Source: http://bizsearch.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/PCCBPS/Open/2007/04/PRC_30042007_AGN_AT.HTM
Timestamp: 2018-07-23 07:54:35
Document Index: 570268679

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 7', '§ 4', '§ 6', '§ 478', '§ 69', '§ 288', '§ 500', '§ 4', '§ 478', '§ 115', '§ 37', '§ 3', '§ 70', '§ 10', '§ 1087', '§ 3425']

Agenda of Policy Review Committee Meeting - 30 April 2007
In pursuance of the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1993 and the Regulations thereunder, notice is hereby given that a POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING of Penrith City Council is to be held in the Passadena Room, Civic Centre, 601 High Street, Penrith on Monday 30 April 2007 at 7:30pm.
Policy Review Committee Meeting - 2 April 2007.
February 2007 - December 2007
19#+
20#+
^ Election of Mayor/Deputy Mayor [only business]
ü Meeting at which the 2006/2007 Annual Statements are presented
* Meeting at which the Management Plan for 2007/2008 is adopted
- Members of the public are invited to observe meetings of the Council (Ordinary and Policy Review Committee). All meetings start at 7:30pm.
- Should you wish to address Council, please contact the Public Officer, Glenn McCarthy on 47327649
ON MONDAY 2 APRIL 2007 AT 7:30PM
His Worship the Mayor Councillor Pat Sheehy AM, Councillors Jim Aitken OAM, Kaylene Allison, David Bradbury (arrived 8:00 pm), Kevin Crameri OAM, Greg Davies (arrived 7:48 pm), Mark Davies, Ross Fowler, Jackie Greenow, Karen McKeown, Susan Page, Garry Rumble, and John Thain.
PRC 21 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jackie Greenow seconded Councillor Kevin Crameri OAM that apologies be received and accepted from Councillors David Bradbury, Greg Davies, Steve Simat and Lexie Cettolin.
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES - Policy Review Committee Meeting - 12 March 2007
PRC 22 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Karen McKeown seconded Councillor Susan Page that the minutes of the Policy Review Committee Meeting of 12 March 2007 be confirmed.
The General Manager, Mr Alan Travers, gave a brief overview of the progress of the 2005-2009 Strategic Program – 18 Month Review. Presentations were then made, detailing the progress with the 2005-2009 Strategic Program.
Director – City Strategy: Key Themes
Acting Chief Financial Officer: Capacity to Deliver Strategic Program
Councillor Greg Davies arrived at the meeting, the time being 7:48 pm.
Councillor David Bradbury arrived at the meeting, the time being 8:00 pm.
Presentations then continued with the Key Strategic Challenges & Proposed Breakthroughs, as follows:
Director – City Strategy:
· Regional City Delivery
· Subregional Plans
· Penrith Lakes
Director – City Planning:
· Integrated Land Use & Transport
· River Health
· Established Areas
· Look of the City
Councillor Kevin Crameri OAM left the meeting, the time being 8:33 pm.
Councillor Greg Davies left the meeting at 8:35 pm and did not return.
Councillor Kevin Crameri OAM returned to the meeting, the time being 8:40 pm
Councillor David Bradbury left the meeting, the time being 8:42 pm
Councillor David Bradbury returned to the meeting, the time being 8:43 pm.
Director – City Operations:
· Public Domain Maintenance
· Asset Renewal - Roads
· Asset Renewal - Parks Assets
Councillor Mark Davies left the meeting, the time being 8:59 pm.
Councillor Mark Davies returned to the meeting, the time being 9:01 pm.
· Workforce Strategy
1 2005-2009 Strategic Program - 18 Month Review
PRC 23 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Ross Fowler seconded Councillor Garry Rumble
1. The information contained in the report on 2005-2009 Strategic Program - 18 Month Review be received.
2. Council consider the responses to key strategic challenges to be presented by the Directors.
2 Alignment of the Organisation
PRC 24 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Ross Fowler seconded Councillor Susan Page
1. The information contained in the report on Alignment of the Organisation be received.
2. The changes to Staff Establishment be endorsed.
There being no further business the Chairperson declared the meeting closed the time being 9:08 pm.
1 Penrith City Children's Services Co-operative Ltd
2 Parent Friendly Facilities in Public Buildings
3 Review of the Immunisation Service
4 Planning for an Ageing Community - Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper
5 Proposal for a Memorandum of Understanding with Sydney West Area Health Service
6 The future of the former Gipps Street Landfill site at Claremont Meadows
7 Waste Performance Incentive Payments
8 Glenmore Park Stage 2 - Employment Development and Affordable Housing Strategies
9 Service Specification Program
Penrith City Children's Services Co-operative Ltd
Compiled by: Sadie Burling, Children's Services Manager - Operations
Authorised by: Denise Gibson, Children’s Services Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Services are provided to meet the diverse needs of families and to support the development of children.
Critical Action: Deliver Councils Children's Services to meet the current and emerging needs of families and children.
Presenters: Max Friend - Chairman, Penrith Children's Services Co-operative Ltd - Fourth Annual General Meeting
To provide details to Council of the Fourth Annual General Meeting of the Penrith City Children's Services Co-operative Ltd. This report requests that Council continues to underwrite the operations of the Penrith City Children's Services Co-operative Ltd. The Chairman will be making a short presentation to the meeting.
Penrith City Council delegated responsibility for the management of Penrith City Children’s Services, four years ago, to the Board of the Penrith City Children’s Services Cooperative. This report details the financial status, at the end of the 2005 /2006 financial year, for the Children’s Services managed by the Board, the challenges faced by the centres, and the achievements of staff and the services.
This report follows the fourth Annual General Meeting of the Co-operative, held on 26 October 2006 for the period ended 30 June 2006.
The Chairman of the Board will be in attendance tonight, and will make a brief presentation. Following are the reports of the Chairman and Children’s Services Manager, extracted from the Annual Report.
“It is with much pleasure that I present the Chairman’s report to the Fourth Annual General Meeting of the Penrith City Children’s Services Co-operative Ltd.
The Co-operative, as a non-trading entity, has a delegated role to manage Council sponsored Children’s Services. Being somewhat unique, the Co-operative consists of representation from parents, staff, Councillors, the community and Council officers.
At the bi - monthly meeting the Board of the Penrith City Children’s Services Co-operative looks at broad policy matters, sets the direction for Children’s Services and makes major decisions that affect the provision of Children’s Services. Parent Advisory Committees, at each service level, provide valuable input into the operational aspects of individual services.
During its fourth year of managing Children’s Services the Board of the Penrith City Children’s Services Co-operative has continued it’s commitment to the upgrading of facilities to enable the safe provision of aesthetically pleasing environments for children, families, staff and visitors. There have been changes to the structure of the management team and support systems within Children’s Services with the appointment of a Children’s Services Manager for Operations, the placement of a Financial Officer within the Children’s services structure and advertising for the Human Resources Officer to support the management team in managing the 300 staff within children’s services.
Children’s Services has developed strong partnerships with external partners to ensure that practice within and across our centres remain contemporary and of a high quality. Acknowledgement of Quality Services has been received through the following mechanisms:
· Accreditation and Licensing Processes
· 2006 National Awards for Local Government – Commendation received for the submission in ‘Valuing and Promoting Quality Child Care’.
· Western Sydney Regional Trainee of the Year award
The success of services are a reflection of the dedication and motivation of our professional and experienced teams of staff who strive to achieve excellence in care delivery to the children and families who access our services.
This annual report presents two sets of financials. The first, statutory reports, present the operation of the Co-operative as a separate legal entity, which is a non-trading Co-operative. The second, management reports, detail the operations of those services managed on behalf of Council for the year ending 30 June 2006.
The Co-operative as a separate legal entity and a non-trading co-operative has very few financial transactions. The services on the other hand represent a combined business with revenues of over $12 million. Operating revenues for the year were $12,315,000 and operating expenses were $12,255,000 resulting in a surplus of $60,000. In comparison previous years recorded a surplus of $323,000 at the 30th June 2005 and a deficit of $305,000 at the 30th June 2004. The operating result is influenced by a number of factors including utilisation levels impacted by increased competition within the Penrith LGA, fee levels, infrastructure and staffing costs.
Utilisation of services is a key factor contributing to viability and affordability. Long day care has achieved 88% utilisation that is 5% below its target of 93% and 3% below targets being achieved last financial year. Before and After school care achieved 71% utilisation that is 1% below its target of 72%. Pre-school has achieved 61% that is 8% below the target of 69%.This result is indicative of the challenges this service type faces with affordability and the increased competition within the market. This result is a further 5% decrease on last years utilization results.
Penrith City Children’s Services believes strongly in the provision of quality services and to ensure that this aspect of the service is delivered continues to staff its centres above the required benchmarks. However, this is becoming a daily challenge with the increased workforce shortage of suitably qualified staff.
The continued compliance with Licensing regulations and Accreditation standards awarded to Long Day Care Centres and more recently to our OOSH centres is testimony to the skill, motivation and dedication of our centre staff and the support provided by the Children’s Services Coordinators.
Equitable fee structures have been achieved for the 06/07 financial year with one fee being charged to the service types (except for Tamara and St Mary’s Preschool).
Affordability continues to be the driving factor for utilisation levels across all service types. Lobbying and Advocacy continues to be on the Boards agenda to ensure that subsidies are keeping pace with the increasing costs of providing Children’s Services.
The year ahead is shaping up to be one that will hold many challenges as we struggle to ensure our services remain viable within a climate of increased competition within the market, legislation and regulation requirements and the maintenance of a skilled and available workforce.
In conclusion I would like to thank the parent advisory committees who work tirelessly in supporting individual centres and my Co –Directors for their valuable input to the continued operations of the Penrith City Children’s Services Co Operative.
Finally I would like to acknowledge the support of centre staff and the officers of the co-ordination unit who enable us to strive for excellence in service delivery and ensure quality services are maintained.”
Children’s Services Manager’s Report 2005/06
“During the fourth year of management of Children’s Services by the Penrith City Children’s Services Co-Operative the focus has been on establishing a business model approach to ensure services remain viable, that the Board’s strategic plan is realized and the quality of services and care delivery is maintained and improved upon. Pivotal to all of these objectives is the need to promote, advocate and support the highest quality standards of education to protect and foster children’s health, safety, development and learning.
As indicated in the Chairman’s report Children’s Services is struggling to staff centres with suitably qualified and skilled staff due to the ever increasing workforce shortage. In an effort to arrest this situation management have looked at creative ways of professionally developing current interested staff from within the organisation. Staff within Children’s services have the opportunity to advance along a career pathway if they so choose. Career opportunities are used as a draw card to attract potential external staff.
Council provides educational support for staff undertaking studies. Approximately, 7.4% staff have undertaken this option. Further to the Educational Assistance Scheme, a trainee program exists to encourage and support people with an interest in childcare. This year has seen two of our trainees achieve recognition in the 2006 NSW training awards. This was an outstanding achievement that can be attributed to the level of support and training the trainees receive during the 12 months they are undergoing training.
This year has seen the introduction of the new management structure within Children’s Services. Denise Gibson Children’s Services Manager, is working primarily on the overall strategic direction, lobbying and advocacy of Children’s Services whereas the Children’s Services Manager Operations is responsible for all services that is directly responsible to the board.
This year the Board has approved the implementation of a marketing plan to ensure that Penrith City Children’s Services has a high profile within the community and to assist in increasing the utilization across services.
As the Chairman of the Board highlighted the utilisation of services is what ensures viability. Some factors impacting upon utilization are as follows:
· Increased competition -15 new development applications approved in the last 2 years
· Uncapped places for OOSH Centres
· Government Legislation
The Board has also approved the five year business plan for Children’s Services that has been aligned to both Councils management plan and the Board’s strategic plan. The business plan details the Vision, Mission, Values and Culture of Children’s Services and projects that will be undertaken in the ensuing months. The Children’s Services Manager Operations and the Coordinators have attended staff meetings across the organisation to present the business plan to staff.
Support to improve access for children with additional needs has been provided by the ISA (Inclusion Support Agency) that up skills staff to develop action plans to include children with special needs into mainstream services. Financial support to facilitate access has been provided through the State funded SCAN program, the ISP(Intervention support program) from the Department of Education and Training and the Federal Special Needs Subsidy Scheme.
Partnerships are seen to be integral in the development and delivery of quality services and to this end Children’s Services works closely with the Macquarie University and the University of Western Sydney. Currently staff in three centres, are heavily involved in the STaR project which aims to educate staff in the management of children with special needs. This project assists staff in gaining valuable skills on how to include children with special needs into mainstream childcare services.
Another project is providing students an opportunity to apply shared knowledge in childcare centres through an innovative “community hub” learning model. Centre staff have the opportunity to be involved in community practice circles and lectures to ensure that their skills are current and contemporary practice is maintained.
Information technology students from the University of Western Sydney are currently developing a Children’s Services website working very closely with the leadership team to ensure a user friendly, informative site is developed.
Another initiative undertaken in partnership is the Corporate Partners for Change program that links Government, employer, training organizations and the community together as partners to assist people in Western Sydney to make the transition into the workforce. This project is an initiative of the Office of the Minister for Western Sydney and is funded by the Department of Education and Training. Penrith City Children’s Services is the lead employer agency for this initiative. This program provides opportunities for people to have exposure to child care services in anticipation that it will encourage the participant to go onto further studies and a career in childcare.
Children’s Services has developed a very strong relationship with its friendship city Hakusan in Japan with 24 students from Kinjo College spending a day in centres providing children with a taste of Japanese culture and child related activities.
In an effort to promote environmentally sustainable centres Children’s Services have installed 5 of its centres with water tanks following a successful application for grant funds. Staff in the centres, take the opportunity to educate the children on the need to be environmentally friendly to sustain the planet for future generations.
The management team would like to extend its thanks to the Board for its commitment, vision and support over the last 12 months. The next 12 months will be a year of a challenge as we continue to compete with market forces, legislative requirements and workforce issues. However, with the Boards ongoing support and enthusiasm Penrith City Children’s Services will continue to strive for excellence in leadership, quality and safety across all services.
In conclusion acknowledgement of the service provided by centre staff to the children and families cannot go by without special thanks. Without the dedication of our staff the service provided would not be at the level that we require or that the children and families have come to expect. Many staff go that extra mile to ensure that children, families and co workers are afforded the best possible environment to encourage a safe, happy, caring and learning environment.”
Challenges Ahead for the Penrith City Children’s Services Co-operative
Throughout the past year, the Board of Directors has considered information on the current issues facing children’s services, and has responded accordingly through budget measures, system changes and direct action, such as lobbying Commonwealth and State Governments in relation to funding matters.
The Board has recognised that a number of substantial and fundamental challenges lie ahead, in the management and delivery of children’s services in the years to come. It has undertaken significant work to address many of these, including:
· Continuation of facility maintenance and upgrades to ensure compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements
· Lobbying Commonwealth and State Governments in relation to planning matters, funding issues and affordable fees
· Realigning of the Leadership and Management Team
· The need to adopt a business model focus to Children’s Services
· Increased marketing to profile Children’s Services to the Penrith LGA
· Development of a Children’s Services Web Page.
Two key projects that have been continued include the Commonwealth funded Child Care Links project at Kindana Children’s Centre, and the Commonwealth funded Active Communities in OOSH.
Financial Report 2005/06
The Annual Report to 30 June 2006 includes two sets of financial reports. The first is a set of statutory reports for the separate legal entity of the Co-operative, which as a non-trading co-operative, contains only the members’ equity of the Co-operative. The Co-operative is charged with the management of a number of Council’s children’s services, and the second set of reports, namely management reports, details the financial operation of those centres for the twelve months ending 30 June 2006.
The Services managed by the co-operative had an operating surplus, from Ordinary Activities, of $60,000 (2005 $323,000), compared to a budgeted surplus of $191,000. This was achieved from operating expenses of $12,255,000 (2005 $11,745,000,) an increase of 4.3%, and operating revenues of $12,315,000 (2005 $12,068,000), an increase of 2.0%.
Employee Costs were $10,692,000 (2005 $10,197,000), an increase of 4.8%. This increase occurs because of a 3% award increase effective November 2005 and the full year impact of the introduction of a 35 hour week for staff graded Band 3 and above. This was only a half-year impact for the 2004-05 financial year.
Expenditure on materials and contracts and other expenses was $1,483,000 (2005 $1,468,000), an increase of 1.0%, well below the CPI increase for the year.
The Out of School Hours services also has commitments to repay Capital expenditure, undertaken by Penrith City Council for the provision of buses needed by the services to deliver children to and from school. These buses are funded on a rolling replacement program, which sees each bus replaced every five years, with two buses programmed for replacement each year. The centres have an annual commitment of $8,100 per centre. Kindana B&A is also repaying funds advanced for Extensions to the centre, undertaken a number of years ago, at the rate of $6,700 per year. The combined cost of these commitments is $80,000.
Charges to parents for the provision of care were $7,032,000 (2005 $6,601,000), an increase of 6.5%. Government funding for Child Care Support was $3,607,000 (2005 $3,779,000), a decrease of 4.5%. Combined revenue for the provision of care was $10,639,000 (2005 $10,380,000), an increase of 2.5%.
Government grants utilised for operational and specific programs expenditure were $1,555,000 (2005 $1,484,000), an increase of 4.8%.
Utilisation rates are the key driver to revenue generation, and therefore financial viability of the services. For each of the service types, the utilisations achieved in 2006 are listed below, compared to the utilisation anticipated in the budget deliberations and the utilisation achieved for the 2004-05 financial year.
Service type 06 Utilisation 05 Utilisation 06 Budget
Long Day Care 88% 91% 93%
Pre School 61% 66% 69%
Before and After School 61% 60% 60%
Vacation care 43% 49% 55%
Penrith City Council Contributions
In addition to their ordinary activities, the services managed by the Co-operative entered into arrangements with Penrith City Council for funding global expenditure programs from centre operations, or reserves established before the creation of the Co-operative. These arrangements fall into one of two categories.
Contribution to “pools” of money, held on behalf of the services for future purposes. The Co-operative’s commitment to add to these pools for 2005 – 06 was $271,000.
Utilisation of pre Co-operative reserves for specific projects or programs. For the year ended 30 June 2006, the amount of funds allocated from these pre Co-operative reserves was $211,000.
Despite budgeting for a surplus from Ordinary Activities of $191,000, the commitment to provide pooled funding of $271,000 resulted in a budgeted deficit of $81,000 for the co-operative for the year. Penrith Council agreed to support the Co-operative by providing funding of $81,000, in recognition of the community obligations provided on its behalf by the centres.
These commitments between the Co-operative and the Council are reflected in the items shown in the Income Statement below the Surplus from Ordinary Activities, and convert a $60,000 surplus into a $332,000 deficit.
This full deficit should not be considered a loss however, as $211,000 of Pre Co-operative reserves specifically kept for this type of expenditure has been utilised. Additionally, fundraising reserves of 27,000 have also been utilised, reducing the $332,000 deficit to a $94,000 deficit.
Although a deficit position is not the preferred result for any year, a deficit of $94,000 is a particularly good result, given the low levels of utilisation achieved during the year.
No significant changes in the state of affairs of the company occurred during the financial year.
The Rules of the Penrith City Children’s Services Co-operative provide, in part, that:
44(b) At each subsequent annual general meeting the active member directors shall retire in rotation of 4 each year and the independent directors shall retire in rotation of 4 and 3 each year.
45(b) A retiring director shall be eligible for re-election without nomination, subject to the person continuing to hold the qualifications specified in rule 43.
Council should note that, at the fourth annual general meeting, as per the Rules of the Penrith City Children’s Services Co-operative, Councillor Kaylene Allison, Directors Susan Day, Gaye Trevaskis, Stacey Parker, Irene Rochester, Ashy Seghal, Maxwell Friend and Linda Newman retired and were nominated and endorsed as continuing directors.
2. Council continue to underwrite the operations of Penrith City Children’s Services Co-operative to 30 June 2008, subject to receipt of Annual Budgets.
Parent Friendly Facilities in Public Buildings
Compiled by: Steve Barratt, Building Approvals Unit Co-ordinator
Requested By: Councillor David Bradbury
To advise Council of the results of a review of options to increase the access by parents with young children to safe facilities in buildings. The report recommends that requirements for these facilities be developed and included in the citywide review of planning policies.
Councillor David Bradbury requested a report about the provision of toilet facilities in the Penrith area which addressed the accessibility of toilets in public buildings for parents with young children.
This issue has arisen from parents’ concerns about the safety of their children when they visit toilets in buildings that are used by the public. This often results in a need for fathers to accompany their daughters past urinals to access toilets.
Currently Council has a Development Control Plan that details requirements for the construction of baby care rooms in public buildings. These rooms include feeding and changing facilities for babies and in some cases, toilet facilities. This policy has been widely recognised as a leading practice initiative providing clear guidelines that have been readily adopted by the development industry.
A major review of Council’s planning policies is currently in progress. It is therefore, an opportune time for the current provision for the care of infants to be extended to toddlers and young children in recognition of changes in parenting roles.
Options for facilities
Council officers have identified a number of options that could be implemented to cater for the changing needs of parents. These options include:
· Installing parent accessible toilets in baby care rooms. Currently this would only apply to baby care rooms where the floor area of the building exceeds 2,000m2
· Providing parenting toilets in appropriate locations so that they do not involve travel past urinals
· Better location, access and promotion of accessible toilets provided for people with disabilities so that they can be used by parents and children. This would only apply where the male accessible toilet is not located within the main toilet area i.e. The accessible toilets are either separate or a unisex accessible toilet is provided
Council currently has a policy for providing baby care rooms in public buildings. The primary function of these rooms is for breast-feeding. Some of these rooms contain toilets. Issues are likely to arise if the breast-feeding area is not adequately screened from the rest of the room should there use be extended to accommodate ‘parenting facilities’.
In new shopping centres and similar scale buildings, it is feasible that some toilets could be positioned so to access them there is no need to travel past urinals. In other buildings, this would not be practical or reasonable, due to the additional construction and maintenance costs. This option therefore has a limited potential to satisfy the concerns raised, without major costs and changes to some buildings.
Accessible facilities for people with disabilities are required in an increasingly wide range of buildings. The use of these rooms for a parent friendly facility satisfies both the need for security and space for the parent to accompany the child into the toilet area. Better location and promotion of these areas will improve access for all users to the facilities and is likely to ensure that they are properly maintained.
The current requirements for accessible toilets and baby care rooms have been developed and implemented in consultation with Council’s Disability Access Committee and representatives from the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Both of these groups were consulted in regard to introducing ‘parenting rooms’ into the facilities that might be available to the community.
The representatives did not have any objection to the options detailed earlier in this report. They provided the following comments;
· There is a need to develop distinctive signage that allows the rooms to be readily identified. It was suggested that the sign state that accessible parenting rooms are available
· A sign in the baby care room and accessible toilet should be provided. The sign should clearly indicate the toilet is available to all occupants of the building
· In smaller developments it is difficult and costly to provide separate gender based facilities for the full range of special uses. Any requirements should therefore relate to the size of the building and adopt different options for different types of buildings
· Management of shopping centres and other large facilities should be encouraged to promote the availability of these facilities in their buildings
· Prior to adopting any changes, there should be broad community consultation, particularly with special interest groups.
Before parent friendly requirements are adopted, consideration of the type and size of buildings that the requirements would target must be developed. The criterion that is used to determine the need to install accessible facilities and baby care rooms in buildings should be extended to cater for parent friendly facilities.
It is proposed that the requirements would only apply to public buildings such as shopping centres, cinemas, restaurants, hospitals, recreation facilities (such as public swimming pool and fitness centres) grandstands and facilities located at sporting fields. The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is the regulation that contains the building controls for the erection of buildings. These public buildings are categorised as Class 6, 9 and 10 under the BCA. The requirements should also be limited to buildings of an appropriate occupancy level. This is best achieved by specifying the requirements in each class of building that will require parent friendly facilities. It is therefore proposed that the facilities be required in the following buildings:
BCA Building Classification
Criteria where parenting facilities are required
Class 6 – Retail sale or supply of services direct to the public
All Buildings where public sanitary facilities are provided
Buildings where the floor area exceeds 2000m2
Buildings where urinals are provided
Class 9 – Public Buildings
All Buildings where public sanitary facilities are required
Function rooms and assembly halls
Buildings where the floor area exceeds 1000m2
Sports and fitness centres, libraries & museums
Health Care buildings (includes medical centres, hospitals, nursing homes & day surgery)
Theatre and public halls
Hotels, clubs & transport terminals
Class 10a – non-habitable amenity buildings
Amenities provided for sporting or community events and includes temporary buildings
The new requirements would apply to new buildings, and to substantial alterations and changes of use of the buildings nominated in the above table. The circumstances in each case where it is proposed to alter buildings would be considered within a particular focus on requiring the installation of parenting facilities where alterations include renovations or construction of amenities.
A review of the floor areas of existing shopping centres in the Penrith Local Government Area has revealed that parenting facilities would be required if substantial alterations were provided in all of these centres.
Council is in the process of developing a local plan for the city, part of that process involves reviewing the development provisions currently in Penrith Development Control Plan 2006. It is envisaged that the changes associated with this parenting facilities initiative be incorporated as part of that review process.
At this stage, it is anticipated that the review of the Development Control Plan will be completed later this year.
This report has identified options to address the changing needs and roles of parents in buildings used by the public. Representatives of people with disabilities and nursing mothers, have supported the initiative, and provided valuable feedback that will be included in detailed consideration of the proposal.
The final solution to this issue may result in requirements that incorporate all the options detailed in this report and other alternative design solutions that cater for special circumstances. Any requirements for additional parent friendly facilities in public buildings should incorporate the flexibility to respond to the circumstances of each case, with an appropriate design solution that meets necessary design criteria and encourages innovative quality developments.
The current review of planning policies provides an opportunity to develop detailed requirements and a broader consultation with the community in response to this issue.
1. The information contained in the report on Parent Friendly Facilities in Public Buildings be received.
2. The current review of planning policies includes the adoption of appropriate requirements to parent friendly facilities in public buildings.
3. Any new Development Application which falls within the types identified in this report, be required to address the issue of providing ‘parenting rooms’.
Review of the Immunisation Service
Compiled by: Graham Pares, Environmental Health Coordinator
Authorised by: Wayne Mitchell, Environmental Health Manager
Critical Action: Undertake a program of activities to safeguard and improve the health of the community.
To advise the Council of the outcome of a review of the immunisation service.
The report recommends that Council discontinue the clinical component of this service and focus resources on the enhanced promotion of childhood immunisation.
Immunisation is one of the most effective and cost-efficient public health measures for the control of vaccine preventable diseases. Since mass immunisation was introduced in the 1930’s, Australia has experienced a significant reduction in the number of cases of vaccine preventable diseases.
Penrith City Council has been involved in the provision of childhood clinical immunisation services from the late 1950’s, when mass vaccination programs were introduced. The schedule of immunisation vaccinations has become increasingly complex over that period, with legislation requiring a specialised range of immunisations to be obtained by all children prior to attending school.
Our current service, involves both the provision of a clinical service, in conjunction with the Western Sydney Area Health Service (WSAHS), and a health promotion program, outlining the need for and benefits of immunisation. A total of four (4) clinics are provided each month, two each at both Penrith and St Marys. Annually, between 700 and 800 immunisations are provided by Council clinics. This represents approximately 4% of the total childhood immunisations for 0-12 month old children within the City. The service offered by local General Practitioners (GPs) are responsible for around 92% of immunisations, with NSW Health and the Aboriginal Health Service provide the remaining 4%.
The national target for childhood immunisations is 95%. This target is being met in SWAHS area, but it is variable in different suburbs. Generally in Penrith City the percentage of children not immunised is around 2 to 3%. A number of parents make a conscientious decision not to immunise their children.
The immunisation clinics were not included as a component of the adopted Health Services specification due to the status of this review. Accordingly, it requires examination to determine if the present format of service delivery is the most effective application of Council resources within the area of childhood immunisation.
Council last considered the provision of the immunisation clinic service in August 2004. At that time, a workshop was held with Councillors, senior staff, immunisation nurses, the CEO of the Nepean Division of General Practitioners and Sydney West Area Health Service (SWAHS) to consider the various issues relevant to Council’s clinic service. The timing of the workshop coincided with the amalgamation of the previous Wentworth Area Health Services (AHS) into the SWAHS. Part of the considerations included the potential for Council to withdraw from the operation of the clinic service to focus more on the promotion of immunisation in general. The outcomes from the workshop were that, given the transitional arrangements of SWAHS, Council would continue to provide the clinical immunisation service until a regional strategy for immunisation services was developed.
Council operates four clinics per month at Penrith and St Marys, with one daytime and one evening clinic at each venue. Nursing staff, specifically qualified in immunisation vaccine delivery, are engaged on behalf of the SWAHS to provide the clinical services. Professional staff within Council’s Environmental Health Department are responsible for organising the equipment for the clinics, administration of the database and reminder service, and attending the clinics in an administrative capacity.
As demonstrated in the following table, attendance figures for the clinics have remained relatively constant over the last few years of the clinic service program, but have continued to decline slightly each year.
Children at clinic
To offset the costs of the service, funds are received from SWAHS for the costs of engaging nursing staff for the clinics. Further funding is obtained federally, under the National Childhood Immunisation Register, for each immunisation provided at the clinics. That offsets the peripheral costs of supplies and equipment for the clinic. The table below highlights the actual costs to Council after these funds are taken into account. The actual costs represent the staff allocations to the program for the operation, and promotion of the immunisation program in general, along with associated on-cost items attributable to this service.
Funds SWAHS
Funds NCIR
Actual Cost - Council
$ 21,354
$ 17,832
Council’s immunisation clinic was audited by the SWAHS in November 2003 and August 2006. The 2003 audit highlighted issues of risk exposure in the manner in which the clinics were being operated, and a total review of the clinic was required. The recent audit confirmed that the changes implemented have reduced that risk exposure and the clinic service is presently being operated successfully.
In preparation for Council’s examination of this service, discussions have been held with the identified key partners in the provision of immunisation services - the Nepean Division of General Practitioners and the Sydney West Area Health Service.
Nepean Division of General Practitioners (NDGP)
The NDGP continue to operate a comprehensive immunisation service that complements the other health services provided by local practitioner members. The Division operates a comprehensive reminder system, with the support of federal funding, for those children that have commenced their immunisation schedule with a GP.
The NDGP has advised that Penrith has one of the highest bulk billing rates for a range of services including immunisation. Further incentive for bulk billing is provided through a Medicare Plus incentive provided to GPs that bulk bill children under 16 and concession card holders.
The role of the local GP in providing a relationship with ongoing overall health considerations for the community was identified within the discussion paper “Future Directions for Health”, released by NSW Health, as a key component of providing a healthier community. Beginning that relationship with the delivery of the immunisation program for a child is seen as having potential long-term health benefits. The opportunity exists on each occasion for the general health of the child to be assessed, and a wider range of immunisations is available that are not included in the standard vaccination schedule to address diseases such as Chicken pox.
Sydney West Area Health Service (SWAHS)
Meetings and discussions have been held with Dr Conrad Moreira (Acting Regional Health Officer) of SWAHS, regarding their present structure and position on the immunisation service provided within the area. The meeting confirmed that the Regional Immunisation Strategy is still under development, but it is not likely to result in a significant change to the current program. SWAHS confirmed that it is prepared to continue the current financial support for the provision of nursing staff to operate the clinics.
The NSW Immunisation Strategy (2003-06) acknowledges the role that local councils can play in increasing childhood immunisation rates, but does not advocate for the provision of clinical services by local government.
The question remains as to the viability of the current immunisation clinic program as the relevant means of addressing Council’s commitment to community health and support for the promotion of childhood immunisation.
The landscape for childhood immunisation has changed dramatically from Council’s earlier involvement in mass immunisation programs. The requirement for mandatory immunisation prior to school age entry for children, in conjunction with the development of the National Childhood Immunisation register, has decreased the concern of a significant portion of the community not being vaccinated. At the same time, the vaccine schedule has increased in complexity, presenting greater challenges for the management of the clinic service and increasing risk exposure. The number of areas in which mistakes can be made have been highlighted through the two audits that have been conducted. Although recommendations from the audits are acted upon, the potential for a child to receive the wrong vaccination with potential serious consequence still exists. There is no clear indemnification of Council should any such incident occur.
It is relevant and appropriate for Council to consider a change in its strategic direction, in promoting effective childhood immunisation for the community, as part of the review of this service. As one of the remaining councils that still provide a clinic service (Holroyd is the only other council within the SWAHS operating a clinic service), the changing landscape in the compulsory requirements for childhood immunisation changes the rationale for mass immunisations that was the basis for Council’s initial involvement.
Any determination of a change in direction for Council’s efforts in this area of community health will require a planned strategy for finalisation of the clinic service. It is proposed that the clinic service would be wound up within three months. All families presently undertaking their vaccination program would be notified, and the reminder service would continue to be operated for four months, whereby the family would be notified that the particular vaccination is due and of the alternative locations for vaccination that are available to them. An enhanced promotional campaign would be undertaken to effectively inform the community of the importance of immunisation.
Discussions have been held with the Workforce Development Manager, regarding the nursing staff that are engaged to provide the clinical service. If Council determines to cease the clinic component of the service, and in the absence of formal documentation on contract of employment, discussions would be held regarding appropriate termination arrangements with those nurses that have demonstrated continuity of engagement over the course of the clinics.
Given the risks inherent in the provision of immunisation clinic service, the ongoing complexity of the immunisation schedule, and the lack of direct Council officer involvement in the service delivery, other than in an administrative capacity, it would appear appropriate for Council to cease the provision of the clinic service. Resources could be redirected to the delivery of an enhanced promotional program for childhood immunisation.
1. The information contained in the report on the Review of the Immunisation Service be received.
2. Council discontinue the clinical component of the Immunisation Service and focus resources on the enhanced promotion of childhood immunisation.
Planning for an Ageing Community - Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper
Compiled by: Joe Ibbitson, Community Programs Coordinator
Athena Kandris, Community Development Officer - Aged and Disability
Authorised by: Jeni Pollard, Acting Community Development Manager
Critical Action: Address the differing needs and preferences of the various age groups through Council’s policy responses, programs and advocacy.
To advise Council about the findings of a Scoping Study on the development of an Ageing Strategy for the City. The Scoping Study provides Council with an overview of the primary themes that could be included in an Ageing Strategy and a summary of how Council might respond to the expected ageing of the community. The report recommends that Council proceed with the development of the proposed strategy 'Planning for an Ageing Community' in 2007-08. It is also recommended that $60,000 be allocated in the 2007-08 Management Plan for this project.
In mid 2006, Elton Consulting was commissioned by Council to undertake a ‘Scoping Study’ as the first stage of a process to plan for an ageing community. The purpose of the study was to provide Penrith City Council with an understanding of the range of issues relevant for consideration in a proposed Ageing Strategy for the City, and to draw on best practice examples of how other councils have responded to an ageing community.
The study was given direction by an internal reference group, consisting of staff from Community Development, Environmental Planning, Environmental Health, Building Services and Community Safety. The consultants also interviewed some additional Council staff in the preparation of the report.
The ‘Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper’ has now been finalised, and is provided as an Attachment to this business paper.
This report to Council summarises the key findings of the study and identifies the priority areas to be addressed in the proposed Ageing Strategy. This report also provides some details, from the Scoping Study, about the implications of these priority areas for the City and for Council’s planning and service provision roles.
Need for an Ageing Strategy
In common with international and national trends, Penrith is beginning to experience an increasingly rapid ageing of the community. This will have a growing impact on a range of Council services and facilities. A number of recently published reports have highlighted the implications of an ageing population for governments, including Local Government, as the impact of this trend becomes more apparent. Two of the most important reports are:
· NSW Local Government Population Ageing Project, Natalie Jackson (2004) for the Local Government and Shires Association; and
· Economic Implications of an Ageing Australia, Productivity Commission Draft Research Report (2004).
The ‘Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper’ outlines the case for the development of an Ageing Strategy by Council. The paper identifies the rise of the ‘baby boomers’, and how we are all living longer as a result of healthier lifestyles and improved health care services. The development of an Ageing Strategy would identify clear priorities, achievable actions and Council’s role in planning for the expected ageing of the community.
Taking a broad definition of ‘older’ people, the scoping paper documents the different characteristics of the older age ranges from the ‘young old’ (65-75yrs) to the ‘frail aged’ (85 yrs +). Some details about the growing numbers and proportion of older people at the metropolitan Sydney and State level are established along with the potential health needs and social issues associated with these trends. The scoping paper examines local population statistics which indicate that, whilst Penrith has a comparatively young age profile, this will change dramatically in coming years, and the City is expected to experience rapid growth in the numbers and proportion of older people as the baby boomers reach retirement.
The paper highlights that there is an uneven distribution of older people across Penrith City, with a much higher concentration in the older established suburbs. The development of an Ageing Strategy will provide the opportunity to explore further demographic projections and establish the likely composition, characteristics and distribution of the population of older people in Penrith in the future.
Context – Commonwealth, State and Local Government
The scoping paper acknowledges the primary role of the Commonwealth Government (in partnership with State Governments) in the funding and provision of community and residential aged care services to older people. The study emphasises that effective ageing policies are based on the Commonwealth’s support of the health economy and its role in encouraging older people to continue in the workforce. An example of the latter is the Commonwealth’s continuing changes to superannuation policy and tax provisions.
At the State Government level, until recently, the NSW Healthy Ageing Framework has provided the broad policy direction for healthy ageing. However, the most recent advice is that this has now been overtaken by the introduction of the NSW State Plan in November 2006. The following State Government initiatives, associated with the implementation of the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy (Metro Strategy), are identified as of particular relevance to older people and to Local Government:
· A review of SEPP Seniors Living 2004 Policy
· The Urban Capacity Model – urban management tool
· Affordable Housing Strategy.
The above policies and strategies are yet to be finalised.
At the Local Government level, the Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper identifies the strategic position of councils as the level of government closest to the community, and views local government as an important stakeholder and partner in addressing population ageing. The scoping paper identifies Council’s knowledge of the local community and its roles in infrastructure provision, planning, service delivery, community participation and advocacy in this regard.
A number of other Council initiatives, in relation to planning for the future ageing of the population, were examined in the scoping paper. These examples provide guidance on different ways to approach the preparation of an ageing strategy. The City of Melbourne – Baby Boomers and Beyond: Strategies for over 55s, which covers both broad strategic planning and detailed layers of actions and information, is promoted as a useful and exemplary approach. Other Council ageing strategies that were reviewed include Baulkham Hills, Ipswich, Gosford and Hornsby.
Penrith City Council – Roles and Responsibilities
The final section of the Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper looks at the specific Penrith context. The key frameworks, policies and plans identified in this section include:
· Penrith City Council Strategic Plan 2005-2009
· Penrith City Council Management Plan
· Council’s Social Planning Framework
· Draft Access and Equity Policy.
The study indicates that Council’s Strategic Program will provide broad guidance for the development of an Ageing Strategy. Additional relevant Council documents include:
· Penrith Rural Lands Study 2001
· The PLANS Study 2002
· Disability Action Plan 2003-06
· Sustainable Penrith Action Plan
· Sustainability Blueprint for Urban Release Areas
· Urban Growth Management in Penrith (City Futures Research, University of NSW)
· City Centres Strategies
· The Social Planning Framework.
Council also has an important direct involvement in supporting and improving outcomes for older people across the city. The following brief summary identifies some of the specific services, activities, and roles that Council is currently undertaking in this regard:
· Council employs an Aged and Disability Services Officer who works with residents, service providers, community organisations and government departments in responding to the needs of both the well aged and frail older people as well as people with a disability.
· Council provides, maintains and supports two Seniors Centres at Penrith and St Marys
· Council organises an annual Seniors Week event, in partnership with local seniors organisations, to celebrate the contribution of older people to the broader community. Council also provides a number of small grants to local organisations to run their own Seniors Week activities
· In 1996, Council established the ‘Community Connections’ facility, which provides subsidised accommodation for Home and Community Care (HACC) and other services for older people, the frail aged and people with a disability and their carers. The facility has been described as the largest co-location project in Australia, and was completely refurbished by Council as a potential one-stop-shop for services
· Council manages the Lemongrove Gardens Retirement Village, which was established in 1975, and provides 30 aged accommodation units for people on low incomes. Council also owns the Lemongrove Gardens Hostel which is managed by Anglicare Retirement Villages under a lease/management arrangement
· Council operates the Community Access Bus Service. This service provides two buses for use by non-profit community groups and organisations. This service is particularly used by many social and interest groups of older people as their only form of transport.
Ageing Strategy – Priority Areas
The scoping paper outlines the following key priority areas to be addressed in the proposed Ageing Strategy:
· Meeting the housing needs of older people
· Creating supportive local communities
· Meeting the social, recreation, leisure and cultural needs of older people
· Encouraging participation in, and contribution to community life
· Income and revenue raising issues
· Access to health care and support services.
The reporting framework for the analysis and documentation of each of these priority areas is based around the following headings:
· Current situation
· Future issues and challenges
· Implications for ageing strategy.
The following table presents some of the key points highlighted in each priority area. The detailed information on each of the priority areas is available in the attached study.
Table 1 : Scoping Study – Planning for an Ageing Community - Priority Areas
Implications for Ageing Strategy
1. Meeting the Housing Needs of Older People
· Diversity of need
· Council’s landuse planning and development services role
· Adaptability and accessibility
· Stock suitability
· Research needs
· Facilitate choice
· Adaptable housing
· Gender and cultural issues
2. Creating Supportive Local Communities
· Integrated landuse and transport strategy
· Public domain planning and maintenance
· Mobility and access to local shops/ services
· Current usage
· Alternative means of mobility, e.g. scooters
· Integrating access into residential planning
· Promote social interaction
3. Meeting the Social, Recreation, Leisure and Cultural Needs of Older People
· Seniors Centres
· Cultural facilities
· Neighbourhood centres
· Parks and Open Space – passive/active
· Changing roles of facilities to meet expectations
· Removing barriers to access
· Assessing equity
· Changing leisure activities
· Promote access to Council facilities
· Assess existing role of Seniors Centres
· Capital works priorities
· Partnerships with other government and non-government stakeholders
4. Encouraging participation in and contribution to community life
· Stereotyping of older people
· Community events and activities
· Opportunities for volunteering
· Access to lifelong learning
· Promoting positive images and opportunities
· Partnerships that facilitate employment opportunities
· City leadership on promoting role of older people
· Supporting volunteering
· Supporting partnerships to expand lifelong learning opportunities
· Facilitate partnerships that deliver employment outcome
· Promote inclusion
5. Income and Revenue Raising Issues
· Income support (Federal responsibility)
· Affordability of services
· Rate revenue
· Advocacy role
· Monitor implications
· Estimating implications for rate revenue
· Clear advocacy position and Council leadership
· Fee and charges
· Accurate projections and developing responses
6. Access to Health Care and Support Services
· Service prioritisation and gaps
· Service accommodation
· Additional funding
· Service co-ordination
· Council facilitation role
· Council/Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care partnership
· Council leadership and advocacy
Ageing Strategy - Key Tasks and Implementation
Council will take a consultative and collaborative approach in the development of the Ageing Strategy for the City. This will include engaging with older people and their representatives in the community about the needs, issues, strengths and priorities for this diverse group of the population. The engagement process will include working closely with Council officers on developing realistic and achievable solutions. This is important in promoting implementation of the strategy, and in ensuring the particular needs of older people in the Penrith community are reflected in the final strategy.
The key tasks for a consultant to complete an Ageing Strategy include:
· Demographic research, to identify current patterns (based on 2006 Census) and demographic projections for Penrith and analysis of the implications;
· Identification of objectives and principles upon which the Strategy is to be based. These should have regard to Council’s Strategic Plan, Management Plan and Social Planning Framework, as well as the broader Commonwealth and State Government policy frameworks;
· Examination of current Council policies, activities and resources which have implications for the ageing population;
· Identification of the needs, issues and priorities for different groups of older people living in Penrith. This will require consultations with older residents directly, to ensure that the Strategy is based upon their priorities and preferences and responds to the issues identified by older people themselves;
· Discussions with a range of Council staff from the various departments that have responsibility for matters that will be addressed in the Strategy;
· Consultations with other stakeholders involved in addressing the needs of older people within Penrith. These will include health and aged care service providers, other government agencies (such as Police), consumer and advocacy groups, interest groups, public transport providers, lifelong learning programs, private sector leisure and recreation providers;
· Identification of strategies to guide Council planning, policy and service delivery to meet the needs of its ageing community. This will involve identification of priorities, roles and responsibilities for implementation, timeframes and resourcing requirements.
It is intended that the Strategy incorporate an implementation schedule. Until the Strategy is developed, it will not be clear exactly what the future resource implications for Council of the implementation of the Strategy will be. However, it will be important that careful consideration will need to be given to any actions that require significant additional resourcing. The proposed actions and proposals generated in the development of the Strategy will be used to inform the next Management Plan and Strategic Plan processes. This may result in a re-emphasis, or a reorganising of existing tasks and priorities, rather than a whole new set of commitments and activities.
Development of the Strategy – Indicative Costs
It is proposed that development of the strategy be undertaken by external consultant/s, as Council does not have the capacity to complete the research, consultations and negotiations within existing staff resources.
A review of similar research projects and investigations, combined with experience and understanding of the challenges required in undertaking the broad scope of the consultation processes that will need to be undertaken to access older people and the aged services sector, suggest the cost of this project will be around $60,000.
The importance of developing an ageing strategy has previously been recognised by Council, and the project has been nominated for priority funding through the current 2007-08 Management Plan budgetary processes. It is now proposed that $60,000 be allocated to this project in the 2007-08 Management Plan.
Acting Financial Services Manager Comment
At the 1st Council Management Plan Workshop on 19 March 2007, Council considered and approved the inclusion in the draft 2007-08 Management Plan of a one-off provision of $60,000 from general revenue to develop an Ageing Strategy. It is proposed that this project will be included in the draft 2007-08 Management Plan document which is due to be presented to Council for adoption at the Ordinary Meeting on 7 May, prior to being placed on public exhibition for 28 days. The final adoption of the draft 2007-08 Management Plan is scheduled for the Ordinary Meeting of 25 June 2007.
The Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper is comprehensive in its overview of what issues and matters should be dealt with in a City Ageing Strategy. In developing and implementing such a Strategy, it is important that clear parameters are defined.
The Strategy itself will determine priorities for Council action amongst the range of issues identified, based upon further research and consultation with Councillors, Council staff, other stakeholders and older people living in Penrith.
Given the range of issues identified, it is clear that development and implementation of the Ageing Strategy will not be limited to one or two sections of Council, but will span the breadth of Council departments and responsibilities. Recognising the “whole of Council” approach to the Ageing Strategy, and involving all relevant sections of Council in its preparation, will be important to embed ownership of recommended actions and to link to existing and ongoing policies, programs and strategies of Council.
Council has already accepted in principle the importance of undertaking an Ageing Strategy for the City, and it is now proposed that $60,000 be allocated in the 2007-08 Management Plan for this purpose.
1. The information contained in the report on Planning for an Ageing Community - Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper be received.
2. The development of an ageing strategy for the City ‘Planning for an Ageing Community’ be undertaken in 2007-08.
3. $60,000 be allocated for the development of an ageing strategy, ‘Planning for an Ageing Community’, in the 2007-08 Management Plan.
Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper
Proposal for a Memorandum of Understanding with Sydney West Area Health Service
Presenters: Doctor Glenn Close - Sydney West Area Health Service - Activities of Sydney West Area Health
To advise Council of the commitment of Sydney West Area Health Service to entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with Council and to introduce a presentation from Dr Glen Close regarding the activities of Sydney West Area Health Service. The report recommends that Council proceed with the development of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sydney West Area Health Service.
Sydney West Area Health Service (SWAHS) formally commenced on the 1st January 2005, and incorporated the former Area Health Services of Western Sydney and Wentworth, as well as the Lithgow local government area. The amalgamation was carried out as part of a broader strategy announced by Minister Iemma on the 27th July 2004 to consolidate the number of existing area health services from 17 to 8. The purpose of this strategy was to achieve a greater capacity to provide services at a higher level to all communities and to free up administrative savings that could be put back into clinical services.
Integrated health services are provided throughout the area largely through hospitals, community health centres and population health programs. The Area Health Service provides a full range of services to over a million people and specialised referral services to over 3 million people. Sydney West is likely to remain a major population growth area in metropolitan Sydney, partly driven by major land releases. The burden of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, is expected to increase by 2016, partly from the ageing of the population but also from an increase in the prevalence of disease risk factors.
Penrith City Council maintained a strong partnership with the former Wentworth Area Health Service that has carried through with the SWAHS as it has progressed through its establishment. This partnership has been maintained in recognition of the increased benefits to the health of the community that can be achieved when the programs of both organisations are delivered in an integrated manner.
Many of the programs and projects undertaken as part of the Community Development Service require key contributions from respective personnel within sections of SWAHS. One of the key successes of the partnership has been the joint funding of the Penrith Food Project and its evolution to the Healthy People Partnership Program. This program is delivering improvements in the health status of the community through a range of targeted projects that focus upon identified areas of disadvantage within the community. The program is now examining health planning and the use of tools such as health impact assessment to improve the design outcomes for land release areas to provide settings that support a healthier community. The project also aims to deliver consistent health promotion messages about priority issues such as healthy weight and reductions in smoking.
In recent times Council has been formalising some of its key partnerships in the region through the establishment of a MOU. A recent example has been the MOU with the Department of Housing. A similar approach with SWAHS is seen as an important step in sustaining the existing collaborative approach between our organisations in the protection and promotion of health and wellbeing, both in the City and the Region.
The Director of City Planning recently wrote to SWAHS Executive Director to seek agreement about the establishment of an MOU. Dr Glenn Close responded to confirm that SWAHS agrees and sees the benefit that an MOU will have in underpinning and sustaining the existing partnership between our organisations.
The MOU will include details of the strategic direction of both organisations and aims and objectives that the partnership will share to improve the health of the community and to create healthy environments. Examples of the objectives that the MOU is likely to contain include:
· To strengthen the positive influences on good health and minimise the negative influences through joint planning
· To identify the environmental, behavioural or social factors that contribute to good health or undermine good health in the City
· To strengthen consultative relationships between the community, Council and SWAHS
· To engage other State agencies in addressing health issues
Some initial discussions have occurred with staff at SWAHS as to the process, timeframe and likely contents of an MOU. With Council’s endorsement the development of an MOU can now commence with a draft expected to be prepared for Council’s consideration by the end of the year. The MOU would primarily be confined to workable action areas of most relevance between the two organisations, primarily the Population Health Services and Community Health Services.
Dr Glenn Close, Executive Director Population, Health and Strategic Direction at SWAHS will address the meeting this evening on the current activity of the SWAHS which will be of assistance in understanding the scope of activity that will be included in the MOU. Dr Close will also provide Council with information on the future plans of SWAHS for service delivery in Penrith.
Dr Close who is also on the board of the Penrith Valley Economic Development Corporation (PVEDC) has been a key figure in partnership meetings between Council, SWAHS, University of Western Sydney and TAFE that has led to the development of ongoing and productive partnerships between these key organisations in the City.
Council has a strong and productive partnership with SWAHS that has carried over from the former Wentworth Area Health Service. The development of a formal MOU will underpin and sustain collaboration on projects to protect and promote health and well being both within the City and the Region.
1. The information contained in the report on Proposal for a Memorandum of Understanding with Sydney West Area Health Service be received
2. A Memorandum of Understanding be developed between Council and Sydney West Area Health Service.
The future of the former Gipps Street Landfill site at Claremont Meadows
Compiled by: Wayne Mitchell, Environmental Health Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Effective land use management policies, regulatory practices and controls are being implemented to protect the environment.
Critical Action: In partnership with others, develop and implement strategies to improve regional air quality.
Presenters: Wayne Mitchell - Environmental Health Manager - Gipps Street Rehabilitation
To advise Council of the progress with the rehabilitation of the site and of plans for its future development as a regional recreational site. A brief presentation will be given to overview the history of the rehabilitation.
The former landfill site at Gipps Street, Claremont Meadows was used by Council as its main waste facility from the mid 1950s to the mid 1980s. The remediation of the site is now almost complete, and planning has commenced for its future development as a regional recreational facility. The site is 34 hectares in size and is located in the South Creek regional open space corridor.
The major remediation contract commenced in mid 2003 and was completed in 2005. The remediation strategy included reshaping the site to control surface water runoff, installation of a one metre thick capping layer, installation of a leachate collection and treatment system and revegetation. The goals of the remediation work were to make the site safe, to prevent any environmental impacts and to prepare the site for development of future recreational facilities. The remediation plan, in particular, designed the site for passive recreational use on the eastern side with appropriate gradients to allow easy access to South Creek. The western half of the site was prepared for the development of future sporting fields, but as the design and locations were unknown, this area was not levelled for that purpose. It was acknowledged at the time that additional filling would be required on top of the capping layer to create a platform for sporting fields. This is the only element of the remediation that prevents public use of the site as the soil recycled on the site for the construction of the capping layer may still contain waste fragments. The eastern half of the site has a final layer of topsoil that was imported onto the site when it became available at an opportunistic price.
An innovative element of the remediation is the leachate treatment system that uses a series of reed beds that strip nutrients and contaminants from the collected leachate. After moving through this system, the treated leachate is first tested for compliance and then blended with surface runoff collected in a pre-existing wetland on the site. This has not occurred yet, but when the wetland becomes full there is provision for excess water to eventually be released into South Creek.
The leachate treatment system was commissioned last year, and is being regularly tested in accordance with a detailed management plan for its use. The system is working well and meeting all environmental guidelines.
The site is now safe for public access, apart from absence of the final topsoil layer on the western half of the site. This topsoil layer could be installed in conjunction with other filling works to construct playing fields at some time in the future or it could be provided now to complete the rehabilitation.
Independent Site Audit
Interim advice has just been received from the independent site auditor, Environ Australia Pty Limited, who has reviewed the rehabilitation project and assessed the suitability of the site for its intended recreational use. The Auditor concluded in this advice that the remediation approach adopted for the site is appropriate and validation of most activities can be considered complete. A final validation report is still required at the completion of the placement of the final topsoil layer on the western half of the site.
Ongoing operation and management of the leachate treatment system is required in accordance with the adopted management plan. The Auditor is satisfied that the leachate meets the required discharge limits, however he suggests further clarification with the NSW EPA about the standards to be applied for copper and zinc.
The Auditor also suggests regular maintenance and management of the interim vegetation cover to ensure that it is maintained until the western half of the site is covered with topsoil.
Preparation of a Masterplan
The Gipps Street site is an important access point in the Ropes and South Creek recreational corridor land that is in large part under the ownership of the NSW Department of Planning. Land in this corridor has been acquired for the future development of a regional park along the two creek corridors, similar to the Western Sydney Parkland. The Department has prepared a strategic management plan for the management and future development of the corridor.
The “Ropes and South Creek Regional Open Space Strategic Management Plan” has a vision that: “Ropes and South Creek will form a scenic and accessible parklands system, much valued by its community with healthy waterways at their heart the parklands will be managed in an integrated and inclusive manner, balancing their cultural, recreational and environmental values.” The strategic management plan contains a series of objectives and a draft structure plan to be used to achieve this vision.
The Gipps Street site is identified in the strategic management plan as a site having a recreational focus (both passive and active). The site is also important because of the potential development of walking trails and cycleways along the corridor, particularly to the north linking up with South Creek Park, The Kingsway and eventually the ADI site.
It is necessary to consider the broader context and role of the Gipps Street site in the Ropes and South Creek Corridor. To this end, it has been decided to develop a detailed precinct plan for this section of the South Creek corridor between the western railway line and the M4 motorway. This precinct plan will be prepared in conjunction with a detailed masterplan for the Gipps Street site.
Expressions of interest have been sought from appropriately qualified consultants to prepare the precinct plan and masterplan. Key objectives of these plans include:
· To provide a vision and framework for the future development of the land in this section of the corridor
· To consider land use opportunities consistent with the findings of the strategic management plan for the entire corridor
· To consult with all relevant stakeholders and interested parties regarding the future development potential of the land
· Identify recreation opportunities within the precinct and the stakeholders responsible for the development and management of the land
· Plan for recreational trail linkages including an integrated shared pathway network
· Provide a detailed masterplan for the Gipps Street site that has the potential to be developed into a quality venue for active and passive recreation
Important requirements of the study are that the consultancy must hold an open day on the site as part of the public consultation process and must also conduct a workshop with Councillors.
Recommendations from the PLANS Study
The recommendations relating to the Gipps St landfill site in the PLANS Report adopted by Council in March 2004 were to “develop the Gipps St landfill site into a regional sporting facility, with walking and cycle links to the proposed St Marys recreation precinct. It recommended consideration be given to the provision of an AFL field, rugby field and soccer fields. The design should incorporate passive recreation facilities such as a skate park, playground and family picnic facilities, to provide a ‘day out’ experience for the whole family.” (PLANS Report, 2004) The PLANS Report also identified the need to develop a district level athletics facility for the City.
The current recommendations in the draft Open Space Development Contributions Plan for this site are to “Provide sporting fields, lighting to competition standard, spectator seating, club facilities, amenities, tables and shelter. Develop a Universally Designed Playground including accessible amenities, shared pathway circuit, seating and shade facilities. Provide a district standard athletics facility including undercover spectator seating, amenities, drive through storage, car parking and landscaping.” The costs for these proposed works is estimated at $9,425,000.
The Master Plan process will involve the next level of detailed planning and consultation to provide further detail regarding suitable recreation facilities for this site and proposed layouts for Council’s consideration.
The Environmental Health Department is managing the site on an interim basis while the site is undergoing rehabilitation. This primarily involves the operation of the leachate treatment system and the testing of the treated leachate. The Parks Construction and Maintenance Department is mowing and maintaining the vegetation on the site.
When the Master plan is completed, a DA can be prepared for the filling and development of future sporting fields. The longer term location of the State Emergency Services Depot will need to be resolved at some point, but there is no immediate need for its relocation.
The development of regional trails from this site to St Mary’s and eventually to the ADI site along the South Creek corridor will continue to be pursued by Council’s Recreational and Cultural Facilities Planner. Greenspace grant funding from the Department of Planning will be targeted for the development of these trails.
Council has previously allocated a budget of $50,000 for the development of a masterplan for the Gipps Street site. This funding is from the Waste Reserve as it is still an important element of the rehabilitation.
Council has also received recent advice of the success of a Greenspace grant for $50,000 from the NSW Department of Planning. This funding is assisting with the cost of the broader precinct plan for this section of the South Creek Corridor. It is anticipated that a contract will be issued for this project to commence in May 2007. The Precinct Plan, including the detailed Master plan is expected to be completed by December 2008.
For the rehabilitation to be fully completed and the site made safe for public access an additional allocation is required from the Waste Reserve for the purchase, spreading and revegetation of a topsoil layer for the western half of the site. This is approximately 15 hectares in size and could cost up to $400,000 depending on the availability of suitable material from development sites in the City.
A small increase in waste charges may need to be considered to ensure that the Waste Reserve has sufficient capacity to fund this project.
The former Gipps Street landfill site has been successfully remediated and is now ready for future development as a regional sporting and recreational facility. When the masterplan is completed, a development application and plans can be prepared for the necessary filling of the western portion of the site to create a platform for future sporting fields.
This site will be a key access point for residents in the City to gain access to the South and Ropes Creek recreational corridor. Further grants will be pursued to start the development of trails to link this site with St Marys as the starting point for the proposed regional network of trails.
The recent successful grant of $2 million from the Urban Sustainability Program will also see the rehabilitation of the native vegetation in this precinct of the South Creek in preparation for the future development of trails. These trails have the potential to become the “Great River Walk” equivalent for the residents of the current and emerging communities in the eastern areas of the City.
1. The information contained in the report on The future of the former Gipps Street Landfill site at Claremont Meadows be received
2. A project to fully complete the remediation of the site by providing the final topsoil layer to the western half of the site be included in the 2007/2008 Management Plan with funding to be provided from the Waste Reserve.
Waste Performance Incentive Payments
Compiled by: Barry Ryan, Waste and Community Protection Manager
Authorised by: Barry Ryan, Waste and Community Protection Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Waste to landfill and indiscriminate dumping are significantly reduced and resource recovery is optimised.
Critical Action: Develop and implement service systems to complement waste reduction strategies and satisfy community needs.
To provide Councillors with information on estimates of funding from the Waste Performance Incentive Payments program and potential applications for this funding. The report recommends that the proposal developed in this report be brought forward in the 2007/2008 budget process.
In early 2006, the NSW Government introduced an additional $6.00 pa to the waste levy for a five-year period, commencing 2006/2007.
The levy provides for funding for both the City and Country Environmental Restoration Program ($3.00 per tonne) and Waste Performance Incentive Payments ($3.00 per tonne).
Council has been successful in obtaining grant funding through the City and Country Environmental Restoration Program.
The waste performance incentive payments are returned, on the basis that councils achieve the required criteria, and are distributed on a ratio of population in the Local Government Area in comparison to other LGAs.
The criteria for councils to receive the waste performance incentive payment for Year 1 (2006/2007) have been determined and Council has received this payment ($140,000 - $50,000 above the budgeted amount). This year’s criteria required Council to meet existing reporting schedules, provide a recycling service, and undertake that we will not enter into any landfilling contracts of longer than five years duration (the current proposal with WSN is to use landfilling for a maximum of five years, then moving to Alternative Waste Treatment for the processing of the residual waste).
The criteria for Years 2-5 (2007/2008 to 2010/2011) are being developed through the guidance and direction of the Waste Performance Incentive Payment Advisory Group, of which Alan Travers is the Chairman.
Some discussion has taken place with Western Sydney councils on the possible criteria, and I am confident that the waste contracts currently being negotiated will place Council in a position to comply with such criteria. However, it is anticipated that councils will be required (as a part of the performance incentive program) to reduce waste to landfill from other areas of operations, including public waste bins.
If current levels of domestic waste were taken to landfill (which is unlikely as councils continue to push for improved services and disposal techniques) the waste performance incentive payments returned to Penrith City Council would be in the order of:
2007/2008 $ 280,000
2008/2009 $ 420,000
2009/2010 $ 560,000
2010/2011 $ 700,000
$1,960,000 ($2,100,000 incl. 2006/2007 payment)
The waste performance incentive payments are untied.
The NSW Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy identifies waste reduction targets that are to be achieved by 2014. These targets include the reduction of commercial and industrial, construction and demolition, and domestic waste being disposed of by landfill.
It is considered that such funding should be utilised for initiatives that will further reduce solid waste being disposed of by landfill, or contribute to the use of recycled waste, in line with the state strategy, including:
· Waste education programs, including industrial and commercial waste
· The use of composted and screened organics on playing fields and reserves
· The introduction of recycling programs in Council facilities
· Public place recycling
· Providing for the cost of resource recovery of materials from street litterbins, parks or litter patrols through appropriate Alternative Waste Treatment facilities
· Programs to prevent hazardous wastes entering the general waste stream
· Council’s contribution to the Western Sydney Regional Illegal Dumping Squad.
It is proposed that funding from the Waste Performance Incentive Payment program be transferred to a reserve to be used for the abovementioned purpose, and that funding is to include the $50,000 received over the 2006/07 budgeted amount.
The following programs have been identified for 2007/2008:
· Parks and playing field improvements using recycled organics - $40,000
· Resource recovery of materials from street litter bins through the use of Alternative Waste Treatment Technologies - estimate $35,000. The street litterbin waste is currently being processed through a facility operated by “Galloways” at Blacktown and diverts approximately 60% of such waste from landfill.
· Resource recovery of materials from litterbins located in parks and reserves through the use of Alternative Waste Treatment Technologies - estimate $45,000. This is subject to a trial of the material at the treatment facility, but if successful will reduce this waste to landfill by approximately 60%.
The domestic waste tender documents required that Council be given the first option of purchasing composted organics from the contractor, and for the tenderer to provide a rate for supply and delivery. Council’s Legal Officer has advised that Council is not required to re-tender for the purchase of the composted organics.
SITA, the preferred tenderer, indicated that it would provide the topdressing at a rate of $26.00 per tonne. SITA has been requested to revise that price, based on Council using 7,000 tonnes per annum for the first four years of operation. The 7,000 tonnes is based on funding provided from the Waste Performance Incentive Payment program (as indicated below), and existing operational expenditure.
Recent advice from the preferred tenderers is that they will commence collection of organics in October 2008 (subject to Development Consent), with some organics being able to be sourced from January 2009. Whilst some product would be sourced in early 2009 for use on sporting fields, the use of larger quantities would not commence until later that year (spring).
It is considered that, given Council’s commitment to use recycled organics on sporting fields, funding from the Waste Performance Incentive Payment program should be primarily used to support this program.
A management plan for the use of organics on sporting fields is seen as necessary to ensure that the application of such material is properly managed, and a task will be included in the 2007/2008 management plan to provide for this action.
With the use of Alternative Waste Treatment facilities, it is now possible to extract recyclables from waste streams such as those found in public litterbins, and achieve a minimum of 60% reduction in waste to landfill.
By using the funding from the Waste Performance Incentive Payment program in the proposed manner, Council will not only further reduce waste to landfill, but also provide funding for the purchase of processed organics.
Projected expenditure and reserve movements, based on projected income from the Waste Performance Incentive Payment program, and expenditure on projects identified above, are provided below. The details are provided with some assumptions that will need to be refined in the development of the management plan for the use of organics.
Parks litter bin
Proposed Reserve Movements
Projected income from
Waste incentive
(377,000)
(661,000)
(945,000)
Parks Construction and Maintenance Manager’s Comments
At present, there is $40,000 allocated to field improvements. These funds are used to aerate and top dress a full size field (100m x 70m) and cost $4,200 per field. Generally, 8 to 10 fields per year are attended to. It should be pointed out that this program is extended each year, due to cash contributions from the clubs, and this ‘value adds’ to the work.
Council has 105 fields in Category 1 that are associated with contact sports. Contact sports are considered to be sports such as: AFL 5, RL 28, RU 2, Soccer 59 and Touch Football 18. If Council were to undertake improvements on each of these fields it would cost approximately $441,000 per annum at today’s costs. As suggested in the report, a significant injection of funds will be available for playing field improvements from the waste performance incentive payment, in addition to the $40,000 already allocated in the budget.
If the recycled organics are provided in accordance with the proposed funding strategy, the parks operation has the capacity to manage the material with no additional resources. A detailed management plan will need to be prepared to coordinate all the elements of this project. At some stage, perhaps in 2008/2009, the purchase of spreading and aeration equipment could be considered to facilitate the field improvement work.
As seen from recent trials with recycled organics products, there are significant benefits to be gained. Even without access to water due to Level 3 restrictions, the recycled organics trials have been impressive.
The opportunity to use the Waste Performance Incentive payments to improve the condition of playing fields within the city, through the use of recycled organics, offers a minimal cost solution that, at the same time, allows the continuation of the trial of the process that commenced in 2006-07.
After the end of the performance payments period, Council will need to assess the benefits of the recycled organics on the playing fields. If the outcomes are positive, as is expected, and the process is to be continued, then an allocation of funds from general revenue will be required and will be assessed against the other identified Council priorities at that time.
1. The information contained in the report on Waste Performance Incentive Payments be received.
2. The proposal developed in this report be brought forward in the 2007/2008 budget process.
3. The $50,000 received in 2006/2007 over the budgeted income be recommended to be transferred to a reserve as a part of the March quarterly review process.
Glenmore Park Stage 2 - Employment Development and Affordable Housing Strategies
Roger Nethercote, Environmental Planning Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: The City is recognised as an attractive business and investment location.
Critical Action: The opportunities to attract investment in the City based on its growing regional and metropolitan roles are promoted to investment decision makers.
To inform Council of the outcomes of the research commissioned by the Glenmore Park Stage 2 landowners group in preparing an Employment Development Strategy. The report also provides information in regard to the development of an Affordable Housing Strategy for the release. The report recommends that Council accept an offer of $1.6M from the Landowners Group as a contribution towards creating new jobs and a contribution of $1M towards the delivery of affordable housing and that further reports be brought back for Council's consideration in regard to mechanisms for advancing these initiatives.
Council considered the report to Council’s Policy Review Committee meeting on 8 December 2003 regarding the Local Environmental Study outcomes for the Glenmore Park Stage 2 release. Concern was expressed over the difficulty in planning for employment creating activities in the release which would supply jobs in accordance with Council’s policy, that is, the creation of new jobs which would at least match the number of incoming workforce participants that would reside on the site. It was identified at the time that this was largely due to the unique character, peripheral location and comparatively small scale of the Stage 2 extension of the existing estate.
A job shortfall was identified and it was recognised that further investigations would be required to develop appropriate responses to the provision of off-site jobs which matched the employment demands created by the Stage 2 development. Since that time, further investigations including extensive discussions with the Landowners Group (LOG) and their consultants have occurred to develop an appropriate employment delivery strategy for the project.
From these investigations, it is apparent the provision of jobs within Glenmore Park Stage 2 (GP2) has been challenged by a number of factors which emerge from an absence of the locational, topographic, environmental and accessibility attributes that attract employment uses or allow them to develop cost effectively, and include:
· The relatively small scale of development in GP2 will not generate a population base which would support the establishment of a substantial commercial centre which would in turn offer an extensive range of employment opportunities;
· The poor compatibility between residential uses and some employment activities;
· The area has limited exposure and accessibility to external or regional markets and is remote from the high volumes of passing public and private transport on which many businesses rely; and
· The poor compatibility between residential uses and some employment activities makes achieving a satisfactory rural/urban interface at the edge of Penrith’s urban development particularly difficult.
This is a significantly different situation from developments such as the WELL precinct and Penrith Lakes where suitable terrain and readily accessible land adjoining existing employment precincts can be provided for further economic development opportunities.
It is also relevant to note that during the mid 1980s in the early planning for Glenmore Park, considerable debate occurred over the extent of the estate and the location of its eastern and western boundaries. During these investigations it was accepted that the appropriate southern boundary would extend down to Bradley Street, which covers the northern part of the Stage 2 release currently under consideration. The then Land and Housing Commission on behalf of the Department of Housing commenced acquisition of land within the locality in the mid 1970s with a view to advancement of the release area, and ultimately acquired the land south of the current Stage 1 boundary down to Bradley Street. This land was subsequently incorporated in the Joint Venture which developed most of Glenmore Park, the residual lands from which have in more recent years transferred to the ownership of Stockland.
However, when the final Local Environmental Plan was in the course of preparation after the initial environmental assessments were undertaken for Glenmore Park, concern was expressed by some government agencies that development of the Bradley Street land could impact on the extraction of the identified clay shale resources found in this location. This was accepted by the Department of Planning of the day and a buffer around the southern edge of the estate was subsequently advanced in preference to the Bradley Street land being rezoned for residential development.
It was against this background that we have excluded from the jobs calculation that land north of Bradley Street. This results in that land being treated as for the rest of the Glenmore Park estate, ie, pre-Council’s employment policy for new release areas. This comprises some 32% of the total number of dwellings in the GP2 release. This being accepted, the resultant jobs shortfall is estimated to be 1495.
A further principle which has been advanced is that the neighbourhood shopping centre currently proposed by the LOG would not be viable for only that land north of Bradley Street. This being the case, the ‘critical mass’ provided by the land south of Bradley Street has provided a justification to ‘credit’ the employment delivery for that area. In addition to the neighbourhood shopping centre, it is proposed that jobs be delivered through home-based business, schools together with a health centre. Accepting this, the resulting jobs shortfall is 653.
In addition, the LOG point out that there is likely to be around 6,034 jobs, both on and off site created over the construction period for the release. Although these jobs have a positive affect on the local economy, given they are temporary in nature, they are not normally included in the full-time job equivalents required to meet Council’s policy.
In order to address the jobs deficit, the LOG, in consultation with Council officers, has been working with Professor Ed Blakely and the Sydney University’s Planning Research Centre (PRC) and the Stafford Group to:
· Develop an investment strategy that would target industry sectors that demonstrate the maximum potential for city-wide job creation (as an alternative to job creation in GP2);
· Identify the mechanisms by which local employment opportunities might be generated to meet the anticipated job shortfall; and
· Develop a contribution regime that will provide funding in a sustainable way for this to occur.
On 26 March, Council received a report on the draft Local Environmental Plan and Penrith Development Control Plan 2006 amendment for the Glenmore Park Stage 2 urban release area. It was advised that a further report would be presented to this meeting to allow Council a more detailed consideration of the Employment Development Strategy, proposed by the Landowners Group (LOG). As Council was advised, this issue is best addressed by way of a Planning Agreement between Council and the LOG, with the agreement finalised to Council’s satisfaction before the draft LEP is adopted for referral to the Minister for Planning for approval and gazettal.
At the Councillor Briefing Session on 18 April, Council received a briefing paper, and were provided with a presentation by the LOG consultants, on the outcomes of their investigations into the Employment Development Strategy. The consultants highlighted the following key issues in respect of the proposal:
· The proposed development has exhibited a range of impediments which preclude the creation of all the required jobs on site;
· The jobs shortfall identified for the development was 653 and these could be generated from an Investment Program proposed in the EDS;
· The cost of creating a job, based on the experiences of the Commercial Response Unit in Wagga Wagga, which is viewed as a highly successful job creation model, was $2,719;
· Based on these figures, the LOG would make a contribution of $1.6M over a five year period to assist in the job creation efforts in the city.
It was further recommended that Council examine its current model for the delivery of economic and employment development services for the City. This could be achieved through an independent business entity based, for example, on the independent and outsourced model developed by Wagga Wagga Council.
An Alternative Approach – A Citywide Investment Program
The key challenge that faced the LOG in developing the EDS has been in the formulation of an alternative investment approach that would address the job deficit arising in the development. To address this key issue, the LOG’s consultant group, have developed an investment strategy which targets industry sectors that demonstrate the maximum potential for city-wide job creation, as an alternative to job creation in GP2.
Considerable work had already been undertaken by the LOG in developing an Employment Development Strategy (EDS), through Dr Peter Brain from National Economics, who investigated the opportunities for job creation in the City, with a focus on the city centres. The broad outcomes of this study were as follows:
(i) Penrith CBD has an unbalanced employment structure with an undue bias towards retail;
(ii) The business services sectors which are deficient in the CBD are:
· Equipment hiring and leasing services
· Other technical services
· Information storage services
· Computer consulting services
· Market research services.
(iii) A balanced CBD would see an increase in business services employment by 0.25 person per employed retail employed person. This translates into a deficiency of 1,200 business services employment positions in Penrith CBD.
Based on a preliminary concept “a vibrant centre for business, health and well being”, and drawing upon the strengths of the City, Professor Blakley and the PRC team subsequently identified the following “niche industries” where investment and job generation efforts can be maximised:
· Health and Well Being - Penrith has an assembly of physical endowments and institutional capacity to be a national centre for preventative health care. It has the locations and the food systems to play a unique role for the region and the nation in this regard.
· Logistics - Penrith lies close to the new M-7 motorway. This can be a strategic asset, if the connection to the motorway also increases the value added freight domestic and international movements via air transport at the Richmond Airfield and rail. This combination of freight movement can provide a new set of insurance and related industries, as well as freight forwarders and related enterprises that build a solid economic base that will be associated with finance.
· Environmental Management - Penrith’s endowments in this area are not matched anywhere in the metropolitan region. New, small firms interested in environmental products are already gravitating to Penrith, and these rich resources can be enhanced to incubate a new economy using the river and other assets in water management, food production and other areas to forge a new industrial base.
· Arts, Culture and Communication - Penrith is well positioned in this arena, with significant investment in the performing arts, and connections with the University of Western Sydney. This combination should build a strong arts magnet that can be sustained by strategic investment in arts facilities for production and performance, such as a Penrith Production centre for the Arts.
· Manufacturing - At Council’s encouragement, given the importance of manufacturing to the city’s economy.
The PRC team has concluded that these sectors provide the greatest opportunity for attracting investment and creating citywide jobs. Based on an assessment of Penrith’s competitive advantages and future investment, marketing and job generation efforts by Council’s economic development team should target these sectors. The jobs shortfall in GP2 development would be met by promoting and nurturing investment in these sectors. The developer contribution proposed by the LOG would provide the means to deliver the programs to catalyse such investment.
However, Council will also note that future citywide jobs will arise not only from the industry sector based investment program proposed in the EDS but from a wide array of economic and investment activity that will be undertaken simultaneously by Council and others in the city. These include:
· Implementation of the Penrith City Centre plan with investment in commercial, recreational, educational and business services opportunities identified;
· Implementation of the St Mary’s Town Centre plan and opportunities for investment identified therein;
· The roll out of the Employment Development Strategies proposed for developments such as the Lakes; St Mary’s Development and the WELL precinct;
· A series of independent planning exercises such as the North Planning Army Lands and the River Link project and the investment opportunities emerging from these;
· The significant investment in industrial and associated business opportunities arising from the Western Sydney Employment Hub and the lands earmarked for further investigation as part of the Employment Lands for Sydney Action Plan.
These developments and the associated investment activity that accompany them over the next decade and longer will require a strong oversight, enhanced capacity and a significant increase in resourcing to work with developers and the broader investment community to attract the investment that will deliver the employment outcomes we seek for the City. It is also possible that the dynamics of North Penrith Army Land, St Marys Development, Penrith Lakes and projects such as River Link, present an opportunity to customise the model being proposed to Penrith’s unique needs, and for the funding to be generated from other contributors. There then exists the opportunities for leverage that could harness progressive, innovative economic development activity within Penrith City.
The LOG consultants, the Planning Research Centre headed by Professor Ed Blakely and the Stafford Group have undertaken extensive local and international research and consultations to assess the likely costs associated with creating a job, and have come to the conclusion that it is extremely difficult to come to such a determination at the LGA level for a number of reasons which include:
· There are a multitude of factors which impact on job creation and for which economic modelling is inappropriate;
· The cost of creating different jobs [different forms of employment] have different costs attributable to each;
· The timing of job creation has a bearing on its success rate;
· There are factors such as accessibility, transport costs, image and reputation which are extremely difficult to quantify;
· An extensive study of local conditions and factors attributable to job creation would be required;
· There are often macro economic factors which have equal or greater weighting than local considerations.
Although there was an examination of a number of international examples, the key piece of research in this area is based on the Wagga Wagga model, where Council has outsourced its economic development services to an independent Commercial Response Unit (CRU). It has been determined that, based on its three years experience, the CRU has incurred an average cost of $2,719 to create a job at Wagga Wagga. This result has been compared with a number of more traditional economic development corporation models in NSW, and the result achieved by the CRU is viewed as offering a more transparent approach for the determination of successful employment generation.
For the purpose of determining the impact of their contribution to job generation activities, the LOG has applied the CRU figure of $2,719 because it relates to a NSW example, and with an economic development entity that has generated tangible results over a three year period.
Based on a job shortfall of 653 and applying the cost of job creation at $2,700 per job, the LOG commitment (less fifty percent of consulting costs of $330,000) is estimated at $1.6 million. The LOG consultants have confirmed an offer to Council to provide $1.6 million for job creation initiatives in the City. This offer will be incorporated via way of a Planning Agreement between Council and the LOG in the form of a dollar value contribution [estimated at $943 per lot] based on a total of 1696 lots. In our view and in consideration of all the circumstances outlined above, this offer is a reasonable one and would provide sufficient impetus to delivering the jobs shortfall.
Mechanisms for Generating Jobs in the City
A review of the following three primary forms of entities used for economic development activities has been undertaken by the Consultants:
· Economic development corporations as Council controlled entities;
· Economic development departments as in-house divisions of Councils;
· The unique Commercial Response Unit (CRU) in Wagga Wagga which is a private company with a contract with Council to provide economic development services and jobs.
The report has focused on identifying institutional frameworks that are entrepreneurial, streamlined and self funding, as well as accountable through clear performance contracts. Their recommended approach is to develop a new ‘development company’ which will act like any company with the right to bid on business to seek and attract jobs in Penrith, and any other areas circumscribed by its charter, such as Blue Mountains and Western Sydney.
The preferred ‘development company’ model would build on established employment generating organisations and Council’s own economic development unit that receive recurrent funding from Council. The ‘development company’ model appears to be one capable of delivering sustainable jobs to Penrith, as well as providing a means of overcoming the job shortfall created by the Glenmore Park Stage 2 release area. It would however, be important for such an entity to be established with an appropriate critical mass and sustainable ongoing funding mechanism.
Their findings recommend that the independent, outsourced Wagga Wagga Council model would be best placed to deliver the jobs by implementing the investment program developed by PRC. This group, the Commercial Response Unit (CRU), has been successful in creating 950 direct and 1,200 indirect jobs in Wagga Wagga over a three year period.
The CEO of CRU, Mr Gary Wells, has made presentations to both Council’s Corporate Management Team and to the PVEDC Board on the structure, rationale and achievements of the CRU as an independent entity. The Wagga Wagga model is built around a number of key attributes which include:
· A philosophy based on generating commercial outcomes and being entrepreneurial, particularly given it has to tender for Council’s service and stand on its performance;
· Recognition of the need to build strong rapport with the business community and generating credibility in the market place;
· Developing a strategic economic-employment blueprint for the growth of the region which provided a clear roadmap for both Council and the CRU;
· Deliberately moving away from government support;
· Positioning the CRU as an honest broker with no political connections to Council;
· Minimising the amount of time required on administration and reporting and focusing on economic development activities; and
· Council control exerted through established and agreed pre-conditions including a Council lead economic business plan.
Wagga Wagga Council has further established a Commercial Strategy Committee which provides advice to the CRU and includes the City’s business leaders and the Mayor. The Committee meets with the CRU on a regular basis and, while it can provide advice to the CRU, it can not direct it. The CEO of the CRU also meets with the Council’s General Manager and the Mayor on a fortnightly basis.
The CRU also has a very clear mandate, through its contract with the Council, which requires it to focus on local business growth, market the City beyond its boundaries, and to look at new economic opportunities. In achieving the above, the CRU is required to provide a quarterly report to Council against its contracted KPIs. The Wagga Wagga model is recognised by a number of players as a successful economic development model. Its success is seen through conversion in getting new companies established and helping existing businesses expand.
Council has written to the PVEDC on the directions being proposed to Council as part of the EDS and seeking the Board’s views on its preparedness to work with Council to establish an alternative employment delivery model for the City. The matter was discussed at the PVEDC Board meeting on 10 April and the Board has indicated a willingness to participate with Council on a review of the suggested new economic model.
As an alternative, the LOG and their consultant group have suggested that if the proposed CRU model is not advanced by the establishment of a separate business entity, then the land owners funding contribution could be provided through Council to deliver the required jobs by strengthening its economic development program activities. We have examined that option and are confident that the investment program prepared by the PRC and Professor Blakley provides the platform on which a robust investment strategy could be developed and which would deliver the jobs to the City required to support the GP2 release area.
Council’s current Strategic Program seeks for new release areas to provide for a diversity of housing opportunities, including affordable housing, consistent with emerging community needs and which facilitates the development of diverse neighbourhoods.
By increasing access to affordable housing, Council seeks to contribute to sustainable communities that function in a way that benefits the whole community. It is particularly important that outcomes are sought which deliver affordable housing over time, not just for a limited period. Council’s Sustainability Blueprint for New Release Areas therefore calls for 3% of housing in new housing estates to be provided as affordable housing to people on very low, low and moderate income levels. It is expected that this target include both rental and owner-occupied housing products.
The principles for delivering Council’s affordable housing requirement are based on the analysis that the likely dwelling mix for GP2 (driven by Council’s minimum density and dwelling diversity requirements) is capable of addressing market demand while also:
· Optimising the use of land;
· Providing a wide housing choice;
· Achieving a population mix that responds to demographic trends within Penrith LGA, including the increasing proportion of smaller households; and
· Ensuring that a substantial proportion of the housing stock is inherently affordable, especially to low and moderate income households.
In summary, the assessment of the inherent affordability of proposed housing in GP2 undertaken by Elton Consulting on behalf of LOG indicates that the following dwelling types are likely to be available within accepted affordability benchmarks:
· For very low-income households:
- Purchase: 0.6% of the dwellings (10 separately titled studios).
- Rental: 3.5% of the dwellings (60 separately titled studios).
· For low-income households:
- Purchase: 3.5% of the dwellings (60 separately titled studios).
- Rental: 28.0% of dwellings (475 studios, terrace/courtyard houses, and units).
· For moderate-income households:
- Purchase: 12.0% of the dwellings (200 studios, units and terrace houses).
- Rental: 83.5% of dwellings (1,415 dwellings including studios, terrace and courtyard houses, small and large apartments, medium detached dwellings and some traditional and country dwellings).
The analysis concludes that the purchase of small (one bedroom) and larger (two and three bedroom) units represent the minimum potential landowner contribution amount consistent with what might be available for purchase in Penrith or GP2. In addition, one-bedroom units suit the single person and couple without children who make up the major demand group (about 70%) while two bedroom units suit households with children (about 30%). A ratio of six one-bedroom units to two two-bedroom units would therefore be an appropriate basis on which to identify Glenmore Park’s potential contribution to long-term permanent rental accommodation.
As a result, it is likely over 3% of dwellings in GP2 will be affordable to very low, low and moderate-income households seeking to rent in the community. In addition, it is reasonable to expect that long-term affordability will be achieved through the maintenance of natural price differentials between different types of dwelling, and also the assumption that there will be a similar proportion of the private rental market available over time. This will be despite the normal degree of turnover as dwellings are bought and sold over time.
Council officers, together with the LOG and officers of the Department of Housing’s Centre for Affordable Housing (CAH), have been collaboratively exploring funding schemes that will ensure that affordable housing opportunities will be available. The Housing Strategy for the release will see a diverse range in housing types available in the estate, from studio apartments through to dual occupancies, villas, terraces and other multi-unit forms, to more traditional detached housing.
In consideration of the housing products which will emerge, a model has been developed that would see both the market delivery of housing products for purchase and rental to people on moderate and low incomes, as well as the LOG making a financial contribution of $1M that would be passed on to a Community Housing provider to manage the delivery of affordable housing for people on very low incomes. The contribution would allow the provider, a community not-for-profit organisation, to purchase affordable housing products that would provide long-term rental accommodation for the very low income households at a subsidised rate.
The LOG offer of $1M is considered to be an appropriate commitment, particularly considering that coupled with the market delivery of both purchase and rental housing products in the estate, it is expected that a higher than 3% affordable housing delivery rate could be achieved.
As there would be a significant public benefit in this approach, and a need for a transparent process, the CAH has advised that implementation should be through an Expression of Interest process. This would be on the basis that the accumulated landowner contributions would be available to a community housing association, in partnership with a financier, proposing to purchase land or existing dwellings that would be available for rent by eligible tenants. Identifying the number of dwellings or lots, and their location, would be the association’s responsibility.
Although the management and delivery arrangements are yet to be finalised, it would be appropriate that in determining the best utilisation of the financial contribution, an Expression of Interest process be implemented. That process could, if Council wished, include those agencies who have a principal role in the provision of housing for people with a disability and other disadvantaged groups, as part of the affordable housing package.
A successful proposition would clearly need to recognise the medium and long-term household demand, determine where these households could best be housed, and optimise the value-for-money proposition. It might also be seen as an innovative proposal worthy of additional funding from the Department of Housing or, if directed to the needs of disabled people in Penrith, other Commonwealth or State government funds might also be available to increase the number of dwellings available to disadvantaged households. A further report will be brought back to Council once we have had the opportunity of further dialogue with likely community housing providers in relation to determining the most suitable process to delivering future affordable housing.
The Employment Development Strategy proposal by the consultants and LOG has all the makings of a highly innovative and challenging model for generating (and leveraging) funding for economic development and job creation activities. However, the model will require further detailed consideration as it is a notable departure from current practice and is likely to require a realignment of how Council manages its economic development functions.
It is recommended Council support the Employment Development Strategy advanced by the LOG and accept the offer of a financial contribution in the sum of $1.6M towards the delivery of new jobs for inclusion in the Glenmore Park Stage 2 Planning Agreement. It is also recommended that we initiate a review of the present model for delivering economic development outcomes in the City. Should Council agree with this initiative a further report will be brought back to a future Policy Review Committee meeting outlining a suggested framework for that review.
It is recommended that Council endorse the $1M affordable housing contribution to be made by the LOG and that this contribution be included in the Planning Agreement being developed for the Glenmore Park Stage 2 release. A further report will be brought back to Council once we have had the opportunity of further dialogue with likely community housing providers in relation to determining the most suitable process to delivering future affordable housing.
1. The information contained in the report on Glenmore Park Stage 2 - Employment Development and Affordable Housing Strategies be received.
2. Council agree in principle to the offer of $1.6 million from the Landowners Group for job creation activities in the City to be included in the proposed Glenmore Park Stage 2 Planning Agreement, the terms of which to be negotiated prior to Council’s formal endorsement.
3. A further report be brought to Council outlining an approach to further investigating the options available to Council for delivering its economic and employment development programs.
4. Council agree in principle to the offer of $1M from the Landowners Group for the delivery of affordable housing to be included in the proposed Glenmore Park Stage 2 Planning Agreement, the terms of which to be negotiated prior to Council’s formal endorsement.
5. A further report be brought to Council outlining a preferred process for the future delivery of affordable housing.
6. A further report be brought to Council for formal consideration of the proposed Glenmore Park Stage 2 Planning Agreement.
Service Specification Program
Compiled by: Michael Rudd, Services Development Officer
Authorised by: Ross Kingsley, Corporate Development Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Services and programs that Council provides are determined based on equity, customer requirements, community benefits and best value.
Critical Action: All services are provided to adopted service levels.
To provide Council with the draft Service Specifications for the following services for its consideration - "Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction" (AM), "Roads and Footpaths Maintenance" (AM), "Building Construction" (BSM), "Design" (DTAM) and "Records and Document Management" (IMTM) services. The report recommends that these services be adopted.
The report also recommends that the annual budget allocation for the Roads and Footpaths Maintenance Service be increased annually from 2008-09 in line with the annual increase in the Roads and Footpaths asset base.
Given the size of these documents, copies have been provided separately to Councillors. Additional copies of these documents can be obtained on request.
Council established the Service Specification Program in 2002-03 in order to:
1. Comprehensively analyse and document all services and the present level of service provided (stage 1 of the Program)
2. Enable Council in a fully informed manner to review and where appropriate adjust service levels to better meet the needs of the community and align to Council’s strategy (stage 2).
Documentation of Council’s external and internal services began four years ago, with significant benefits to the efficient and effective management of the organisation. To date, 49 consolidated Service Specifications have been formally adopted, with five additional specifications presented tonight for Council’s consideration. A further body of specifications will be progressively reported to Council, in coming months, in order to complete the stage 1 program within the current year.
Council has approved in principle the inclusion of key information from the service specifications in its 2007-08 management Plan. This material has been discussed with Council in workshops and a complete draft will be submitted as part of the Draft Management Plan to the Ordinary Meeting of 7 May 2007.
Stage 2 of the program, Review and Adjustment of Service Levels, has already been undertaken by Council in selected key areas. Important decisions have been taken by Council, flowing on from these reviews, which have been reflected in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 Management Plans.
A more comprehensive review of all service levels has now commenced, with the initial results being brought to Council in the context of the 2007-08 Management Plan and budget development. The service review process also identifies areas of service improvement which should be made within existing means and such proposals are also being brought forward in the draft 2007-08 Management Plan.
Assessment of Draft Service Specification
Prior to their reporting to Council, all draft specifications undergo a rigorous process of validation and assessment, leading to approval by the Corporate Management Team. The aim is to ensure that each specification accurately communicates the existing levels of service and activities that the service provides, in terms of quantity, quality and cost to Council. Once adopted by Council, these specifications will be used as the basis for testing service performance and for service review, including any changes to services levels, calls for additional resourcing, or for changes in priority setting within an existing service.
Service Specifications are very detailed documents. By policy, full documentation is provided, under separate cover, to all Councillors, and is available to the public on request.
As previously agreed, it is intended to make specifications for all services in Council’s 2007-08 Management Plan available for the public through Council’s website as linked documents.
To assist in Council’s consideration of the draft specification submitted tonight, an executive summary is provided as an Appendix to this report.
This summary contains:
2. Link to Strategic Program
6. Service Funding
7. Service Summary Chart.
Roads and Footpaths Maintenance Service – Proposed Amendment to Annual Budgetary Provisions
Comment by Director - City Operations
The Development of the Roads and Drainage Maintenance Service Specification identified that a major constraint on the level of service was the increase in the road and footpath network that was handed over to Council from new developments and from Council’s construction programs.
In order to maintain an agreed level of service for the various activities within the Roads and Footpaths Maintenance Service Specification, there should be an increase in the annual maintenance allocation as new assets are constructed or handed over to Council.
Based on the costs determined in the development of the service specification, the individual annual maintenance costs for services provided under the specification, and affected by growth, are:
· Road pavement maintenance - $1,775 per kilometre per annum
· Kerb and gutter maintenance - $244 per kilometre per annum
· Path paving and cycleway maintenance - $263 per kilometre per annum
· Signage maintenance - $32 per sign per annum
· Linemarking - $409 per kilometre per annum
· Guardrail maintenance - $20 per kilometre per annum
· Street furniture $30 per item per annum
It is recommended that in the future, the annual budget allocation for roads and footpath maintenance be increased by applying these unit rates (CPI indexed) to the increase in the asset base for each element referred to above. It is proposed that this policy be implemented in the development of the 2008-09 budget, given that sufficient allocation has been made in the draft 2007-08 Management Plan for this service.
1. The information contained in the report on Service Specification Program be received.
2. The specification for Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction service be adopted.
3. The specification for Roads and Footpaths maintenance service be adopted.
4. The specification for Building Construction service be adopted.
5. The specification for Design service be adopted.
6. The Specification for Records and Document Management be adopted.
7. The annual budget allocation for Roads and Footpaths Maintenance Service be increased by the CPI in line with the increase in the Roads and Footpaths asset base starting in 2008-09.
Executive Summary Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction
Executive Summary Roads and Footpaths Maintenance
Executive Summary Building Construction
Executive Summary Records and Document Management
Appendix 1 - Executive Summary Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction
Appendix 1 – Executive Summary - Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction Service
Summary of the Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction Service Specification
The Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction Service constructs all Council civil assets which includes roads, carparks, path paving, stormwater drainage and assets built by developers.
The constructed assets include:
· Road pavements
· Stormwater drainage pipes, pits, culverts, channels and detention basins
· Kerb and guttering
· Path Paving
· Retaining walls, fencing, bollards and handrails within the road reserve
· Road linemarking, raised lane markers, guide posts and guardrails
· Regulatory, warning, information and street names signs
· Traffic facility items, such as median islands, roundabouts and traffic control devices
· Cycleways / Bicycle facilities
· Ground level carparks
· Stormwater drainage enhancements, such as Gross Pollutant Traps (GPT’s)
· Road and pedestrian bridges
Term Achievements
TA25.1 - Road network capacity, safety and efficiency are improved and traffic congestion is reduced
CA25.1A - A program is being implemented to address deficiencies and areas of congestion in the local road network
TA25.3 - A plan is being implemented for bus shelters, cycleways and footpath network having regard for the access, health and recreational needs of the community
CA25.3A - Develop and implement footpath, cycleway and bus shelter programs, incorporating recommendations from the PLAN Study and identify the recurrent maintenance costs and funding sources.
26.1 - An asset management strategy is in operation for civil infrastructure that optimises its use and maintains it to agreed standards fit for its contemporary purpose.
CA26.1A - An Asset Management Strategy for Civil Assets is developed, maintained and implemented.
CA26.1B - New drainage infrastructure is designed and constructed to meet agreed capacity standards
· Construct the civil infrastructure assets to agreed standard and fit for their contemporary purpose based on agreed programs from objective evidence and Council approved priorities
· Ensure the constructed civil infrastructure assets enhance the appearance of the streetscape as well as being functional.
· Construct the civil infrastructure assets to the standard that minimises the “whole-of-life” costs
· Improve safety within the road reserve by constructing traffic facility devices to assist all road users
· Minimise the disruption and inconvenience to the community during construction of these assets
· Road Construction – 3 projects including Jane St. Plaza extension.
· Urban Drainage Construction – 10 projects
· Kerb and gutter Construction – 8 projects with a total of 460m of kerb and gutter constructed
· Path paving construction in 40+ locations – extending path paving network by 9.2km
· LTC/urgent traffic facilities – 14 locations
· Traffic and Transport facilities – 5 locations
· Cycleway construction along Trinity Drive Cambridge Gardens (approx of 330m)
· Carparks – 2 locations with improvement to lighting and landscaping at Penrith Valley Cultural Precinct.
Note: The number of projects within each program budget varies each year dependant on the project scope and size.
5. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
2006-07 Target
% of community satisfied with the provision of footpaths (medium to high satisfaction)
71.7% from 2003, 70.8% from 2005 Customer Survey
71% in 2007 survey
% of community satisfied with the provision of cycleways (medium to high satisfaction)
62.4% from 2003, 66.2% from 2005 Customer Survey
66% in 2007 survey
% of community satisfied with the regulation of traffic flow (medium to high satisfaction)
70.1% from 2003, 63.5% from 2005 Customer Survey
70% in 2007 survey
% of community satisfied with the overall appearance of the city (medium to high satisfaction)
89.0% from 2003, 88.6% from 2005 Customer Survey
89% in 2007 survey
Completion of the approved projects within agreed timeframe, budget and to standard
The 2006-2007 budget for the Roads, Footpaths and Drainage Construction Service is $9,450,963. This amount includes all operating costs, and is offset by the budgeted income of $6,772,463. However these budget figures do not include the value of subdivision road and drainage dedications.
Service Planning & Management Costs
$ 500,763
$ 581,041
Urban Drainage Construction
Kerb & Gutter Construction
Path Paving Construction
$ 813,744
LTC/ Urgent Traffic Facilities Construction
$ 104,474
Traffic & Transport Facilities Construction
$ 764,413
Cycleways/ Bicycle Facilities Construction
Stormwater Drainage Enhancements
$ 423,335
Works-in-Kind ~ Supervision and Hand-over
$ 615,889
Section 94 ~ Project Delivery
$ 4,599,304
$ 9,450,963
($6,772,463)
$ 2,678,500
The income of $ 6,772,463 has the following components:
Section 94 $2,078,937 Contributions $ 15,000
Grants $ 900,191 EEP Funding $423,335
Reserves $3,355,000 (incl. $3.2m special loans)
It should be noted that the Subdivision Road Dedications in 2005-2006 $2,015,305 increased the road pavement area by a further 17,690m². The Subdivision Drainage Dedications in 2005-2006 $519,299 which significantly increased the ongoing drainage maintenance activities of Council.
7. Service Summary Chart
Appendix 2 - Executive Summary Roads and Footpaths Maintenance
Appendix 2 – Executive Summary - Roads and Footpaths Maintenance
Summary of the Roads and Footpaths Maintenance Service Specification
The Roads and Footpaths Maintenance Service provides maintenance and repairs to all of Council’s civil assets within the road reserves, to ensure a safe and serviceable facility for the community.
The road reserves are the area between boundary fencelines, and the assets maintained include:
· Road surface drainage assets, including kerb and gutter and dish crossings at specific intersections
· Underpasses and causeways
· Roadside assets, such as footpaths and kerb ramps
· Street furniture and street litter bins
· Road linemarking, guide posts and guardrails
· Median islands, roundabouts and traffic control devices
· Street trees
· Unsealed road shoulder maintenance
Term Achievement
TA26.1 - An asset management strategy is in operation for civil infrastructure that optimises its use and maintains it at an agreed standard fit for its contemporary purpose.
§ Maintain a safe, efficient and effective local road network
§ Ensure the road reserve assets are presented in an attractive manner to the community
§ Maintain the road assets to an agreed standard fit for their contemporary purpose
§ Conduct the asset maintenance activities in a manner to minimise the inconvenience to the community
§ 7,860,007m² of sealed road pavement and 119,991m² unsealed road network maintained
§ Customer service – emergency callouts. Approx 25 per annum after hours callouts.
§ AC surface rejuvenation - 127,474m² in 2005-6 = 1.66% of the total sealed road network.
§ 4.3km or roadway = 20,400 m² of concrete pavement maintained.
§ 6,000m2 on Mt Vernon Road, Mt Vernon received in-situ stabilisation.
§ Heavy patching of pavements on 33,285m2 = 0.4% of road pavement in 2005-06
§ Road pavement resealing of 306,501m2 (=4.5% of road network) includes 252,925m2 of AC resheets and 53,376m² of flush seal resheets
§ Road pavement reconstruction 25,000m2+ of road pavement was fully reconstructed = 0.32% of the existing sealed road pavements
§ 478.73 kms of road shoulder repairs
§ 69 road bridges and 16 pedestrian bridges maintained.
§ Two underpasses and one causeway maintained
§ 288.0km of footpaths and >15km of cycleways maintained
§ Over 20kms of fencing and bollards within the road reserve maintained
§ 500+ items of street furniture maintained (includes 450 street litter bins)
§ 4,214 street name signs requiring routine maintenance
§ 478.73 kms of unsealed road shoulders, and grass mowing near intersections is carried out to improve road safety
§ Maintenance of 548.5kms of linemarking plus painted pedestrian crossings, chevrons, 40kph signs etc on road pavements
§ Maintenance of 16,048 regulatory, warning and guide signs.
§ 115 roundabouts to maintain, together with the median islands and other “traffic calming devices.
§ Traffic Control Assets ~ Guardrail maintenance and repairs to 6,702.5 metres of metal guardrail
159 carparks to maintain
% of community satisfied with the maintenance of local roads (medium to high satisfaction)
65.8% from 2003, 64.5% from 2005 Customer Survey
65% in 2007 survey
% of road pavement resurfaced per annum (Road Management)
Average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of Council’s road network (Road Management) ~ (Average condition Index 5.0)
% of road defects meeting Council’s compulsory intervention level are made safe within 5 days
87% in 2007 survey
The total 2006-2007 budget for the Roads and Footpaths Maintenance Service is $13,034,941, consisting of $12,586,585 for operational maintenance and $448,356 for the Service Planning and Management costs, with income of $2,378,078, resulting in the net service cost of $10,656,863.
$ 3,659,884
$ 720,459
$ 7,955,742
P.I. ~ 1
Miscellaneous Item ~ Portion of Depot Admin, etc
P.I. ~ 2
Drainage Maintenance Cost
P.I. ~ 3
Roads, Drainage & Footpath Construction
P.I. ~ 4
Miscellaneous Civic Function Support
$12,586,585
$ 448,356
- $ 2,378,078
$10,656,863
The income is to be received through:
· Grants $1,795,578
· Restoration Income $ 273,500
· Contributions/ Reserves $ 309,000 (Waste Reserve)
Appendix 3 - Executive Summary Building Construction
Appendix 3 – Executive Summary ~ Building Construction Service
Summary of the Building Construction Service Specification
The Building Construction Service manages the construction of Council buildings and alterations.
TA26.1 - An asset management strategy is in operation for civil infrastructure that optimises its use and maintains it to agreed standards fit for its contemporary purpose
CA26.1A - An Asset Management Strategy for Civil Assets is developed, maintained and implemented
2.0 Issue 27: Buildings, Parks and Open Space Maintenance
TA27.1 - A building asset maintenance strategy is in operation that maintains those assets to appropriate standards fit for their contemporary purpose and addresses the increased costs of maintaining additional buildings.
CA27.1B - Finalise and implement asset maintenance strategies for building assets.
Build or manage building projects as per the management plan, meeting planning specifications and providing expert advice for the design of building projects.
Perform a monitoring / project management role to deliver building projects ensuring:
§ Equity and access of facilities in new and established areas
§ Constructed facilities meet contemporary needs
§ The standard of facilities constructed meets the requirements and satisfaction of the user groups
§ Relevant assets designed and constructed to minimize “whole-of-life” assets costs, including depreciation, preventative and routine maintenance as well as possible potential vandalism costs and whilst minimising any future potential risk issues.
In 2005-2006 the Building Construction Service delivered:-
§ 37 small projects (under $100,000) valued at $1.26 million eg. Mark Leece Oval amenities
§ 3 large projects (over $100,000) valued at $16 million eg. Nth St Marys Community Centre
§ Tenders for these 3 large projects
§ 70 Contractors Managed
§ 10 bus shelters constructed or replaced
§ 1087 Invoices processed
§ 3425 phone enquiries
5. Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
Capital works program completed for all building construction to the satisfaction of clients.
Building projects delivered on time and to budget
% response time to client enquiries within 2 working days
% response time to client enquiries within 5 working days
The budget for the Building Construction service Operational costs 2006-2007 is $290,322 per annum. This amount includes all operating costs. This amount does not include capital costs.
$ 243,222
Bus Shelters Construction/Renewal
$ 331,232
$ 328,222
Less: Cost Recovery
(Employee charge out to other services)
($ 58,000)
($ 37,900)
$ 273,232
$ 290,322
Appendix 4 - Executive Summary Design
Appendix 4 – Executive Summary – Design Service
Summary of the Design Service Specification
The Design service provides architectural and landscape architectural advice, assessments, designs and plans for sustainable urban design projects to protect and enhance the visual amenity and natural landscape values that contribute to the City’s character.
Penrith Valley’s Recognition
TA 1.2 – Penrith Lakes is developing and being used in a way that establishes it as a principal Sydney destination.
CA1.2A3 – Progressively implement agreed components of the Great River Walk
TA. 6.2 - The City’s rural lands are valued by the City’s communities for the natural and landscape values they contribute to the City’s character
CA6.2B - Engage major landowners and Government agencies in protecting and improving the natural landscape value in rural areas.
TA 19.1 - Council’s planning policies, land use, regulatory controls and asset management practices enhance the visual amenity of the City
CA 19.1B - Implement the Landscape Strategy through Council’s planning, regulatory control and maintenance practices.
TA 19.2 - Key agencies, institutions, landholders and the community are cooperatively engaged in enhancing the visual amenity of the City
CA 19.2A - Engage key agencies, landholders and the community in the implementation of Council’s Landscape Strategy and in promoting clean environments.
To enhance the visual amenity of the City by providing:
· technical advice to protect and enhance the future appearance and environmental sustainability of the City.
· fit for purpose designs, identifying and incorporating the clients (end user) needs.
· landscape architectural designs that will enhance the natural landscape values of the City.
· sustainable Council buildings designed to minimise “whole of life” asset costs.
· architectural and landscape architectural advice for Council’s urban design.
· architectural and landscape architectural assessments on specific Development Applications.
· detailed schedules and documentation for input into the tender/quotation process for relevant assets.
· works inspections and professional advice on project variations.
· in-house professional architectural and landscape architectural advice for other sections of Council.
Key Design projects delivered for 2004-06
Great River Walk Stage 1 & Stage 2
Penrith Valley Cultural Precinct
Londonderry Community Precinct Masterplan
Londonderry Neighbourhood and Amenities Building
Childrens centre playgrounds
North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre
2007-08 Targets
Satisfaction rating for the overall appearance of the City (medium to high satisfaction) - 2005 Citywide Customer Survey
Design component of project delivered to agreed budget and timeframe
6 Service Funding
The 2006-2007 budget allocation for the Design Service is $233,736. This amount includes all operating costs and does not include capital costs.
2006 – 2007 Budget
$ 270,271
$ 13,465
$ 283,736
Less Income : Design work charged to other services
$233,736
The Capital costs for 2006-07 is $338,351 which is related to “The Great River Walk” project.
Appendix 5 - Executive Summary Records and Document Management
Appendix 5 – Executive Summary - Records and Document Management
Summary of the Records and Document Management Service
The Records and Document Management Service provides the management, administration, maintenance, control and access for Council’s recorded and documented information. All of Records Management activities are carried out in accordance with the State Records Act 1998 and Council’s Records Management Program Policy and Procedures.
Program Selection and Delivery
TA 31.1 - Services and programs that Council provides are determined based on equity, customer requirements, community benefits and best value.
CA31.1D - Improve community access to Council services and facilities.
Issue 33: Management of the Organisation
TA 33.3 – The organisation embraces new technology, systems and processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness
CA33.3B – Appropriate information management systems, technologies and procedures are in place to support Council’s strategic objectives and the delivery of its program.
Manage Council’s recorded and documented information, providing staff and those who need to process or access information, what they require, within agreed timeframes by:
Developing and implementing policies, plans, business rules and procedures for recordkeeping, including the management of hardcopy and electronic information.
Delivering a compliant information management service to Council and the Community through:
· Administering, managing, controlling, maintaining and providing access to Council’s Information including:
o Electronic Documents. - Information Management System
o Physical Documents
o Physical Records
o Maps and plans
· Managing the “Information Management System” (IMS) and associated customer requests for information and assistance.
· Managing and maintaining Council’s records and storage facilities.
· Retaining, disposing and archiving of information.
· Capturing, storing and retrieving of information.
· Providing training in Information Management Systems and Recordkeeping practices.
· Delivering a timely customer service – for internal and external customers requiring access to Council’s information.
· Ensuring compliance to and provision of Council’s information under the Freedom Of Information act (FOI)
· Delivering a timely customer service for Plan Searches, providing access to and provision of Council’s Plans.
· Ensuring compliance to the Legislation, delivering a compliant Records Management Service to the organisation.
· Mail Processing - Includes inwards, internal and outwards mail - over 200,000 items processed per annum.
· Information Capture, Search, Retrieval and Return - 80,000 documents batched, scanned and registered, 20,000 document and file searches conducted and 145,000 record locations updated per annum.
· Information Management System (IMS) -
IMS introduced to the organisation providing training, support and systems administration. Approx’ 150 training sessions conducted annually.
· Information Retention, Disposal and Archiving - 30,000 files assessed per year, storage systems maintained and managed. Archived records and archives facility maintained and managed.
· Information Access - provide customers with access to information through the Freedom of Information and Plan Search Service. Approx’ 50 FOI and 400 Plan Search requests processed per annum
Ensure the availability of the Information Management System (IMS) during business hours.
Freedom of Information request completed in 21 days
Plan Search request completed in 21 days
Documents received are opened, batched, scanned, registered and distributed within one working day.
Mail is processed and despatched on the day received.
The net cost of the Records and Document Management Service for 2006-07 is $1,283,329. This amount does not include capital costs unless otherwise noted.
2006-07 Allocation
$ 798,752
Lease of Motor Vehicle (Internal)
$ 1,021,829
Software Maintenance – (eg: email, IMS)
$1,303,329
Information Search (Plan Search)
($ 19,000)
Net Cost of the Service
$ 1,283,329
Date of Meeting: Monday 30 April 2007
Master Program: The City as a Social Place
Issue: Community Well Being and Social Justice
Report Title: Planning for an Ageing Community - Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper
Attachments: Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper
Attachment 1 - Ageing Strategy Scoping Paper