Banyule City Council 21 September 2015 Ordinary Agenda Item 6.6 Attatchment 1

Annual Report 2014-2015 Part One Report of Operations For the year ended 30 June 2015

Table of Contents Introduction Welcome to the Report of Operations 2014-15 Snapshot of council City Plan Context Last year we provided

1 1 3 7

The year in review Mayor and CEO message Financial summary Description of operations

10 13 17

Our council City profile Service Centres Councillors

20 22 23

Our people Organisational structure Council staff Equal employment opportunity program Other staff matters

25 26 28 28

Our Best Value performance Local Government planning and accountability framework Performance A summary of our Best Value Performance Indicators

30 31 43 94

Governance and other information Governance Statutory information Victorian Local Government Indicators Governance and management checklist Glossary

135 146 155 157 161

Introduction Welcome to the Report of Operations 2014-15 Banyule City Council is committed to transparent reporting and accountability to the community. The Report of Operations 2014–15 is the primary means of advising the community about Council’s operations and performance during the financial year.

Snapshot of Banyule City Council This section sets out demographic information about the municipality which influences how Council may need to develop various services.

Banyule City Council Banyule City Council was formed in 1994 and comprises 21 suburbs that lie between 7 and 21 kilometres north-east of central Melbourne. In total it covers an area of approximately 63 square kilometres.

Population Banyule’s estimated resident population for 2014 is 125,503, forecast to grow to 139,740 residents by 2031.

Age Groups Banyule has an older age profile compared to Greater Melbourne. Older residents aged 60+ years make up 21.7% of Banyule’s population compared to 18.2% of the population in Greater Melbourne.

From 2006 to 2011, the largest growth in Banyule occurred in the following age groups:  Elderly, aged 85+ years (22%)  Empty nesters and retirees, aged 60-69 years (19%)  Newborns and pre-schoolers, aged 0-4 years (13%).

Cultural diversity Banyule is a culturally and linguistically diverse municipality. Residents come from over 140 countries and speak around 120 different languages at home.

An increasing number of Banyule residents are born overseas (22.1% in 2011, up from 19.7% in 2006), a trend that mirrors the increasing diversity in Greater Melbourne.

The main overseas countries of birth for Banyule residents are: United Kingdom, Italy, China and India. The number of residents from European countries is slowly declining while the number from Asian countries is increasing.

In the 2011 Census, there were 619 people of Indigenous Australian origin, comprising 0.5% of the population – a similar proportion to Greater Melbourne (0.5%). (Note: The ATSI community is typically under-represented in Census data, so the actual population may be higher.)

Between 2006 and 2011, Banyule experienced a significant shift in cultural and linguistic diversity. There were (4,471) fewer residents with an Australian ancestral background. Ancestral groups with the largest increase in numbers include English (+2,855), Chinese (+1,506), and Scottish (+1,361). Residents of Indian ancestry almost doubled in number (from 1,148 in 2006 to 2,156 in 2011), and those with Somali ancestry increased significantly as a proportion of their total population size (from 564 in 2006 to 864 in 2011.

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Introduction Nearly 20% of residents speak a language other than English at home, up from 17% in 2006. The main languages spoken are: Italian, Greek, Mandarin, Cantonese and Arabic. Between 2006 and 2011, languages that experienced the most growth were Mandarin, Somali, Hindi and Punjabi.

Housing There are 48,124 private dwellings in Banyule. The overwhelming majority are separate houses (80.1%), followed by medium density dwellings (18.7%). Between 2006 and 2011, the total number of dwellings increased by 1,918 (+4.1%) to 48,201.

The average household size is marginally smaller in Banyule than in Greater Melbourne (2.56 persons per household compared to 2.62).

Analysis of the housing tenure of Banyule households compared to Greater Melbourne shows Banyule has a larger proportion of households that own their home (38.0% compared to 31.5%); a smaller proportion purchasing their home (33.6% compared to 35.3%); and a smaller proportion renting (23.4% compared to 26.5%).

The majority of households in Banyule are couples with children (33.8%). However by the year 2026, the proportion is forecast to decrease to 31.8%. Conversely, the proportion of lone person households in Banyule is forecast to increase from 21.9% in 2011 to 23.3% by 2026.

Education The educational level attained by Banyule residents (aged 15+ years) is slightly higher than for residents in Greater Melbourne. Fifty six percent completed Year 12 or equivalent compared to 54.6%. Similarly, 36.3% completed a tertiary qualification compared to 32.4%.

Employment In the 2011 Census, the number of Banyule residents that were employed from a total labour force of 61,388 was 58,669 (95.6%). Of these, 36.6% were employed part-time. In comparison, a lower proportion of residents in Greater Melbourne were employed part-time (34.2%).

Trends indicate the unemployment rate is growing. In the 2014 September quarter, the unemployment rate in Banyule was 5.39% (up from 3.48% in the 2010 December quarter), but lower compared to the unemployment rate in Victoria (6.75%) and in Australia (6.18%).

The largest employer in Banyule is the Health Care and Social Assistance industry (making up 29.1% of all employment in 2013/14), followed by Retail Trade (11.3%), Education and Training (10.1%) and Construction (9.1%). A considerable proportion of the people who work in Banyule also live in the area (38.4%).

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Introduction City Plan Context Banyule’s City Plan 2013-2017 The context for Banyule’s Annual Report 2013-2014 is a report to our community in relation to the achievement of Banyule’s strategic direction as set out in its City Plan 2013-2017 and Budget 2014-2015.

The City Plan is Banyule’s Council Plan as required by Section 125 of the Local Government Act 1989. The plan is a partnership between council and community Council’s role is to locally govern for all residents, visitors and ratepayers, and provide a range of programs and services that meet the needs of our community.

Our City Plan provides a roadmap to follow in this important role. Underpinned by our vision and principles, the Plan’s objectives give us clear areas of focus for the four-year period and guide us to achieve the best we can for the community.

Vision (What we strive for) Banyule, a green, liveable and prosperous city, sustaining a healthy and engaged community.

The core principles that help us achieve our Vision are: Principles     

Sustainability for our future Community wellbeing Community participation Fairness in all we do Maintaining our community’s trust

We believe we will best achieve this Vision and adhere to our core principles, by focusing on the following strategic objectives on behalf of the community: Objectives People: Community Strengthening and Support Support and strengthen the health and wellbeing of the Banyule community.

Planet: Environmental Sustainability Conduct Council activities in a sustainable manner, and practice sound stewardship of the natural environment to ensure its diversity, protection and enhancement.

Place: Sustainable Amenity and Built Environment Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

Participation: Community Involvement in Community Life Govern effectively by appropriately engaging the community in issues that affect them, and advocating for the broader interest of the community.

Performance: Use Our Resources Wisely Manage the financial and non-financial resources required for the next four years to achieve Council’s strategic objectives.

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Introduction The following diagrams give an overview of Council’s objectives and key directions:

The framework outlined above is supported by a set of key policies, strategies, and plans. We use strategic indicators to measure our achievements.

The City Plan includes a Strategic Resource Plan, which is integrated within our ‘Performance – Use our resources wisely’ objective.

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Introduction Each objective is supported by the following: 

Key directions – A range of key strategic directions for achieving each objective. These include our priority areas for the four-year period, focus areas and key initiatives:  Focus areas - each key direction is supported by a more specific series of themes that Council will focus on.  Key initiatives - A list of practical activities, programs and projects resourced by Council. These will deliver on our objectives over the term of this plan. These initiatives are a comprehensive but not an exhaustive list of what Council does for its community and are reviewed on an annual basis.

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Strategic indicators - These indicators will measure achievements against our objectives over a fouryear period. They include a mix of:  Key data gathered by Council and other agencies to assist in evaluating community wellbeing (e.g. percentage of waste diverted from landfill).  Community Satisfaction Indices (CSI) measured by the State Government in its annual survey of Local Governments in Victoria.

Together these indicators provide a comprehensive measure of the achievement of the long-term objectives of Council and the community.

The indicators chosen represent broad measures of success in areas that are within our control or of significant interest to Council. They help us to assess our efficiency and indicate effectiveness and the quality of the services we provide. They aim to monitor progress against Council’s priority areas within each objective.

Supporting Policies, Strategies and Plans - Each of our strategic objectives is underpinned by comprehensive supporting policies, strategies and plans.

Our key policy and strategy documents informing the City Plan are continuously reviewed to ensure relevance and responsiveness to community needs and best industry practice: 

Banyule People: Health and Wellbeing Policy & Strategy – provides the framework to promote good health and wellbeing at all ages within Banyule. The four-year strategy is supported by an annual action plan, and has been developed in partnership with participating agencies and our community. The combination of the relevant sections of the City Plan and the Banyule People: Health and Wellbeing Policy & Strategy represents and satisfies the statutory requirements for a Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan as required by the Victorian Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.



Banyule Planet: Environmental Sustainability Policy & Strategy – provides the framework for achieving environmental sustainability in Banyule. It provides guidance and direction for supporting action plans that are reported in the annual State of the Environment Report.



Banyule Place Policy & Strategy – provides the framework for maintaining and improving Banyule as a liveable and vibrant place.

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Introduction 

Banyule Participation Policy & Strategy – provides the framework for Council to support community involvement, by appropriately engaging with our community on issues that affect them, encouraging participation and advocating on behalf of our community.



Banyule Performance System: Strategic Resource Plan, Strategic Budget, 10 year Capital Works Plan, Banyule Management System - our ‘Performance’ objective is underpinned by policy context and strategic intent that is informed by a strong legislative framework, using industry best practice guides (eg. Reporting guidelines for local government budgets in Victoria, provided by The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia), and our Banyule Management System (BMS).

The BMS is based on meeting the Best Value Principles of service delivery to our community, and incorporates a certification program against three key National and International Standards in Quality, Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Management.

Strategic Resource Plan The Strategic Resource Plan, included in the City Plan, details the financial and non-financial resources required for the life of the City Plan to achieve Council’s strategic objectives.

The Strategic Resource Plan as set out by legislation consists of the following:  The ‘Performance–Use our resources wisely’ objective. This includes key directions for achieving the objective, and focus areas for the next four years  The Financial Resources section, which includes information on financial position, financial statements and commentary on these.

The Strategic Resource Plan is updated annually.

Annual Budget The Annual Budget is then framed within the Strategic Resource Plan, taking into account the activities and initiatives included in the Annual Budget which contribute to achieving the strategic objectives specified in the Council Plan.

Our City Plan’s Relationship with the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan The City Plan and the Banyule People: Health and Wellbeing Policy & Strategy meet Banyule’s obligation for the provision of a Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan under the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. The City Plan is used as a vehicle for the strategic planning of the health and wellbeing of our community from Council’s responsibility perspective.

The City Plan is reviewed on annual basis with a further lens relating to the health and wellbeing outcomes of our community. This is done to ensure compliance under the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and to help improve health outcomes.

This work of Council occurs in many forms, from the upkeep of parks to the delivery of targeted programs, from the health of babies to immunisation of our community against disease.

The annual action plan for the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan is based from actions across the Organisation, within Council’s annual business plan, supporting plans, and service unit plans. Council uses these actions to achieve the strategic outcomes for our community intended for the betterment of our community’s health and wellbeing.

These action outcomes are reported separately to the Victorian Department of Health & Human Services.

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Introduction Last year we provided: Childhood services  Supported families with 17,867 Maternal and Child Health consultations  Facilitated 296 ‘new parent’ groups  Educated and cared for 171 children each day at our kindergartens and long day care centres  Maintained 162 children’s playgrounds and fitness equipment in our parks and reserves  Administered 9,494 vaccines to the public and 9,714 at schools Youth services  Supported young people via 6,665 outreach contacts  Provided a variety of recreational and engagement opportunities through our Banyule Youth Service, including skateboarding and Westside Circus  Helped an average of 225 young people per month express their artistic side at Jets creative arts studio, with 22% of participants with a disability.  Council’s Street Art program delivered 36 workshops as part of our graffiti diversion program  Youth officers delivered 128 short-term individual support sessions to young people to facilitate successful referral into appropriate services Family support  Completed construction of Olympic Village Child and Family Centre in Heidelberg West  Continued to deliver successful Maternal and Child Health services to support vulnerable clients with Banyule Community Health  Engaged with local families and promoted early childhood services through play-based activities at Council events, activities and festivals Libraries and community education  Banyule libraries had 34,383 members borrow 1.18 million items  Managed seven Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres, providing educational opportunities and community hubs in local areas Home and community care  Serviced more than 2,800 clients through our Home and Community Care program  Delivered 50,554 meals to approximately 290 clients  Continued our commitment to Aged-friendly Cities across Council projects, such as accessible housing Equally opportunity and access  Worked with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) Advisory Committee to receive advice and information on issues facing the GLBTI community  Continued to implement Council’s Inclusion, Access and Equity Plan (IAEP)  Council helped raise $7,139 through community donations to facilitate holiday camps for disadvantaged children in Banyule  Banyule Leisure Equity Grant program assisted 89 people with financial difficulties to participate at various Banyule leisure facilities

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Introduction Community spirit  Welcomed 492 new Australians at our citizenship ceremonies  Conducted the 2015 Sports Achievement Awards and Club Recognition Night  The Banyule Volunteer Awards and Banyule Citizen of the Year Award, was held during National Volunteers Week with more than 400 guests in attendance.  Council coordinated 90 working bees at bushland reserves and collected 1.5 tonnes of rubbish with volunteers for Clean Up Australia Day Local business initiatives  Encouraged investment in the City  Developed long and short-term economic strategies under the City Plan  Supported economic development through training, networking, mentoring and business events  Continued to develop and promote shopping centres, and improve their streetscapes Community advocates and consultants  An Age-friendly Advisory Committee and champions group were created to support Council’s work in enhancing the lives of older people in Banyule. Banyule Council also represented Australia at a World Health Organisation conference in Geneva after being involved in a global pilot project to evaluate the age-friendliness of cities around the world  Continued to advocate for improving leisure and sporting facilities, including Banksia Stadium Project, Anthony Beale Reserve Regional Family Play Space and Cartledge Reserve  Worked with the Department of Transport to improve transport, accessibility and connectivity  Informed the State Government on its new metropolitan planning strategy Plan Melbourne on Banyule’s future direction, including recognition of Heidelberg and Heidelberg West within the LaTrobe National Employment Cluster Going green  Banyule Council won the national 2014 Stormwater Excellence in Infrastructure awards for its $6 million stormwater harvesting project, which continued to provide up to 138 million litres of water annually, saving $350,000 in water bills and capturing 70 tonnes of litter  Almost completed installing energy efficient lighting on approximately 8,000 street lights, which use 67% less electricity and will reduce annual bills by $350,000  Installed solar hot water systems at Simms Road Oval pavilion and Ivanhoe Aquatic, and photovoltaic panels at Greensborough Meals Kitchen and Olympic Leisure Centre  Planted approximately 2,200 trees in streets and parks  Educated 3,500 visitors in waste minimisation practices at our Rethink Centre  Continued to provide recycling stations for mobile phones, batteries, fluorescent globes and other items at our Service Centres  Delivered environmental sustainability programs and events, including Home Harvest Festival, Wildlife Corridor and Kids Teaching Kids Conference Keeping Banyule beautiful  Maintained 300 parks and reserves  Cared for approximately 60,000 street trees and 50,000 parkland trees; pruned more than 35,000 trees  Coordinated the planting of 17,800 indigenous tubestock throughout bushland reserves with various community and school groups  Emptied approximately 3.9 million bins  Recycled 12,875 tonnes of recyclable materials  Collected 9,494 tonnes of green organic waste  Removed approximately 3,900m² of graffiti across Banyule Report of Operations

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Introduction Health and wellbeing  Welcomed 795,044 visits to WaterMarc  Transformed Ivanhoe Aquatic & Fitness Centre with a $6m redevelopment  Enrolments continued to grow at the Olympic Leisure Centre (OLC) Learn to Swim program, achieving its highest participation levels  Inspected 1,171 food premises and 216 public health and wellbeing premises  Maintained 48 sports grounds  Promoted new State tobacco legislation which increased the areas under outdoor smoking bans Provide and maintain public assets  Upgraded, renewed or established shared paths to now offer more than 37 kilometres of trail  Maintained 550 kms of roads  Completed major road patching works for 35 streets totalling 3,730 square metres  Replaced 9,061 sections of footpath  Repaired 20 stormwater pits  Replaced 21 pram crossings Festivals, events and the arts  Council continued to promote arts and culture with a series of successful exhibitions at its Hatch Contemporary Arts Space  Malahang Community Festival saw 3,000 people get into the festive spirit  Twilight Sounds attracted more than 4,000 to enjoy free music  Grand Parade inspired approximately 1,000 participants to join the march down Burgundy Street  Kids ArtyFarty Fest entertained over 8,000 people throughout the day Assisting the community  Actioned 67,404 requests through Customer Service  Issued 1,524 building permits with a value of $266,194,677  Conducted 9,083 building permit inspections  Completed 1,815 Transport and Road Safety related customer requests and referrals  Completed 1,696 Drainage and Development related customer requests and referrals  Handled 435 health/nuisance complaints  Completed the assessment of 1,685 applications for development, subdivision, tree removal and formal amendments to existing permits  Encouraged responsible pet ownership and managed 17,878 animal registrations

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The year in review

Mayor and CEO Message We are pleased to present Banyule City Council’s 2014-2015 Annual Report, which documents our achievements in fulfilling the objectives and commitments stated in Year 2 (2014-2015) of our City Plan 2013-2017.

Council continues to strive to improve on its performance and ensure it provides our community with vital services and quality facilities while also performing a key support and advocacy role. We remain committed to engaging with the community to ensure we are meeting its needs, serving it well and delivering quality outcomes.

To help us determine Banyule’s priorities, shape our actions and achieve our goals, Council continues to follow five interlinked objectives:  People – community strengthening and support  Planet – environmental sustainability  Place – sustainable amenity and built environment  Participation – community involvement in community life  Performance – use our resources wisely Our vision is based around an affordable, environmentally sound, liveable and prosperous city, sustaining a healthy and engaged community.

Financial results Council achieved an operating surplus result of $15.69 million this financial year. This is a significant improvement on last year’s surplus of $1.97 million and against a budgeted deficit of $6.07 million. The majority of the operating surplus is derived from the sale of the former Bellfield Primary school site. The funds from property sales during the year will contribute to an accelerated key capital works program and asset renewal as outlined in the four-year City Plan 2013-2017.

The operating results highlight the Council’s effective financial management, prudent planning and astute management of resources. Council has been able to achieve efficiencies through its operational and procurement initiatives, and these have been achieved without compromising service delivery.

Council’s debt management strategy continues to work to reduce the reliance on borrowings that have been invested into improving our assets of $1.37 billion, of which $1.25 billion comprises infrastructure, property, plant and equipment. Council’s cash position has continued to grow, with the unrestricted cash of $45.81 million at year’s end, up from $28.02 million last year.

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Council continues to focus on investing in sustainable and financially sound projects. In November, we started rolling out a $3.8 million energy efficient streetlight project that will replace approximately 8,000 streetlights. This significant project will bring long-term financial savings and environmental benefits together with significant reductions in electricity needs, greenhouse gas emissions and Council bills. Solar panels continue to be installed on Council buildings, which now provide clean energy and reduce operating costs at seven facilities. We continue to reap the benefits from our national award-winning $6 million stormwater harvesting project that cleans our waterways and irrigates sport fields and parks across three

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The year in review Banyule sites, giving us access to approximately 138 million litres (45 Olympic pools) of free water annually.

Speaking of water, Council unveiled its $6 million redevelopment of the Ivanhoe Aquatic Centre which has been totally transformed by expanding its floor space and introducing modern facilities, new equipment and high quality refurbishments. Since reopening in April, membership has increased by 31% with the number of visits expected to increase to more than 400,000 for the year. Also growing are the participation numbers at local sporting clubs, which makes the $1.4 million pavilion and ground upgrades at Simms Road Oval even more welcomed by Montmorency cricket and football clubs.

We continue to upgrade and extend our extensive shared trail network that now boasts over 37 km of path, as well as continue to replace a host of local playgrounds. Community consultation was also in full swing to help design a new regional family playspace at Anthony Beale Reserve in St Helena, set to start construction in the coming months.

Making sure we plan for the future, Council, with the help of $1.34 million State Government funding, delivered the $2.09 million Olympic Village Child and Family Centre in Heidelberg West, which will offer a kindergarten program, a maternal and child service as well as community facilities. Meanwhile with our aged population growing, it was great to see Banyule become a member of World Health Organisation’s (WHO) aged-friendly cities and take a seat as Australia’s only representative at a WHO global conference in Geneva.

Council also remains committed to improving amenities, revitalising public space and providing opportunities for participation. Banyule’s roads, drains and footpaths benefitted from record levels of investment. Watsonia Shopping Centre, Watsonia Library and Bell St Mall all received major facelifts. We continued to work across many fronts on anti-graffiti initiatives and engaged youth at events such as YouthFest and the Banyule Youth Summit, while our regular community festivals and family-friendly activities attracted large crowds and inspired community connection.

Service delivery We provide more than 100 quality services that most people rely upon at some point of their life. If you added up all the service-related interactions Council undertakes each day it would be staggering. Council continues to evaluate its services and look at ways to improve them to ensure they remain relevant, efficient and cost-effective. This is crucial to our every day running when you consider Customer Service actioned 67,404 requests and our Maternal and Child Health team provided 17,867 consultations. When you factor in the 50,554 meals we delivered this year and the support we gave to more than 2,500 older residents so they could live independently at home, we understand you depend on us to get it right.

We also know the importance our community places on our beautiful open space. Luckily, we have a dedicated team who feels the same and does an amazing job to maintain approximately 60,000 street trees, 160,000 parkland trees, 300 parks and reserves, 164 playgrounds and 48 sports grounds.

Also keeping Banyule tidy, our fleet of trucks collected approximately 3.9 million bins, we processed 20,148 tonnes of kerbside garbage, 12,875 tonnes of recyclable materials and 9,494 tonnes of green organic waste.

We were also out and about on the streets performing many other essential services. In 2014/2015, we registered 17,878 animals and dealt with 421 lost dog and cat reports. We carried out 9,083 building inspections, issued 1,524 building permits and assessed 1,699 planning permit applications. While each calendar year, we conduct approximately 1,000 statutory inspections/assessments of food premises.

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The year in review Community satisfaction Banyule Council has again recorded a strong performance in the annual state-wide Office of Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey, improving in 11 of 18 key service areas. Banyule improved its overall performance rating by one point to 69, which is significantly higher than the State average of 60.

It was very pleasing to see satisfaction levels increasing in two areas where Council had worked particularly hard to improve performance - community consultation and advocacy. The things that Council did best according to survey respondents were: parks and gardens; recreational and sporting facilities; customer service; community facilities; waste management; and road and street maintenance. We will build on areas the community told us we could improve upon, including planning and building permits, and the condition of local streets and footpaths.

It is good to see Council perform well in the eyes of the community. We work hard to encourage community engagement and make it easier for people to have their say and give us their input. From public forums to festival stalls, through to online surveys and community consultation, we continue to use community feedback to help shape our projects and initiatives, as well as improve on what we do.

Future direction While councils across Australia continue to struggle with reductions in grant funding and increased cost shifting from other levels of government, Victorian councils will find themselves under further strain from the 2015/16 financial year onwards with future rates to be capped at CPI or similar. Despite this Banyule Council remains in a good position to minimise the impact of these shortfalls on services and infrastructure thanks to astute financial management and increased efficiencies.

We have some exciting developments in the pipeline that focus on major civic revitalisation. Relocating Council staff from three separate offices to new municipal offices and community facilities to be built above WaterMarc helps reenergise Greensborough and will bring long-term financial savings and immediate environmental benefits. Council’s move also paves the way for the redevelopment of Ivanhoe Civic Precinct, which will bring improved and expanded community facilities, including significantly enhanced library services.

We are investing $42.76 million in capital expenditure and initiatives for 2015/2016, delivering improvements to community assets such as sporting pavilions, parks, playgrounds, drains, shared trails, footpaths and roads.

Thank you We would like to thank all Councillors and staff for their dedication in striving to make Banyule a better place for the community. This could not happen without the partnerships built with our community and key business and government stakeholders. We will continue to work together to enhance this collaborative process that is vital in generating so many positive outcomes for our municipality.

Simon McMillan Chief Executive Officer

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Cr Craig Langdon Mayor

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The year in review Financial Summary Council’s financial position continues to remain sound. A summary of our performance is outlined below.

Detailed information relating to Council’s financial performance is included within the Financial Statements and Performance Statement sections of this Report.

Operating Position Council achieved a surplus in 2014-15 of $15.69 million, a 10.94% operating margin. This result compares favourably to the prior year surplus of $1.97 million. As per the Comprehensive Income Statement in the Financial Report, the favourable variance is due mainly to the net gain on disposal of property of $11.77 million. This operating position also compares favourably to the expected target of greater than 0% and against the budgeted operating deficit of $6.07million or -4.74% operating margin (which included an investment in Banyule’s long-term sustainability by changing its street lighting to energy efficient globes of $4.67 million).

The adjusted underlying surplus of Council, after removing non-recurrent capital grants, cash capital contributions and non-monetary capital contributions is 9.27% when compared to the adjusted underlying revenue.

Sustaining an adjusted underlying surplus is a critical financial strategy that provides capacity to renew the $1.67 billion of community assets under Council’s control. The adjusted underlying surplus measures the financial sustainability and Council’s ability to achieve its service delivery objectives, as it is not impacted by capital income items which can often mask the operating result.

The projected underlying surplus is projected to be between 1% to 2% as a result of the recently introduced rate capping regime. Council will look to curb expenditure and find innovative solutions to supplement our income streams to reduce the rating burden in the future to maintain the strong financial position.

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The year in review Liquidity The Cash and cash equivalents held by Banyule City amount to $64.80 million of which $19 million (30%) is restricted funds and/or subject to intended allocations. Cash has increased by $7.96 million from the prior year mainly due to a number of capital works projects funded in 2014-2015 but which will now be completed in 2015-16 year.

The working capital ratio, which assesses Council’s ability to meet current commitments, is calculated by measuring Council’s current assets as a percentage of current liabilities. Council’s result of 397% is an indicator of a more than satisfactory financial position and well above the expected target band of 120% to 200%. The liquidity position is projected to slowly reduce but remain above the target over the next 4 years as the Council continues on a significant capital works and renewal program.

Obligations Council aims to ensure that it is able to maintain its infrastructure assets at appropriate levels, while at the same time continuing to deliver the services needed by the community. To bridge the infrastructure gap, Council invested $16.37 million in renewal works during the 2014-15 year, funded mainly from operations and cash reserves.

Council’s asset renewal ratio, measured by comparing asset renewal expenditure to depreciation, was 88.88%. The asset renewal ratio is within the expected target band of 50%-100% and includes the Ivanhoe Aquatic and Fitness Centre and Olympic Learning Hub as key renewal projects undertaken during the year.

Future investment into asset renewal is planned to maintain the asset renewal ratio within target.

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The year in review At the end of the 2014-15 year Council’s debt ratio, which is measured by comparing interest bearing loans and borrowings to rate revenue, was 67.69% which, although greater than the expected target band of 20%-60%, is steadily reducing.

The debt management strategy is working to reduce the reliance on borrowings and the ratio is budgeted to fall to within target range by 2017- 18.

Stability and Efficiency Council raises a wide range of revenues including rates, user fees, fines, grants and contributions. Rate revenue is the major source of funding for the Council and represents $86.29 million (including municipal charge $6.63 million; supplementary rates $0.59 million and special rates and charges $0.58 million).

Council’s rates concentration which compares rate revenue to adjusted underlying revenue was 60.88% for the 2014-15 year which is within the expected target band of 40%-80%.

The average residential rate per residential assessment is calculated at $1,579. Banyule City Council continues to implement cost-saving measures. This result compares favourably to similar councils in the inner metropolitan area as per the 2015-16 Victorian Local Government Rates Survey.

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The year in review

The rate increase for 2014-2015 was 7.95% to help to invest in the $22.33 million capital works program (excludes programs carried over into 2015- 16) and to offset increases in the total operating costs for doing business to the same level as the previous year. An increase in rates was also necessary to bridge the gap between reduced grant funding of our council operations. The recurrent operating grants increased from prior year by just under 0.24% (excluding the Victorian Grants Commission funding). It is also anticipated that $1 million over the next four years will need to be supported through operations to cover the shortfall in funding related to the Victorian Grants Commission funding of the Financial Assistance Grant freeze and the allocation methodology which favours growth are Councils.

Financial Assistance Grants are an important untied payment to councils from the Australian Federal Government which are invested in essential community infrastructure and services ranging from local roads and parks to swimming pools and libraries. These grants are a vital part of the revenue base of all councils.

The Commonwealth has decided to continue to ‘pause’ indexation of the national pool of financial assistance grants provided to local government for three years until the end of 2016-2017, constraining the ability of the sector to deliver infrastructure and services to the community.

The Commonwealth also decided to bring forward approximately half of the 2015- 16 financial assistance grants payments earlier this year. This payment of $2.26 million was made to councils on 30 June 2015 and has been included in the 2014-2015 operating result but will be required to be expended in 2015- 16.

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The year in review Description of operations Banyule City Council is responsible for the delivery of more than 150 services, from youth and family services, community and health services, local laws, open space planning, waste management and community building; to economic development, planning for appropriate development and ensuring accountability for Council’s budget.

Council’s vision, strategic objectives and strategies to further improve services and facilities are outlined in Banyule’s City Plan 2013 -2017 and Council’s Budget Report 2014–15 and reported upon in this document.

The delivery of services, facilities, support and advocacy to achieve the Strategic Objectives are measured by a set of service performance indicators. Council also has a wide range of responsibilities under the Victorian and Australian legislations.

Economic Factors The price of oil declined substantially in the second half of the 2014 year resulting in a reduction in the fuel costs incurred across Council. This impact combined with low inflation has provided greater benefits in our ability to procure goods and services at competitive prices. To the contrary a lower return on investments has occurred as interest rates continue to decline to record lows.

Major Capital Works During 2014-2015 Council’s major capital works included the following: Solar Powered Buildings Council’s move to cleaner energy is powering on, with two solar photovoltaic panel systems installed and more planned for the future. Solar photovoltaic or PV panels are now generating electricity for:  Greensborough Meals on Wheels Kitchen  Olympic Leisure Centre in Heidelberg West.

This sun-powered renewable energy will help power lights, air-conditioning, fridges and other electrical equipment. The PV systems are estimated to save about $10,000 in electricity costs annually. Electricity savings also help reduce Council’s greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our contribution to climate change.

Seven Council buildings now have solar panels providing clean energy and reducing operating costs. Solar panels make good sense environmentally and financially for facilities that provide Council services to the Banyule community.

Ivanhoe Aquatic Banyule Redevelopment Ivanhoe Aquatic Banyule, formerly known as the Ivanhoe Aquatic and Fitness Centre, attracted 360,000 visits per year before its multi-million dollar redevelopment which started in June 2013. The centre is set to attract even more visitors with new facilities including:  A gym, doubled in size to 500 square metres, with a range of new state-of-the-art gym equipment  Better access for all abilities with a new lift, improved reception and foyer area, and easy swipe-in access for members  A café with outdoor seating  Group exercise room and new fitness programs  A skylight over the main pool  Spa and sauna  Change rooms, toilets and showers, including individual and family change rooms  Birthday party and children’s program rooms.

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The year in review Olympic Village Child and Family Centre Development The Olympic Village Child and Family Centre is part of the Olympic Village Learning Hub and was jointly funded by the State Government ($1.34m) and Banyule Council ($750,000).

The centre is welcoming, culturally appropriate, and family focused. It was specifically designed to enhance child and family services in Heidelberg West, forging new relationships and strengthening existing ones. The centre will encourage better integration of services and provide easier access to local services for the community. The services provided at the centre include:  Funded four year old kindergarten programs  Playgroup  Maternal and Child Health  Parent groups  Multi-purpose foyer and community space  Dual purpose kitchen for the kindergarten and community use.

Energy Efficient Lights Banyule’s future is brighter with 8,000 streetlights switched to more energy efficient lighting. Originally the project cost was $4.7 million, but Council managed to reduce this to $3.8 million through a competitive tendering process. The lights were changed over from inefficient 80 watt mercury vapour lights to T5 fluorescents. This change will bring long-term financial savings and significant environmental benefits, including:  Using 67% less electricity to provide similar light  Reducing Council’s streetlight bill by almost $350,000 per year  Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by almost 3,000 tonnes  Reducing the cost of maintaining street lights.

The new T5 fluorescents emit a similar level of light to the old streetlights, ensuring the safety of pedestrians and vehicles is maintained. Almost all parts of the old lights were recycled.

Major Changes As an organisation Banyule needs to continually review the way it does things, maintain its relevance with community demand and anticipate future needs of the community. In November 2014, Banyule introduced a new management structure that took into account greater alignment of our services with community expectations, greater synergy in the alignment of ‘like services’ with management responsibilities, and an improved governance regime. Not only has this restructuring orientated the organisation to better engage with the community and respond to its needs, it has brought with it a more efficient use of resources and enabled Council to focus on asset renewal and the long-term sustainability of Banyule.

Major Achievements Banyule continued to maintain a strong financial position during 2014/2015 and has seen many significant initiatives delivered and innovation recognised on a national and global stage. At Stormwater Australia 2014 Awards for Excellence, Banyule Council won the Excellence in Infrastructure Award for its $6 million Stormwater Harvesting Project. Banyule was also Australia’s only representative in a World Health Organisation Global Network of Age-friendly Cities study that helped evaluate the age-friendliness of cities around the world. The study has sparked interest from a range of local, state and federal government and non-government organisations wanting to learn from Banyule’s experience and work with Banyule.

This year has seen increased emphasis on supporting Banyule’s diverse communities and giving them a greater voice, reflected by Council’s Inclusion Access and Equity Framework and community advisory committees for multicultural, disability, LGBTI, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

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The year in review Council continued its Service Development Review Program to strengthen and improve service delivery and meet the needs of the Banyule community, with reviews into Banyule Leisure Facilities Management, Banyule Youth Services, and Waste Management.

Another major achievement was the strengthening of the Banyule Planning Scheme with the introduction of new residential zones. Housing and neighbourhood character strategies were used to identify neighbourhoods with heritage, landscape or environmental significance, and limit the height of new buildings and the number of additional dwellings.

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Our Council City Profile Banyule is located between 7 and 21 kilometres north-east of central Melbourne and is made up of 21 suburbs. The City covers an area of approximately 63 square kilometres. The Yarra River runs along the City’s south border while the west is defined by Darebin Creek.

Banyule is renowned for its open spaces and plentiful parklands, especially along the Yarra and Plenty River valleys. There are 466 hectares of council-owned open space in Banyule, as well as substantial areas of parkland managed by Parks Victoria. These provide a wealth of recreational, environmental and tourism opportunities for the region. There are sites of botanical, zoological, habitat and heritage significance, including aboriginal archaeological sites and scar trees, and points of interest associated with the Heidelberg School of Artists.

Banyule is the active resident’s dream place to live, with many excellent community leisure facilities including indoor aquatics and fitness centres at Ivanhoe, West Heidelberg and Watsonia and the brand new facility at Greensborough – WaterMarc. Greensborough also has a synthetic athletics track, while a hockey centre and indoor netball stadium can be found at Bellfield and Macleod respectively. There are other playing fields, tennis and bowling clubs throughout the municipality.

Cycling and walking through Banyule are popular pastimes, made enjoyable by the many kilometres of bicycle and pedestrian trails throughout the city, particularly along the Yarra and Plenty Rivers and the Darebin Creek.

The city is primarily a residential area and retaining the character of individual neighbourhoods is important to the local community. While separate houses dominate, increasing numbers of semi-detached houses, townhouses and units are being built. Over two thirds of homes are privately owned or being purchased, with most of the rest being rented.

Banyule has a number of commercial centres, the largest being the Greensborough Principal Activity Centre, with Heidelberg and Ivanhoe designated as Major Activity Centres. There are significant industrial areas in Heidelberg West, Greensborough, Briar Hill and Bundoora. The City is home to a number of large institutions such as the Austin Hospital including the Olivia Newton John Cancer Centre, the Mercy Hospital for Women, the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and the Simpson Army Barracks.

Our Community Council recognises the habitation of this land by the Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri willam.

Melbourne’s north-east was the homeland of the Wurundjeri willam people who belonged to the Woiworung language group and greater Kulin Nation. The confederacy was made up of allied clans from south-central Victoria.

Today, the Wurundjeri Tribe Land Compensation and Cultural Heritage Council, recognised as the Aboriginal custodians of Banyule and Kulin Nations, take care of this powerful cultural heritage. Council is committed to protecting Aboriginal heritage sites. Over fifty Aboriginal heritage sites have been identified in Banyule. Most are beside major waterways like Darebin Creek and the Yarra and Plenty Rivers.

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Our Council The City also has a significant European cultural heritage associated with painters of the Australian Impressionists (previously referred to as the Heidelberg School) such as Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts, Charles Conder, Frederick McCubbin, Walter Withers, Jane Sutherland, Clara Southern and Jane Price, and architects and urban landscapers including Walter Burley Griffin, Ellis Stones and Edna Walling. Banyule has close links with the birth of the Australian Art Movement and influential artists such as Napier Waller, Albert Tucker, Sidney Nolan, Joy Hester and Norman MacGeorge, who bequeathed his estate in Fairy Hills to the University of Melbourne to encourage development of the arts. Sidney Nolan’s first art exhibition was held in Burgundy Street, Heidelberg.

Heidelberg West is an area rich in history and diversity, and harbouring strong community spirit. The Olympic Village in Heidelberg West was the home of the Olympic athletes during the 1956 Melbourne Games. The village housed 4,200 athletes representing 67 countries. Shortly after the Olympic Games had finished, some of the Village housing was made available for sale, however the Village was largely converted to public housing and tenanted by the then Housing Commission of Victoria. The Olympic Village today is similar to the original village. Minor variations exist in the road network and in the types of housing provided, but the area remains largely in its original form. In 2000, the Village hosted the Olympic Torch Relay for the Sydney Olympics.

Banyule has a diverse community of more than 124,000 residents from over 50 countries. A significant number of residents have European ancestry, and there is an increasing population of people with Asian and African ancestry. This diverse population brings a cultural richness to our community.

Although the number of people living in Banyule is expected to increase in the next decade, our population is expected to age, with the greatest growth occurring in the over 60 age group. However, recently the population of under 4 year olds has grown, as Banyule, along with the nation as a whole, has experienced a mini ‘baby boom’.

Banyule’s main industries are health care, retail, education, manufacturing and professional and scientific services. A large number of the jobs available in Banyule are filled locally.

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Our Council

Service Centres Ivanhoe: 275 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe 3079 Rosanna: 44 Turnham Avenue, Rosanna 3084 Greensborough: 9 – 13 Flintoff Street, Greensborough 3088 Parks and Buildings: 268 Banksia Street, Heidelberg West 3081 Operations Centre: Corner Banksia Street and Waterdale Road, Heidelberg West 3081 Postal Address: DX: Telephone: National Relay: Fax: Email: Internet:

PO Box 51, Ivanhoe 3079 97904 Ivanhoe 9490 4222 If your hearing or speech is impaired, you can call us via the National Relay Service on 133 677 (TTY) or 1300 555 727 (ordinary handset) and ask for 9490 4222 9499 9475 enquiries@banyule.vic.gov.au www.banyule.vic.gov.au

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Our Council A General Election was conducted on Saturday 27 October, 2012. The elected Councillors were sworn into Office 7 November 2012. Councillors are required to make an Oath of Office before they officially become Councillors.

The following Councillors took the Oath of Office before the Chief Executive Officer on Wednesday, 7 November 2012:

Councillor Rick Garotti Councillor Steven Briffa Councillor Jenny Mulholland Councillor Wayne Phillips Councillor Mark Di Pasquale Councillor Craig Langdon Councillor Tom Melican

The role of the Council is to provide leadership for the good governance of Banyule. The Council serves the community, including ratepayers, residents, businesses, workers and community groups. Council is the level of government closest to the community and takes an active role in advocating for the needs and interests of residents to other levels of government.

The principal duties of the Council are to:  review and confirm the strategic direction of the Council which is set out in the City Plan and the Annual Business Plan  approve the Council budget and resource allocation plan  consider and approve a range of strategies and policies prepared by Council officers  fulfil responsibilities in relation to providing quality services, occupational health and safety and protection of the environment.

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Our Council Councillors

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Our people Organisational Structure Council is the governing body that appoints a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO has responsibility for the day to day management of operations in accordance with the strategic directions of the Council Plan. Four Directors and the CEO form the Executive Management Team (EMT) and lead the organisation.

Details of the CEO and senior officers reporting directly to the CEO are set out below.

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Our people Council Staff A summary of the number of full time equivalent (EFT) council staff by organisational structure, employment type and gender is set out below.

Employee CEO Type/Gender

EFT

Assets & City Services

City Development

Community Programs

Corporate Services

EFT

EFT

EFT

EFT

Total

Permanent FT – F

0.00

20.00

26.00

69.00

38.00

153.00

Permanent FT – M

1.00

157.00

48.00

19.00

27.00

252.00

Permanent PT – F

0.00

5.17

19.66

121.27

20.21

166.31

Permanent PT – M

0.00

0.00

5.47

22.65

1.08

29.20

Casual – F

0.00

2.37

2.71

5.58

2.69

13.35

Casual - M

0.00

1.59

1.93

3.59

1.64

8.75

103.77

241.09

90.62

622.61

Total 1.00 186.13 FT-Full time PT-Part time F-Female M-Male

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Our people

Employment

Female

Male

Total

Classification

EFT

EFT

EFT

Band 1

11.41

5.43

16.84

Band 2

5.30

1.00

6.30

Band 3

74.14

21.47

95.61

Band 4

54.77

17.25

72.02

Band 5

54.28

34.46

88.74

Band 6

63.24

32.92

96.16

Band 7

18.82

23.42

42.24

Band 8

10.11

25.00

35.11

Band not applicable

41.57

128.02

169.59

333.63

288.98

622.61

Total

Note: Report based on data as at 10 August 2015. Adjustments in relation to the Casual workforce have been necessary to more closely reflect the number of filled positions at the end of 2014/15 financial year. 22.1 EFT has been apportioned across the Casual classification as follows: Band 3 (60%), Band 4 (30%) and Band 5 (10%). In addition, this has been distributed across the Bands on a basis of 60% Female and 40% Male to align with Council’s overall gender balance.

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Our people Equal employment opportunity program As a large employer, with over 1,000 staff, Banyule City Council regularly runs Workplace Behaviour Training as part of its standard suite of training programs.

The session addresses discrimination (direct and indirect), bullying and harassment as well as ‘the reasonable person test’. The objective of the training is to ensure employees understand their obligations in the workplace, to ensure there is no discrimination relating to any of the attributes described in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 and to assist with strategies where an employee may be subjected to discrimination, bullying or harassment. Attendance at the training is centrally recorded and all staff are expected to attend refresher training each two years.

Complementary to this training is the Contact Officer program. A number of trained Contact Officers are available across various sites to provide support and assistance to colleagues who may be experiencing difficulties in the workplace. Contact Officer training will be updated in the 2015/16 year.

Council has also offered a series of inclusive activities to promote equal opportunity over the last year including funded places at the Human Rights Charter Essentials Course, the Aboriginal Yarra River Walk, the Islamic Museum Tour, and training such as LGBTI 101 – Inclusive Practice and the Disability Awareness Workshop.

Other staff matters Enterprise Bargaining Agreement The terms and conditions of employment of Banyule staff are contained within an Enterprise Agreement. In 2014 negotiations were undertaken between management representatives, nominated staff representatives, and industrial union organisers to establish a new Enterprise Agreement. At the conclusion of negotiations, the Australian Electoral Commission was engaged to conduct a ballot for staff to vote on the draft Banyule City Council Enterprise Agreement No. 6, 2014. 51 per cent of staff voted, with 93 per cent voting in favour of the new Agreement. The new Enterprise Agreement became operative on September 17, 2014 following approval by the Fair Work Commission. The nominal expiry date for the Agreement is 30 June, 2017.

Professional Development Banyule staff have access to a broad suite of learning and development opportunities in addition to study assistance for external higher education courses to ensure our employees continue to develop themselves professionally.

Ranging from our OHS regulatory training program to proactive health initiatives such as Personal Resilience, our training programs have recently been further expanded to include a focus on employee wellbeing. The standard professional development offering has also been enhanced over the last year to include business writing, customer service and a range of system training opportunities. Employees have access to a variety of external programs such as software application training, project management, presentation and negotiation skills.

To further develop our current and emerging leaders, Banyule participates in initiatives including the LGPro Emerging Leaders Program, the LGMA challenge and professional conferences to expose employees to a range of Government and industry specific development options. Additionally, Banyule runs an in-house coaching program, offers regular leadership networking and development opportunities through the Banyule Leadership Network and provides structured in house training programs.

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Our people Preventing Violence Against Women Banyule, together with the representative Unions, has ensured that the Enterprise Agreement incorporates provisions to support Employees who may be subject to violence or abuse in their personal life. The Enterprise Agreement makes provision for paid leave and individual support to employees who are at risk.

Banyule has actively promoted the White Ribbon initiative. A number of promotional events have been conducted which include the ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ day where a number of Banyule Council representatives and employees across all levels, occupations and worksites wore women’s shoes to work to demonstrate empathy and support. A Banyule waste truck has included a printed slogan ‘Violence against women, let’s get rid of it’. Fundraising and educational events have been held as part of an active program around the White Ribbon Day which occurred on 25 November 2014.

Banyule is committed to continuing to support the White Ribbon program with work on a Gender Equity Policy underway. (photo of the Waste Truck) Health and Safety Banyule is actively engaged in a range of Health and Safety Initiatives to ensure the workplace remains safe for all employees, councillors, contractors, visitors and the public. Each worksite has Health and Safety Committee representatives with Committees meeting regularly.

There was a significant investment in Health and Safety Week in October 2014 which included on-site events and education programs with a focus on two main themes of improving mental health and sun safety.

Banyule worked closely with our Employee Assistance Program provider, the Cancer Council of Victoria and Worksafe to bring contemporary information and prevention strategies to the workplace.

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Our Best Value Performance Local Government Planning and Accountability Framework Banyule City Council adheres to the Local Government Planning and Reporting Better Practice Guide in the development of its strategic planning process: ‘The Planning and Accountability Framework is found in part 6 of the Act. The Act requires councils to prepare the following planning and reporting documents: • A council plan within the six months after each general election or by 30 June, whichever is later • A strategic resource plan for a period of at least four years and include this in the council plan • A budget for each financial year • An annual report in respect of each financial year.

The following diagram shows the relationships between the key planning and reporting documents that make up the planning and accountability framework for local government. It also shows that there are opportunities for community and stakeholder input and feedback at each stage of the planning and reporting cycle.’

Note: The information above is sourced from the ‘Better Practice Guide 2014-2015 Report of Operations’ (Local Government Victoria), Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

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Our Best Value Performance Performance Banyule’s performance for the 2014/15 year has been reported against our strategic objectives to demonstrate how Council is performing in achieving the City Plan 2013-2017 (Council Plan).

Performance has been measured as follows: • Results achieved in relation to the strategic indicators in the City Plan • Progress in relation to the initiatives identified in the Budget 2014/2015 • Services funded in the Budget and the persons or sections of the community who are provided those services • Results against the prescribed service performance indicators and measures.

The Strategic Resource Plan (SRP) is part of and prepared in conjunction with the Council Plan.

Synopsis of Our Best Value Performance This part of our Annual Report provides a summary of performance against Banyule’s City Plan 2013-2017.

This section also constitutes Council’s Best Value Victoria Annual Report 2014-2015 to our community on the application of Councils work to the Best Value Principles.

The summary outlines the significant achievements and progress made in relation to the objectives and key directions in our City Plan. It highlights the range of services (activities), initiatives and processes being implemented across Council to meet the needs of our community, meet the Best Value Principles, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

The Best Value legislation, introduced by the State Government in 1999, is based on consideration of the following six principles in providing services to the community:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

All services provided by a council must meet quality and cost standards set by Council (having regard to community expectations, affordability, accessibility, value for money and best practice).

All services provided by a council must be responsive to the needs of its community.

All services provided by a council must be accessible to those members of the community for whom they are intended.

A council must achieve continuous improvement in provision of services for its community A council must develop a program of regular consultation with its community in relation to the services it provides.

A council must report regularly to its community on its achievements in relation to the first five principles.

Further information on our Best Value response is available on our website in the Best Value section (go to www.banyule.vic.gov.au and follow links to Council, Publications and Best Value Report). The following information for each of Council’s services is also available:   

Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results Key Highlights for 2014-2015 Future Challenges for 2015-2016.

Note: Progress against Banyule’s strategic indicators is provided in the next section of our Annual Report, following the summary of highlights and achievements.

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Our Best Value Performance Our Activities and Services The following statement provides information in relation to the services funded in the 2014/15 Budget and the persons or sections of the community who are provided with the service.

Strategic Objective 1: COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING AND SUPPORT Support and strengthen the health and wellbeing of the Banyule community.

Business area Health, Aged and Community Planning

Description of services provided Provision of the following to carers, older people and young people with a disability: Aged and Disability Services: Services for Older Persons and People with a Disability - service access and assessment, social support, assisted transport, home care, delivered meals, respite care, personal care, property maintenance, Senior Citizens Centres and Age Friendly City.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 11,469 (6,597) 4,872

Health Services: Environmental Health - food safety enforcement & education and immunisation. Public Health neighbourhood complaints (nuisance), Health Protection tobacco, infection control, heatwave planning, prescribed accommodation, domestic wastewater management and public health emergency management.

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas: Community & Social Planning: Supporting Council’s community consultation and engagement, demographic data analysis. Supporting Council’s commitment to inclusion, access and equity, Municipal Public Health & Wellbeing Plan, Advocacy, support and planning on key social issues.

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Our Best Value Performance

Business area Leisure, Recreation and Cultural Services

Description of services provided Provision of the following to the municipal community/population as a whole: Leisure & Cultural Services: Art collection management, culture and heritage development, festivals and cultural events, leisure programs for older adults, leisure programs for people with disabilities, sports pavilions and ground allocations, support for Neighbourhood Houses, community halls for hire and community buses for hire.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 13,351 (6,540) 6,811

Facility & Contract Management: The Centre Ivanhoe function centre, library services, leisure facilities including: Ivanhoe Golf Course, swimming pools including Watsonia Pool, WaterMarc and Macleod Recreation Centre.

Banyule Leisure Facility Management: Ivanhoe Aquatic and Fitness Centre, Olympic Leisure Centre and Macleod Netball Stadium.

Youth and Family Services

Provision of the following to families, children and youth: Youth & Family Strategic Management: Municipal Recovery Management, Banyule Child, Youth and Family Plan.

9,238 (4,544) 4,694

Early Years: Child care centres, early childhood facilities management and capital works program, Early Years Networks facilitation, Kindergartens and Universal Access, Kindergarten Central Enrolment, Maternal and Child Health Services, Inclusion Support Facilitators.

Youth & Community Partnerships: Jets Studios, Community Support and Resource, Youth Services, Banyule After Hours Youth Outreach Service (Link-U), Community Safety (including Graffiti Management), Community Liaison, Community Building (formerly Metro Access), Community Development Grants, Employment Programs, Trust Management, Volunteer Recognition Awards, Place Management – Project 3081.

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Our Best Value Performance

Strategic Objective 2: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Conduct Council activities in a sustainable manner, and practice sound stewardship of the natural environment to ensure its diversity, protection and enhancement.

Business Area

Description of services provided

Transport, Sustainability and Municipal Laws – Environmental Sustainability

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas, and municipal community as a whole:

Parks and Gardens

The provision of the following to the municipal community as a whole:

Environmental Planning: Planet: Environmental Sustainability Policy & Strategy and supporting plans, energy and water efficiency, environmental stewardship education and publications, Wildlife Corridor Program, State of the Environment reporting, maintaining Environmental Management System (in accordance with ISO14001), Significant Tree Register, Banyule Environment Advisory Committee (BEAC).

Strategic: Parks and Gardens strategic management, strategy development for public open space, Public Open Space Strategic Plan, master planning of reserves and Regional Playgrounds, and shared trail development.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 562 (0) 562

9,462 (206) 9,256

Horticulture: Design, construct and maintain of playgrounds, sports fields, irrigation, landscape, park assets, garden beds, paths, (includes weed control and council nursery operations).

Tree Care: Street and park tree maintenance, pest and disease control, tree replacement and planting, tree removal, tree root control, assessment for council trees, nursery operations for plant propagation.

Bushland: Environmental education, environmental management, flora and fauna recording and habitat restoration, noxious weed control, development of wildlife corridors, maintenance, construction, restoration and protection of bush reserves and rivers, community planting days, Friends Group working bees.

Parks Maintenance: Mowing of active and passive parks and reserves, passive reserve maintenance, active reserve maintenance, half cost fence replacement, litter control in parks, maintenance of dog tidy bins, fire hazard control, maintenance and mowing of Right of Ways.

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Our Best Value Performance

Business Area Operations Waste Management and Cleansing

Description of services provided Provision of the following to municipal households: Waste Management: Strategic Waste Management, Metropolitan Waste Management Group member, Banyule-Visy Material Recovery Facility, Rethink Centre Education Programs, Outreach Education Programs, waste service support, Waste Recovery Centre (Transfer station), garbage collection, recycling collection, green waste collection, Hard rubbish collection, Bundled branch collection, Commercial waste collection, Parks and reserves waste collection.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 11,837 (5,701) 6,136

Cleansing: - Mechanical footpath sweeping of shopping centres, Mechanical sweeping of sealed roads, Cleaning of public toilets and BBQ’s, Inspection and clearance of drainage pits, Maintenance of litter trap program, Litter clearance from shopping centres, Litter collection, Removal of dumped rubbish, Removal of dead animals from roads, Syringe removal, drain cleaning.

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Our Best Value Performance Strategic Objective 3 SUSTAINABLE AMENITY AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT – Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

Business area Capital Projects

Description of services provided Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas, and to the municipal community as a whole: Capital Works management and reporting, project management and contract supervision for building works projects, and major civil and building works, road resurfacing, pedestrian trail maintenance, bike path maintenance, roads construction and reconstruction projects, scheduled building maintenance, unscheduled building maintenance, air conditioning maintenance, vandalism repairs and graffiti removal from council buildings

Assets and Infrastructure

Provision of the following to the municipal population as a whole: Asset Management: Strategic Asset Management, programming for road and footpath (pavement) maintenance, Capital Works planning, strategic drainage maintenance, Asset Management plans, asset inspection and protection, Memorandum of consents and road infrastructure asset protection.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 4,349 (37) 4,312

3,377 (189) 3,188

Infrastructure Maintenance: Footpath maintenance, kerb and channel maintenance, sign repair/replacement, street furniture repair/replacement, guardrail maintenance, road patching, drainage repair, unsealed road maintenance, traffic counters, line marking, Road Management Plan implementation, pedestrian bridge maintenance, supervision of new sub-division and supervision of unit developments.

Urban Planning and Building

Provision of the following to landowners, builders and developers: Development Planning: Statutory planning (land use and development including tree removal), subdivisions, planning investigations and enforcement.

4,868 (4,893) (25)

Building Services (Bpi): Municipal Building Surveyor, building permits and inspections, building investigations and enforcement.

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service areas, and to the municipal population as a whole: Strategic Planning: Planning Scheme Amendments, Neighbourhood Character & Activity Centre Planning, Heritage Planning for Planning Scheme, creating and reviewing place based policies, strategies and guidelines.

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Our Best Value Performance

Business area Property and Economic Development

Description of services provided Provision of the following to businesses and industry: Economic Development: Business attraction and retention, investment facilitation, special rate and charge scheme facilitation, labour market development, business support services, activity centre streetscape master planning and business planning, economic development policy and strategy.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 1,730 (1,649) 81

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas, and to the municipal community as a whole: Valuations: Statutory property rating valuations.

Property Services: Property portfolio management including the management of commercial and residential leases, acquisition and disposition of property, discontinuances and associated sale of unused roads.

Strategic Property Projects: Strategic property developments including major projects involving Council land.

Land Information Systems: Geographical Information System facilitation and corporate property information maintenance.

Transport, Sustainability and Municipal Laws, Transport & Development, Engineering

Provision of the following to road users, pet owners, parents and municipal community as a whole: Municipal Laws: Animal management, parking control and enforcement, fire prevention, school crossing supervision, Local Laws compliance and enforcement, building sites compliance and enforcement, residential parking permits, disabled parking permits, footpath trading.

4,623 (3,140) 1,213

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas, and to the municipal community as a whole: Transport and Developments Engineering: Transport, engineering design, drainage and infrastructure approvals, sustainable transport, transport engineering and planning, drainage & developments engineering.

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Our Best Value Performance Strategic Objective 4 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY LIFE Govern effectively by appropriately engaging the community in issues that affect them, and advocate for the broader interest of the community.

Business area

Description of services provided

Governance and Communication

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas: Governance: Corporate Governance and compliance including Council Meetings, CEO & Councillor administration , Freedom of Information and Protected Disclosure (Whistleblower), Council Elections, Councillors support and training, Council Office Management, Cemetery management for Warringal & Greensborough Cemeteries.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 3,992 (8) 3,984

Customer Service: Customer Service to community and internal units, management of Customer Service Centres, Organisational customer service standards, Customer request management and reporting, Receipting procedures.

Communications: Public relations and marketing, website and social media, media liaison, corporate communications plan, corporate identity, advertising, publications, promotion and events support.

Executive

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas, and to the municipal community as a whole: Executive services.

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2,162 (0) 2,162

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Our Best Value Performance Strategic Objective 5 USE OUR RESOURCES WISELY Manage the financial and non-financial resources required for the next four years to achieve Council’s strategic objectives.

Business area

Description of services provided

Operations – Plant and Fleet Management, and Emergency Management

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas: Plant and Fleet Management: Workshop repairs, services for all council vehicles, contract and specification of fleet, ordering of new and replacement vehicles, trucks and heavy mobile plant.

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 3,476 (80) 3,396

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas, and to the municipal community as a whole: Emergency Management: Co-ordination of Municipal Emergency Management.

Human Resources

Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas: Recruitment and selection, induction, industrial relations, employee relations, human resources information system (HRIS), occupational health & safety, Work Cover and return to work, health & wellbeing, learning & development, corporate training programs, leadership development, organisational cultural improvement initiatives, risk management, claims processing/management, insurances and broker relations, business continuity plan, workforce strategy, and workforce planning, employee counselling and referral service.

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Our Best Value Performance

Business area Finance & Procurement

Description of services provided Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas: Revenue collection, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, procurement, management and financial reporting:

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 3,627 (206) 3,421

- Processing and collection of revenue - Maintenance and analysis of rating data - Administration of payroll and accounts payable - Annual and strategic budget preparation - Annual financial report preparation - Procurement of goods and services - Investment and debt management - Financial reporting to external legislative bodies - Financial management monitoring and analysis between budget and actual results - Financial management internal support to business units and reporting - Maintenance and integrity of the finance system.

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Our Best Value Performance

Business area Organisational Systems

Description of services provided Provision of the following to support council’s direct service delivery areas: Information Technology:

Expenditure (Revenue) Net Cost $000 5,393 (1) 5,392

IT Operations: Customer request management, Maintenance of voice and data network, Availability of systems and applications.

IT Application Services: Secure, reliable and innovative services, Delivery of appropriate solutions, Enterprise Data Centre management, Leading edge business solutions utilising new and innovative technologies.

IT Infrastructure: Stable and innovative infrastructure, Efficient life cycle management of data, hardware and voice, Web solutions, Accessibility and mobility infrastructure solutions.

Records and Information Management: Management of correspondence, registering all inwards and outwards mail, Electronic Document Management, archiving and disposing of Council records, Mail and courier deliveries across all Council sites, Manage council files, Information Management, Training staff on using Electronic Document Management System.

Business Services: Organisational development support including City Plan development, Best Value implementation, Corporate policy development and management, Business plan development, Corporate planning and reporting support, Organisational development support, Continuous improvement, certification program management and support.

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Our Best Value Performance A summary of our best value performance The following statement reviews the progress of Council in relation to major initiatives identified in the 2014/2015 budget for the year.

It provides a comprehensive summary of the wide range of initiatives and services that Council has delivered in line with the objectives of the City Plan.

Objective: 1.

PEOPLE - COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING AND SUPPORT Support and strengthen the health and wellbeing of the Banyule community

‘People’ is about our desire for optimal health, better living conditions and improved quality of life. Good health is the state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease.

Health and wellbeing can be supported at any age through individual and public policy measures. Wellbeing is fundamental to quality of life, quality of human relationships and the capacity to participate in education, work, recreation and the community.

We are committed to improving the health of our community and identifying and minimising threats to public health. This is a shared responsibility for which we have delegated legislative responsibility, and we undertake this in conjunction with other agencies and partners, such as the Department of Health, with whom we work closely.

Outcomes for our key directions: 1.1

Promote and support health and wellbeing

Providing opportunities for cultural and linguistic diverse (CALD) and indigenous communities to participate in recreation remained a key initiative for Council. At Olympic Leisure Centre (OLC) a women only swimming program continued to be well attended by different cultural backgrounds. Somali men's indoor soccer also continued at OLC, while a new permanent program for boys was established, attracting large numbers of Somali players.

Watsonia Library was redeveloped to meet the changing needs of technology and the community. A $250,000 upgrade, with equal contributions from Council and the State Government, included a lab bar designed for use by lap top users accessing the free Wi-Fi at the library, new carpet, shelving and furnishings, plus an updated children’s library.

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Our Best Value Performance Council continued to provide a range of innovative leisure programs that engage the community and help improve people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. This extensive arts, culture and festival and events calendar helps bring the community together and build partnerships. Some of the programs included: -

Twilight Sounds, Kids ArtyFarty Fest, and Malahang Community Festival; Exercise in the Parks in partnership with Banyule Leisure Facility Management (BLFM); Movies on the Move across the seven Banyule wards; Family Bike Ride in partnership with Banyule Bug User Group; Games Night at the Watsonia Library in partnership with the Yarra Plenty Regional (YPR) Library Service; Picnic in the Park at Colleen Street Reserve; Music in the Park at Viewbank Reserve; Billy cart making and testing in partnership with Banyule’s Men’s Shed and Bunnings Northland; Neighbour Day street parties held throughout Banyule in association with local traders; and Knitting in Public World Day continued to grow with events held at ten cafes around Banyule.

Stage one of the $6m Ivanhoe Aquatic redevelopment was completed in April 2015 helping modernise the centre with a host of improvements. This followed 14 months of construction works with the centre remaining open for the duration of the redevelopment phase. The improved facility has already increased its membership by more than 30% and now includes: - A new gym, which doubled in size to 500 square metres, complete with a range of new state-of-the-art gym equipment; - Better access for all abilities including a new lift, improved reception and foyer areas, with easy ‘swipe-card’ access for members; - A new café with outdoor seating and deck area; - An additional group exercise room and new fitness programs and additional children’s program room; - A skylight over the main pool hall, new larger spa pool; and - Fully refurbished amenities including additional accessible change rooms.

Council continues to review and develop its Recreation Plan 2013-2017 and Arts Plan 2013–2017 to ensure a long-term strategic vision is employed to deliver a range of passive and active recreational options, as well as a varied program of arts activities for the community. This allows Council to meet community needs today while also planning for tomorrow.

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Our Best Value Performance Council continued to provide opportunities for senior residents to meet and enjoy social outings with its Older Adults Recreation Program. Day trips to Healesville, ferries from Queenscliff to Sorrento, blockbuster movies, picnics and walks through local parks were among some of the popular events offered throughout the year.

Council reviewed its Public Open Space Strategy during 2014/2015 which involved a detailed analysis of public open space in each precinct. The goal is to develop a strategic direction for public playgrounds and play spaces. The project has now moved into its public consultation and documentation phases which will be conducted during 2015/2016.

Council’s Rise program was delivered to two groups of young women aged 14 to 17 years who were either not attending school or who were at risk of disengaging from school.

During the six week program, participants had the opportunity to try activities that they may wish to consider studying or working in, including hairdressing, animal care, community services, hospitality and make-up artistry. The girls were given course information and support in accessing youth services, as well as having the opportunity to discuss issues. The program resulted with 90% of participants re-engaging in education traineeships or employment.

Providing opportunities for local sporting organisations to develop and learn new skill, Council continued to facilitate a range of sports forums and workshops focusing on: responsible serving of alcohol; managing your club; social media; ice, alcohol and other drugs; creating a 10k event; and writing successful grants.

Banyule again performed well in the annual Victorian Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey across selected performance measures related to Leisure and Cultural Services. The 2014-2015 results compare well with the average scores for the Metro Council Group. Of the respondents that were able to provide a rating, over 88% rated Banyule ‘average’ or ‘better’ in the three categories of recreational facilities, community and cultural activities, and arts centres and libraries.

WaterMarc continued to exceed attendance and service targets for the community, having almost 800,000 visits through its doors this year. The management and operation contract specification review has been completed with Council negotiating a new management contract to ensure the Banyule community receives value for money, high-quality services that meet the needs of our diverse community.

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Our Best Value Performance Council continues to provide a range of ‘Learn to Swim’ programs that equip children to be water safe as well as improve their swimming technique. Ivanhoe Aquatic ‘Learn to Swim’ enrolments remained high despite the requirement for participants to use interim amenity facilities while building works progressed. Enrolments for Olympic Leisure Centre’s ‘Learn to Swim’ program also retained good numbers of participating children.

Council continued to deliver the Banyule Leisure Equity Grant program which assists those with financial difficulties and fosters equitable access to leisure services. In 2014-2015, 89 local Banyule people shared $9,981 of funding. This equates to approximately $112 per recipient who used the grant to access health and wellbeing programs in the local area, such as Learn to Swim or exercise classes.

Providing opportunities for young children to develop their sense of adventure, Council continued to roll out its playground replacement program that upgraded local play equipment at several locations: - Tara Court Reserve, Yallambie - St Mary’s Reserve, Greensborough - Gladman Reserve, Greensborough - E J Andrews Reserve, Briar Hill Increased overall recurrent support funding by $65,000 to Neighbourhood Houses to provide community and education programs.

To promote healthy lifestyles to children, Council-managed kindergartens and pre-schools continued to provide free fresh fruit and oral health tools to children and their families.

Looking to create a level playing field, Council’s Sports Development Grants provided $4,000 in funding in 2013/2014 to assist individuals and teams affiliated with a sporting club within Banyule to meet their travel, equipment and training needs. The grants also aided clubs who were working hard to develop their sport within Banyule and that encouraged people from all walks of life to participate in sport. Council’s Community Support Program provided Banyule Leisure gift certificates to local organisations such as schools, kindergartens, sporting clubs to help raise funds for their individual causes. This financial year, $6,292 worth of gift certificates was allocated to 30 different community organisations.

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Our Best Value Performance One of Council's key roles is to protect the community's wellbeing in areas such as food safety, immunisation and general health. Banyule continues to focus on reviewing, implementing and promoting its public health programs and services to maintain high standards of public health within the municipality and meet community needs. Some of the initiatives included: Food Safety - In the 2014 calendar year, 34 new food businesses opened in the municipality, resulting in a total of 724 food premises registered under the Food Act 1984 as at the end of June 2015.

- Statutory food sampling requirements of 166 samples were met with a total of 206 food samples submitted for the purpose of analysis in the set period of 1 March 2014 to 28 February 2015.

- Completed 1,171 statutory inspections/assessments of food premises in the year ending 31 December 2014.

Immunisation - During the 2014 calendar year, 9,494 vaccines were provided at public immunisation sessions, 9,714 vaccines at school sessions and 1,274 via commercial sessions.

- Improved immunisation coverage for the age cohort of 12 months to an average of 91.97 % (90.38% last year), which is higher than the Victorian average of 90.9% and the Australian average of 91.23%.

- Improved immunisation coverage for the cohort of 24 months to an average of 90.45% (89.66% last year), which is higher than the Victorian average of 89.66% and the Australian average of 89.36%.

- Improved immunisation coverage for the cohort of 60 months to an average of 92.76% (92.68% last year), which is higher than the Victorian average of 92.63% and the Australian average of 92.16%.

- Implemented the Boostrix (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) catch up program at secondary schools for year 7-10, and HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and Chicken Pox (catch up) for year 7 students.

Public Health - Conducted a total of 216 statutory inspections of Public Health and Wellbeing Act premises during the 2014 calendar year.

- A total of 211 premises were registered under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act as at the end of June 2015.

- Investigated a total of 435 health/nuisance related complaints in 2014.

- Conducted 60 tobacco education visits in the 2014/2015 financial year.

- Conducted 67 tobacco test purchases in 2014/2015 resulting in seven sales to minors.

- Developed health related section in the reviewed Local Law No. 1 (2015).

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Our Best Value Performance Public Health (continued) - Promoted new State tobacco legislation which increased the outdoor smoking bans (including childcare centres, kindergartens and preschools, and primary and secondary schools, children’s indoor play centres, public hospitals, registered community health centres and certain Victorian Government buildings).

- Provided feedback to the state government on local government’s role highlighted in the Victorian Ebola Response Plan.

- Implemented the Banyule Heatwave Plan for the 2014/15 summer period to help minimise the health impacts of extreme heat on the Banyule community.

- Completed the Food Security Discussion Paper in Emergency Food Relief.

- Continued Council’s program for water quality monitoring of public pools, with satisfactory results achieved.

(continued)

Council continues to support and facilitate animal ownership for Banyule residents, as well as educate residents about the accepted standards of animal welfare including the care, feeding and physical wellbeing of domestic pets. There have been a number of achievements throughout 2014-2015, including: - Council introduced text messages which proved to be an effective way to remind residents who had not renewed their pet registration.

- Produced new leaflets to help communicate new Animal Management procedures for barking dogs and dog attacks.

- Two fully-fenced dog parks were installed at Malahang Reserve in Heidelberg West and Malcolm Blair Reserve in Eltham North. These have been very effective for exercising dogs and Council has received positive feedback from dog owners.

- Council’s cat de-sexing program continued to be offered twice a year, de-sexing and micro-chipping approximately 130 cats/kittens for residents. The program has resulted in less cats being impounded by Council officers.

- Banyule enlisted local media to assist with a missing goat story that featured on Channel Seven’s ‘The Morning Show’, as well as raised community awareness about dog baiting in local parks on Channel 10 news.

- Making it a closer option and easier for residents to reclaim their dogs, Banyule changed their dog pound service provider from RSPCA in Burwood to Nillumbik Regional Pound.

Council continued to maintain and upgrade its community halls, with the provision of new tables, chairs, blinds and trolleys. Council’s Facility and Resource Subsidy Grants continued to enable a balanced and equitable approach to providing the community subsidised access to community halls.

The Centre Ivanhoe continues to provide a venue for special events and occasions.

Positive feedback about the service and food quality has been received from clients hosting events at The Centre Ivanhoe.

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Our Best Value Performance 1.2

Provide services for people at important life stages

Early Childhood Services continued their partnership with Maternal and Child Health to enable the delivery of 3.5 year old checks on site at Audrey Brooks Memorial and Olympic Village preschools.

St Hellier Street Children’s Centre was assessed as ‘exceeding’ National Quality Standards under the Department of Education and Training (DET) Quality and Assessment Rating system.

Completed Department of Education and Training funded capital works projects for Olympic Village Child and Family Centre, Interlaken, Winston Hills and Audrey Brooks Memorial kindergartens.

Council’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) continues to support families in the areas of parenting, and health and development. MCH staff work closely with Banyule Community Health to offer a flexible program for families to see a community midwife or MCH nurse prior to the birth of their child (antenatal) through to the postnatal period. Staff also continue to work closely with other early childhood services to support vulnerable clients.

MCH continue to operate its successful after hours’ service, allowing flexibility for working parents. During 2014-2015, all age groups for MCH Key Ages and Stages visits exceeded State targets. In particular, there was significant improvement in attendance rates for 3.5 to 4 year old assessments, increasing by 10% to 86%, which greatly exceeds the State target of 77%.

Throughout 2014-2015, Maternal and Child Health (MCH): - Received 1,668 birth notices into the municipality; - Conducted 14,004 Key Age and Stage (KAS) visits, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) clients; - Conducted 3,633 additional visits for first time mothers, mothers and infants identified with special needs or vulnerability, outreach and developmental screening; - Conducted 296 new parent groups, with the aims to provide parents with additional information and opportunities to connect with others.

- Undertook 176 community strengthening activities which included working with colleagues in DHS, non-government agencies for the betterment of vulnerable families, and collaborating with Council’s Early Years Children’s Service; - Referred 1,030 children to other agencies, which included development and growth issues, illness, communication and protective notifications; - Referred 116 mothers to other agencies, including 37 family and domestic violence referrals; - Helped breast feeding rates continue to be high across the municipality and be one of the highest in the state; - Conducted over 230 outreach home visits to vulnerable families; and - Used the Victorian interpreter telephone service to ensure families gained maximum benefits from Maternal and Child Health Consultations.

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Our Best Value Performance Over the past year, Banyule Youth Services has continued to offer a variety of engagement, development and recreational opportunities for young people, as well as provide support. These have included: - School holiday activities run in partnership with Exodus and Open House; - Youth waterslide nights delivered each term at WaterMarc; - Northern Skate and BMX titles; - Open sessions at the Malahang bike hut delivered fortnightly in partnership with volunteers; - Health promotion focused talks in a number of local schools focusing on safe partying, positive parenting, and social media and body image; and - A youth section at the Malahang Community Festival which included a scooter competition and music stages, a Somali young Women’s advisory group and facilitating opportunity for Youth advocacy.

- The Eaglemont Dirt Jumps were redeveloped during 2014-15, with the project being led by the Banyule Youth Services team, in partnership with parks and gardens. Community consultation was undertaken with feedback being fed into the jumps design – the official opening is scheduled for August 2015.

- Banyule Youth Services has worked with a group of Somali young women to establish the African Women’s Action Group (AWAG). AWAG’s focus is to increase African young women’s access to sporting and community activities, to seek leadership opportunities and to promote education pathways.

- 128 short term face-to-face individual sessional support episodes to young people were delivered in 2014-15, an increase of 7%. These sessions were used to facilitate successful referral into appropriate services and supports. Anxiety, depression, self-harm, social isolation, family and relationships conflict, and legal issues were the most common presenting issues faced by young people. In addition, significant support was provided using social media platforms such as Facebook and also via the phone – this support was provided to approximately 450 individuals, often requiring follow-up interactions. This support has increased significantly in the past year, up around 50%.

- Jets continues to offer a range of innovative programs for people with disabilities through the Jets Creative Arts Program funded by the Department of Health and Human Services. Between 25 and 30 young people per week attended this program, creating music and art. The popularity and strength of the program has led to a number of organisations approaching Jets to implement a new program funded by participants’ Individual Support Payments. Work has begun to research the best model for Jets to pursue in the context of the impending National Disability Insurance Scheme implementation.

- The Jets Crew Program (including the State Government funded FReeZA committee) has continued to achieve great outcomes for young people. Almost every session has been fully booked, with attendance regularly exceeding 30 per session. The New Hope project was a highlight whereby participants largely from indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds came together for a series of hip hop workshops which grew into a weekly program. The group recorded a full-length debut album which will be launched later this year.

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Our Best Value Performance The SHYNE (Showcasing How Youth iNspire and Engage) project continues to give young people in Banyule a platform to influence and engage other young people in positive ways and educate the broader community to dispel negative images of young people. Some of this year’s achievements included: - SHYNE Showcases delivered a number of inspirational presentations by young people to students across Banyule.

- The inclusion of three SHYNE participants in the State Government’s “Inspiring Young People” book which was launched at Parliament House.

- The Banyule 100 project continued to develop with a number of new profiles added to the site. Over the past financial year it has attracted 17,000 visitors and currently has 47 profiles.

- Truth 4 Youth – a youth blog – continued to grow in popularity, posting its 100th article and attracting 15,000 views last financial year. The young people from Truth 4 Youth are expertly mentored by a freelance journalist who regularly runs professional development sessions and introduces them to unique opportunities, including an appearance on Channel 10’s “The Project”. They also delivered a successful cyber safety project.

Link U Youth Outreach made 6,665 direct contacts with young people, which was a significant 38% increase from the preceding year. The outreach team continued its lunchtime school ‘walk-throughs’ which had a significant impact on increased annual contacts. The outreach team also forged a number of support partnerships with local residential care units and continued to offer flexible program support for a range of activities and events including, Malahang Community Festival, Youth Fest, Hoop Dreams, Street Art, Westside circus project, and FReeZA events. A large recruitment process welcomed a number of new staff with diverse skills and talents to the team.

Banyule L2P Learner Driver Program was funded until June 2016 by VicRoads. The project is currently delivered by the Banyule and Nillumbik Local Learning and Employment Network in partnership with Council and other key stakeholders to provide 120 hours supervised driving training to disadvantaged young people. In the past 12 months, 45 young people were supported by this program, with 123 professional driving lessons delivered and 21 young people successfully receiving their driver’s licence.

In partnership with community, Council has been developing its Child Youth and Family Services Strategic Plan which outlines a shared approach to responding to the needs of children and young people from birth to 25 years.

The Olympic Village Learning Hub has been designed to meet local demand for a range of quality services for children and their families at key ages and stages in one convenient location. Its aim is to help close the gap of social disadvantage by creating pathways for learning and education across all age groups and providing crucial intervention and support for children and families. In May 2012, the project was successful in securing $1.34m capital infrastructure funding from the Victorian Government. This funding, together with Council contribution of $750,000, has delivered stage one of the OVLH, the Child and Family Centre. With the engagement of Ausbuild Constructions the project was completed in June 2015.

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Our Best Value Performance Council’s Aged and Disability Services (HACC) team continued to provide a range of services to support the community and implement a number of best practice initiatives, including: - Delivered 50,554 meals to approximately 290 clients; - Supported more than 2,800 clients through the Home and Community Care program (many receiving multiple HACC services).

- Biomechanics Stage 2 commenced to promote safe work practices in provision of personal care; - HACC Digitisation Project completed that has converted all client records to electronic; - Reviewed gardening service which is now provided by in-house staff rather than contractors; - HACC staff has been provided training to provide a more inclusive service. This will also help prepare Banyule to apply for Rainbow Tick certification; and - Enhanced the referral process for clients aged over 65 with a successful integration to My Aged Care website.

An Age-friendly Advisory Committee and champions group were created to support Council’s work in enhancing the lives of older people in Banyule. During the year, Banyule Council was accepted as a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Network of Age-friendly Cities. It was also Australia’s only representative, joining 12 other representatives from around the world in a WHO project that helped evaluate how age-friendly cities are for older people. Banyule presented its findings at a global conference in Geneva and these learnings will be incorporated into Banyule’s Age-friendly City strategic planning.

Council again coordinated a successful Banyule Seniors Festival throughout the month of October. In 2014, the program offered more events than ever and showcased the support offered by community organisations to open their doors and provide special events for seniors.

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Our Best Value Performance 1.3

Develop and promote safety and resilience in our community

Council continues to address graffiti issues across Banyule with coordinated responses and ongoing initiatives including: - The Graffiti Management Strategy and Action Plan was completed and adopted by Council. The new four-year strategy defines key actions under the four E’s framework of engagement, education, enforcement and eradication. This will be launched in August 2015.

- Community Corrections Program dedicated 212 hours in removing removed approximately 3,909 square metres of graffiti across the municipality. Council now has 40 sites which are visited by the work team on a regular basis.

- Adopt Your Space program distributed 116 graffiti removal kits to residents, community groups and traders.

- The Watsonia Bin Project, which saw grade 5 and 6 students from Watsonia Primary School, along with a local artist Lisa Foley, paint 26 panels with designs.

The panels were attached to rubbish bins in the Watsonia Shopping to discourage graffiti and also give young people the opportunity to take pride in their local area.

- The State Government funded two graffiti projects at Heidelberg West ‘Reclaim the Streets’ and ‘Addressing graffiti at Diamond Village Shopping Centre’ at Watsonia. Working with community partners including two schools, and Council’s Street Art program, extensive graffiti around these areas was removed and two murals were installed to reduce incidents of graffiti and vandalism.

The Street Art program this year has continued to work alongside the broader graffiti portfolio to better streamline the mural application process. Staff continued to work holistically with participants particularly around re-engagement into education and training, reduction of substance abuse, assistance with legal issues and support with family breakdown. Murals were painted at several locations, including Greenhills Scout Hall and Rosanna Bowling Club.

Olympic Village Laneway Makeover project generated three public artwork outcomes over its two-year duration helping bring vibrancy at a laneway in Heidelberg West and foster community spirit. The final installation undertaken this year was a series of three large light boxes featuring contemporary artworks, which will continue to be curated with new works every 4 - 6 months.

Community Safety co-ordinated and supported the implementation of Year 3 of the Safer Banyule Plan. Some of the key outcomes included: - Responded to 123 residents’ issues (in addition to recorded CRMs), including graffiti, anti-social behaviour, rubbish dumping, hoon driving, poor infrastructure and amenity, young people, and lighting.

- Held the Banyule Liquor Forum.

- Established the inaugural Clyde James Smith Memorial Police Leadership Award to honour the outstanding work of a Banyule police member.

- Celebrated the achievements of women leaders, volunteers and community members across Banyule at an International Women’s Day brunch was attended by 170 people.

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Our Best Value Performance Worked in partnership with Victoria Police and Neighbourhood Watch to hold a Safe Plate Day in Heidelberg West. With assistance from SES and Heidelberg Rotary, 85 cars were fitted with security screws to deter numberplate theft and fraud.

To create a more welcoming environment and help improve safety, the Bell Street Mall received a number of facelifting improvements including landscaping, planters, seating and design elements.

A number of traffic safety improvements were introduced across Banyule, including: - Constructed a new school crossing at Viewbank’s Banyule and Graham roads; - Improved local traffic measures at Ryans Road and Bolton Street, Eltham; and - Constructed a new pedestrian crossing in Beetham Parade, Rosanna.

Key infrastructure initiatives were delivered at Banyule sports grounds to improve community safety, including: - Replaced safety fencing at baseball grounds to meet current regulations at Malcolm Blair, Glenn Auburn, Elder Street and Yulong reserves; - Replaced cricket nets at Yulong Reserve; - Delivered spillway works for Greensborough Bowling Club; - Conducted repairs to Cyril Cummings Hockey pitch; and - Refurbished cricket nets at Chelsworth Park.

Council continued to develop its public health and safety program with a range of initiatives including: - Promoted new State tobacco legislation which increased the areas where outdoor smoking bans apply, including childcare centres, kindergartens and preschools, and primary and secondary schools, children’s indoor play centres, public hospitals, registered community health centres and certain Victorian Government buildings; - Received a $5,000 grant from Department of Health to assist in implementing new tobacco laws; - Advocated to the State Government on local governments role highlighted in the Victorian Ebola Response Plan; - Implemented the Banyule Heatwave Plan for the 2014/15 summer period; - Raised awareness about community health and safety at the Malahang Community and Kids ArtyFarty festivals; - Completed the Food Security Discussion Paper in emergency food relief; - Commenced the development of a Food Security Position Paper.

Continued to support and implement, in partnership, the White Ribbon Action Team (WRAT) Strategy, including: - Held a White Ribbon event to raise awareness about violence against women; - Recommenced the Banyule Nillumbik Family Violence Network which supports/ improves coordination local family violence services; - Provided feedback to submissions from regional partners into the Royal Commission into Family Violence; - Conducted a forum held in partnership with Metro Access focusing on violence against women with a disability. The forum helped women to recognise and talk about the issue and provided links to support services.

- Continued training for the organisation’s Family Violence Policy.

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Our Best Value Performance 1.4

Celebrate and promote Banyule’s diversity and heritage

Commemorating the Anzac centenary Council help coordinated a community ceremony at Petrie Park, Montmorency, with five RSLs and local schools attending.

Council also secured Anzac centenary commemoration funding to deliver a project that celebrated the rich history and heritage associated with the Victoria Cross Estate in Macleod. The project saw unique street signs and new interpretive signage installed, telling the story of each of the Victoria Cross recipients whom the local streets were named after.

Council continued to seek avenues to promote its rich cultural and artistic heritage. As a member of the Melbourne Valley of the Arts (MVOTA), Council has kept advocating to both the State and Federal Government in relation to the Impressionist Lab project to celebrate the Heidelberg School of Artists and Impressionism. Council continued to work in partnership with the Heidelberg School Art Foundation and Parks Victoria on the development of Council’s first purpose built art gallery.

Council continued to promote arts and culture with a series of successful exhibitions and programs at its Hatch Contemporary Arts Space.

- Dada Lives – This major exhibition featured 10 contemporary Australian artists, with their work influenced by Dada, a movement started in reaction to the destructive forces of World War 1 and that has left lasting effects on contemporary art practice. The exhibition was curated by Ivanhoe-based curator Joe Pascoe and included an artist-in-residence, and two well-attended public programs.

- A Camera on Gallipoli & Recollections – This exhibition was a significant element of Council’s commemoration of the centenary of WW1. It combined an exhibition from the Australian War Memorial of Sir Charles Ryan photographs with WW1 objects, photographs and stories contributed by the local Banyule community.

Over 800 people attended the exhibition and many enjoyed the historians-inresidence, who assisted residents to better understand their family connection to the WW1 story.

- Pinpoint Professional Development Series – Two Pinpoint professional development series were held. The first series was part of the Pinpoint Art Fair Public Program whereby 15 artists learned how to better curate their own exhibitions and develop their creative writing techniques. The second series was sold out and taught 20 participants the basics of how to photograph artwork. These sessions were offered free of charge in response to community feedback.

The Movies on the Move program was held between November 2014 and March 2015.

The program allows the community to come together for family-friendly activities followed by the screening of a movie in each of Banyule’s seven wards. The events continue to be popular with good attendance rates and positive feedback from the community.

Council continued to value its heritage assets with an upgrade of The Centre Ivanhoe’s air-conditioning and additional maintenance.

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Our Best Value Performance Council also developed youth-specific activities to strengthen connection to place, heritage, diversity and community, Some of the highlights included: Banyule’s first Mosque Open Day; Olympic Village Makers Markets; Lunar New Year celebration at the Bell Street Mall; Multicultural Sports Celebration at Shelley Park; African Women’s Action Group (AWAG); and YouthFest 2014.

1.5

Support people to achieve their economic potential

The exhibitions and programs at its Hatch Contemporary Arts Space included the Pinpoint Professional Development Series – artists learned how to better curate their own exhibitions and develop their creative writing techniques, and taught participants the basics of how to photograph artwork. These sessions were offered free of charge in response to community feedback.

Council again facilitated the Rags2Riches project through the Department of Justice and Regulation to provide the opportunity for Council staff to donate good quality clothing to disadvantaged community organisations. The project proved extremely popular with donations being collected from five Council sites.

Council delivered or supported a total of 38 economic development events in partnership with other organisations, for example neighbouring councils, State and Federal Government, Regional Development organisations, traders associations. The events included: four Northern Business Achievement Awards Breakfasts; 11 Business Mentoring Days (Banyule advisory service), 5 Small Business Victoria Mentoring Bus Visits, 2 Ivanhoe Traders Sessions, 1 Women in Business Lunch, 1 International Women’s Day Brunch, 1 Business Networking Breakfast, 1 Industry and Schools Breakfast, 1 Group Delivery Program Session, 5 Victorian Government Small Business Workshops or Seminars, 6 one off sessions including - Australian Retailers Association Session (ARA), public speaking workshop, communication skills workshop, marketing makeover workshop, digital enterprise workshop and building our business community event.

Council continued to regularly update Banyule businesses through e-bulletins and quarterly newsletters about new initiatives and opportunities, as well as provided information for Banyule Business website (Your Gateway to Business in Banyule).

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Our Best Value Performance 1.6

Plan and prepare for emergency events

Council continued to help reduce the risks of emergencies. Some of the initiatives during the year included: - Commenced implementation of Council’s new Strategic Plan for Building Disaster Resilience.

- Distributed the new Home Emergency Information Pack to all Banyule households that provided easy to understand local emergency information to help households understand their risks, make an emergency plan and kit, and know what to do before, during and after an emergency.

- Continued to be actively involved in the North West Emergency Relief and Recovery Collaboration Project and actively participated in the annual Emergency Relief Centre exercise.

- Commenced a program of integration of municipal emergency planning into routine operations of key service delivery areas of council.

The Banyule Municipal Emergency Management Plan received a certificate of audit achieving a 24 out of 24 'Best Practice' compliance result.

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Our Best Value Performance Objective: 2.

PLANET - ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Conduct Council activities in a sustainable manner, and practice sound stewardship of the natural environment to ensure its diversity, protection and enhancement.

‘Planet’ is about the natural and formed environment and the ecosystems that sustain the community. Our community is an integral part of the environment and together we are the custodians of our shared home.

Outcomes for our key directions: 2.1

Protect and enhance our natural environment

The Wilson Reserve Plan was completed which looks at the biodiversity management for the reserve. Council is currently looking at interpreting and prioritising future management objectives and timelines.

Completed an environmental management plan for Yandell Reserve.

Council continued lobbying the Banyule Flats and Warringal Parklands lobbying the Government’s Heritage Council for Banyule Flats and Warringal Parklands to be included on the heritage register. Unfortunately the nomination has been declined; however, ecological monitoring of the area is being undertaken with a final report due 2016.

Council advocated for the ongoing protection and conservation of Gresswell Forest Nature Conservation Reserve. The reserve is managed by Parks Victoria and is frequented by Banyule and Darebin residents.

In 2014-2015, Council’s Parks and Gardens team planted approximately 3,700 trees in streets parks and bushland reserves. The team also inspected and pruned more than 35,000 trees throughout the municipality under Council’s Routine Street Tree Maintenance Contract, and to comply with Electricity Safety (Electric Line Clearance) Regulations 2010.

There were also 45 sites treated under Council’s Elm Leaf Beetle program.

The Urban Forest Strategic Plan was finalised and adopted by Council. The purpose of the plan is to provide a clear strategic direction that underpins the sustainable management of Banyule’s street trees and park trees. The plan also responds to the community desire for ongoing stewardship of trees, and outlines the many benefits trees provide for the community. It also identifies a number of challenges and provides objectives to sustain Banyule’s tree population through targeted actions.

The Bushland Management team continued to protect and enhance Banyule’s natural environment through many initiatives: - Coordinated the planting of 17,800 indigenous tube stock throughout bushland reserves with various community and school groups; - Celebrated National Tree Day with 25 advanced tree plantings and 900 tube stock plantings at Rosanna Parklands and Banyule Flats Reserve, Viewbank; - Mapped rare and threatened species throughout bushland reserves in order to develop action plans for species preservation.

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Our Best Value Performance Council continued its extensive weed control programs within bush reserves, aiming at reducing weed cover and encouraging regeneration of indigenous plant species. Works were undertaken in 35 reserves, covering approximately 280 hectares of bush and natural areas, including Andrew Yandell Reserve, St Helena Bush Reserve, Dalvida Reserve, Yallambie Park and Darebin Creek Northern Grasslands.

On the boundary of Banyule, Darebin Creek forms a vital part of Melbourne's waterways and natural ecosystem. Council has undertaken restoration works along the creek, including extensive weed control, mulching and replanting in conjunction with Friends of Darebin Creek, members of the local community, and Correctional Services Victoria’s Community Service team.

Council continued to implement wildlife corridor actions to encourage the sustainability of native fauna and flora. Some of the initiatives included: - Supplied indigenous plant vouchers to residents to encourage native tree planting; - Provided 8,500 plants through school environmental education, community engagement and the Spring Outdoors Program; - Completed five biodiversity audits of local school grounds; and - Supplied 77 nesting boxes which were installed at local schools.

Banyule continued to tackle weed infestation across the municipality’s waterways, including these sites: - Plenty River, Partingtons Flat escarpment, Greensborough – more than 150 medium to large hawthorn and sweet pittosporum trees were cut, removed and poisoned.

- Plenty River, Glenauburn Park, Lower Plenty – 80 hawthorn and cherry blossom trees removed, cut, removed and poisoned.

- Yarra River – Wilson Reserve, Ivanhoe – 120 small to large dessert ash cut, removed and poisoned.

Council’s Statutory Planning service area continues to guide development decisions that protect and enhance our treed environment.

Council continued to develop parks, gardens, reserves and bushland facilities, including: - Malahang Reserve, Heidelberg West: perimeter fencing installed, including dog park fencing, Seating installed followed by water supply.

- Community Garden Guidelines completed to direct the process for development of community gardens in Banyule.

- Developed a community garden in Macleod with considerable support of community volunteers.

- Renewed the retaining wall at Anthony Beale Reserve, St Helena.

- Implemented stage 2 of works for Viewbank’s Price Park masterplan, which included a natural play area and fitness equipment.

- Redeveloped Eaglemont BMX jumps.

- Installed a shade sail at Harrington Reserve, Montmorency.

- Monitored and gathered usage data to support installation of dog bins at Banyule parks.

Nature strip planting guidelines were finalised in order to facilitate a resident driven nature strip planting trial.

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Our Best Value Performance Council ensured its public spaces were kept in good condition, mowing its parks and reserves, traffic management areas, road reserves, walkways and fire hazards on a regular basis, as well as maintaining Banyule's 48 active sports fields and garden beds. Works included watering of street trees, maintaining mulch for playgrounds, and removing stumps, tree branches and debris from reserves.

Council continued to work across many fronts to address litter and waste dumping. CCTV cameras continued to be used with great success to deter illegal dumping at Watsonia Salvation Army Store. Educating residents and increasing awareness about Banyule’s hard rubbish and green waste collection programs also helps minimise the occurrence of illegal dumping.

2.2

Conserve water and improve stormwater quality and impact

Banyule Council won the state and national 2014 Stormwater Excellence in Infrastructure awards for its $6 million stormwater harvesting project. The project – at Kalparrin Gardens, Greensborough, Chelsworth Park, Ivanhoe, and DeWinton Park, Rosanna – was completed last financial year and provides up to 138 million litres of stormwater annually for irrigation of 30 hectares of local sports fields and open space. It also removes approximately 200 tonnes of litter and other pollution from Banyule’s waterways each year.

Council also established water education and monitoring programs at the stormwater harvesting locations, as well as other wetland and water sensitive urban design sites.

Council finalised the Strategic Stormwater Network Catchment Plan for the municipality, including identifying areas subject to overland flow. These areas were then incorporated into maps that assisted with the development of the Special Building Overlay to incorporate the plan into the Banyule Planning Scheme.

Looking at long-term strategic planning and developing an integrated response to water management, Council participated in the Water Future North and La Trobe Employment Cluster Integrated Water Management studies. These will help councils plan the future of water supply for the coming decades and aim to make our city more liveable and resourceful.

Water saving practices continued to be encouraged through Council’s environmental sustainability engagement programs and events including Sustainable Homes and Communities, Home Harvest Festival, Kids Teaching Kids Conference, Wildlife Corridor, EnviroReps and Spring Outdoors program.

Council also increased its water use efficiency through various initiatives such as providing ongoing maintenance of warm season grassed playing surfaces and oval and sport field irrigation, utilising flow sensors, plus installing a new irrigation system at Lower Plenty Oval, Montmorency.

Council has improved its urban drainage and stormwater management by delivering an increased program of prioritised drainage flood mitigation works and carrying out drainage remediation works at priority locations. Work was also undertaken to provide technical assistance in the preparation of a Special Building Overlay in the Planning Scheme for flood prone areas.

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Our Best Value Performance 2.3

Deliver appropriate action on climate change

Banyule was close to completing the rollout of almost 8,000 energy efficient streetlights for $3.8 million ($900,000 less than originally estimated) which use 67% less electricity per light and will save up to $350,000 on Council’s annual streetlight bill. The new T5 fluorescents provide similar illumination to the old lights and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 3,000 tonnes per year as well as reduce Council’s maintenance bill. The project supports a key direction in Banyule’s City Plan 2013-2017 and Energy Saving Plan to take action on climate by achieving carbon neutrality by 2019/20.

Council continued to look at ways to minimise its environmental impact with its move to cleaner energy. By installing solar hot water systems at Montmorency’s Simms Road Oval pavilion and Ivanhoe Aquatic, Council welcomes savings on energy costs as well as helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Photovoltaic panels were also installed on Council buildings at Greensborough Meals Kitchen and Olympic Leisure Centre which generate electricity for these services.

Recycling stations for mobile phones, batteries, fluorescent globes, DVDs and other items at Council’s three services centres continued to prove popular and provided an easy way for the community to recycle goods that would otherwise make their way to landfill.

Council continued to run its volunteer Enviro Reps program which reinforces improved environmental practices throughout the organisation. Some of the initiatives which aim to improve the environmental performance of Council’s internal practices include worm farms and effective waste management at Council-run events.

With Council operating a large fleet of motor vehicles, specialised trucks, tractors and mowers, it continued to look at ways to minimise the impact on the environment while running a cost-effective fleet.

2.4

Avoid waste generation

Banyule achieved a result of 77 for ‘Waste Management (performance)’ in the State Government’s Annual Community Satisfaction Survey 2015. The result was the same as the average for metropolitan Melbourne (Metro Council Group) and higher than the state average of 72. Banyule’s result for ‘Environmental sustainability (performance)’ of 68 was much higher than the average metropolitan Melbourne result of 65.

Council adopted and commenced implementation of its revised Waste Management Plan 2014-2019. The plan sets the key directions and priorities for waste collection, disposal, recycling and drop-off services for the next five years, and helps ensure waste management services are carried out in a manner that meets the needs of residents and minimises the environmental and financial impacts.

A service development review has commenced into waste management to ensure Council continues to deliver a quality service and operate to current best practice. Council also continued to investigate opportunities for improving recycling systems within the municipality.

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Our Best Value Performance In collaboration with Manningham City Council, Banyule presented Smart Living, a series of six seminars that focused on domestic food and garden waste avoidance, that attracted approximately 1,000 Banyule and Manningham residents to attend.

Council also provided waste education at major Banyule festivals and events, and developed education tools that encourage waste avoidance.

Banyule’s Rethink Centre continued to welcome thousands of visitors though its doors, offering an environmental education program suitable for all age groups. The program provides a selection of multi-media based presenter-led experiential activities exploring the waste minimisation hierarchy of avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle and the part these actions play in achieving environmental sustainability.

Council continued to provide a responsive and effective cleansing service to streets, drains, shopping centres and public toilets, and maintain these assets with a high level of cleanliness.

Improvements to service levels were implemented in 11 major shopping precincts, as well as increased cleaning of public toilets to seven days per week at high use locations.

2.5

Act as environmental stewards

Promoting environmental sustainability to the community, Council continued to deliver its engagement programs and events including: Sustainable Homes and Communities (including the new Leaders Program); Home Harvest Festival; Kids Teaching Kids Conference; Wildlife Corridor; EnviroReps; Positive Charge; and Spring Outdoors.

Council continued to strive to manage its recreation and open spaces in an environmentally sustainable way. Numerous community activities have been supported by the Bushland Management unit, including monthly friends group working bees (including a new group at Andrew Yandell Reserve, Greensborough), Clean Up Australia Day, and guided walks.

Integrated weed management programs continued to be undertaken at bushland reserves, with priority areas being targeted. To accommodate the increasing demand particularly in female sport participation, Council has had to astutely manage its allocation of sporting grounds and facilities.

A fenced dog ‘off lead’ area was constructed at Malahang Reserve, Heidelberg West to provide dogs a space to train and run free without impeding on other park users.

Council continued to provide Biodiversity education through the Wildlife Corridor Program. Council provided approximately 3,100 indigenous plants to residents and many more to Banyule schools and community organisations.

Banyule completed a water sensitive urban design project to increase water quality and availability in Peck’s dam, Montmorency. This community-driven project has started to regenerate the habitat and will also provide opportunities for community education and engagement about integrated water management and local wildlife corridors.

Council adopted the Biodiversity Plan and the Environmental Stewardship Plan under the Banyule Planet: Environmental Sustainability Policy and Strategy.

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Our Best Value Performance Knowing that educating our young is the key to fostering future change, Banyule’s Early Childhood Services (ECS) continued to embed sustainable practises across all services including recycling, compost, worm farms and vegetable gardens. Some examples included: - The introduction of green cones as a means of reducing good waste at Morobe Street Children’s Centre.

- Providing recycling hubs at Joyce Avenue and St Hellier Street children’s centres allowed families to recycle household materials, including batteries, videos and CDs. - Audrey Brooks Memorial Kindergarten demonstrated responsible pet ownership and educational practices with animals by introducing chickens at the centre, and encouraging children to care for them, including feeding, cleaning, collecting eggs and nurturing them.

Banyule continued to foster relationships with friends groups and school groups through participation in local environmental initiatives, including: - Attended and supported 90 community working bees throughout the year at various bush reserves involving weed control, site preparation, revegetation works and educational walks.

- Coordinated and participated in six Clean Up Australia Day sites which collected more than 1.5 tonnes of bottles, cans, plastic bags and wrappers and various other items of rubbish from public spaces.

Council continued to provide education programs to encourage the community to avoid waste. This included its successful e-waste recycling program for televisions, computers, printers and computer products. Approximately 201 tonnes of e-waste was picked up from the Banyule Waste Recovery Centre by a contractor during 2014-2015 with over 690 tonnes recycled since the service started in 2013. The program manages hazardous materials safely as well as re-uses the valuable materials. The program is part of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, which aims to boost the recycling rate for television and computer products from 17% in 2010 to 80% in 2022. The scheme is funded and run by industry and regulated by the Australian Government.

Council continued to deliver services consistent with the International Standard for Environmental Management AS NZS ISO14001:2004.

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Our Best Value Performance Objective: 3.

PLACE - SUSTAINABLE AMENITY AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT Maintain and enhance the quality of Banyule’s public spaces, buildings and infrastructure for people who live, work, shop, play and move around in our city.

‘Place’ describes the buildings, structures and spaces in which we live, work, shop and play. It is about our surroundings, how we interact with and move about within them. ‘Place’ also shapes our interactions with others and influences the quality and frequency of our social and economic activities. ‘Place’ is dynamic and influenced by many factors, most notably the aspirations of landowners and statutory approval systems that are governed through State and sometimes Federal decision making.

Outcomes for our key directions: 3.1

Maintain and improve Banyule as a great place to live

Council was able to introduce the Government’s new residential zones in the Banyule Planning Scheme. Housing and Neighbourhood Character strategies were used to identify neighbourhoods with heritage, landscape or environmental significance. In these places the Government’s Neighbourhood Residential Zone was introduced to limit new building height and additional dwellings.

In other parts of Banyule other residential zones were introduced to more clearly guide tree planting and protection when building new homes. The new zones also give opportunities for different types of dwellings to be built close to Banyule’s larger shopping streets.

Council has continued planning work with the Government’s Metropolitan Planning Authority for Heidelberg West, Heidelberg Heights, Heidelberg and parts of Rosanna. In these places there is an opportunity to promote local economic development, better hospital facilities, more housing options, along with better access to public transport and community facilities.

After completing public exhibition and a planning panel process for submissions, Council received favourable response and was able to adopt a final Ivanhoe Activity Centre Structure Plan. The adopted plan’s changes for the planning scheme were also approved by the Minister for Planning and are now permanently part of the Banyule Planning Scheme.

Council continued to promote preferred places for development, some examples included: - Facilitated the construction of the Greensborough Walk retail and commercial project stage 1 and planning for development of stage 2.

- Delivered a major streetscape renewal project for Bell Street Mall.

Council adopted Picture Watsonia: A Vision for Watsonia Village in December 2014. This document gives direction to future change and describes the long-term aspirations for Watsonia’s shopping street, railway station area and surrounds. A summary version of this document was distributed to local residents in April 2015 to raise further awareness of the ideas in the main document and the Council initiatives that have progressed in the area since it was prepared.

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Our Best Value Performance In the 2014-2015 financial year, Council’s Development Planning team: - Received a total of 1,640 applications for development, subdivision, tree removal and formal amendments to existing permits. Other applications included 166 requests for secondary consent, 129 requests to extend permit timeframes, 183 certification applications and seven development plan approvals received.

- Completed the assessment of 1,678 applications for development, subdivision, tree removal and formal amendments to existing permits. This is 18% higher than the 2013-14 year.

- Determined 148 requests for secondary consent applications, 135 requests to extend permit timeframes, 160 certification applications and 10 development plan approvals.

- Received 287 complaints in relation to alleged breaches of planning permits and the Banyule Planning Scheme; 147 complaints were resolved during the financial year.

Livable Housing Design guidelines continue to be implemented into planning assessments for multi-dwelling proposals for three or more dwellings, and encouraged for dual occupancy developments.

Council continued to improve design of local neighbourhoods to enhance ease of movement and access to goods, services and employment. Approximately $320,000 in Transport and Road Safety related Capital Works was delivered in 2014-2015, while Council’s Traffic Engineering Services team considered appropriate and safe access to all local roads and centres on a case-by-case basis.

In 2014-2015, Council reduced the number of undecided applications by 67, which equates to a 12% reduction. This was particularly pleasing considering prior to the implementation of the new Residential Zones into the Planning Scheme Council received an influx of applications.

Banyule Building Permits and Inspections (BPi) staff continued to deliver a high quality service to the Banyule community and external clients over the year, including: - Initiated a comprehensive investigation and follow up on swimming pool permits within the municipality, as reported by the Victorian Building Authority.

- Issued a total of 1,524 building permits for the financial year, with a value of $266,194,677. Of this total, some 430 building permits were issued for development within Banyule, with a value of $54,494,047.

- Conducted 9,083 building permit inspections throughout the year.

- Retained market share of industry clients, and received positive feedback from many in the community for customer service provided.

- Reached final stage of development of electronic record storage plan for external private building surveyor Building Permit lodgements.

- Implemented the Building & Planning Enforcement Policy.

Council continued to upgrade Banyule preschools by securing Department of Education and Early Childhood Development funding to undertake minor capital works projects for Interlaken, Winston Hills and Audrey Brooks Memorial kindergartens. The Olympic Village Child and Family Centre was also constructed in Heidelberg West.

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Our Best Value Performance Council had a successful outcome for recognition of Heidelberg and Heidelberg West in the Government’s new Metropolitan Planning Strategy, Plan Melbourne, within the LaTrobe National Employment Cluster. This will encourage development in the Heidelberg Medical Precinct and assist in the removal of barriers to growth.

Council continued to manage the service delivery contracts for its major outsourced leisure and functions facilities: - WaterMarc, Greensborough: the management and operation contract specification review was completed with Council negotiating a new management contract.

- Ivanhoe Public Golf Course: a 20 year lease with Leisure Management Services was completed.

- Chelsworth Park, Ivanhoe: a 20 year lease with Ivanhoe Grammar School for the management and maintenance of Chelsworth Park was completed, with significant upgrades of Council assets included in the lease as well as public access to the park being maintained.

- The Centre Ivanhoe: Spotless continued to operate quality functions.

Council purchased three former school sites in Heidelberg Heights, Bellfield and Ivanhoe from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in August 2013 after they were closed by the State Government. Council’s decision to buy the school sites has provided a unique opportunity to gain control of important development sites in the municipality and the opportunity to lead local planning outcomes. To date, Council has sold two of its sites in Ivanhoe and Heidelberg Heights. This has also resulted in high-quality development and planning outcomes and the provision of new open space reserves for the community to benefit from. The ownership of the residual site presents the opportunity for a return of community facilities into the future in partnership with the State Government.

Council’s 10-Year Capital Works Plan continued to help prioritise the city’s capital works.

During 2014-2015, Council delivered more than 270 projects and initiatives which represented 95% of the projects scheduled for completion in year 1 of the plan.

Banyule’s Assets Infrastructure team completed a range of activities in 2014-2015, including: - Replaced 17,760 square metres or 9,061 bays of footpath; - Completed 1,121 temporary repairs of footpath; - Replaced 304 lineal metres of kerb and channel; - Replaced 21 pram crossings; - Replaced 974 street signs and 133 street furniture repaired or replaced at a cost of $110,000; - Marked lines on 55 street with long life paint; - Completed major road patching works for 35 streets totalling 3,730 square metres; - Reconstructed or repaired 20 stormwater pits; and - Reconstructed Wilson Reserve pedestrian bridge.

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Our Best Value Performance Council continued to deliver a comprehensive street sweeping and cleansing service that maintained a high level of cleanliness of Banyule’s streets, drains, shopping areas and public conveniences. Some of the initiatives for 2014-2015 included: - Implemented improvements to service levels in 11 major shopping precincts.

- Implemented increased cleaning of public toilets at high-use locations to 7 days/week.

- Continued to work with the Municipal Laws team to improve enforcement of local laws for dumped rubbish.

- Twice-weekly mechanical sweeping of roads and gutters, car parks and laneways associated with major shopping centres. Additional resources were deployed to assist with the 8-12 week autumn program, for leaf collection in designated streets.

- Inspected and maintained stormwater pits and drains, with trouble spots serviced four times a year, and pits and drains (including those located in easements) cleaned in response to customer requests.

- Conducted cleaning of Council’s public toilet blocks and barbeques.

- Responded to emergency callouts, including out-of-hours requests requiring urgent attention.

Banyule’s Engineering team delivered a range of activities in 2014-2015, including: - Prepared 45 Council Reports to inform Council and provide recommendations on the appropriate course of action for key issues including: major projects, transport and road safety issues, parking management, drainage, and road design.

- Completed 1,815 Transport and Road Safety related customer requests, an average of approximately 151 a month, with 92% completed on time.

- Completed 1,696 Drainage and Development related customer requests and referrals, an average of approximately 141 a month.

- Completed 452 Planning Department referrals to assist in the assessment of new development permits.

- Delivered approximately $320,000 in Transport and Road Safety related Capital Works.

- Delivered approximately $200,000 in Drainage related Capital Works.

- Introduced a new on-line payment system for drainage applications.

- Completed a study into options for the use and management of the Redmond Court wetlands.

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Our Best Value Performance Council has continued to ensure improvements to Banyule’s transport infrastructure and road network to meet community needs, improve safety, and promote alternate transport options. This has required a sustained effort of advocacy and working with key stakeholders to help deliver the best outcomes for the Banyule community, and includes:  Completed the review, development and updating of the Banyule Integrated Transport Plan 2035 which is designed to respond to community interests and guide the delivery of transport services and infrastructure over the next 20 years. 

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Consultation over the development of the plan involved state government agencies, members of local advocacy and community groups, and Banyule residents. The draft document was released for public comment and will be finalised late 2015.

Implemented 40km/h zones in the Heidelberg, Watsonia and Ivanhoe East pedestrian precincts.

Developed concepts for alterations to Burgundy Street, Heidelberg to meet VicRoads pedestrian safety requirements for extension of the 40km/h speed limit.

Council’s new Urban Forest Strategic Plan helps encourage the community to value treed spaces and contribute to the greening of Banyule.

Council finalised its community garden guidelines to support the establishment of community gardens and to assist interested community organisations to determine their eligibility. The Bellfield Community Garden also recently started operating at the Bellfield Community Centre following a community consultation process.

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Our Best Value Performance 3.2

Strengthen local activity and employment areas

Council continued to support and promote community events at local shopping centres that bring the community together and add vibrancy to the streets. In August 2014, Council approved a 12 month service agreement with Fruitbowl Productions to deliver four events with the help of Greensborough Chamber of Commerce, local traders and stallholders.

Throughout the year, Greensborough Walk and Town Square came alive with a youth buskers event, the return of a monthly market to Main Street, a kids day out, plus a food and wine event.

Council works proactively with key organisations (such as the Northern Melbourne Regional Development Australia, Northlink and the Banyule and Nillumbik Local Learning and Employment Network) to deliver regional economic development initiatives for Banyule. Highlights from the past year included: delivery of an Industry and Education Breakfast to kick-start strategic thinking around youth unemployment; two local businesses and a local young achiever nominated for Northern Business Achievement Awards; and involvement in the Food and Beverage Working Group that is seeking to establish industryspecific support and recognition for Melbourne’s north.

Council continued to support the regeneration of Heidelberg West and address social, economic and infrastructure issues. Project 3081 continued a coordinated place based approach to building community.

Banyule participated in the North Link Economic Development forum to encourage investment in our region.

Council produced a draft Economic Development Plan that sets a clear vision and strategic direction for Council’s economic development agenda over the next five years, including continuing the successes of business and retail support, while aspiring to broader economic development goals for inward investment and labour market initiatives.

Banyule digiDECL was launched at The Mall in Heidelberg West in August 2014, as a result of a strong partnership initiative involving Council, Darebin Enterprise Centre Ltd (DECL), Australia Post, Bell Street Traders Association and Regional Development Australia. The centre provides a community-minded work space and networking opportunities for start-up businesses, freelancers, consultants, and other professionals who would otherwise work from home.

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Our Best Value Performance 3.3

Support thriving commercial and retail activity

Council delivered a major streetscape renewal project for Heidelberg West’s Bell St Mall, leveraging nearly $230,000 of State Government funding, to make it more appealing and welcoming by: introducing new seating, including abstract feature seating; building a new stage for events; installing contoured landscaping with artificial turf to provide a greener, more inviting environment; and creating and installing a range of artwork.

Banyule has continued to work with trader associations to maximise the marketing of key activity centres, and increase the vibrancy of local retail areas and their businesses to build commercial activity and support local shopping. Some of the initiatives included: - Worked in collaboration with Lower Plenty Traders Association and local artist Philip Howe to install a serpent seat and landscaping works at the Lower Plenty Shopping Centre. As well as providing an iconic landmark for the community, the works addressed key pedestrian safety issues at the Main Road and Para Road intersection.

- Supported Austin Health and Ivanhoe Traders Association to deliver the ‘2014 Wellness Walk’ and Street Party including the facilitation of sponsorship and approximately $18,000 worth of in kind support. Walker numbers increased to 2,200 and the street party was also well supported with an estimated 4,000 in attendance.

- Supported Watsonia Traders Association to stage the 2014 Watsonia Motor Show which built on the success of previous shows, attracting a great turn out of locals and motor enthusiasts from far.

- Reviewed and improved Council’s Shopping Centre Audit program that identifies and prioritises maintenance and cleaning issues to be addressed in each centre.

- Assisted with the delivery of a specialised capital works program to support local shopping centres, including the delivery of the Heidelberg Central toilet block refurbishment.

Council continued support and administration of Banyule’s special rate and charge schemes in each of its eleven main shopping centres, including successful renewal of the Heidelberg Central scheme on Burgundy Street, and initiation of the Bell Street Mall Special Rate renewal.

Council has continued delivery of a range of support to traders to develop sustainable economic development programs through the Special Rates and Charges schemes, including: governance arrangements, best practice guidance, rules of association, rate renewals, marketing and promotional activity, and annual business planning.

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Our Best Value Performance 3.4

Enhance Banyule’s public and open spaces

To support the growth in junior AFL participation in the Greensborough and Montmorency region, $1.4 million of upgrades were undertaken at Simms Road Oval, including ground enlarging and resurfacing, fencing works, plus the construction of a brand new pavilion.

After receiving positive feedback from the community about its first dog-friendly park established last year at Malcolm Blair Reserve in Greensborough, a new fully-fenced dog parks was installed at Malahang Reserve in Heidelberg West. The off-lead area has been welcomed by local dog owners and has continued the transformation of Malahang Reserve into a popular and vibrant meeting place.

Council maintains its vast number of open spaces to a high standard which encourages greater use and enjoyment. Most days of the week Council can be seen attending to garden beds, topping up mulch around playgrounds, mowing parks, reserves, road reserves and traffic areas, as well as addressing vegetation that could be a fire hazard.

Council also undertakes regular improvements works and facility upgrades across the municipality. Some of the works undertaken in the last year included: - Renewed retaining walls at Anthony Beale Reserve; - Installed a shade sail over Harrington Reserve playground; - Deposited 1,000 cubic metres of mulch across city gardens.

- Installed an accessible swing at Donaldsons Reserve; - Upgraded cricket nets at Chelsworth Park; - Constructed a picnic shelter at Mental Health Reserve; - Installed a war memorial and flag poles at Malahang Reserve; - Improved landscapes at the Rotundas at Macleod Park and Heidelberg Park; and - Planted more than 6,000 plants at various sites across Banyule.

Council reviewed its Public Open Space Strategy during 2014/2015 which involved a detailed analysis of public open space in each precinct.

Price Park Masterplan commenced implementation and has seen vast improvements to this Viewbank park with outdoor exercise equipment and a natural play area installed. Sections of path have also been upgraded and run-off issues have been addressed with introduced landscaping and vegetation.

Concepts for the redevelopment of Telfer Reserve, Bundoora have been completed. The detailed design phase will commence later in 2015.

Council has continued to progress plans for the redevelopment of Ivanhoe Library as part of the broader Ivanhoe Community Learning Hub. The tender for the appointment of an Architectural Consultant was advertised and will be closed in August 2015.

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Our Best Value Performance With our outdoor exercising gym equipment proving popular at Watsonia North’s Binnak Park and at Heidelberg’s Warringal Park, Council has installed new exercise machines at Viewbank’s Price Park and Ivanhoe’s Donaldson Reserve. Many individuals and fitness groups have adopted the free equipment into their fitness routines.

Council is committed to providing accessible, safe and appealing playgrounds that enhance Banyule’s parks and reserves and provide the community with recreational options close to home. The following reserves have had new playgrounds installed, as well as had path and park furniture upgrades: - Tara Court Reserve, Yallambie - St Mary’s Reserve, Greensborough - E J Andrews Reserve, Briar Hill - Gladman Reserve, Greensborough Council continued to develop plans for a proposed family regional play space at Anthony Beale Reserve in St Helena to meet the needs of families in the north-east region of Banyule. Extensive community feedback is being used to help design the playground, including a number of public information sessions, local school visits and interviews with young people.

Banyule’s Municipal Laws team delivered a range of activities in 2014-2015, including: - Maintained a high rate in responding to customer requests with 70% responded to within time.

- Continued focus on enforcement of traffic issues around schools in the morning and afternoon for the safety of school children.

- Traffic Management Patrol Plans have enabled a greater coverage of area within the municipality helping in the parking enforcement across those areas.

- Council continued its partnership with the Salvation Army to tackle illegal dumping of rubbish at Watsonia Salvation Army Store. The project, which involved Council installing CCTV technology, has resulted in a 98% reduction in rubbish dumping, the prosecution of offenders, and a huge cost saving to the Salvation Army in not having to dispose of rubbish. Council is looking to introduce CCTV at The Mall in Heidelberg West to help deter the illegal dumping of rubbish outside the St Vincent de Paul Society shop.

- Continued auditing building sites with site inspections while providing education to building contractors. This proactive approach helps keep building sites clean, tidy and safe for the surrounding community.

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Our Best Value Performance 3.5

Support sustainable transport

Council completed the review, development and updating of its Banyule Integrated Transport Plan 2035 which outlines the key priorities for improving transport and shows how Council will work with others to address transport related issues for Banyule.

Consultation over the development of the plan was extensive and involved state government agencies, members of local advocacy and community groups, as well as Banyule residents. The draft document has been made available for public comment, and was designed to respond to community interests and guide the delivery of transport services and infrastructure over the next 20 years.

Council has continued to work with and advocate to VicRoads and the Minister for Roads to improve traffic planning and operation within the municipality. Issues include safety and amenity in the Greensborough Hwy/Rosanna Rd corridor and development of short term and medium term solutions for Rosanna Road. VicRoads has agreed to the introduction of a trial overnight truck curfew on Greensborough Highway, Rosanna Road and other roads in Banyule. Council will continue to meet regularly with VicRoads to progress ongoing issues and advocate to VicRoads for improvements to the road network.

Banyule’s Engineering team also played its part in supporting sustainable transport initiatives: - Installed bicycle lanes throughout the municipality to improve links to the existing bicycle network in line with Council Bicycle Strategy.

- Completed the development of the Heidelberg and Bell Street Mall Parking Plan and presented the draft document to Council for release for public comment.

- Continued to work with and advocate to the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources and the Minister for Public Transport to improve service frequencies and accessibility to our activity centres access and facilities at railway stations.

Council continued to support Walk to School and Ride to School programs at local schools.

Council also continued to encourage walking, cycling and public transport use by providing TravelSmart Maps to new residents and at service centres, as well as promoting the Schools Active Travel Study and cycling behavioural programs through schools.

With new municipal offices proposed to be built at 1 Flintoff Street, Greensborough, Council begun preparing a Parking Management Plan and Green Travel Plan to manage the impact of parking, and encourage walking, cycling and public transport use to the site.

Banyule’s extensive network of shared trails continues to be improved and extended and now offers more than 37 kilometres of off-road shared path. Council has added a new section to the Power Easement Trail in Watsonia following Morwell Avenue. Along the popular Plenty River Trail, there was a new section constructed through Greensborough’s Willinda Park plus a realignment and upgrade of the path across the river at Simms Road Reserve. The Main Yarra Trail is continuing to be upgraded with a section between Possum Hollow Regional Playground at Warringal Parklands to Plymouth Street, Heidelberg.

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Our Best Value Performance Objective: 4.

PARTICIPATION - COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY LIFE Govern effectively by appropriately engaging the community in issues that affect them, and advocate for the broader interest of the community.

‘Participation’ is central to good governance.

We will strive for good governance by providing the community with opportunities to actively engage in and influence the decision-making process. We will plan for and respond to the community’s needs, advocate on its behalf and use the resources of the municipality appropriately.

Outcome of our key directions: 4.1

Engage meaningfully with our community

The Maternal and Child Health and Early Childhood Services teams created opportunities to enhance connections between families and the community for the purpose of improving health, wellbeing and developmental outcomes. Some of the 2014/15 examples included : - A major highlight was the development of the Youth and Family Services Strategic Plan. This plan, formulated in partnership with community, articulates a shared approach to responding to the needs of children and young people from birth to 25 years.

- $7,139 was raised through community donations to support Banyule Community Camps project, which continued to provide holiday camps and family camps to vulnerable and disadvantaged children of Banyule.

- Council’s Toys for Tots campaign continued to provide gifts for local children whose families were experiencing challenging circumstances during the festive season. This year saw 270 Banyule children receive presents.

- Council’s Early Years team attended many local events including Malahang Community Festival, Kids ArtyFarty Fest, Nature Play Day and Movies on the Move.

The team’s presence helped increase community awareness of services they provide as well as promoted key health and wellbeing messages.

- Council supported local playgroups through promotion, building and lease support and creating connections with Early Years services and Playgroup Victoria.

- Planned and delivered a research case study in partnership with Leisure and Cultural Services that focused on consulting with community on local playground redevelopment. The process provided an effective consultation method to apply to future practices, while the information helped inform the development of three local playgrounds.

The Sensitive Santa Metro Access initiative trialled across Banyule, Nillumbik and Whittlesea councils last year provided 39 children on the Autism spectrum to meet Santa. The initiative was handed over successfully to Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries and will continue to live on through the libraries indefinitely. Sensitive Santa was presented and celebrated at a national conference for libraries as an example of best practice and new ways to utilise library space.

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Our Best Value Performance Home and Community Care staff continue to be trained to provide LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex clients) inclusive practice and service delivery.

Council continued to work collaboratively to facilitate better outcomes for older people in Banyule. Staff attended regional practice groups at regular intervals, and LGPro special interest groups that provided a valuable opportunity to network, share best practice and to learn about the latest trends and developments in aged and disability services. Council also maintained its ongoing collaboration with Banyule Community Health.

As part of the City Plan community consultation process, Council produced five consultation summary "What you said" documents, relating to four of Council’s strategic objectives – people, planet, place and participation – plus a summary document. These documents included the direct feedback from over 800 surveys completed online and at community events. We also referred to feedback obtained through other events and methods such as the Banyule Youth Summit, Early Years consultation, Seniors Morning Tea consultation, and Council’s advisory groups. In total, we listened to the views of over 2,500 people.

Preventing Violence against Women with Disability forum was held to an audience of 30 women with disability as a result of a successful partnership between Banyule Council, Women’s Health in the North, Victoria Police and Berry Street.

The Banyule Youth Summit brought together young people from 17 schools and the wider community to discuss issues of importance to them. There was passionate, informed conversation which was facilitated by experts in various fields. The end result was a list of recommendations that were presented to a receptive audience which included the Commissioner for Children and Young People, representatives from all three levels of government, Victoria Police, and the community sector, as well as school teachers.

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Our Best Value Performance Council continued to strengthen the delivery of Youth and Family Services through community partnerships. Some of the initiatives undertaken throughout the year included: - Undertook 176 community-building activities which included working with Department of Human Services and non-government agencies for the betterment of vulnerable families, and collaborating with Council’s Early Years Children’s Service.

- Received a grant of $25,000 from Department of Education and Training to support the training and development of a local network specific to responding to the needs of vulnerable communities.

- Banyule and Nillumbik Youth Services Network (BNYSN) continued to provide leadership in the local sector and advocate for youth issues. Major issues continued to be growing presentations of anxiety and self-harm. Council, in partnership with the BNYSN, is part of a Headspace Project Advocacy Group which will assist in the implementation of a Headspace service centre in Greensborough in 2015-2016.

- Improved outreach service to Odyssey House to ensure that families in this facility are engaged with the Maternal and Child Health Service and are provided with appropriate referrals and support. Liaised with Banyule Community Health to provide additional early intervention services for these children.

Banyule Arts and Culture Facebook Page continued to reach more people, increasing its ‘likes’ by 38 % from 431 to 597, while the Hatch Facebook page has seen a dramatic 62% increase from 253 to 410 ‘likes’. The Monthly Arts & Culture E-News currently has grown 26% from 734 to 928 subscribers. These increases have been a result of targeted marketing campaigns for major events and exhibitions at Hatch, and communicating on a much more regular basis. The Leisure E-News currently has 349 subscribers.

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Our Best Value Performance Banyule’s Governance team delivered a range of activities in 2014-2015, including: - The Review of Council’s Local Law No 1 - General Local Law was completed and the new General Local Law No.1 (2015) commenced operation on 15 April 2015.

The process, which was completed over 18 months, included consultations and presentations conducted with councillors and relevant departments. All relevant statutory requirements were met with the Community Impact Statement and Human Rights Assessment undertaken.

- The Review of Council’s Local Law No 2 – Conduct of Meetings was completed and the new renamed Governance Local Law No. 2 (2015) commenced 1 May 2015. The review included the Meeting Procedures Code and provides for regulation of Council Meetings. All relevant statutory requirements were met with the Community Impact Statement and Human Rights Assessment undertaken.

- Council’s Petition guidelines were reviewed and Council confirmed its position on petitions in particular electronic petitions, this will be reviewed once both houses of Parliament at federal and state levels allow the submission of electronic petitions.

- The Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) undertook a review of procedures established by public bodies as required under the Protected Disclosure Act 2012. In December 2014, IBAC released its report on the findings of the review, titled “Review of Protected Disclosure Procedures – Section 60 of the Protected Disclosure Act 2012”. Banyule Council was identified in IBAC’s report as a best practice council and achieved a ‘gold star’ rating for its procedures, and therefore compliance with the Protected Disclosure Act. Only 15 of the 114 public bodies reviewed, which included all Victorian councils and government departments, achieved this rating.

- Held 21 Ordinary Meetings and one Special Meeting of Council.

- Recorded 89 Assemblies of Councillors, indicating councillors are being provided with a greater understanding of issues to assist them to make informed decisions.

- Held four Citizenship Ceremonies this year, including on Australia Day, with over 461 Banyule residents becoming Australian citizens from a wide variety of nations.

Attendees were surveyed to measure satisfaction with the ceremony, with a 98% satisfaction rating achieved.

- Processed 9 Freedom of Information requests within the statutory timeframe (45 days).

- Held four Cemetery Trust meetings and one Special Trust meeting to discuss operating matters, the future use of the cemetery and adoption of the budget for the cemeteries.

- Engaged an external auditor to complete an audit of the Banyule Cemeteries Trust Abstract of Accounts to be submitted to the Department of Health.

- A consultant has been appointed to develop a feasibility and masterplan for the development of ashes memorial positions at Warringal Cemetery.

Banyule has continued to support a high quality locally delivered Valuations service that underpins the effective funding of Council services through valuations and rates.

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Our Best Value Performance Council committed $175,000 from the capital works budget to initiate Project 3081 in 2014, which continued a coordinated place-based approach to community building initiatives in Heidelberg West, Heidelberg Heights and Bellfield (sharing the postcode 3081). During 2014-2015, a number of community projects were undertaken by Project 3081 including: - A lead role in developing 3081 Agency Network in response to the continued need for agencies working in the postcode 3081 area to remain in contact and to collaborate cooperatively.

- A series of community forums that circulated information to local residents on key issues such as ice methamphetamines, rubbish dumping, and new laws and policing powers relating to the reform of counter terrorism legislation.

- A wide range of community events, celebrating place and culture, including: Banyule’s first Mosque Open Day; Olympic Village Makers Markets; Lunar New Year celebration at the Bell St Mall; and a Multicultural Sports Celebration at Shelley Park.

- Facilitation of resident engagement in a range of projects, including design and creative participation to shape refurbishments of the Bell St Mall and the Olympic Village shopping centres.

- Collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services and Council’s waste recovery unit to pilot a new waste management initiative at Bell Bardia Estate.

- In partnership with the Somali Australian Council of Victoria Council, provided 12 months’ funding for the employment of a Community Development support worker.

The worker has raised greater understanding and responses to the complex needs of the Somali speaking community of Banyule and emerging needs of young people within this community.

Council leased shop 48 at Bell St Mall in Heidelberg West to consolidate support services, offer co-tenancy to other community services, and provide a meeting and activity space for the community. Shop 48 is expected to open its doors in late 2015.

To address the problem of dumping hard rubbish and household waste, Council supported a waste education pilot program in Heidelberg West. The project delivered a range of community education initiatives such as targeting ‘hard to reach’ residents who were unlikely to access Council’s mainstream communication platforms, as well as waste education activities at community events and community forums. A coordinated approach with the Department of Health and Human Services at Bell Bardia housing estate involved refurbishing bin corals, allocating new recycling and general waste bin stock and labelling bins with waste education signage. Each household was visited to explain the new bin process and residents were issued with a waste education kit to assist household waste management. The project also evaluated the effectiveness of communication tools used by Council in educating people who speak languages other than English about services such as pre-booked hard rubbish collections and household waste management. Information was subsequently amended to contain more inclusive imagery, and text in languages other than English. Council will continue to rollout new communication material around rubbish dumping hotspots in Heidelberg West.

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Our Best Value Performance 4.2

Encourage diverse and inclusive community participation

Council launched the Banyule Inclusion, Access and Equity Framework that outlines how Council supports Banyule’s diverse communities, and is underpinned by four specific plans: Multicultural Plan; Disability Plan; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Plan; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan. Each one of our plans is overseen and supported by a community-based advisory committee. These committees play a key role in providing advice and advocating to Council on important issues.

The Multicultural Plan 2014/2015 contained 25 actions, with 90% now complete. Many of the achievements occurred through partnerships with our leisure centres, libraries, traders’ associations, neighbourhood houses and community groups. The following are some of this year’s highlights: - Delivered cultural awareness training for Council staff at the Islamic Museum of Australia.

- Created opportunities for children and young people from diverse cultural backgrounds to actively participate in designing feature furniture as part of the Bell St Mall upgrade in Heidelberg West.

- Convened six meetings of the Multicultural Advisory Committee and ensuring members helped influence Year Three of Banyule’s City Plan 2013-2017.

- Supported the Bell St Mall Traders’ Association to host events celebrating Lunar New Year and Harmony Day, which attracted over 600 and 300 visitors respectively.

- Worked with young women leaders from the Somali community to form the African Women’s Action Group which aims to inspire and engage local African young women and bring about change in their community.

- Supported the North Heidelberg Sporting Club, Heidelberg Stars Soccer Club and the Somali Australian Council of Victoria to run a Multicultural Sports Celebration, with 200 children and young people participating.

- Supported the Somali Australian Council of Victoria to plan and deliver a community forum on New Laws and Policing Powers, attended by100 people.

- Declared Banyule a Refugee Welcome Zone which is a commitment in spirit to welcoming refugees into the community.

- Partnered with Yarra Plenty Regional Library and the Northern Region Indian Seniors Association, to hold an event celebrating the Indian Festival of Holi.

- Supported the El Sedeaq Mosque to hold an Open Day for people to learn about and experience the Mosque and its community.

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Our Best Value Performance The Banyule Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Plan 2014/2015 contained 24 actions, many focussing on increasing the visibility and recognition of Banyule’s LGBTI community, with Council achieving 91% of them. Some of the year’s highlights included: - Established a playgroup for same sex parents and their children, in partnership with Nillumbik Shire Council.

- Provided 150 Home and Community Care staff with LGBTI awareness training.

- Convened six meetings of the LGBTI Advisory Committee, ensuring members helped influence Year 3 of Banyule’s City Plan 2013-2017.

- Organised an engagement activity at the Midsumma Festival to understand how Council can better meet the needs of the LGBTI community.

- Advocated to the Australian Human Rights Commission about the experiences of LGBTI people in Banyule.

- Supported the work of Queer Sphere, a collective of young adults in Banyule who are advocating and promoting diversity and inclusion.

- Marked International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) by holding three events, which were attended by approximately 300 people.

- Participated for the first time in the annual Pride March in St Kilda.

- Flew the Rainbow Flag over Council offices for a week to mark IDAHOT. The Disability Action Plan 2014/2015 outlined 16 key actions to support people with a disability and their families, and 75% of the actions have been completed, with the remainder to be actioned over the next year. This year, the Disability Inclusion Advisory Committee was re-established, comprising people with a disability and carers of people with a disability. The following are some of this year’s highlights: - Implemented basic accessibility features in approximately 20% of new housing developments of three or more dwellings via Council’s Liveable Housing Guidelines.

- Piloted a ‘Work Inspirations’ work experience program with Concord School, a P-12 specialist school for students with additional learning needs.

- Provided in home support and respite services to over 300 people with a disability.

- Started a comprehensive review of our disability services to prepare for changes arising from the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

- Improved accessibility to Ivanhoe Aquatic (gym equipment, reception counter, lift access and toilet facilities) as part of the leisure centre’s redevelopment which was recently completed.

- Supported two sensory friendly films for over 150 young people on the Autism spectrum and their families in conjunction with Hoyts Cinemas.

- Hosted the third Inclusive Arts Forum to increase the capacity of local arts organisations to include people with a disability.

- Hosted four Disability Services Network meetings to increase planning and coordination amongst local disability services.

- Hosted a series of events to celebrate and recognise the International Day of People with a Disability, attended by over 200 people.

- Hosted the ‘We’ inclusive arts exhibition highlighting the work of artists with a disability.

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Our Best Value Performance Council continued to enhance its relationship and develop actions to engage and support Indigenous communities. The committee of the Babarrbunin Beek Gathering Place, a hub for the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community located Olympic Park in Heidelberg West, advised Council on implementing its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan. The 2014/15 Plan contained 31 actions, with Council completing 84% of these actions, including: - Placed signs on more than 100 buildings acknowledging the Wurundjeri as the Traditional Owners of the land of Banyule.

- Initiated the Local Koori multi-pass access program which supported more than 100 visits to the Olympic Leisure Centre for the Ngurungaeta Men’s Group and Dulin Baban Women’s Group.

- Involved Maternal and Child Health nurses in cultural awareness training to improve how they work with Aboriginal families.

- Continued to support Babarrbunin Beek Gathering Place in Heidelberg West, which allows the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to create a real connection to country by establishing a place of community ownership, where knowledge can be shared and culture celebrated.

- Established the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee to advocate on behalf of the community.

- Involved Council staff and community members in National Reconciliation Week activities to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Approximately 175 people attended these activities.

- Provided Aboriginal art activities for children at the Kids ArtyFarty Fest and Malahang Community Festival.

- Flew the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags permanently at Malahang Reserve, Heidelberg West.

- Worked with Banyule Community Health to develop a 12 month Aboriginal cultural education curriculum, currently being delivered at all five of Banyule’s children’s service centres.

Council continued to provide valuable funding to the sporting community for sports people and teams to cover travel costs, equipment costs and uniform costs with its Sports Development Grants.

Council also created a separate application process for Arts Grants in order to clarify the process for Banyule’s artists. This has resulted in significant allocation of funds to arts and culture projects including: the publication of a history of Montmorency; a series of professional development workshops; and dance, film and song writing workshops for people with mental illness.

By reducing the cost of venue hire, Council’s Facility Access Grants have helped many community groups hold successful fundraising events at Council community venues and halls.

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Our Best Value Performance In the 2014-2015 grant round, the amount distributed through Council’s Community Development Grants Program was $198,735 to eligible projects, fostering community spirit, social health and well-being within Banyule. Council distributed grants to 64 approved applications. Overall, 146 applications were received requesting a total of approximately $640,000. Applicants were required to address clearly identified community needs and support one or more of Council's five key objectives - People, Place, Planet, Participation and Performance.

YouthFest 2014 was again held at Macleod Park in September drawing its largest crowd yet, with over 3000 local young people attending. The day featured local bands and DJs, free amusement rides, skate park, stalls and a range of interactive activities. All activities were youth led, with more than 150 young people volunteering and running stalls, activities and stages. Several local community agencies were also involved with running activities.

Queer Sphere continued to provide a space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) young people come together and discuss issues that are important to them. The Queer Sphere program takes an active role in promoting diversity and inclusion at events such as Midsumma Festival and International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia celebrations. Youth engagement officers also provided support, advocacy and secondary consult to locals schools, services and young people in relation to LGBTI issues and homophobia.

4.3

Advocate on behalf of our community

Council continued to advocate to the State Government for funding contributions to deliver the full vision of the Olympic Village Learning Hub. This education and community learning hub aims to redress current longstanding disadvantage in the West Heidelberg area.

Critically, the Village Learning Hub will be a partnership between all three levels of government, key local organisations and the community. Stage 1of the hub, a Child and Family Centre, has been constructed and Council is advocating to the State Government for funding contributions to deliver stages 2, 3 and 4 of the Olympic Village Learning Hub which will add a community centre, prep to grade 4 campus, and a gym and performing arts centre.

Banyule Council invests a substantial amount of funds and resources towards providing kindergartens across the municipality. Council continued to advocate for funding support from the Federal Government for kindergarten beyond December 2015. Under the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education, the State Government funds 10 hours of kindergarten and the Commonwealth funds the additional five hours. Thanks to continual advocating by many stakeholders, the Federal Government commitment to fund five hours which was set to end in December now has been extended to end of 2017.

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Our Best Value Performance While Banyule Council is responsible for developing, renewing and maintaining its land, including non-arterial roads and parks, it is not responsible for land owned by VicRoads and VicTrack, such as verges and median strips of arterial roads, and land alongside railway tracks and railway stations. There are a number of high profile sites around Banyule that are owned by and need considerable maintenance by VicRoads and VicTrack. Council has successfully advocated with both organisations to undertake maintenance, weed control and graffiti removal from their sites.

Traffic remains a big issue across Banyule and Council has continued to raise concerns with VicRoads at regular strategic and operational meetings. Council also called on the State Government and the Opposition to address the ever increasing traffic volumes and conditions on Rosanna Road, and has urgently called for a night truck curfew, the installation of speed cameras, heavy vehicles to be banned from right hand lanes to ensure greater safety for motorists, along with various other measures.

Reducing shopping centre speed limits to 40km/hr significantly improves safety and reduces the likelihood and severity of injuries to pedestrians in busy areas. Council continued to advocate to VicRoads to see them installed throughout Banyule’s key activity Centres. As a result, a permanent 40 km/h zone has now been placed along Burgundy Street, from Rosanna Road to Studley Road.

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Our Best Value Performance Banyule continues to advocate on issues of economic development by working alongside five other northern councils – Darebin, Hume, Moreland, Whittlesea and Yarra – as a member of North Link, which also comprises major employers and institutions and promotes regional economic development. North Link was established to provide sustainable regional economic growth and employment; regional advocacy for infrastructure and investment attraction; regional marketing and promotional activities; regional economic and industry research; assistance to industry to improve business productivity and exporting capability.

Council has and will continue to work with the Metropolitan Planning Authority and Darebin Council on supporting the emerging La Trobe Employment Cluster. This includes creating a land use and transport planning framework for the cluster, which encompasses future employment, housing and transport opportunities.

Banyule has become a Refugee Welcome Zone, an initiative of the Refugee Council of Australia, which signifies that we are committed to welcoming refugees into the community, upholding their human rights, demonstrating compassion for them and enhancing cultural and religious diversity in the community. Banyule has also signed a joint statement with other Victorian councils calling for better conditions for people seeking asylum in Australia.

This includes advocating for work rights and better access to local services and supports.

In October 2014, Council signed up to the Australian Human Rights Commission campaign Racism. It Stops With Me – and pledged to counter racism in the community. One of the most effective ways to counter racism is to create opportunities to share and learn about different cultures. Throughout 2014, the Bell St Mall in Heidelberg West played host to a variety of events, including: Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, the Taste of Harmony Lunch and the Iftar Ramadan Dinner. At the Malahang Community Festival we hosted a cultural harmony tent to provide an opportunity for cultural exchange between different cultural groups within the community.

Council continued to advocate for funding from state and federal government departments, such as Sport and Recreation Victoria, to improve sports facilities and parks across Banyule.

Throughout 2014-2015, Council was successful with funding applications for Anthony Beale Reserve Regional Family Playspace where the State Government contributed $100,000 to Council’s $400,000. For the Cartledge Reserve Sports Field Lighting project, the State Government ($75,000) and Federal Government ($50,000) contributed to Council funding of $175,000.

Banyule and Nillumbik Youth Services Network (BNYSN) continued to advocate for improving access to mental health services for young people and addressing the issues they face. BNYSN and Council, in partnership with a number of local organisations, successfully advocated for a headspace in Banyule, with the Greensborough headspace scheduled to open in early 2016. Council has assisted in the planning, preparation and implementation of the new headspace service centre, and will continue this active partnership.

Council achieved a successful outcome after advocating to the State Government to inform its new metropolitan planning strategy Plan Melbourne on Banyule’s future direction, including recognition of Heidelberg and Heidelberg West in within the LaTrobe National Employment Cluster.

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Our Best Value Performance 4.4

Provide outstanding communications and customer service

In the State Government’s Annual Community Satisfaction Survey 2015, Banyule’s result (CSI score) of 73 for ‘Customer service (performance)’ was equal to the 2015 Metro Council Group average and higher than State-wide average (70). The results included 88% of respondents providing a rating of very good, good or average for this core measure (category).

Survey respondents were also asked: ‘How has Council performed on ‘Informing the Community’ over the last 12 months?’ Banyule’s CSI score (65) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (64) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (61). Overall, 84% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

Banyule’s Customer Service team delivered a range of activities in 2014-2015, including: - Conducted 16 Out and About events during the year with a focus on community engagement in conjunction with Community and Social Planning; - Conducted extensive customer service training across the organisation; - Conducted specialised aggressive customer training for Customer Service staff; - Commenced the development of Banyule’s Complaints Handling Policy and Guidelines; - Conducted two Professional Education And Knowledge Sharing (PEAKS) days for staff to develop their skills and knowledge of council and community services; - Continued to participate in industry forums, including the LGPro Customer Service Special Interest Group; - Participated in Banyule’s Municipal Emergency Management Plan exercises and events; - Conducted Best Value Plus audits as part of Council’s BV+ internal audit program.

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Our Best Value Performance Banyule’s Communications team delivered a range of activities in 2014-2015, including: 47 external publications (writing, edit and production) including: - Community Calendar 2015 – Celebrate Banyule - Council Services and Information Book 2014-2015 - Banyule Banner - 6 editions and Ward Newsletters – 3 editions - Assisting with the development and production of the City Plan, Budget and Annual Report - Marketing and communications for 49 events or programs including: - Centenary of ANZAC events - Twilight Sounds - Kids ArtFarty Fest - Banyule Volunteer Awards - Banyule Sports Awards and Club Recognition Night - Movies on the Move - Redevelopment of Ivanhoe Aquatic and Fitness Centre -

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One hundred and eighteen media releases resulted in coverage in the local and daily media. We also responded to 112 reactive and issues management media enquiries.

This resulted in 802 articles in the press, this equates to $6,365,907 advertising value. A number of stories were also picked up by metropolitan TV and radio including: - Molly the miniature goat found in Watsonia – Channel 9 Today Show, - New local law banning residents from leaving their bins out – 3AW and Channel 9 News - CCTV cameras to deter the dumping of rubbish – significant story run on Channel 9 News - 12-month trial of Wolfcom body cameras for parking inspectors and school crossing supervisors Channel 7 news and Channel 9 news, 3AW, LG Focus - Two dog baiting incidents in Banyule – Herald Sun, Channel 7 News, Radio 3AW and 774 ABC Radio Monthly half-page Banyule in Brief advertorials profiled news and events and a Mayoral message in the Heidelberg and Diamond Valley Leader newspapers.

TV presentations in Service Centres and leisure centres updated weekly, and on hold messages updated monthly.

Twelve internal newsletters including Bird’s Eye View and Banyule Leisure Staff Newsletters.

Facilitated media production in Banyule with: - 8 TV series - 7 student films - 7 TV commercials - 2 still photography shoots

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Our Best Value Performance -

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Branding projects have included: - Reinvigorating and modernising Council’s brand with new designs for signage and stationery to be introduced - Signage including new branding for Ivanhoe Aquatic Banyule - Signage and branding for the Olympic Village Child and Family Centre - Building a Better Banyule marketing collateral There have been a number of improvements made to the website this year including: - Upgrade of the content management system which makes it easy and more intuitive for users.

- Redesign of the homepage to create a more user-friendly experience.

- Accessibility improvements.

- Several areas and pages have been redesigned including Waste and Recycling, Public Health and grants information to make it easier for the public to access information and how to apply for grants.

Council continued to increase its social media presence and utilise it as an effective way to communicate with residents.

Banyule’s Facebook community increased by 345% from 673 to 2,324 followers. A single post warning the community about two incidents of dog baiting in Banyule was seen by 756,992 people and attracted 411 new Facebook followers to Banyule Council’s page.

Banyule’s Twitter community more than doubled from 212% from 437 to 929 followers, with 44 tweets reaching 500 followers or more.

The Banyule Youth Services continued to communicate more effectively and reach an increasing audience through social media: - The Banyule Youth Services’ website attracted 52,036 visits, representing almost a 60% increase on the previous year.

- The Banyule Youth Services’ Facebook page recorded 1581 “likes”, a significant increase of 430 from last year.

- Banyule Youth Services’ Instagram account finished the year with 311 followers which increased by 250%.

- A Twitter strategy was established in 2014, which has seen Twitter followers increase by 90 to 292.

Report of Operations

87

Our Best Value Performance Objective: 5.

PERFORMANCE - USE OUR RESOURCES WISELY Manage the financial and non-financial resources required for the next four years to achieve Council’s strategic objectives.

‘Performance’ is about managing our resources wisely, providing organisational support services, strategic planning and risk management. We are charged with the stewardship of the resources of the municipality.

The community expects that these resources will be managed in a responsible, sustainable and accountable way.

Our operations are based on responsible management, risk mitigation, strong customer service, and continuous improvement. We value our staff and recognise the integral role they play in the provision of Best Value services to our community.

Outcome of our key directions: 5.1

Develop and deliver best value services and facilities

Following the construction of WaterMarc, which opened in 2012, Council continued to pursue a further stage of revitalising Greensborough with its One Flintoff project that will see new Council offices and community facilities built on top of WaterMarc. The new municipal office will bring Council staff together from three office locations - Ivanhoe, Rosanna and Greensborough - helping to deliver efficiencies and improve services. One Flintoff will be a highly environmentally sustainable building as well as offer a one-stop customer service area that will provide better facilities for planning, building, engineering and health enquiries. Along with improved community meeting facilities, there will also be 2,200 square metres of commercially let office space, providing increased local job opportunities and ongoing income stream for Council. The detailed design of One Flintoff was completed in June 2015 and prepared to be sent out for tender in July 2015.

Council continued to progress the Banksia Sports Stadium project. A Community Reference Group (CRG) was established to provide a formal mechanism for Council to consult with key stakeholders, seek specialist advice and enable community participation in the planning and development of the stadium. The CRG has assisted Council to plan effectively and provide a joint advocacy effort to potential funding partners. A concept design for a four-court stadium was undertaken and costed at $11.5m, which included car parking. Council also submitted a Major Facilities Funding application to the State Government, however was unsuccessful. Council will continue to advocate and seek government support for the project.

Council continued to deliver sales of Council sites that were proved to be surplus to requirement, including 33 and 35 Elwers Street, Watsonia North and 1 and 2 Orr Lane, Montmorency.

Banyule’s Building Fees and Charges continued to be reviewed and adjusted where required. Fees remained at competitive rates based on market expectations.

Report of Operations

88

Our Best Value Performance Council continued to prepare for the rollout of the Commonwealth Aged Care Reforms.

Staff has been working with the State and Commonwealth Government on the transition process for assessment and will commence receiving referrals from the My Aged Care Gateway on 1 July 2015. Council commenced a review its disability services, identifying the key opportunities and impacts of the National Disability Insurance Scheme on Council.

Council continued its Service Development Review Program to strengthen and improve service delivery and meet the needs of the Banyule community: - Extensive investigation and reporting was undertaken for the Banyule Leisure Facilities Management (BLFM) Service Development Review, encompassing Ivanhoe Aquatic Centre, Olympic Leisure Centre, and Nets Stadium. This included assessing service sustainability, usage levels across all components, community needs, facility direction as individual entities, service synergies, and operational appraisal in the market context. Findings will be used in the ongoing development of this service.

- Banyule Youth Services (BYS) Development Review was also completed. This review aimed to strengthen service objectives, align Council’s role in the local context with other agencies and community needs, and provide a sustainable service.

- Council has commenced a Waste Management Service Development Review, encompassing kerbside and hard waste collection services. The continuing review includes robust benchmarking, data analysis, and other key inputs to identify areas for improvement to service outcomes and resources.

Council completed an external surveillance audit in the areas of quality, the environment and safety to monitor business management systems and strive for continuous improvement. These audits help Council maintain best value services in between regular external re-certification audits held every three years. Council achieved its current certification in July-August 2013 from Global-Mark Pty Ltd. Council continued to provide input to the State Government Performance Reporting Framework being established across every Local Government in Victoria and advocated for meaningful indicators in reporting to the community.

Reporting processes in line with the prescribed State Government performance report requirements across relevant service areas, including common service data sets, were also established.

Successfully completed the 2014 Banyule Household Survey, an extensive community survey undertaken every three years. The Household Survey provides important planning and service development information for a range of Council areas serving the community.

Report of Operations

89

Our Best Value Performance 5.2

Provide responsible financial management and business planning processes

Council’s Financial Services team continued its commitment to ensuring effective financial management and Banyule’s long-term sustainability. Some of its key initiatives included: - Worked closely with the management team and Councillors to prepare Council’s 2015-2016 Budget.

- Prepared relevant financial information for Banyule’s Annual Report for year ended 30/06/2015, incorporating the Financial Report and the development of the new City Plan 2013-2017 (Year 3).

- Provided timely financial information and reports both internally and externally for the Fire Services Levy Property reconciliations and remittances to the State Revenue Office, Grant Commissions reporting, and grant acquittals.

- Participated and coordinated internal audits and risk assessments undertaken by Council’s internal audit firm as part of its scheduled program.

- Assisted the internal auditor in conducting Computer Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATs) testing on the accounts payable system.

- Involved in two audits of external organisations to review their ability to make payments to Council.

- Complied with external statutory and taxation requirements within the required timeframes, for example with fringe benefits tax and goods and services tax returns.

- Prepared for the implementation of the new superannuation ‘superstream’ process which will became compulsory in July 2015.

- Awarded 45 Council contracts following 30 publicly advertised tenders.

- Awarded 15 third party collaborative contracts following MAV Procurement, Procurement Australia and Eastern Metro Region public tender processes.

- Currently administering 325 Banyule, MAV Procurement, Procurement Australia and Eastern Metro Region contracts.

- Conducted Procurement Induction sessions and Procurement Monthly Awareness training sessions.

- Issued 9,500 purchase orders.

The first four years of the 10 Year Capital Works Plan were reviewed and Council worked on the development of the next (rolling) four year plan commencing 2015/2016. The review of processes and systems enable greater efficiencies and accurate reporting to be achieved.

Report of Operations

90

Our Best Value Performance Council conducted a review of three key community services which receive recurrent funding from Council – Banyule Support and Information Centre Inc, Volunteers of Banyule and Diamond Valley Community Support. The purpose of the review was to identify service improvements and achieve greater consistency of service delivery across the municipality.

Council endorsed the key recommendation for the establishment of an integrated service system working toward an amalgamation of the three agencies into one entity. The implementation of this resolution will be undertaken during 2014/15. Council also signed new lease agreements with several playgroups using Banyule facilities and continued providing support, such as helping build networks among the community and promotion of the playgroups.

During 2014-2015, Banyule continued to strengthen its corporate planning processes. The Budget was based on information from extensive community consultation, a defined legislative context, and was prepared with reference to The Institute of Chartered Accountants ‘Victorian City Council Model Budget 2015/2016’, a best practice guide for reporting local government budgets in Victoria. The links between the City Plan, Budget and Annual Report documents continue to be reviewed and strengthened.

The organisational systems related to Best Value Plus (Banyule Management System) were reviewed and maintained to ensure ongoing certification. This included providing support to the Steering Committee and Working Group, facilitating the Internal Audit Program, maintaining system documentation and communication, facilitating training to relevant staff members, liaising with external auditors and assisting with the close-out of audit findings.

The BMS was reviewed and actions loaded into Council’s Interplan system (planning and reporting system) to track progress.

Council continued to develop, promote and support the organisation’s ‘Interplan’ planning and reporting system through the implementation of the Project Management module and reporting tools to achieve business improvement. This included loading the Annual Plans, Capital Works Plan, and other key Council plans for 2014/2015, to enable organisational reporting and monitoring of important actions and projects.

Council’s key performance indicators were reviewed in line with the preparation of Banyule’s City Plan 2013-2017 (Year 3) and Budget 2015/2016. This extensive indicator set has been updated to measure important areas of Council’s performance for its community and align with the State Government’s introduction of the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework (LGPRF).

Report of Operations

91

Our Best Value Performance Service units conducted an annual review process to report on their performance in the previous year and plan their service for the following year. This process aligns with the Corporate Planning Program (City Plan and Organisational Annual Business Plan). The service unit annual review process includes: - Reviewing Service Objectives and Quality and Cost Standards; - Completing an end of year report (action plan, summary of performance, key highlights and KPIs); - Conducting service unit/directorate planning for the next year; - Reviewing performance against last year’s action plan and relevant KPIs, and taking into account community feedback from ongoing consultation, and demographic data; - Determining priorities and key challenges; and - Developing an updated action plan.

Council continued to utilise extensive community consultation, community engagement and social research analysis to capture a broad range of views and help shape the City Plan 2013-2017. Some examples included: - Partnered City Plan survey consultation exercise conducted from October 14 – Jan 15.

- Consultation conducted at various events.

- Online survey conducted, gathering approximately 800 responses.

- Produced four “What you said” consultation summaries plus a consultation overview which detailed Council’s consultation approach and summarised community feedback within the City Plan policy areas.

Council continued to ensure alignment of all strategic planning to the City Plan 2013-2017 (Year 3) objectives and the organisation’s values. The City Plan 2013-2017 framework is based on the ‘5P’ objectives of People, Planet, Place, Participation and Performance.

Together, these give us a strong framework for decisions moving forward. Our strategic direction and priorities were reviewed and developed for the next two years, incorporating community feedback, further strengthening the areas of focus, and meeting the relevant legislative requirements. The City Plan includes an updated list of key initiatives for 20152016, to give the community a practical sense of what Council is aiming to achieve within its key directions and focus areas. Ongoing internal support is also provided for key plans as they are reviewed (linkages of these with City Plan, Annual Business Plan, policy and strategy documents and other plans).

Council provided relevant corporate reporting for Banyule’s Annual Report 2013/2014 in line with relevant legislation, as well as reporting progress to the community and Minister for Local Government. This involved preparing Banyule’s Best Value Victoria Report 2013/2014.

Report of Operations

92

Our Best Value Performance 5.3

Enable good governance and accountability with minimal risk

Banyule Council continued to display good governance and accountability, confirmed by an Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) review of public bodies’ procedures. In December 2014, IBAC released its report on the findings of the review, titled “Review of Protected Disclosure Procedures – Section 60 of the Protected Disclosure Act 2012”. Banyule Council was identified in IBAC’s report as a best practice council and achieved a ‘gold star’ rating for its procedures, and therefore compliance with the Protected Disclosure Act. Only 15 of the 114 public bodies reviewed, which included all Victorian councils and government departments, achieved this rating.

A main drive for Council’s Information Technology team this year was the implementation of disaster recovery capabilities. As organisations come to rely more on their IT systems to be able to perform day-to-day functions, so it becomes critical that these systems can withstand the loss of a building that houses these systems. This may be fire, flood or loss of power for an extended period. Many of the projects undertaken this year were to facilitate the housing of Banyule system in two separate buildings so the loss of one would still allow the IT systems to function from the other.

The Review of Council’s Local Law No 1 - General Local Law was completed and the new General Local Law No.1 (2015) commenced operation on 15 April 2015. The process included consultations and presentations conducted with councillors and relevant departments and took more than 18 months. All relevant statutory requirements were met with a Community Impact Statement and Human Rights Assessment undertaken.

The Review of Council’s Local Law No 2 – Conduct of Meetings was completed. The review included the Meeting Procedures Code and provides for regulation of Council meetings, and simplified and clarified some clauses. All relevant statutory requirements were met with a Community Impact Statement and Human Rights Assessment undertaken.

5.4

Create a productive and engaged workforce

Council continued to offer a range of training courses in-house that equipped staff with skills and development across governance, report writing, procurement and safety. Banyule also offered broader training with external providers that specialise in other disciplines, such as leadership, financial and resource management, and project delivery.

The Banyule Leadership Network is now an established feature of the organisation’s leadership cohort. A diverse range of development programs were offered over the year and attendance continued to be strong. The series of events provided an opportunity for business units to showcase their activities, share successes and challenges and network across the organisation to increase their understanding of the organisation’s obligations to the community.

Facilitated the rollout of Council’s Leadership Development Framework to strengthen the leadership capabilities of supervisory staff. This was the first phase of an increased investment in Leadership Development at the mid-tier to ensure the organisation has a talent pool for the future.

Report of Operations

93

Our Best Value Performance Implemented the Banyule Management System requirements to deliver health and wellbeing initiatives for improved physical and mental health of the workforce. An increased focus on cultural change towards pro-active self-management of chronic conditions and programs to encourage healthier lifestyles, such as the ‘Walking Challenge’ will continue to be promoted.

Improved focus has been directed towards recruitment and efforts to secure high-calibre candidates who are the right fit for roles. Electronic candidate management coupled with increased training in behavioural interview skills and targeted psychometric testing will ensure the workforce continues to be effective and productive.

Council prepared for and completed phase 2 of the organisation’s TRIM project to facilitate Council’s change to a new electronic document and records management system. This included providing end user training and go-live support to improve staff engagement and acceptance of the systems process changes, as well as addressing change management.

Facilitated the development and implementation of Banyule City Council’s Enterprise Agreement No 6. This included communication of changes to all employees and reflecting those changes in relevant policies.

5.5

Maintain and strengthen corporate information and innovation

Information Management Working Group consisting of Business Services, Information Technology and Records Management key staff worked to implement Phase Two of the Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) project to continue the TRIM implementation by training users how to register documents into TRIM (Records Management System) and go live with key corporate integrations. As part of the project the following tasks were undertaken: - Project management to ensure the project is implemented in-time and on budget.

- Facilitation of Information Management (IM) Steering Committee to capture IM decisions.

- Various change management activities undertaken with staff to assist with cultural change post implementation.

- Migrated 27,561 network drive documents into the EDRMS to enable staff to have access to documents in a ‘one-stop-shop’ philosophy at go-live.

- Planning, testing and implementation of key corporate system integrations with TRIM to streamline and improve the retrieval of records for staff.

Report of Operations

94

Our Best Value Performance Banyule’s Records Management team delivered a range of activities in 2014-2015, including: - Registered 155,589 records in Council’s Records Management System TRIM. The types of documents registered included inwards and outwards correspondence, internal files, notes, memos, emails and network drive documents.

- Assessed, sentenced and transferred 231.4 shelf metres of files to an on-site secondary storage facility or commercial off-site storage.

- Received and processed 789 requests for file retrieval from secondary storage.

Successfully retrieved 90% of all files requested by staff, demonstrating the effectiveness of the management of our paper records.

- Participated in the Municipal Association of Victoria Records Step Program to identify any gaps and improvements to ensure legislative requirements are met.

5.6

Plan and manage the systems and assets that support Council’s service delivery

Council’s Information Technology team delivered a range of projects that continued to keep abreast of evolving technology and meet the changing requirements of Council. Some of the key projects in this area included: - Upgraded email and phone system.

- Upgraded Virtual server platform and back-up platform.

- Provided greater access options for staff working remotely.

- Moved production environment to Greensborough with Ivanhoe as disaster recovery site and built Wide Area Network to support disaster recovery objectives.

- Converted web application to .NET code base for future proofing.

- Upgraded Planning Permit Activity Report (PPAR) to V4.

- Installed the new 10 year Local Law Configuration in Authority and AutoIssue.

- Responded to more than 7,269 IT requests.

- Implemented the new Service Desk to manage IT requests.

- Upgraded firmware of core switches.

- Rebuilt the corporate Authority environment including all integrations.

- Logged 181 Authority system hotline issues, closing 150 in the financial year.

- Completed two security audits and penetration testing.

Council’s Aged and Disability Services successfully connected to My Aged Care website to enhance referral process for clients aged over 65.

Report of Operations

95

Our Best Value Performance Council continued to provide a cost effective fleet through the purchase of suitable vehicles and plant, and ensuring appropriate maintenance and programmed replacement. A timely and responsive maintenance service continued to enable maximum utilisation and minimal downtime, for: - Council’s fleet: light passenger and commercial fleet; trucks; and mobile plant (e.g. tractors).

- Small equipment; and - Council’s Waste Recovery Centre.

Improved vehicle servicing technology was also utilised to enable better maintenance of modern fleet vehicles. New vehicle technologies and fuel options to help lower Council’s transport carbon footprint and operating costs were also introduced where appropriate.

Council adopted and implemented its Planning and Building Enforcement Framework, which provides risk-based guidance for prioritisation of enforcement activities for both the Development Planning Unit and the enforcement role of the Municipal Building Surveyor.

Report of Operations

96

Our Best Value Performance Indicators – How we measure our performance against the City Plan objectives The following statement reviews the performance of Council against the City Plan (Council Plan) including results achieved in relation to the strategic indicators included in the City Plan. The following statement also provides the results of the prescribed service performance indicators and measures including explanation of material variations.

Note: City Plan objectives:

People No. 1.

2.

3.

Planet

Place

Participation

Performance

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

CSI – Recreational facilities (performance) Indicator Type: Output (Quality) (Note: CSI indicators are measured via the annual Community Satisfaction Survey (CSS) for Local Government, coordinated by Local Government Victoria on behalf of Victorian Councils. For further information please refer to the ‘General Notes and Glossary of Terms for the Indicators’)

75 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

76

Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (76) was also significantly higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (74) and the 2015 State-wide average (70).

Overall, 94% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

1,000,000

1,737,835

Attendance at Council provided leisure centres Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

Percentage of people who feel they ‘belong’ in Banyule Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

Report of Operations

80%

84%

Achieved Target (+737,835).

These figures are inclusive of WaterMarc, Macleod, Ivanhoe Aquatic, Olympic and Nets leisure centres.

Achieved Target (+4%).

This indicator is measured via the CSS for 2015, co-ordinated by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and is an additional question for Banyule. The result demonstrates a relatively strong result for people feeling connected in Banyule and this has continued since 2011-2012.

City Plan/ Budget

People 1.1A

1.1B

1.1C P Participation 4.2B

97

Our Best Value Performance No. 4.

5.

6.

7.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

CSI – Art centres and libraries (performance) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

77 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

77

Achieved Target.

Banyule’s CSI score (77) was also significantly higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (75) and the 2015 State-wide average (73).

Overall, 89% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

1.1D 1.4A

72 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

72

10,000

13,000

CSI – Community and cultural activities (performance) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Attendance at Banyule festival Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

Performance against People: Health and Wellbeing Action Plan (% actions completed on time) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Report of Operations

80%

90%

Achieved Target.

Banyule’s CSI score (72) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (71) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (69).

Overall, 88% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

Achieved Target. (+3,000) Includes: Malahang Festival, Twilight Sounds and The Kids ArtyFarty Festival.

Overall there was an increase in attendance from the previous year.

1.1E 1.4B

1.1F 1.4C

Achieved Target (+10%).

1.1G

98

Our Best Value Performance No. 8.

9.

10.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

CSI – Disadvantaged support services (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

65 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

64

Represents 98% achievement against target.

Banyule’s CSI score (64) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (63) and the 2015 State-wide average (62).

(Note: 38% of respondents provided a rating of ‘can’t say’)

1.1H

LGPRF – Aquatic facilities: User satisfaction with pool facility Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness) (Note: LGPRF - Key indicators and measures as part of the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework. For further information please refer to the ‘General Notes and Glossary of Terms for the Indicators’).

75% of surveyed users satisfied or better

No Result

LGPRF - Aquatic facilities: (a) Service standard (aquatic facilities are inspected by a qualified officer).

- Health inspections of aquatic facilities (number of inspections by an authorised officer within the meaning of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 carried out per Council aquatic facility) - Reportable safety incidents at aquatic facilities (number of WorkSafe reportable aquatic safety incidents) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

Report of Operations

This is an Optional LGPRF indicator.

(Note: Sections of the Ivanhoe Aquatic Centre were closed for periods during the 2014-2015 financial year for renovations.)

1.1I

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+1).

3 (as per 2015/16 budget)

0

4

Target of 4 visits per aquatic facility was achieved across the 3 facilities (i.e. 12 Inspections achieved).

Recommend revised target based on LG definition.

1

Target not achieved on this occasion.

Electrical safety incident.

1.1J

99

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

11.

LGPRF - Aquatic facilities: (b) Service cost (provision of aquatic facilities is undertaken in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of indoor aquatic facilities (direct cost to Council less any income received of providing indoor aquatic facilities per visit) - Cost of outdoor aquatic facilities (direct cost to Council less any income received of providing outdoor aquatic facilities per visit) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost)

12.

13.

LGPRF - Aquatic facilities: (c) Utilisation (aquatic facilities are safe, accessible and well utilised) - Utilisation of aquatic facilities (number of visits to aquatic facilities per head of municipal population) Indicator Type: Outcome (Utilisation) LGPRF - Food safety: (a) Timeliness (Councils take action in response to food complaints in a timely manner) - Time taken to action food complaints (average number of days it has taken for Council to action food complaints received from members of the public about the about the safety or handling of food for sale) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

$0.87

Not applicable

Result 2014/15

$1.28

Not applicable

6 visits per head of BCC municipal population

10

Written or verbal acknowledge ment of receipt of complaint within 5 working days.

No Result

Comments/ Material Variations

No material variations.

Target not achieved on this occasion.

Represents an additional $0.41 compared with target.

City Plan/ Budget

1.1K

Not applicable

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+4).

1.1L

Transition. Collecting data from 1st July for 2015/2016 Reporting.

1.1M

100

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

14.

LGPRF - Food safety: (b) Service standard (food safety service is provided in accordance with legislative requirements) - Food safety assessments (percentage of registered class 1 food premises and class 2 food premises that receive an annual food safety assessment) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

15.

16.

LGPRF - Food safety: (c) Service cost (food safety service is delivered in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of food safety service (direct cost to Council of the food safety service per food premises registered by Council,or for which Council has received notification, during the year) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost) LGPRF - Food safety: (d) Health and safety (food safety service protects public health by preventing the sale of unsafe food) - Critical and major noncompliance notifications (percentage of critical and major noncompliance outcome notifications that are followed up by Council) Indicator Type: Outcome (Health and safety)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15 100%

Result 2014/15 100%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Achieved Target.

1.1N

$1,200 (as per 2015/16 budget) New calculation

$984

100%

71%

No material variations.

Achieved Target ($216 better than target).

1.1O

No material variations.

Represents 71% achievement against target.

Note: The current reporting tool does not omit the critical and major results which have follow ups with a date after the reporting period, ie. after 30 June.

1.1P

101

Our Best Value Performance No. 17.

18.

19.

20.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

69 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

69

Achieved Target.

Banyule’s CSI score (69) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (68) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (67).

(Note: 30% of respondents provided a rating of ‘can’t say’)

1.2A

69 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

69

Key Ages and Stages: participation rate for 3.5 year visits Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

75%

86%

Unit rate cost to Council for delivered meals Indicator Type: Output (Cost)

$15 per meal

CSI - Family support services (performance) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

CSI – Elderly support services (performance) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

Report of Operations

Achieved Target.

Banyule’s CSI score (69) was also equal to the 2015 Metro Council Group average and the 2015 State-wide average.

(Note: 35% of respondents provided a rating of ‘can’t say’)

1.2B

Achieved Target (+11%).

1.2C $16.34 per meal

Additional cost of $1.34 per meal compared with target.

The cost per meal is directly related to cost to Council and meal numbers. The cost per meal for Council is higher in 2014-15 ($16.34 per meal) due to the reduction in meal numbers and an extraordinary price increase from Community Chef on top of the contracted CPI. The increase was due to all the Community Chef’s meal contracts over estimating their yearly meal requirements, due to falling numbers across the metropolitan area.

1.2D

102

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

21.

Total number of delivered meals Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

50,000

50,571

Achieved Target (+571).

Meal numbers have decreased by 11% since 2013-2014 (from 56,515 to 50,554 meals), following a decrease of approximately 11% the previous year (from 63,748 to 56,515 meals). Trend was forecast.

Percentage of delivered meals recipients satisfied with the service (rating the service as excellent, very good or good) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

90%

22.

23.

LGPRF - Home and Community Care: (a) Timeliness (HACC services are provided to eligible clients in a timely manner) - Time taken to commence the HACC service (average number of days it has taken for a new client to commence the HACC service) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

Report of Operations

21 days

98%

No Result

Achieved Target (+8%).

The service conducts an annual survey. The satisfaction survey is sent to every client each year, and the result is based on 48% of clients (290 clients) responding and providing a rating (ie. 140 replies were received).

Banyule continues to have a very high rate of satisfaction.

It has increased over the four years since starting with Community Chef (ie. from 93% in 2010 to the current 98%).

City Plan/ Budget

1.2E

1.2F

In Transition. Collecting data from 1st July for 2015/2016 Reporting.

1.2G

103

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

24.

LGPRF - Home and Community Care: (b) Service Standard (HACC services are provided in accordance with the Community Common Care Standards) - Compliance with Community Care Common Standards (percentage of Community Care Common Standards expected outcomes met) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

25.

LGPRF - Home and Community Care: (c) Service cost (HACC services are delivered in a costefficient manner) - Cost of domestic care service (cost to Council of the domestic care service per hour of service delivered) - Cost of personal care service (cost to Council of the personal care service per hour of service delivered) - Cost of respite care service (cost to Council of the respite service per hour of service delivered) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

83%

83%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Achieved Target.

1.2H

TBA Methodolog y being refined in consultation with Municipal Assocation of Victoria (MAV)

No Result

In Transition. Collecting data from 1st July for 2015/2016 Reporting.

1.2I

104

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

26.

LGPRF - Home and Community Care: (d) Participation (people are supported to live independently and safely in their own community and home environment) - Participation in HACC service (percentage of the municipal target population that receive a HACC service)

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Represents 63% achievement against target.

40%*

17%

The Banyule target was based on the ‘Participation in HACC services’ for the whole municipality including HACC services provided by other agencies.

1.2J

No material variations.

- Participation in HACC service by CALD people (percentage of the municipal target population in relation to CALD people who receive a HACC service) Indicator Type: Outcome (Participation)

27.

LGPRF - Maternal and Child Health: (a) Satisfaction (clients satisfied with the MCH service) - Participation in first MCH home visit (percentage of infants enrolled in the MCH service who receive the first MCH home visit) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

Report of Operations

10%*

15%

*Note: 2015/2016 targets are subject to change pending data to be provided by Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) 80%

96%

Achieved Target (+11%).

The Banyule target is based on services provided by all agencies within the municipality, including Ethnospecific agencies who provide HACC services.

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+16%).

1.2K

105

Our Best Value Performance

No.

Indicators

28.

LGPRF - Maternal and Child Health: (b) Service Standard (Councils enrol all infants in the MCH service) - Infant enrolments in the MCH service (percentage of infants enrolled in the MCH service) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

29.

30.

LGPRF - Maternal and Child Health: (c) Service cost (MCH service is delivered in a costefficient manner) - Cost of the MCH service (cost to Council of the MCH service per hour of service delivered) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost) LGPRF - Maternal and Child Health: (d) Participation (Councils promote healthy outcomes for children and their families) - Participation in the MCH service (percentage of children enrolled who participate in the MCH service) - Participation in the MCH service by Aboriginal children (percentage of Aboriginal children enrolled who participate in the MCH service) Indicator Type: Outcome (Participation)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15 95%

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

94%

No material variations.

Represents 99% achievement against target.

City Plan/ Budget

1.2L

$65

No Result

In Transition. Collecting data from 1st July for 2015/2016 Reporting.

1.2M

80% for 18 month 80% for 2 year old 75% for 3.5 year old visits ATSI 70% for 18 month 70% for 2 year old 70% for 3.5 year old visits

85%

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+5%).

1.2N

78%

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+8%).

106

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

31.

Percentage of people who feel safe in Banyule Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

80%

96%

Achieved Target (+16%).

This indicator is measured via the CSS 2015 co-ordinated by the DELWP, and is an additional question for Banyule. The result demonstrates a strong result for people feeling safe in Banyule and this has continued since 2011-2012.

City Plan/ Budget

1.3A 1.6B

3.4A 32.

33.

34.

Performance against Safer Banyule Action Plan (% actions completed on time) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

LGPRF - Libraries: (a) Utilisation (library services are well utilised) - Library collection usage (number of library collection item loans per library collection item) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness) LGPRF - Libraries: (b) Resource standard (libraries have a high standard of resources) - Standard of library collection (percentage of the library collection that has been purchased in the last 5 years) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

Report of Operations

80%

94%

Achieved Target (+14%).

1.3B

5

9

Note: Banyule’s target was revised to 5 for Budget 2015/16

80%

85%

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+4).

This indicator demonstrates if the library is well utilised.

High or increasing utilisation suggests an improvement in the appropriateness of library services.

1.4D

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+5%).

1.4E

107

35.

LGPRF - Libraries: (c) Service cost (delivery of library services is undertaken in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of library service (direct cost to Council of the library service per visit) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost)

$10.30

$6

No material variations.

Achieved target ($4.30 per visit better than target).

1.4F

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

36.

LGPRF - Libraries: (d) Participation (library resources are free, accessible and well utilised) - Active library members (percentage of the municipal population that are active library members) Indicator Type: Outcome (Participation)

37.

Number of economic development events delivered in partnership with other organisations (eg. neighbouring Councils, State and Federal Government, Regional Development organisations, traders associations, etc) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

18%

18%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Achieved Target.

1.4G

15

38

Achieved Target (+23).

1.5A

3.3A 38.

Participation level (attendance) at Council operated/ hosted economic development events Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

300

1,071

Achieved Target (+771).

The result for this indicator demonstrates a high level of participation in Council operated/hosted local economic development events.

1.5B

3.3B

Report of Operations

108

39.

CSI – Emergency and disaster management (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

69 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

70

Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (70) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (69) and equal to the 2015 State-wide average.

Overall, 62% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015 (note: 35% of respondents provided a rating of ‘can’t say’).

1.6A

Performance 5.3B

Our Best Value Performance No. 40.

41.

42.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Completion of scheduled emergency management exercises as part of Council’s Municipal Emergency Management Plan Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Completed as per schedule

Completed as per schedule

CSI – Environmental sustainability (performance) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

65 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

68

1,200

3,700

Number of tree plantings (Council tree plantings in streets and parks) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

Report of Operations

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

Achieved Target.

Completed as per schedule.

1.6C Achieved Target (+3).

Banyule’s CSI score (68) was also significantly higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (65) and equal to the 2015 State-wide average (64).

Overall, 84% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

Achieved Target (+2,500).

The result includes street, park and bushland reserve trees (advanced trees and tube stock trees) and is aligned with a move towards objectives of Banyule’s recently adopted Urban Forest Strategic Plan.

2.1A 2.2A

2.1B

109

43.

Performance against Planet: Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (% actions completed on time) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

90%

94%

Achieved Target (+4%).

Combined with indicator ‘CSI – Environmental sustainability (performance)’, this result demonstrates the continued strong commitment by Council to sustaining the environment.

2.2B 2.3B 2.5A

Our Best Value Performance No. 44.

45.

Indicators Council’s water use Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

CSI – The appearance of public areas (performance) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

Constrain annual Council potable water use below 200 million litres

276 million litres

Additional 76 million litres compared with target.

Target not achieved on this occasion.

Open space irrigation is Council’s largest water use and recent lower rainfall would mean that more irrigation has occurred generally. The stormwater harvesting project at Chelsworth Park, Kalparrin Gardens and DeWinton Park captured 7 million litres of stormwater in its first full summer irrigation season.

73 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

73

Achieved Target.

Banyule’s CSI score (73) was also equal to the 2015 Metro Council Group average (73) and higher than the 2015 State-wide average (72).

Overall, 94% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

City Plan/ Budget

2.2C

2.3A

3.4B

110

46.

Council’s greenhouse gas emissions Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

47.

CSI - Waste management (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

Reduce Council’s greenhouse gas emissions

14% reduction

76 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

77

Achieved Target (14%).

Council’s greenhouse gas emissions reduced from 21,541 tonnes in 2013/2014 to 18,550 tonnes in 2014/2015, representing a reduction of 2,991 tonnes.

Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (77) was also equal to the 2015 Metro Council Group average and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (72).

Overall, 94% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

2.3C

2.4A

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

48.

Percentage of ‘consumer waste’ diverted from landfill (ie excludes greenwaste) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

41%

38%

Represents 94% achievement against target (based on result of 38.4%).

Reduction due to less paper and glass.

2.4B

LGPRF - Waste Collection: (a) Satisfaction (users are satisfied with the waste collection system) - Kerbside bin collection requests (number of kerbside bin collection requests per 1,000 kerbside bin collection households) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

200

No material variations.

Achieved Target.

Result is at the higher end due to a large number of bin size change requests.

2.4C

49.

Report of Operations

Note: Banyule’s target was revised to 200 for Budget 2015/16

192

111

50.

LGPRF - Waste Collection: (b) Service standard (kerbside collection bins are collected as planned) - Kerbside collection bins missed (number of kerbside collection bins missed per 10,000 scheduled kerbside collection bin lifts) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

Report of Operations

18 Note: Banyule’s target was revised to 18 for Budget 2015/16

14

No material variations.

Represents 78% achievement against target.

2.4D

112

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

51.

LGPRF - Waste Collection: (c) Service cost (kerbside collection service is delivered in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of kerbside garbage collection service (direct cost of the kerbside garbage bin collection service per kerbside garbage collection bin) - Cost of kerbside recyclables bin collection service (direct cost of the kerbside recyclables collection service per kerbside recyclables collection bin) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost)

52.

53.

LGPRF - Waste Collection: (d) Waste diversion (amount of waste diverted from landfill is maximised) - Kerbside collection waste diverted from landfill (percentage of garbage, recyclables and green organics collected from kerbside bins that is diverted from landfill) Indicator Type: Outcome (Waste diversion) Attendance at Council’s Rethink Centre waste education programs Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

$75

$79

$30

$21

Note: Banyule’s targets revised to $75 and $30 for Budget 2015/16

50%

53%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Target not achieved on this occasion.

Additional $4 compared with target.

2.4E

No material variations.

Achieved Target ($9 better than target).

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+3%). .

2.4F

4,500

3,515

Represents 78% achievement against target.

Reduction in tours organised through other council kerbside contracts. These are outside BCC control.

2.5B

113

Our Best Value Performance No. 54.

55.

Indicators CSI – The condition of local streets and footpaths in your area (performance) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

VLG infrastructure indicator: renewal ratio Indicator Type: Output (Cost)

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

64 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

64

Achieved Target.

Banyule’s CSI score (64) was also equal to the 2015 Metro Council Group average and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (58).

Overall, 84% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

1:1

0.85:1

City Plan/ Budget

3.1A

Target not achieved on this occasion.

Represents 85% achievement against target.

3.1B

56.

LGPRF - Statutory Planning: (a) Timeliness (Council planning application processing and decisions are carried out in a timely manner) - Time taken to decide planning applications (median number of days between receipt of a planning application and a decision on the application) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

Report of Operations

56 days

50 days

No material variations.

Achieved Target (6 days better than target).

3.1C

114

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

57.

LGPRF - Statutory Planning: (b) Service Standard (planning application processing and decisions are in accordance with legislative requirements) - Planning applications decided within 60 days (percentage of planning application decisions made within 60 days) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

58.

59.

LGPRF - Statutory Planning: (c) Service cost (planning application processing and decisions are carried out in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of statutory planning service (direct cost to Council of the statutory planning service per planning application) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost) LGPRF - Statutory Planning: (d) Decision making (planning application processing and decisions are consistent with the local planning scheme) - Council planning decisions upheld at VCAT (percentage of planning application decisions subject to review by VCAT and that were not set aside) Indicator Type: Outcome (Decision making)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15 53%

Result 2014/15 50%

Note: Banyule’s target was revised to 53% for Budget 2015/16

$1,718

$1,434

Comments/ Material Variations No material variations.

Represents 94% achievement against target.

This year saw the introduction of the VicSmart application process, where simpler applications are to be dealt with within 10 days, rather than 60. The figures indicated can be more accurately described as 'planning applications decided within the statutory period', with Council determining approximately 59% of all applications within 60 days, but only 50% of VicSmart applications within 10 days.

Note: Banyule’s target was revised to 56% for Budget 2015/16

3.1D

No material variations.

Achieved Target ($284 better than target).

Note: Banyule’s target was revised to $1,718 for Budget 2015/16

56%

City Plan/ Budget

3.1E

40%

No material variations.

Represents 71% achievement against target.

Whilst Council continues to have its refusal of multi dwelling applications overturned reasonably frequently at VCAT, the figures do not reflect the significant number of cases where permit applicants amend proposals to address key components of Council's concerns prior to the appeal hearing.

3.1F

115

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

60.

LGPRF - Roads: (a) Satisfaction of use (road users are satisfied with the sealed local road network) - Sealed local road requests (number of sealed local road requests per 100 kilometres of sealed local road) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

61.

62.

LGPRF – Roads: (b) Condition (sealed local roads are maintained at the adopted condition standard) - Sealed local roads below the intervention level (percentage of sealed local roads that are below the renewal intervention level set by Council and not requiring renewal) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality) LGPRF - Roads: (c) Service cost (renewal and maintenance of sealed local roads are undertaken in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of sealed local road reconstruction (direct reconstruction cost to Council per square metre of sealed local roads reconstructed).

- Cost of sealed local road resealing (direct resealing cost to Council per square metre of sealed local roads resealed).

Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15 100

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

78

No material variations.

Achieved Target (22 requests better than target).

City Plan/ Budget

3.1G

80% Note: Banyule’s target was revised to 80% for Budget 2015/16

98%

N/A

N/A

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+18%).

3.1H

N/A 3.1I

$30 Note: Banyule’s targets revised to N/A and $30 for Budget 2015/16

$40

No material variations.

Target not achieved on this occasion.

Additional $10 compared with target.

116

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

63.

LGPRF - Roads: (d) Satisfaction (sealed local road network is maintained and renewed to ensure that it is safe and efficient) - Satisfaction with sealed local roads (community satisfaction rating out of 100 with how Council has performed on the condition of sealed local roads) Indicator Type: Outcome (Satisfaction)

64.

65.

66.

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

69 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

68

CSI – Council’s general town planning policy (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/ Equity/ Service Levels)

56 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

59

CSI – Business and community development and tourism (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/ Equity/ Service Levels)

62 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

60

CSI – Planning and building permits (performance) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

53 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

56

Report of Operations

Comments/ Material Variations No material variation.

Represents 99% achievement against target.

Banyule’s CSI score (68) was less than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (69) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (55).

Overall, 91% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

Achieved Target (+3).

Banyule’s CSI score (59) was also significantly higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (55) and the 2015 State-wide average (54).

Overall, 66% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015 (note: 24% of respondents provided a rating of ‘can’t say’).

Represents 97% achievement against target.

Banyule’s CSI score (60) was less than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (62) and the 2015 State-wide average (61).

Tourism tends to not be recognised as a significant category of interest in Banyule.

Achieved Target (+3).

Banyule’s CSI score (56) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (54) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (53).

City Plan/ Budget

3.1J

3.2A

3.2B

3.2C

117

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

67.

Number of businesses that are participating in special rates schemes Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/ Equity/ Service Levels)

1,000

1,318

68.

69.

LGPRF – Animal management: (a) Timeliness (Councils act in response to animal management related requests in a timely manner) - Time taken to action animal requests (average number of days it has taken for Council to action animal management related requests) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness) LGPRF – Animal management: (b) Service standard (Councils register all animals in the municipality in accordance with the Domestic Animals Act 1994) - Animals reclaimed (percentage of collected registrable animals under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 reclaimed) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

Report of Operations

5 days

No Result

Comments/ Material Variations Achieved Target (+318).

The result reflects a continued focus on investment in our shopping centres by traders, property owners and Council.

City Plan/ Budget

3.3C

In Transition. Collecting data from 1st July for 2015/2016 Reporting.

3.4C

80%

71%

No material variations.

Represents 89% achievement against target.

Original target was based solely on dogs reclaims.

3.4D

118

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

70.

LGPRF – Animal management: (c) Service cost (animal management service is delivered in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of animal management service (cost to Council of the animal management service per registered animal under the Domestic Animals Act 1994) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost)

71.

72.

73.

LGPRF – Animal management: (d) Health and safety (animal management service protects the health and safety of animals, humans and the environment) - Animal management prosecutions (number of successful animal management prosecutions) Indicator Type: Outcome (Health and safety)

Target 2014/15 $30

Result 2014/15 $30

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Achieved Target.

3.4E

5

3

No material variations.

Represents 60% achievement against target.

3.4F

CSI – Parking facilities (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/ Equity/ Service Levels)

56 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

57

CSI – Traffic management (performance) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

59 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

58

Report of Operations

Comments/ Material Variations

Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (57) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (55) and equal to the 2015 State-wide average.

Overall, 78% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

Represents 98% achievement against target.

Banyule’s CSI score (58) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (57) and less than the 2015 State-wide average (60).

3.5A

3.5B

119

Our Best Value Performance

No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

74.

Linear metres of shared paths/ trails renewed, upgraded and new.

Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/ Equity/ Service Levels)

900 metres

1,730

Achieved Target (+830).

This result includes works completed for the Plenty River trial, Main Yarra trail, Banyule trail, East-West Power Easement trail, and improved access to the trail network with the construction of 3 new feeder paths.

3.5C

CSI - Overall performance of Council Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

68 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

75.

76.

CSI - Customer service (performance) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Report of Operations

74 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

69

73

Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (69) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (67) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (60).

Overall, 91% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

Represents 99% achievement against target.

Banyule’s CSI score (73) was also equal to the 2015 Metro Council Group average and higher than the 2015 Statewide average (70).

Overall, 88% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

4.1A 4.4A

5.1B

4.1B 4.4B

5.1D

120

77.

Visits to website Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

800,000

1,249,926 (Pageviews)

Achieved Target (+449,926).

4.1D 4.4D

5.3E

Our Best Value Performance

No.

Indicators

78.

LGPRF - Governance: (a) Transparency (Council decisions made at an ordinary or special meeting of Council, or at a meeting of a special committee consisting only of Councillors, in an open and transparent manner) - Council resolutions made at meetings closed to the public (percentage of Council resolutions made at an ordinary or special meeting of Council, or at a meeting of a special committee consisting only of Councillors, closed to the public under section 89(2) of the Act) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

s89(2) Local Government Act when closing a meeting to members of the public

10%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

4.1E

15% 5.3H Note: Banyule’s target was revised to 15% for Budget 2015/16

121

79.

LGPRF - Governance: (b) Consultation and engagement (Council decisions made and implemented with community input) - Satisfaction with community consultation and engagement (community satisfaction rating out of 100 with the consultation and engagement efforts of Council) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Appropriateness)

No material variations.

59 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

59 Achieved Target.

Banyule’s CSI score (59) was higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (58) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (56).

Overall, 71% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

4.1F (4.1C)

5.3I

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

80.

LGPRF - Governance: (c) Attendance (Councillors represent the views of their constituents and allow decisions to take place by attending meetings) - Councillor attendance at Council meetings (percentage of attendance at ordinary and special Council meetings by Councillors) Indicator Type: Output (Effectiveness, Quality)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15 80%

Result 2014/15 92%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Achieved Target (+12%). .

4.1G

5.3J

122

81.

LGPRF - Governance: (d) Service cost (Councils deliver their governance service in a cost-efficient manner) - Cost of governance (direct cost of delivering Council's governance service per Councillor) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Cost)

Within 10% variance of budget for the cost of Governance service

$49,172

No material variations.

Within target.

4.1H

5.3K 82.

LGPRF - Governance: (e) Satisfaction (Councils make and implement decisions in the best interests of the community) - Satisfaction with Council decisions (community satisfaction rating out of 100 with how Council has performed in making decisions in the interests of the community) Indicator Type: Outcome (Satisfaction)

59 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

60

No material variations Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (60) was higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (59) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (55).

Overall, 73% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

4.1I

5.3L

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

123

83.

84.

LGPRF Governance and Management Checklist (GMC) - Community engagement: Community engagement policy (policy outlining Council's commitment to engaging with the community on matters of public interest) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Community engagement) (Note: LGPRF GMC –Governance and Management Checklist - Key indicators and measures as part of the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework. For further information please refer to the ‘General Notes and Glossary of Terms for the Indicators’)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Community engagement: Community engagement guidelines (guidelines to assist staff to determine when and how to engage with the community) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Community engagement)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Yes

Assessment: Current policy in operation.

Date of operation of current policy: 17 June 2013.

4.1J 4.2E

5.1E 5.2R 5.3M

Yes

Assessment: Current guidelines in operation.

Date of operation of current guidelines: 24 January 2013.

4.1K 4.2F

5.1F 5.2S 5.3N 85.

CSI – Informing the community (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

64 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

65

Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (65) was also higher than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (64) and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (61).

Overall, 84% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

4.2A 4.4C

5.1C

Our Best Value Performance

Report of Operations

124

No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

86.

Amount distributed through Council’s Community Grants programs Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

$140,000

$198,735

Achieved Target (+58,735).

Council distributed grants to 64 approved applications Overall, 146 applications were received requesting a total of approximately $640,000.

Number of Community nominations for Banyule volunteer awards Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

40

CSI – Lobbying on behalf of the community (performance) Indicator Type: Outcome (Service Effectiveness)

57 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

58

Number of significant issues Council has advocated on behalf of the community (as reported in the six monthly advocacy reports to Council) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

15

32

Average time taken to answer telephone call enquiries Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

Within 2 minutes

87.

88.

89.

90.

58

Achieved Target (+18).

A total of 58 nominations were received for 7 categories, with 16 awards presented.

This result supports the growing awareness and recognition of the significant contributions made by volunteers.

A total of 58 nominations for 7 categories were received, of which 16 received awards.

Achieved Target (+1).

Banyule’s CSI score (58) was also equal to the 2015 Metro Council Group average and significantly higher than the 2015 State-wide average (55).

City Plan/ Budget

4.2C

4.2D

4.3A

Achieved Target (+17).

4.3B 2 minutes and 11 seconds

11 seconds above/outside the target.

4.4E

5.3F

Our Best Value Performance Report of Operations

125

No. 91.

Indicators Percentage of customer requests actioned within specified timeframes Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

75%

83%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

Achieved Target (+8%).

4.4F

5.3G 92.

93.

94.

Maintain full certification for all services to the most recent National/ International standards in Quality, Occupational Health & Safety, and Environmental Management.

Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Certification Maintained

LGPRF GMC - Monitoring: Audit Committee (advisory committee of Council under section 139 of the Act whose role is to oversee the integrity of a Council's financial reporting, processes to manage risks to the Council's operations and for compliance with applicable legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Monitoring)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Monitoring: Internal audit (independent accounting professionals engaged by the Council to provide analyses and recommendations aimed at improving Council's governance, risk and management controls) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Monitoring)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Report of Operations

Certification Maintained

Certification Maintained.

5.1A 5.5B 5.6B Yes

Yes

Assessment: Committee established in accordance with section 139 of the Act. Date of operation of current guidelines: 27 June 1997.

Assessment: Internal auditor engaged.

Date of engagement of the current provider: 10 September 2012.

5.1G 5.2Y 5.3U

5.1H 5.2Z 5.3V

126

95.

Achievement of the budgeted result or better.

Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

Result Achieved

Result Achieved

Result Achieved.

5.2A

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

96.

Percentage of projects in year 1 of 10 year Capital Works program completed on time.

Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

85%

95%

Achieved Target (+10%).

Banyule’s 2014-2015 Capital Works program was an ambitious program with over 270 projects (and initiatives).

97.

LGPRF (Financial) – Operating position: Adjusted underlying result (an adjusted underlying surplus is generated in the ordinary course of business) - Adjusted underlying surplus (or deficit) (adjusted underlying surplus (or deficit) as a percentage of underlying revenue) Indicator Type: Output (Operating position, Underlying result)

Report of Operations

-6.0%

9%

No material variations.

15% better performance due to property sales brought forward.

Operating position: Within range and within target - Council is generating a surplus in the ordinary course of business, although a gradual decline with the introduction of rate capping.

Adjusted underlying result: The significant operating position in 2015 is from property sales which is not expected to be replicated into future years.

A loss on sale contributes to the breakeven position in 2017. Future years operating position includes an efficiency dividend.

The 2016-2019 operating margin derived by Council under the rate capping environment is gradually reduced from between 3% to just above 1%.

Operational efficiencies are to be continually derived to continue to invest in asset renewal at the required levels.

City Plan/ Budget

5.2B

5.2C

127

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

98.

LGPRF (Financial) – Liquidity: (a) Working capital (sufficient working capital is available to pay bills as and when they fall due) - Current assets compared to current liabilities (current assets as a percentage of current liabilities) Indicator Type: Output (Liquidity, Working capital)

99.

LGPRF (Financial) – Liquidity: (b) Unrestricted cash (sufficient cash that is free of restrictions is available to pay bills as and when they fall due) - Unrestricted cash compared to current liabilities (unrestricted cash as a percentage of current liabilities) Indicator Type: Output (Liquidity, Working capital)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

168.5%

397%

84%

261%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Liquidity: Within Range and within Target - Sufficient working capital and free cash is available to pay bills as and when they fall due.

5.2D

No material variations.

Unrestricted Cash: Future years capital works program is expected to be significantly reduced and managed within the existing capital capacity generated each year.

5.2E

128

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

100.

LGPRF (Financial) – Obligations: (a) Loans and borrowings (level of interest bearing loans and borrowings is appropriate to the size and nature of Council's activities) - Loans and borrowings compared to rates (interest bearing loans and borrowings as a percentage of rate revenue)

- Loans and borrowings repayments compared to rates (interest and principal repayments on interest bearing loans and borrowings as a percentage of rate revenue) Indicator Type: Output (Obligations, Indebtedness)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

5.2F 68%

68%

7.2%

5%

No material variations.

Obligations: Within Range and within target, except for loans and borrowings compared to rates. This indicator comes within Target from year 3.

Loans and borrowings: Council's borrowings are appropriate to the size and nature of its activities. The ability to make repayments is within target in all years.

No material variations.

Loans and borrowings repayments: Council debt management strategy is to reduce debt and will be within target by 20172018 financial year.

129

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

101.

LGPRF (Financial) – Obligations: (b) Indebtedness (level of long term liabilities is appropriate to the size and nature of a Council's activities) - Non-current liabilities compared to own source revenue (noncurrent liabilities as a percentage of ownsource revenue) Indicator Type: Output (Obligations, Long term liabilities)

102.

103.

LGPRF (Financial) – Obligations: (c) Asset renewal (assets are renewed as planned) - Asset renewal compared to depreciation (asset renewal expenditure as a percentage of depreciation) Indicator Type: Output (Obligations, Asset renewal)

LGPRF (Financial) – Stability: (a) Rates concentration (revenue is generated from a range of sources) - Rates compared to adjusted underlying revenue (rate revenue as a percentage of adjusted underlying revenue) Indicator Type: Output (Stability, Rates concentration)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

50.2%

45%

No material variations.

Indebtedness: Council has the ability to meet its long term obligations as seen through the gradual reduction of the indebtedness ratio of over 30% over the next 4 years.

The borrowing is directly related to the purchase of 3 school sites and subsequent sale.

The proceeds of which are held in reserve and will be used to help fund future capital projects.

This has significantly (but temporarily) increased the existing indebtedness of Council through its recent strategy to borrow funds.

120%

67%

89%

61%

No material variations.

Asset Renewal: The next 2 years sees an increase above both the range and target for asset renewal with the accelerated capital projects being completed and funded through reserves.

Council continues to renew its assets as per its asset management strategy and plans.

No material variations.

Stability: Within Range and within Target - Council is able to generate revenue from a range of sources.

Rates concentration: Concentration remains stable across the multiple years.

City Plan/ Budget

5.2G

5.2H

5.2I

130

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

104.

LGPRF (Financial) – Stability: (b) Rates effort (rating level is set based on the community’s capacity to pay) - Rates compared to property values (rate revenue as a percentage of the capital improved value of rateable properties in the municipality) Indicator Type: Output (Stability, Rates effort)

105.

106.

LGPRF (Financial) – Efficiency: (a) Expenditure level (resources are used efficiently in the delivery of services) - Expenses per property assessment (total expenses per property assessment) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Expenditure level)

LGPRF (Financial) – Efficiency: (b) Revenue level (resources are used efficiently in the delivery of services) - Average residential rate per residential property assessment (residential rate revenue per residential property assessment) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Revenue level)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

0.3%

0.3%

No material variations.

Rates effort Council anticipates there to be a significant valuation increase in properties within the municipality effective 2017 of 22.53% and in 2019 of 9.85%.

5.2J

$2,587

$1,439

$2,456

$1,579

No material variations.

Efficiency: Within Range and within Target - all resources are used efficiently in the delivery of services.

Expenditure level: The increase in revenue and expenditure is thus growing but restricted to 10% in total over the next 4 years (or CPI).

No material variations.

Revenue level: The number of assessments will remain relatively constant over the next 4 years and as such the municipality will have minimal growth.

5.2K

5.2L

131

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

107.

LGPRF (Financial) – Efficiency: (c) Workforce turnover (resources are used efficiently in the delivery of services) - Resignations and terminations compared to average staff (number of permanent staff resignations and terminations as a percentage of average number of permanent staff) Indicator Type: Output (Efficiency, Workforce turnover)

108.

109.

LGPRF – Sustainable Capacity: (a) Own-source revenue (revenue is generated from a range of sources in order to fund the delivery of Council services to the community) - Own-source revenue per head of municipal population (own-source revenue per head of municipal population) Indicator Type: Output (Capacity, Own source revenue) LGPRF – Sustainable Capacity: (b) Recurrent grants (revenue is generated from a range of sources in order to fund the delivery of Council services to the community) - Recurrent grants per head of municipal population (recurrent grants per head of municipal population) Indicator Type: Output (Capacity, Recurrent grants)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

15.3%

6%

No material variations.

Workforce Turnover remains low and stable at Banyule.

City Plan/ Budget

5.2M

$900 Based on VAGO description

$991

$100

$123

No material variations.

Sustainable Capacity: The Council is able to meet the agreed service needs of the community.

Own Source Revenue: Within Range and Target Revenue can be generated from a range of sources in order to fund the delivery of Council Services to the Community.

5.2N

No material variations.

Within Range and Target.

5.2O

132

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

110.

LGPRF – Sustainable Capacity: (c) Population (population is a key driver of a Council's ability to fund the delivery of services to the community) - Expenses per head of municipal population (total expenses per head of municipal population)

- Infrastructure per head of municipal population (value of infrastructure per head of municipal population)

- Population density per length of road (municipal population per kilometre of local road) Indicator Type: Output (Capacity, Population) 111.

LGPRF – Sustainable Capacity: (d) Disadvantage (disadvantage is a key driver of a Council's ability to fund the delivery of services to the community) - Relative socio-economic disadvantage (relative Socio-economic Disadvantage of the municipality) Indicator Type: Output (Capacity, Disadvantage)

Report of Operations

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

$1,000

$1,018

$4,700

$4,436

225

229

9

9

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

No material variations.

Expenses per head of population: Within Range and Target.

Population: Population is a key driver of a Councils ability to fund the delivery of services to the Community.

No material variations.

Within Range but not within Target.

Although the actual is below target Council has continued to invest heavily in its infrastructure over the past few years.

The population for the municipality is growing below the average across Victoria.

The indicator is expected to increase in future years as our investment in infrastructure increases.

5.2P

No material variations.

Within Range and Target.

No material variations.

Within Range and Target.

Least disadvantaged is 10.

5.2Q

133

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

112.

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Strategic Resource Plan (plan under section 126 of the Act outlining the financial and nonfinancial resources required for at least the next 4 financial years) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Yes

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Annual budget (plan under section 130 of the Act setting out the services to be provided and initiatives to be undertaken over the next 12 months and the funding and other resources required) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Asset management plans (plans that set out the asset maintenance and renewal needs for key infrastructure asset classes for at least the next 10 years) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Rating strategy (strategy setting out the rating structure of Council to levy rates and charges) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

113.

114.

115.

Report of Operations

Yes

Yes

Yes

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

Assessment: Plan adopted in accordance with section 126 of the Act. Date of adoption: 22 June 2015.

5.2T

Assessment: Budget adopted in accordance with section 130 of the Act. Date of adoption: 22 June 2015.

5.2U

Assessment: Current plans in operation.

Date of operation of current plans: Roads -12 June 2014, Pathways - 10 February 2014, Bridges - 22 May 2014, Drains - 26 February 2014, Playgrounds and Open Space 25 February 2014, Buildings – 1 July 2014.

5.2V

Assessment: Current strategy in operation.

Date of operation of current strategy: 13 April 2015.

5.2W

134

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

116.

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Procurement policy (policy under section 186A of the Local Government Act 1989 outlining the matters, practices and procedures that will apply to all purchases of goods, services and works) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Yes

Assessment: Prepared and approved in accordance with section 186A of the Local Government Act 1989.

Date of operation of current strategy: 21 July 2014.

LGPRF GMC - Monitoring: Performance reporting framework (a set of indicators measuring financial and nonfinancial performance, including the performance indicators referred to in section 131 of the Act) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Monitoring)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Reporting: Council Plan reporting (report reviewing the performance of the Council against the Council Plan, including the results in relation to the strategic indicators, for the first six months of the financial year) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Reporting)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Reporting: Financial reporting (quarterly statements to Council under section 138 of the Act comparing budgeted revenue and expenditure with actual revenue and expenditure) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Reporting)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

117.

118.

119.

Report of Operations

Yes

Yes

Yes

Assessment: Current framework in operation.

Date of operation of current framework: 1 July 2014.

Assessment: Current Report.

Date of the reports: Q1: 17 October 2014; Q2: 11 February 2015; Q3: 30 April 2015; Q4: 16 July 2015.

Assessment: Quarterly statements presented to Council in accordance with section 138(1) of the Act. Dates statements presented: Q4 PY: 15 September 2014; Q1 CY: 20 October 2014; Q2 CY: 02 February 2015; Q3 CY: 11 May 2015.

City Plan/ Budget

5.2X

5.2AB

5.2AC

5.2AD

135

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

120.

LGPRF GMC - Reporting: Risk reporting (six-monthly reports of strategic risks to Council's operations, their likelihood and consequences of occurring and risk minimisation strategies) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Reporting)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Yes

Annual report in place.

Date of report: 4 July 2014 6 month review to be implemented.

Methodology and reports being reviewed and revamped reports and frequency to be implemented, following Internal Audit.

5.2AE

LGPRF GMC - Reporting: Performance reporting (sixmonthly reports of indicators measuring results against financial and non- financial performance, including the performance indicators referred to in section 131 of the Act) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Reporting)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Assessment: Reports prepared and presented.

Date of reports: Qtr1: 14 November 2014; Qtr2: 19 March 2015; Qtr3: 27 May 2015; Qtr4: (base on 2014/15 EOY Reporting).

5.2AF

LGPRF GMC - Reporting: Annual report (annual report under sections 131, 132 and 133 of the Act to the community containing a report of operations and audited financial and performance statements) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Reporting)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

WorkCover premium as a percentage of payroll Indicator Type: Output (Cost)

2.25%

121.

122.

123.

124.

Percentage of official Council and Committee meetings attended by Councillors where a quorum was achieved Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

Report of Operations

100%

Yes

Yes

1.90% For 2013/2014

100%

Assessment: Annual report considered at a meeting of Council in accordance with section 134 of the Act. Date statements presented: 20 October 2014.

Achieved Target (0.35% better than target).

This is a lag indicator, and the result provided has been assessed two months after the 2013/14 annual reporting period.

5.2AG

5.3A

Achieved Target.

5.3C

136

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Comments/ Material Variations

125.

CSI – Enforcement of local laws (performance) Indicator Type: Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels)

66 Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014

65

Represents 98% achievement against target.

Banyule’s CSI score (65) was also less than the 2015 Metro Council Group average (66) and the 2015 State-wide average (66).

Overall, 77% of respondents provided a rating of very good, good or average for this service area (category) in 2015.

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Risk policy (policy outlining Council's commitment and approach to minimising the risks to Council's operations) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Yes

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Fraud policy (policy outlining Council's commitment and approach to minimising the risk of fraud) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Municipal emergency management plan (plan under section 20 of the Emergency Management Act 1986 for emergency prevention, response and recovery) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Business continuity plan (plan setting out the actions that will be taken to ensure that key services continue to operate in the event of a disaster) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

126.

127.

128.

129.

Report of Operations

City Plan/ Budget

5.3D

Assessment: Current policy in operation.

Date of operation of current policy: 2 May 2012.

5.3O 5.4B

Yes

Assessment: Current policy in operation.

Date of operation of current policy: 1 February 2011.

5.3P

Yes

Yes

Assessment: Prepared and maintained in accordance with section 20 of the Emergency Management Act 1986.

Date of preparation: 13 November 2014.

5.3G 5.5C

Assessment: Current plan in operation.

Date of preparation: 14 April 2015.

5.3R 5.5D

137

Our Best Value Performance No.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

130.

LGPRF GMC - Planning: Disaster recovery plan (plan setting out the actions that will be undertaken to recover and restore business capability in the event of a disaster) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Planning)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

Yes

LGPRF GMC - Monitoring: Risk management framework (framework outlining Council's approach to managing risks to the Council's operations) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Monitoring)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC – Decision Making: Councillor Code of Conduct (Code under section 76C of the Act setting out the conduct principles and the dispute resolution processes to be followed by Councillors) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Decision making)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC – Decision Making: Delegations (a document setting out the powers, duties and functions of Council and the Chief Executive Officer that have been delegated to members of staff) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Decision making)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

LGPRF GMC – Decision Making: Meeting procedures (a local law governing the conduct of meetings of Council and special committees) Indicator Type: Output (Governance & management, Decision making)

Assessment criteria satisfactorily achieved

131.

132.

133.

134.

Report of Operations

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

Assessment: Current plan in operation.

Date of preparation: 6 February 2015.

5.3S 5.5E

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Assessment: Current framework in operation.

Date of operation of current framework: 2 May 2012.

Assessment: Code of conduct reviewed in accordance with section 76C of the Act. Date reviewed: 9 September 2013.

Assessment: Delegations reviewed in accordance with section 98(6) of the Act. Date of review: 21 October 2013.

Assessment: Meeting procedures local law made in accordance with section 91(1) of the Act. Date local law made: 27 April 2015.

5.3T 5.5F

5.3W

5.3X

5.3Y

138

Our Best Value Performance No. 135.

136.

137.

Indicators

Target 2014/15

Result 2014/15

Performance against Human Resources Strategic Plan (% actions completed on time) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

80%

92%

Percentage of Freedom of Information requests responded to within statutory timeframes (45 days) Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

80%

Percentage of core IT systems availability Indicator Type: Output (Quality)

98%

Comments/ Material Variations

City Plan/ Budget

Achieved Target (+12%).

5.4A 90%

Achieved Target (+10%).

Represents 9 out of 10 requests answered within 45 days.

5.5A

99%

Achieved Target (+1%).

5.6A General Notes and Glossary of Terms for the Indicators 1.

CSI – Community satisfaction index scores measured by Victorian Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey (CSS), coordinated by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP, formerly Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure) 2.

CSI indicators and results are based on survey measures in the CSS for 2014 and 2015. These are listed for comparison with the average results for the Inner Melbourne Metropolitan Group of councils (Inner Group). The Target 2014-2015 is based on: ‘Equal to or greater than the Inner Metro Council Group average for 2014’. The Actual 2014-2015 is based on Banyule’s result in the CSS 2015. This is an indicative comparison, as there were minor changes to Council groupings in the CSS 2015. Banyule is now classified as a Metro Council, and is one of 17 councils in this group. (Metro Council Group:- Melbourne Metropolitan Group of councils.)

3.Banyule’s CSI indicators and targets are based on ‘performance’ measures. Community Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores are commonly used in the market research industry to represent the extent of customer satisfaction. Banyule’s survey results are available on Council’s website.

4.The explanatory notes supporting CSI indicators often include additional information, including comparisons with the 2015 Metro Council Group average, comparison with 2015 State-wide average, and ‘the percentage of respondents providing a rating of very good, good or average’ (note: the percentages are based on the survey report data which includes the scale: very good, good, average, poor, very poor, and can’t say. The percentage of respondents providing a rating of ‘can’t say’ is highlighted in some cases in order to qualify the percentage results, where this adds value to the comments).

5.‘Indicator type’: Indicators have been categorised in terms based on the objectives of the local government reporting framework (ie. the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework – LGPRF). Banyule has aligned its indicator types, in the form of: Output (Quality), Appropriateness (Access/Equity/Service Levels), Outcome (Service Effectiveness), and Output (Cost).

6.LGPRF – Local Government Performance Reporting Framework indicators: 

Key measures as part of the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework – these include indicators and measures of service performance, financial performance and sustainable capacity, along with a checklist of 24 governance and management requirements.



In April 2014, legislation was introduced to include the requirement for Councils to report against the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework (LGPRF).

Report of Operations

139

Our Best Value Performance 

The Local Government (Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2014 support the operation of the new planning and reporting framework for Councils under the Local Government Amendment (Performance Reporting and Accountability) Act 2014.



Banyule City Council adheres to the ‘Local Government Better Practice Guide 2014-2015 - Performance Reporting Framework Indicator Workbook’ (LGV Guide - LGPRF Indicator Workbook) in the implementation of the LGPRF indicators process.

General Notes and Glossary of Terms for the Indicators (continued) 

The list of indicators included in the State Government’s LGPRF is included in Council’s Budget 2014-2015 document (and Budget 2015-2016). The first set of results is reported in this Annual Report 2014-2015, in line with the legislative requirements. Council will continue to review these and adjust targets and indicators as appropriate on an annual basis.



Council will continue to work with the State Government and Local Government industry sector in the further development and implementation of the LGPRF.



The list of LGPRF indicators to be reported on has been updated to align with recent changes and advice received from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (April 2015, Circular 3/2015 – Local Government Performance Reporting Framework – Changes for 2014-15). The DELWP advised that the changes relate to a transitional implementation of HACC and MCH indicators, that ‘there is a need to refine the economic development indicators’, and that ‘the changes will be enabled in the Local Government (Planning and Reporting) Amendment Regulation 2015 and will come into effect on 1 June 2015’.

7.LGPRF GMC – LGPRF Governance and Management Checklist 8.The indicators are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure continued alignment with Council’s objectives and priorities, and are subject to change. They are also reviewed in line with Banyule’s ongoing planning process, and through Banyule’s involvement with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (formerly Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure) process to further develop the reporting framework for the local government sector.

9.Targets for 2014/2015 have been revised for some LGPRF indicators based on the continued review of LGPRF information in line with the LGV Guide - LGPRF Indicator Workbook, improved guidance and learnings from LGV and the sector, Banyule’s organisational trial program for LGPRF reporting during 2014/2015, and preparation of Banyule’s Budget 2015/2016.

10. Indicator No. 3: Percentage of people who feel they ‘belong’ in Banyule - This indicator is measured on a ‘0 to 10’ rating scale.

The percentage result is based on the total percentage of people who have given a rating of 5 or more on the rating scale.

The average score out of 10 was 6.3 in 2015 compared with 6.2 in 2014, and 6.1 in both 2012-2013 and 2011-2012.

11. Indicator No. 31: Percentage of people who feel safe in Banyule - This indicator is measured on a ‘0 to 10’ rating scale. The percentage result is based on the total percentage of people who have given a rating of 5 or more on the rating scale. The average score out of 10 was 7.7 in 2014-2015, compared with 7.7 in 2013-2014, 7.9 in 2012-2013 and 7.8 in 20112012.)

12. Indicator No. 123: WorkCover premium as a percentage of payroll – This is a lag indicator, and the results provided have been assessed three months after the (2012-13 and) 2013-14 annual reporting periods.

Report of Operations

140

Governance, management and other information Good Governance At Banyule we are committed to fair dealing and high standards of ethical behaviour in caring for and managing our City. The community places its trust in our Councillors, staff and contractors to ensure that we serve them faithfully and honestly and manage resources responsibly on their behalf.

We must therefore ensure the business of Council is conducted efficiently, impartially and with integrity, and that the interests of the Banyule community are always our priority.

Underpinning everything we do at Council is strong governance, astute financial management and efficient service delivery. We remain transparent and accountable as an organisation.

Decision Making Council’s formal decision-making processes are conducted through Council meetings of Council. Council delegates the majority of its decision-making to Council staff. These delegations are exercised in accordance with adopted Council policies.

Meetings of Council Ordinary meetings of Council are generally held on a fortnightly basis on a Monday evening excluding January. The meeting schedule is adopted by Council each year and is advertised in the local paper calendar and on Council’s website. They start at 7.30 pm with a public forum, with the formal Council meeting beginning at 7.45 pm.

Council decisions are made by Councillors at Council meetings. Meetings are open to the public unless the Council resolves to close the meeting to consider confidential matters. Council meetings provide residents with an opportunity to witness the discussion and decisions of Council, to ask questions of Council and to raise issues for Council to consider in its decision-making process.

The meeting procedure is outlined in Council’s Governance Local Law No.2 (2015). The local law and Meeting Procedures Code (2015) regulate the conduct of Council meetings and use of the Common Seal.

Voting is by a show of hands. The Mayor takes precedence at all municipal proceedings within the municipality and takes the chair at all meetings of the Council when present.

Public Participation in Council Meetings Anyone can address Council on a matter that is on the Council Agenda by submitting a written request to speak on the day of the meeting. Speakers are allowed three minutes to present to Council.

A public forum is held prior to each meeting where members of the gallery may ask a question of the Council. Where questions cannot be answered on the evening, they will be ‘taken on notice’ and the relevant staff member will make contact with the enquirer.

Members of the community can provide input through the conventional process of petitions. In this way they can raise the attention of the whole Council to matters that are of concern to a number of residents.

For the 2014-15 year Council held the following meetings:  22 ordinary Council meetings  1 special Council meeting.

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141

Governance, management and other information The following table provides is a summary of Councillor attendance at Council meetings and Special Council meetings for the 2014–15 financial year.

Councillors Cr S Briffa Cr M Di Pasquale Cr R Garotti Cr C Langdon Cr T Melican Cr J Mulholland Cr Wayne Phillips

Council Meeting 18 22 16 21 22 18 20

Special Council Meeting

Total

0 1 0 1 1 1 1

18 23 16 22 23 19 22

Note: Councillor Jenny Mulholland received a Leave of Absence from 10 July to 17 August 2014 and 14 to 17 June 2015.

Councillor Craig Langdon received a Leave of Absence from 14 November to 30 November 2014 and 31 March to 7 April 2015 Councillor Wayne Phillips received a Leave of Absence from 11 October to 25 October 2014.

Councillor Steven Briffa received a Leave of Absence from 29 October to 30 November 2014 and 25 June to 13 July 2015.

Special Committees The Local Government Act 1989 allows councils to establish one or more special committees consisting of:  Councillors  Council staff  Other persons  Any combination of the above.

Council has no special committee as permitted under Section 86 of the Local Government Act 1989.

Council has established a number of advisory committees and Councillors are appointed as representatives on those committees. In addition to the Council-established advisory committees, there are a number of other committees that include nominated Councillor Representatives.

Report of Operations

142

Governance, management and other information Committee Listing Below is the last financial year Council Committees

1 July 2014 – 27 October 2014

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican

28 October 2014 – 30 June 2015 Cr Craig Langdon Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute) Cr Craig Langdon and Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican

Cr Steven Briffa Cr Wayne Phillips Cr Mark Di Pasquale (substitute)

Cr Steven Briffa Cr Wayne Phillips Cr Mark Di Pasquale (substitute)

Cr Rick Garotti Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Craig Langdon (substitute) Cr Tom Melican (substitute) Cr Tom Melican Cr Steven Briffa

Cr Rick Garotti Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Craig Langdon (substitute) Cr Tom Melican (substitute) Cr Tom Melican Cr Steven Briffa

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee Age-friendly Advisory Committee (effective from Dec 2014) Arts and Cultural Advisory Group Formal mechanism for Council to consult with key stakeholders, seek specialist advice and enable community participation in arts and cultural planning and development.

Asset Management Steering Committee To implement Council’s Asset Management Strategy and ensure a corporate approach across Council.

Audit Committee – Councillors Improves the quality of financial reporting and ensures Council makes informed decisions regarding accounting policies, practices and disclosures.

Banyule Bicycle Advisory Committee This committee will provide advice on the implementation of the Banyule Bicycle Strategy 2010-2020 and Implementation Plan and other related documents/initiatives, as well as providing advice to Council on relevant cycling matters and raising cycling issues of local, regional or global interest or concern for consideration by Council.

Banyule Environment Advisory Cr Steven Briffa Committee (BEAC) Cr Tom Melican Assists with the implementation and (substitute) monitoring of the Banyule Environmental Sustainability Policy and Strategy, the production of the annual State of the Environment Report and provides advice and comment on environmental matters.

Report of Operations

Cr Steven Briffa Cr Craig Langdon (substitute) Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

143

Governance, management and other information Council Committees continued Banyule Multicultural Advisory Group (BMAC) The aim of BMAC is to provide Council with advice on multicultural issues and on the development and implementation of Council’s Inclusion. Access and Equity Plan (IAEP).

Banyule Road Safety Committee This committee will provide advice to Council and Council staff on the implementation of the Banyule Road Safety Plan 2010-2015 and other related documents/initiatives, as well as providing advice to Council on relevant road safety matters and raising road safety issues of local, regional or global interest or concern for consideration by Council.

Disability and Inclusion Advisory Committee Early Years Advisory Committee To advise and inform Council’s planning response to early childhood issues and developments from a parent/carer perspective.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) Advisory Committee The aim of the GLBTI committee is to provide Council with advice and information on issues facing the GLBTI community and on the development and implementation of Council’s Inclusion, Access and Equity Plan (IAEP).

Neighbourhood Character Focus Group To represent Council’s interests on local housing topics expressed in the Banyule Housing Strategy and Neighbourhood Character Strategy.

Strategic Property Group The purpose of this committee is to review the current and future property requirements of the Council to ensure that adequate provision is made to meet future community needs.

Report of Operations

12 November 2013 30 June 2014 Cr Rick Garotti Cr Mark Di Pasquale (substitute)

28 October 2014 – 30 June 2015 Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Steven Briffa (substitute)

Cr Craig Langdon Cr Steven Briffa Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

Cr Craig Langdon Cr Steven Briffa Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Craig Langdon (substitute) Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Cr Wayne Phillips Cr Steven Briffa Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Wayne Phillips Cr Steven Briffa Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Wayne Phillips Cr Steven Briffa Cr Craig Langdon

Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Wayne Phillips Cr Steven Briffa Cr Craig Langdon

144

Governance, management and other information External Committees In addition to the Council-established advisory committees there are a number of other committees that include nominated Councillor Representatives.

External Committees

12 November 2013 30 June 2014

Darebin Creek Management Committee Established to ensure the preservation, restoration, environmental protection, and ecologically sensitive development and maintenance of the Darebin Creek Linear Park.

Melbourne’s Valley of the Arts Regional Tourism Board (MVotA) To promote the middle Yarra parklands area to increase recognition of its arts, cultural and environmental heritage amongst local residents and visitors to Melbourne.

Metropolitan Transport Forum To promote effective, efficient and equitable transport in metropolitan Melbourne by providing a forum for debate, research and policy development, and by disseminating information to improve transport choices.

Metropolitan Waste Management Group Provides a framework for strategic regional waste management planning and a waste management coordination role for waste issues in regions.

Cr Craig Langdon Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

28 October 2014 – 30 June 2015 Cr Craig Langdon Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Craig Langdon Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Craig Langdon Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Tom Melican Cr Rick Garotti (substitute)

Cr Tom Melican Cr Rick Garotti (substitute)

Cr Craig Langdon Cr Tom Melican (Director on the MWMG Board 23/04/13 – 28/10/16) Cr Wayne Phillips (substitute) Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

Cr Craig Langdon Cr Tom Melican (Director on the MWMG Board 23/04/13 – 28/10/16) Cr Wayne Phillips (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

Cr Tom Melican Cr Craig Langdon Cr Mark Di Pasquale Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute) Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) Provides leadership by supporting local governments to achieve high levels of respect and recognition through improved performance.

Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) Provides leadership by supporting local governments to achieve high levels of respect and recognition through improved performance.

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) – Environment Committee To provide strategic advice to the MAV on environment issues of importance to local government and the needs and issues of members in delivery of environmental outcomes.

Report of Operations

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican

Cr Tom Melican Cr Steven Briffa (substitute)

145

Governance, management and other information External Committees continued

12 November 2013 30 June 2014

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) - Future Growth Reference Group -A reference group to develop a consolidated policy position for housing planning for greater Melbourne.

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) – Future of Local Government (FOLG) Strategic Change Group To collectively establish an agreed future vision for local government and to develop frameworks and tools to enable councils to achieve that vision.

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) Planning Advisory Group & Metro Strategy Group Established by the MAV as a forum to identify, discuss and progress actions to address issues for local government associated with the implementation of the Melbourne 2030 (M2030) policy framework.

Cr Wayne Phillips

28 October 2014 – 30 June 2015 Cr Wayne Phillips

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

Cr Tom Melican Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Cr Tom Melican Cr Jenny Mulholland (substitute)

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) Transition Community Working Group Formed by the MAV to assess the Transition Community framework and allow communities to become aware of future global challenges and encourage them to work together to produce plans to achieve a transition to a better future at a local level.

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) – Transport and Infrastructure Advisory Group To advise the MAV on strategic infrastructure and transport issues impacting on local governments and to assist the MAV to carry forward key policies and campaigns in this area.

Napier Waller Property Committee of Management To manage the restoration of the house, garden and art collection of the former residence of the artist Napier Waller.

Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (NAGA) Investigates, develops and coordinates energy saving and greenhouse gas emissions abatement projects within the NAGA region.

Cr Tom Melican

Cr Tom Melican

Cr Tom Melican Cr Mark Di Pasquale

Cr Tom Melican Cr Mark Di Pasquale

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Cr Tom Melican

Cr Tom Melican

Report of Operations

146

Governance, management and other information External Committees continued

12 November 2013 30 June 2014

Northern Melbourne Regional Development Australia Committee An Australian Government initiative that aims to bring together all levels of government to enhance the growth and development of regional Australia and to ensure that the three levels of government work in partnership to benefit local communities and find local solutions.

Cr Tom Melican

28 October 2014 – 30 June 2015 Cr Tom Melican

Northland Structure Plan Steering Committee In partnership with Darebin City Council, the Committee is intended to represent Heidelberg West and create a Masterplan for Darebin Creek. The Committee’s vision is for Northland to transform into a vibrant mixed use activity centre that provides for future community needs and new development options in Darebin and Banyule.

Olympia Housing Initiative - Community Liaison Committee The Olympia Housing Initiative is a ten-year program to improve housing in the suburbs of Heidelberg West, Heidelberg Heights and Bellfield, and will contribute to making better neighbourhoods, to improving streetscapes and amenity, and to creating a balanced and sustainable mix of public and private housing. Community Liaison Committees are established in major public housing redevelopments to enhance the stakeholder consultation process and to enable community participation in the project.

Cr Craig Langdon

Cr Craig Langdon

Cr Craig Langdon

Cr Craig Langdon

Victorian Local Governance Association The VLGA is a principle source of democratic and cooperative leadership to municipalities and associated community groups. It assists local governments to maintain peace, order and good government in Victoria.

Cr Rick Garotti Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

Cr Rick Garotti Cr Tom Melican (substitute)

3081 Connect (formerly known as the West Heidelberg Neighbourhood Renewal Steering Committee) This committee is made up of 11 organisation representatives and 11 residents. The role of the committee is to develop a Community Action Plan in response to the needs of residents and oversee the implementation and evaluation of the activities in the plan.

Cr Craig Langdon

Cr Craig Langdon

Report of Operations

147

Governance, management and other information External Committees continued

12 November 2013 30 June 2014

28 October 2014 30 June 2015

Yarra Plenty Regional Library Audit Committee A sub-committee of the Yarra Plenty Regional Library Board which advises on financial and risk management issues.

Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service Board The Board is made up of two representatives of the three municipalities (Banyule, Nillumbik and Whittlesea) that constitute the service. Its role is to set policy and direction for the regional library service.

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Steven Briffa Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Steven Briffa Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Steven Briffa Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Cr Jenny Mulholland Cr Steven Briffa Cr Craig Langdon (substitute)

Councillor Briefing Sessions In addition to regular Council meetings, briefing sessions are held to inform Councillors about important issues. These sessions provide Councillors and Council officers with an opportunity to discuss issues in detail, seek further information and allow questions and concerns to be addressed in an open and frank environment. Briefing meetings are not a decision-making forum; they allow Councillors to explore options and gain a more detailed understanding of the matter/s in question. Decisions of Council can only be made during Council meetings. Most Councillor briefing sessions are considered an Assembly of Councillors, further information is provided below.

Assembly of Councillors The Local Government Act 1989 requires councils to keep a record of any planned or scheduled meetings where at least half the Councillors (4) and one member of Council staff are present to consider matters that are intended or likely to be the subject of a decision of the Council, or subject to the exercise of a function, duty or power of a Council that has been delegated to a person or committee. An assembly of Councillors does not include a meeting of the Council, a special committee of the Council, or any club, association, peak body, political party or other organisation.

At an assembly of Councillors, if a Councillor has a conflict of interest they must disclose it, complete a prescribed form and leave the assembly before the matter is considered.

Council keeps a written record of the names of Councillors and members of Council staff attending the meeting, the matters considered at the meeting, and any conflict of interest disclosures made by a Councillor attending. The public can inspect an Assembly of Councillors record for 12 months after the date of the Assembly. For the 2014/2015 period, 92 Assemblies of Councillors were recorded.

Period 2014/2015

Report of Operations

Council Meetings 23

Assembly of Councillors 92

148

Governance, management and other information Code of Conduct Banyule’s Councillor Code of Conduct is designed to assist Councillors in maintaining the highest standards of conduct and behaviour as well as provide a means for dealing with conflicts which may occur. The Code is also intended to assist the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors to discharge their public office appropriately. (Further information regarding the Councillor Code of Conduct is available on Banyule’s website.)

The Local Government Act 1989 (the Act) requires Council to review the Councillor Code of Conduct within 12 months of a general election. Council last reviewed the code on 9 September 2013. This was a major review after the general election held in 2012.

As community and civic leaders, Councillors commit to lead by example and promote the highest standard in the way Council business is conducted. The Values and Behaviours include:  Advocacy and Leadership - Councillors will strongly represent and advocate on behalf of the community and exercise courage in leadership and decision-making.  Accountability - Councillors will actively and openly participate in Council decision-making processes and strive to achieve effective governance and the best outcome for the community  Honesty and Integrity - Councillors will always act with honesty and integrity and demonstrate high standards of professionalism.  Courtesy and Respect - Councillors will act in ways which support individual contribution and worth and strive to achieve healthy working relationships  Openness and Inclusiveness - Councillors will value the contribution and individuality of others and commit to develop open and positive working relationships  Be the Best - Councillors will aim to achieve continuous improvement in performance and the highest standards and outcomes for the City of Banyule.

The Councillor Code of Conduct also includes:  conduct principles  procedures for resolving disputes between Councillors  procedures for the disclosure of conflict of interests  a statement of caretaker procedures for the election period  procedures to ensure Council resources are not inappropriately used during an election period.

Conflict of Interest The Local Government Act 1989 sets out, in general terms, the conduct expected of Councillors and members of special committees. In performing the role of a Councillor, Councillors must act honestly and must exercise reasonable care and diligence in carrying out their duties.

Councillors must not make improper use of their position or information gained in their role as a Councillor to:  gain, or attempt to gain, directly or indirectly, an advantage for themselves or for any other person  cause, or attempt to cause, detriment to the Council.

The Local Government Act 1989 places stringent obligations on Councillors to disclose any conflict of interest they may have in a matter which is to be, or is likely to be, considered or discussed at a meeting of the Council or a special committee.

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Governance, management and other information Conflict of interest provisions apply only if the nature of the interest of the Councillor may conflict with the performance of their public duties. Where a conflict of interest exists the Councillor is not allowed to vote on the matter before Council and must leave the Council chamber before the vote is taken.

Disclosure of conflict of interest provisions requires a Councillor to disclose the type of interest, whether it is direct or indirect, and the nature the conflict of interest.

A direct interest generally exists if the Councillor is directly affected or their circumstances directly altered.

Direct interests specifically include circumstances where the Councillor is reasonably likely to be directly affected financially, or where their residential amenity is likely to be directly affected.

An indirect interest generally arises as a result of a connection with another person, organisation or circumstance. Indirect interests are described as:  a close association in the matter: this is where a ‘family member’ who regularly resides with the Councillor has a direct or indirect interest, or a ‘relative’ has a direct interest, or a member of the person’s household has a direct interest in the matter  an indirect financial interest in the matter  a conflicting duty. (Note there are circumstances where a person does not have an indirect interest because of a conflicting duty)  receipt of an applicable gift  someone who becomes an interested party in the matter by initiating civil proceedings or becoming a party to civil proceedings in relation to the matter  residential amenity is likely to be altered.

To ensure impartiality in decision-making, Councillors, senior and nominated officers are required to make a six-monthly return of any prescribed interest they hold. Council staff with delegated powers must also disclose any conflict of interest they may have in a matter where they are executing their delegated authority.

During 2014-15, five (5) conflicts of interest were declared at Council meetings.

Conflict of Interest Direct Interest (S77B) Indirect Interest (S78) Indirect Interest by Close Association (s78) Indirect Interest that is an indirect financial interest (s78A) Indirect Interest because of conflicting duties (s78B) Indirect Interest because of receipt of applicable gift (s78C) Indirect Interest as a consequence of becoming an interested party (s78D) Indirect Interest because of residential amenity (s78E) Conflicting personal interest (s.79B) Total

Report of Operations

Number 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 5

150

Governance, management and other information Councillor Allowances The Local Government Act 1989 provides for Councillors to be paid an allowance for their services. The Mayor is also entitled to receive a higher allowance. These allowances are determined by the State Government who sets the upper and lower limits for all allowances paid to Councillors and Mayors.

Councils are divided into three categories based on the income and population of each Council. Banyule City Council is recognised as a category two council.

In accordance with Section 74 the Local Government Act 1989 (the ‘Act’), a Council must review and determine the level of Councillor and Mayoral allowance within the period of 6 months after a general election or by next 30 June, whichever is later.

On 4 February 2013, Council set the Mayoral and Councillor Allowances which will be payable during the next four financial years and effective from the 27 October 2012. The allowances are adjusted in line with Section 73B of the Local Government Act 1989, which provides for an annual adjustment factor to be applied to the Mayoral and Councillor allowances. The Minister for Local Government approved an annual adjustment of 2.5 per cent to take effect from 1 December 2014.

Period 1/7/14 – 30/11/14 1/12/14 – 30/06/15

Mayoral Allowance $70,416 per annum pro rata $72,834 per annum pro rata

Councillor Allowance $22,757 per annum pro rata $23,539 per annum pro rata

Councillors also receive other forms of support including a computer and fax machine, communication assistance such as landline and mobile phone, and personalised stationery to enable them to fulfil their role in accordance with the Local Government Act 1989. In addition to the above, the Mayor receives a fully serviced vehicle to enable mayoral obligations to be fulfilled.

Report of Operations

151

Governance, management and other information Statutory information The following information is provided in accordance with legislative and other requirements applying to council.

Documents Available for Public Inspection The following documents in accordance with Section 11(g) of the Local Government (General) Regulations 2004 are available for inspection or copies of the document can be obtained for the purposes of section 222 of the Local Government Act 1989 from the Council offices during business hours and include:              

details of Mayor and Councillor allowances fixed under Section 74 of the Act details of senior officers’ salary ranges details of overseas or interstate travel names of Council officers and Councillors who submitted a return of interest during the year Council Agendas and Minutes a list of special committees that were established, abolished or ceased to function during the year a register of delegations kept under Sections 87, 88 and 98 of the Act submissions received under Section 223 of the Act agreements to establish regional libraries under Section 196 of the Act details of all property finance and operating leases involving land, buildings, plant, computer equipment or vehicles a register of authorised officers appointed under Section 224 of the Act a list of donations and grants made by Council a list of organisations of which Council is a member and details of membership fees a list of contracts greater than $100,000 that Council entered into and which are not contracts under Section 186(5) of the Act.

In addition to this, the Local Government Act 1989 Act and other Acts under which local government operates, stipulate the following information is available for public inspection (*access to some of these documents may require a payment of a fee in accordance with the relevant Act or Regulation):               

Register of Interests (Section 81(10)) Candidate campaign donation returns (Section 62A) (website) Councillor Reimbursement Policy (Section 75B) (website) Councillor Code of Conduct (Section 76C) (website) Assembly of Councillors (Section 80A) (summary also available in Council Agenda) Minutes of Council Meetings (Section 93) (website) Local Law (Section 120) (website) Accounts and records of Council transactions (Section 140) Annual Report (Section 131) (website) Auditor’s Report (Section 133) Annual Budget (Section 127) (website) Council Plan and Strategic Resource Plan (Section 125 & 126) (website) Details of Differential Rates (Section 161) (website) Best Value – Quality and cost standards (Section 208) Procurement Policy (Section 186A) (website)

Report of Operations

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Governance, management and other information Other Acts  Register of all building permits issued (Building Act 1983, Section 31)  Register of all registered dogs and cats in the Municipal District (Domestic Animals Act 1994, Section 18)  The Municipal Planning Scheme and any approved amendments (Planning & Environment Act 1987, Section 42) (website)  A register of planning permit applications, decisions and determinations (Planning & Environment Act 1983, Section 49)  A copy of each s173 agreement indicating any amendment made, (Planning and Environment Act 1987, Section 179)  The Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan (Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, Section 26(7))  Details of Food Premise Registrations (Food Act 1984, Section 43)  Protected Disclosure Procedures(Protected Disclosure Act 2012, Section 70) (website) Note: (website) - available on Council’s website Best Value In accordance with section 208B(f) of the Local Government Act 1989, at least once every year a Council must report to its community on what it has done to ensure that it has given effect to the Best Value Principles. Council incorporates Best Value Principles through regular business planning and performance monitoring processes and through a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation which is supported by our Sustainable Excellence Program. To further reflect Council’s commitment to Best Value, Council has commenced the design and planning of a Service Review Program which is being rolled out across the whole organisation. This program provides additional review and improvement mechanisms to ensure that Council’s services achieve best practice standards in regards to service performance.

Report of Operations

153

Governance, management and other information Disability Action Plan In accordance with section 38 of the Disability Act 2006, as Council has prepared a Disability Action Plan it must report on the implementation of the Disability Action Plan in its annual report.

As a part of Council’s Inclusion, Access and Equity Framework, Council has developed a Disability Action Plan which outlines Council’s commitment to people with a disability and their families. Council has established a Disability Inclusion Advisory Committee which meets regularly to provide advice to Council on implementing the plan and raise issues requiring strategic advocacy. Council has developed an annual reporting program for the Plan and will report on the progress of implementation, through Council’s advisory committee, Council’s website and a variety of printed publications. Council’s current plan expires in 2016 and community consultation is underway to develop the next Disability Action plan.

During 2014/15 Council has implemented the following actions:          

Hosted a series of education, awareness and fundraising events internally to increase knowledge and understanding of disability within Council and the broader community.

Hosted a series of events to celebrate and recognise international day of people with a disability – attend by over 200 people across the suite of opportunities.

Supported two sensory friendly films for young people with Autism in partnership with Hoyts Cinema.

Implemented liveable housing guidelines within approximately 20% of new multi dwelling developments.

Piloting a “Work Inspirations” work experience program with Concord Special Development School.

Provided innovative arts program for young people through Jets Creative Arts Facility Supported two sensory friendly films for young people with Autism in partnership with Hoyts Cinema.

Supported local library service to continue to provide Sensitive Santa programs for children with Autism.

Hosted four Disability Services Network meetings to increase planning and coordination amongst local disability services.

Hosted a series of events to celebrate and recognise international day of people with a disability – attend by over 200 people.

Report of Operations

154

Governance, management and other information Carers Recognition Act 2012 Within the Carers Recognition Act 2012 all councils in Victoria are defined as a ‘public service care agency’ and therefore a ‘care support organisation’. As a consequence, councils are required to comply with the Act and to report on this.

This reporting requirement impacts across a wide range of council activities including Human Resources, HACC, Aged & Disability Services, Leisure & Recreation, Community Services and Family & Children’s Services.

Councils are identified in the Act as Care Support Organisations. As a Care Support Organisation, council has obligations outlined in the following sections of the Act: 11 Obligations of care support organisations (1) A care support organisation must— (a) take all practicable measures to ensure that its employees and agents have an awareness and understanding of the care relationship principles; and (b) take all practicable measures to ensure that persons who are in care relationships and who are receiving services in relation to the care relationship from the care support organisation have an awareness and understanding of the care relationship principles; and (c) take all practicable measures to ensure that the care support organisation and its employees and agents reflect the care relationship principles in developing, providing or evaluating support and assistance for persons in care relationships.

(2) Nothing in this section creates any obligation on a care support organisation to provide funding or services to persons in care relationships.

Council Reporting Obligations Section 12 of the Act outlines the annual reporting obligations of councils. A report must be included in council’s Annual Report and address the obligations outlined in the Act: 12 Reporting obligations (1) Despite anything to the contrary in any other Act, a care support organisation must prepare a report on its compliance with its obligations under section 11.

(2) A report required under this section must— (a) be included in the care support organisation's annual report; and (b) relate to the period to which the annual report relates; and (c) include any additional information required by the regulations.

Banyule Council’s compliance Council has taken all practicable measures to comply with its responsibilities outlined in the Carers Recognition Act 2012. Council has promoted the principles of the Act to people in care relationships who receive council services; to people in care relationships, and to the wider community by:  Distributing printed material through relevant council services;  Providing links to state government resource materials on council’s website; and  Providing information to organisations represented in council/community networks.  Council runs a monthly carers group that has been set to provide information and advice to support carers in their role.

Report of Operations

155

Governance, management and other information Council has taken all practicable measures to ensure staff, council agents and volunteers working for council are informed about the principles and obligations of the Act by including information on the care relationship in:  Council induction and training programs for staff working in Home and Community Care and disability services;  Council induction and training programs for staff working in front-line positions with the general community; and  Induction and training programs for volunteers working directly with the community.

Domestic Animal Management Plan In accordance with the Domestic Animals Act 1994, Council is required to prepare and implement a 4 year Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAM) which is required to be reviewed and updated annually.

Council adopted the Domestic Animal Management Plan 2012-2016 revised edition in July 2014. The plan was developed by Council’s Animal Management Team and consideration of input from other Council departments. Only minor administrative amendments were required, together with an update to the action plan, noting those actions which have either been completed or are have required some form of modification There have been a number of achievements in the 2014-2015 year of the DAM Plan these include:    

SMS reminders were sent out to residents who had not renewed their pet registration. This proved to be very successful.

Two fully fenced dog parks were installed at Malahang Reserve Heidelberg West and Malcolm Blair Reserve Briar Hill and has been very successful and is being utilised by many of our residents and their dogs.

Council has retendered its pound services and will is now using Nillumbik Shire Regional Pound, making it easier for residents to reclaim their dogs. Nillumbik’s website is utilised for photos of dogs impounded with no identification, which assists in the reclaiming for owners.

Council’s cat de-sexing program continues twice a year with approximately 130 cats/kittens being de-sexed and micro-chipped annually. This program has been extremely successful and Council was invited to present at the “Getting to Zero” sixth Annual Conference about the program. The end result of this program is a reduction in the mount of cats being impounded by Council’s Animal Management Officers.

Food Act Ministerial Directions In accordance with section 7E of the Food Act 1984, Council is required to publish a summary of any Ministerial Directions received during the financial year in its annual report.

No such Ministerial Directions were received by Council during the financial year.

Report of Operations

156

Governance, management and other information Freedom of Information In accordance with section 7(4AA)(a) and 7(4AA)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, Council is required to publish certain statements in their annual report or separately such as on its website, concerning its functions and information available. Council has chosen to publish the statements separately however provides the following summary of the application and operation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 1982 gives the community a legal right to access certain Council documents. The Banyule Council is subject to the FOI Act and responds to requests directly related to its operations.

The FOI Act has four basic principles:    

the public has a legal right of access to information local governments are required to publish information concerning the documents they hold people may request that inaccurate, incomplete, out-of-date or misleading information in their personal records be amended people may appeal against a decision not to give access to the information or not to amend a personal record.

Requests to access documents must be in writing and accompanied by the appropriate application fee.

Applicants should specify the documents they are seeking to access. Access charges may also apply once documents have been processed and a decision on access is made (e.g. photocopying and search and retrieval charges).

On receipt of a request, a decision must be made within 45 days. Where a decision is made to refuse or defer access, the applicant will be notified in writing of the reasons for the refusal and the procedures available to appeal the decision. Application forms are available on Council’s website.

There were 14 FOI requests processed in 2014-2015.

Further information regarding FOI can be found at www.foi.vic.gov.au and or on Councils website.

Privacy and Data Security Act 2014 The Victorian Privacy and Data Security Act 2014 requires that Council follow information privacy principles when collecting, managing and using an individual’s personal information. The Act contains ten principles for the collection, use and dissemination of personal information about an individual. It incorporates safeguards for activities such as collection, storage, access, transmission, disclosure, use and disposal of personal information.

Council has developed and adopted guidelines and procedures to manage its compliance with the Privacy and Data Security Act 2014, which are consistent with the Commissioner for Privacy and Data Protection guidelines and with the requirements of the Act. The Privacy Policy applies to all Council officers, Councillors and contractors of Council. Training and awareness sessions have been held with Council staff and Councillors. Privacy training is incorporated in Council’s induction program and training is also conducted annually.

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Governance, management and other information Protected Disclosure Procedures Banyule City Council is a public body subject to the Protected Disclosures Act 2012 (PD Act). The purpose of the Act is to encourage and facilitate the making of disclosures of improper conduct by public officers and public bodies, including the Council as a public body, its staff, employees and Councillors.

Banyule is committed to the aims and objectives of the PD Act. It recognises the value of transparency and accountability in its administrative and management practices, and supports the making of disclosures that reveal improper conduct. It does not tolerate improper conduct by the organisation, its employees, officers, or Councillors, nor the taking of reprisals against those who come forward to disclose such conduct.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) has responsibility for identifying and preventing serious corrupt conduct across the whole public sector, including members of Parliament, the judiciary and state and local government.

IBAC also has a broad oversight role in relation to police personnel misconduct and an important education function to proactively assist public sector agencies to improve their systems and processes to prevent corrupt conduct.

People making a disclosure must believe, on reasonable grounds that the Councillor or Council employee has engaged in, or proposes to engage in, improper conduct. The conduct must be serious enough to constitute a criminal offence or reasonable grounds for dismissal.

In the second half of 2014, the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) undertook a review of procedures established by public bodies as required under the Protected Disclosure Act 2012. In December 2014, IBAC released its report on the findings of the review, titled “Review of Protected Disclosure Procedures – Section 60 of the Protected Disclosure Act 2012”.

Banyule Council has been identified in IBAC’s report as a best practice Council and given a ‘gold star’ rating for its procedures, and therefore compliance with the PD Act. Only 15 of the 114 public bodies reviewed, which included all Victorian Councils and Government Departments, achieved this rating. Further clarification with IBAC identified that the assessment of procedures looked at both the required content and accuracy of the content. Banyule had all the required content (exceptional compared to others) and the content was correct both legally and according to IBAC’s guidelines. The rating for usability of Banyule’s procedures was very high, the only accessed organisation to achieve such a rating.

Further information and a copy of the Banyule’s Protected Disclosure procedures is available on Council’s website or by calling Council on 9490 4222.

Reporting of Disclosures during 2014-2015

Report of Operations

No disclosures have been notified to the IBAC under section 21(2).

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Governance, management and other information Road Management Act Ministerial direction In accordance with section 22 of the Road Management Act 2004, Council must publish a copy or summary of any Ministerial direction in its annual report. No such Ministerial Directions were received by Council during the financial year.

Local Laws As at 30 June 2015, Council had the following Local Laws: 

General Local Law No 1 (2015) which regulates and controls activities and behaviour on public land



Governance Local Law 2 (2015) which regulates the conduct of Council meetings and use of the Common Seal.

Both Local laws expired in April 2015 and as a result, both Local Laws underwent an extensive review and the new Local laws commenced operation on 15 April 2015 for the General Local Law No. 1 (2015) and 1 May 2015 for the Governance Local Law 2 (2015). All relevant statutory requirements were met in the making of the local laws, including the public notification, calling of public submissions, the development of a Community Impact Statement and Human Rights Assessment. The Local Laws, Community Impact Statement and Human Rights Assessment are available on Councils website.

Codes of Practice The Council has also adopted Codes of Practice to complement and enhance its Local Laws. Council has the following Code as at 30 June 2015: 

Meeting Procedures Code (2015)

Report of Operations

159

Governance, management and other information Orders of Council Alcohol Prohibition In accordance with its General Local Law No. 1(2015) alcohol prohibition applies with and in the environs of the below-listed locations. The restriction means that it is an offence to consume or be in possession of an open container of alcohol in the following locations:  

Bundoora, Andrew Place Shopping Precinct Eaglemont, Silverdale Road Shopping Strip



Greensborough Shopping Precinct



Heidelberg Shopping Precinct

 

Heidelberg West, Olympic Village Shopping Centre located at Southern Road, including the park, community centre, and adjoining laneway Heidelberg West, The Mall Shopping Precinct

   

Heidelberg West, Waterdale Road North Shops and surrounds including park Ivanhoe Shopping Precinct and Council Offices Ivanhoe, The Boulevard, Ivanhoe 15 December - 1 January 7:00PM - 2:00AM inclusive Montmorency Shopping Precinct

  

Ivanhoe East Shopping Precinct and surrounds Macleod Shopping Precinct and surrounds Lower Plenty Shopping Precinct

  

Watsonia Shopping Centre and surrounds Waterdale Road Shopping Precinct and surrounds Rosanna Shopping Precinct and surrounds

It should be noted that the prohibition does not apply to individual trading premises, licensed premises, premises operating pursuant to a current Footpath Trading Permit issued by Council, subject to any additional licensing requirements or any other license granted by Licensing Victoria, but does extend to all other public places within the above areas as indicated by signs.

Report of Operations

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Governance, management and other information Victorian Local Government Indicators

VICTORIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT INDICATORS

1

2013/14 Actual

2014/15 Actual

$1,576.87

$1,651.88

$1,492.05

$1,582.04

$1,592.69

$1,626.57

$38.13

$302.31

$2,274.20

$2,461.84

68

69

$793.45

$430.42

Renewal #

0.36:1

0.85:1

Renewal & Maintenance ^

0.63:1

0.81:1

55

58

57

59

All Rates Average Rates & Charges per Assessment ~ Residential Rates

2

Average Rates & Charges per Residential Assessment ~ Debts

3

Average Liabilities per Assessment Operating Result

4

Operating Result per Assessment Operating Costs

5

6

Average Operating Expenditure per Assessment Overall Performance Community satisfaction rating (index score) for overall performance generally of the Council* Capital Expenditure

7

Average Capital Expenditure per Assessment Infrastructure

8 9

10

Advocacy Community satisfaction rating (index score) for Council's lobbying on behalf of the community*

11

Community Consultation and Engagement Community satisfaction rating (index score) for Council's community consultation and engagement*

Report of Operations

161

Governance, management and other information Notes: 

After excluding capital grants of $2,015,000 ($1,437,785 in 2013/2014) and developers contributions of $1,452,000 ($1,309,715 in 2013/2014), the Operating Result will be changed from $302.31 ($38.13 in 2013/2014) to $235.49 (-$15.04 in 2013/2014)



The number of assessments used in this calculation has not been rounded and therefore is different from what is being used in the Local Government Performance Report Framework (LGPRF) calculation. LGPRF round to the nearest one thousand assessments.



~ Special rates & charges and non-standard garbage charges are not included in the all rates and residential rates categories. The non-standard garbage charges are user-pay and are included within user fees and charges category within the financial income statement.





* Indicators and results are based on survey measures in the Victorian Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey (CSS) for 2014 and 2015, co-ordinated by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP, formerly Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure). Community Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores are commonly used in the market research industry to represent the extent of customer satisfaction. # Ratio of current spending on capital renewal of existing infrastructure assets which returns the service potential or the life of the asset up to that which it had originally to the Average Annual Asset Consumption (AAAC) totalled for each and every infrastructure asset to give one ratio. ^ Ratio of current spending on capital renewal of existing infrastructure assets which returns the service potential or the life of the asset up to that which it had originally plus current spending on maintenance: -

To AAAC plus all anticipated planned and unplanned maintenance (that is, the expected level of maintenance which was used in the calculation of the useful life of the asset) Total for each and every infrastructure asset to give one ratio

The AAAC is the amount of a local government’s asset base consumed during a year. It is based on the current replacement cost ‘as new’ divided by useful life.

Report of Operations

162

Governance, management and other information Governance and Management Checklist The following are the results in the prescribed form of Council’s assessment against the prescribed governance and management checklist.

Column 1

Column 2

Governance and Management Items

Assessment

1

Community engagement policy (policy outlining council’s commitment to engaging with the community on matters of public interest)

Current policy in operation.

Date of operation of current policy: 17 June 2013.

2

Community engagement guidelines (guidelines to assist staff to determine when and how to engage with the community)

Current guidelines in operation.

Date of operation of current guidelines: 24 January 2013.

3

Strategic Resource Plan (plan under section 126 of the Act outlining the financial and non-financial resources required for at least the next 4 financial years)

Plan adopted in accordance with section 126 of the Act. Date of adoption: 22 June 2015.



4

Annual Budget (plan under section 130 of the Act setting out the services to be provided and initiatives to be undertaken over the next 12 months and the funding and other resources required)

Budget adopted in accordance with section 130 of the Act. Date of adoption: 22 June 2015.



5

Asset management plans (plans that set out the asset maintenance and renewal needs for key infrastructure asset classes for at least the next 10 years)

Current plans in operation.

Date of operation of current plans: Roads -12 June 2014, Pathways - 10 February 2014, Bridges - 22 May 2014, Drains - 26 February 2014, Playgrounds and Open Space -25 February 2014, Buildings – 1 July 2014.

6.

Rating strategy (strategy setting out the rating structure of Council to levy rates and charges

Current strategy in operation.

Date of operation of current strategy: 13 April 2015.



7.

Risk policy (policy outlining Council’s commitment and approach to minimising the risks to Council’s operations)

Current policy in operation.

Date of operation of current policy: 2 May 2012



Report of Operations







163

Governance, management and other information Column 1

Column 2

Governance and Management Items

Assessment

8.

Fraud policy (policy outlining council’s commitment and approach to minimising the risk of fraud)

Current policy in operation.

Date of operation of current policy: 1 February 2011.



9

Municipal emergency management plan (plan under section 20 of the Emergency Management Act 1986 for emergency prevention, response and recovery)

Prepared and maintained in accordance with section 20 of the Emergency Management Act 1986.

Date of preparation: 13 November 2014.



10. Procurement policy (policy under section 186A of the Local Government Act 1989 outlining the matters, practices and procedures that will apply to all purchases of goods, services and works)

Prepared and approved in accordance with section 186A of the Local Government Act 1989.

Date of operation of current strategy: 21 July 2014.



11 Business continuity plan (plan setting out the actions that will be undertaken to ensure that key services continue to operate in the event of a disaster)

Current plan in operation.

Date of preparation: 14 April 2015.



12 Disaster recovery plan (plan setting out the actions that will be undertaken to recover and restore business capability in the event of a disaster)

Current plan in operation.

Date of preparation: 6 February 2015.



13 Risk management framework (framework outlining council’s approach to managing risks to the Council’s operations)

Current framework in operation.

Date of operation of current framework: 2 May 2012.

14 Audit Committee (advisory committee of council under section 139 of the Act whose role is to oversee the integrity of a council’s financial reporting, processes to manage risks to the council’s operations and for compliance with applicable legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements)

Committee established in accordance with section 139 of the Act. Date of operation of current guidelines: 27 June 1997.

Report of Operations





164

Governance, management and other information Column 1

Column 2

Governance and Management Items

Assessment

15 Internal audit (independent accounting professionals engaged by the council to provide analyses and recommendations aimed at improving council’s governance, risk and management controls)

Internal auditor engaged.

Date of engagement of the current provider: 10 September 2012.



16 Performance reporting framework (a set of indicators measuring financial and non-financial performance, including the performance indicators referred to in section 131 of the Act)

Current framework in operation.

Date of operation of current framework: 1 July 2014.



17 Council Plan reporting (report reviewing the performance of the council against the Council Plan, including the results in relation to the strategic indicators, for the first six months of the financial year)

Current Report.

Date of the reports: Q1: 17 October 2014; Q2: 11 February 2015; Q3: 30 April 2015; Q4: 16 July 2015.

18 Financial reporting (quarterly statements to Council under section 138 of the Act comparing budgeted revenue and expenditure with actual revenue and expenditure)

Quarterly statements presented to Council in accordance with section 138(1) of the Act. Dates statements presented: Q4 PY: 15 September 2014; Q1 CY: 20 October 2014; Q2 CY: 02 February 2015; Q3 CY: 11 May 2015.

19 Risk reporting (six-monthly reports of strategic risks to council’s operations, their likelihood and consequences of occurring and risk minimisation strategies)

Annual report in place.

Date of report: 4 July 2014 6 month review to be implemented.

Methodology and reports being reviewed and re-vamped reports and frequency to be implemented, following Internal Audit.

20 Performance reporting (sixmonthly reports of indicators measuring the results against financial and non-financial performance, including performance indicators referred to in section 131 of the Act)

Reports prepared and presented.

Date of reports: Qtr1: 14 November 2014; Qtr2: 19 March 2015; Qtr3: 27 May 2015; Qtr4: (base on 2014/15 EOY Reporting).

Report of Operations









165

Governance, management and other information Column 1

Column 2

Governance and Management Items

Assessment

21 Annual Report (annual report under sections 131, 132 and 133 of the Act to the community containing a report of operations and audited financial and performance statements)

Annual report considered at a meeting of Council in accordance with section 134 of the Act. Date statements presented: 20 October 2014.

22 Councillor Code of Conduct (Code under section 76C of the Act setting out the conduct principles and the dispute resolution processes to be followed by Councillors)

Code of conduct reviewed in accordance with section 76C of the Act. Date reviewed: 9 September 2013.

23 Delegations (a document setting out the powers, duties and functions of council and the Chief Executive Officer that have been delegated to members of staff)

Delegations reviewed in accordance with section 98(6) of the Act. Date of review: 21 October 2013.

24 Meeting procedures (a local law governing the conduct of meetings of council and special committees)

Meeting procedures local law made in accordance with section 91(1) of the Act. Date local law made: 27 April 2015.









I certify that this information presents fairly the status of Council’s governance and management arrangements.

____________________________ SIMON McMILLAN Chief Executive Officer Dated: Monday, 21 September 2015 Ivanhoe

Report of Operations

____________________________ Cr CRAIG LANGDON Mayor Dated: Monday, 21 September 2015 Ivanhoe

166

Glossary

Act



The Local Government Act 1989



The main function of an advisory committee is to assist Council in the consultative process and provide valuable information to support the decision making of Council. Each year Council appoints Councillor representatives to a number of advisory committees.

Their role in relation to these committees is representation, advocacy and consultation.



A report of the council’s operations of the previous financial year and contains a report of operations, audited financial statements and an audited performance statement



Means indicators or measures that provide users with sufficient information to assess the extent to which an entity has achieved a pre-determined target, goal or outcome



An independent officer of the Parliament, appointed under legislation, to examine and report to Parliament and the community, on the efficient and effective management of public sector resources, and provide assurance on the financial integrity of Victoria’s system of government



State Government legislation that requires councils to review all their services and adopt service delivery models that are the best on offer, to meet the needs of their community.



Banyule BPi is a well-established building permit provider to the large volume home builders of Victoria.



A plan setting out the services and initiatives to be funded for the financial year and how they will contribute to achieving the strategic objectives specified in the council plan



Computer assisted audit techniques – computer programs to read city databases to assess correctness.

Culturally and linguistically diverse.

Advisory Committees

Annual report

Appropriateness

Auditor General

Best Value

Bpi

Budget

CAATS CALD

Report of Operations



167

Glossary

Capital Works CEO Continuous Improvement

  

Work undertaken on Council-owned assets including new works, expansions, upgrades and renewal or disposal.

Chief Executive Officer The process of ensuring that review and improvement practices are built into operational activities.



Taking responsibility for the economic and ethical performance of the municipality, the underlying principles of which are openness, inclusion, integrity and accountability. Governance differs from the everyday management of affairs, in that it identifies the strategic directions for the organisation and implements the controls and checks, which enable the governing body to measure management’s performance.



An asset is a physical component of a facility that has value, enables a service to be provided and has an economic life greater than 12 months.



A plan setting out the medium-term strategic objectives, strategies, strategic indicators and resources reflecting vision and aspirations of the community for the next four year



A prescribed set of indicators and measures that assess the effectiveness of financial management in a council covering operating position, liquidity, obligations, stability and efficiency



The financial statements and notes prepared in accordance with the Local Government Model Financial Report, Australian Accounting Standards and other applicable standards as they apply to the general purpose financial reports and a statement of capital works and included in the annual report



The period of 12 months beginning on 1 July and ending on 30 June the following year.

HACC



Home and Community Care

Indicator



What will be measured to assess performance

Corporate Governance

Council Asset

Council Plan (City Plan)

Financial performance indicators

Financial statements

Financial Year

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168

Glossary 

The physical ’skeleton’ required to enable the community to be connected and operational. This includes roads, drains, footpaths and public open spaces as well as public facilities and buildings.



Actions that are one-off in nature and/or lead to improvements in service



An independent appraisal to examine and evaluate Council’s financial, management and internal control systems.



Significant initiatives that will directly contribute to the achievement of the council plan during the current year and have a major focus in the budget



Municipal Association of Victoria: the peak representative and lobbying body for Victoria’s 79 councils.



Means how an indicator will be measured and takes the form of a computation, typically including a numerator and denominator

 

The Minister for Local Government Planned Activity Group: social groups for frail older adults that provide an opportunity to meet and enjoy the company of others in a supported group situation.



A statement including the results of the prescribed service outcome indicators, financial performance indicators and sustainable capacity indicators for the financial year and included in the annual report



The key statutory planning and reporting documents that are required to be prepared by councils to ensure accountability to local communities in the performance of functions and exercise of powers under the Act



The Local Government (Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2014



Indicators or measures that have a logical and consistent relationship to an entity's objectives and are linked to the outcomes to be achieved

Infrastructure

Initiatives

Internal Audit

Major initiative

MAV

Measure Minister PAG

Performance statement

Planning and accountability framework

Regulations

Relevance

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169

Glossary Report of operations

Service outcome indicators

Service performance indicators Services

Strategic objectives

Strategic resource plan

Strategies

Sustainable capacity indicators

Report of Operations



A report containing a description of the operations of the council during the financial year and included in the annual report



The prescribed service performance indicators to be included in the performance statement which measure whether the stated service objective has been achieved



A prescribed set of indicators measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of council services covering appropriateness, quality, cost and service outcomes



Assistance, support, advice and other actions undertaken by a council for the benefit of the local community



The outcomes a council is seeking to achieve over the next four years and included in the council plan



A plan of the financial and non-financial resources for at least the next four years required to achieve the strategic objectives in the council plan. It is also referred to as a long term financial plan



High level actions directed at achieving the strategic objectives in the council plan



A prescribed set of indicators measuring whether councils have the capacity to meet the agreed service and infrastructure needs of the local community and absorb foreseeable changes and unexpected shocks into the future covering financial performance, capacity and governance and management

170