Progress against one-year Operational Plan items

One-year Operational Plan projects

Complete

Not started

On track

Behind schedule

Cancelled

Ongoing

Carry over

On hold

13% 13%

27%

7% 40%

Complete Behind Schedule

Ongoing On track

Not started

Complete Not started On track Behind schedule Cancelled Ongoing Carry over On hold 6 2 2 - 1 - 4 -

Goal 4.1: Local businesses are supported to help protect jobs and create employment opportunities

Economic development

Strategy 4.1.1: Primarily target economic development initiatives in Kogarah, Hurstville, Kingsgrove, Peakhurst and Riverwood.

DP Action 4.1.1a: Adopt the Economic Development Strategy as supported by local business, our Economic Development Advisory Committee and Council.

Status

Completed

Action Name Status Comment

Adopt the Economic Development Strategy as supported by local business, Council's Economic Development Advisory Committee and Council. Completed.

DP Action 4.1.1b: Implement a program of works in key centres that responds to the Economic Development Strategy.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

The Streets as Shared Spaces Grant continues in Hurstville and Kogarah CBDs. The Night Time Economy Study was adopted by Council and included the provision of the ReWrite the Nights to support night time activation. Three small businesses won grant funding.

Action Name Status Comment

Deliver program of works in key centres that responds to the Economic Development Strategy. Our placemaking and activations focused on Hurstville and Kogarah. Georges River Business continues to connect the business community through training programs and up-todate Council information. The Business First addition to the Economic Development Strategy was approved by Council as was the Night Time Economy Study and Action Plan.

DP Action

Status

Comment

Action Name

4.1.1c: Promote effective economic development initiatives that benefit the LGA.

Ongoing

We offered webinars through Georges River Business and focused on local procurement. Work continues to develop the Georges River Marketing Plan which will support economic initiatives into the future by attracting visitors into the area.

Status Comment

Continue to promote the benefits of economic development to the community.

Continue to work with the NSW Government, adjoining councils, business and community groups to facilitate, coordinate and stimulate economic development opportunities. Completed.

Completed.

DP Action 4.1.1d: Regularly review and monitor DA times and implement efficiencies to improve DA turnaround times.

Status

Comment

Action Name

Ongoing

Median processing times for all applications (DAs, modifications and reviews) dropped from 135 days in 2019/20 to 88 days in 2020/21.

Status Comment

Continue to review and monitor DA times and implement efficiencies to improve DA turnaround times. Median processing times for all applications (DAs, modifications and reviews) dropped from 135 days in 2019/20 to 88 days in 2020/21, a 34 per cent reduction. This occurred despite a substantial increase in applications lodged.

This has resulted in grant funding from the Public Spaces Legacy Program exceeding $4 million.

The increase in applications is attributed the DA fee waiver for alterations and additions to dwellings, economic programs such as Australian Government grants for building works; more renovations due to change in work environments; and ongoing low interest rates and easy access to loan funding.

The time to review an application in the NSW Planning Portal is greater and more resource-intensive than the former system of over-the-counter lodgements. We are looking at technology and resourcing options to address these issues.

Economic sector

Strategy 4.1.2: Develop economic programs that target the health, retail, construction, education and financial sectors, small to medium businesses and home-based businesses.

DP Action 4.1.2a: Implement initiatives in key economic sectors in response to the Economic Development Strategy.

Status

Completed

Action Name Status Comment

Implement initiatives in key economic sectors in response to the Economic Development Strategy. Completed.

DP Action 4.1.2b: Provide clearer, tailored information for small business on Council approvals and regulatory requirements.

Status

Completed

Place making

Strategy 4.1.3: Deliver responsive placed based activities across the LGA to promote the natural environment, improve cleanliness and safety, and assist local businesses.

DP Action 4.1.3a: Deliver programs to activate and increase the night time economy in town centres.

Status

Comment

Action Name

Ongoing

The Night Time Economy Study was approved and implementation has commenced. In Quarter 4 we ran the first ReWrite the Night grant program focusing on the night time economy in Georges River.

Status Comment

Deliver programs to activate and increase the night time economy in Hurstville City Centre and Kogarah Town Centre. Completed.

DP Action 4.1.3b: Implement medium and long-term place-based initiatives across other centres in the LGA.

Status

Cancelled

Comment Duplicate of 4.1.3a.

Action Name Status Comment

Continue to implement medium and long term place based initiatives across other centres in the LGA. The Hurstville City Centre will continue to see public domain improvements until December 2021 under Streets as Shared Spaces. A key activation is earmarked for October 2021 to target the area's key workers. In addition, we received $4.75 million for permanent public domain improvements in four key areas in Hurstville City Centre.

DP Action 4.1.3c: Measure the community’s satisfaction of the LGAs key town centres as places.

Status

Completed

Action Name Status Comment

Continue to measure the community's satisfaction of the LGA's key town centres as places. Community satisfaction survey carried out in 2017 stated 87% were somewhat satisfied with Council’s performance. The survey is conducted every two years.

Goal 4.2: Outcomes from an Employment Lands Study ensure sufficient land is available for future employment growth

Employment lands

Strategy 4.2.1: Develop an Employment Lands Study to preserve employment lands and to protect employment growth and services during land rezoning processes.

DP Action 4.2.1a: Implement the recommendations of the Commercial Centres Strategy.

Status

Comment

Progressing

The master planning of our local centres has commenced with Beverly Hills and Mortdale Local Centre Master Plans underway. The Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan was reported to Council for a resolution to exhibit.

Action Name Status Comment

Continue the work of the Commercial Centres Strategy for all centres within the LGA. In Quarter 4, the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan was reported to Council for a resolution to exhibit. Funding was not allocated to continue the Commercial Centres Study in 2021/22. We received funding from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to finalise the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan and to carry out a hazard analysis for the Beverly Hills Local Centre Master Plan.

DP Action 4.2.1b: Establish guidelines for assessing rezoning proposals in industrial and urban services land.

Status

Completed

Goal 4.3: The ambitions for Hurstville and Kogarah as strategic centres are realised

Critical infrastructure

Strategy 4.3.1: Advocate at all levels of government to ensure critical infrastructure accompanies significant residential and employment growth.

DP Action

Status

Comment

4.3.1a: Prepare a new Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 Contributions Plan for the Georges River LGA.

Progressing

The draft Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 contributions plans were finalised in Quarter 4 and reported to Council in June 2021 for a resolution to exhibit.

Action Name

Complete a new draft Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 Contributions Plan(s) for the Georges River LGA.

Status Comment

The draft Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 contributions plans were finalised in Quarter 4 and reported to Council in June 2021 for a resolution to exhibit. The exhibition of the Draft Plans will commence on 14 July 2021.

DP Action 4.3.1b: Lobby the Australian and NSW governments to address infrastructure gaps.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

We continue to promote the River Rail report. We are also planning for an event in October 2021 in partnership with Committee for Sydney and other stakeholders to promote the assets of the south and lobby for focused investment from the NSW Government.

We continue to work towards the Kogarah Place Strategy in partnership with the Greater Sydney Commission and Bayside Council.

Action Name Status Comment

Lobby the Australian and NSW Governments to address infrastructure gaps. Due to resourcing this action has not commenced.

DP Action

Status

Comment

Action Name

4.3.1c: Work with the NSW Government and Canterbury-Bankstown City Council on the orderly development of Riverwood as a Planning Precinct.

Not progressing

Council has two master planning processes underway for Beverly Hills and Mortdale local centres. At this stage Riverwood will probably commence late 2022 subject to a budget.

Status Comment

Continue to work with the NSW Government and Canterbury-Bankstown Council on the orderly development of Riverwood as a Planning Precinct. We advised the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment that we have two master planning processes underway for Beverly Hills and Mortdale local centres. At this stage Riverwood will probably commence late 2022 subject to funding.

Kogarah health and education precinct

Strategy 4.3.2: Collaborate across all levels of government so that the Kogarah Health and Research Hub can grow and attract allied services, increase employment, provide a range of housing types (including affordable housing) and provide excellent transport connections to and within the South and Eastern City districts.

DP Action 4.3.2a: Actively participate with State agencies and Bayside Council to achieve the ambitions for the Kogarah Health and Research Hub Collaboration Area.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

The Kogarah Place Strategy continues to be implemented with working groups to focus on transport, public domain and communications.

Action Name Status Comment

Play an active role in the Kogarah Collaboration Area Place Strategy Governance Group. We anticipate that the Greater Sydney Commission will no longer drive Collaboration Areas. We will put forward a case to the Greater Sydney Commission for us to independently lead the Kogarah Collaboration Area.