffic affecting pedestrian safety. However, it was observed that there was no increase to traffic speeds in the precinct, with recorded speeds on all local roads between Avon Road and The Strand continuously noted between 40 and 46 km/h (the posted speed limit of 40km/h). These speeds are also in line with the pre-trial counts undertaken across the precinct where north- south roads have a speed closer to the posted limit and the east-west roads have a higher 85^th percentile both pre and post implementation of the trial.

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Speed comparison Clyde Road between Dee Why Parade and Howard Avenue

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Speed comparison Clyde Road between Howard Avenue and Oaks Avenue

The data indicates that whilst there has been some traffic volume increase in the adjoining streets overall there has been a 5% reduction in traffic using the Dee Why Beach residential area. There has been significant reduction (25%) in volumes on Howard Avenue and Dee Why Parade, with a slight reduction (2%) in Oaks Avenue as well. Data indicates that with some of the through traffic now continuing along Pittwater Road heading south from Dee Why. This has been quantified using traffic detectors at the Oaks Avenue intersection showing an increase in through traffic southbound on Pittwater Road of almost 2000/day additional trips, with local road counts showing a similar network decrease, with some load also being reallocated to Pacific Parade as drivers continue through to Curl Curl via Griffin Road.

The separated cycleway has been another point of contention where its usage has been questioned with comments around the allocation of road space and whether the cycleway could be returned to vehicles to allow a return of two-way traffic along The Strand. The cycleway data shown below indicates that it is currently being used as an isolated piece of infrastructure and has already provided a benefit to the community.

When reviewed and a comparison drawn between the issues around bikes along the beachfront in Manly versus the Strand there have been a reduction in complaints about inappropriate use of bikes along the beach front in Dee Why with no complaints recorded in 2023 compared with 18 in the 12-month period directly preceding the trial being implemented.

The separated cycleway is part of the overall network being delivered between Manly and Narrabeen as well as Dee Why Town Centre that is a combination of separated cycleways, shared user paths and off-road shared infrastructure.

Daily Usage Counts 2023 to date

Yearly Daily Average Counts

Key Findings – Traffic

· Vehicle usage along The Strand has dropped with the one-way conversion.

· Higher vehicle volumes have been observed in Clyde Road, Avon Road, Oaks Avenue and Pacific Parade as vehicles diverted away from The Strand.

· Redistribution of through traffic (average 2000 vehicles /day) from the local road network to the Pittwater Road corridor.

· Traffic Speeds have not increased across the precinct, as detailed in the analysis of the traffic speeds provided in Appendix C of the Human Movement Data and Traffic Report.

Key Finding – Pedestrian Movements

· The proportion of pedestrian visits has increased with the implementation of the one-way conversion on The Strand.

· Additional pedestrian crossings have been provided with additional locations currently being considered for delivery to assist in making the area more walkable.

· There has been an overall increase in pedestrian movement to visit The Strand. Half of the visitors who walked to The Strand live within a six kilometre radius Residents walking to The Strand from the local area found it difficult to cross Pacific Parade and requested a new pedestrian crossing to facilitate this between Cassia Street and Griffin Road.

· Extra crossings on Howard Avenue and Avon Road would also facilitate a safe transport route for visitors.

· Lighting upgrades on existing pedestrian crossings was also requested to ensure crossings were well lite during low level lighting conditions.

Key Findings – Visitation

· The one-way conversion has had a positive impact on the draw of visitors to The Strand. The proportion of people visiting from outside the Northern Beaches Council Local Government Area has increased by 6% from February 2020 to February 2023.

· Most (70%) visitors to The Strand live within the Northern Beaches Local Government Area.

· The one-way conversion has resulted in an increase in pedestrian visitation to The Strand.

· Visitors were observed to be travelling elsewhere in the LGA after their visit to The Strand before heading back to their point of origin (as shown below in the pre visit and post visit 60-minute heat maps). This indicates that visitors to the Strand are potentially access other attractions, shops, or facilities in the broader area.

· Visitors to the Strand have increased their dwell time in the precinct.

Pre-Visit Analysis (60 minutes)

Post Visit Analysis (60 minutes)

CONSULTATION

Ongoing submissions received from the public on the trial range from complaints about the temporary nature of the installation, impact of traffic on the adjoining streets, pedestrian crossing causing delays, and the lack of cyclists using the dedicated cycleway.

Consultation has been undertaken directly with the adjoining businesses. The conversations with the adjoining businesses have been largely positive, with some requests for improvements to the ongoing maintenance of the structures and for further community feedback on the level of finish should the installation be made permanent.

Feedback received has been collated into 8 key themes covering the broad responses provided. A deeper analysis of negative sentiment and those that liked the concept but wanted changes made has been undertaken.

Full details of the comments are provided in the engagement report (attachment 3), however response to the deep dive matters are summarised below.

Issue	Response
The cycleway should be removed it does not connect to the area.	The cycleway provides a link between the existing shared user path near Dee Why SLSC and Pittwater Road in the north and Griffin Road and Curl Curl in the south. There are future sections to be delivered that form part of the broader network to enhance the Active Transport connections throughout the Northern Beaches.
The Strand should be fully closed and pedestrianised	Whilst this happens with major events, the trial was never designed to test this change in the area, with some adjoining properties requiring access and businesses reliant on passing trade questioning what this would means in real terms.
Remove parking and return two-way traffic.	Some parking is required to allow access for deliveries and customers who are less mobile. Returning the two-way traffic will reduce the safety benefits of the current scheme and detract from the amenity of the area that was a key item in the feedback provided.
Relocate the cycleway into the adjoining reserve area and return two-way traffic.	The reserve area is highly utilised during the peak times and the area provides a valuable outdoor space for the residents of the nearby higher density residential area.

TIMING

The future formalisation of permanent public domain works, and any additional works will be the subject of further design and consultation, and would be subject to grant funding being made available. Additional approval and reporting to the Northern Beaches Council Local Traffic Committee is likely to be required well in advance of any works being undertaken.

LINK TO STRATEGY

This report relates to the Community Strategic Plan Outcome of:

· Housing, places and spaces - Goal 11 Our local centres are vibrant and healthy, catering for diverse economic and social needs

This project also relates to MOVE – Northern Beaches Transport Strategy

· Theme 1 - Accessible and Liveable Places

o Action 1. Create and enhance “Places for People” that are integrated with public transport, creating vibrant, connected places with wide footpaths, safe cycling options and where the car is not the first option.

· Theme 2 – Active Travel

o Action 1. Prioritise smart, active travel network improvements (through technology, end of trip facilities, and way-finding signage). Expand footpath and shared path networks to improve connectivity and safety, making walking and cycling attractive alternatives to the car.

o Action 2. Deliver safe, active travel across all modes of transport for school aged children and young people.

o Action 3. Provide a safe environment, both on and off-road for all users and end of trip facilities to make it a realistic option for commuting.

o Action 4. Expand cycle network to reduce conflict between road users.

financial considerations

The existing infrastructure installed as part of the Streets as Shared Spaces trial has an asset life of approximately 4-5 years minimum, and is able to remain in place for at least that period of time.

Whilst a works program is yet to be included in a future Capital Works Budget, grant funding from DPIE and TfNSW will be investigated to assist in the implementation of the recommended options.

The overall funding required will need to be determined based on the outcome of the public consultation on the future actions to address the issues raised by the community.

Based on the high-level strategic costing methodology used in developing this type of project and converting the existing temporary infrastructure to a high-quality permanent installation, taking into account the escalating costs of construction and the need to identify the final configuration. Staff have identified the potential budget of between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000 dependant on the level of finish and scope proposed.

social considerations

Typically, projects of this nature improve the social connection of the residents as they can utilise the public space - in this case the road reserve, to gather and connect as neighbours. The Strand project has provided an improvement to the local amenity for use by adjoining businesses and residents and provides an improved connection between the Dee Why Parade end of the offroad cycleway through to James Meehan Reserve and the Griffin Road on-road cycleway at Oaks Avenue. Improvements to the Active Transport connections have the potential to further enhance the health and wellbeing of the community by providing opportunities to safely exercise, walk and ride.

environmental considerations

The Strand Project provides an increased area of vegetation through the use of planter boxes as traffic calming devices within the existing pavement space. Formalisation of the infrastructure presents the opportunity to redeploy the existing temporary planters to other locations and will improve the public domain in this location with permanent garden construction.

The overall amenity of the precinct has been improved through the reduction of through traffic, increase in public open space, the ability for the residents to use the wider footpath area for both walking and waiting for take away meals.

If approved on the continuing basis there is the potential for the area to be landscaped and provide additional environmental improvements including the use of vegetated traffic calming and wider footpath garden areas that could potentially accommodate larger trees instead of the existing planters whilst also being sympathetic to the views from both business and residential properties.

Further slowing of traffic and improvements to the precinct will also improve the overall amenity of the Dee Why precinct east of Pittwater Road.

governance and risk considerations

Independent review of the human movement data and the connected vehicle information was undertaken to provide an impartial review of the trial.

If grant funding cannot be sourced to install permanent infrastructure as established by the trail, the removal of the temporary infrastructure after 4-5 years will see Council loose the benefits of the trial. This would also result in a negative impact on the businesses that have leveraged off the trial, in the section of Dee Why that is most affected by seasonal variation.

The allocation from Council capital works budget will need to be considered if no grant funding can be sourced.

[1] https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/voice-to-parliament

[3] https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/house-price-growth-three-times-faster-than-wages-over-four-decades-20211102-p595dr.html

[4] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/15/nsw-to-allow-taller-denser-property-developments-while-curtailing-power-of-councils

Recipient	Description	Allocation
Dancexcel Performance Studios	Financial assistance towards development -overseas tour to the USA in April 2023 for local dance students.	$1,000.00
RSL LifeCare Ltd, Narrabeen - War Veterans Art Exhibition Charity Event	Financial assistance towards their fundraising efforts to support the Montgomery Committee which assists residents at the Narrabeen Village.	$339.00
Streetworks Australia Ltd Annual Charity Golf Day	Donation to Streetworks for two team sponsorships for the event.	$720.00
Northern Beaches Art Society Inc.	Contribution to prizes (1^st prize) for the 2023 Northern Beaches Art Society Exhibition held between 14 and 25 June 2023 at the Creative Space, Curl Curl.	$500.00
Wakehurst Rugby Club Ltd	Donation towards repairs to the Club following theft and vandalism in the Clubhouse.	$1,000.00
Local Resident *	Financial assistance for local resident to represent Australia in the Asia Pacific Cup National Under 16 team for Canoe Sprint Championships.	$500.00
Zonta Club of Northern Beaches Inc.	Financial assistance towards the Zonta Club’s International Womens’ Day Breakfast held on 1 March 2023.	$750.00
Local Residents x 2 *	Financial assistance towards participation and fundraising in the annual Rotary Fun Run and Walk.	$500.00
Australian Tibetan Community Association	Financial assistance for 4 local residents to participate in the Australian Football Team competing in the GCM Gold Cup in June 2023 in India.	$1,000.00
Local Resident *	Financial assistance to attend the Federation of International Gymnastics Parkour World Cup in France – May 2023 as the Gymnastics Australia Inaugural Australian National Parkour Coach.	$500.00
The Village Chef – NSW Meals on Wheels Assoc.	Financial assistance towards thank-you event for the volunteers who serve the former Pittwater and Warringah areas.	$500.00
Local Residents x 5 *	Financial assistance for 5 local residents of the Pittwater Dragon Boat Racing Club to represent Australia in the Auroras teams competition in Thailand in August 2023.	$2,500.00 ($500 each resident)

ITEM 9.3	Internal Audit Charter
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Internal Audit & Complaints Resolution
TRIM file REF	2023/232814
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇩Internal Audit Charter

ITEM 9.6	Revocation of Various Policies
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Governance & Risk ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE
TRIM file REF	2022/227711
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨Companion Animal Population (former Pittwater Council) (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨Horses on Private Premises Policy (former Pittwater Council) (Included In Attachments Booklet) 3 ⇨Draft Keeping of Animals Policy (Northern Beaches Council) (Included In Attachments Booklet) 4 ⇨Privacy Policy (Included In Attachments Booklet)

Policy	Reason for revoking
Companion Animal Population Policy (former Pittwater Council) (Attachment 1)	This policy has been identified as no longer being required as the management of the subject matter covered by the policy is now addressed by the existing statutory provisions of the Companion Animals Act 1998.
Horses on Private Property Policy (former Pittwater Council) (Attachment 2)	This policy is no longer current as the content of the former policy is largely based on the now superseded Pittwater Local Environmental Plan 1993. Further, the policy has been identified as no longer being required as the management of the subject matter covered by the policy is addressed by the existing statutory provisions the Local Government Act 1993 and the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.
Privacy Policy (Attachment 4)	This policy is no longer required. Its existence is a legacy of the former Warringah Council. The Privacy & Personal Information Protection Act 1998 requires Council to have a Privacy Management Plan which is operating in place (to be updated by 11/23) and to institute a Data Breach Policy (currently in development and to be finalised by 11/23). Council staff undertake annual privacy training to ensure privacy obligations are effectively managed.

ITEM 9.7	Power of Attorney Arrangements for Chief Executive Officer
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Governance & Risk
TRIM file REF	2023/164288
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇩Revocation of Power of Attorney - Louise Kerr 2 ⇩Power of Attorney - Scott Phillips

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 7.1 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 7.1	Mayoral Minute No 6/2023 - Recognition of Achievements at the 2023 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards
TRIM file REF	2023/365748
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 8.1 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 8.1	Oath or Affirmation of Office
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Governance & Risk
TRIM file REF	2023/339814
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 8.2 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 8.2	Northern Beaches Council Discretionary Fund Quarterly Report
REPORTING MANAGER	INTERIM Chief Executive Officer
TRIM file REF	2023/157300
ATTACHMENTS	Nil

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 9.2 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 9.2	Voting delegates for Local Government NSW Annual Conference 2023
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Governance & Risk
TRIM file REF	2023/009648
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 9.3 - 27 June 2023

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 9.6 - 27 June 2023

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 9.7 - 27 June 2023

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 10.4 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 10.4	Community Safety Advisory Committee - Confirmed Minutes of 16 February 2023 and Committee Member Updates.
REPORTING MANAGER	acting Executive Manager Community, Arts & Culture
TRIM file REF	2023/330741
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇩Minutes - Community Safety Advisory Committee - 20230216 - Confirmed 2 ⇩Terms of Reference - Community Safety Advisory Committee

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 10.6 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 10.6	Public Exhibition of Community Services Award Policy
REPORTING MANAGER	Acting Executive Manager Community, Arts & Culture
TRIM file REF	2023/341519
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇩Draft Community Service Awards Policy

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 11.1 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 11.1	Confirmed minutes of the Environment Strategic Reference Group Meeting - June 2022 and April 2023
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Environment & Climate Change
TRIM file REF	2023/344506
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇨Minutes - Environment Strategic Reference Group - 27 April 2023 (Included In Attachments Booklet) 2 ⇨Minutes - Environment Strategic Reference Group - 2 June 2022 (Included In Attachments Booklet)

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 12.1 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 12.1	Variations to Development Standards Under Clause 4.6 of Local Environmental Plans
REPORTING MANAGER	ACTING Executive Manager Development Assessment
TRIM file REF	2023/247993
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇩Clause 4.6 - Quarter 1 2023 - Variations to Development Standards

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 13.2 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 13.2	Public Exhibition of the Proposal to Name the Viewing Deck on Curl Curl Lagoon at John Fisher Park the Ray Cox Viewing Deck
REPORTING MANAGER	Executive Manager Parks & Recreation
TRIM file REF	2023/283621
ATTACHMENTS	1 ⇩Location of the Proposed Ray Cox Viewing Deck, Curl Curl Lagoon, John Fisher Park

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 13.3 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 13.3	Dedication of 12 Brands Lane and 2 Lorikeet Grove Warriewood to Council
REPORTING MANAGER	EXECUTIVE MANAGER PROPERTY
TRIM file REF	2023/237636
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 15.1 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 15.1	Notice of Motion No 16/2023 - Proposal to Declare Bongin Bongin Bay a 'No Take' Aquatic Reserve
TRIM file REF	2023/369635
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 15.2 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 15.2	Notice of Motion No 17/2023 - Proposal for Public Art on Marine Parade, Manly
TRIM file REF	2023/370009
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 15.3 - 27 June 2023

ITEM 15.3	Notice of Motion No 18/2023 - Traffic Calming Measures Oxford Falls
TRIM file REF	2023/378358
ATTACHMENTS	NIL

	Report To Ordinary Council MEETING
	ITEM NO. 15.4 - 27 June 2023