Georges River Council Annual Report 2020/21 by Georges River Council

Annual Report 2020/2021

www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au fiyl

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners Georges River Council acknowledges that the Biddegal people of the Eora Nation are the traditional inhabitants and custodians of all land and water in which the Georges River region is situated. Council recognises Aboriginal people as an integral part of the Georges River community and highly values their social and cultural contributions. Georges River Council is committed to showing respect for Aboriginal people as Australia’s first peoples. Council has adopted the practice of acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of Country at events, ceremonies, meetings and functions.

Image on cover: Ecosystem by ANL Designs at Un[Contained] Arts Festival.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Translation information IMPORTANT

ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ

For help to read and understand this document, Council can arrange interpreter services for you. Please contact Language Assistance Services on 131 450.

Για βοήθεια στην ανάγνωση και κατανόηση αυτού

Annual report This annual report is a comprehensive report on Council’s activities throughout the preceding financial year. It is intended to supply the community with information about Council’s activities and financial performance. It also looks at key achievements by Council and its staff, as well as challenges faced by Council over the same period. Our annual report also helps inform our future planning by providing progress on implementation of our Delivery Program and progress towards achieving our Community Strategic Plan outcomes. Our financial performance against annual and longer-term budgets is part of the way we are accountable to our community. For more information, please contact Council on 9330 6400 or email mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au.

Translation information 重要市议会为您准备了口译服务，帮助您阅读和理解本文档。请拨打131 450联系语言协助服务处。年度报告这份年度报告是市议会在上一财年活动的综合报告，旨在为社区提供市议会活动与财务状况的信息。报告还涵盖了市议会及其工作人员的主要成绩，以及市议会在这同一时期所面临的挑战。年度报告还汇报了交付计划（Delivery Program）的实施进度以及社区战略计划（Community Strategic Plan）的进展成果，有助于了解市议会的未来计划。在年度和长期预算之下，保持财务状况稳健是我们对社区所担负责任的一部分。欲了解详情，请拨打9330 6400或致信电子邮件 mail@ georgesriver.nsw.gov.au 联系市议会。

του εγγράφου, η Δημαρχία μπορεί να προσφέρει διερμηνευτικές υπηρεσίες σε εσάς. Παρακαλούμε, επικοινωνήσετε με την Υπηρεσία Βοήθειας Γλωσσών στο 131 450. Ετήσια Έκθεση Αυτή η ετήσια έκθεση αποτελεί μια εμπεριστατωμένη έκθεση σχετικά με τις δραστηριότητες της Δημαρχίας καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια του προηγούμενου οικονομικού έτους. Προορίζεται να παρέχει στην κοινότητα πληροφορίες σχετικά με τις δραστηριότητες της Δημαρχίας και τις οικονομικές της επιδόσεις. Επίσης, εξετάζει τα βασικά επιτεύγματα της Δημαρχίας και του προσωπικού του, καθώς και τις προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζει η Δημαρχία κατά την ίδια περίοδο. Η ετήσια έκθεσή μας συμβάλλει επίσης στην ενημέρωση για τον μελλοντικό μας σχεδιασμό ενημερώνοντας για πρόοδο της εφαρμογής του Προγράμματος παροχής Υπηρεσιών (Delivery Program) και για την πρόοδό μας προς την επίτευξη των στόχων του Κοινοτικού Στρατηγικού Σχεδίου μας. Η χρηματοοικονομική μας επίδοση σε σχέση με τους ετήσιους και μακροπρόθεσμους προϋπολογισμούς είναι μέρος του τρόπου με τον οποίο λογοδοτούμε στην κοινότητά μας. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες επικοινωνήστε με τη Δημαρχία στο

παρακαλούμε

9330 6400 ή με ηλεκτρονικό ταχυδρομείο στο mail@ georgesriver.nsw.gov.au मह�पूणर् कािउ�लले तपाईलाई यो कागजात पढ् न र बु� म�तको लाि◌ग दोभाषे सेवाह� �वस्था गनर् स�छ । कृ पया भाषा सहायता सेवा १३१ ४५० मा स�कर् गनर् ◌ुहोस् । वाि◌षक� िप्रतवेदन

‫ﮫﻣﮭﻓو دﻧﺗﺳﻣﻟا اذھ ةءارﻗ ﻰﻠﻋ ةدﻋﺎﺳﻣﻠﻟ ﻣـــﺟرﺗﻣ ﺔـــﯾّدﻠﺑﻟا كﻟ ـــّرﻓوﺗ ﻧﺄ نﻛﻣﯾ مﻗرﻟا‬ 131 450 ‫ﻰﻠﻋ ﺔﻣﺟرﺗﻟا ﺔﻣدﺧﺑ لﺎﺻﺗﻻا ءﺎﺟرﻟا‬. . ‫ﯾوﻧﺳﻟا رﯾر‬ ‫ﺔﻘﺣﻼﻟا ﻟﻣﺎﻟﯾّﺔا ﺔﻧﺳﻟا لﻼﺧ ﯾّﺔدﻠﺑﻟا ﺔطﺷﻧأ ﻟوﺣ لﻣﺎﺷ رﯾرﻘﺗ وھ اذھ ﯾوﻧﺳﻟا رﯾرﻘﺗﻟا‬ ‫ءادﻷاو ﯾّﺔدﻠﺑﻟا ﺔطﺷﻧﺄﺑ ﺔﺻﺎﺧﻟا تﺎﻣوﻠﻌﻣﻟا ﻊﻣﺗﺟﻣﻟا ءﺎﻧﺑﻷ دّمﻘﻧ ﻧﺄ وھ ﮫﻧﻣ ﻓدﮭﻟاو تﺎﯾد‬ . ‫ﺎﮭﻟ ﻲﻻﻣﻟا ةرﺗﻔﻟا‬. ‫ّﺣﺗﻟا ﻰﻟإ ﺔﻓﺎﺿﻹﺎﺑ ﺎﮭﯾﻔوظ ّﻣو ﯾّﺔدﻠﺑﻠﻟ ﺔﻣﺎﮭﻟا ﺗﺎزﺎﺟﻧﻹا ﺿرﻌﯾو ﺎﻣﻛ‬ ‫سﻔﻧ لﻼﺧ ﯾّﺔدﻠﺑﻟا ﺎﮭﺗﮭﺟاو ﻲﺗﻟا‬ . ‫دّمﻘﺗﻟا ﺿرﻌﺑ كﻟذو ﻟﻣﺳﺗﻘﺑﻠﯾّﺔا ﺎﻧططﺧ نﻋ تﺎﻣوﻠﻌﻣ ﯾﺿﺎًأ ﯾوﻧﺳﻟا ﺎﻧرﯾرﻘﺗ رﻓّوﯾو‬ ‫ﺔﯾﺟﯾﺗارﺗﺳﻻا ﺔط ّﺧﻟا ﺞﺋﺎﺗﻧ زارﺣإ ﻲﻓ دّمﻘﺗﻟاو ﺎﻧﺑ صﺎﺧﻟا زﺎﺟﻧﻹا ﺞﻣﺎﻧرﺑ ذﯾﻔﻧﺗ ﻲﻓ‬ ‫ﻊﻣﺗﺟﻣﻠﻟ مﺎﻣأ‬. ‫ﻲﻻﻣﻟا ﺎﻧؤادأ دﯾُﻌ ثﯾﺣ‬، ‫دﻣﻷا ﺔﻠﯾوطو ﯾّﺔوﻧﺳﻟا ﻧﯾّﺔازﯾﻣﻻﺑ ﻧﺔًرﺎﻘﻣ‬، ‫ﯩدﺣإ‬ ‫ﻟﯾّﺗﻧﺎوﺋﺳﻣ‬

यो वाि◌षक� िप्रतवेदन िअघ�ो ि◌व�◌ीय वषर् भरी कािउ�लको िगितिवधह� समावेश बारे एक ि◌व�ृत िप्रतवेदन हो । यसको उ�े � कािउ�लको िगितिवधह� र ि◌व�◌ीय प्रदश�नको बारे मा समुदायलाई पूणर् जानकारी ि◌दनु हो । यसले कािउ�ल र यसका कमचा�रीह�ले गरे का प्रमुख उपिल�ह�को साथै कािउ�लले सोही अिवधमा सामना गनर् ◌ुपरे को चुनौतीह�लाई िपन हेरेको छ । हाम्रो वाि◌षक� िप्रतवेदनले हाम्रो ि◌वतरण कायक्र�मको काया��यनमा र हाम्रो सामुदाि◌यक रणनीि◌तक योजनाको नतीजाह� प्रा� गन� ि◌दशाि◌तर प्रिगत प्रदान गरे र हाम्रो िभव�को योजनालाई सूि◌चत गनर् िपन सहयोग गदछ� । वाि◌षक� र लामो अिवधको बजेट ि◌ब�� हाम्रो ि◌व�◌ीय प्रदश�न हाम्रो समुदाय िप्रत जवाफदे ही हो । िअधक जानकारीको लाि◌ग कृ पया ९३३० ६४०० वा ईमेल mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au मा कािउ�ललाई स�कर् गनर् ◌ुहोस् ।

Contents Acknowledgement of Country...................................2

The Georges River community at a glance...............42

Translation Information..............................................3

Services, activities and service locations..................44

About this report........................................................6

Customer service......................................................46

How to read the Georges River Council

Information management..........................................48

annual report.............................................................6

Technology................................................................49

Our vision, mission and values..................................7

Connecting with the community and stakeholders....50

Our plans...................................................................7

Civic and community events......................................56

Message from the Mayor...........................................8

Volunteers.................................................................61

Message from the General Manager.........................10

Public art...................................................................62

Our commitment to the environment.........................12

Building resilient communities...................................64

The Year in Review..................................................16

Economic development.............................................65

Organisational and financial performance.................18

Advocacy...................................................................66

Highlights and challenges.........................................20

Governance..............................................................69

Impact of COVID-19..................................................22

Democratic governance............................................70

Community and civic events......................................23

Council wards............................................................71

Georges River LGA in numbers................................26

Role of councillors.....................................................72

Financial performance summary...............................28

Councillor diversity....................................................72

Capital works snapshot.............................................30

Councillors.................................................................73

Annual scorecard......................................................32

Council and committee meetings..............................79

Looking ahead...........................................................34

Statutory information.................................................81

Our Place, Our Community...................................36

Corporate governance...............................................83

Profile and history......................................................38

Internal audit..............................................................88

About Council............................................................38

External partnerships................................................89 Contracts and procurement.......................................90

Artist Bjarni Wark a.k.a. HAPPY DECAY at Un[Contained] Arts Festival.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Our organisation, our people.................................93

Pillar 3 - Active and accessible

Awards and recognition.............................................94

places and spaces...................................................153

Partnerships and collaborations................................96

Progress against one-year Operational Plan

Sharing knowledge and expertise.............................96

items..........................................................................156

Leadership and structure...........................................98

Statutory information.................................................162

Our people at a glance..............................................100

Pillar 4 - A Diverse and Productive Economy......165

Workforce profile.......................................................101

Progress against one-year Operational Plan items...167

People recruitment and retention..............................105

Statutory Information.................................................174

People development..................................................108

Pillar 5 - A Harmonious and Proud Community with

People culture...........................................................110 Work health and safety..............................................114 Our Performance.....................................................119 Meeting legislative requirements...............................120 Satisfaction survey results.........................................121 Detailed performance on strategic themes................121

Strong Social Services and Infrastructure............177 Progress against one-year Operational Plan items...182 Statutory information.................................................194 Pillar 6 - Leadership and Transparency................197 Progress against one-year Operational Plan items...202 Statutory information.................................................223

Pillar 1 - A protected environment and green open

Capital works program..............................................244

spaces......................................................................123

Additional Statutory Information...........................250

Progress against one-year Operational Plan items..........................................................................123 Statutory information.................................................136 Pillar 2 - Quality, well planned development........139 Progress against one-year Operational Plan items..........................................................................141 Statutory information.................................................147

Grant Success...........................................................252 Grant funding.............................................................255 Financial information..............................................269 Glossary of terms and acronyms...............................250 Index..........................................................................352 Statutory Index..........................................................353

INTRODUCTION

About this report This is the Georges River Council annual report for the financial year to 30 June 2021. It represents an accountability mechanism between the community and Council and is prepared in accordance with Section 428 of the Local Government Act 1993 and the Office of Local Government’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidelines. This report outlines our financial and operational performance against the key objectives, strategies and priorities of our Community Strategic Plan 2018-2028, Delivery Program 2018/2019 – 2021/2022, Operational Plan 2020/21 and Budget. It also reports on the six themes, or pillars, identified by the community during the development of the Community Strategic Plan.

This annual report encompasses the range of activities undertaken and services provided. It is an important tool to inform residents and ratepayers, local businesses, non-government organisations, partners and government departments and agencies about our achievements, challenges and plans for the year ahead. This report also informs our employees on how we have performed over the year, how their efforts have contributed to our vision and what to expect in the coming year. Our performance section details progress towards proposed goals and actions.

This report is divided into seven sections: THE YEAR IN REVIEW Summarises highlights and challenges, important events, media coverage and financial performance.

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY Overviews the profile, history, services and connections within the Georges River Local Government Area (LGA).

Summarises how Council performed against financial and strategic objectives and on major projects. Presents major achievements under the six pillars of the Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Details democratic and corporate governance arrangements and councillor profiles.

Summarises 2020/21 funding to community organisations, a glossary of terms and indexes in accordance with Section 428 of the Local Government Act 1993.

OUR ORGANISATION, OUR PEOPLE

FINANCIAL REPORT

Provides information on our organisation and staff – structure, workforce demographics, employee performance review process, external awards and nominations.

Provides the audited Financial Statements of Council for the year ended 30 June 2021.

GOVERNANCE

OUR PERFORMANCE

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Our vision, mission and values OUR VISION

OUR PLANS

A progressive, environmentally, and culturally rich community enjoying a unique lifestyle.

The integrated planning and reporting framework bring various plans together so that we can leverage our efforts. This approach recognises that councils can be an advocate for the community’s vision for the future and inspire others to participate in that vision.

OUR MISSION A leading, people-focused organisation delivering outstanding results for our community and city.

Councils develop short, medium and long-term plans to meet the community’s needs through the: Community Strategic Plan (10+ years) Delivery Program (four years) Operational Plan (one year).

OUR VALUES

A supporting 10-year Resourcing Strategy consists of a Long-term Financial Plan, Asset Management Plan and Workforce Management Plan. We include a Digital Resource Management Plan in the Resourcing Strategy.

United

Professional

We will work collaboratively as one team with common purpose and respect

We will act with integrity and seek opportunities to learn and grow

These plans describe how we will consult with the community and meet our long-term objectives. After each council is elected, it must review the plans, ensure they will be used effectively and ensure they are updated annually. We adopted our 2020/21 integrated planning and reporting documents in June 2020.

Neon Night Garden installation by Carla O'brien for Un[contained] Arts Festival.

Honest

Accountable

We will be open and truthful with each other and our community

We will own our decisions and actions as we strive for excellence

INTRODUCTION

Message from the Mayor than $543,000 in grants provided to local businesses, creative industries and community groups. Council is continuing to work through the Plan. During the lockdowns, we used the Australian Business Register to communicate with and provide targeted support to local businesses. We worked to address both immediate and future needs while complementing the various NSW and Australian government initiatives. From this work, we’ve forged partnerships with local business that will benefit the community and local enterprise for years to come. Like many other councils, we adopted and embraced new ways of working to evolve our service delivery to be COVID-19 safe, seamless and continuous. Our diverse range of community programs and cultural events in new formats kept the community safe and connected. Some activities were scaled down, adapted and then developed into an improved and sustainable format.

This year challenged all of us yet brought out the very best in us. Resilience and kindness became part of our human response to a pandemic for which none of us were prepared. COVID-19 presented Council and our community with sporadic lockdowns and disruptions to our services, revenue streams, operations, economic development and social connections. It was and still is one of the most demanding times in history. Highlights Our achievements during the year involved extraordinary collaboration across the entire community and included a comprehensive response to the impacts of the pandemic. Council introduced a $47 million Economic and Social Recovery Plan, to be rolled out in three phrases. In this reporting period, phase two, Revival saw more

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

We held 53 events, attracting more than 36,000 people either in person or online. This is such an amazing outcome, reflecting Council’s agility, resilience and strong community connections. First in the series of COVID-19 safe events was Be Kind 2 Your Mind – a series of online webinars that provided a platform for all ages, from pre-schoolers to senior citizens, to understand how to respond to the effect of COVID-19 on mental health individually, and as a community. The success of our inaugural In Good Taste, It’s a Mood and Un[contained] Arts Festival flagship events mean we can now continue to bring colour to our cultural calendar. These smaller events across our community gave people opportunities to connect in a smaller and safer way. Our libraries and our museum and gallery adapted to online digital programs, with eLibrary, rhyme time and book clubs presented online.

Children’s Services developed remote learning and takehome resources for children and families, enabling them to continue their learning journey during lockdowns. It has taken sheer determination to continue our strategic planning, maintain financial stability and continue to build on our sustainable and innovative future. With a strong and ambitious vision for the future, we have reduced the median processing times for development applications (DAs) to 88 days despite the increase in the value of approved works to $713 million (up by $215 million from 2019/20) and delivered $50 million of capital and infrastructure works. The Inclusive Housing Strategy and Delivery Program and Local Housing Strategy set us a clear plan for the delivery of diverse housing in the LGA over the next 20 years. The Affordable Housing Policy set new affordable housing targets that will help increase the range and supply of reasonably priced housing in the LGA for very low to moderate income households and the broader residential market, including first home buyers. The completion of the Georges River Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2021 will provide for additional homes close to where people work, and close to the restaurants and open space that people enjoy, attracting more investment, increase the number of local jobs and keeping the economy moving. Environment and sustainability remain a major focus. We secured funding to plant 1,000 new trees in streets and parks, boosting the tree canopy. Our successful Bushcare Volunteer Program, despite facing a challenging year, welcomed 25 new members and contributed nearly 4,000 hours to restoring and preserving areas of the local bushland. The program planted 2,300 native plants throughout the year, including more than 350 trees.

Recognition Despite the challenges of the year, Georges River Council won several awards and was recognised for its work across a diverse range of activities, including: • Australasian Reporting Awards • Local Government Excellence Awards • Best Planning Ideas – NSW Awards for Planning Excellence • Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) NSW Awards for Planning Excellence, including our Director Environment and Planning Meryl Bishop receiving a commendation in the Planner of the Year category. • Keep Australia Beautiful NSW’s Sustainable Cities Award • Cities Power Partnership Climate Awards 2020 • Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards 2020 • Museums and Galleries National Awards • National recognition of South Hurstville Kindergarten for providing high quality children’s health care These achievements are the result of the dedication and hard work of our staff and the clear vision and leadership of the General Manager. As we celebrate the fifth anniversary of Georges River Council’s establishment, I thank the Councillors, the General Manager, Council staff and most importantly the Georges River community for what we have been able to achieve.

Kevin Greene Mayor

INTRODUCTION

Message from the General Manager

Key strategies adopted We adopted some key strategies and policies during the year including the Innovation Strategy, Community Property Strategy, Transport Strategy, Waste Strategy and Affordable Housing Policy. Achieving excellence Despite another challenging year, Council staff continued to work incredibly hard to deliver high quality services to our community. We were recognised in the Australasian Reporting Awards for Council’s 2019/20 Annual Report, Keep Australia Beautiful NSW’s Sustainable Cities Awards, the Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards and Cities Power Partnership Awards. Council was also a finalist in six categories of the Local Government Professionals NSW Local Government Awards, with one win and two highly commended.

2020/21 was certainly a year like no other for Georges River Council. Council has tackled the challenges of COVID-19 head-on and we have proved to be an agile, robust and highly capable organisation that delivers for our community. Endorsed by Council in May 2020, our award-winning, $47 million Economic and Social Recovery Program (ESRP) prioritised the needs of our local community in the form of immediate, targeted support, complementing the support packages provided by the Australian and NSW governments. Building financial sustainability Over the past three financial years, the long term forecast has illustrated Council’s deteriorating financial outlook over the 10 year period. Georges River Council’s financial performance in 2020/21 was positive and attributed to the 2020/21 Budget Strategy, in sustaining operations whilst Council works towards a surplus in future years. The results of 2020/21 have confirmed the accuracy of the forecast and reinforced the need for development and application of strict budget strategies and a special rate increase to overcome the financial challenges presented to the Council.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Our 2020 community satisfaction survey produced pleasing results with 87 per cent of the residents surveyed responding that they are satisfied with Council’s performance. The results also showed an increase in resident satisfaction across 10 of the comparable 41 services and facilities provided by council and identified the most valued aspects of living in the Georges River LGA as accessibility, location and the natural environment. During the year our staff completed in excess of 70,000 services requests and responses to correspondence whilst also exceeding the annual target for both performance indicators and improving on our community satisfaction levels. We have continued to nurture the strong relationships we have built with Service NSW, University of Technology Sydney, St George Business Chamber, City of Parramatta and City of Canterbury Bankstown to work collaboratively to maximise opportunities for our residents and businesses. Finally, I would like to thank the community for their support and contributions through engagement, participation and feedback.

Gail Connolly General Manager

Detail of mural by artist Mandy Salter, a.k.a. MAN De.

INTRODUCTION

Our commitment to the environment We are committed to addressing environmental issues that affect the area you live in.

Our vision for our environment Sustainability requires us to think about the types and amount of resources we use, how we dispose of items and the steps we take to protect and conserve the natural environment. We are committed to the conservation, restoration and enhancement of the Georges River environment. In keeping with ecologically sustainable development principles, we integrate social, economic and environmental values and imperatives into our decisionmaking.

We are committed to rehabilitating the LGA’s waterways, protecting bushland and wildlife and reducing waste and carbon emissions. Within the last year, we have committed to achieve net zero emissions and using 100 per cent renewable energy in our operations. Further, we are committed to various environmental sustainability and waste related targets that propel our work towards environmental protection: • 40 per cent total urban canopy cover by 2038 (baseline of 38 per cent in 2018) • ban on single-use plastic bags and drinking straws from Council events.

Georges River Council emissions FY 2020/2021

Waste

Staff commute

14% Fleet

Refrigerants

Gas

77%

Electricity

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Cities Power Partnership The Cities Power Partnership is a network of local councils leading the way to a sustainable, zero emissions future. Local councils that join the partnership make five action pledges to tackle climate change. We are progressing towards achieving a further five pledges after achieving the first five pledges in 2020/21, building on the success of last year where our first five pledges were achieved ahead of schedule. The current pledges committed by Council are as follows: Support community facilities to access renewable energy through incentives, support or grants. Develop education and behaviour-change programs to support local residents and businesses to tackle climate change through clean energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport. Support the local community to develop capacity and skills to tackle climate change. Provide fast-charging infrastructure throughout the city at key locations for electric vehicles. Develop procurement policy to ensure that the practices of contractors and financers align with council’s renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport goals.

We are working with key procurers to further advance a sustainable procurement process. We are looking at sustainable transport and fast charging options to encourage behaviour change within the community and to make it easy for people to participate in renewable energy initiatives. We are working with key procurers to further advance a sustainable procurement process. We are looking at sustainable transport and fast charging options to encourage behaviour change within the community and to make it easy for people to participate in renewable energy initiatives.

Waste collection services During 2020/21, we trialled a small-scale recycling program at the Hurstville Customer Service Centre to collect mobile phones, household batteries and CDs/DVDs. We collected more than 240 kilograms of materials for recycling. Given the success of the trial, the program will be expanded to more sites. We investigated 1,786 reports of illegally dumped material and levied $67,122 in fines for environmental breaches relating to waste or litter offences. Our continued membership under the Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad saw 576 illegal dumping incidents reported for investigation and six special operations to provide targeted education, compliance and enforcement relating to illegally dumped waste within Georges River LGA. Thirty-six community groups, schools and businesses registered a clean up site as part of Council’s support for Clean Up Australia Day. This event involved around 500 volunteers. Our Household Chemical Cleanout events diverted more than 71,000 kilograms of problem and hazardous waste materials. Since February 2021, the weekly TechWaste service has collected more than 18,000 kilograms of e-waste for recycling.

INTRODUCTION

Carss Bush Park foreshore.

Biodiversity Our LGA-wide Biodiversity Study determined baseline flora, fauna and vegetation communities, identified important locations with high biodiversity value and recorded numerous threatened and vulnerable species residing within the LGA. The study provided recommendations to further protect, maintain and enhance biodiversity; these will be progressively implemented.

Urban tree canopy Our street and park tree planting program received considerable assistance from the Five Million Trees for Greater Sydney Grant Program in 2020/21. We planted 505 trees as part of the 'Forest Roads, Canopy Corridors' grant project, including 196 trees in Kogarah Bay and 309 in Peakhurst, Beverly Hills, Riverwood and Narwee. A further 24 trees were planted as part of the Five Million Trees 'Cool Places, Urban Oasis' grant

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

project in commercial hubs to cool these more urban areas and bring greenery and shade to busy spaces. We supported Plant Ark’s Schools Tree Day initiative by providing 100 native tree and plant seedlings to schools throughout the LGA.

Pest animals Foxes are invasive species that harm the local and native wildlife and can harm domestic pets. In the 12 months to June 2021, we completed two rounds of fox trapping using soft jaw leg-hold traps and cage traps in seven reserves. Seven foxes were eradicated, including six of breeding age. We continue to work with neighbouring councils of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) on regional pest animal management activities.

Award recognition Renewable Energy award in Keep Australia Beautiful NSW’s Sustainable Cities Awards for our commitment to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy in Council’s operations by 2025 and existing energy initiatives that will help us achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2025. Highly Commended at the Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards 2020 in the ‘Towards Net Zero Emissions’ category. Finalist in the Cities Power Partnership Awards 2020 under the ‘Climate Champion Award’ which recognised the efforts of Council staff.

Environmental grants Grants to support and enhance environmental management and protection within the Georges River LGA include:

$494,000 under the NSW Government’s Greening Our City Grant Program, will go towards planting 1,000 new trees in streets and parks and distributing trees to schools in a Carlton Canopy Corridor, stretching from Narwee to Kogarah Bay. $9,830 under the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s Flying Fox Grants Program to support the development of a camp management plan for the Grey-headed Flying-foxes within Myles Dunphy Reserve, Oatley.

Flying-fox conservation The Flying-Fox Grants Program funding allowed us to undertake a community consultation program in December 2020 to inform a draft Flying-Fox Camp Management Plan for the established camp in Oatley. We expect to exhibit and finalise a draft plan in 2021/22.

Un[contained] Arts Festival in Kogarah.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

The year in review • • • • • • • • •

Organisational and financial performance Highlights and challenges Impact of COVID-19 Community and civic events Georges River LGA in numbers Community financial report Capital works snapshot Annual scorecard Looking ahead

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Organisational and financial performance

Delivery Program Four-year actions

Activities in 2020/21 contributed to our four-year Delivery Program 2018-2022 and the long-term objectives in our Community Strategic Plan 2018-2028. During 2020/21, we completed or progressed a substantial program of capital works and operational projects and provided services that addressed social, economic and environmental objectives set out in the Delivery Program and Community Strategic Plan. Overall performance during 2020/21 was measured against 138 four-year term achievements, 196 oneyear actions and 56 annual performance indicators as outlined in the Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

93% On track

Behind schedule

Performance indicators

67%

Achieved

33% Not achieved

Delivery Program One-year actions

87% On track

13%

Not completed

Public space improvement and art installation in Hurstville. Funded by Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Streets as Shared Spaces.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 1

A protected environment and green open spaces

PILLAR 2

Quality, well planned development

81%

Three-year actions on track

100%

Three-year actions on track

69%

One-year actions completed

25%

One-year actions completed

50%

Performance indicators achieved

33%

Performance indicators achieved

PILLAR 3

Active and accessible places and spaces

PILLAR 4

A diverse and productive economy

100%

Three-year actions on track

88%

Three-year actions on track

88%

One-year actions completed

40%

One-year actions completed

80%

Performance indicators achieved

50%

Performance indicators achieved

PILLAR 5

A harmonious and proud community with strong social services and infrastructure

PILLAR 6

Leadership and transparency

97%

Three-year actions on track

94%

Three-year actions on track

91%

One-year actions completed

84%

One-year actions completed

75%

Performance indicators achieved

76%

Performance indicators achieved

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PILLAR 1

A protected environment and green open spaces

PILLAR 3

Refer to pages 139 to 152

Active and accessible places and spaces

Achievements

• Received $129,000 grant funding to increase Hurstville’s tree canopy under the Greening Our City Program. • Completed the Plan of Management and Master Plan for Hurstville Oval and Timothy Reserve. • Finalised a Waste Minimisation Strategy. • Planted 7,333 native plants at various reserves and parks across the LGA. • Painted a rainbow crossing on Forest Road and two murals at Interchange Park Hurstville to support Pride Month. • Gained 1,072m2 of future open space through the acquisitions of 13 Monaro Avenue, Kingsgrove and 11 Tavistock Street, South Hurstville.

• Lodged the Georges River LEP with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. • Completed the Georges River Development Control Plan (DCP). • Commenced Part 2 of the Commercial Centres Strategy. • Opened Oatley West Early Learning Centre in September 2020. • Reviewed and updated the Fire Safety Corporate Protocol and Combustible Cladding Standard Operating Procedures. • Completed the phase out of all R22 refrigerants for all internally managed buildings. • Completed and lodged the Planning Proposal that will set planning controls for Hurstville Civic Precinct.

Challenges

• Faced difficulties with community consultation due to the need to comply with COVID-19 Public Health Orders. • Some works not completed due to Ausgrid’s Live Work Ban. • Experienced delays on construction projects due to COVID-19. • Faced an uncertain commercial property market while delivering community and public open space facilities.

• Commenced the Hurstville Revitalisation Project. • Rehabilitated and resurfaced 16 km of local and regional roads. • Installed a large mural in Post Office Lane, Kogarah. • Installed 10 GoGet car share dedicated bays in Kogarah and Hurstville. • Successfully applied for $4.75m to implement public domain improvements in Hurstville under the NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program. • Received $200,000 in grant funding for the Hurstville Library Sensory Garden. • Installed state of the art digital technology in Georges River libraries. • Opened crisis accommodation in 2020.

Refer to pages 123 to 138

• Failed to fund heritage building grants due to budget constraints. • Faced unprecedented challenges to deliver projects on time due to COVID-19. • Experienced difficulty securing funding for additional open space.

The year ahead • We will complete the former Oatley Bowling Club site, Moore Reserve, Sans Souci Park, Penshurst Park and generic plans of management and master plans. • We will undertake the 2021/22 Heritage Grants Program. • We will apply Greening Our City Grant Funding to the Treacy Street upgrade.

PILLAR 2

Quality, well planned development

Challenges

Refer to pages 153 to 164

Challenges • Hurstville Revitalisation Project delayed due to the conversion of Palm Court into open space and related car parking issues. • Experienced delays on construction projects due to COVID-19. • Faced capacity limits in libraries and meeting rooms due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The year ahead

• We will finalise the Georges River Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2021 and Georges River Development Control Plan (DCP) 2021. • We will complete the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan. • We will complete the Beverly Hills Local Centre Master Plan.

• We will commence the Mortdale Town Centre Streetscape upgrade. • We will continue the rollout of the Streets as Shared Spaces project in Hurstville and commence the Hurstville Revitalisation Project. • We will prepare a library business case and demand analysis for a library to serve the west of the LGA and transform current branch libraries into more flexible spaces. • We will develop Aboriginal spaces in the Library Place Strategy. • We will provide library outreach and online services.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 4

A diverse and productive economy Refer to pages 165 to 176

PILLAR 5

A harmonious and proud community with strong social services and infrastructure

PILLAR 6

Leadership and transparency Refer to pages 197 to 243

Refer to pages 177 to 196

Achievements

• Approved the Business First addition to the Economic Development Strategy. • Finalised the Night Time Economy Study and Action Plan. • Finalised Rewrite the Night Grants Program. • Coordinated the International Women’s Day event to showcase local women in business. • Held Un[contained] Arts Festival – an accessible arts festival in Kogarah. • Supported the community by adjusting the annual grant program to include small local businesses as well as not-for-profit community organisations. • Achieved 90% occupancy over commercial property portfolio despite COVID-19.

• Finalised the Local Housing Strategy and Inclusive Housing Strategy. • Finalised the Affordable Housing Policy. • Implemented a Library Fines Amnesty from 1 May 2021 to 23 July 2021. • Partnered with 3Bridges Community to support their Inclusive Volunteer Program. • Enjoyed recognition for Hurstville Museum & Gallery at the Museums and Galleries National Awards. • Adapted the library and Hurstville Museum & Gallery to an online model. • South Hurstville Kindergarten partnered with Allied Health in a pilot program to identify children who need support with their language and speech. • Partnered with the St George Domestic Violence Committee to develop a Pocket Guide to Relationships, Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control.

• Our Economic and Social Recovery Program won the 2021 Greater Sydney Commission Planning Award for City Shaping during COVID-19. • Completed a comprehensive list of riskbased audits on the Audit Program. • Distributed ‘Happy or Not’ customer feedback portals throughout our customer services centres. • Maintained continuity of services through the closure of our customer services centres with staff working remotely and from the Civic Centre. • Updated our Investment Policy. • Launched new learning program – LEAP. • Established a Digital Resource Management Plan. • Adopted a new rates framework for the combined Georges River Council. • Reduced the projected operating deficit for 2021/22 by reducing non-essential programs. • Adopted a revised Long-Term Financial Plan resulting in future year surpluses.

Challenges • Rescheduled events such as our Leading for Change from March to October 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. • Delayed the release of our Night Time Economy Study and Action plan due to COVID-19 restrictions and realignment with the Sydney 24 Hour Economy Strategy. • Held limited stakeholder engagement on the Kogarah Collaboration Area due to COVID-19 restrictions. • Retained current tenants impacted by COVID-19 in council properties so that deferred rentals may eventually be recuperated.

The year ahead • We will implement the Night Time Economy Study and Action Plan. • We will continue to evaluate the Economic and Social Recovery Program. • We will develop the Kogarah Investment Prospectus. • We will implement a program of exhibitions and events to raise the profile of Hurstville Museum & Gallery.

Challenges

• Closed our Library Services and Hurstville Museum & Gallery due to the COVID-19 Public Health Order. • Saw reduced numbers of people attending community centres and halls and Hurstville Entertainment Centre due to COVID-19 restrictions. • Cancelled many council and community events due to COVID-19 restrictions.

• Failed to perform the cash handling audit due to COVID-19 restrictions. • Closed customer service centres to the COVID-19 Public Health Order. • Experienced budget constraints. • Faced difficulties in achieving organisational coverage through existing resources. • Faced a growing and more intense cyber landscape. • Suffered COVID-19 financial impacts on revenue and forecasts.

The year ahead

• We will establish an Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme for the area under the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan. • We will implement the Library Services Debt Recovery Plan. • We will investigate partnerships with early learning centres, schools, hospitals and direct delivery to homes to expand library services • We will develop an Events and Activation Strategy.

• We will develop and commence a new risk-based three-year Audit Plan. • We will continue our Code of Conduct Training for the whole of the organisation. • We will continue to build the reputation and brand of Georges River. • We will review the Community Strategic Plan. • We will develop a Customer Experience Strategy. • We will review our Digital Resource Management Plan. • We will work on securing our future savings commitment. • We will implement the COVID-19 recovery plan. • We will continue to improve our financial policies, controls and systems.

Challenges

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Impact of COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions has required us to close services and facilities. This reduced face-to-face contact with our customers and saw a reduction in services. We also reduced either the number of events, or attendees at events, and overall experienced a loss of income. For our services and facilities, this meant: • 8,000 fewer visitors to the Hurstville Museum & Gallery • 151,000 fewer visitors to our libraries • around 76,000 fewer visitors to the Hurstville Entertainment Centre • $100,000 drop in income from car parking • $75,000 reduction in commercial leases • temporary closure of early learning centres • increase in complaints due to early starts for waste collection put in place to reduce staff contact • 25% increase in general waste services • inability to access building sites for formal investigations • increase in inspections of food premises due to new provisions permitting independent temporary food premises operators to operate on private land • only 34% of cooling tower inspections conducted • phone and video inspections emanating from complaints against food shops • 55% increase in sewer complaints • reduced visible presence of parking foot patrols

Hurstville during COVID-19

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Community and civic events In 2020/21 we hosted, sponsored and supported many events that provided residents, businesses and visitors with the opportunity to connect within the diverse natural and built environments of Georges River. Although COVID-19 forced the cancellation of some events, we were able to adapt to this changing environment and the following events were able to be held: September 2020 Spring Foodies Market October 2020 Frightful 80s Drive-In Cinema November 2020 No Domestic Violence Ceremony

Mulga the Artist at Pop-up Skate Park for 2021 It's A Mood.

December 2020 Christmas Ice Rink January 2021 Australia Day Awards February 2021 Little Lunar In Good Taste March 2021 In Good Taste April 2021 It’s a Mood May 2021 Georges River Council 5 Year Anniversary Eurovision Song Contest 2021 – Grand Final Live Broadcast

Aerial artist performing at Un[contained] Arts Festival.

June 2021 Un[contained] Arts Festival November 2020 - March 2021 Mobile Musos We hosted three citizenship ceremonies including two on Australia Day. We cancelled four citizenship ceremonies dueto COVID-19 restrictions.

Frightful 80s Drive-In Cinema.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Significant media coverage Media coverage reflects what is important to our local community and the broader interest in what is happening in Georges River. The Kogarah War Memorial Pool was a regular local media story as the DA process to demolish the old pool and the feasibility studies for a potential location for a future pool progressed through Council. Community consultation to harmonise Council rates was consistently reported from November 2020 when the proposal was released through to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) approval of the application in May 2021. As we adapted events to be COVID Safe, those events really captured media attention as people were

Little Lunar in Hurstville.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

interested in the digital element of events that could be enjoyed by people outside Georges River. Little Lunar was a COVID safe Lunar New Year celebration, delivered as part of the In Good Taste festival in February 2021. In Good Taste and Little Lunar were the first community events in Georges River after the restrictions were eased. Little Lunar attracted unprecedented media coverage with 157 stories in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Japanese across TV, radio, print and online channels. Coverage was seen on 10NEWS, China Central Television, and SBS Food. SBS Mandarin radio told the story and ABC covered it online. The story appeared in The Age, Xinhua News Agency, TimeOut Sydney, Sydney Morning Herald, SBS, Good Food

Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Daily Telegraph and our local paper, The Leader.

Xinhua News Agencies more than 20 newspapers and magazines, as well as social media channels.

The inaugural Un[contained] was another innovative event in Kogarah that captured 40 stories in TV, radio, print and online channels in Sydney and in Asian languages.

Radio also carried the story of Un[contained] Art Festival with appearances on ABC Radio, 2GB 873AM, 99.7FM Sound of the Shire, East Side 89.7FM, and 2NBC 90.1FM.

Un[contained] Art Festival was featured in Concrete Playground, Broadsheet editorial (which generates 29 re-publications, including Australian Online News, Newcastle Online News, and Wollongong Online News), Ella’s List, Sydney.Com, Weekend Notes, Get Sydney, Sydney Times, Arts Hub, Indomedia, WeSydney, and Netease.

There was significant media coverage on the ongoing ICAC investigation into Councillors Hindi and Badalati. This investigation is ongoing and, therefore, will not be reported in detail at this time.

International TV coverage for Un[contained] included Xinhua News - Chinese National Midday News Bulletin,

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Georges River LGA in numbers

Environment

Infrastructure

40 km of waterways

394 km local roads

154 ha of bushland restored by volunteers

27.7 km regional roads

14 Bushcare groups

41 roads of 16km resheeted

38% estimated tree canopy cover (including mangroves)

494 km footpaths 11 footpaths of 2.4 km constructed 13 drainage programs completed 10 traffic devices constructed 2.1 km of new kerb and gutter constructed

Council 561.4 full time equivalent (FTE) staff $148.1 million budget expenditure forecast for 2020/21 $46.4 million capital budget expenditure forecast for 2020/21 $3.2 million total operating budget deficit forecast for 2020/21

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Recreation facilities 3 aquatic and leisure facilities (1 currently closed) 5 libraries 1 museum and gallery 34 council community facilities (9 with space for hire) 118 playgrounds 15 tennis courts 28 netball courts 57 sporting fields 2 full synthetic fields and 2 mini fields 2 golf courses 266 Council parks and reserves totalling 477 ha 1 stadium 1 entertainment centre 10 boat ramps 3 tidal pools 10 boat ramps

Carss Park Foreshore Naturalisation Project.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Financial performance summary Your rates and charges contribution $100 million is collected annually from rates and annual charges (waste and stormwater), providing funding for a large variety of valued community services. In addition to rates and charges income and to relieve the burden on ratepayers, Council actively collects other income from user fees, grants, developer contributions and commercial rent. The diagram below outlines the contribution rates and charges had to the following key service areas during 2020/21.

25%

Waste management Roads, footpaths, drainage, and stormwater management

11% 10%

Parks and gardens

Libraries, cultural and community services

6% Environmental protection and regulation 5%

Sport and recreation facilities

Community and commercial facilities

4% 4%

Environmental and city planning Street cleaning

3% Development and building assessments 3% Customer service and communications 3% State Emergency Service 2% Accessibility and parking

Street lighting and other amenities

Health regulation and animal management

Children’s Services

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

19%

Penshurst Park Open Space and Building Works

Financial results 2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

% change

2019/20 Actual

Revenue

$130,814

$136,930

$138,484

$145,351

N/A

Expenses

$131,583

$140,199

$147,968

$172,735

17%

154

$1,447,849

$1,557,311

$1,570,189

$1,565,399

75.94%

$38,684

$40,406

$47,683

$50,122

78.82%

$1,409,165

$1,516,905

$1,522,506

$1,515,277

99.12%

Financial results ($’000)

Assets Liabilities Equity

Operating revenue

Capital expenditure

Actual Operating Revenue was $145.4 million verse Budget of $145.5 million.

Capital Expenditure was $37.5 million for 2020/21

The results materially aligned to the original budget projections and was a positive result inconsideration of declines in user fees and charges from the continued impact of COVID-19 and the overall economic recovery.

Operating expenses Actual Operating Expenses were $146.8 million (excluding asset impairment and revaluation decrement of $26 million) verse Budget of $148.1 million. Results were below budget due to savings in Material and Contractor expenses, and Other Expenses such as Electricity and Street Lighting costs.

Capital projects expenditure Main expenditure occurred on the below Projects – • Penshurst Park Open Space and Building Works $10.5 million • Ormonde Parade Streetscape $2.8 million • Roof Renewal Hurstville Aquatic Centre $2.1 million • Property Acquisition Purchases (Monaro Avenue; Tavistock Road) $2.7 million • Poulton Park Naturalisation and Car Park Upgrade $877,000 • Commercial Car Parking Automation Equipment $755,000

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Capital works snapshot

Roads

Parks

Footpaths

Community buildings and facilities

$5,110,000

$8,619,000

$718,000

$6,058,000

Library services

Corporate systems and technology

Environmental Sustainability and Initiatives

Neighbourhood centre improvements

$679,000

$134,000

Purchase of land and buildings

Public amenities

Sportsfields and facilities

Traffic/pedestrian facilities

$2,735,000

$875,000

$2,284,000

$778,000

Drainage and stormwater

Plant and equipment

$558,000

$645,000

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

$1,619,000

$3,310,000

Oatley Adventure Playground, Oatley Park

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Annual scorecard 2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

Correspondence completed

24,617

42,001

47,446

53,210

Cyber threats blocked

2,414,912

9,928,581

12,260,202

16,901,927

Tenders awarded to the value of

$45,118,598

$44,949,322

$22,714,885

$16,211,670

Tree applications processed

706

796

832

923

Number of trees planted

N/A

961

327

(excludes National Tree Day Give Away and other community planting)

6.5

8.3

11.9

Kilometres of roads re-sheeted

6.5

8.3

11.9

Kilometres of footpath constructed

3.7

8.5

6.6

2.4

Visits to Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre

1,159,178

1,221,602

896,143

408,357

Tonnes of waste diverted from landfill

29,215

27,199

30,358

32,303

Food shop inspections

893

940

596

789

Number of trees planted

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

Fines for environmental breaches

$14,750

$209,030

$97,151

$156,750

Value of development applications (DAs) lodged

$1,054,762,960

$568,118,643

$463,173,520

$493,996,708

DAs assessed

894

758

494

422

Attendees at major Council events

68,000

69,657

63,000

36,763

Telephone calls answered

104,067

105,217

74,678

76,283

Attendees in community centres and performance venues

317,596

336,297

239,567

168,178

Visits to Georges River libraries

811,816

721,975

499,740

348,129

Councillor requests

1,805

1,078

626

617

Enquiries from MPs

1,586

1,461

1,206

1,572

Council meeting and committee meeting live streams

N/A

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Looking ahead Community Strategic Plan Our Community Strategic Plan sets out how we work to serve the community and meet their needs in the future. We conducted a community satisfaction survey in March 2020 – these valuable insights help us to direct and adapt activities tailored to the needs of this diverse community. Our priorities for improvement are: • improving public transport • managing traffic and congestion • planning for outdoor parks and recreation We have commenced a review of our Community Strategic Plan and undertaken significant engagement with our community and stakeholders. Consultation with our new Councillors will be undertaken during February 2022 and a draft Plan will be prepared for further community engagement prior to being endorsed by Council in June 2022.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Budget 2021/22

2021/22 capital works program

The 2021/22 budget is projecting an operating deficit of $4.5 million.

Each year, a number of major capital projects are identified as ‘top projects’. The projects below were identified in June 2021 as the top capital projects for 2021/22. The capital works program progress will be reported on a quarterly basis to Council and forecast expenditure is anticipated to be $42.9 million.

Key aspects of the budget include: • New or renewed community assets to the value of $42.9 million. • Implementation of productivity improvements and cost efficiencies identified in the adopted Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) application continues • No reduction in grants or subsidies to community groups

Highlights include: • Hurstville Golf Course Clubhouse project • Mortdale Shopping Centre Streetscape

• Retention of the expiring former Hurstville Special Rate Variation (approved in full by IPART in May 2021).

• Hurstville Revitalisation (NSW Government – Public Spaces Legacy Program)

• Application of the New Rates 2021 Special Rate Variation to increase rate income, which includes retention of the expiring former Hurstville Special Rate Variation (approved in full by IPART in May 2021).

• Road Re-sheeting Program

• Expansion of Council hardship payment support options • Segregation of funds to ensure footpaths, playgrounds, building, roads, stormwater and other key assets are repaired and renewed.

• Fleet and Plant Replacement Program • Critical Safety and Asset Renewal program • Decontamination and Remediation of the Kogarah War Memorial Site • Storm water Drainage Critical Program • Footpath Critical Safety Program

• No new loan borrowings

• Olds Park Master Plan Implementation

• Employee costs budget target with the annual award increase of 2% being absorbed by the application of savings strategy

• The Green Sports Amenities Building

• Reduction in consultancies through a greater investment in-house skills • Strict application of the pricing methodology to fees and charges with an aim of cost recovery • Depreciation increase due to the construction of new assets and rising cost of replacement

• Kogarah Streetscape Upgrade • Former Oatley Bowling Club Masterplan Works • Annual Library Resource Renewal • Cultural Event Assets • Information Management and Technology (Cyber Security, computer/device hardware and software implementation)

• Continued obligation to repay the Mortdale Jubilee Community Centre external loan ($500,000 annual repayment from general revenue) • The scheduled 2021 Election of $1 million has been funded • Anticipated costs associated with debt recovery as a result of COVID-19 impacts • Disposal of underperforming assets, including plant and properties to offset loss of income due to COVID-19 and investment interest income drop ($3.3 million income)

Carss Park Foreshore Naturalisation Knafeh Bakery at Un[Contained] Arts Project. Festival.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Our place, our community • • • • • • • • • •

Profile and history Services, activities and service locations Customer service and information management Technology Connecting with our community and stakeholders Civic and community events Volunteers Building resilient communities Economic development Advocacy

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY

Profile and history Our history The traditional owners of the area now known as the Georges River are the Biddegal people of the Eora Nation, who have lived on this land for more than 40,000 years. European settlement in the area in 1788 led to dramatic change for the Aboriginal community. The first land grant was assigned in 1804, with Hannah Laycock and her family receiving 700 acres. In 1808, Captain John Townson was granted 1,950 acres of land, comprising the present-day suburb of Hurstville and part of Bexley. His brother Robert Townson was granted the land which now comprises Penshurst, Mortdale, and parts of Peakhurst. European settlement was the catalyst for significant changes to the natural landscape, which was rich in natural resources, such as lime and timber. Communities began to work in areas including

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

lime-burning, timber-getting, oyster-farming, shipbuilding and brickworks. Further transformation of the Georges River area took place in 1850, when Michael Gannon purchased land and subdivided it into small farms along what is now Croydon Road. Three larger farms were purchased by Messrs Dent, Peake and Ibbotson, and the area became known as Gannons Forest. When a local school was established in 1876, it was named ‘Hurstville’ and in 1884 the new railway station took the same name. The establishment of the Illawarra rail line saw the landscape shift from rural to an environment featuring cottages and roads, and residents opted for trades over agricultural work. Kogarah Council was established in 1885, with a municipality in Hurstville following in 1887. Improved

About Council Our 15 elected councillors are supported by 676 staff members undertaking both administrative and outdoor activities. Our annual community expenditure budget for 2020/21 exceeded $190 million.

Suburbs

Railway Parade Kogarah NSW, c.1910.

transport links brought about an increase in population in the 1900s, which led to a boom in new shops and businesses. The picturesque rivers, coves and beaches of Georges River became the pleasure grounds of Sydney, popular for swimming, boating and picnicking. The discovery of gold in NSW in the 1850s attracted Chinese migration to the Georges River, and migration from China and Hong Kong again boomed in the 1990s, when a distinct Chinese community began to form in the area. By 1988, Hurstville had become a CBD for the southern suburbs of Sydney and was declared a city. Georges River Council was formed in 2016 with the amalgamation of the former Hurstville and Kogarah councils. Today, the Georges River LGA is a thriving multicultural community, sharing links with more than 50 countries.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Allawah Beverley Park Beverly Hills Blakehurst Carlton Carss Park Connells Point Hurstville Hurstville Grove Kogarah Kogarah Bay Kingsgrove Kyle Bay Lugarno Mortdale Narwee Oatley Peakhurst Peakhurst Heights Penshurst Riverwood Sans Souci

• South Hurstville

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY

Georges River LGA is 17 kilometres from Sydney CBD and covers 38 square kilometres.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Location

Languages

Georges River LGA is 17 kilometres from Sydney CBD and covers 38 square kilometres. It is close to Sydney Airport and the M5 Motorway, as well as the foreshores of Botany Bay and the Georges River.

The most common languages spoken at home other than English are Chinese languages (17.7 per cent), Greek (5.4 per cent) and Arabic (3.6 per cent). Those speaking Nepali has increased from 1.3 per cent in 2011 to 3.4 per cent (compared to 0.7 per cent in Greater Sydney) in 2016 and is now the fifth most spoken language at home in the Georges River LGA.

The area is serviced by Stoney Creek Road, Forest Road, King Georges Road, and the East Hills and Illawarra rail lines. It is the major public transport interchange for the St George region, with excellent access to train and bus services. The LGA consists of five wards: Blakehurst, Hurstville, Kogarah Bay, Mortdale and Peakhurst.

Population Our estimated resident population for 2020 was 160,272 people with a population density of 41.78 persons per hectare. Our population forecast for 2021 is 162,794 and we expect the population to grow to 185,346 by 2036 (a 13.85 per cent increase).

Demographics The LGA has a slightly lower proportion of people aged up to 17 and a higher proportion of people in 60 and over than the Greater Sydney average. Overall, 20.2 per cent of the population was younger than 17, and 20.6 per cent 60 and over, compared with 22.1 per cent and 19.0 per cent respectively for Greater Sydney. Nearly 45 per cent of the population was born overseas and 42 per cent are from a non-English speaking background. The largest overseas country of birth is China (16.1 per cent of the population) followed by Nepal (3.3 per cent), Hong Kong (2.5 per cent) and the United Kingdom (1.6 per cent).

Economy The Georges River economy sustains 56,094 jobs with 84,680 employed residents. Of the 42,487 local workers in the city, 15,726 or 37 per cent also live in the area, with 45.9 per cent of the local workers male and 54.1 per cent female. The LGA is home to around 16,497 local businesses with the largest industry (by employment) being health care and social assistance generating 15,624 local jobs in 2019/20. Financial and insurance services are the most productive industry, generating $1,467 million in 2019/20 The amount of wealth generated by businesses, organisations and individuals working in the area is the gross regional product (GRP), which was estimated to be $8.7 billion in the year ending June 2020, which represents 1.39 per cent of the state’s gross state product (GSP).

COVID-19 economic outlook The impacts for the September 2020 quarter compared to September quarter 2019 are estimated to be: • -1.4 per cent GRP change • -1.3 per cent local job change

The countries of birth with the biggest net gain in number of residents between 2011 and 2016 were China (+5,168), Nepal (+3,081), The Philippines (+725), India (+397), and Bangladesh (+352).

• -1.7 per cent employed resident change

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 0.5 per cent of Georges River’s population in the 2016 Census.

• retail trade (-414 local jobs)

• The top three sector impacts (without the JobKeeper scheme) are likely to be: • accommodation and food services (-1,059 local jobs) • arts and recreation services (-348 local jobs).

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY

Georges River at a glance Our population (2020)

160,272

Projected 185,346 by 2036 (change 2021-36) 13.85 per cent

Indigenous community

0.5% of population

Years median age

45%

54%

Residents speak a language other than English at home

Population born overseas

38%

Couples with children

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Older couples without children

18%

Lone person households

Median weekly household income

$1,650

46%

Households renting

Households with a mortgage

median weekly rent

median weekly repayment

Medium and high density dwellings

31% $459

31.3%

30% $492

Residents use public transport to get to work

University attendance

30%

University qualification

61%

6.5%

1020

634

Unemployed

SIEFA Index of disadvantage

Population in labour force

13%

Trade qualifications

Homeless people

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimated Resident Population, 2018 Profile ID.com.au Economy ID.com.au Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2016

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY

Services, activities and service locations We provide a range of services and activities, from libraries, early learning, waste management and planning. These are aligned with our internal functions, activities and products to strengthen service delivery. We consider our services in terms of the following themes

A protected environment and green open spaces: • bushland reserves • river health, including better stormwater management to protect Georges River and its tributaries. • waste and recycling management • better facilities in parks and reserves • dog parks • heritage conservation • environmental sustainability • plans of management

Quality, well planned development • • • • • •

sustainable development fire safety program future land use planning planning and building compliance planning and building approvals environmental compliance

Active and accessible places and spaces • public transport reliability, accessibility and frequency • car parking • road conditions and congestion • pedestrian safety • cycleways • street lighting

Crowds at Un[contained] Arts Festival

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

A diverse and productive economy • • • •

economic development and business support residential and employment growth advocacy investment attraction

A harmonious and proud community with strong social services and infrastructure • • • • • • • • •

community recreation programs and facilities inclusive and accessible events and facilities housing diversity and affordable housing regulatory functions social justice community safety education and care library services cultural facilities

Leadership and transparency • community engagement • open and transparent decision making • greater accountability including financial accountability • cooperation with other levels of government • leadership, culture and governance • people management • information and knowledge management • results and sustainable performance

Service locations We work from our Civic Centre and other service locations

Name

Address

Customer Service Centres

Contact mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Georges River Civic Centre

Corner MacMahon and Dora Streets, Hurstville

Clive James Library and Service Centre

Kogarah Town Square Belgrave Street, Kogarah

Libraries

PO Box 205 Hurstville 9330 6400 libraries@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Clive James Library and Service Centre

Kogarah Town Square Belgrave Street, Kogarah

9330 6400

Hurstville Library

12-22 Dora Street, Hurstville

9330 6111

Penshurst Library

60 Forest Road, Penshurst

9330 6422

Oatley Library

26 Letitia Street, Oatley

9579 6553

South Hurstville Library

Corner Short and Allen Streets, South Hurstville NSW 222

9330 9529

Museum & Gallery Hurstville Museum & Gallery

museumgallery@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au 14 MacMahon Street Hurstville

9330 6444

Works depots Carlton

78 Planthurst Road, Carlton

Mortdale

100 Roberts Avenue Mortdale

Early learning centres Ocean Street Kindergarten

62 Ocean Street Kogarah

9330 6449

Jack High Childcare Centre

70 Vanessa Street Beverly Hills

9330 6449

Oatley West Early Learning Centre

66 Mulga Road, Oatley

9330 6449

South Hurstvillle Kindergarten

4 The Mall South Hurstville

9330 6449

Penshurst Long Day Care

5 St Georges Road Penshurst

9330 6449

Carss Park Narani Childcare Centre

72 Carwar Avenue Carss Park

9330 6449

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY

Customer service We work towards excellent, responsive and appropriate services so that customers feel satisfied with their experience and informed about how we make decisions and take action. Across all our services and interactions, we strive to: • Put the customer first: We understand our customers’ expectations and adapt our services to meet customer needs. • Make it easy: We make it as easy as possible for customers to access our services, information and people by being open and offering choice. • Inspire a culture of customer service: We are motivated towards excellence in service delivery in a culture where customer service is something we all do. Customers can seek our assistance online, over the phone, in person, by email or letter. A consistent approach to customer service means we attend to enquiries accurately, promptly and professionally. Enquiries that cannot be addressed immediately are referred to an appropriately skilled staff member to progress. Enquiries not related to a Council function are referred to an appropriate service provider wherever possible.

Complaint management We encourage customers who are not satisfied with a service provided or action taken by one our employees to lodge a complaint. Timeframes for resolving complaints depend on the complexity of the issue; all complaints are acknowledged within two days. General complaints are resolved within five working days and complex complaints requiring further investigation are resolved within 10 business days. If a complaint cannot be resolved within 10 business days, we will contact the customer to provide a progress update and estimated timeframe for completion.

Customer Service staff.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

During 2020/21 we: • increased channels for customers to provide feedback and register complaints • streamlined the complaint management process to ensure timely and consistent responses to complaints and feedback • harmonised and improved online customer forms • developed a knowledge base and business mapping process (Promapps) which effectively maps and manages business processes for the customer experience team including integration with relevant business units • made improvements based on complaint and feedback data. We intend to develop a customer experience training program and customer service strategy. We will also review our Customer Feedback and Complaints Management Policy and Procedure.

Compliments and complaints The graph below shows the number of compliment and complaints received over the past five years. Complaints 2021

168

2020

143

2019

177

2018

334

2017

164

Accolades 2021

137

2020

2019

142

2018

143

2017

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY

Information management Our Information Management Team ensures corporate records are accurate and managed under the NSW State Records Act 1998. The number of records registered within our records management system in 2020/21 was 308,596, a 1.1 per cent decrease on last year. Of these, 53,139 (17.2 per cent) were customer correspondence and the remainder created by our staff. The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 creates a general right of access to documents held by state and local government agencies. During 2020/21, we received and processed 845 applications under this Act, a 7.2 per cent increase on the previous year.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Technology We continue to leverage information and digital technology to transform services to the community and customers. This year, we continued our digital government commitment by launching the Jubilee Oval and Hurstville Entertainment Centre websites. We also transformed our customer request management system, enabling customers to log and track a variety of our services. During 2020/21, we received and processed 26,821 online service requests, a 68 per cent increase on last year.

We continue to focus on becoming a data driven organisation, establishing the capability and data sources to enable our City Dashboard, which will help the community to see the varied services provided across the LGA every day. We also formalised our Digital Data Policy, which outlines the better use of data and building a strong process-driven culture. As new technology solutions continue to emerge, our journey to enable smart places continues. Smart places use information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance the experience people have in places and how sustainable they are. We continued to invest in our network of smart city technology such as CCTV, public Wi-Fi, people counting and smart parking technology. Our commitment to keeping information safe was enhanced with better technical infrastructure and cybersecurity resilience. Our technical infrastructure is now founded on Azure native cloud enterprise architecture. We also tested our business continuity preparedness with a denial of service attack scenario. This year, under our cybersecurity audit program, we finalised seven independent audits focused on information management security policies and processes: • • • • • • •

network penetration Wi-Fi penetration information security policy review adherence to the Australian Security Centre - Essential 8 records information management policy review social engineering – malicious email physical intrusion testing.

OUR PLACE, OUR COMMUNITY

Connecting with the community and stakeholders We want to hear what the community has to say about plans for projects, programs and services. We communicate in many ways, including through a regular advertorial in The Leader, social media, media releases, advertising, e-newsletters, radio interviews, direct mail and community events. We delivered our quarterly magazine to homes and businesses in the LGA throughout 2020/21. It featured news articles and special features about places, people and events in the LGA.

2020 It's A Mood - Chess tournament

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Our website and social media platforms provide an open forum for the community to engage with us and continue to attract followers each year. We value positive relationships with local and metropolitan media outlets and assist by providing information and coordinating media interviews whenever possible. During the year, we released 162 media statements and addressed 38 media enquiries. Independent media information gives the community a balanced view on our issues and operations.

How we engage Engagement method

Description

Your Say

Our online engagement tool. Registered participants receive requests to share their views, concerns or ideas to help inform our decision-making. We have received 3,226 site registrations to date, more than two per cent of the population.

Surveys

Common method for obtaining information from the community, available online through the Your Say page or in hardcopy on request.

Community events and activities

On an ongoing basis, engagement activities are incorporated into City-hosted events.

Facilitated sessions

We hold facilitated workshops and sessions to share information, involve the community and obtain feedback on our plans in a more personal way. Community members can interact directly with staff and have their questions and concerns listened to, answered and considered. Many of these activities are now online events due to COVID-19.

Non-facilitated sessions

We set up information booths, ideas boards and straw polls (ad hoc unofficial voting) at community facilities, events and other engagements.

Submissions

Where a survey is not appropriate, we request a submission to capture community comments, concerns and opinions.

Website

The community can view the latest news, key projects and important documents on our website.

e-newsletter

The public comment period for key projects is featured in the fortnightly eNews, which has almost 10,000 subscribers.

Top 5 questions compared to industry

% favourable

2019 difference

Local government difference

I am aware of the vision for the future of Georges River Council

+ 21

Georges River Council is innovative

+ 19

The Executive Team keep people informed of what’s going on

+ 16

I have confidence in the ability of the Executive Team

+ 16

Georges River Council has a strong focus on achieving positive results

+ 15

Our response to COVID-19 has been strong compared to our local government counterparts – most between 1-6 percentage points higher than the industry benchmark. Comparative to all industries (of which there are 110 organisations) while results were not as high, in some areas there has been a notable outcome in how our staff responded. Covid-19 specific questions

% favourable

Local gov. Difference %

All industries difference %

Georges River Council’s communication about COVID-19 has been clear and timely

88%

We are given all necessary safety information and safety equipment to manage the risk of COVID-19

83%

-1

My co-workers are taking appropriate precautions to protect themselves and others (physical distancing, cleaning etc.)

82%

-2

-4

I am aware of the processes to follow should I become unwell

97%

I am aware of the processes to follow should someone I have been in contact with becomes unwell

95%

Senior management are making effective decisions in response to COVID-19

84%

My team has been able to work together effectively during the disruption caused by COVID-19

87%

-2

I am coping well with the disruption due to COVID-19

81%

Workplace changes associated with COVID-19 have been managed well

81%

-3

We have continued to enhance our social media communications particularly on professional platforms such as LinkedIn. These platforms attract the right talent to our organisation, which adds to our thriving culture and retains high quality services and customer experiences.

A leading, people-focused organisation delivering outstanding results for our community and city

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OUR ORGANISATION, OUR PEOPLE

The launch of LEAP included a week-long festival of learning events called LEAP FEST. The post attracted 2,581 impressions (the total number of times our post was seen) with a click through rate of 24 per cent and engagement rate of 26 per cent (made up of reactions, comments, shares and clicks). With experts considering a two per cent LinkedIn engagement rate as good, a rate well above that is performing exceptionally well. Our cultural awareness training shared on LinkedIn to celebrate Reconciliation Week attracted 1,115 impressions, a click through rate of 29 per cent and engagement rate of 30 per cent. Raising awareness of winning the People, Workplace, Wellbeing category at the LG Professionals NSW Local Government Awards; and achieving highly commended in the Special Project Initiative Award for THRIVE! and the Environmental Leadership Award for the Gannons Park Water Quality Improvement and Stormwater Harvesting Scheme attracted 4,626 impressions, a click through rate of 36 per cent and engagement rate of 37 per cent.

BENE-FIT 360 We launched the BENE-FIT 360 Program in October 2020. Upheld by three core pillars, BENE-FIT 360 builds on our wellness and belonging initiatives (WELLFIT) and highlights our commitment to mental health (M-FIT) and flexible work practice (FLEX-FIT). M-FIT Engagement of a new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has seen 168 hours of support accessed by staff. This is a an almost 250 per cent increase on the previous year’s usage over a nine-month period, and can be attributed to an improved service, better awareness and accessibility through the onsite wellness consultants particularly when staff transitioned back to the office after months of remote working. We partnered with the Mental Health Movement (MHM) to deliver our M-FIT strategy and create and maintain a mentally healthy and supportive workplace. Under the first stage, 540 staff undertook awareness training and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with many resonating with the personal stories and journeys shared by the facilitators. Staff received a mental health cup as a practical tool to check-in with their mental health every day. In conjunction with the training, a mental health workplace audit found that 75 per cent of staff felt

112

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

our organisation is a mentally healthy and supportive workplace – this compares to the national average of 52 per cent identified in Beyond Blue’s State of Workplace Health in Australia report. The audit has informed our next stages of M-FIT focusing on uplifting people leader capabilities in managing their team’s mental health, building resilience and establishing M-FIT champions to provide a peer-to-peer support network. WELL-FIT Nearly 34 per cent of the workforce utilised a Health and Wellbeing (H&WB) day in the past 12 months, a positive indicator of staff utilising support mechanisms that encourage wellness. Further, approximately 300 staff had taken up a flu vaccination and 230 staff undertook skin checks. The staff stories through our Diversity and Inclusion Series spotlights our diverse workforce and nurtures belonging through the experiences our staff have lived; challenges they have overcome and their achievements. Recognising our people We continued to celebrate 46 staff service milestones during COVID-19 lockdowns via virtual events. Our Saluting Service program celebrates staff who have served with Council for more than 10 years and every

five years thereafter. We also continue to recognise staff for behaviours that role model our values, contribute to the achievement of our vision, exemplify a commitment to safety, demonstrate improvement and innovation or deliver outstanding customer service through our Shine Bright Rewards program. Our Shine Bright Rewards program recognises outstanding service, performance, innovation and demonstration of our Mission, Vision and Values. This program respects the individual and is built on personal choice. Nominees can choose their own rewards and how they receive their recognition. In the past 12 months, 183 staff were nominated by their managers or by a peer and received a reward; 22 for achieving the vision, 2 for commitment to safety, 32 for customer experience, 26 for improvement and innovation and 101 for living the values. FLEX-FIT The adoption of the Flex-Fit Policy in November 2020 acknowledges that our business and operational requirements vary just as each employee’s needs are unique. The Policy provides flexible work practices and a framework for remote working. More than 150 staff took up ongoing remote working arrangements when staff transitioned back to the office.

113

OUR ORGANISATION, OUR PEOPLE

Work health and safety We have continued to implement and improve safety for workers and comply with our obligations under the NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017. We reviewed the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Policy to reflect the culture of Council and the importance safety plays in everything we do. We have developed the WHS Strategy 2021 - 2024 which is in the first stages of implementation.

Safety training Each department of Council reviewed its WHS training matrix to ensure training needs are up-to-date and meeting safety needs. A gap analysis was conducted, and a training plan developed and implemented. Some examples of WHS training conducted includes: • Chemical Accreditation Training • Identify and Respond to Children and Young People at Risk • Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) • Provide First Aid • Provide First Aid in Early Learning Setting • Traffic Training - Control and Implement • Traffic Training - Prepare Workzone Traffic Management Plan • Front End Loader • Chainsaw • Job Specific Manual Handling.

Initiatives Dragon’s Den This initiative allowed staff to pitch safety improvement ideas to a panel of management representatives, as is done on the television show ‘Shark Tank’. The pitches included what hazard or risk the idea was targeting, how it would be implemented and the benefits to worker safety. Successful ideas included: • the purchase of stand-up desk modules • using hydraulic lifting trolleys in the libraries • body and car cameras for regulatory enforcement workers.

114

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Musculoskeletal program Council participated in the SafeWork NSW Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention Program. An inspector evaluated safe working procedures and observed tasks that posed a risk of musculoskeletal injury to workers. The inspector visited libraries, city presentation and early learning centres. We actioned identified issues to improve safety in the workplace. Reviewing of prestart site-specific risk assessment The prestart site-specific risk assessments for operational workers were reviewed, rationalised and extensively consulted with workers. The assessments identify and target hazards that pose significant risks to workers. We held workshops on site to train staff on the reviewed assessments and sharpen their hazard identification skills. The site-specific risk assessments will be peer reviewed by staff to further increase knowledge. Chemical management review Our chemical safe handling procedures look at key areas in an easy to read and understand format to promote safety with handling chemicals. This includes the procurement, storage, use, clean up and disposal of chemicals. These were reviewed and staff trained in the reviewed procedures. The depot chemical disposal facility has been redesigned with better access and signage to ensure excess chemicals and empty chemical containers are disposed of correctly.

Staff engagement WHS Committee The WHS committee is the main form of consultation for the WHS Management System and issue resolution across Council. The committee includes employee representatives elected by the staff in their workgroup and management representatives appointed by the General Manager. The committee meets 10 times a year (monthly February to November). In 2020/21 the Committee reviewed the WHS Policy and consulted on the WHS Strategy 2021 - 2024 and the WHS audit program 2021 - 2024.

Peakhurst Park Sports Hub site

115

OUR ORGANISATION, OUR PEOPLE

Toolbox Talks Toolbox talks facilitate two-way communication between management and staff on the following topics: • February - personal protective equipment use, cleaning and storage • March - hazardous manual tasks • April - hazardous chemicals • May - safety when working near a roadside • June - risk assessment – identify hazards, assess the risk, control the risk and review • July - safe work method statements and safe operating procedures. Safety performance Incidents, hazards and near misses

Worker compensation claims and Lost Time Injuries

Workers’ compensation performance

While the number of lost time injuries has increased, we are under the industry average as reported by StateCover Mutual Member Analytics Portal.

116

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

The year ahead The WHS Strategy 2021 - 2024 aims to provide a workplace where the safety culture supports people and they are safe, healthy and feel valued. The safety and welfare of the staff is part of everything we do, and we are committed to safety for the long run and not just short-term gains. The strategy consists of three stages: •

Stage 1: Foundations – Build our WHS capability in terms of: risk management, consultation and cooperation, responsibility for WHS and planning and improvement

•

Stage 2: Building our system – Review processes and put plans in place to make workplaces safer, and communicate these to all staff

•

Stage 3: Implementation – Implement reviewed safe systems of work, purchase safe equipment, tools and materials, and train staff how use them.

Stage one commences in July 2021 and will be monitored by the Executive team and the WHS Committee.

Hurstville Library staff at Family Storytime

117

Detail of immersive multisensory installation Portal by Bliss Cavanagh for Un[contained] Arts Festival

118

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Our performance • • • •

Satisfaction survey results Meeting legislative requirements Detailed performance on strategic themes Capital works program

119

OUR PERFORMANCE

Meeting legislative requirements The Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) framework brings various plans together to leverage our efforts by planning holistically for the future. The IP&R legislation recognises that councils act as the community’s advocate to capture a vision for the community’s future and inspire others to participate in that vision. Councils are required to make short, medium and long-term plans to meet the community’s needs by developing an integrated set of strategic plans: •

Community Strategic Plan (10+ years)

•

Delivery Program (four years)

•

Operational Plan (one year)

COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN 10 + YEARS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

DELIVERY PROGRAM 4 YEARS

OPERATIONAL PLAN 1 YEAR

RESOURCING STRATEGY Contains the Workforce Management Plan, Digital Resource Management Plan, Asset Management Plan and Long Term Financial Plan

PERPETUAL MONITORING AND REVIEW

ANNUAL REPORT We are required to have a 10-year Resourcing Strategy consisting of a Long-term Financial Plan, Asset Management Plan and Workforce Management Plan. In 2020/21 we included a Digital Resource Management Plan in the Resourcing Strategy for the first time. The plans outline how we will consult with the community and align with our long-term objectives. Each council, following its election, must review the plans and make sure they can be used effectively to meet present and future needs and be updated annually. We adopted our 2020/21 IP&R documents in June 2020.

120

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Number of items Actions:

Community Strategic

Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4 Pillar 5 Pillar 6 PlanTotals 2018-2028 DP OP

Pillar 1 21 to We conducted extensive community engagement Pillar 2 12 Measures: develop Georges River's first Community Strategic Pillar 3 Pillar 1 10 Plan in 2018. The Plan features six pillars that were Pillar 4 16 identified in the consultation process as important Pillar 2 30 to the Pillar 5 community. They are: Pillar 3 49 Pillar 6 Totals Pillar 4138

• A protected environment and green open spaces

P DP

21 26 12 16 10 17 16 15 30 43 Progress 49 against OP 79 Progress fo our138 visionComplete196

Totals

P P P P P P T

47 28 27 31 73 128 334

Delivering Totals 26 47 1 18 actions and The Operational PlanPillar outlines specific 16 28 Pillar 2Not Achieved Achieved Totalsthe ongoing activities we use each year 10 to achieve 17 27 Pillar 3 15 5 8 goals identified in the Delivery Program 3 and is reviewed 15 31 Pillar 4 6 with the Delivery Program annually. 15 4 43 73 Pillar 39 2 3 progress 2 5 79 Pillar 6 We have128 made excellent in66the third year of 196 334 Totals 154 3 3 6

P P P P P P T

the Delivery Program. Our performance against the

pillars and goals of the Delivery Program1 is summarised 5 7 8 • Quality, well planned development Pillar Measures: Achieved Not Achieved Totals Progress fo in the following pages. Pillar 6 19 25 Pillar 1 3 8 Complete 6 • Active and accessible places and spaces 5 Totals 1 38 1 56 Pillar 2 2 4 Pillar 12 17 • A diversePillar and3productive economy

•

Pillar 6 Leadership and transparency. Totals

2 5 Pillar 2 3 Operational Plan Performance 2020/21 3 6 Pillar 3 3

• A harmonious Pillar 4and proud community with strong 3 Pillar 5 and infrastructure 7 social services 19 38

The Plan Pillar for 2020/21 was the 1 Operational 8 4 5 third instalment 25 Pillar 5 20 of6 our four-year Delivery Program 2018-2022. The actions 17 24 set in our56 OperationalPillar Plan6represent external and internal 67 services, key projectsTotals and works programs. 93 per cent of our Delivery Program, actions are either complete, ongoing or on track with 87 per cent of Operational Plan items either completed or ongoing. Complete Delivery Program Progress Delivery Program Progress 67

Delivery Program Progress

24%

Complete 49%

Behind Schedule Ongoing

49%

Cancelled

On Track

20% 4%

121

OUR PERFORMANCE

Spark Your Park volunteer

122

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 1

A PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT AND GREEN OPEN SPACES This pillar is about working together as a community to protect and enhance the natural environment, build resilience towards climate change, and improve the quality and quantity of open space in our LGA.

The goals in this pillar include: • Goal 1.1: Council’s environmentally sustainable practices inspire everyone to • protect and nurture the natural environment • Goal 1.2: The LGA’s waterways are healthy and accessible • Goal 1.3: Everyone has access to beautiful parks and open spaces • Goal 1.4: Local heritage is protected and promoted.

events in 2020/21 including Clean Up Australia Day at Lime Kiln Bay Reserve, National Tree Day at Riverwood Park, Padstow TAFE Horticulture students at Riverwood Park and three events with Scout Groups for kids aged 5 to 10. • We continued to support the re-launch of the river clean-up initiatives to protect river health and foreshore areas (temporarily impacted by COVID-19 restrictions) and maintained weekly waste and litter collection and removal services. • While more people used parks and open spaces over the course of the year, we maintained the presentation of parks and recreational open spaces with scheduled mobile service delivery as well as dedicated CBD gardening crews and proactive weed control programs. Initiatives such as Spark Your Park have further improved and refined designated open spaces.

Achievements

• All marine asset inspections were completed including Oatley Bay Baths Pontoon.

Our Waste Minimisation Strategy was endorsed by Council in March 2021.

• A Plan of Management review is underway for the Generic Parks and Penshurst Park.

• We undertook programs and activities to educate the community on reducing energy consumption, protecting waterways and reducing waste. This included virtual workshops, videos and digital communications using social media and other platforms; support for Clean Up Australia Day in March 2021; support for the weekly techwaste drop off, household chemical cleanouts; and continuing to encourage source separation for best-practice resource recovery and avoidance of waste to landfill.

• We completed a Plan of Management and Master Plan for Hurstville Oval and Timothy Reserve.

• Our solar and energy education continues through the promotion of the Australian Energy Foundation (formerly Our Energy Future) which makes it easy for the community to source solar quotes and other information about home improvements to reduce energy consumption. We have significant solar installations at our facilities, most recently at our early learning centres.

• We completed a Plan of Management and Master Plan for the former Oatley Bowling Club Site.

Challenges Budget constraints meant heritage building grants were not funded during 2020/21. • Consistent periods of rain delayed completion of several projects.

• Bushcare coordinated 12 educational and planting

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OUR PERFORMANCE

Summary of performance against indicators

Measure Number of trees planted or given away each year.

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

3,800

3,600

3,650

3,814

N/A

Number of hectares of active bush regeneration activities.

100

120

154

694

The percentage of graffiti tags removed within 48 hours.

>80%

85%

86%

85%

75.94%

41%

Percentage of environmental pollution complaints responded to within two business days.

75%

51%

80%

77%

78.82%

82%

Percentage of waste customer requests responded to within 48 hours.

>98%

N/A

95%

100%

99.12%

98%

>3,800

N/A

4,300

350

N/A

961

327

Number of volunteer hours associated with Bushcare activities.

3,200

N/A

3,126

5,196

Number of volunteer hours associated with Bushcare activities.

3,200

N/A

3,126

5,196

Number of trees and plants given away each year. Number of street trees planted each year.

In 2020/21 we will … • Complete Moore Reserve, Sans Souci Park, Penshurst Park and generic plans of management and master plans. • Commence plans of management and master plans for Merriman Reserve, Donnelly Park and Oatley Park. • Undertake the Heritage Grants Program 2021/22. *Annual tree giveaway did not proceed this year due to COVID-19 restrictions Hurstville Community Garden

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Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Progress against one-year Operational Plan items

Complete 8%

Not started

On track 15%

Behind schedule

Complete

Behind Sch

Cancelled

Carry Over Cancelled

Ongoing

On Hold

Carry over

69%

On hold

One-year Operational Plan projects

Complete

Not started

On track

Behind schedule

Cancelled 25%

Ongoing

Carry over

On hold

Com

Ong On 13%

62%

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OUR PERFORMANCE

The tables below highlight how each of our projects are progressing:

Goal 1.1: Council’s environmentally sustainable practices inspire everyone to protect and nurture the natural environment Environmental Strategy 1.1.1: Ensure the Georges River area is resilient in addressing energy, water and gas usage, sustainable buildings, waste diversion, green corridors, carbon emissions and urban design. DP Action

1.1.1a: Adopt and implement a Resilience Strategy for Council services.

Status

Behind schedule

Comment

We are revising the draft Environmental Resilience Strategy.

Action Name

Status

We are revising the draft Environmental Resilience Strategy, ensuring the targets and recommended actions are realistic, achievable and demonstrate improved resilience for Council's operations as they impact the community. The project was on hold while the Senior Sustainability Officer position was vacant for five months during the year. The draft Strategy will be finalised in 2021/22.

Develop a Resilience Strategy.

DP Action

1.1.1b: Reduce energy use at the top 10 Council energy using sites through the Energy Management Plan.

Status

Behind schedule

Comment

We continue to seek funding for renewable energy generation at Council sites and facilities to further reduce energy consumption. During Quarter 3, the role of Senior Sustainability Officer became vacant with the role being filled towards the end of Quarter 4. This role is primarily responsible for implementation of the Energy and Water Management Plan.

Action Name

Status

Develop and implement an Energy Management Plan for Council's top 10 energy-using sites.

126

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

DP Action

1.1.1c: Implement the Tree Management Policy.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

We continue to apply for grant funding to aid tree planting programs across the LGA and received a grant of $494,000 through the Greening Our City project to plant 1,000 trees within the LGA. This project has progressed with tree orders and locations for 445 trees confirmed, with 45 of these trees provided to schools.

Implement the Canopy Enhancement Program as part of the Tree Management Policy.

DP Action

Comment

1.1.1d: Identify actions required to reduce the risks from climate change on Council assets.

Status

Behind schedule

Comment

We have commenced identifying risks from climate change on Council assets and this has been supported by our Governance team.

Action Name Implement actions to reduce the risks from climate change impacts on Council assets.

Status

Comment We have commenced identifying risks from climate change to Council assets. An implementation plan will be linked with the Environmental Resilience Strategy, due for completion in 2021/22, to ensure we can prepare, react and adapt to climate change. We endorsed a net zero carbon emissions target which is supported by the 100% renewable energy target. We achieved all five climate and energy related Cities Power Partnership Pledges ahead of schedule and was one of the first to do so in NSW. We pledged a further five actions to continue support for a clean future. We also pledged support for sustainable economic recovery from COVID-19 and endorsed the Climate Council's Clean Jobs Plan. Our Resilience Committee met each quarter and oversaw the continuation of renewable energy infrastructure installations. During Quarter 3, the role of Senior Sustainability Officer became vacant with the role being filled towards the end of Quarter 4. This role is primarily responsible for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

127

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

1.1.1e: Develop a Waste Minimisation Strategy.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Finalise the Waste Minimisation Strategy.

Completed.

Implement the recommendations of the Waste Minimisation Strategy.

The Strategy was endorsed by Council at its 22 March 2021 meeting. Implementation of the Strategy will commence in 2021/22.

Waste Strategy 1.1.2: Use waste management contracts and practices to divert waste from landfill sites. DP Action

1.1.2a: Deliver community education initiatives to support environmentally sustainable waste disposal and recycling practices.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Develop and implement a Waste Education Program.

Sustainability Strategy 1.1.3: Help everyone to contribute to a more environmentally sustainable Georges River LGA. DP Action

1.1.3a: Undertake programs and activities to educate the community on reducing energy consumption, protecting waterways, reducing waste and taking other action to improve the environment, with a focus on climate change projects.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Implement a program to educate the community on reducing energy consumption and protecting the environment.

128

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

DP Action

1.1.3b: Lobby the NSW Government to strengthen regulations to ensure private certifiers rigorously implement conditions of consent relating to environmental protection.

Status

Completed

Natural environment Strategy 1.1.4: Develop and implement programs to protect and conserve the natural environment. DP Action

1.1.4a: Implement the Urban Forest Strategy and Canopy Enhancement Program.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Undertake the 2020/21 Street Tree Planting Program.

DP Action

1.1.4b: Implement Council's Bush Regeneration Program to protect, conserve and enhance the natural environment.

Status

Completed

Action Name Implement the 2020/21 Bushland Regeneration Program.

Status

Comment Completed.

129

OUR PERFORMANCE

Goal 1.2: The LGA’s waterways are healthy and accessible Waterways Strategy 1.2.1: Use our role on the Georges River Combined Councils' Committee (GRCCC) to lobby State agencies and other stakeholders for a protected and enhanced Georges River. DP Action

1.2.1a: Represent Council's ambitions for the Georges River through the GRCCC.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Support the GRCCC with the development of a Foreshore Management Plan.

Marine and foreshore assets Strategy 1.2.2: Maintain marine and foreshore assets in a safe and functional condition. DP Action

1.2.2a: Maintain marine and foreshore assets in a safe and functional condition and upgrade as required.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Undertake six monthly inspection and complete maintenance, renewal and upgrade on prioritised marine and foreshore assets.

130

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Goal 1.3: Everyone has access to beautiful parks and open spaces Open space Strategy 1.3.1: Ensure all public parks and open spaces are accessible, well maintained and managed to meet the recreational needs of current and future residents. DP Action

1.3.1a: Implement the annual Parks and Open Space Improvement Programs.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Significant parks and open space works program in 2020/21 included upgrades to Penshurst Park Sports Facility and Merv Lynch Reserve amenities building.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement the 2020/21 Parks and Open Space Improvement Program.

Grant applications were sought throughout the year to support playground upgrades. Oatley Bowling Club and Lower Poulton Park remediation projects will continue in 2021/22. Rain caused construction delays for the Penshurst Park Sporting Hub Stage 2 project. Work commenced on the Hurstville Oval Cricket Pavilion and the Hurstville Golf Course Clubhouse and the Merv Lynch Reserve amenities block. The Hurstville Oval Cricket Pavilion and Hurstville Golf Course Clubhouse were due for completion in December 2021/ January 2022, however, the COVID-19 construction shut down may delay this.

Undertake quarterly Playground Safety Inspection Program.

Completed.

DP Action Status

1.3.1b: Use the findings of the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy to guide forward works programs and budgets.

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement the 2020/21 Sportsfield Renovation Program.

Completed.

Implement the 2020/21 Playground Asset Replacement Program.

There has been no playground replacement program this year due to budget constraints.

131

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

1.3.1c: Implement scheduled cyclic painting program across parks and open space, including buildings, furniture and murals to prevent graffiti.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The 2020/21 painting program for council assets is on track.

Action Name

Status

Completed.

Implement the 2020/21 painting program for Council assets in parks and open space, including identification of four murals.

DP Action

1.3.1d: Implement scheduled cyclic mowing and gardening program across parks and open space.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Mobile service delivery schedules are continuing and being refined to continue to ensure well-presented recreational spaces for our community. Despite an increased park use, we maintained optimal presentation of parks and recreational spaces.

Action Name

Status

Implement the 2020/21 mowing and gardening program across parks and open space.

132

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Plans of management Strategy 1.3.2: Review plans of management for sporting fields, parks, open space and bushland in the LGA. DP Action

1.3.2a: Continue the review of plans of management for sporting fields, parks, open space and bushland within the LGA.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Work continued the plan of management review. The Former Oatley Bowling Club Site Plan of Management and Landscape Master Plan was finalised by Council, with another seven underway.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Commence the review of the Plans of Management Programs for Crown Lands in accordance with the Crown Land Management Act 2016.

Resilient design principles Strategy 1.3.3: Understand the potential impacts of climate change when developing design principles for parks and open spaces. DP Action

1.3.3a: Incorporate design principles for parks and open spaces that promote resilience.

Status

Completed

Action Name Implement sustainable and resilient design principles in parks and open space projects.

Status

Comment Completed.

133

OUR PERFORMANCE

Open space and recreation Strategy 1.3.4: Use the Georges River Council Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy to inform the provision of parks and open space. DP Action

1.3.4a: Continue to implement the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

The Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy is continuing to be implemented through annual works programs including construction of new sporting amenities buildings and design consideration for additional community spaces. Penshurst Park Sports Facility is nearing completion, and a new amenity building in Merv Lynch Reserve has been completed.

Action Name

Status

Identify open space and recreation priorities based on the findings of the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy.

Completed.

Commence the implementation of priorities based on the findings of the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy.

Completed.

Oatley Adventure playground

134

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Goal 1.4: Local heritage is protected and promoted Conservation and heritage Strategy 1.4.1: Recognise the LGA’s local heritage through heritage listings in Local Environmental Plants (LEPs) and protection policies in DCP. DP Action

1.4.1a: Finalise the review of the Hurstville LEP heritage schedule as part of the comprehensive LEP for the Georges River LGA.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Incorporate the foreshore review recommendations into the comprehensive draft LEP and draft DCP.

Completed.

Incorporate the recommendations of the heritage review of the Hurstville LEP into the draft Georges River LEP 2020.

Completed.

Heritage assets Strategy 1.4.2: Capitalise on opportunities to recognise heritage assets in Council services and programs. DP Action

1.4.2a: Retain and maintain properties with heritage significance through an annual Heritage Building Grants Program.

Status

Cancelled

Comment

The Heritage Building Grants Program 2020/21 received no funding allocation in the 2020/21 Council budget.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement the 2020/21 Heritage Building Grants Program.

The Heritage Building Grants Program 2020/21 received no funding allocation in the 2020/21 Council budget.

Conduct a heritage information session for owners of heritage listed properties.

Given that the Heritage Building Grants Program 2020/21 received no funding allocation in the 2020/21 Council budget, the information session has also been delayed until 2021/22.

135

OUR PERFORMANCE

Statutory information Environmental upgrade agreement We did not enter into any environmental upgrade agreements during 2020/21. Stormwater management services We apply a Stormwater Management Services Charge to manage the quantity and/or quality of stormwater that flows off land and includes a service to manage the re-use of stormwater for any purpose. Rain falling on hard surfaces such as roads and roofs picks up chemicals, rubbish and soil. Stormwater run-off not only pollutes waterways and bays, it can cause flooding. The complexities of these issues and the magnitude of works needed to resolve some of these challenges require large sums of capital investment. Recognising the required scope of works and the capital investment needed, the NSW Government endorsed an arrangement for long-term stormwater management funding. This arrangement recognises that stormwater needs to be managed in an integrated manner, to deal with stormwater quality and flooding in a broader natural resources management context. The funding arrangement allows councils to apply a Stormwater Management Service Charge to urban residential and business properties. A summary of 2020/21 income from this charge, as well as grant income applied to projects funded from the charge, is shown below. The table also shows the balance of reserve funds held as at 30 June 2021 for stormwater management projects.

Summary for 2020/21

Balance held in cash reserve as at 30 June 2020

513,507

Add: stormwater management service charge income

1,202,462

Interest on overdue rates

1,640

Total income levied for 2020/21

1,204,102

Less: total expenditure for 2020-21

486,406

Less: rates – stormwater levy movement in receivables

31,704

Balance held in cash reserves as at 30 June 2021

1,262,907

Carss Bush Park

136

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

OUR PERFORMANCE

We used the funds to target the built environment, including stormwater asset upgrades and flood mitigation works. Projects funded from the Stormwater Management Service Charge in 2020/21 are listed in the table below: Projects

Drainage Works - Stormwater Levy

16,582

Lime Kiln Bay Wetlands Maintenance & Operation Plan

16,484

Connells Point Road Stormwater Diversion

-3,900

Drainage 110 Marine Dr Oatley Install drainage pipe

15,850

Drainage 14 Martin St Blakehurst Install drainage pipe

14,100

Drainage The Avenue Hurstville Install drainage pipe

118,710

Drainage Universal St Mortdale stormwater drainage upgrade

12,000

Drainage 124 Myall Street Oatley Reconstruct existing stormwater

40,170

1 Hamer St Kogarah Bay Construct drainage pipe

43,437

Drainage 31 Keith St & 11 Ikara Pl Peakhurst Relining pipes

27,292

Drainage 3 Mooney Ave to 82 Terry St Blakehurst

33,571

Drainage 231A Queens Rd Connells Point Reline pipe

39,733

Drainage 19 Rainbow Pde Peakhurst Heights Reline concrete pipe

35,528

Drainage 12 to 28 Lynwood St Blakehurst Stage 1 Reline pipe

76,849

TOTAL

486,406

Coastal protection services No annual charge was levied for costal protection services in 2020/21. Fisheries Management Act We do not have a role in any final recovery and threat abatement plans under the Fisheries Management Act 1994.

137

OUR PERFORMANCE

Hurstville One site

138

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 2

QUALITY, WELL PLANNED DEVELOPMENT This pillar is about working together as a community to protect and enhance our natural environment, build resilience towards climate change, and improve the quality and quantity of open space in the LGA.

The goals in this pillar include: • Goal 2.1: Sustainable development delivers better amenity and liveability for the community and the environment • Goal 2.2: The community helps to plan the LGA’s future • Goal 2.3: Council-led development and assets provide quality, long-term benefits to everyone.

Achievements • We completed the Georges River Local Environmental Plan 2021 to help create housing opportunities in the LGA to meet NSW Government short-term targets. This creates capacity for 300 additional dwellings through the rezoning of a housing growth area identified in our Local Strategic Planning Statement 2040. • The Georges River Development Control Plan was adopted by the Local Planning Panel in March 2021. The Georges River Development Control Plan 2020 will become effective upon the gazettal of the Georges River Local Environmental Plan 2020. • We commenced Part 2 of the Commercial Centres Strategy starting with a detailed review of the Mortdale Local Centre through a master plan, enabling a review of the centre and its surroundings to encourage urban renewal, improve the amenity and quality of the built environment and public domain, and provide new housing and employment opportunities to create a vibrant local centre. • Oatley West Early Learning Centre opened in September 2020 with 97.14% of places filled within the first month of opening. • We complied with the directions set by the NSW Government relating to external combustible cladding and Fire Safety Audit.

Oatley West Early Learning Centre

139

OUR PERFORMANCE

Summary of performance against indicators

Measure

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

>800

511

692

675

730

666

Number of DAs determined by Georges River LPP

Number of DAs determined by the SSPP

New measure

1% of the population of for LGA-wide consultation.

N/A –

1.40%

16%

Number of DAs determined.

Community participation in strategic land use planning.

In 2020/21 we will … • Ensure the Georges River LEP 2021 and Georges River DCP 2021 are in place and effective. • Ensure a new local infrastructure contributions plan is adopted by Council and in effect. • Complete the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan. • Complete the Beverly Hills Local Centre Master Plan.

Peakhurst Park amenities

140

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

On Hold 69%

Progress against one-year Operational Plan items

Complete Not started

25%

On track

Complet

Behind schedule

Ongoing

Cancelled

On Hold 13%

Ongoing

62%

Carry over On hold

One-year Operational Plan projects

Complete

Not started

On track

Behind schedule

Cancelled

Ongoing

Carry over

On hold

141

OUR PERFORMANCE

Goal 2.1: Sustainable development delivers better amenity and liveability of the community and the environment LGA-wide planning Strategy 2.1.1: Prepare a comprehensive LEP for the entire LGA to improve and standardise development controls and regulations DP Action

2.1.1a: Continue to prepare a comprehensive LEP for the Georges River LGA.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The Georges River LEP was lodged in June 2020. LEP 2021 relating to Narwee Housing Investigation Area and the standards for medium density housing was lodged in March 2021.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Complete the Local Strategic Planning Statement for the Georges River LGA.

Completed.

Prepare a new LEP for the Georges River LGA.

Completed.

Master planning Strategy 2.1.2: Prepare a comprehensive DCP for the LGA to guide development in the LGA. DP Action

2.1.2a: Complete the Hurstville City Centre Urban Design Strategy.

Status

Completed

DP Action

2.1.2b: Continue with the preparation of a comprehensive Development Control Plan (DCP) for the entire Georges River LGA.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The Georges River DCP was endorsed by the Georges River LPP on 24 March 2021. The DCP will become effective upon gazettal of the Georges River LEP 2021.

Action Name

Status

Prepare a new Georges River DCP 2020. 142

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

DP Action

2.1.2c: Complete the Master Plan for Beverly Hills.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The Beverly Hills Local Centre Master Plan was completed for Council adoption in July 2021.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Continue to develop a Master Plan for Beverly Hills in association with the Beverly Hills community.

Development assessment Strategy 2.1.3: Continue rigorous assessment of DAs including compliance with DCPs, aesthetic qualities and environmental initiatives. DP Action

2.1.3a: Continue to review the assessment and determination of processes and procedures to ensure continuous improvement of the assessment of DAs.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Ongoing

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement the Development Advisory Service - a customer focused program providing a range of pre-lodgement and advice services relating to planning, development and building matters.

Completed.

Continue the implementation of internal procedures relating to the assessment of DAs such as the Clearing House.

Process reviews and system changes are ongoing.

143

OUR PERFORMANCE

Monitoring communications Strategy 2.1.4: Ensure high quality reporting and DA assessment by Council staff, local planning panels and the Sydney South Planning Panel. DP Action

2.1.4a: Continue to monitor and standardise DA assessment reports and templates.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

All applications are assessed against statutory and Council requirements. Peer review processes are implemented for quality control. Processes and procedures are being reviewed, refined and improved consistently on an ongoing basis.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Maintain and review development and building templates to increase efficiency.

The review and refinement of assessment templates is currently being undertaken.

Conduct community information sessions on legislation changes affecting building and development.

Our new Development Advisory Service has commenced development information sessions, however, face to face meetings are on hold. The team is investigating options to run sessions online once staff vacancies are filled and capacity in the team is available.

Implement e-planning system to include e-lodgement of applications and commence implementation of ASSESS module.

The implementation of the ASSESS module is on hold pending the gazettal of new LEP.

Design Review Panel Strategy 2.1.5: Utilise Council’s Design Review Panel to provide independent and expert advice on the design quality of planning proposals and multistorey developments that meet the review criteria. DP Action

2.1.5a: Monitor the functions and recommendations of the Design Review Panel (DRP).

Status

Ongoing

Comment

DRP review and draft report completed. Matter will be reported to the Executive pending the commencement of the new Senior Specialist Planner (Urban Design) in August 2021.

Action Name

Status

Review the functions and membership of the Design Review Panel.

144

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment DRP review and draft report completed. Matter will be reported to Executive pending the commencement of the new Senior Specialist Planner (Urban Design) in August 2021.

Fire safety Strategy 2.1.6: Adopt an effective Fire Safety Program. DP Action

2.1.6a: Adopt and implement a Fire Safety Program that maintains buildings with essential fire services to safeguard the community.

Status

Completed

Comment

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Implement actions to ensure compliance with the directions set by the NSW Government relating to external combustible cladding and Fire Safety Audit.

Goal 2.2: The community helps to plan the LGAs future. Strategy 2.2.1: Use community consultation and feedback to guide a comprehensive set of planning and development strategies that are incorporated into LEPs and Council policies. DP Action

2.2.1a: Provide ongoing education to the community about controls to the development and building approval processes.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Council's new Development Advisory Service has commenced Development Information Sessions.

Action Name Continue to inform the community on development and building matters.

Status

Comment Our new Development Advisory Service has commenced development information sessions, however, face to face meetings are on hold. The team is investigating options to run sessions online once staff vacancies are filled and capacity in the team is available.

145

OUR PERFORMANCE

Goal 2.3: Council-led development and assets provide quality, long-term benefits to everyone Strategy 2.3.1: Ensure quality design and sustainability principles underpin the provision of Council facilities and other assets. DP Action

2.3.1a: Investigate systems to improve public safety and accessibility.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Completed.

Expand Council's security and CCTV systems to improve public safety and accessibility.

DP Action

2.3.1b: Implement more environmentally friendly building practices and products.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Continuing to roll out numerous environmentally friendly building practices, including R22 refrigerant phase out, LED lighting, energy efficient water heater renewals and roof to solar installations.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement R22 refrigerant phase out across all legacy HVAC systems.

Completed.

Implement phase out of all fluorinated firefighting foams.

Completed.

DP Action

2.3.1c: Forward plan, and investigate funding for, major rollouts of sustainable materials.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Full building inspections program in place. All council exit lights are now LED. Scope and two PV solar systems delivered. Asbestos removal continues for fire doors and electrical boards.

Action Name

Status

Implement LED lighting rollout.

146

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Statutory information Voluntary Planning Agreements (VPAs) - s7.5(5) of the EP&A Act The following agreements were in force in 2020/21: Planning Agreement (VPA)

Parties to the Agreement

Executed

Description of Public Benefits

Particulars of compliance with and the effect of the planning agreement in 2020/21

East Quarter Stages 1,2,3 93 Forest Road, Hurstville

Georges River Council

21 December 2011

Landscaping works outside the lands ($400,000)

VPA was removed from the title of the land for Stage 3 during 2020/21.

East Quarter Hurstville Pty Limited

Landscaping works at Kempt Field ($350,000) Monetary contribution to Hurstville Public School ($185,198) Public access to plaza, Wedge Park & link to Kempt field

1-5 Treacy Street, Hurstville (relates to DA2014/1083)

Georges River Council

14 March 2016

GR Capital Group Pty Limited

Land dedication for footpath and road widening on The Avenue and relocation services. Dedicate and fit out of commercial area (81m2) and car space Public domain works surrounding the site

VPA Status: Stage 1 & 2 landscaping works outside the land completed and contributions paid. Stage 3 obligations transferred to VPA for East Quarter Stage 3. Occupation Certificate (OC) for the development issued by private certifier. Commercial space not dedicated to Council prior to OC as required by the VPA. Breach Notice issued by Council and ongoing action in 2020-21. VPA status: Land dedicated for footpath and future road widening. Public domain works and fit out of commercial space completed.

12-22 Woniora Road, Hurstville (former ATO site) (1st VPA) (relates to DA191/15)

Georges River Council Combined Projects (Hurstville) Pty Ltd

16 June 2016

Monetary contribution ($4,587,500) Land Dedication (223 m2) and construction for road widening Greenbank Street Transfer of 200 m2 commercial space with frontage to Greenbank Street

Council allocated VPA funds to public domain works in Hurstville City Centre in 2020-21. VPA status: Development completed. VPA obligations fully satisfied by Developer.

Transfer stratum lot for 79 public car spaces. 147

OUR PERFORMANCE

Planning Agreement (VPA)

Parties to the Agreement

Executed

Description of Public Benefits

Particulars of compliance with and the effect of the planning agreement in 2020/21

East Quarter

Georges River Council

15 June 2017

Monetary contribution for public domain works at Kempt Field ($1.096 million)

Contribution paid to Council and transferred to Hurstville Public School in 2020-21.

Construction of road works at Forest Road/Durham Street by the Developer ($1.76 million)

Deed of Variation endorsed by Council 28 June 2021 for public notification. Amendment relates to road works and landscaping works and requires the Developer to pay the contributions to Council in lieu of constructing the works.

Stage 3 93 Forest Rd Hurstville (relates to PP2014/0002 & DA2016/0218)

Hville FCP Pty Ltd (Fridcorp) East Quarter Hurstville Pty Ltd

Landscaping works by Developer on Forest Road frontage to Stage 3 ($46,000) Contribution to Hurstville Public School ($131,000) Easement for public access through the site to Kempt Field

VPA Status: Development commenced. Security held for road and landscaping works and school. Contribution for Kempt Field paid to Council. Funds allocated to Kempt Field works.

Catholic Club Site 6 Cross Street Hurstville

Georges River Council

(DA2017/191)

Illawarra Catholic Club

Deed of Variation (amendment) to the VPA

20 March 2018 22 August 2019

Monetary contribution ($142,605.19) for embellishment of public infrastructure and upgrade of road network in Hurstville City Centre.

(DA2018/182)

Bing Lee Site 108, 112, 124 Forest Road & 1-3 Wright St, Hurstville (relates to Planning Proposal P2014/0004)

148

Georges River Council

Monetary contribution ($976,147) for embellishment Central Plaza and upgrade road network in Hurstville City Centre.

26 March 2018

Shanghai Lihua Hurstville Pty Ltd SLH 108 Pty Ltd

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

No compliance matters relating to VPA during 202021. VPA status: Contributions paid to Council. VPA obligations fully satisfied. VPA funds allocated to embellishment of Central Plaza.

Monetary contribution ($3,775,750) for public facilities & infrastructure

Development application submitted for the site in 202021.

Land dedication (196 m2) along Forest Road for road widening

VPA status: Contribution paid to Council. Land dedication to be provided in accordance with VPA.

Planning Agreement (VPA)

Parties to the Agreement

Executed

Description of Public Benefits

Particulars of compliance with and the effect of the planning agreement in 2020/21

12-22 Woniora Road, Hurstville (former ATO site) - 2nd VPA

Georges River Council

18 April 2018

No compliance matters relating to VPA during 202021.

(relates to DA2016/154)

Combined Projects (Hurstville) Pty Ltd

Monetary contribution $1 million for public infrastructure improvements within the City Centre or a public purpose that Council reasonably considers in the public interest.

Part of the Landmark Square Precinct, Hurstville 61-69, 71A, 73 & 75 Forest Road, 126 Durham Street, Hurstville (relates to Planning Proposal P2015/0001)

Georges River Council

Prime Hurstville Pty Limited

VPA status: Development completed. Monetary contribution paid to Council. VPA obligations fully satisfied.

19 August 2019

Monetary contribution of $7,375,878 to be paid to Council in three instalments. Developer to carry out and complete works to widen a section of Roberts Lane by 3 metres. Dedication to Council free of cost of the 3 metre wide strip of Land along Robert’s Lane. Easements for public access to and from and across and through the Land connecting Forest Road, Robert’s Lane and Durham Street.

VPA registered on title of land in 2020/21. LEP Amendment relating to site gazetted 7 August 2020. Contribution of $1million (first instalment) paid to Council in 2020/21. Deferred Commencement Consent DA2020/0352 issued –conditional on payment of contribution of $1million (second instalment) prior to consent operating.

149

OUR PERFORMANCE

Planning Agreement (VPA)

Parties to the Agreement

Executed

Description of Public Benefits

Particulars of compliance with and the effect of the planning agreement in 2020/21

9 Gloucester Road, Hurstville (relates to Planning Proposal PP2015/0005)

Council

25 September 2020

Monetary contribution of $3,619,308 to be paid within 28 days after the date the LEP Amendment takes effect.

VPA executed in 2020-21.

GTB Hurstville Pty Ltd

VPA and charge registered on the title. Bank guarantee provided as security. LEP amendment relating to the site gazetted on 12 February 2021. Developer requested Council to draw on bank guarantee for payment of contribution. Breach Notice issued as contribution not paid within VPA timeframe. Contribution paid to Council in full in 2020-21. Portion of VPA funds allocated to open space project in 2020-21.

Work carried out on private land We did not carry out any works on private land during 2020/21.

150

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Peakhurst Park Sports Hub site

151

OUR PERFORMANCE

Public space improvement funded by Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Streets as Shared Spaces.

152

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 3

ACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE PLACES AND SPACES This pillar is about improving accessibility and transport connections for our community and creating a range of active and passive recreation facilities for everyone to enjoy.

The goals in this pillar are: • Goal 3.1: The LGA has a range of transport options to connect people, goods and businesses • Goal 3.2: Roads, footpaths and cycleways are safe, accessible, and free of congestion • Goal 3.3: Everyone, including people with disability, navigates the LGA in safety • Goal 3.4: Everyone has access to a range of active and passive recreation facilities.

Achievements • Our Hurstville Revitalisation Project commenced, a city-shaping project involving innovative public domain improvements in four key locations in the Hurstville City Centre. • We installed a large mural at Post Office Lane in Kogarah in December 2020 to increase amenity for pedestrians. The mural is an acknowledgement of Biddegal country and makes reference to Kogarah as ‘Place of Reeds’, as well as more broadly referencing the Georges River. • GoGet car share trial in Kogarah and Hurstville saw 10 dedicated bays across both centres, helping to promote sustainable forms of transport. • $415,000 and $50,000 grants were received for Hurstville and Kogarah respectively to activate the centres under the Streets as Shared Spaces program. We also received $4.75 million to implement public domain improvements in Hurstville under the NSW Public Spaces Legacy program. • We converted 13 streets and laneways in the Kogarah Town Centre to 40 km/h zones.

Hurstville Library Sensory Garden, to facilitate relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety, assist emotion regulation and promote greater wellbeing for the community, in particular for those with disabilities, mental health concerns and the elderly. • Two new pieces of public art were completed at Peakhurst Park and Pole Depot Park using recently installed table tennis tables. The tables have brought a vibrancy to the parks and the small animal characters were done in collaboration with Headspace. • Georges River libraries now offer a range of state-ofthe-art digital technology, available both for in-house use and for loan from its freshly minted Media Lab in Hurstville Library. The Media Lab meets community demand for digital technology and enables skill development on equipment that can otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Residents can participate more fully in digital culture and is a welcome addition to the local innovation ecosystem. Facilities include a full photographic studio featuring a cyclorama wall, green screen and lighting; Microsoft Surface Studio PCs with Adobe Creative Suite; a sound booth/ music practice room with a selection of instruments, including an 88-key upright digital piano; a 3D-printer; and a range of technology to support creative projects and digital media production. • Recognising a shift in user expectations towards increased convenience, personalisation and experience, the Library team has partnered with our Early Learning Services to deliver library materials to families enrolled at the Oatley West Early Learning Centre. The new ‘LibraryGo’ service began with consulting parents to establish their child’s reading likes, dislikes and to identify specific child development areas that can be addressed with materials from the library’s collections. Since its inception in October 2020, LibraryGo has delivered more than 4,000 library items to 57 children attending the centre. Over 15 letters of appreciation

• We received $200,000 in grant funding for the

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OUR PERFORMANCE

for the service have already been received, with parents recognising the value of library staff expertise in supporting their child’s early learning experience.

to find additional parking nearby to accommodate those who still wish to travel to the centre via car.

• We designed, installed, and maintained seven community street libraries across the local government area. • More than 90 per cent of child placements were filled across all our early learning centres.

Challenges • We were unsuccessful in our application for $1 million of funding under the NSW Government’s ‘Your High Street' program for the revitalisation of Belmore Road, Riverwood. • We experienced a delay in the Hurstville Revitalisation Project in relation to the Palm Court car park conversion into open space due to need

• With limited opportunities to deliver new open spaces across the LGA, we envisaged that a memorandum of understanding between Council and the Department of Education to share their assets could mean school spaces could be shared by the wider community outside of school hours. However, we have experienced challenges in identifying these opportunities and negotiating the arrangements. • Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the capacity limits and available space for the community was reduced including seating spaces in the libraries, access to meeting rooms, Justice of the Peace services, etc. This impacted the quality of the service experience for the community needing to use our spaces.

Summary of performance against indicators

154

Measure

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

Civil design for private works completed within timeframe.

90%

N/A

95%

96%

99%

Maintain the asset renewal ratio above industry benchmarks

>100%

115%

77%

92%

83%

Percentage of utility restorations completed within timeframe advised

80%

Indicator not created in 2016/17

80%

84%

96%

98%

Percentage of depot jobs completed against works scheduled.

80%

N/A

100%

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

In 2021/22 we will … • Continue the rollout of the Streets as Shared Spaces project in Hurstville which will see temporary public domain improvements and activations until the end of 2021. • Commence construction on permanent public domain improvements at MacMahon Courtyard and the conversion of Palm Court car park into open space. • Progress the second phase of the revitalisation of Memorial Square and Forest Road to detailed designs for tender and construction. • Install new wayfinding signage in the Kogarah and Hurstville City Centres. • Implement electronic vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the LGA to support uptake. • Prepare a library business case and demand analysis toward building a new 2,500 m2 library to serve western half of the LGA. • Prepare a library business case and demand analysis toward transforming current branch libraries into spaces that are more flexible for programming and community use. • Refurbish Hurstville Library for flexible use and deliver a dynamic library space that responds to community needs. • Implement the Aboriginal Spaces in Library Places Strategy. • Conduct and implement outcomes of feasibility study to harmonise library opening hours. • Provide opportunities for the community to engage with the library through outreach and online services. • Establish a reading and sensory garden at Hurstville Library that includes space for community environmental and sustainability education.

Pop-up Park Kogarah funded by Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Streets as Shared Spaces.

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Progress against one-year Operational Plan items

Complete 12%

Not started On track

Complete

Behind schedule

Carry Ov

Cancelled Ongoing Carry over On hold

88%

One-year Operational Plan projects 13%

Complete

Not started

On track

Behind schedule

Cancelled

Ongoing

Carry over

13%

On hold

40%

Compl

Behind

Ongoin

On trac

Not sta

27%

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Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Goal 3.1: The LGA has a range of transport options to connect people, goods and businesses Parking supply Strategy 3.1.1: Lobby for improved commuter car parking and manage local parking supply, including around train stations, to enhance business vitality and encourage public transport use, cycling and walking. DP Action

3.1.1a: Implement the recommendations of the Car Parking Strategy.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The strategic planning-related actions from the Car Parking Strategy are being implemented. Car Parking rates have been reviewed and incorporated into the Georges River DCP.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Develop a Car Parking Strategy for the commercial centres in the Georges River LGA.

Completed.

Finalise the Car Parking Strategy.

Completed.

Integrated transport and land use planning Strategy 3.1.2: Work with the NSW Government to develop an Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan and a 20-year Precinct Plan as part of Future Transport 2056 initiatives. DP Action

3.1.2a: Draft an Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan as part of Future Transport 2056 for public exhibition.

Status

Completed

Action Name Commence work on an Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan.

Status

Comment Completed.

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OUR PERFORMANCE

Goal 3.2: Roads, footpaths and cycleways are safe, accessible and free of congestion Capital works Strategy 3.2.2: Implement a program of capital and maintenance to meet the needs of current and future users of Council’s infrastructure assets. DP Action

3.2.2a: Develop and implement the annual Infrastructure Works Program, including a Town Centres Public Domain Program.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The Mortdale Town Centre upgrade project was delayed due to issues obtaining design approvals from Ausgrid.

Action Name

Status

Develop and deliver the 2020/21 Capital Works Program for new construction and renewals.

Comment The Mortdale Town Centre upgrade project was delayed due to issues obtaining design approvals from Ausgrid. We completed the Ormonde Parade Streetscape Upgrade The removal of the old substation and power pole and energisation of the new substation in Hurstville Plaza was on hold for 2021 due to Ausgrid live work bans. In Quarter 3 the ban was lifted, and approval eventually obtained from Ausgrid for the electrical designs for Hurstville Plaza. Power outages were scheduled with Ausgrid so that work could be completed; however, the outage was cancelled by Ausgrid due an Ausgrid network fault. We are waiting for another outage date to be granted for work to be completed in Hurstville Plaza.

158

Develop and deliver the 2020/21 Road Re-sheeting Program.

Completed.

Deliver the 2020/21 Drainage Upgrade Program including new and replacement works.

Completed.

Implement the Black Spot Funding Program for Beverly Hills.

Completed.

Design and construct compliant accessible bus stops.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

DP Action

3.2.2b: Use the findings from the Footpath Condition Audit to implement the planned Footpath Maintenance Schedule.

Status

Progressing

Comment

100% of S3 trip slabs have been repaired. Repairs of S2 trip slaps are next to be scheduled.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Develop and deliver the 2020/21 Footpath Maintenance Schedule.

Large-scale infrastructure Strategy 3.2.3: Collaborate with neighbouring councils to deliver large-scale infrastructure and planning projects. DP Action

3.2.3a: Develop plans with neighbouring councils to deliver large-scale infrastructure projects, including projects recommended in the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy.

Status

Progressing

Comment

We are progressing with stormwater channel naturalisation at Harold Fraser in partnership with Sydney Water. No other projects are in progress.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Establish a framework, mechanism and resourcing strategy for working with neighbouring councils to deliver large-scale infrastructure projects.

Completed.

Attend meetings with neighbouring councils to discuss delivery of future large-scale infrastructure projects.

Completed.

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OUR PERFORMANCE

Goal 3.3: Everyone, including people with disability, navigates the LGA in safety Accessibility and inclusivity Strategy 3.3.1: Implement the Georges River Council Disability Inclusion Action Plan. DP Action

3.3.1a: Engage with and support the local business community to provide more accessible and inclusive services to people of all abilities.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Provide key Council documents in easy English.

DP Action

3.3.1b: Increase the accessibility and inclusiveness of Council’s community and major events through the development of a continuous improvement program based on the findings of accessibility assessments and community feedback.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Our events included the Un[contained] Arts Festival in June 2021 at Kogarah, where accessibility ramps for access to and from containers were provided, as well as ramps to assist people manoeuvring in Kogarah Town Square. One art exhibition was a sensory artwork inside a shipping container, providing different textures, and visual stimuli that would not be overpowering for people with autism. One hour of the program on the Sunday was dedicated quiet time, allowing a more tranquil experience for people with sensory sensitivity. We held our second Eurovision broadcast event which not only celebrates the inclusiveness of music and performance but is also a coming together of multicultural backgrounds and supportive to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Action Name

Status

Completed.

Provide opportunities for performers and audiences with disabilities at Council's major events.

DP Action

3.3.1c: Provide ‘Appreciating Diversity in Others' training to staff to build confidence in working with and providing services to people with disability.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Continue to provide 'Appreciating Diversity in Others' training to staff to build confidence in working with and providing services to people with disability. 160

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Goal 3.4: Everyone has access to a range of active and passive recreation facilities Open space and recreation Strategy 3.4.1: Guided by the Georges River Council Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy, provide contemporary passive and active recreation spaces, aquatic facilities, synthetic fields, community centres and libraries. DP Action

3.4.1a: Plan, consider funding for and commence a program of capital works and service adjustments that responds to the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy, and improve opportunities for the community to participate in sport, exercise and leisure activities.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Funding for capital works and service adjustments responds to the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy, and aims to improve opportunities for people to participate in sport, exercise and leisure activities. Projects that commenced or are complete include Oatley Park, Penshurst Park, Meade and Kempt Field adventure playgrounds; sports amenities buildings at Gannons Park, Charles Pirie Reserve, Peakhurst Park, Poulton Park, Riverwood Park, Renown Park, Harold Fraser Oval Pavilion and field upgrades, Peakhurst Park and Poulton Park Synthetic Fields, master plan for Olds Park, sportsfield upgrades at Olds Park and Beverly Hills Park, master plan and plan of management for Hurstville Oval, Stage 2 of Penshurst Park Sporting Hub.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Prioritise new projects and service changes in response to the Georges River Council Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy.

Completed.

Complete Hurstville Central Plaza as community open space.

The removal of the old substation and power pole and energisation of the new substation in Hurstville Plaza was on hold for 2021 due to Ausgrid live work bans. In Quarter 3 the ban was lifted and approval was eventually obtained from Ausgrid for the electrical designs for Hurstville Plaza. Power outages were scheduled with Ausgrid so that work could be completed; however, the outage was cancelled by Ausgrid due an Ausgrid network fault. We are waiting for another outage date to be granted so that work can be completed in Hurstville Plaza.

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OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

3.4.1b: Complete plans of management for all sporting fields in the Georges River LGA.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

This work is being completed over three years.

Action Name

Status

Develop innovative funding and delivery models to implement priority projects and recommendations from the Georges River Council Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy.

Comment Completed.

Statutory information Disability Inclusion Action Plan Work continued in 2020/21 to meet out commitment to the four key focus areas of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan: building positive attitudes; creating liveable communities; supporting access to meaningful employment; and accessible systems, information or processes.

Building positive attitudes We continued to partner with local community groups to showcase the contribution people with disability make in our community. Local disability groups have been assisted financially through our Community Grants Program to support their programs, work, and resources to advocate and raise their profile to work in the community. These included funding under the Capacity Building Grant category for a range of projects: The Cerebral Palsy Alliance received funding for communication equipment for people with disability; Learning Links for supporting children with learning disabilities and difficulties in the Georges River community; The Shepherd Centre for Deaf Children for supporting children with hearing loss and their families; Dance for Parkinson’s Australia for movement classes; Jubilee Community Services Incorporated for an accessible art program for people with autism; and Children with Disabilities Fund Inc. for music therapy for children with disabilities.

162

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Our early learning centres worked with children with disabilities along with their families and allied health professionals in 2020/21. An important part of this relationship has been working with all other enrolled children and families and building acceptance and understanding of others, irrespective of differences in ability. The centres aim to instil this approach from a young age to strengthen long-term positive community attitudes. The Access and Inclusion Reference Group endorsed images chosen to present people with disability in a positive manner - these are now available for use across our publications and website. We purchased disability awareness training material from the Centre for Inclusive Design. Two direct facilitated training sessions were planned for key publicfacing staff, the first one running for 15 staff members and the second postponed due to the emerging COVID-19 situation at the time. We will include disability awareness training in all new staff inductions.

Creating liveable communities Following a comprehensive access audit of the Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in March 2020, we replaced the tactile ground surface indicator systems at Gate A and Gate D, which are the two largest and most heavily used ingress gates during stadium events. We engaged Accessible Arts to provide accessibility audits across a few different areas. A ‘walk and talk’ audit of Council’s Carss Park Artist’s cottage identified several simple changes to ensure the artist-in-residence program is accessible. A second ‘walk and talk’ audit

of Un[contained] Arts Festival led to the inclusion of a special one-hour, low light and low noise session for people with sensory processing disorders. Additionally, we purchased access ramps to allow for accessibility to the shipping container art installation spaces at the festival. We continued to produce accessible maps for town centres across the LGA. There are now maps for Hurstville, Kogarah, Mortdale, Beverly Hills, Penshurst and Oatley town centres. These maps are available to the local community and are included on our website. We created new signage to improve accessibility in Hurstville and Kogarah CBDs.

Supporting access to meaningful employment We continue to support the Jubilee Arts for Mental Health program, an art skills program offered each term for 10 people with autism and people managing or recovering from mental illness. There is an opportunity for participants who are repeat attendees to be selected for a paid position as an assistant tutor on future programs.

Accessible systems, information or processes Due to COVID-19, we organised all meetings via online platforms, including meetings with members of the Access and Inclusion Reference Group (AIRG). The AIRG will maintain online meetings as it makes attendance easier for all members. Live captioning is provided for meetings as necessary. We are using the tool Monsido to regularly monitor the accessibility and quality assurance of our website and improve usability and customer experience. Monsido monitors readability, misspelling and broken links to ensure both technical and content accessibility. In the year 2020/21, our Monsido compliance level scores improved from 80% to 85%. Accessible Arts provided a comprehensive audit of Council’s website, reviewing five webpages against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Recommendations will be used in conjunction with the regular Monsido reviews and incorporated into general website updates and maintenance.

We engaged a NOVA Transition Disability group to manage a letterbox drop providing information to local residents about an upcoming volunteer opportunity with Council. Mural by Maddison Gibbs in Post Office Lane, Kogarah.

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OUR PERFORMANCE

Food trucks at Un[contained] Arts Festival

164

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 4

A DIVERSE AND PRODUCTIVE ECONOMY This pillar is about building on the LGA’s economic potential to create sustainable employment opportunities and realise the ambitions for strategic and town centres.

The goals in this pillar include: • Goal 4.1: Local businesses are supported to help protect jobs and create employment opportunities • Goal 4.2: Outcomes from an Employment Lands Study make sufficient land available for future employment growth • Goal 4.3: The ambitions for Hurstville and Kogarah as strategic centres are realised.

Achievements • We supported the grant applications of two Kogarahbased start-ups who subsequently received federal grant funding. • Our Night Time Economy Study was endorsed by Council in March 2021. • We launched our Rewrite the Night grants program in June 2021 to encourage local businesses to activate their premises across three categories lighting, live music or arts and entertainment. • Our Small Business Month 2020 activities included Springboard Program for businesses offering a strong support package. • Our International Women's Day event in March 2020 showcased local women in business who live and work in the Georges River and to help promote the region as a vibrant place to live and work. It attracted 130 guests and was enjoyed by attendees. • We launched the Georges River Business platform in July 2020, a local online directory to help promote businesses. • We commissioned University of Technology, Sydney to do a pilot research study into the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kogarah. Research findings shows

that Kogarah has the hallmarks of an innovation district. • Un[contained] Arts Festival invited people from all walks of life across all abilities to take part in a celebration of the LGA’s creativity. • We adjusted our annual grant program to include small local businesses as well as not-for-profit community organisations. We committed $200,000 to the COVID-19 Recovery Grants Program to provide grants to support small business and awarded $13,385 in the Open for Business category, aimed at helping businesses communicate and market themselves; $30,000 in the Small Business category, which supported businesses to adapt and innovate in response to COVID-19 restrictions; $71,843 in the Community Capacity Building category, aimed at supporting community initiatives responding to COVID-19; and $25,100 in the Cultural Sector Resilience category, which specifically supported arts practitioners who were financially impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. • We secured a grant for $855,000 in the Safer Communities Fund over a period of three years for the implementation of heavy vehicle mitigation (HVM). This will be used to procure HVM structures that can be used at our major events as well as creating an HVM art installation.

Challenges • COVID-19 restrictions delayed our city marketing and key branding and identity work with our Leading for Change event for March 2021 rescheduled to October 2021. • As the Kogarah Collaboration Area was gaining momentum, COVID-19 restrictions affected stakeholder engagement due to more urgent and conflicting priorities, particularly for health agencies. • Our Night Time Economy Study and Action Plan was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions and realignment with the Sydney 24 Hour Economy Study

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OUR PERFORMANCE

Summary of performance against indicators Measure

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

24 commercial centres, identified for daily cleaning, cleaned each day

100%

90%

100%

Mean gross assessment times (in days) on DAs, modifications, DA reviews

<90 days

137 days

142 days

130 days

168 days

124

Percentage of construction certificates determined in 21 days

>90%

22.6%

85.7%

62%

31%

21%

Percentage of planning proposals meeting Gateway determination timeframes

>85%

85%

90%

No data

Level of place satisfaction for key and emerging centres

Level of satisfaction increases

N/A

87%

No data

In 2021/22 we will … • Implement the Night Time Economy Action Plan. • Survey businesses to evaluate our Economic and Social Recovery Plan. • Finalise our City Marketing Plan with a 'Discover. Visit. Invest.' campaign to increase awareness of the LGA, change perceptions and increase visitation. • Develop a Kogarah Investment Prospectus. • Advocate for the concept of the 'Southern Aerotropolis' and the need to consider Sydney as a metropolis of five cities rather than three with a key advocacy event to take place in October 2021. • Develop a robust Small Business Month program for October 2021, partnering with Service NSW and Bayside Business Enterprise Centre. • Continue to drive the Kogarah Collaboration Area and partner with stakeholders to implement the Kogarah Collaboration Area Place Strategy. • Increase the profile of the Hurstville Museum & Gallery through a comprehensive and diverse program of exhibitions and events.

Australia Day at Carss Bush Park

166

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

88%

Progress against one-year Operational Plan items

Complete 13%

Not started On track 13%

Behind schedule

Complete

40%

Behind Sched Ongoing

Cancelled

On track Not started

Ongoing Carry over 27%

On hold

One-year Operational Plan projects

Complete

Not started

On track

Behind schedule

Cancelled

Ongoing

Carry over

On hold

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OUR PERFORMANCE

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

Completed.

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

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

Deliver program of works in key centres that responds to the Economic Development Strategy.

168

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment 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

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

Status

Ongoing

Comment

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.

Action Name

Status

Comment

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

Completed.

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

Completed.

DP Action

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

Status

Ongoing

Comment

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

Action Name Continue to review and monitor DA times and implement efficiencies to improve DA turnaround times.

Status

Comment 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.

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OUR PERFORMANCE

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 Completed.

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

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

Ongoing

Comment

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.

Action Name

Status

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

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Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment 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 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.

Continue to implement medium and long term place based initiatives across other centres in the LGA.

DP Action

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

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Community satisfaction survey carried out in 2017 stated 87% were somewhat satisfied with Council’s performance. The survey is conducted every two years.

Continue to measure the community's satisfaction of the LGA's key town centres as places.

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

Progressing

Comment

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 Continue the work of the Commercial Centres Strategy for all centres within the LGA.

Status

Comment 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. 171

OUR PERFORMANCE

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

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

Status

Progressing

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.

Action Name

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.

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

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

Lobby the Australian and NSW Governments to address infrastructure gaps.

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Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Due to resourcing this action has not commenced.

DP Action

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

Status

Not progressing

Comment

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.

Action Name

Status

Comment 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.

Continue to work with the NSW Government and Canterbury-Bankstown Council on the orderly development of Riverwood as a Planning Precinct.

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 Play an active role in the Kogarah Collaboration Area Place Strategy Governance Group.

Status

Comment 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.

173

OUR PERFORMANCE

Investment opportunities Strategy 4.3.3: Create an action plan with the business community that markets the LGA’s investment opportunities. DP Action

4.3.3a: Prepare and implement an action plan to market the LGA's investment opportunities.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The City Marketing Strategy has been approved by the Executive and work will now commence on the delivery of this Plan. The Kogarah Investment Prospectus, supported by the UTS Innovation Ecosystem Pilot Study, is being developed.

Action Name

Status

Finalise an action plan to market the LGA's investment opportunities.

Statutory Information Nil.

174

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Cafe in Penshurst

175

OUR PERFORMANCE

Clive James Library and Service Centre

176

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 5 A HARMONIOUS AND PROUD COMMUNITY WITH STRONG SOCIAL SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE This pillar is about improving social cohesion through Council and community-run events that celebrate the area’s history and identity, and infrastructure and services.

The goals in this pillar are: • Goal 5.1: We create and support events that celebrate community and cultural identify and benefit the economy • Goal 5.2: Affordable and quality housing options are available • Goal 5.3: The community is socially and culturally connected • Goal 5.4: Diverse, vibrant community facilities and spaces are connected, well maintained and accessible • Goal 5.5: The community is safe and healthy.

Achievements • We adopted the Local Housing Strategy in August 2020.The Strategy links our vision for housing with the actions of the South District Plan (including housing targets) and Local Strategic Planning Statement 2040. It sets out the future policy direction for housing in the LGA in response to the gaps and issues. • We adopted the Inclusive Housing Strategy and Delivery Program in August 2020. • We prepared an Affordable Housing Policy which was adopted by Council in May 2021. The Policy outlines our position and approach to providing affordable housing in our LGA and contains the affordable housing targets from the Inclusive Housing Strategy and Delivery Program. The Policy details our commitment to increasing the range and supply of affordable housing in our LGA to meet the growing needs of very low to moderate income households, singles, families,

couples, seniors, people with a disability, students, key workers and the broader residential market, including first home buyers. • We ran a Library Fines Amnesty from 1 May to 23 July 2021 to support families experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. For $1 donations, members with overdue fines were able to have their fines waived. All donations collected as part of this amnesty went to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. • We partnered with 3Bridges Community to support their Inclusive Volunteer program. This program supports people who have experienced a brain injury with a trained buddy to volunteer together in meaningful roles and be given the opportunity to develop skills, connect with different people in the community, gain self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment. • Hurstville Museum & Gallery was recognised at the Museums and Galleries National Awards, receiving a Highly Commended award in the category for Best Temporary or Travelling Exhibition - Level 1 for its exhibition Artbomb: connect + create. • Our libraries won a Highly Commended Award through the NSW Public Libraries Association for ‘Innovation in Outreach Services’ for the ‘Salon Bibliothèque’ pop-up library in Hurstville Westfield. This initiative aligned with the outreach mission of our Georges River Libraries 2030 Strategy, providing an innovative approach to engaging with members of the community outside traditional library spaces. • Over the lockdown period, our libraries and Hurstville Museum & Gallery adapted to an online model offering: -

Library of Learning instructional videos – a range of promotional videos have been developed to help the community use the library remotely

Biblioblog – an online space for Library Services to deliver some of our essential services and engage with the community remotely

177

OUR PERFORMANCE

Digital Programs – a range of video and online content for the community

eLibrary – access to a vast collection of eBooks, audiobooks, comics, digital magazines and newspapers, as well as research databases

Story, rhyme time and book clubs available online.

• South Hurstville Kindergarten partnered with Allied Health in a pilot program to help identify children who may need extra support with their language and speech. The aim of this program is to help children who have been identified as needing support. • Our Child Protection Action Plan was developed to ensure Council is a Child Safe Organisation. • We offered cultural support for Nepalese children and their families who attend our early learning centres. With the assistance of Diversity Kids, a Newari (a rare Nepalese dialect) speaking family were supported in the service and community. We partnered with a bi-cultural support worker to overcome communication barriers with children and families and support children’s engagement in the early learning program. The worker was able to model and teach all staff key words in Newari to support the child and teach all children in the centre about the Nepalese language and culture. A library of educational resources was developed. The knowledge gained will benefit the inclusion of future Nepalese children, families and the staff. • We opened our Oatley West Early Learning Centre in September 2020. Utilisation of this new service is very high with 97.14% of places filled within the first month of opening. • We developed and delivered online learning for children that were not attending Council's early learning centres during COVID-19 restrictions. We created take-home resources for families to collect and utilise at home to continue their child’s learning journey. • We delivered ‘Be Kind 2 Your Mind’, a series of online presentations, webinars and workshops providing mental health awareness and strategies for all ages, from pre-school to older people in the community. First in the series of COVID-19 safe events, we looked at the effect of COVID-19 on individual mental health and the community as a whole. • We developed ‘A Pocket Guide to Relationships, Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control’, a unique and discreet pocket guide that provides helpful information on support services available and where to seek help in a threatening situation.

178

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

We developed the guide in partnership with the St George Domestic Violence committee and distributed it throughout the St George area. It was translated into five languages. • We held an Aboriginal Cultural Awareness workshop during Reconciliation Week 2021. • We were the recipient of a $10,000 grant from the NSW Government (Multicultural NSW) to support inclusive, cross generational connect. This funding supports cultural festivals and events that bring the NSW community together. The funds supported our Little Lunar event held on Friday 19 February 2021 in Hurstville Plaza. • We received a $10,000 grant from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to activate main town centres to drive economic recovery during COVID-19. • We received a COVID-safe Australia Day Grant of $19,000 from the Australian Government through the Australia Day Council of NSW to support our local citizenship ceremonies as part of the Australia Day program.

Challenges • In accordance with COVID-19 restrictions, Library Services and Hurstville Museum & Gallery closed to the public on 27 June 2021. Based on the same issue in 2020, it will take some time for the community to return to our spaces once restrictions ease. • In 2020/21 the number of people attending community centres and halls for hire was 124,628, down from 131,092 in 2019/20 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Attendance at Hurstville Entertainment Centre venues was 10,028 patrons, significantly down from 43,550 in the 2019/20 year. • In accordance with COVID-19 restrictions, Hurstville Entertainment Centre and all other community venues were closed to the public from 18 March 2020 until 6 September 2020, then again from 27 June 2021. All bookings were cancelled or postponed, and customers were offered a full refund for their booking. • Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many Council and community events were cancelled, postponed or modified. Despite this, we delivered 53 events attended by 36,225 people. We adjusted our event program to smaller-scale, COVID-19-safe events, to provide opportunities to build community connectivity and resilience.

Summary of performance against indicators Measure

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

Utilisation of Council’s child care centres

>95%

83.6%

91.85%

82.31%

83%

87%

Customer satisfaction with Children’s Services

80%

N/A

88%

Number of annual visitors to Hurstville Museum & Gallery

12,000

14,083

19,136

18,256

13,217

N/A

Customer satisfaction with Hurstville Museum & Gallery

80%

N/A

95%

Number of annual visitors to Hurstville Entertainment Centre

100,000

156,016

169,773

164,687

119,714

N/A

Customer satisfaction with community centres and performance venues

80%

N/A

83%

Number of attendees at council major events

70,000

55,000

65,000

69,657

55,000

N/A

Customer satisfaction with events

80%

N/A

94%

Number of library members

73,000

57,318

69,155

67,865

61,369

N/A

Customer satisfaction with Library Services

80%

N/A

86%

Percentage of food premises inspected annually

100%

77%

100%

Percentage of school safety zones patrolled annually

100%

2021 It's A Mood - Chess tournament.

179

OUR PERFORMANCE Artbomb: connect + create exhibition, Hurstville Museum & Gallery.

In 2021/22 we will … • Ensure the Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme is in place for the area under the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan. • Implement the Library Services Debt Recovery Plan. • Expand library delivery services by investigating partnerships with early learning centres, schools, hospitals and direct delivery to homes. • Promote the benefits of library services to the community. • Provide improved networking opportunities for community cultural organisations and creative industry professionals in the LGA. • Develop an Events and Activation Strategy by reviewing current Council, community and commercial events and activations held in the LGA, resident feedback, audience analysis and industry best practice. • Implement actions in the Interim Community Property Strategy. • Implement the Open Space Expansion and Acquisition Plan. • Implement year one actions in the Open Space Strategy.

180

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

181

OUR PERFORMANCE

Progress against one-year Operational Plan items 2%

Complete 7%

Not started On track

Complete

Behind schedule

On track

Cancelled

On Hold

Ongoing Carry over On hold

91%

One-year Operational Plan projects

Complete

182

Not started

On track

Behind schedule

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Cancelled

Ongoing

Carry over

On hold

Goal 5.1: We create and support events that celebrate community and cultural identity and benefit the economy Events Strategy 5.1.1: Initiate, facilitate and support inclusive and accessible events that meet the community’s aspirations and actively connect Council to individuals, community groups and businesses. DP Action

5.1.1a: Assess event capacity and opportunities to make the LGA a preferred event destination.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Un[contained] Arts Festival and Eurovision put our LGA on the bigger national and international platform.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Evaluate and review destination event options for implementation.

Completed.

Evaluate event value to the LGA, investigate a destination event for the LGA and review the events process.

Completed.

Engage sponsorship expertise to review and revamp event sponsorship.

Completed.

DP Action

5.1.1b: Implement an annual program of Council-run and Council-supported events.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement findings of the Event Services Review.

Completed.

Deliver the 2020 Christmas Lights Competition.

Completed.

DP Action

5.1.1c: Develop an Environmentally Sustainable Events Guideline

Status

Completed

Comment

Completed.

183

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

5.1.1d: Build stronger relationships with local businesses, industries and State agencies to maximise sponsorship of local events.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Continue to build stronger relationships with local businesses, industries and State agencies to maximise sponsorship of local events.

DP Action

5.1.1e: Develop an online event toolkit to help community and commercial groups deliver events. Build community capacity in event planning and delivery.

Status

Completed

DP Action

5.1.1f: Review Georges River Council Event Strategy.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Community and Culture on Wheels was created for programs in 2021/22 during COVID-19 restrictions.

Goal 5.2: Affordable and quality housing options are available Affordable housing Strategy 5.2.1: Partner with State agencies to increase supply of affordable housing for residents on very low to moderate incomes. DP Action

5.2.1a: Develop an Affordable Housing Policy and Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme (as per NSW Government requirements).

Status

Progressing

Comment

We adopted our Affordable Housing Policy in May 2021. We have commenced an Affordable Rental Housing Scheme for the Mortdale Local Centre and surrounds.

Action Name

184

Status

Comment

Prepare an Affordable Rental Housing Policy.

Completed.

Complete the Inclusive Housing Strategy.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Housing for key workers Strategy 5.2.2: Council-led development proposals incorporate, where feasible, options that support affordable and diverse housing. DP Action

5.2.2a: Investigate the potential to include affordable housing in Council-led developments.

Status

Progressing

Comment

We adopted our Affordable Housing Policy in May 2021. This Policy provides the framework for affordable housing in Council-led developments.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Progress the Planning Proposal for Civic Precinct Master Plan to Gateway determination stage.

Goal 5.3: The community is socially and culturally connected. Social and cultural plans Strategy 5.3.1: Develop and implement a Social Plan and a Cultural Strategy that celebrates diversity, promotes the multicultural community, supports innovation and creativity and contributes to the economic success of the area. DP Action

5.3.1a Develop and implement a Social Justice Charter to build the LGA’s social strengths.

Status

Progressing

Comment

A consultant worked with Community and Culture team to develop Social Justice Charter. The document is drafted and ready for review by the Executive before community consultation.

Action Name Launch and promote the Georges River Council Social Justice Charter.

Status

Comment A final draft will be provided in July 2021 for further community consultation prior to public exhibition.

185

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

5.3.1b: Implement the priorities of the Cultural Strategy and Public Art Policy.

Status

Completed

Comment

The Public Art Policy has seen public artworks on the external columns at Hurstville Library, the conservation of the Bruce Lee statue at Kogarah Town Square and the delivery of the inaugural Un[contained] Arts Festival.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement recommendations from the Cultural Strategy.

Completed.

Develop and implement a Public Art Policy.

Completed.

Social participation and community wellbeing Strategy 5.3.2: Develop, support and promote programs and activities that foster social participation and wellbeing of the diverse community, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, cultural or religious background. DP Action

5.3.2a: Implement an annual program of activities that create opportunities for community interaction and cohesion.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Implement the Hurstville Plaza Activation Plan.

Completed.

Implement and promote the directory of free and low-cost services for seniors.

Our Seniors’ Directory is ready for review on our website.

DP Action Status

5.3.2b: Collaborate across Council and with relevant partners to develop holistic programs for community benefit. Completed

Action Name

Status

Continue to collaborate across Council and with relevant partners to develop holistic programs for community benefit.

186

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed

DP Action

5.3.2c: Develop action plans through the Social Justice Charter that address the needs of the aged, youth, multicultural and Aboriginal communities in the Georges River LGA.

Status

Progressing

Comment

An edited version of the Social Justice Charter has been provided by our consultants. A final draft will be provided in July 2021 for further community consultation prior to public exhibition.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Work with partner agencies to deliver targeted social inclusion grant program.

DP Action

5.3.2d: Implement Council's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

Status

Completed

Community safety planning Strategy 5.3.3: Develop an integrated Community Safety Plan to identify the role Council and others can play in helping to make the LGA a safer place. DP Action

5.3.3a: Implement a Community Safety Plan.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The Volunteer Safety Champions program has commenced with five volunteers in Mortdale receiving initial training information developed in collaboration with the St George Police Area Command. COVID-19 restrictions mean further training and activity has been postponed. Online alternatives will be assessed for the secondary training session.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Undertake a Safety Audit of public spaces across the LGA.

Completed.

Consult on and develop a Community Safety Plan.

Completed.

187

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

5.3.3b: Increase community safety awareness with business and residents.

Status

Progressing

Comment

A draft Community Safety Plan is being prepared for review.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Develop a pilot Community Safety Program.

DP Action

5.3.3c: Work with the St George Police Area Command to manage alcohol free zones and alcohol prohibited areas.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Continue to work with the St George Police Area Command to manage alcohol free zones and alcohol prohibited areas.

Children’s services Strategy 5.3.4: Provide high quality, affordable and economically viable education and care across Council’s children’s services. DP Action

5.3.4a: Implement the 2017-20 Children’s Services Strategic Plan with an emphasis on best practice and family-friendly early learning services.

Status

Completed

Action Name

188

Status

Comment

Establish a 40 place long daycare centre in Oatley West.

Completed.

Develop inclusion support plans for each service.

Completed.

Develop a reconciliation action plan.

Support for the Acknowledging Aboriginal Culture and Heritage report.

Implement the findings of the Children’s Services Model Review.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

DP Action

5.3.4b: Investigate the feasibility of a 24-hour early learning centre in the Kogarah Health and Research Hub and implement if viable.

Status

Completed

DP Action

5.3.4c: Locate an appropriate site for an occasional early learning service within the Hurstville City Centre.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Establish a 23-place occasional care service within the LGA.

Completed.

Trial mixed usage options at Hurstville Childcare Centre to determine the community's needs.

Completed.

DP Action

5.3.4d: Operate all early learning services with contemporary technology.

Status

Completed

Action Name Continue to operate all early learning services with contemporary technology.

Status

Comment Completed.

Rainbow crossing art installation funded by Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Streets as Shared Spaces.

189

OUR PERFORMANCE

Goal 5.4: Diverse, vibrant community facilities and spaces are connected, well maintained and accessible Library services Strategy 5.4.1: Expand the role of libraries as welcoming and inclusive spaces with services, collections and programs that inspire and engage with the community. DP Action

5.4.1a: Implement the 2030 Library Strategy to improve service delivery, technology, collections, information services, community engagement and programs.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

The Cultural Engagement and Library Service Business Plan for 2021-23 is being finalised which will continue the implementation the 2030 Library Strategy.

Action Name

Status

Develop and implement training modules to maximise staff knowledge of the library’s collections and information services.

Completed.

Develop a Local Studies Marketing and Communication Plan.

Completed.

Implement agreed outcomes from the Library Strategy.

Completed.

Develop a Collection Management Plan.

Completed.

DP Action

5.4.1b: Deliver improvements to library services and facilities to ensure appropriate and effective use of collections and resources.

Status

Completed

Action Name

190

Comment

Status

Comment

Deliver Media Lab within Hurstville Library.

Completed.

Develop a Debt Recovery Plan for Library Services.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

DP Action

5.4.1b: Deliver improvements to library services and facilities to ensure appropriate and effective use of collections and resources.

Status

Completed

Community facilities Strategy 5.4.2: Collaborate with State agencies, the education sector and neighbouring councils to provide regional level community facilities. DP Action

5.4.2a: Develop a community property portfolio to benefit residents and local/state agencies and the ongoing sustainability of the property.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Develop a Joint Use Planning Agreement with the Department of Education.

Completed.

Work with local service providers to support women and children who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness as a result of domestic violence.

Completed.

DP Action

5.4.2b: Work with the NSW Government to encourage greater provision of adequate crisis accommodation in the LGA.

Status

Completed

Action Name Work with the NSW Government to facilitate an increase in crisis accommodation in the LGA for women and children who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness as a result of domestic violence.

Status

Comment Completed.

191

OUR PERFORMANCE

Affordable facilities Strategy 5.4.3: Provide a range of affordable and accessible facilities for community-based activities. DP Action

5.4.3a: Review and deliver our Venue Hire Grants Program in conjunction with the Grants, Donations and Sponsorship Policy.

Status

Completed

DP Action

5.4.3b: Review use of community facilities in conjunction with the Community Lease Policy.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Undertake audit of Councilowned community facilities.

Promoting the arts Strategy 5.4.4: Encourage and promote the arts through Council’s cultural facilities including Hurstville Museum & Gallery, Hurstville Entertainment Centre and Carss Park Artists Cottage. DP Action

5.4.4a: Implement an annual program of community and cultural programs and events.

Status

Completed

Action Name

192

Status

Comment

Increase the profile of the Artist in Residence Program.

Completed.

Investigate a platform to promote cultural activity across the LGA.

Completed.

Increase the profile of our cultural facilities through partnerships with key arts organisations.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

5.5: The community is safe and healthy Regulatory functions Strategy 5.5.1: Conduct Councils regulatory functions in accordance with legislative requirements. DP Action

5.5.1a: Continue to liaise with the NSW Government and relevant stakeholders to keep up-to-date with legislative changes.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment All skin penetration premises and swimming pools were inspected. Regulated systems (cooling towers) were schedule to be completed in June 2021 however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, inspections of regulated systems were put on hold. These premises will be prioritised in our inspection schedule once COVID-19 restrictions are removed.

Implement the 2020/21 regulatory programs to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation and to address community safety concerns.

DP Action

5.5.1b: Continue to implement programs relating to food premises, skin penetration premises and regulated systems.

Status

Behind schedule

Comment

All food premises, skin penetration premises and swimming pools were inspected. Regulated systems (cooling towers) were schedule to be completed in June 2021 however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, inspections on regulated systems were put on hold. These premises will be prioritised in our inspection schedule once COVID-19 restrictions are removed. During the reporting period the restriction on movement impacted our ability to schedule and complete all necessary inspections.

Action Name Implement the Get the Site Right Program to manage development site condition compliance.

Status

Comment Completed.

193

OUR PERFORMANCE

Statutory information Compliance with the Companion Animals Act 1998 and Companion Animals Regulation 2008 Council’s statement on activities relating to enforcing and ensuring compliance with the Companion Animals Act and Regulation. (C 217(1) (f)) Lodgement of pound data returns with the Office of Local Government COUNCIL SEIZURE ACTIVITY

Cats

Dogs

Total

Seized

153

351

504

Returned to owner

208

209

Transferred to Council’s Facility

152

143

295

Animals in and arriving at Council’s facility

Cats

Dogs

Total

Animals in Council’s facility

224

205

443

From seizures

152

143

295

Dumped

Animal leaving Council’s facility

Cats

Dogs

Total

Released to owners

157

187

Euthanised

Sold

128

151

Released to organisation to re-home

Died at Council facility

Stolen from Council facility

Escaped from Council facility

COUNCIL ANIMAL CARE FACILITY ACTIVITY

Lodgement of data relating to dog attacks with the Office of Local Government Status

Incidents entered

Attacking dogs

Victims (human and animal)

Commenced

Finalised

Under investigation

Total

Funding of Companion animal Management Activities During the reporting period, we spent $308,000 on two companion animal management contracts with St George Animal Rescue, which impounds companion animals on behalf of Council and the impounding facility, Sydney Dogs and Cats Home. Our regulatory functions in relation to companion animal management are conducted by our rangers who also perform a range of other public safety functions. Consequently, direct costs attributable to companion animal management regulatory functions cannot be provided, but we estimate they are approximately $200,000. We spent $32,397 on a Companion Animal Administration Officer to continue an audit of the Companion Animals Register to confirm owners’ details are up to date and to increase the number of correctly registered animals in the area.

194

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Community education programs We provide community education relating to legislative requirements and responsible pet ownership through our website and social media. We distributed a media release in relation to the responsible management of dogs during the initial COVID-19 restrictions. Our rangers also educate members of the community at various leash-free areas as part of their regular patrols.

Alternatives to euthanasia of Unclaimed Animals Our policy provides the flexibility to permit infant companion animals to be transferred to approved rescue organisations to expand options available to rehome unclaimed animals. Sydney Dogs and Cats Home maintain an up-to-date website with details of all impounded animals to assist in returning or re-homing impounded animals.

Off-leash areas There are nine off-leash dog parks in the Georges River LGA, where dogs can run, exercise and socialise leashfree with other dogs and visitors. They are open all year round at: • Arrowsmith Park, Hurstville • Carss Bush Park, Carss Park • Gannons Park, Peakhurst • H.V. Evatt Park, Lugarno • Hogben Park, Kogarah • Kogarah Park, Carlton • Moore Park, Hurstville Grove • Moore Reserve, Hurstville Grove • Riverwood Park, Riverwood

Compliance with NSW Carers (Recognition) Act 2010 Our Community Capacity Building team support programs for older people, people with disability, people with mental illness and other members of the community who may be cared for by carers. The Community Capacity Building staff is provided with a copy of the Carers (Recognition) Act 2010 and associated Guidelines and adhere to the principles contained therein.

Inspection of private swimming pools Requirement

Inspections held

Notes

Number of inspections of tourist and visitor accommodation.

N/A

There are no swimming pools located within tourist and visitor accommodation within the Georges River LGA.

Number of inspections of premises with more than two dwellings.

There were 8 applications received in 2020/21. Of these, 5 properties required a further inspection.

Number of inspections resulting in issuance of a certificate of compliance under S22D of the Swimming Pools Act 1992.

37 inspections resulted in issuance of a certificate of compliance.

Number of inspections resulting in issuance of a certificate of non-compliance under cl21 of the Swimming Pools Regulation 2008.

16 inspections resulted in issuance of one certificate of non-compliance.

195

OUR PERFORMANCE

Customer satisfaction kiosk.

196

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

PILLAR 6

LEADERSHIP AND TRANSPARENCY This pillar is about fostering a culture of professionalism, transparency, accountability and financial responsibility where the community is actively listened to and a part of the decision making process.

• Three online corruption form allegations were investigated and finalised (in conjunction with Manger, Governance and Risk Management).

The goals in this pillar include:

• Goal 6.4: Council’s assets and resources are managed responsibly and with accountability

• Our Happy or Not customer feedback portals in customer centres and provide real time feedback on a customer's immediate interaction with our staff. We see consistently favourable results indicating our customers are happy with the service they receive. Customers can leave feedback and comments and this is captured and used to recognise staff and teams and also improve our services and processes. The overall result for this year was 88% HAPPY, improving on the previous year 85% HAPPY.

• Goal 6.5: The workforce is inspiring, diverse, and engaged

• Our WHS Strategy is in place to guide WHS for the next three years.

• Goal 6.6: Council has a regional-approach to service delivery and facilities.

• Our revised Business Continuity Management Policy was adopted in March 2021 and revised Crisis Management Team structure in response to COVID-19 included an updated Business Continuity Plan.

• Goal 6.1: The community is involved and listened to • Goal 6.2: Open, informed, and transparent decisionmaking supports the interests of the community • Goal 6.3: Leadership focuses on innovation and improving the customer experience

Achievements • We continued to implement our Innovation Strategy focusing on building a culture of innovation across the organisation. • We completed a comprehensive list of risk-based audits on the Audit Program 2020/21 including: -

payroll procurement service review tree management swimming pool compliance project governance and methodology development related fees and charges Transport for NSW DRIVES compliance audit information management and technology cybersecurity • We conducted five ARIC meetings including four normal meetings and a special meeting for the financial statements covering all statutory item requirements.

• We recruited two new ARIC members to replace the retiring committee members.

• Staff engagement has increased by 3% compared to the previous year’s staff engagement survey. • We developed a careers video which demonstrates our commitment to support staff from various backgrounds. • Our new Policy framework was adopted in September 2020. • We appointed procurement champions within each Directorate to facilitate contract information updates into the corporate system. • Our procurement policies and practices demonstrate best practice in probity assurance and legislative compliance to external auditors.

Challenges • We were unable to perform Cash Handling Audit due to COVID-19 impacts. • Pressure on existing resources to deliver with a diminished capacity due to vacancies and staff turnover.

197

OUR PERFORMANCE

• There was significant reliance on external funding. • It has been a challenge to maintain effective relationships and understanding changing business requirements. • We were required to deliver extensive blended training programs (face to face/online) on the new contract management framework and system. • The volatility of COVID-19 has continued to evolve, along with confirmation (as originally projected) that it would be a highly unstable environment, in terms of the size of the social and financial impact, on Council and the community. • We prioritised delivering key services and operations whilst also mitigating the financial risks that had been known and were accelerating.

Georges River Civic Centre.

198

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Summary of performance against indicators

Measure

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

Annual net litigation costs managed to $1.5m budget

<$1,500,000

$534,577

$1,175,078

$983,113

$1,269,024

$2,473,216

Percentage of legal cases determined in accordance with council’s corporate and strategic objectives including successful prosecutions (convictions) and/ or fines for major environmental offences, including tree breaches

>75%

100%

Attempted resolution of Class 1 merit appeals by way of alternative dispute resolution such as s34 conciliation and wherever possible and appropriate

100%

Percentage of satisfied Your Say Georges River Panel members with engagement on Council projects

>75%

N/A

62%

75%

58%

Council decisions made at meetings closed to the public

<25%

10.9%

2.52%

Although some matters were discussed and deliverated inclosed confidential session, all decisions recommender in closed session are confirmed in open session as the same meeting.

199

OUR PERFORMANCE

200

Measure

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

Increased interaction with council meetings including average number of speakers, public attendees and uptake of live streaming of Council Meetings and Committees of Council

>2 speakers

4 speakers

7 speakers

53 speakers

92 speakers

>10 attendees

15 attendees

42 attendees

50 attendees

Percentage of customer requests completed within agreed times

80%

44%

61%

71%

84%

89%

Percentage of correspondence responded to within 14 days

>80%

67%

85%

87%

88%

Percentage of complaints completed within agreed times

90%

13%

86%

91%

95%

91%

Percentage compliance with statutory and legislative reporting requirements (OLG Compliance Calendar)

100%

Percentage of customers satisfied with the overall experience with their customer requests to Council

80%

66%

76%

81%

74%

66%

Customer satisfaction with face-to-face interaction at the Customer Service Centre

80%

N/A

80%

90%

95%

Actual year-todate income is no more than 5% under the year-todate approved budget

<5% under budget

26.6% above budget

1.8% above budget

5% above budget

7.5%

-0.16%

50 live streams

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

15 live streams

32 live streams

Measure

Target

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

Actual year-to-date expenditure is no more than 5% over the year-to-date approved budget

<5% over budget

7.7% above budget

4.5% below budget

2.76%

-5.1%

24%

Investment portfolio returns for the past 12 months exceeding industry benchmark as disclosed by CPG

Benchmark exceeded

3.41%1.59% above performance index

2.91%1.13% above performance index

2.76%

1.9%. 1.05% above benchmark

1.35%

Percentage outstanding rates, annual charges, interest and extra charges

<5%

3.1%

3.2%

3.52%

4.45%

In 2021/22 we will … • Develop and commence implementation of a new risk-based three-year Audit Plan • Continue Code of Conduct training across the whole organisation • Organise and conduct ARIC meetings • Enhance the information available to ARIC members via a renewed online portal • Implement the Office of Local Government Guidelines when they are released on a new risk management and internal audit framework for local government in NSW • Continue to develop a culture of innovation with the goal of imbedding increased innovation in project management and delivery as aligned to the NSW Government’s Smart Places report • Continue to build the reputation and brand of the Georges River, attracting opportunities and investment • Deliver a Customer Experience Strategy to focus on primary customer touchpoints with Council, review statistics, customer feedback, operations and technology and identify actions to improve the customer experience for residents and customers • Implement our Performance Excellence Program (PEP) – a performance review program focused on continuous performance discussions throughout the year • Develop and commence induction program for newly elected councillors.

201

OUR PERFORMANCE

Progress against one-year Operational Plan items 1% 2%

Complete

Not started

4% 4%

On track

Complete

Behind schedule

Behind Sch

Cancelled

Ongoing Carry Over

Ongoing

On track On Hold

Carry over 84%

On hold

One-year Operational Plan projects

Complete

202

Not started

On track

Behind schedule

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Cancelled

Ongoing

Carry over

On hold

Goal 6.1: The community is involved and listened to. Community consultation Strategy 6.1.1: Actively implement our Community Engagement Policy and Strategy, providing a consistent and best practice approach to engagement across all Council functions. DP Action

6.1.1a: Review performance indicators and data with internal and external stakeholders to ensure data contributes to continuous improvement.

Status

Progressing

Comment

A cycle of review has been established with internal and external stakeholders.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Continue to review performance indicators and data with internal and external stakeholders to ensure data contributes to continuous improvement. DP Action

6.1.1b: Embed our Engagement Strategy as an overarching process for all Council engagement activity.

Status

Progressing

Comment

A cycle of review and improvement for community engagement has been established.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement changes to Your Say following feedback from the Your Say Satisfaction Survey.

Completed.

Deliver training to relevant staff concerning updates to the Community Engagement Strategy.

Completed.

DP Action

6.1.1c: Develop and build a brand and identity for the LGA.

Status

Progressing

Comment

The City Marketing Plan has been endorsed by the Executive. Broader advocacy continues to focus on influencing the next version of NSW Government planning, including investment on the existing assets south of the airport. An advocacy event focused on the role of Georges River is scheduled for October 2021.

Action Name Continue to develop and build a brand and identity for the LGA.

Status

Comment Completed.

203

OUR PERFORMANCE

Engagement mechanisms Strategy 6.1.2: Use of online, social media and other communication channels, including Your Say Georges River. DP Action

6.1.2a: Increase the range of community engagement activities on our website.

Status

Progressing

Comment

We will be briefing key Council teams on the engagement functionality of our consultation platform in September 2021.

Action Name

Status

Completed.

Deliver drop-in sessions and toolbox talks to encourage staff to increase the range and type of activities on Your Say.

DP Action

6.1.2b: Broaden the range of Council and community issues referred for feedback to Your Say Georges River.

Status

Progressing

Comment

We will be briefing key Council teams on the engagement functionality of our consultation platform in September 2021.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Continue to broaden the range of Council and community issues referred for feedback to Council's Your Say Georges River.

DP Action

6.1.2c: Develop comprehensive communication plans for our projects, programs and initiatives.

Status

Progressing

Comment

All major community consultations, events and programs have a Communications Plan and a lead Communications Officer.

Action Name

Status

Create and implement an Engagement Communication Plan for major projects where Council is seeking community engagement in 2020/21 including use of print media and traditional marketing methods. 204

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Performance reporting Strategy 6.1.3: Publicly and regularly report on our performance against strategic, financial and operational plans DP Action

6.1.3a: Comply with all requirements of IP&R legislation, including progress reports for the Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

All IP&R requirements for 2020/21 have been met including publishing of the 2019/20 Annual Report, 2021/22 Delivery Program and Operational Plan, 2022 Resourcing Strategy and six-monthly updates on our progress with the Delivery Program.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Communicate our progress against the Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program and Operational Plan through Council's website.

DP Action

6.1.3b: Develop an Annual Community Consultation Progress report.

Status

Completed

Action Name Create an Annual Community Consultation Progress report.

Status

Comment Completed.

Your Say webpage.

205

OUR PERFORMANCE

Goal 6.2: Open, informed and transparent decision-making supports the interests of the community Transparent communication Strategy 6.2.1: Make all reports to Council Meetings public wherever possible under the Local Government Act 1993 or provide open and closed reports where necessary. DP Action

6.2.1a: Investigate the feasibility of 'Meet your Ward Councillors' sessions.

Status

Cancelled

Comment

Meet Your Ward Councillor Sessions did not proceed during 2020/21 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Action Name

Status

Produce a feasibility report on the 'Meet Your Ward Councillor' sessions.

Meet Your Ward Councillor Sessions did not proceed during 2020/21 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Provide fact sheets at each Council meeting to inform the community on the reasons for confidential Council reports.

Completed.

DP Action

6.2.1b: Utilise webcasting to improve access to information from Council meetings.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

All Council meetings are webcast with a link available prior to every Council and Committee meeting.

Action Name

Status

Webcast resolutions from any items considered in closed sessions.

206

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Risk management Strategy 6.2.2: Undertake effective risk management to provide greater certainty and security over the management of Council resources and services. DP Action

6.2.2a: Annually review Council’s enterprise and operational risks.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Maintain the focus on education, awareness and mitigation with respect to risk management procurement and fraud control.

Completed.

Review and report on the Governance framework status to the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee.

Completed.

Procurement Strategy 6.2.3: Ensure procurement policies and practices demonstrate best practice in probity assurance and legislative compliance. DP Action

6.2.3a: Review procurement policy and practice through the Local Government Procurement Program.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Continue to implement recommendations from the Procurement Audit.

Completed.

Ongoing focus on procurement contracts governance strategies and enabling priorities.

Completed.

207

OUR PERFORMANCE

Timely provision of information Strategy 6.2.4: Provide timely access to Council information, in accordance with legislation, policy, public interest considerations, proactive disclosure and the respect for individual privacy. DP Action

6.2.4a: Maintain online public registers as required under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 including contracts, gifts and benefits and Councillor disclosures of interest returns.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Continue to maintain online public registers as required under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 including contracts, gifts and benefits and Councillor disclosures of interest returns.

Completed.

Continue to implement a training and awareness program for Code of Conduct and Public Interest Disclosure matters.

Completed.

DP Action

6.2.4b: Maintain online records of Council and Committee papers and minutes, donations and sponsorships, and Councillor expenses.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Achieved. This work is ongoing.

Action Name

Status

Comment All reports that are considered by Council are available on our website, including Council minutes. Additionally, registers on Council's website contain details of expenses that are reimbursed to councillors in accordance with the Mayor and Councillors’ Expenses and Facilities Policy.

Continue to maintain online records of Council and Committee papers and minutes, donations and sponsorships and Councillor expenses.

DP Action

6.2.4c: Report annually to the Office of Local Government and the NSW Ombudsman on Code of Conduct and Public Interest Disclosure matters.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Continue annual reporting to the Office of Local Government and the NSW Ombudsman on Code of Conduct and Public Interest Disclosure matters. 208

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Audit responsibilities Strategy 6.2.5: Use the ARIC to independently advise Council on good governance, audit matters, business improvement and risk management controls. DP Action

6.2.5a: Facilitate the ARIC to fulfil its responsibilities under the Local Government Act 1993 and ARIC Charter.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Prepare an annual ARIC Responsibility Calendar reflecting the Act and ARIC Charter requirements to be completed throughout the year.

Completed.

Facilitate 4-5 ARIC meetings per year with the agendas to cover all topics in the ARIC Responsibility Calendar over the year.

Completed.

Facilitate the ARIC Annual Report to Council on activities and functions.

Completed.

Recruit two independent ARIC members to replace scheduled departures in December 2020.

Completed.

DP Action

6.2.5b: Prepare and implement a three-year risk-based Audit Plan.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

The three-year risk-based Audit Plan commenced in 2018 covering 2018-2021. The Audit Plan has almost been completed in 2021 covering 24 audits, two service reviews and four information technology audits. Two audits remain outstanding.

Action Name Complete the 2020/21 Audit Program.

Status

Comment The 2020/21 Audit Program was almost completed despite COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. In Quarter 4 the following audits were being or had been finalised to round out the 2020/21 Audit Program: • swimming pool compliance • DA related fees and charges • project methodology and governance • IM&T phishing testing • Transport for NSW DRIVES annual compliance audit The two carry over audits from the 2020/21 Audit Program are: • bonds, bank guarantees and security deposits which commenced on the 6 July 2021 • cash management, which has been deferred to the 2021/22 audit program due to COVID-19 restrictions. 209

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

6.2.5c: Provide ARIC with the status of internal audit recommendation implementation.

Status

Completed Status

Comment

Action Name Completed.

Provide ARIC with the status of audit recommendations at each meeting.

DP Action

6.2.5d: Liaise with the Office of Local Government regarding internal audit guidelines and adopt as required.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

The official OLG Guidelines have not yet been released and are proposed to be released in draft by mid-2021.

Action Name

Status

Implement any mandatory internal audit guidelines issued by the OLG.

Comment The official OLG Guidelines have not yet been released and are proposed to be released in draft by mid-2021. Notwithstanding, we have: • changed title of Internal Auditor to Chief Audit Executive (March 2020) • removed councillors from the ARIC so that the ARIC only comprises three independent members (September 2020) • aligned the legislative responsibilities of the ARIC to an Annual Responsibility Calendar (2019) • created a role and profile for risk management within the organisation (2017). We are in a good position to have all requirements implemented when the Guidelines are released. The Chief Audit Executive is keeping abreast of the OLG updates and proposed changes on a constant basis.

210

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Councillor role Strategy 6.2.6: Ensure compliance with Section 232(1) of the Local Government Act 1993 and processes adopted in Council policies. DP Action

6.2.6a: Implement a councillor training program to improve decision-making, facilitate better communication with the local community and assist Councillors to acquire and maintain the skills needed to perform their role.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Achieving 12 hours of professional development training in these times of COVID-19 restrictions is difficult; however, online training has been provided and is encouraged. This work is ongoing.

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Implement a Professional Development Program for Councillors to ensure a minimum of 12 hours of skills development training is offered to each Councillor.

Goal 6.3: Leadership focuses on innovation and improving the customer experience Customer service Strategy 6.3.1: Meet customer service commitments that aim to make it easy to do business with Council and create systems and a culture that support positive customer experiences. DP Action

6.3.1a: Expand online services and payment options, including mobile applications, public Wi-Fi and self-service kiosks.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Assess and review the use of selfservice kiosks.

Completed.

Undertake outcomes of the customer experience transformation program.

Completed.

DP Action

6.3.1b: Increase automation of processes to increase efficiencies.

Status

Completed

Action Name Identify processes that can be automated to increase efficiencies.

Status

Comment Completed.

211

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

6.3.1c: Improve the DA lodgement processes and pre-lodgement advice, including new NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment guidelines.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Advisory service implemented. We have implemented electronic lodgement for all application types through NSW Planning Portal. Inhouse system improvements continuing.

Action Name

Status

Completed.

Implement and review the new changes to pre-lodgement services.

DP Action

6.3.1d: Improve consistency and reliability of service across all customer contact channels.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Due to recent change in workplans, a dedicated daily administrative officer from the Customer Experience team has been allocated to respond to the NSW Planning Portal, BPpoint, CM9 and emails. This is shown to be effective as the call abandonment rate has decreased in Quarter 4.

Action Name

212

Comment

Status

Comment

Develop promotional videos highlighting how customers can communicate with Council.

Completed.

Review the internal reporting that reflects customer response times and officer accountability.

Completed.

Review and assess the use of call back option.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Continuous improvement Strategy 6.3.2: Demonstrate a culture of continuous improvement and effective governance throughout Council services DP Action

6.3.2a: Advocate a comprehensive performance program for all Councils with the Office of Local Government, in partnership with LG Professionals.

Status

Cancelled

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Embed innovation into the existing project management framework.

DP Action

6.3.2b: Establish our reputation as a leading local government organisation.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Develop strategic partnerships to influence key government policy and bring investment to the LGA.

DP Action

6.3.2c: Implement an Innovation Strategy to provide a strategic approach to improvements to customer service, service delivery and performance improvement.

Status

Progressing

Comment

There has been focus on culture and creativity internally and the development of partnerships and networks externally. We have built partnerships and gained grant funding to support the innovative delivery of projects such as the ‘Greening our City Grant’ to use new technology to support the growth of trees in urban settings.

Action Name Implement the Innovation Strategy.

Status

Comment Completed.

213

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

6.3.2d: Raise awareness for cyber security.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Implement procedures in line with NSW Cyber Security Policy. - 2020/21 Finalise benchmarking of Information Security framework against Essential 8 and NSW Cyber security policy.

Strategy and innovation Strategy 6.3.3: Increase the status, influence, reputation and brand of Georges River Council and its LGA through a greater focus on innovation and advocacy. DP Action

6.3.3a: Prepare a 30-year City Vision and City Reputation Strategy, incorporating a strong, well-communicated external presence and brand.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Prepare a 30-year City Vision and City Reputation Strategy.

Completed.

Promote the aspirations of 2050 leading for change and undertake feasibility studies where required.

Completed.

Deliver an investment prospectus for Kogarah.

A draft Investment Prospectus has been developed, in line with the findings from the UTS pilot study and report findings.

Cultivate the night time economy in Kogarah and Hurstville.

Completed.

DP Action

6.3.3b: Maximise the potential of the Kogarah Health and Research Hub.

Status

Progressing

Comment

We continues to work with Bayside Council, the Greater Sydney Commission and other State agencies to implement the Kogarah Collaboration Area Place Strategy. Council has also completed a study into the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem that exists in Kogarah and has supported grant applications of med-tech start-ups.

Action Name

Status

Target key government agencies and industries to grow the Kogarah Health and Research Hub. 214

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

DP Action

6.3.3c: Build the cultural identity of Hurstville City Centre as the Heart of the City.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

We are rolling out Streets as Shared Spaces funding within Hurstville until the end of 2021.

Continue to build the cultural identity of Hurstville City Centre as the Heart of the City.

DP Action

Comment

6.3.3d: Develop an advocacy strategy that identifies how we can influence government policy and secure government investment in the LGA.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Further work needs to be done to develop an Advocacy Program. We have the opportunity to influence the next iteration of metropolitan planning by partnering with other councils and stakeholders, lobbying the NSW Government and presenting compelling evidence to support transport and other priority projects and opportunities. We have commenced this work through the development of key partnerships.

Action Name

Status

Comment We have 13 advocacy priorities that are either NSW Government investment or Georges River local priorities. These fall under the overarching concept of the Southern Aerotropolis. A discussion paper is being peer-reviewed by a prominent advisor on cities.

Implement advocacy strategy to assist to influence government policy and secure government investment in the LGA.

We are planning a thought leadership event 'Sydney rediscovered: The Metropolis of 5 Cities' for 27 October 2021. The event will promote and position Georges River/the South District as a place of opportunity with partners such as the Committee for Sydney, Business Western Sydney and Wollongong City Council in addition, the new Community Strategic Plan will contain our advocacy priorities and the community will have their say on which are most important to them.

DP Action

6.3.3e: Assist and promote the greening and creation of open space in our town centres.

Status

Completed

Action Name Continue to promote the greening and creation of open space in our town centres.

Status

Comment Completed.

215

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

6.3.3f: Complete the program of service delivery reviews commenced after the establishment of Georges River Council.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Redraft expression of interest document underway. To be completed early August 2021.

Complete the Venues and Facilities Management Service Review.

Goal 6.4: Council’s assets and resources are managed responsibly and with accountability Asset management Strategy 6.4.1: Implement asset management plans to maintain infrastructure assets in a safe and functional standard, meeting current and future community needs. DP Action

6.4.1a: Consult with the community about the service standards for Council assets, including asset maintenance funding in the context of Councils overall budget imperatives, and use this to inform a review of asset ownership and maintenance standards.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Asset Management Strategy completed and presented for inclusion in Resourcing Strategy including updated information on community service levels, latest footpath and road asset information.

Action Name

216

Status

Comment

Update Asset Management Plan, for road and footpath assets classes based on full network data capture.

Completed.

Provide maintenance and renewal programs for building asset class based on contractor asset inspections.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

DP Action

6.4.1b: Implement the Depot Master Plan including closure of the Carlton Depot and rehabilitation of the Hurstville Road quarry depot site. (Executive Manager, Engineering Operations)

Status

Not progressing

Comment

Vacating of some commercial and community occupancy was achieved in Quarter 4.

Action Name

Status

Comment Rehabilitation of the Hurstville Road quarry depot site has not been possible due to the unforeseen temporary use of this site for waste storage operations.

Commence implementation of the GRC Depot Master Plan.

Vacating commercial and community occupancy did progress within 2020/21.

Financial strength Strategy 6.4.2: Maintain a sustainably strong financial position, balanced with demand for essential services and new projects, and having regard for Section 8B(d) (ii) of the Local Government Act 1993 (the current generation funds the cost of its services). DP Action

6.4.2a: Continually align the Long-Term Financial Plan with the context of Council and IP&R documents.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Refine the Long-Term Financial Plan to incorporate proposed new projects and programs and to facilitate financially sustainable decisions.

Completed.

Incorporate the review of Council's Asset Management Plan (6.4.1.a), including asset life, depreciation and maintenance costs, into Council's Long-Term Financial Plan.

Completed.

217

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

6.4.2b: Develop a rating structure for the LGA by June 2020.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Engage with Community on a new Georges River Council Rating Structure.

Completed.

Submit a proposed new Georges River Council rate structure to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

Completed.

Submit a Georges River Council Special Rate Variation request to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

Completed.

DP Action

6.4.2c: Continue to review financial policies and processes to ensure integrity of controls, efficiency of service and quality financial data, to reduce risk, deliver quality information for business decisions and improve service delivery.

Status

Completed

Action Name

218

Comment

Status

Comment

Develop a Georges River Council Revenue Management Policy for public exhibition and Council adoption.

Completed.

Expand payment options for all revenue activities to minimise risks and costs associated with cash and cheque management.

Awaiting finalisation of Revenue NSW. Print Mail Logistics (PML) is working and BPAY is effective.

Investigate opportunities for a greater proportion of Council's investment portfolio to be directed to ethical and environmentally responsible investments which are low risk and have returns equal to or greater than existing investments.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Property management Strategy 6.4.3: Actively manage Council’s property portfolio to maximise returns on investment in community assets and programs. DP Action

6.4.3a: Plan for and implement a purchasing program for property requiring compulsory acquisition in the comprehensive LEP.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Acquisition program determined with process commenced.

Action Name

Status

Comment The Sans Souci Bathers Pavilion has been demolished. We will now consider commercial leasing opportunities for a future café facility.

Redevelop Sans Souci Bathers' Pavilion to provide commercial leasing opportunity.

DP Action

6.4.3b: Complete planning proposals for the Hurstville Civic Centre precinct.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Awaiting Council resolution to amended proposal followed by Gateway determination by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Action Name

Status

Comment

Develop Master Plan for Sans Souci Park.

Completed.

Develop Plan of Management for Sans Souci Park.

Completed.

Progress Planning Proposals for planned Council developments.

Completed.

DP Action

6.4.3c: Progress all statutory property matters in a timely manner.

Status

Completed

Action Name Implement outdoor dining and footway trading application management system.

Status

Comment Completed.

219

OUR PERFORMANCE

Strategy 6.4.4: To strengthen Council's reputation and maintain community confidence by delivering secure, efficient, easy to use services. For our community, this means greater flexibility dealing with Council. DP Action

6.4.4a: Align and implement the Digital Resourcing Strategy with the context of Council and IP&R documents

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Enable electronic signature to provide a secure, efficient way of managing Council Agreements.

Completed.

Support Library Technology Innovation Strategy.

Completed.

Establish e-planning technology framework that considers the NSW Planning portal, API integration between Technology One and NSW Planning Portal and T1 eplanning module implementation

Completed.

Implement digital initiatives for the Customer Experience Program.

Completed.

Deliver works, assets and mobility program.

Completed.

Educate customers and community to raise awareness of cyber security.

Completed.

Implement Audit recommendations.

Completed.

6.5: The workforce is inspiring, diverse and engaged Workforce planning and performance Strategy 6.5.1: Implement leading people practices to create a high performing, capable and resilient workforce. DP Action

6.5.1a: Implement the Georges River Council Workforce Plan.

Status

Completed

Action Name

220

Status

Comment

Implement Council's Wellness and Belonging Program.

Completed.

Implement the Diversity and Inclusion Program.

Completed.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

DP Action

6.5.1b: Implement performance excellence and people capability strategies and programs.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment

Implement performance program and streamline performance appraisal process.

Completed.

Streamline recruitment processes for easier candidate selection and onboarding.

LinkedIn Careers Page completed. Careers videos completed. HROnboard (HRO) implemented including automation of offboarding. Website relaunch remains in progress - new formatting incorporating People and Culture branding is under review with the Communications team.

DP Action

6.5.1c: Implement a WHS System to support a well and safe workplace.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Comment Completed.

Evaluate Work, Health and Safety (WHS) procedures and implement effective controls to manage WHS risks.

Goal 6.6: Council has a regional approach to service delivery and facilities Regional planning Strategy 6.6.1: Plan for regional-level services and facilities and share information across State agencies and neighbouring councils. DP Action

6.6.1a: Work with neighbouring councils to facilitate major projects with long-term delivery timeframes.

Status

Ongoing

Comment

Council works and advocates with neighbouring councils to facilitate major projects with long-term delivery timeframes examples include: •

Kogarah Collaboration Area Place Strategy with Greater Sydney Commission and Bayside Council

•

building a Southern Sydney Innovation Ecosystem

•

River Rail connection between Kogarah and Paramatta

•

Central City alliance focused on high quality places, the Georges River and transport connections. 221

OUR PERFORMANCE

DP Action

6.6.1b: Develop an engagement program for services and facilities where regional collaboration would assist in their delivery, including those identified in the Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy.

Status

Progressing

Comment

Council actively advocates and collaborates with key stakeholders to deliver key projects, including the Kogarah Collaboration Area Place Strategy. Our advocacy program focuses on transport connections across Greater Sydney, the provision of open space for our community and investment into creative assets.

Action Name

Status

Our advocacy priorities include the fast tracking of the River Rail (Kogarah to Parramatta rail link) and the notion of the Southern Aerotropolis. There is an engagement program and advocacy register to track correspondence with key stakeholders such as other councils, local MPs and ministers to ensure we garner support and buy-in. Our October 2021 event will highlight the need to broaden the NSW Government’s approach to planning across Sydney.

Deliver engagement program for services and facilities.

DP Action

6.6.1c: Work with State agencies to identify funding opportunities across all tiers of government.

Status

Completed

Action Name

Status

Continue to work with state agencies to identify funding and pilot opportunities for Council.

Kogarah.

222

Comment

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Comment Completed.

Statutory information Senior staff remuneration Senior staff defined by the Local Government Act 1993 is the General Manager and directors (Executives). This remuneration is for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. Senior Staff

Salary (cash) Component

Vehicle Allowance

Super -SGL

Bonus

Non Cash Benefits

Motor Vehicle

FBT

Total Remuneration $

General Manager

$443,123

$9,934

$21,003

$Nil

$474,060

Total for Senior Staff

$1,621,318

$58,541

$126,018

$Nil

$1,805,877

Statement of activities EEO Management Plan

Significant initiatives and achievements for this period include:

The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Diversity and Inclusion Plan demonstrates our commitment to support a fair and harmonious work environment for all staff. Diversity is what we represent and what we will continue to strive towards.

• diversity and inclusion survey to recognise and celebrate internal staff diversity and relevant significant events.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and thriving workplace culture that celebrates differences in all its forms. We will ensure employees do not face unnecessary barriers to participating in or realising their potential in employment.

• celebrating cultural days and events of significance such as R U OK Day?, mental health month, NAIDOC week, Reconciliation Week Mardi Gras and Pride Month.

The EEO, Diversity and Inclusion action plans ensure we remove any employment-related disadvantages and barriers and endeavour to support our staff by realising their full potential while working for Council. This action plan has individual programs to ensure we satisfy our commitment to EEO and Diversity and Inclusion. These include: • Diversity Action Plan 2019 – 2021 • Multicultural Action Plan 2019 – 2021 • Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2019 - 2021 • Youth and Young Professionals Plan 2019 – 2021 • Mature Age Action Plan 2019 – 2021 • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan 2019 – 2021 Each plan has a set of goals, actions, lead work areas and timelines for completion.

• BENE-FIT 360 program and Wellness and Belonging Policy.

• maintaining relationships with TAFE and Universities, utilising their recruitment boards to attract young professionals and graduates to apply. • recruiting apprentices, engage trainees and work experience students. • developing a careers video was developed demonstrating our commitment to support staff from various backgrounds and describing real life experiences at Council. • Our People Our Stories, which spotlights our diverse workforce and nurtures belonging through the lived experiences • In celebration of Reconciliation Week, our cultural awareness training shared on LinkedIn attracted 1,123 impressions, a click through rate of 29% and engagement rate of 30%. • professional development training in appreciating diversity in others, cultural awareness, Code of Conduct, mindfulness and disability awareness.

Overseas visits representing Council There were no overseas visits representing Council during 2020/21.

223

OUR PERFORMANCE

External bodies that exercised functions delegated by Council South Sydney Planning Panel (SSPP) Planning panels work under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to strengthen decision-making on regionally significant DAs and other planning matters. The SSPP: • determines regionally significant DAs, certain other DAs and s4.55(2) and s4.56 modification applications • acts as the Planning Proposal Authority (PPA) when directed • undertakes rezoning reviews • provides advice on other planning and development matters when requested • determines site compatibility certificates under State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for Seniors or People with a Disability) 2004. Regionally significant DAs are those based on Schedule 7 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 – essentially development with a capital investment value (CIV) of more than $30 million, or development with a CIV over $5 million which is: • council related • lodged by or on behalf of the Crown (State of NSW)

A request for a rezoning review can be submitted by a proponent where Council: • has notified the proponent that the request to prepare a planning proposal is not supported, or • has not indicated its support 90 days after the proponent submitted a request accompanied by the required information, or • has failed to submit a planning proposal for a Gateway determination within a reasonable time after the council has indicated its support. The review and determination should be in accordance with the Planning Circular PS 18-012 (or as updated). The SSPP will determine whether the planning proposal should proceed, or not proceed, for a Gateway determination. The SSPP’s decision will be based on the strategic and site-specific merits of a proposal. Georges River Local Planning Panel (LPP) Local planning panels (LPPs) were formerly known as Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels or IHAPS. They are panels of independent experts that determine DAs on behalf of Council and provide advice on other planning matters, including planning proposals. LPPs became mandatory in 2018 and help to ensure the process of assessment and determination of DAs with a high corruption risk, sensitivity or strategic importance is transparent and accountable.

• private infrastructure and community facilities

The Georges River Council LPP:

• eco-tourist facilities

• determines DAs or modification of consent applications and reviews determinations that are within the relevant delegations and from the Council

• extractive industries, waste facilities and marinas that are designated development, • certain coastal subdivisions • development with a CIV* between $10 million and $30 million which is referred to the SSPP by the applicant after 120 days. For the purpose of determining whether an application should go to a planning panel, CIV is calculated at when the DA is lodged - refer to Planning Circular PS 10-008. Rezoning reviews The SSPP may undertake independent reviews of some Council and Department of Planning, Industry and Environment decisions in the plan-making process. By providing an opportunity for an independent body to give advice on LEPs, the review processes allow

224

Councils and proponents to have decisions about the strategic merits of proposed amendments reconsidered.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

• provides advice on planning proposals as relevant under legislation • acts as the planning proposal authority for specific planning proposals identified by Council • provides an independent and open forum for people to make submissions relevant to the applications before it • increases transparency around significant DAs and planning proposals made to the Council • aims to achieve good urban design and development outcomes consistent with the relevant legislation and planning controls.

Bodies in which Council had controlling interest Georges River Council had no controlling interest in any corporations, companies, partnerships, syndicates, ventures or other bodies in 2020/21. Bodies in which the Council participated Georges River Council representatives participated in the following external organisations during 2020/21: • Advance Diversity Services • Committee for Sydney • Central City Alliance • Economic Development Network • Georges River Keeper (GRCCC) • Greater Sydney Commission (Kogarah Collaboration Area) • Local Government Professionals NSW • LGNSW IT Professionals Network • NSW Public Libraries Association • NSW Public Sector Network • Planning Institute of Australia • Realise Business (former Business Enterprise Centre) • Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia • Reframing Aging Group Engagement (RAGE) • Regional Development Australia • Resilient Sydney • South East Sydney Local Health District Board Community Partnerships Committee • Service NSW • South Sydney Regional Advisory Council (SSRAC) • Smart Cities Council Australia and New Zealand • Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) • St George Business Chamber • Sydney Regional Illegal Dumping Squad • Carss Park Community Garden • St George Police Area Command • University of New South Wales and Street Furniture Australia – Smart Suburbs Collaboration • University of Technology Sydney, Regional Development Australia Sydney and ANSTO Innovation partnership

Developer contribution arrangements Contributions for local infrastructure, also known as developer contributions, are levied on new development to fund infrastructure to support development, and to provide for a future population including open space, parks, community facilities, local roads, footpaths, stormwater drainage and traffic management. There are two forms of local infrastructure contributions: • Section 7.11 contributions: charged where there is a demonstrated link between the development and the infrastructure to be funded. • Section 7.12 contributions: charged as a percentage of the estimated cost of the development. Council’s Section 7.11 and 7.12 local infrastructure contributions plans authorises consent authorities (including Council) and accredited certifiers to impose conditions of consent on DAs and complying development certificates (CDCs) for development contributions. Legislation requires us to maintain a contributions register, which may be inspected upon request. The register is required to be up-to-date and contain elements as established in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. We must also maintain accounting records that allow monetary Section 7.11 contributions and Section 7.12 levies to be distinguished from all other money held by the council. The accounting records must also identify and detail all contributions received by council under each local contributions plan. The accounting records must show: • all Section 7.11 contributions or Section 7.12 levies received and the public amenities or services for which they have been received and for which expenditure is authorised, • for contributions paid for different purposes, the pooling or progressive application of the contributions or levies for those purposes. We also publish annual statements for our contribution plans, such as: • the opening and closing balances of account • the total amounts of monetary contributions received and the public amenities or services for which they have been received • the total amount spent and the public amenities or services for which they have been spent • any outstanding obligations of Council to provide public amenities or services, by reference to the public amenities or services for contributions have been received. 225

OUR PERFORMANCE

Rates and charges written off (2020/21) Description 1

Amount ($)

Mandatory Pensioner Rebate - Rates & Domestic Waste Charges

1,770,394

Georges River Council Voluntary Pensioner Rebate - Rates & Domestic Waste Charges

6,198

Rateable to Non Rateable

14,798

General Abandonments

180

Postponed Rates

770

Postponed Rates Interest Charges

202

TOTAL

1,792,542

Mandatory Pensioner Rebate - Rates & Domestic Waste Charges

1,770,394

Council Reimbursed Pensioner Subsidy

970,292

Net Cost of Mandatory Rebate to Council

800,102

Special Rate Variation expenditure During the period ended 30 June 2021, we had a Special Rate Variation (SRV) in place, which was approved prior to the amalgamation. Special Rate Variation - Hurstville Following an application from Council the Minister for Local Government determined in 2006 that the percentage by which Hurstville City Council may increase its general income for 2006/07 is 9.95 per cent above that for 2005/06. The approval includes a SRV of 6.35 per cent applicable for 15 years. The 6.35 per cent was applied to the infrastructure maintenance and renewal program, Infrastructure Plus. Since its commencement the total Infrastructure Plus income collected is $29,198,508 and expenditure to 2020/21 is $27,995,404. An amount of $1,203,104 was unspent and transferred to a reserve for expenditure in the following year.

226

2020/21 Programs

Expenditure $

Road Re-sheet

650,000

Parks

577,228

Footpath maintenance

9,460

Town centre upgrades

36,514

Total

1,273,202

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Contracts awarded more than $150,000 (inclusive of GST) From 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 Description

Name of Contractor

Contract Award ($ incl GST)

Contract Type

Q20/088 Detailed Site Investigation for proposed Regional Aquatic Facility at Todd Park, Blakehurst

Otium Planning Group Pty Ltd

199,430

NSW Government Contract

Q20/086 - Kogarah War Memorial Pool Remediation

SJB Architecture NSW Pty Ltd

209,478.50

NSW Government Contract

Q20/131 Georges River Council Biodiversity Study

Total Earth Care Pty Ltd

167,244

Local Government Procurement Contract

Q20/108 Consultancy to support community consultation for RATES 2021

Ask Insight Pty Ltd

171,589

Request for Quotation

Q20/137 Year 1 - Microsoft ELA Licence Agreement

Datacom Systems (AU) Pty Ltd

879,170.69

Local Government Procurement Contract

T20/012 - Repairs to Roof Structure at Hurstville Aquatic Centre

Bermagui Constructions Pty Ltd

1,929,180

Lump Sum Contract (GM Exemption)

Q20/148 Penshurst St, Penshurst (Forest Rd End) Road Resheeting Program 2020/21

State Asphalt Services Pty Ltd

3,458,620.78

GRC Preferred Supplier

T20/002 Oatley Bowling Club Remediation

Civil Constructions Pty Ltd

950,698.76

Lump Sum Contract

Q20/224 Carss Park Flats Contamination Assessment

Douglas Partners

213,840

Lump Sum Contract (GM Exemption)

T20/017 Lower Poulton Park Naturalisation and Car park Construction

Glascott Landscape And Civil Pty Ltd

2,481,145.28

Lump Sum Contract

T20/013 Hurstville Golf Course Improvements

Flemming Contracting

1,091,780.36

Lump Sum Contract

Q20/105 Electrical Services Upgrade at Hurstville Oval

Webber Architects

138,623.10

Request for Quotation

T20/011 Supply, Installation and Ongoing Maintenance of Commercial Car Parking Equipment

TMA Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd

1,390,833.40

Lump Sum Contract

227

OUR PERFORMANCE

228

Description

Name of Contractor

Contract Award ($ incl GST)

Contract Type

Hurstville Aquatic and Leisure Centre - Major Works

Waratah Group Services

161,505.30

Lump Sum Contract (GM Exemption)

Q20/014 Durham St and Lily St, Hurstville - Traffic signal upgrade

Central Infrastructure Sydney Pty Ltd

154,501.60

Request for Quotation

T20/023 Construction of Hurstville Golf Club Pavilion

Project Coordination (Australia) Pty Ltd

2,994,497.00

Lump Sum Contract

T20/014 Construction of New Players Pavilion at Hurstville Oval

Matrix Group Co Pty Ltd

2,643,372.60

Lump Sum Contract

Q20/202 Relining Projects Pipe Relining 2020/21

Insituform Pacific Pty Ltd

224,648.03

Local Government Procurement Contract

Q21/047 Manufacture and install of wayfinding signage for Kogarah and Hurstville CBDs.

Cunneen & Company Pty Limited

192,929

Lump Sum Contract (GM Exemption)

Q21/023 Construction of New Amenities at Merv Lynch Reserve Beverly Hills

Jag Building & Bricklaying Services Pty

431,200

GRC Preferred Supplier

Q20/195 Sans Souci Bathers Pavilion project Q20/195

Beasy Pty Ltd

208,208

NSW Government Contract

Q20/210 Hurstville Aquatic and Leisure Centre - Filtration System Install

Bluefit Pty Ltd

534,930

Lump Sum Contract (GM Exemption)

Q21/022 Detailed designs for tender and construction for Forest Road and Memorial Square, Hurstville

Place Design Group Pty Ltd

153,736

Request for Quotation

T20/021 Sports Field Lighting Grant at five sites - Renown Park, Peakhurst Park, Beverly Hills Park, Riverwood Park and Gannons Park

Sportz Lighting

362,490.70

Lump Sum Contract

T19/022 Provision of Cleaning Services

TST Property Services Pty Ltd

800,347.88

Lump Sum Contract

Q20/119 Mortdale Local Centre Masterplan

Conybeare Morrison International Pty Ltd

186,186

Local Government Procurement

T20/008 Provision of Property Management Services

Fox and Jones Agency

472,500

Lump Sum Contract

Q20/089 Georges River Council Uniforms

Brandworx Australia (Allmakes Pty Ltd)

200,000

Request for Quotation

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Description

Name of Contractor

Contract Award ($ incl GST)

Contract Type

Q20/109 Kogarah Civic Centre Lift Replacement

KONE Elevators Australia

567,182

Lump Sum Contract (GM Exemption)

Q21/082 Set and Implementation VendorPanel Software

VendorPanel Pty Ltd

T21/003 Operational Management of Commercial Car Parks T20/019 Jubilee Stadium - Event Staff

Point Parking Pty Ltd

Venue Industry Professionals

236,414

Lump Sum Contract (GM Exemption)

419,760

Lump Sum Contract

Schedule of Rates

Schedule of Rates Contract

T20/018 Netstrata Jubilee Stadium- Traffic Management

Guardian Venue Management

Schedule of Rates

Schedule of Rates Contract

T21/011 Donnelly Park Jetty - Design and Construct

Landmark Marinas Pty Ltd

247,656

Lump Sum Contract

T21/002 Peakhurst Park Field 1 Design and Construct

Neverstop Water Harvesting Pty Ltd

410,147.00

Lump Sum Contract

Information requests under Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 In accordance with section 125(1) of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act), were required to prepare an annual report of our compliance with obligations under the GIPA Act. Schedule 2 (Clause 8) of the Government Information (Public Access) Regulation 2018 outlines the annual reporting requirements for capturing statistical information and is to be used as the framework for this report.

Review of proactive release program – Clause 7(a) Under section 7(3) of the GIPA Act, NSW agencies must annually review their programs for the proactive release of government information. Council officers reviewed information that is currently available on Council’s website as well as information requested under both informal and formal applications. Council information that has already been publicly released in response to an access request can be made available to other members of the public on Council’s disclosure log if the agency considers the information to be of wider public interest. Section 25 of the GIPA Act requires agencies to keep a disclosure log as part of their mandatory open access information. The disclosure log, which is published to Council’s website on the Codes, Policies and Registers page, was updated twice in the 2020/21 financial year. Our website continues to provide timely reporting on current matters. The website also includes information on the status of DAs with details about new applications and those that have recently been determined via council’s DA tracking system. Governance staff continue to monitor trends in informal requests for information for documents that could be more efficiently disclosed proactively. Following the review, we determined that the proactive release of information to the public by Council is considered appropriate at this time.

229

OUR PERFORMANCE

Number of access applications received – GIPA Regulation – Clause 8(b) During the reporting period, we received 32 formal access applications (including withdrawn applications but not including invalid applications).

Number of refused applications for Schedule 1 information – GIPA Regulation – Clause 8(c) During the reporting period, we refused one formal access application in whole because the application was for the disclosure of information referred to in Schedule 1 of the GIPA Act.

Access Granted in Full

Access Granted in Part

Access Refused in Full

Information not Held

Information Already Available

Refuse to Deal with Application

Refuse to Confirm/Deny whether information is held

Application Withdrawn

Total

% of Total

Table A: Number of applications by type of applicant and outcome

Media

Members of Parliament

Private sector business

11%

Not for profit organisations or community groups

Members of the public (by legal representative)

44%

Members of the public (other)

44%

Total

14%

69%

11%

% of Total

230

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Public interest disclosures We have fulfilled our statutory reporting requirements as stipulated by the Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994. There has been one public interest disclosure made to Council in 2020/21. Made by public official performing their day-today functions

Under a statutory or other legal obligation

Number of public officials who made public interest disclosures to Council

Number of public interest disclosures received by your Council

All other PIDs 0

Of the public interest disclosures received, how many were primarily about: Corrupt conduct

Maladministration

Serious and substantial waste

Government information contravention

Number of public interest disclosures received that have been finalised in this reporting period

Have you established an internal reporting policy?

Yes

Has the head of Council met their staff awareness obligations?

Yes

Oatley Park.

231

OUR PERFORMANCE

Summary of amounts incurred by Council in relation to legal proceedings The table summarises amounts incurred by Council in relation to legal proceedings taken by or against Council (including amounts, costs and expenses paid or received by way of out-of-court settlements, other than those the terms of which are not to be disclosed) and a summary of the state of progress of each legal proceeding and (if it has been finalised) the result. Legal costs exclude staff time: Development and building – proceedings and advice

1,239,017

Environmental, regulatory, waste and compliance – proceedings and advice

670,025

Property - acquisitions, commercial and venue hire lease arrangements and strategic property (individual cases not disclosed)

221,163

Governance advice (including Code of Conduct)

226,818

Other legal costs related to general legal costs not covered in the above (including HR, executive services, project delivery)

116,193

Total

2,473,216

Legal costs recovered Rates

-185,439

Development and building

-278,452

Total

-463,891

Oatley clock, Oatley.

232

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

State of progress Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Respondents: Robert Stojanovski & Steven Stojanovski Proceedings No: 2018/99739 34 Milsop Place & 47 Jersey Avenue, Mortdale

Class 4 Proceedings commenced for unauthorised erection of structures and slabs, including habitation of structure at the premises.

Respondent found to be in contempt of court orders. Court granted orders sought by Council to complete the works itself. Works completed by the respondent to Council’s satisfaction by 15 September 2019. Proceedings commenced to recover costs by way of bankruptcy.

Not completed

Respondent: Allan Frederick Goddard Proceedings No: 2018/366019 297 Rocky Point Road, Sans Souci

Class 4 Proceedings commenced for accumulation of items resulting in premises being in an unsafe or unhealthy condition under the Local Government Act 1993.

Matter listed for hearing on 2, 3 and 24 September 2019 before Robson J. The Court held that the premises were unsafe or unhealthy and made Orders for de-accumulation of items in accordance with a schedule provided by Council. Council awarded costs as agreed or as assessed. Continuing to monitor compliance with the Court orders. Costs assessment being undertaken.

Not completed

Applicant: Taeipo Malifa & Samoan Church Proceedings No. 2019/43432 977 Forest Road, Lugarno

Proceedings seeking leave to appeal Land and Environment Court decision of 12 December 2018.

Applicant’s leave application to appeal against consent orders was heard on 31 May 2019 and refused by the Court. Costs recovery being undertaken for in excess of $73,000 owed to Council.

Not completed

Applicant: Futuristic Design Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2018/390589 301 Kingsgrove Road, Kingsgrove

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2017/0487 for the demolition of all structures and construction of a two storey child care centre for 47 children and basement car parking.

Section 34 Conference listed on 23 November 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Touma Carlton Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2019/150524 253 – 255 Princes Highway, Carlton

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2019/0116 for demolition of existing structures and construction of a six storey mixed use development.

Section 34 Conference listed on 1 September 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

233

OUR PERFORMANCE

234

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Applicant: Christopher Thomas Proceedings No: 2019/191841 29 Penshurst Street, Penshurst

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2019/0160 for the partial demolition of the Penshurst Hotel and construction of a car park.

Matter listed for hearing on 11 and 14 September 2020. Appeal upheld following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Gianni Georges Proceedings No: 2019/282526 2 – 4 Vaughan Street, Blakehurst

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2018/0517 for demolition of existing dwellings and improvements and the erection of a strata residential flat building development comprising 24 units being 4 x 1 bed, 18 x 2 bed and 2 x 3 bed apartments above basement parking for 38 cars.

Matter listed for contested hearing 9 to 11 December 2020. Appeal dismissed. Section 8.15(3) costs to be assessed and paid by applicant.

Not completed

Applicant: Ekon Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2019/296629 4 The Esplanade, Sth Hurstville

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2017/0659 for demolition of existing structures and construction of 68 place childcare centre at 4 The Esplanade, South Hurstville.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 24 and 25 May 2021. Matter adjourned to 2 July 2021.

Not completed

Applicant: Truland Development Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2019/308785 186 – 190 Princes Highway and 2 – 6 Lacey Street, Kogarah Bay

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2018/0513 for retention of heritage item, demolition of all other existing structures and construction of a residential flat building over two levels of basement parking.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 28 to 30 September 2020. Appeal refused. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $27,000.

Completed

Applicant: K J Planning Proceedings No: 2019/371035 69 Boundary Road, Mortdale

Class 1 Appeal against modification to development consent number MOD2018/0118 in relation to conditions 53, 54, 73, 74 and 75.

Section 34 Conference listed on 31 July 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Beverley Park Golf Club Limited Proceedings No: 2020/14918 87a Jubilee Ave, Beverley Park

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2017/0471 for construction of perimeter security fence and gates.

Section 34 Conference listed on 16 November 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $2,000.

Completed

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Applicant: Hassib Faraj Proceedings No: 2020/43296 11 Arnold Street, Peakhurst

Class 1 Appeal for refusal of DA2018/0309 for demolition and construction of a two storey boarding house containing 11 rooms with basement car parking at 11 Arnold Street, Peakhurst.

Section 34 Conference listed on 11 December 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $7,000.

Completed

Applicant: Aplus Architecture Proceedings No: 2020/39217 5 Mona Street, Allawah

Class 1 Appeal for deemed refusal of DA2019/0608 for demolition of existing structures and construction of a boarding house development with basement parking.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 13 and 14 April 2021. Appeal upheld.

Completed

Applicant: Mustapha Moussa Proceedings No: 2020/35211 23 Bay Road, Oatley

Class 1 Appeal in relation to modification of consent number DA2017/0198 be rescinded and modification approved to allow removal of Tree 36, relocation of Council stormwater pit, installation of a new driveway including the removal of a rock outcrop and level changes.

Section 34 Conference listed on 17 August 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into.

Completed

Applicant: W H Project Management Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/60885 1 Butler Road, Hurstville

Class 1 Appeal for refusal of DA2017/0402 for demolition of existing structures and construction of new mixed use buildings with ground floor retail, 11 levels and apartments and 3 levels of basement car parking with strata subdivision.

Section 34 Conference listed on 25 September 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $12,000.

Completed

Applicant: Outdoor Systems Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/65407 519 King Georges Road, Beverly Hills

Class 1 Appeal for refusal of MOD 2019/0196 for replacement of existing north and north western facing advertising panels with single digital LED screen.

Matter listed for contested hearing 22 and 23 April 2021. Appeal upheld.

Completed

Applicant: 3R Investments Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/101221 33 Waterview Street, Carlton

Class 1 Appeal against the order made under Division 9.3 and Schedule 5, Part 1 (Order 1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 by the Respondent dated 26 March 2020.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 26 and 27 November 2020. Appeal upheld. Section 56A Appeal filed. Listed for directions hearing 1 July 2021.

Not completed

235

OUR PERFORMANCE

236

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Applicant: SAF Group Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/101209 33 Waterview Street, Carlton

Class 1 Appeal against actual refusal of DA2019/0417 for the change of use of an industrial building to a depot, warehouse and associated offices.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 26 and 27 November 2020. Appeal upheld. Section 56A Appeal filed. Listed for directions hearing 1 July 2021.

Not completed

Applicant: State Projects Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/119104 3 Newman Street, Mortdale

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2018/0190 for demolition of existing structures and construction of a double storey boarding house with 19 rooms and basement parking for 11 car spaces.

Section 34 Conference listed on 2 February 2021. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $9,000.

Completed

Applicant: The Gallery Kogarah Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/132825 56 – 58 Regent Street, Kogarah

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2019/0190 for demolition of existing structures and construction of an 11 storey residential flat building with 3 levels of basement parking.

Section 34 Conference listed on 6 August 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Edrik Properties Pty Ltd T/as Vortex Property Group NSW Proceedings No: 2020/138206 2 – 4 Gladstone Street & 10 Victor Street, Kogarah

Class 1 Appeal to modify DA2017/0519 granted by the Land and Environment Court to provide for three additional residential units, removal of car lift to basement parking and replacement with a ramp and one additional level of basement car parking.

Section 34 Conference listed on 19 March 2021. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Landmark Group Australia Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/143770 44 – 52 Regent Street, Kogarah

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0132 for demolition of existing dwellings, construction of a new 11 storey residential flat building containing 81 apartments over 3 basement car park levels and lot consolidation.

Section 34 Conference listed on 5 February 2021. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $22,500.

Completed

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Applicant: Landmark Group Australia Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/143771 6 – 16 Victoria Street, Kogarah

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0128 for demolition of existing dwellings, retention and adaptive reuse of two heritage-listed terraces and construction of a new 12 storey residential flat building containing 83 apartments over 3 basement levels and lot consolidation.

Section 34 Conference listed on 5 February 2021. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $22,500.

Completed

Applicant: Jiang Wen Proceedings No. 2020/168120 3 & 3A Cambridge Street, Kogarah

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2020/0147 for demolition of existing buildings, amalgamation of lots and construction of a boarding house comprising of 40 rooms including the manager’s room and basement level car parking.

Matter listed for Section 34 Conference on 3 November 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $8,500.

Completed

Respondent: Emanuel Mifsud Proceedings No: 2019/383413 5 Maclaurin Street, Penshurst

Proceedings commenced requiring respondent to remove articles and items from the premises (hoarding).

Listed for a contested hearing on 28 and 29 July 2020. Judgment issued on 30 October 2020. Orders made for Respondent to remove articles and items within 28 days, failing which Council can carry out the works. Contractors arranged to carry out the works on 1 December 2020. Costs assessment being undertaken.

Not completed

Respondents: Habib Hamade, Zeinab Hammoud, Carole Li and Winson Li Proceedings: 2020/72897 244 Connells Point Road, Connells Point

Class 4 Application in relation to unauthorised excavation works resulting in the undermining of a retaining wall and swimming pool at neighbour’s property.

Listed for hearing on 19 and 20 October 2020. Consent orders issued requiring First and Second Respondents to complete remedial works to rectify land and structures. Costs assessment being undertaken.

Not completed

Parties: Ivica Siminovic 34 Whitfield Parade, Hurstville Grove

Appeal against penalty notice issued for failing to comply with development control order.

Matter discontinued.

Completed

Parties: Chi-Wing Law 5/5 – 9 Hudson St, Hurstville

Appeal against Penalty Notice issued for unauthorised building work.

Matter discontinued.

Completed

237

OUR PERFORMANCE

238

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Former staff member (KF) Police as Prosecutor

Police charge of Larceny.

Matter listed for 25 to 26 March 2021. Magistrate found the Defendant not guilty.

Completed

Parties: Rita Kastanias NCAT Proceedings

Applicant is objecting to release of documents sought under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009

Matter was listed for hearing via AVL on 3 June 2020. The Tribunal found that the decision under review should be affirmed.

Completed

Applicant: SAF Group Pty Limited Proceedings No. 20/210390 33 Waterview Street, Carlton

Class 1 Appeal in respect of Prevention Notice issued under section 96 of the Environment Operations Act 1997 by Council against the Applicant on 10 July 2020.

Section 34 Conference listed on 4 August 2020. Appeal upheld and notice amended by consent requiring compliance with Interim Plan of Management.

Completed

Applicant: SAF Group Pty Limited Proceedings No. 20/210375 33 Waterview Street, Carlton

Class 1 Appeal in respect of Noise control Notice issued under section 264 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 by Council against the Applicant on 10 July 2020.

Section 34 Conference listed on 4 August 2020. Appeal upheld and revoked by consent.

Completed

Applicant: Huawen Zhang & Xiao Zhou Proceedings No: 20/240347 25 William Road, Riverwood

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0206 for change of use of outbuilding to secondary dwelling.

Section 34 Conference listed on 3 December 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Huawen Zhang & Xiao Zhou Proceedings No: 20/240320 25A William Road, Riverwood

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0213 for change of use of outbuilding to granny flat.

Section 34 Conference listed on 3 December 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Cornerstone Design Pty Limited Proceedings No: 20/249925 16 – 18 Elizabeth Street, Allawah

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0223 for demolition works and construction of a residential flat building with basement car parking.

Section 34 Conference listed on 2 November 2020. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $5,000.

Completed

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Applicant: 47 Boronia Street Pty Ltd Proceedings No: 2020/319489 47 Boronia Street, Kyle Bay

Class 1 Appeal against actual refusal of modification application MOD2020/0131 for modification of consent no. DA2017/0579 for demolition of existing structures and construction of two storey detached dual occupancy with swimming pools in each dwelling.

Matter listed for hearing on 10 February 2021. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans.

Completed

Applicant: Douglas Breen & Tracey Dillon Proceedings No: 2021/52412 118 Moons Avenue, Lugarno

Class 1 Appeal against a Prevention Notice issued under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.

Appeal dismissed.

Completed

Applicant: William Karavelas Proceedings No: 20/222456 54 Lawrence Street, Peakhurst

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2018/0578 for demolition of existing dwelling and ancillary structures and construction of a residential flat building containing 6 apartments over basement parking.

Matter listed for hearing on 17 May 2021. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $8,000.

Completed

Applicant: Kai-Tian Group Kogarah Pty Limited Proceedings No: 20/285043 18 – 24A Victoria Street, Kogarah

Class 1 Appeal against actual refusal of DA2017/0597 for demolition of existing structures and construction of a residential flat building over basement parking with associated landscaping and drainage works.

Section 34 Conference listed on 27 April 2021. Section 34 Agreement entered into following amended plans. Section 8.15(3) costs paid in the amount of $5,000.

Completed

Parties: Jun Du Local Court Proceedings 177 Forest Road, Hurstville

Court attendance notices issued against defendant for committing an offence against section 21 of the Food Act 2003 by failing to comply with the Food Standards Code.

Proceedings formally withdrawn on 4 May 2021 as a result of charge negotiations (see below).

Completed

Parties: Taste of Shanghai Hurstville Pty Limited Local Court Proceedings 177 Forest Road, Hurstville

Court attendance notices issued against defendant for committing an offence against section 21 of the Food Act 2003 by failing to comply with the Food Standards Code.

Proceedings formally withdrawn on 4 May 2021 following charge negotiations and penalty notices issued in relation to 10 offences, for a total in fines of $8,800.00. Defendant paid Council’s legal costs in the agreed sum of $8,000.00.

Completed

239

OUR PERFORMANCE

240

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Applicant: Penshurst Laycock Pty Ltd atf Trustee of Penshurst Laycock Unit Proceedings No. 20/208037 Lot 9, 29 Laycock Road, Penshurst

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0160 for construction of a two storey boarding house development containing 7 boarding rooms, excavation and construction of a basement containing two car parking spaces.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 29 to 31 March 2021. Appeal dismissed.

Completed

Applicant: Penshurst Laycock Pty Ltd atf Trustee of Penshurst Laycock Unit Proceedings No. 20/208038 Lot 10, 29 Laycock Road, Penshurst

Matter listed for contested hearing on 29 to 31 March 2021. Appeal dismissed.

Completed

Applicant: Penshurst Laycock Pty Ltd atf Trustee of Penshurst Laycock Unit Proceedings No. 20/208036 Lot 11, 29 Laycock Road, Penshurst

Matter listed for contested hearing on 29 to 31 March 2021. Appeal dismissed.

Completed

Applicant: Commitment Pty Limited Proceedings No: 20/222588 36 Chamberlain Street, Narwee

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2020/0050 for demolition and construction of a childcare centre.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 26 and 27 April 2021. Awaiting judgment.

Not completed

Applicant: Compage Group Pty Limited Proceedings No: 20/240194 31 Garfield Street, Carlton

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0133 for demolition of existing one storey brick building and erection of a four storey boarding house development with partial basement parking.

Matter listed for contested hearing on 31 May and 1 June 2021. Awaiting judgment.

Not completed

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Applicant: Marian Ibrahim Proceedings No: 2020/336594 10 Lawrence Street, Peakhurst

Class 1 Appeal against the Respondent’s deemed refusal of modification application MOD2020/0178 seeking to modify DA2014/1197 for minor internal and external alterations and an increase in the number of children permitted at the childcare centre from 48 to 58.

Section 34 Conference listed on 25 May 2021. Conciliation terminated. Listed for contested hearing on 27 and 28 September 2021.

Not completed

Applicant: Christopher Robert Zaarour Proceedings No: 2021/44244 10 Kyle Parade, Kyle Bay

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0435 for demolition of the existing dwelling and ancillary structures and the construction of a dual occupancy over basement car parking.

Section 34 Conference listed on 11 May 2021. Conciliation terminated. Listed for contested hearing on 21 and 22 September 2021.

Not completed

Applicants: Milton & Lisa Genlik Proceedings No: 2021/119099 2A Plimsoll Street, Sans Souci

Appeal against Council’s demolition order dated 1 April 2021.

Matter discontinued by the applicants.

Completed

Applicant: Marko Kozarovski Proceedings No: 2021/139806 15 Resthaven Road, South Hurstville

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2021/0051 for the demolition of existing structures, removal of trees and construction of single level childcare centre with basement car park.

Section 34 Conference listed on 18 August 2021.

Not completed

Applicant: Little Endeavours Early Learning Centre Proceedings No: 2021/153352 17 Endeavour Street, Sans Souci

Class 1 Appeal against deemed refusal of DA2020/0554 for alterations and additions to an existing childcare centre involving minor demolition and the construction of a new external stair, first floor outdoor play area and internal renovations.

Section 34 Conference listed on 30 August 2021.

Not completed

Applicant: QMS Media Limited Proceedings No: 2021/177924 591 – 611 Princes Highway, Blakehurst

Class 1 Appeal against refusal of DA2020/0065 for the installation of a digital advertising sign.

Matter listed for directions hearing on 20 July 2021.

Not completed

241

OUR PERFORMANCE

242

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Respondents: Tyre Nation Pty Ltd and Fardous & Saab Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/170606 36 – 38 Waterview Street, Carlton

Class 4 interlocutory proceedings seeking removal of motor vehicle tyres.

Matter listed for hearing on 17 and 18 September 2020. Judgment handed down requiring regime of fire works to be carried out on 24 December 2020. Council successful in the proceedings, including costs. Notice of Intention to Appeal filed by Respondents. Notice of Motion in relation to costs is listed on 22 July 2021.

Not completed

Respondents: SAF Group Pty Limited & 3R Investments Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/230645 33 Waterview Street, Carlton

Class 4 interlocutory proceedings seeking the Respondents be restrained from using the premises as a business premises; for crushing, grinding or separating works; a resource recovery facility or for a civil construction and traffic management facility.

Matter dismissed. Respondents to pay Council’s costs of $12,500.

Completed

Respondents: The Congregational Christian Church in Samoa, Parish of Sydney Inc and Taeipo Malifa Proceedings No: 2020/304249 977 Forest Road, Lugarno

Class 4 interlocutory proceedings seeking the Respondents be restrained from using the land for the purposes of a place of public worship unless in accordance with the conditions of Development Consent 2006/DA0372.

Matter listed for hearing on 24 and 25 June 2021. Consent orders entered into to carry out acoustic measures at the site. Cost’s assessment being undertaken.

Not completed

Respondents: Tyre Nation Pty Ltd and Fardous & Saab Pty Limited Proceedings No: 2020/170606 36 – 38 Waterview Street, Carlton

Statement of charge for contempt of court filed following failure to comply with court orders regarding fire safety.

Matter listed for hearing on 22 and 23 July 2021.

Not completed

Parties: Melissa Carretero Local Court Proceedings

Court attendance notices issued against defendant in relation to injuries sustained to a person and animal by the defendant’s dog.

Defendant has entered a plea of guilty. Matter adjourned for sentencing on 10 August 2021.

Not completed

Parties: Your Style Building Services Pty Limited Local Court Proceedings 2 – 6 Allen Street & 42 – 46 Connells Point Road, Connells Point

Appeals against six penalty notices issued for development not in accordance with development consent.

Matters listed in Downing Centre Local Court on 24 and 25 November 2021.

Not completed

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Applicant/proceedings number/property address

Description of matter

Status at 30/6/2021

Completed/ not completed

Parties: Your Style Building Services Pty Limited Local Court Proceedings 2 – 6 Allen Street & 42 – 46 Connells Point Road, Connells Point

Appeals against three penalty notices issued for development not in accordance with development consent

Matters listed in Downing Centre Local Court on 24 and 25 November 2021.

Not completed

Parties: Your Style Building Services Pty Limited Local Court Proceedings 2 – 6 Allen Street & 42 – 46 Connells Point Road, Connells Point

Appeals against seven penalty notices issued for development not in accordance with development consent.

Matters listed in Downing Centre Local Court for hearing on 24 and 25 November 2021.

Not completed

Parties: Your Style Building Services Pty Limited Local Court Proceedings 2 – 6 Allen Street & 42 – 46 Connells Point Road, Connells Point

Appeals against two penalty notices issued for development not in accordance with development consent

Matters listed in Downing Centre Local Court for hearing on 24 and 25 November 2021.

Not completed

Mortdale Memorial Park.

243

OUR PERFORMANCE

Capital works program We completed or progressed capital projects and programs such as upgrades to roads, footpaths and pedestrian facilities; improvements to parks and sporting facilities; and improvements to buildings and upgraded amenities. The selection of key capital projects and programs noted below were part of our $37.5 million capital works program for 2020/21. Community Buildings and Facilities

$6,058,000

Corporate Systems and Technology

Upgrade and construction of community and sporting/leisure facilities amenities buildings throughout the LGA, including the following major projects: $2,556,000 Penshurst Park Youth Centre Stage 2 Master Plan $2,104,000 Roof Renewal Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre $613,000 Refurbishments Works - 2 Belgrave Street, Kogarah $294,000 Hurstville Oval Cricket Pavilion $276,000 Hurstville Golf Course new Clubhouse $215,000 Oatley West Early Learning Centre Fit out Software implementation and upgrades, including new payroll system project, hardware and equipment replacement

$134,000 Drainage and Stormwater

$558,000

New and upgraded drainage and stormwater works at various locations across the LGA with major works conducted at: The Avenue, Hurstville Hamer Street, Kogarah Bay Myall Street, Oatley Lynwood Street, Blakehurst Queens Road, Connells Point

Footpaths

$ 718,000

Upgrades and repairs to various footpaths throughout the LGA, some areas include: Colebourne Avenue, Mortdale Forest Road, Penshurst Cahill Street, Beverly Hills Ruby Street, Hurstville

Library Services

$679,000 Neighbourhood Centre Improvements

Replacement of resources and collections, addition of media room, lift and boiler replacement at Hurstville Library Upgrades to town centres including:

$3,310,000

Ormonde Parade Hurstville Streetscape Streets as shared spaces project in Hurstville and Kogarah Mortdale Shopping Centre upgrade

Purchase of Land / Buildings

Purchases at Monaro Avenue, Kingsgrove and Tavistock Road, South Hurstville

$2,735,000

244

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Parks

$8,619,000

Plant & Equipment

$645,000 Public Amenities

$875,000 Roads

$5,110,000

Upgrades and new facilities installed at various parks in LGA, major works include $7,986,000 Penshurst Park masterplan including Car park $277,000 Poulton Park landscaping works $231,000 Todd Park site investigation into aquatic leisure facility $125,000 Oatley Park upgrade of swimming platform, tidal baths and renewal of Sea Scouts footpath and driveway $486,000 New filtration system Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre $86,000 Replacement of fleet vehicles $52,000 Various equipment at Sans Souci Aquatic Centre $21,000 Lunar New Year festival floats New Amenities buildings and upgrades at various sites including Merv Lynch (Edgbaston) Reserve Upgrade and re-sheeting of roads at various locations across LGA. Projects were funded from various sources-Roads to Recovery grants, LRCI grant, RMS Repair and Blackspot programs, Infrastructure plus rate levy, and Council funds. Major highlights included: $190,000 Jubilee Avenue Railway Pde to Colvin Avenue, Carlton $198,000 Gray Street, Kogarah $216,000 George Street to Cole Street, South Hurstville $226,000 Gungah Bay Road to Lloyd Street to Acacia Street, Oatley $575,000 Penshurst Street, Forest Road to George Street, Penshurst $716,000 Railway Parade Illawarra Street to Noble Street, Allawah

Sports fields and Facilities

New and upgrade works at various locations across the LGA including:

$2,284,000

$112,000 Olds Park irrigation, drainage, and re-turfing $390,000 Reconstruct 6 greens and new pathways Hurstville Golf course $179,000 Gannons Park sports fields and Irrigation - stage 3 $140,000 Beverly Hills Park irrigation and resurfacing $221,000 Jubilee Stadium Sound system $618,000 Kogarah Ware Memorial Pool site remediation works $180,000 Poulton Park sports amenities building $89,000 Cricket wicket restoration at Renown Park

Environmental Sustainability and Initiatives

$1,619,000

$877,000 Poulton Park naturalisation and car park upgrade $662,000 Gannons Park stormwater harvesting - stage 2 $65,000 Solar Panel Installations on South Hurstville Kindergarten and Oatley amenities building $15,000 Waterway improvement Harold Fraser Oval / Parkside Drive Reserve

Traffic and Pedestrian facilities

Upgrade and construction of traffic and pedestrian facilities at various locations across the LGA including:

$778,000

Lily Street & Durham Street traffic signal upgrade Raised pedestrian wombat crossing at Percival Street, Penshurst Roundabout Upgrade at Hurstville Road & Rosa Street Oatley Crossing and kerb upgrade at Nelson Avenue, Carlton Asphalt resurfacing in Cark Park at Morts Road and Cook Street, Mortdale Wombat crossing at Kensington Street, Kogarah Crossing reconstruction at Rocky Point Road, Sans Souci Boundary Road refuge near Martin Place Mortdale Hurstville Public School Pedestrian Fence 245

OUR PERFORMANCE

Poulton Park Netball Court 3 Construction This construction of this netball court was the culminating stage of this recreational and accessibility improvement project. The construction of the final concrete netball court provides a quality playing surface for local netball players, while enabling full accessibility to the sporting facility, amenities building and adjacent playground.

Renown Park Cricket Improvement The Upgrade of Renown Park cricket wickets and levelling of drainage issues will assist in the development of a quality local sporting facility encouraging increased use and participation in sporting activities.

Poulton Park Soccer Amenities The project has delivered a new and updated sporting amenity building adjacent to the synthetic playing fields that include all-inclusive change rooms, clubroom and larger storage area for Connells Point Football Club as well as a fully functioning canteen. A tiered seating area has been constructed to view the playing fields for the comfort of all patrons. New pathways and Ambulance access road give the new facility all -inclusive access.

246

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Penshurst Park Sporting Hub Stage 2 commencement and construction update. This project forms the second stage of a threestage development for a Regional Sporting Hub located at Cambridge Street, Penshurst. The stage two works have included the construction of a youth center with a training kitchen 1/3 basketball court, consultation and activity rooms, grandstand, sporting and public amenities, synthetic playing field, passive exercise area and car parking.

Hurstville Aquatic Centre Roof Works As a result of the forced closure of Hurstville Aquatic Centre in accordance with the NSW Government Public Health Order in mid-2020, a decision was made to commission a detailed structural assessment of the roof structure. This decision was taken as the roof was known to be due for replacement in 2020/21. It was known that while there was some visible signs of corrosion on exposed structural roof components, in order to understand the full extent of required maintenance and replacement works, more invasive and visual inspection of the hidden structural beams and columns purlins, roof sheeting and ceiling linings was required.

Hurstville Aquatic Centre Filtration Throughout the 2019/20 Covid lockdown, Council replaced the existing Hurstville Aquatic Centre sand-filters to meet current standards for water flow and efficiency. This pool infrastructure improvement will ensure passive and recreational users have the highest standard of aquatic facility.

247

OUR PERFORMANCE

Ormonde Parade Town Centre Upgrade Upgraded streetscape of Ormonde Parade and surrounding streets. The works included upgrading traffic devices, reconstructing onstreet parking bays, resurfacing road pavement, repaving footpaths, replacing all street furniture and planting street trees.

Road Resheeting program annual summary (number of roads, Kms resheeted) Number of roads resheeted: 41 Length of roads resheeted: 16 km

Footpath program annual summary (number of footpaths & kms) Number of footpaths: 11 Length of new footpaths reconstructed: 2.4 km

248

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Drainage program annual summary Number of projects completed: 13

Traffic Facilities annual summary Number of traffic devices constructed: 10

Kerb and gutter annual summary Number of streets, where kerb & gutters were restored: 31 streets (only the damaged sections were reconstructed)] Length of new kerb & gutter constructed: 2.1 km

249

Additional Statutory Information • • • • • • • • • • • •

Grant funding Operational grants Capital grants Grants awarded Community grants program – rounds 1 and 2 Micro grants Venue hire grants Community facilities rental subsidy Donations Sponsorship Heritage building grants Heritage publication grants

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Grant Success In addition to the funding received from the Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants (FAG) and the NSW Government Stronger Communities Fund (SCF), Council successfully applied for a number of Federal and State Government grants in 2020/21 to assist with provision of facilities and services to the community. Council received around $11.5m in grant funding for operational projects and just over $6.4m in grant funds were awarded for a variety of capital projects to improve infrastructure in the Local Government Area.

Grants paid to Council during 2020/21 Purpose

Grant Provider

Amount $

Operational

252

2019-2021 Community Heritage Grant

NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

2020/21 CRIF- Feral Animal Control

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

21,780

2020/21 Local Government Road Safety Program

Roads and Maritime Service NSW

58,425

Accelerated LEP Review Program Funding

Department of Planning and Environment NSW

298,048

Accelerated Street Lighting Replacement Program

Department of Planning and Environment NSW

51,217

Arts and Cultural Funding Program

Create NSW

23,500

Australia Day 2021 COVID Safe Grants Program

National Australia Day Council

19,100

Better Waste and Recycling Fund

Environment Protection Authority NSW

Child Care Subsidies

Department of Education, Skills and Employment

Coastal and Estuary Management Program

Office of Environment Heritage

29,980

Community War Memorials Grant

Veterans Affairs, NSW Department of Justice

10,000

COVID-19 Local Government Early Childhood Education and Care payment program

Department of Education

108,398

Disability and Inclusion grant childcare DIP - South Hurstville Kindergarten

Department of Education

166,773

Financial Assistance Grant 2020/21

Local Government Grants Commission NSW

Five Million Trees Greater Sydney Grant Program

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

51,500

Greening our City Stream 1: Cooler Suburbs Carlton Canopy Corridor Milestone 1 Payment

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

197,600

Inclusion Support Program - Penshurst LDC

Department of Education, Skills and Employment

Local Council Transition Grant Funding – Waste Contract

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

162,000

Local Infrastructure Renewal Scheme (LIRS) Jubilee Park Upgrade

Division of Local Government, Department of Premier and Cabinet

22,139

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

7,000

169,970 3,151,273

4,544,096

3,776

Purpose

Grant Provider

Amount $

Operational Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant Phase 2 - Footpath Maintenance & Renewal program

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication

Lunar New Year Grants Program

Multicultural NSW

10,000

Mortdale Masterplan finalisation and hazard analysis for Beverly Hills Masterplan

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

83,000

National foundation of Australian and Chinese Relations Grant Agreement

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

29,500

Metropolitan Greenspace Program

Planning Industry and Environment

NSW Small Business Month Festival 2020

NSW Treasury

Premier's Grants Fund

Department of Premier and Cabinet

Preschool operational Funding - South Hurstville Kindergarten

Department of Education

311,359

Public Library Funding Strategy 2020/21 (Per Capita portion)

State Library of NSW

462,863

Quality Learning Environment (QLE) Enhancing Environment

Released from Contract Liability

RTA Street Lighting

RTA

342,000

South Hurstville Preschool COVID19 Free Preschool 2020-2021

Department of Education

261,874

Start Strong grant childcare

Department of Education

45,440

Weed Control - Oatley Point Reserve, Oatley Park, Bald Face point reserve

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

74,980

Weeds Action Program - 2020-2025

Hawkesbury River County Council

12,844

Youth Worker Grants

Department of Communities and Justice

3,716

Youth Worker Salary Subs

Department of Communities and Justice

45,903

SUBTOTAL

470,000

200,000 2,000 22,000

66,970

11,541,024

253

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Grants paid to Council during 2020/21 Purpose

Grant Provider

Amount $

Capital Georges River Recovery Plan, Gannons Parkland Restoration Project IYLPE56969

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

30,000

Greening our City Program: Stream 2 - "The Green Hurstville"

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

51,600

Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant Phase 1

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication

353,023

Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant Phase 2

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication

1,861,342

NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program - Better Places & Spaces

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

712,500

Oatley Bowling Club Site

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (Through the office of local Government)

250,000

Oatley park Development

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

500,000

Olds Park 2 Sports field Resurfacing Irrigation and Drainage

Office of Sport NSW

200,000

Penshurst park Sporting Hub - Stage 2

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

900,000

Renown Park Cricket Wicket Restoration

Cricket NSW

Roads to Recovery

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development

710,000

Safer Communities Fund Round 5 Infrastructure Grant

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

162,450

State Library Infrastructure Grant

State Library of NSW

200,000

Streets as Shared Spaces Funding Agreement Forest in the City

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

465,593

The construction of the Oatley Park Amenities

NSW Department of Industry (St George Football Association

SUBTOTAL TOTAL

2,070

30,000 6,428,578 17,969,602

*The amounts outlined in the table above will not match the financial statements due to the account standard's prescribed treatment of grant income.

254

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Grant funding Type of funding Community Grants Program (including COVID-19 Recovery Grants, ReWrite the Night, Micro Grants and Other Grants) Venue Hire Grants Program Community Facilities Rental Subsidy Donations Outgoing Sponsorship (Financial & In Kind) Heritage Grants Heritage Publication Grants TOTAL

Amount $ 344,535 109,975.50 723,838 36,325 16,347.10 15,250 0 1,246,270.60

Increased greening on Forest Road Hurstville funded by Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Streets as Shared Spaces.

255

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Community Grants Program Community grants are designed to enable not-for-profit community organisations and charities to partner with Council to meet identified community needs. The purpose of these grants is to assist in the delivery of projects which encourage community participation and inclusion by offering alternative approaches to meeting community needs.

COVID-19 Recovery Grants The Georges River Council Recovery Grants program was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and aims to achieve the following: • Provide a structured and strategic program through which funding can be allocated to meet identified community needs caused by the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. • Support local businesses to revitalise and diversify. • Support and facilitate the development of a more liveable community and enrich community social capital through targeted and timely support to community organisation.

256

Organisation

Category

Purpose

Stay Handsome Espresso

Small Business

Upgrades to website for increased menu selection; complementing current business

10,000

All Stuck Up Design & Print

Small Business

Purchase of new equipment and upgrade to website

10,000

Chilli Master (Yamo Investment)

Small Business

Upgrade to equipment to move towards efficient take-away business model

10,000

Liquidity FP

Open for Business

Targeted marketing campaign

3,385

Sash Tattoo

Open for Business

Promotion and marketing campaign

5,000

Virya Group Ltd

Open for Business

Rebranding of business to online market

5,000

Cerebral Palsy Australia

Community Capacity

Equipment for children with disability at CPA Penshurst

9,226

Macedonian Australian Welfare Association NSW

Community Capacity

Multicultural Recovery and Care for digital welfare checks

Oatley Seniors Citizens Centre

Community Capacity

New technology and safety equipment for Oatley Seniors to connect with their members

2,247

CanRevive Inc.

Community Capacity

Emotional wellbeing live-streaming project for Chinese speaking cancer patients and their carers

2,626

The Shepherd Centre for Deaf Children

Community Capacity

Care in Crisis – Supporting children with hearing loss in the Georges River area

4,290

The Kogarah Storehouse

Community Capacity

Storehouse Charity Market ‘Click & Collect’

7,000

Learning Links

Community Capacity

Digitisation of Teacher Training to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities

9,640

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Amount $

10,000

Shopfront Arts Co-op Ltd

Organisation

Category

Purpose

Infants Home Ashfield

Community Capacity

Building digital capacity to remotely support the St George Family Day Care educators in the Georges River area

2,400

SHARE SMR INC.

Community Capacity

Digital solution – Be Active and Connected online exercise program for seniors

4,000

3Bridges Community Ltd

Community Capacity

Online training for Children’s Services educators and vulnerable young people in the Georges River area

5,000

Advance Diversity Services Ltd

Community Capacity

Online Facilitation Training Project

7,500

Dance for Parkinson’s Australia NSW

Community Capacity

Dancing communities: Reconnecting through movement

2,200

Project Youth Inc.

Community Capacity

Labour Y – Job Readiness Program

3,000

Lions Club of Lugarno

Community Capacity

Technology and safety equipment to operate in a Covid-19 environment

2,703

Shopfront Arts Co-op Ltd

Cultural Sector Resilience

COVID safe theatre performance: “To my younger self”

Fiestaville Multicultural Choir

Cultural Sector Resilience

Virtual performance: “Life is an (online) Cabaret”

2,950

Australian Chinese Heritage Paper Arts Club Inc.

Cultural Sector Resilience

My 2020 Our 2020 – COVID-19 time capsule: Visual storytelling, book and exhibition

7,150

Australian Macedonian Theatre of Sydney Inc.

Cultural Sector Resilience

Theatre Project: Using radio to address social isolation due to COVD-19

5,000

TOTAL

Amount $

10,000

$140,317

257

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Community Grants Program 2020/21 The Community Grants Program had two categories: Reconnecting Communities provided grants of up to $25,000 for projects implemented over two years and Capacity Building, which provided grants of up to $10,000 for projects implemented within 12 months. A total of $188,929 was awarded in grant funding.

258

Organisation

Category

Purpose

Project Youth Inc.

Reconnecting Communities

Culture Connect – Increase community inclusion of Polynesian/ Pacific Islander young people.

10,000

Kogarah Community Services

Reconnecting Communities

Getting Back Together – Series of activities and events aiming to reconnect the community after the impacts of COVID-19.

4,500

ZONTA Club of Botany Bay Inc.

Reconnecting Communities

Reconnecting Young Women - Skills and networking seminars devised to assist young women to feel more connected in their social and career lives after COVID-19.

4,850

Light and Love Home Inc.

Reconnecting Communities

A Different Kind of Family Hub – Ongoing health-based programs for families from diverse communities.

2,500

The Men’s Table Ltd

Reconnecting Communities

Healthy Men, Healthy Masculinities, Healthy Communities.

15,000

Shopfront Arts Co-Op Ltd

Reconnecting Communities

PRISMS Art Festival: exploring connection to place, people and identity.

25,000

Cancer Patient Foundation Ltd

Capacity Building

Look Good Feel Better.

2,700

Children with Disability Funds Inc.

Capacity Building

Music Therapy at St George Hospital School.

5,000

Macedonian Australian Welfare of NSW (MAWA)

Capacity Building

Healthy Ageing and Wellbeing.

7,000

Jubilee Community Services Inc.

Capacity Building

Jubilee Arts for Mental Health Connecting People.

9,700

Kogarah Concert Band Inc.

Capacity Building

Kingsway Community Care – Platform Nine

Capacity Building

Shift the Way You Think.

4,500

St George Community Housing

Capacity Building

Reconnecting Over 55s.

7,000

CanRevive Inc.

Capacity Building

Pelvic-floor Rehabilitation Program for the Chinese speaking Community cancer patients.

5,700

Sailability NSW Incorporated

Capacity Building

Site Security – The purchase of a security camera and recording system to allow for a monitoring of the site.

3,349

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Purchase of a photocopier and ink cartridges.

Amount $

748

Organisation

Category

Purpose

Cerebral Palsy Alliance

Capacity Building

Accessible gym equipment for people with disability.

Sutherland Shire Family Services Inc.

Capacity Building

Southern Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service Multicultural Outreach Project.

8,110

Happy Singing Tribe Inc.

Capacity Building

Yearly Mother's Day Concert (Musical Drama).

1,000

Advance Diversity Services Ltd

Capacity Building

Anti-racism Bystander Training Project.

5,680

The Shepherd Centre for Deaf Children

Capacity Building

Talk Together – an education and support group program for parents of deaf children living in Georges River area.

9,295

Dance for Parkinson’s Australia Ltd

Capacity Building

Lights, Camera, Dance!

7,400

Learning Links

Capacity Building

Purchasing of two Smart Boards for Learning Links Inclusive Preschool.

9,217

Kogarah Storehouse

Capacity Building

Training for trainees in Hospitality.

8,900

The Scout Association of Australia, NSW Branch

Capacity Building

3Bridges Community Ltd - Oatley Senior Citizen’s Centre

Capacity Building

Revitalisation of entertainment and recreational programs for the senior community.

3,000

Senior Italian Australian Community

Capacity Building

Long Life Living.

5,780

Stride Mental Health Ltd

Capacity Building

LGBTQIA+ Youth Social Group.

8,000

TOTAL

Replacement of Scout Hall floor (Hurstville).

Amount $ 10,000

5,000

188,929

259

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Micro Grants The Georges River Council Micro Grants Program is a grant funding program that aims to provide local solutions to improve community wellbeing, including social enterprises or co-ops; small business development; training opportunities; healthy living or social cohesion through the provision of funding up to $1,000. Applicants may be granted full or partial funding for their program. Organisation

Purpose

Australian Wildlife Society

Native Green Space

Amount $

TOTAL

289 289

ReWrite the Night Grants The ReWrite the Night Grants Program was developed as part of the Georges River Nighttime Economy Study and Action Plan and the 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Grants Program, introduced to assist businesses recover from the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The program aims to: • educate, inspire and support business owners to recognise the potential for nighttime activation. • shape urban life after dark, using creative, sustainable lighting as a tool for activation while ensuring community safety. • support the growth of the nighttime economy. • diversify the current nighttime offerings and re-imagine city centres as places of cultural expression, innovation and experimentation by collaboratively working with local creative groups, performers and artists. Organisation

Purpose

Stay Handsome Espresso

Monty’s at Stay Handsome

5,000

Sash Tattoo

ReDraw the Dance Floor

5,000

The Reconnect Project

ReDo: creative workshops in upcycling

5,000

TOTAL

Annette Mayne from The Reconnect Project.

260

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Amount $

15,000

Venue Hire Grants Through the Venue Hire Grant Funding Program, Georges River Council provides equitable access to Council facilities in order to enable community participation, neighbourhood activation and a sense of belonging in the LGA. This program provides not-for-profit organisations with subsidise venue hire fees for Council-managed facilities.

Organisation

Purpose

Amount $

Recreation Sports & Aquatic Club

Hip Hop program weekly classes – PJ Ferry Reserve

Australian Asian Church

Weekly community meeting with family, children and youth programs – Hurstville Senior Centre

3Bridges Community Ltd

3Bridges Community Georges River Seniors Engagement Programs – PJ Ferry Reserve Community Hall

3Bridges Community Ltd

3Bridges Community Georges River Seniors Engagement Programs - Carss Park Straw Bale Shed

Chinese Australian Services Society Ltd

Weekly Huajin Social Dance Class – Kingsgrove Community Centre

Integricare

Parenting workshop – Kogarah School of Arts

MCC Dance Group of NSW Inc.

Weekly Chinese Traditional Dance classes – Hurstville Senior Citizens Centre

Permaculture Sydney South Inc.

Weekly permaculture workshops – Oatley Community Centre

Fiestaville Multicultural Arts Inc.

Weekly Fiestaville Multicultural Choir – Civic Theatre

NOVA Employment

NOVA Employment BBQ & Information Day- Olds Park Outfield

306

North Ramsgate Amateur Swimming Club Inc.

Summer swimming activities - Sans Souci Aquatic Centre

1,275

ZONTA Club of Botany Bay

Hurstville Vintage and Collectable Fair – Marana Auditorium

2,780

St John Ambulance (NSW) – St George Division

St John Ambulance Event Health Services volunteering; Kogarah School of Arts

4,674

The Crateful Group

Organisation and distribution of food hampers for community; Oatley Community Hall meeting rooms

21,000

Greater Sydney Cultural & Business Association

Senior Chinese Multicultural Activities - Kingsgrove Community Centre

4,704

Australia Harmonic Choir

Multicultural Choir Program - Kingsgrove Community Centre

984

CASS Care Ltd

"Staying active and be Connected" - Marana Auditorium

840

Bangladesh Society of Sydney & Bangladesh Cultural School

Parents and children: Get together & Adults participation: Feeling involved and empowered – Kogarah School of Arts

436

Georges River Dancing Group Incorporated

Dancing Group - Senior CitizensCentre

1,326 5,909.25 10,881 1,174.50 4,800 690 6,673.50 468 3,096

1,624

261

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Venue Hire Grants - continued

Organisation

Purpose

Australian Red Cross – St George District Branch

Oatley Village Cake stall – 10 Frederick Street Oatley - Temporary Stall

Fiestaville Multicultural Arts Inc.

Fiestaville Choir/Civic Centre

International Community Fellowship

Church Services and Educational Program

Australia Harmonic Choir

Choir Rehearsal – Kingsgrove Community Centre

1,008

Chinese Australian Services Society Ltd

Settlement Services – Hurstville Library Grevillea Room

3,333

Chinese Australian Services Society Ltd

Tax Help – Hurstville Library Grevillea Rooms

Senior Italian Australian Community (SIAC)

Activity for Seniors – St George Community Centre

5,292

Sydney U3A Inc. - Endeavour Region

Courses for Seniors – Oatley Library

1,722

St John Ambulance (NSW) – St George Division

Training and Meetings for Volunteers – Kogarah School of Arts

5,289

Australian Macedonian Theatre of Sydney

Book Launch – Civic Centre

St George Instrumental Eisteddfod

St George Piano Eisteddfod - Kogarah School of Arts

TOTAL

Amount $ 52 6,802 4,136.25

660

315 7,725 109,975.50

Fiestaville MulticulturalChior

262

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Community Facilities Rental Subsidy In accordance with Georges River Council’s Community Lease Policy, Council aims to ensure that a wide range of community groups and individuals are given equal opportunity to occupy community land and buildings to support identified community needs. Amount $ (ex GST)

Organisation

Facility

Scouts Association of NSW branch

Glen Road Scout Hall, 2A Glen Road, Oatley

Scouts Association of NSW branch

30 Kooemba Rd, Beverly Hills

Girl Guides Association, NSW branch

Girl Guides Hall - Oatley Embankment: Neville Street, Oatley

Girl Guides Association, NSW branch and Scouts Association of NSW branch

Prairievale Reserve - Terry Street, Blakehurst

Jubilee Community Services Inc.

2B-2C Boundary Road, Mortdale

68,903

Kingsgrove Community Aid Centre Inc.

30 Morgan Street, Kingsgrove

59,877

Kogarah Community Services

49 English Street, Kogarah

23,400

Riverwood Community Centre Inc.

31 Thurlow Street, Riverwood

10,792

Blakehurst Men’s Bowling Club

12 Merriman Street, Kyle Bay

4,721

St George District Cricket Club Inc.

Hurstville Oval - Dora Street, Hurstville

12,300

Olds Park Sports Club

1 Olds Park Lane, Beverly Hills

68,124

3Bridges Community Ltd & Mortdale Men's Shed

25 Cook Street, Mortdale

34,521

Narwee Pre-School Kindergarten Inc.

5 Bryant Street, Narwee

131,625

Radio 2NBC

Level 1, 84 Railway Parade, Kogarah

50,000

St George Creative Arts & Crafts Centre

Pole Depot, Part 23, St Georges Road, Penshurst

20,900

Kingsway Community Care Inc.

Undisclosed location - crisis accommodation

50,000

NSW Dept of Health

Oatley Baby Health Centre - 26 Letitia Street, Oatley

45,000

NSW Dept of Health

Riverwood Baby Health Centre - Cnr Keppel Avenue and Short Street, Riverwood

16,500

NSW Dept of Health

Kingsgrove Baby Health Centre - 30 Morgan Street, Kingsgrove

5,000

NSW Dept of Health

South Hurstville Baby Health Centre - 1a Allen Street, South Hurstville

Connells Point Netball Club Inc.

Poulton Park - 9 Morshead Drive, Connells Point Eastern amenities block

Sub-license - St George-Sutherland Women’s Cricket Club. Head license - St George District Cricket Club Inc.

Harold Fraser Oval - Princes Highway, Kogarah Bay Storeroom no.1 Clubstore and shared use of canteen

Hurstville All Breed Dog Training Club Inc.

Lower Gannons Park - Amenities Block, storeroom (Dog training)

St George Junior Rugby League Inc.

Beverly Hills Park - 199 Vanessa Street, Beverly Hills Amenities Block

10,499 6,955 24,980 3,980

28,000 321 2,211 121 3,321

263

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Community Facilities Rental Subsidy - continued

Facility

St George Junior Rugby League Inc.

Renown Reserve - 28 Mountbatten Street, Oatley

5,040

St George Junior Rugby League Inc.

Riverwood Park - Building B, Amenities Building and Building B Storeroom - 79 Coleridge Street, Riverwood (between Union and Hunter Street)

6,521

Sub-licence - Carss Park Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Charles Pirie Reserve (formerly Parkside Drive Reserve) 15r Parkside Drive, Kogarah Bay

3,121

Sub-licence - Sans Souci Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Claydon Reserve - The Promenade, Sans Souci

2,221

Sub-licence - Forest Rangers Football Club Head licence -Football St George

Gannons Park Reserve - 11 Kara Lane, Peakhurst

3,121

Sub-licence - Lugarno Football Club Head licence -Football St George

Gannons Park Reserve - 11p Kara Lane, Peakhurst

2,121

Sub-licence - Carlton Rovers Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Harold Fraser Oval - Princess Highway, Kogarah Bay Storeroom no. 2 (Club store 2)

2,248

Sub-licence - Penshurst West Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Olds Park - 630 Forest Road, Penshurst

Sub-licence Peakhurst United Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Peakhurst Park - 5A Hedley Street, Riverwood Public Amenities block (closest to Trafalgar and Gover Streets)

3,096

Football St George

Peakhurst Park - 5A Hedley Street, Riverwood Synthetic 5 Amenities Block (Trafalgar Street)

2,601

Sub-licence - Oatley Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Renown Reserve - 28 Mountbatten Street, Oatley

2,211

Sub-licence - Hurstville Glory FootballClub Head licence - Football St George

Riverwood Park - 79 Coleridge Street, Riverwood

4,608

Sub-licence Connells Point Rovers Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Poulton Park - 9 Morshead Drive, Connells Point

3,121

Oatley West All Saints Football Club Head licence - Football St George

Oatley Park Oval - 1 Dame Mary Gilmore Drive, Oatley

1,447

TOTAL

264

Amount $ (ex GST)

Organisation

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

310

723,838

Donations Financial Amount $

Name of Recipient

Purpose

Australian Red Cross

Donation to Australian Red Cross Lebanese Appeal to support the people of Beirut after the explosion on 5 August 2020

Oatley Lions Club

Donation to Oatley Lions Club to support the Hay Distribution Day for drought affected farmers at Geurie, NSW

5,000

Learning Links

COVID-19 Assistance: Re-filling Sandpit

1,125

Anna Cheng

Participation at Y NSW Youth Parliament program in Yarramundi

30,000

200

TOTAL

36,325

Sponsorship Financial Amount $

In Kind Amount $

Name of Recipient

Purpose

Police Association of New South Wales

NSW Police News Remembrance and Christmas edition

The Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Kogarah and District “Resurrection of Christ” Ltd

Saint Elesa Food Initiative

Connells Point Netball Association

Implementing COVID safe measures at the end of year gala

Precedent Productions

St George Local Business Awards 2021

The St George Football Association

Peakhurst United Women in Football Pink Ribbon Gala Day and Girls Clinic

548.55

Hurstville Zagreb Football Club

Martins Cup

548.55

NOVA Employment

NOVA Employment, Beverly Park Charity Golf Day

Oatley RSL Sub Branch

ANZAC Memorial Service

139

Mortdale RSL Sub Branch

ANZAC Day Dawn Service

407

NOVA Employment

NOVA Employment Pathway to Employment Picnic in the Park - Information Day

630

Kogarah Community Services

Festival of Ages

487

TOTAL

1,000 487 1,500 10,000

600

13,100

3,247.10

265

ADDITIONAL STATUTORY INFORMATION

Heritage Grants Each year, the Heritage Grants programs provides financial support to help conserve heritage listed buildings or initiate a heritage project.

Heritage Building Grants The Heritage Building Grants program aims to encourage the retention and maintenance of properties that have heritage significance and promote and celebrate our community’s local heritage. Each year, owners of heritage listed buildings in Hurstville LEP 1994, Hurstville LEP 2012 and Kogarah LEP 2012, are invited to apply for financial assistance for specific restoration or conservation works on their property. For the 2019/20 financial year, Council Officers extended the invitation to those who own Contributory Items within Council’s three Heritage Conservation Areas (Penshurst, Kogarah South, and O’Brien’s Estate). This is due to requests for funding from owners of Contributory Items since the commencement of the program. Ordinarily, each applicant has until the end of the financial year to complete the works and submit their receipts for Council’s review. However, due to unprecedented circumstances as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Council allowed the program to be extended until 30 November 2020. No Heritage Building Grants were awarded in 2020/21. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic extension, the following grants that were approved in 2019/20, were permitted to have completion of works delayed to November 2020. Below is a list of all reimbursements for the 2019/20 Heritage Building Grants, made in the 2020/21 financial year. Recipient

Address

Suburb

Mrs F L Moore & Mr A J Moore

67 Millett Street

Hurstville

3,000

Mrs S U Davies & Mr R G Davies

10 Braeside Avenue

Penshurst

1,500

Mrs G Strachan & Mr P J Strachan

25 Lansdowne Street

Penshurst

1,500

Mr K S Alexander & Ms V Tsounis

49 Bowns Road

Penshurst

1,500

Ms T Takada & Mr A R Mc Keag

19 Pacific Avenue

Penshurst

500

Mr B Lee & Ms C Chung

42 Railway Parade

Penshurst

1,500

Trustee of Roman Catholic Church

88 George Street

Kogarah

3,000

Mrs Rosalina Coelho

7 Kuroki Street

Penshurst

1,000

Mr Daniel Tan

55 Inverness Avenue

Penshurst

1,750

TOTAL

Grant Amount $

15,250

Heritage Publication Grants Due to COVID-19 and the associated Public Health Orders restricting movement and access to many resources, the Heritage Publication Grant program was put on hold and no Heritage Publication Grants were awarded in 2020/21.

266

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Kogarah School of Arts facade

267

Aerial artists performing at Un[Contained] Arts Festival

268

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Financial information

269

Financial information Over the past three financial years, the long term forecast has illustrated Council’s poor and deteriorating financial outlook over the 10 year period. The results of 2020/21 have confirmed the accuracy of the forecast and reinforced the need for development and application of strict budget strategies and a special rate increase to overcome the financial challenges presented to the Council. Achieving sustainability in future years will be dependent on a number of key elements, which include: • Full application and levying of the approved rate increase in future years • Identification of additional and permanent $4 million in savings each year for the following three years • Maintaining the deleted items out of the budget in future years • Recouping the lost revenue associated with the financial impact of COVID-19. Without these initiative, Council’s future would have been at risk, with immediate staff and service reductions being required. Georges River Council’s financial performance in 2020/21 was positive and attributed to the 2020/21 Budget Strategy, in sustaining operations whilst Council works towards a surplus in future years. The in cash levels have improved by $15 million, following Council’s presentation of its Financial Statements for the year ending 30 June 2021.Unrestricted cash was also a positive $7 million, comparative to nil in the previous financial year. The commercial property reserve also increased for future reinvestment by $9.5 million as a result of the disposal of underperforming assets. The operating result, excluding capital grants and contributions, is a deficit of $27.4 million, including an asset revaluation (non-cash expenditure) decrement of $26 million across Community land, open space, and buildings. Excluding the asset revaluation decrements, the operating result, excluding capital grants and contributions, is a $1.4 million deficit, which is a vast improvement in comparison to the original adopted budget deficit of $3.2 million and 10 year forecast deficit of $13 million. This was supported by the first improvement in several years to the operating performance ratio, which measures Council’s achievement in containing operating expenditure within operating revenue. It improved by over 4% to the previous year. Though the asset revaluation decrement experienced by Council this financial year is a non-cash expenditure item, it is an important financial indicator that is to be considered in strategic asset decision making. Asset Management is a critical function of Council and the overall sector. The Local Government Sector manages over $160 billion community assets in New South Wales (NSW). With Georges River Council managing $1.5 billion. Council’s community asset portfolio is large and complex, covering roads, community land, building, open space, recreational facilities, footpaths, bridges, stormwater, plant, office equipment, IT software, etc. These assets are critical in providing services and are required to be maintained to a functional standard. Ensuring the sustainability, transparency and intergenerational equity of community infrastructure was a recommendation to Council as well as advocating for consistent guidelines across NSW.

270

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

§Cover§

Georges River Council

GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 30 June 2021

A leading, people-focused organisation delivering outstanding results for our community and city.

271

Georges River Council General Purpose Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2021 §MainTOC§

Contents

Page

Understanding Council's Financial Statements

Statement by Councillors and Management

Primary Financial Statements: Income Statement Statement of Comprehensive Income Statement of Financial Position Statement of Changes in Equity Statement of Cash Flows

5 6 7 8 9

Notes to the Financial Statements

Independent Auditor’s Reports: 78 79

On the Financial Statements (Sect 417 [2]) On the Financial Statements (Sect 417 [3])

Overview Georges River Council is constituted under the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) and has its principal place of business at: Corner MacMahon and Dora Streets Hurstville NSW 2220 Council’s guiding principles are detailed in Chapter 3 of the LGA and includes: • • • • •

principles applying to the exercise of functions generally by council, principles to be applied when making decisions, principles of community participation, principles of sound financial management, and principles for strategic planning relating to the development of an integrated planning and reporting framework.

A description of the nature of Council’s operations and its principal activities are provided in Note B1-2. Through the use of the internet, we have ensured that our reporting is timely, complete and available at minimum cost. All press releases, financial statements and other information are publicly available on our website: www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 2 of 79

Georges River Council General Purpose Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2021

Understanding Council's Financial Statements §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Introduction Each year NSW local governments are required to present audited financial statements to their council and community. What you will find in the Statements The financial statements set out the financial performance, financial position and cash flows of Council for the financial year ended 30 June 2021. The format of the financial statements is standard across all NSW Councils and complies with both the accounting and reporting requirements of Australian Accounting Standards and requirements as set down by the Office of Local Government. About the Councillor/Management Statement The financial statements must be certified by senior staff as ‘presenting fairly’ the Council’s financial results for the year and are required to be adopted by Council – ensuring both responsibility for and ownership of the financial statements. About the Primary Financial Statements The financial statements incorporate five "primary" financial statements: 1. The Income Statement Summarises Council's financial performance for the year, listing all income and expenses. This statement also displays Council's original adopted budget to provide a comparison between what was projected and what actually occurred. 2. The Statement of Comprehensive Income Primarily records changes in the fair value of Council's infrastructure, property, plant and equipment. 3. The Statement of Financial Position A 30 June snapshot of Council's financial position indicating its assets, liabilities and “net wealth”. 4. The Statement of Changes in Equity The overall change for the year (in dollars) of Council's "net wealth". 5. The Statement of Cash Flows Indicates where Council's cash came from and where it was spent. This statement also displays Council's original adopted budget to provide a comparison between what was projected and what actually occurred. About the Notes to the Financial Statements The Notes to the Financial Statements provide greater detail and additional information on the five primary financial statements. About the Auditor's Reports Council’s financial statements are required to be audited by the NSW Audit Office. In NSW the auditor provides 2 audit reports: 1. an opinion on whether the financial statements present fairly the Council’s financial performance and position, and 2. their observations on the conduct of the audit, including commentary on the Council’s financial performance and financial position. Who uses the Financial Statements? The financial statements are publicly available documents and must be presented at a Council meeting between seven days and five weeks after the date of the audit report. The public can make submissions to Council up to seven days subsequent to the public presentation of the financial statements. Council is required to forward an audited set of financial statements to the Office of Local Government. Page 3 of 79

Georges River Council General Purpose Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2021

Statement by Councillors and Management made pursuant to Section 413(2)(c) of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) The attached general purpose financial statements have been prepared in accordance with:

the Local Government Act 1993 and the regulations made thereunder, the Australian Accounting Standards and other pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting. To the best of our knowledge and belief, these statements:

present fairly the Council's operating result and financial position for the year accord with Council's accounting and other records. We are not aware of any matter that would render these statements false or misleading in any way. Signed in accordance with a resolution of Council made on 27 January 2022.

Nick Katris

Kathryn Landsberry

Mayor

Deputy Mayor

27 January 2022

General Manager

27 January 2022

Responsible Accounting Officer

27 January 2022

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 4 of 79

Georges River Council | Income Statement | For the year ended 30 June 2021

Georges River Council Income Statement

for the year ended 30 June 2021 §Statement§

Original unaudited budget 2021 99,319 16,628 11,385 10,975 20,766 2,190 – 5,000

166,263 59,500 60,303 55 24,014 4,250

$ '000

Income from continuing operations

Rates and annual charges User charges and fees Other revenue Grants and contributions provided for operating purposes Grants and contributions provided for capital purposes Interest and investment income Other income Net gains from the disposal of assets

Expenses from continuing operations

Employee benefits and on-costs Materials and services Borrowing costs Depreciation, amortisation and impairment for non-financial assets Other expenses

Total expenses from continuing operations

18,141

(3,225)

B2-1 B2-2 B2-3 B2-4 B2-4 B2-5 B2-6 B4-1

Total income from continuing operations

148,122

18,141

Notes

B3-1 B3-2 B3-3 B3-4 B3-5

Actual 2021

Restated Actual 2020

101,350 13,903 12,604 11,882 20,642 1,968 547 3,097

96,766 14,187 10,489 12,508 24,202 2,699 1,640 195

165,993

162,686

59,424 59,836 21

58,760 62,613 41

41,270

30,900

3,331

3,508

163,882

155,822

Operating result from continuing operations

2,111

6,864

Net operating result for the year attributable to Council

2,111

6,864

(18,531)

(17,338)

Net operating result for the year before grants and contributions provided for capital purposes

The above Income Statement should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Page 5 of 79

Georges River Council | Statement of Comprehensive Income | For the year ended 30 June 2021

Georges River Council Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year ended 30 June 2021 §Note/Subtotal§ §Subnote§

$ '000

Notes

Net operating result for the year – from Income Statement

2021

Restated 2020

2,111

6,864

(487)

6,371

(487)

6,371

–

(39)

–

(39)

(487)

6,332

1,624

13,196

Other comprehensive income:

Amounts which will not be reclassified subsequently to the operating result Gain (loss) on revaluation of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment Total items which will not be reclassified subsequently to the operating result

C1-6

Amounts which will be reclassified subsequently to the operating result when specific conditions are met Correction of prior period error Total items which will be reclassified subsequently to the operating result when specific conditions are met

Total other comprehensive income for the period

Total comprehensive income for the year attributable to Council The above Statement of Comprehensive Income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 6 of 79

Georges River Council | Statement of Financial Position | For the year ended 30 June 2021

Georges River Council Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June 2021 §Statement§

$ '000

ASSETS Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents Investments Receivables Inventories Other

Notes

2021

Restated 2020

Restated 1 July 2019 1

C1-1

24,744 94,534 10,636 84 956

24,583 81,574 10,712 113 731

18,211 108,502 10,169 155 455

130,954

117,713

137,492

41,013 1,360,812 20,000 901 119

39,000 1,372,325 19,310 1,226 162

40,000 1,342,513 17,660 1,362 –

C1-2 C1-4 C1-5

Total current assets Non-current assets

Investments Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment Investment property Intangible Assets Right of use assets

C1-2 C1-6 C1-7 C1-8 C2-1

Total non-current assets

1,422,845

1,432,023

1,401,535

Total assets

1,553,799

1,549,736

1,539,027

25,942 7,663 42 500 14,382 770

25,271 1,609 42 500 13,934 356

23,492 596 – 500 – 14,262

49,299

41,712

38,850

– 76 125 609 13

4,653 118 625 567 8

– – 1,125 – 431

823

5,971

1,556

50,122

47,683

40,406

1,503,677

1,502,053

1,498,621

1,394,601 109,076

1,392,490 109,563

1,394,910 103,711

1,503,677

1,502,053

1,498,621

1,503,677

1,502,053

1,498,621

LIABILITIES Current liabilities

Payables Contract liabilities Lease liabilities Borrowings Employee benefit provisions Provisions

C3-1 C3-2 C2-1 C3-3 C3-4 C3-5

Total current liabilities Non-current liabilities

Contract liabilities Lease liabilities Borrowings Employee benefit provisions Provisions

C3-2 C2-1 C3-3 C3-4 C3-5

Total non-current liabilities Total liabilities

Net assets EQUITY

Accumulated surplus IPPE revaluation reserve

Council equity interest

Total equity (1)

C4-1 C4-1

The restatement comparatives above exclude the application of AASB 1058 Income of Not-for-Profit Entities, AASB 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and AASB 16 Leases. The Council has not restated the comparative information prepared under AASB 111 Construction Contracts, AASB 118 Revenue, AASB 1004 Contributions, AASB 117 Leases and related Accounting Interpretations

The above Statement of Financial Position should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Page 7 of 79

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

The above Statement of Changes in Equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Closing balance at 30 June

Total comprehensive income

Correction of prior period errors Gain (loss) on revaluation of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment Other comprehensive income

Other comprehensive income

Restated net operating result for the period

F4-1 C1-6

1,394,601

2,111

– – –

2,111

2,111 –

F4-1

Net operating result for the year Correction of prior period errors

1,424,085 (31,595) –

1,392,490

F4-1

Opening balance at 1 July Correction of prior period errors Changes due to AASB 1058 and AASB 15 adoption

109,076

(487)

– (487) (487)

–

– –

109,563

110,082 (519) –

as at 30/06/21 IPPE Accumulated revaluation reserve surplus

Restated opening balance

Notes

$ '000

§Note/Subtotal§ §Subnote§

for the year ended 30 June 2021

Statement of Changes in Equity

Georges River Council

1,503,677

1,624

– (487) (487)

2,111

2,111 –

1,502,053

1,534,167 (32,114) –

Total equity

1,392,490

6,864

109,563

6,332

(39) 6,371 6,332

–

6,864

– – –

– –

103,231

1,385,626 14,718 (7,854)

103,711 (480) –

Restated

1,419,106 (23,741) (9,739)

Restated

as at 30/06/20 IPPE Accumulated revaluation reserve surplus

Page 8 of 79

1,502,053

13,196

(39) 6,371 6,332

6,864

14,718 (7,854)

1,488,857

1,522,817 (24,221) (9,739)

Restated

Total equity

Georges River Council | Statement of Changes in Equity | For the year ended 30 June 2021

Georges River Council | Statement of Cash Flows | For the year ended 30 June 2021

Georges River Council Statement of Cash Flows for the year ended 30 June 2021 §Statement§

Original unaudited budget 2021

$ '000

Notes

Actual 2021

Restated Actual 2020

101,010 13,644 1,939 34,225 12,985

96,179 14,926 3,994 31,225 10,549

(58,787) (60,620) (21) (321) (790)

(55,970) (64,659) (41) (780) (744)

43,264

34,679

66,384 10,715

87,291 906

(57,042) (24,013) (143) (38,370) (92)

(59,391) – (10) (56,292) (278)

Cash flows from operating activities 88,144 16,527 2,622 32,454 9,082 (60,104) (64,059) (55) – (1,259)

23,352

Receipts: Rates and annual charges User charges and fees Investment and interest revenue received Grants and contributions Other Payments: Employee benefits and on-costs Materials and services Borrowing costs Bonds, deposits and retention amounts refunded Other

Net cash flows from operating activities

F1-1

Cash flows from investing activities – 5,000 – – – (40,529) –

(35,529)

Receipts: Sale of investment securities Sale of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment Payments: Purchase of investment securities Acquisition of term deposits Purchase of investment property Purchase of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment Purchase of intangible assets

Net cash flows from investing activities

(42,561)

(27,774)

(500) (42)

(500) (33)

Cash flows from financing activities (500) –

(500) (12,677) 23,000

Payments: Repayment of borrowings Principal component of lease payments

Net cash flows from financing activities Net change in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

(542)

(533)

161

6,372

24,583

18,211

10,323

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

C1-1

24,744

24,583

120,338

plus: Investments on hand at end of year

C1-2

135,547

120,574

130,661

Total cash, cash equivalents and investments

160,291

145,157

The above Statement of Cash Flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Page 9 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Georges River Council Contents for the notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2021 §NotesTable§

A About Council and these financial statements A1-1 Basis of preparation

12 12

B Financial Performance

B1 Functions or activities B1-1 Functions or activities – income, expenses and assets B1-2 Components of functions or activities

B2 Sources of income B2-1 Rates and annual charges B2-2 User charges and fees B2-3 Other revenue B2-4 Grants and contributions B2-5 Interest and investment income B2-6 Other income

16 16 17

B3 Costs of providing services B3-1 Employee benefits and on-costs B3-2 Materials and services B3-3 Borrowing costs B3-4 Depreciation, amortisation and impairment of non-financial assets B3-5 Other expenses

24 24 25 25 26 27

B4 Gains or losses B4-1 Gain or loss from the disposal, replacement and de-recognition of assets

28 28

B5 Performance against budget

29 29

B5-1 Material budget variations

14 15

18 19 23 23

C Financial position C1 Assets we manage C1-1 Cash and cash equivalents C1-2 Financial investments C1-3 Restricted cash, cash equivalents and investments C1-4 Receivables C1-5 Inventories C1-6 Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment C1-7 Investment properties C1-8 Intangible assets

31 31 31 33 34 36 37 40 41

C2 Leasing activities C2-1 Council as a lessee

42 42

C3 Liabilities of Council C3-1 Payables C3-2 Contract Liabilities C3-3 Borrowings C3-4 Employee benefit provisions C3-5 Provisions

44 44 45 46 48

C4 Reserves

50 Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 10 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Georges River Council Contents for the notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2021 C4-1 Nature and purpose of reserves

D Risks and accounting uncertainties D1-1 Risks relating to financial instruments held D2-1 Fair value measurement D3-1 Contingencies

51 51

E People and relationships

55 61

E1 Related party disclosures E1-1 Key management personnel (KMP) E1-2 Councillor and Mayoral fees and associated expenses

64 64

E2 Other relationships E2-1 Audit fees

66 66

F Other matters F1-1 Statement of Cash Flows information F2-1 Commitments F3-1 Events occurring after the reporting date

67 67 68 69

F4 Changes from prior year statements F4-1 Correction of errors

69 69

F5 Statement of developer contributions as at 30 June 2021 F5-1 Summary of developer contributions F5-2 Developer contributions by plan

71 71 71

F6 Statement of performance measures F6-1 Statement of performance measures – consolidated results

74 74

G Additional Council disclosures (unaudited) G1-1 Statement of performance measures – consolidated results (graphs) G1-2 Council information and contact details

75 75 77

Page 11 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

About Council and these financial statements

A1-1 Basis of preparation §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

These financial statements were authorised for issue by Council on 27 January 2022. Council has the power to amend and reissue these financial statements in cases where critical information is received from public submissions or where the OLG directs Council to amend the financial statements. The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Basisofpreparation

These general purpose financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards and Australian Accounting Interpretations, the Local Government Act 1993 (Act) and Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 (Regulation), and the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting. Council is a not for-profit entity. The financial statements are presented in Australian dollars and are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars.

Historicalcostconvention These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the revaluation of certain infrastructure, property, plant and equipment and investment property.

Significantaccountingestimatesandjudgements The preparation of financial statements requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires management to exercise its judgement in the process of applying the Council's accounting policies. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that may have a financial impact on the Council and that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Coronavirus (COVID‐‐19) impact The global health crisis from the COVID-19 virus has had a significant impact on Council's operations which has been reflected in the financial statements. A number of facilities, services and events were significantly affected during the period of pandemic restrictions which resulted in reduced revenues and put a strain on cash flow. The financial difficulty experienced by many ratepayers led to a higher than normal level of outstanding collections for the financial year. Council has determined that COVID‐19 does not create a material uncertainty to the extent that it casts significant doubt upon Council’s ability to continue as a going concern. Criticalaccountingestimatesandassumptions Council makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year include: (i) estimated fair values of investment properties – refer Note C1-7; (ii) estimated fair values of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment – refer Note C1-6; (iii) employee benefit provisions – refer Note C3-4. Significant judgements in applying the Council's accounting policies i. Impairment of receivables – refer Note C1-4. ii. Determination of whether performance obligations are sufficiently specific and whether the contract is within the scope of AASB 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and / or AASB 1058 Income of Not-for-Profit Entities – refer to Notes B2-2 – B2-4. iii. Determination of the lease term, discount rate (when not implicit in the lease) and whether an arrangement contains a lease – refer to Note C2-1.

continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 12 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

A1-1 Basis of preparation (continued) Monies and other assets received by Council The Consolidated Fund In accordance with the provisions of Section 409(1) of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW), all money and property received by Council is held in the Council’s Consolidated Fund unless it is required to be held in the Council’s Trust Fund. Cash and other assets of the following entities have been included as part of the Consolidated Fund: ◾

General purpose operations

Goods and Services Tax (GST) Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of associated GST, unless the GST incurred is not recoverable from the taxation authority. In this case it is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of the expense. Receivables and payables are stated inclusive of the amount of GST receivable or payable. The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is included with other receivables or payables in the Statement of Financial Position. Cash flows are presented on a gross basis. The GST components of cash flows arising from investing or financing activities that are recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority, are presented as operating cash flows.

New accounting standards and interpretations issued not yet effective New accounting standards and interpretations issued but not yet effective Certain new accounting standards and interpretations (ie. pronouncements) have been published by the Australian Accounting Standards Board that are not mandatory for the 30 June 2021 reporting period. Council has elected not to apply any of these pronouncements in these financial statements before their operative dates. As at the date of authorisation of these financial statements Council does not consider that any of these new (and still to be applied) standards and interpretations are likely to have a material impact on the Council's future financial statements, financial position, financial performance or cash flows.

Comparative figures Council has updated the presentation and classification of certain items within the financial statements. Current year and previous year comparative figures have been repositioned in: • the Income Statement • Certain items in "Other expenses", and all "Materials and contracts", have been moved into a new category "Materials and services". • "Fair value increment on investment properties" has been moved into "Other Income". • "Revaluation decrement / impairment of IPP&E" has been moved into "Depreciation, amortisation and impairment" • the Statement of Financial Position • "Income received in advance" has been moved into "Contract liabilties". • "Employee benefit provisions" have been moved out of "Provisions" and into their own category. These changes were made to adhere to the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting 2020/21.

New accounting standards adopted during the year During the year, Council adopted all standards which were mandatorily effective for the first time at 30 June 2021. None of these standards had a significant impact on reported position or performance.

Page 13 of 79

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Functions or activities

Total functions and activities

A HARMONIOUS AND PROUD COMMUNITY WITH STRONG SOCIAL SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE QUALITY, WELL PLANNED DEVELOPMENT A DIVERSE AND PRODUCTIVE ECONOMY A PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT AND GREEN OPEN SPACES LEADERSHIP AND TRANSPARENCY ACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE PLACES AND SPACES

Functions or activities

$ '000

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

20,782 31,791 76,096 17,367

22,116

33,289 78,069

13,464

162,686

2,815

2,771

165,993

13,835

2020

16,284

Income 2021

22,524

163,882

35,067 68,406

8,121

6,027

23,737

24,249

34,313 58,567

8,559

5,868

24,266

2020

155,822

Expenses 2021

2,111

(9,060)

(1,778) 9,663

13,995

(3,256)

(7,453)

6,864

(6,882)

(2,522) 17,529

12,223

(3,053)

(10,431)

Operating result 2021 2020

5,847

32,524

2,914 4,873

14,106

–

4,784

36,710

9,128

3,852 4,668

14,415

4,636

Grants and contributions 2021 2020

1,286,057

1,553,799

107,182 34,333

42,686

77,959

5,582

Page 14 of 79

1,549,736

1,299,676

104,661 25,922

33,422

79,295

6,760

Carrying amount of assets 2021 2020

Income, expenses and assets have been directly attributed to the following functions or activities. Details of those functions or activities are provided in Note B1-2.

B1-1 Functions or activities – income, expenses and assets

Financial Performance

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B1-2 Components of functions or activities §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Details relating to the Council’s functions or activities as reported in B1-1 are as follows:

A HARMONIOUS AND PROUD COMMUNITY WITH STRONG SOCIAL SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE • • • • •

We create and support events that celebrate community and cultural identity and benefit the economy. Affordable and quality housing options are available. The community is socially and culturally connected. Diverse, vibrant community facilities and spaces are connected, well maintained and accessible. The community is safe and healthy.

QUALITY, WELL PLANNED DEVELOPMENT • • •

Sustainable development delivers better amenity and liveability of the community and the environment. The community helps to plan the LGA’s future. Council-led development and assets provide quality, long-term benefits to everyone.

A DIVERSE AND PRODUCTIVE ECONOMY • • •

Local businesses are supported to help protect jobs and create employment opportunities. Outcomes from an Employment Lands Study ensure sufficient land is available for future employment growth. The ambitions for Hurstville and Kogarah as strategic centres are realised.

A PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT AND GREEN OPEN SPACES • • • •

Council’s environmentally sustainable practices inspire everyone to protect and nurture the natural environment. The LGA’s waterways are healthy and accessible. Everyone has access to beautiful parks and open spaces. Local heritage is protected and promoted.

LEADERSHIP AND TRANSPARENCY • • • • • •

The community is involved and listened to. Open, informed and transparent decision-making supports the interests of the community. Leadership focuses on innovation and improving the customer experience. Council’s assets and resources are managed responsibly and with accountability. The workforce is inspiring, diverse and engaged. Council has a regional-approach to service delivery and facilities.

ACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE PLACES AND SPACES • • • •

The LGA has a range of transport options to connect people, goods and businesses. Roads, footpaths and cycleways are safe, accessible and free of congestion. Everyone, including people with disability, navigates the LGA in safety. Everyone has access to a range of active and passive recreation facilities.

Page 15 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Sources of income

B2-1 Rates and annual charges §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

61,239 10,558 (1,246)

59,419 9,932 (1,278)

Ordinary rates

Residential Business Less: pensioner rebates

Rates levied to ratepayers

70,551

Pensioner rate subsidies received

683

Total ordinary rates

71,234

68,073

708

68,781

Special rates

Town improvement

696

670

Rates levied to ratepayers

696

670

Total special rates

696

670

26,555 1,202 1,827 79 (530)

25,584 1,195 1,758 83 (1,594)

Annual charges (pursuant to s.496, s.496A, s.496B, s.501 & s.611)

Domestic waste management services Stormwater management services Waste management services (non-domestic) Section 611 charges Less: pensioner rebates

Annual charges levied

29,133

Pensioner subsidies received: – Domestic waste management

287

Total annual charges

Total rates and annual charges

27,026

289

29,420

27,315

101,350

96,766

Council has used 2019 year valuations provided by the NSW Valuer General in calculating its rates.

Accounting policy

Rates and annual charges are recognised as revenue at the beginning of the rating period to which they relate. Prepaid rates are recognised as a financial liability until the beginning of the rating period. Pensioner rebates relate to reductions in rates and certain annual charges for eligible pensioners’ place of residence in the local government council area that are not subsidised by the NSW Government. Pensioner rate subsidies are received from the NSW Government to provide a contribution towards the pensioner rebates and are recognised within the underlying revenue item based on their substance.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 16 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B2-2 User charges and fees §Note/Subtotal§

$ '000

2021

2020

Specific user charges

(per s.502 - specific 'actual use' charges) Waste management services (non-domestic)

Total specific user charges

(i) Fees and charges – statutory and regulatory functions (per s.608) Planning and building regulation Regulatory fees Section 10.7 certificates (EP&A Act) Section 603 certificates Total fees and charges – statutory/regulatory

3,989 719 413 225 5,346

3,971 536 323 191 5,021

(ii) Fees and charges – other (incl. general user charges (per s.608)) Child care Leaseback fees – Council vehicles Leisure centre Restoration charges Golf course Library Parks income Public halls Tennis courts Other - Jubilee oval ticket sales Other Total fees and charges – other

2,490 439 – 1,700 542 47 1,296 489 82 1,289 126 8,500

2,034 465 1,011 3,024 622 62 514 501 124 542 199 9,098

13,903

14,187

5,329 8,574

4,328 9,859

Other user charges and fees

Total user charges and fees Timing of revenue recognition for user charges and fees User charges and fees recognised over time (1) User charges and fees recognised at a point in time (2)

Total user charges and fees

13,903

14,187

Accounting policy

Revenue arising from user charges and fees is recognised when or as the performance obligation is completed and the customer receives the benefit of the goods / services being provided. The performance obligation relates to the specific services which are provided to the customers and generally the payment terms are within 30 days of the provision of the service or in some cases such as caravan parks, the customer is required to pay on arrival or a deposit in advance. There is no material obligation for Council in relation to refunds or returns. Where an upfront fee is charged such as joining fees for the leisure centre the fee is recognised on a straight-line basis over the expected life of the membership. Licences granted by Council are all either short-term or low value and all revenue from licences is recognised at the time that the licence is granted rather than over the term of the licence.

Page 17 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B2-3 Other revenue §Note/Subtotal§

$ '000

2021

2020

Rental income – investment property Rental income – other council properties Fines Fines – parking Legal fees recovery – rates and charges (extra charges) Legal fees recovery – other Commissions and agency fees Diesel rebate Insurance claims recoveries Sponsorships Other

1,737 2,966 549 5,606 185 278 503 29 125 131 495

1,884 2,300 396 3,843 165 380 351 119 406 222 423

Total other revenue

12,604

10,489

4,920 7,684

4,406 6,083

Timing of revenue recognition for other revenue Other revenue recognised over time (1) Other revenue recognised at a point in time (2)

Total other revenue

12,604

10,489

Accounting policy for other revenue Where the revenue is earned for the provision of specified goods / services under an enforceable contract, revenue is recognised when or as the obligations are satisfied. Statutory fees and fines are recognised as revenue when the service has been provided, the payment is received or when the penalty has been applied, whichever occurs first. Other revenue is recorded when the payment is due, the value of the payment is notified, or the payment is received, whichever occurs first.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 18 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B2-4 Grants and contributions §Note/Subtotal§

$ '000

Operating 2021

Operating 2020

Capital 2021

Capital 2020

2,195

2,161

–

2,350

2,290

–

General purpose grants and non-developer contributions (untied) General purpose (untied) Current year allocation Financial assistance Payment in advance - future year allocation Financial assistance

Amount recognised as income during current year

4,545

4,451

–

3,678 166 463 22 170 30 – 65 342 710 55 600

3,328 153 388 49 155 17 – 46 342 710 58 2,273

– – 27 – – 2,738 921 – – – – 368

– 100 289 – – 4,458 4,164 – – – – 90

– 462 21 – – – 553 –

– 484 22 32 – – – –

2 1,474 – – 280 2 – 1,280

– 1,250 36 – 312 – – –

7,337

8,057

7,092

10,699

Special purpose grants and non-developer contributions (tied)

Cash contributions Previously specific grants: Child care Environmental programs Library LIRS subsidy Waste management Parks Stronger communities fund Community services Street lighting Transport (roads to recovery) Transport (other roads and bridges funding) Other specific grants Previously contributions: Kerb and gutter Transport for NSW contributions (regional roads, block grant) Other contributions Contributions to legal and consultant fees Parks – contribution by sporting club Other voluntary planning agreements DCP and LEP Strategic Planning Local Road and Community Infrastructure Grant

Total special purpose grants and non-developer contributions – cash Non-cash contributions Recreation and culture

Total other contributions – non-cash Total special purpose grants and non-developer contributions (tied)

Total grants and non-developer contributions

–

467

–

467

7,337

8,057

7,092

11,166

11,882

12,508

7,092

11,166

5,097 6,724 61

5,298 6,642 568

4,015 2,850 227

1,064 8,007 2,095

Comprising:

– Commonwealth funding – State funding – Other funding

11,882

continued on next page ...

12,508

7,092

11,166

Page 19 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B2-4 Grants and contributions (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

Developer contributions $ '000

Notes

Developer contributions: (s7.4 & s7.11 - EP&A Act, s64 of the LGA):

Operating 2021

Operating 2020

Capital 2021

Capital 2020

– – –

4,656 8,614 280

143 12,893 –

Cash contributions S 7.4 – contributions using planning agreements S 7.11 – contributions towards amenities/services Other developer contributions

Total developer contributions – cash

–

13,550

13,036

Total developer contributions

–

13,550

13,036

Total contributions

–

13,550

13,036

11,882

12,508

20,642

24,202

7,338

8,057

7,146

10,699

4,544

4,451

13,496

13,503

Total grants and contributions Timing of revenue recognition for grants and contributions Grants and contributions recognised over time (1) Grants and contributions recognised at a point in time (2)

Total grants and contributions

continued on next page ...

11,882

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

12,508

20,642

24,202

Page 20 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B2-4 Grants and contributions (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

Unspent grants and contributions Certain grants and contributions are obtained by Council on the condition they be spent in a specified manner or in a future period but which are not yet spent in accordance with those conditions are as follows:

$ '000

Operating 2021

Operating 2020

Capital 2021

Capital 2020

688

921

946

797

–

661

531

2,658

682

–

(550)

(764)

688

(702)

2,902

(533)

–

75,114

75,662

–

13,550

12,796

–

(15,714)

(13,344)

Unspent grants

Unspent funds at 1 July Add: Funds recognised as revenue in the reporting year but not yet spent in accordance with the conditions Add: Funds received and not recognised as revenue in the current year Less: Funds recognised as revenue in previous years that have been spent during the reporting year Less: Funds received in prior year but revenue recognised and funds spent in current year

Unspent funds at 30 June

799

946

Contributions

Unspent funds at 1 July Add: contributions recognised as revenue in the reporting year but not yet spent in accordance with the conditions Less: contributions recognised as revenue in previous years that have been spent during the reporting year

Unspent contributions at 30 June

–

72,950

75,114

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Grants and contributions – enforceable agreement with sufficiently specific performance obligations Grant and contribution revenue from an agreement which is enforceable and contains sufficiently specific performance obligations is recognised as or when control of each performance obligations is transferred. The performance obligations vary according to the agreement. Payment terms vary depending on the terms of the grant, cash is received upfront for some grants and on the achievement of certain payment milestones for others. Performance obligations may be satisfied either at a point in time or over time and this is reflected in the revenue recognition pattern. Point in time recognition occurs when the beneficiary obtains control of the goods / services at a single time (e.g. completion of the project when a report / outcome is provided), whereas over time recognition is where the control of the services is ongoing throughout the project (e.g. provision of community health services through the year). Where control is transferred over time, generally the input methods being either costs or time incurred are deemed to be the most appropriate methods to reflect the transfer of benefit. Capital grants Capital grants received by Council under an enforceable contract for the acquisition or construction of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment to identified specifications which will be under Council’s control on completion are recognised as revenue as and when the obligation to construct or purchase is completed. For construction projects, this is generally as the construction progresses in accordance with costs incurred since this is deemed to be the most appropriate measure of the completeness of the construction project. For acquisitions of assets, the revenue is recognised when the asset is acquired and controlled by the Council. Developer contributions continued on next page ...

Page 21 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B2-4 Grants and contributions (continued) Council has obligations to provide facilities from contribution revenues levied on developers under the provisions of sections 7.4, 7.11 and 7.12 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). While Council generally incorporates these amounts as part of a Development Consents Order, such developer contributions are only recognised as income upon receipt by Council, due to the possibility that individual development consents may not be acted upon by the applicant and, accordingly, would not be payable to Council. Developer contributions may only be expended for the purposes for which the contributions were required, but Council may apply contributions according to the priorities established in work schedules for the contribution plan. Other grants and contributions Assets, including cash, received from other grants and contributions are recognised at fair value when the asset is received. Council considers whether there are any related liability or equity items associated with the asset which are recognised in accordance with the relevant accounting standard. Once the assets and liabilities have been recognised then income is recognised for any remaining asset value at the time that the asset is received.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 22 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B2-5 Interest and investment income §Note/Subtotal§

$ '000 Interest on financial assets measured at amortised cost – Overdue rates and annual charges (incl. special purpose rates) – Cash and investments Fair value adjustments – Movements in investments at fair value through profit and loss

Total interest and investment income (losses)

2021

2020

128 1,692

201 2,419

148

1,968

2,699

90 675

142 951

711 117 287 36 2

939 166 374 43 3

Interest and investment income is attributable to:

Unrestricted investments/financial assets: Overdue rates and annual charges (general fund) General Council cash and investments Restricted investments/funds – external: Development contributions – Section 7.11 – Section 7.4 VPAs Domestic waste management operations Other externally restricted assets Town Improvement Rates Other externally restricted assets Stormwater Management Restricted investments/funds – internal: Internally restricted assets

Total interest and investment income

1,968

2,699

Notes

2021

2020

C1-7

547

1,640

547

1,640

Accounting policy

Interest income is recognised using the effective interest rate at the date that interest is earned.

B2-6 Other income §Subnote§

$ '000 Fair value increment on investment properties Fair value increment on investment properties

Total fair value increment on investment properties

Total other income

547

1,640

Page 23 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Costs of providing services

B3-1 Employee benefits and on-costs §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000 Salaries and wages Employee termination costs (where material – other than vested leave paid) Travel expenses Employee leave entitlements (ELE) Superannuation Superannuation – defined benefit plans Workers’ compensation insurance Fringe benefit tax (FBT) Training costs (other than salaries and wages) Other

Total employee costs

2021

2020

47,926 800 543 4,441 4,408 893 1,196 118 420 72

47,309 1,231 492 4,886 4,151 932 760 93 550 –

60,817

Less: capitalised costs

Total employee costs expensed

(1,393)

60,404

(1,644)

59,424

58,760

561

580

Number of ‘full-time equivalent’ employees (FTE) at year end

Accounting policy

Employee benefit expenses are recorded when the service has been provided by the employee. Retirement benefit obligations All employees of the Council are entitled to benefits on retirement, disability or death. Council contributes to various defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans on behalf of its employees. Superannuation plans Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense as they become payable. Prepaid contributions are recognised as an asset to the extent that a cash refund or a reduction in the future payments is available. Council participates in a defined benefit plan under the Local Government Superannuation Scheme, however, sufficient information to account for the plan as a defined benefit is not available and therefore Council accounts for its obligations to defined benefit plans on the same basis as its obligations to defined contribution plans, i.e. as an expense when it becomes payable – refer to Note D3-1 for more information.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 24 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B3-2 Materials and services §Note/Subtotal§

$ '000 Raw materials and consumables Contractor and consultancy costs – waste services Contractor and consultancy costs – contractors (various services) Contractor and consultancy costs – consultancy costs Audit Fees Councillor and Mayoral fees and associated expenses Advertising Bank charges Electricity and heating Insurance Postage Printing and stationery Street lighting Telephone and communications Valuation fees Other expenses Catering food and beverage Commission charges Exhibitions, festivals and events Property expenses – utilities Property expenses – other Memberships and subscriptions Other recruitment and staff well being Legal expenses: – Legal expenses: planning and development – Legal expenses: other Expenses from leases of low value assets IT expenses Motor vehicle expenses Other maintenance of assets Other

Notes

E2-1 E1-2

Total materials and services

2021

2020

2,241 22,062 9,979 2,966 121 526 158 81 1,002 1,429 284 374 1,838 467 317 213 222 1,079 772 906 5,096 485 54

2,253 21,769 9,799 5,049 119 522 236 69 1,222 1,296 301 484 1,878 347 364 200 299 736 1,124 1,183 5,610 570 90

76 2,397 277 2,508 1,163 118 625

106 1,803 186 2,716 1,116 218 948

59,836

62,613

59,836

62,613

2021

2020

2 19

2 39

Accounting policy

Expenses are recorded on an accruals basis as the Council receives the goods or services.

B3-3 Borrowing costs §Subnote§

$ '000

(i) Interest bearing liability costs Interest on leases Interest on loans

Total interest bearing liability costs

Total interest bearing liability costs expensed

Total borrowing costs expensed

Accounting policy

Borrowing costs incurred for the construction of any qualifying asset are capitalised during the period of time that is required to complete and prepare the asset for its intended use or sale. Other borrowing costs are expensed as incurred.

Page 25 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B3-4 Depreciation, amortisation and impairment of non-financial assets §Note/Subtotal§

$ '000

2021

2020

2,328 556 228

2,146 558 257

C2-1

2,557 2,711 7,723 1,346 1,339 4,551 43

2,208 2,687 7,711 1,338 1,303 3,590 31

C1-8

363 (3) 417

552 14 414

Notes

Depreciation and amortisation Plant and equipment Office equipment Furniture and fittings Infrastructure: – Buildings – non-specialised – Buildings – specialised – Roads – Footpaths – Stormwater drainage – Open space and other structures Right of use assets Other assets: – Library books – Other Intangible assets

C1-6

Total gross depreciation and amortisation costs

Total depreciation and amortisation costs

24,159

22,809

24,159

22,809

6,985 –

3,526 1,044

5,769 4,357

3,309 212

Impairment / revaluation decrement of IPPE Community land Council controlled land Infrastructure: – Buildings – non-specialised – Open space and other structures

C1-6

Total gross IPPE impairment / revaluation decrement costs

17,111

8,091

Total IPPE impairment / revaluation decrement costs charged to Income Statement

17,111

8,091

Total depreciation, amortisation and impairment for non-financial assets

41,270

30,900

Accounting policy Depreciation and amortisation

Depreciation and amortisation are calculated using the straight line method to allocate their cost, net of their residual values, over their estimated useful lives.

Impairment of non-financial assets

Intangible assets that have an indefinite useful life, or are not yet available for use, are tested annually for impairment, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that they might be impaired. Other assets that do not meet the criteria above are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value less costs to sell and value in use. For the purposes of assessing impairment, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are separately identifiable cash inflows that are largely independent of the cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets (cash-generating units). Non-financial assets that suffered an impairment are reviewed for possible reversal of the impairment at each reporting date. Impairment losses for revalued assets are firstly offset against the amount in the revaluation surplus for the class of asset, with only the excess to be recognised in the Income Statement.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 26 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B3-5 Other expenses §Note/Subtotal§

$ '000

Notes

2021

C1-4

(95)

202

– 308 2,362 1 755

– 303 2,201 34 768

Impairment of receivables Other

Total impairment of receivables Other Contributions/levies to other levels of government – Department of planning levy – Emergency services levy (includes FRNSW, SES, and RFS levies) – Other contributions/levies Donations, contributions and assistance to other organisations (Section 356)

Total other

Total other expenses

(95)

3,426

3,331

2020 202

3,306

3,508

Accounting policy

Other expenses are recorded on an accruals basis when Council has an obligation for the expenses. Impairment expenses are recognised when identified.

Page 27 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Gains or losses

B4-1 Gain or loss from the disposal, replacement and de-recognition of assets §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

1,269 (1,205)

– –

Gain (or loss) on disposal of property (excl. investment property) Proceeds from disposal – property Less: carrying amount of property assets sold/written off

Gain (or loss) on disposal

–

411 (202)

849 (492)

66,384 (66,230)

87,291 (87,398)

3 –

– –

Gain (or loss) on disposal of plant and equipment

Proceeds from disposal – plant and equipment Less: carrying amount of plant and equipment assets sold/written off

Gain (or loss) on disposal

209

357

Gain (or loss) on disposal of investments

Proceeds from disposal/redemptions/maturities – investments Less: carrying amount of investments sold/redeemed/matured

Gain (or loss) on disposal

154

(107)

Office Equipment

Proceeds from disposal – Office equipment Less: carrying amount of Office equipment assets sold/written off

Gain (or loss) on disposal

–

– (76)

– (55)

Library Collection

Proceeds from disposal – Library collection Less: carrying amount of Library collection assets sold/written off

Gain (or loss) on disposal

(76)

(55)

9,032 (6,289)

57 (57)

3,097

195

Land

Proceeds from disposal – Land Less: carrying amount of Land assets sold/written off

Gain (or loss) on disposal

2,743

Net gain (or loss) on disposal of assets

–

Accounting policy

Gains and losses on disposals are determined by comparing proceeds with carrying amount. The gain or loss on sale of an asset is determined when control of the asset has irrevocably passed to the buyer and the asset is de-recognised.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 28 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Performance against budget

B5-1 Material budget variations §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Council’s original budget was adopted by the Council on 22/06/2021 and is not required to be audited. The original projections on which the budget was based have been affected by a number of factors. These include state and federal government decisions, including new grant programs, changing economic activity, environmental factors, and by decisions made by Council. While these General Purpose Financial Statements include the original budget adopted by Council, the Act requires Council to review its financial budget on a quarterly basis, so it is able to manage the variation between actuals and budget that invariably occur during the year. Material variations of more than 10% between original budget and actual results or where the variance is considered material by nature are explained below. Variation Key: F = Favourable budget variation, U = Unfavourable budget variation.

$ '000

2021 Budget

2021 Actual

99,319

101,350

2021 -------- Variance --------

REVENUES 2%

16,628 13,903 (2,725) (16)% User charges and fees The negative variance is largely due to the impact that the COVID-19 lockdowns have had on Council. In particularly, Council's Leisure Centre and Restorations income.

Rates and annual charges

2,031

11,385 12,604 1,219 11% F Other revenues The positive variance is largely due to the material increase in Parking fine income. The department had no staff vacancies this year and has implemented new technology, and the use of vehicles, which has increased the volume of fines issued. Operating grants and contributions

10,975

11,882

907

Capital grants and contributions

20,766

20,642

(124)

(1)%

Interest and investment revenue

2,190

1,968

(222)

(10)%

3,097

(1,903)

(38)%

547

∞

5,000 Net gains from disposal of assets The variance is largely due to the timing of when properties are due to settle. Other income

continued on next page ...

–

Page 29 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

B5-1 Material budget variations (continued) §Note/Subtotal§ §Total§

2021 Budget

2021 Actual

Employee benefits and on-costs

59,500

59,424

Materials and services

60,303

59,836

467

62%

$ '000

2021 -------- Variance --------

EXPENSES

Borrowing costs

Depreciation, amortisation and impairment of 24,014 41,270 (17,256) (72)% non-financial assets The variance is due the revaluation decrements through the Profit and loss as a result of the annual asset valuations. 4,250 3,331 Other expenses The positive variance is largley due to the reduction in the impairment of receivables.

919

22%

19,912

85%

(35,529) (42,561) (7,032) 20% Cash flows from investing activities The sale and purchase of investment securities is difficult to estimate as they are based on forecasts prior to year-end actuals being finalised and therefore only a notional amount is included in the original cash flow budget.

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS Cash flows from operating activities

Cash flows from financing activities

23,352

(500)

43,264

(542)

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

(42)

Page 30 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Financial position

Assets we manage

C1-1 Cash and cash equivalents §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

13,677

8,148

Cash and cash equivalents Cash on hand and at bank Cash-equivalent assets – Deposits at call

11,067

Total cash and cash equivalents

16,435

24,744

24,583

24,744

24,583

Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents §Subnote§

Total cash and cash equivalents per Statement of Financial Position

Balance as per the Statement of Cash Flows

24,744

24,583

Accounting policy §Subnote§

For Statement of Cash Flow presentation purposes, cash and cash equivalents include: cash on hand; deposits held at call with financial institutions; other short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and which are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value; and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities on the Statement of Financial Position.

C1-2 Financial investments §Note§

§TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

– 31,534

– –

6,379 34,195

– –

Financial assets at fair value through the profit and loss Managed funds Floating Rate Notes (with maturities > 3 months)

Total

31,534

–

40,574

–

63,000

41,013

41,000

39,000

Debt securities at amortised cost Long term deposits

Total

Total financial investments Total cash assets, cash equivalents and investments

63,000

41,013

41,000

39,000

94,534

41,013

81,574

39,000

119,278

41,013

106,157

39,000

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Financial instruments are recognised initially on the date that the Council becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. On initial recognition, all financial instruments are measured at fair value plus transaction costs (except for instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss where transaction costs are expensed as incurred).

Financial assets

All recognised financial assets are subsequently measured in their entirety at either amortised cost or fair value, depending on the classification of the financial assets.

Classification

On initial recognition, Council classifies its financial assets into the following categories – those measured at: • amortised cost • fair value through profit and loss (FVTPL) continued on next page ...

Page 31 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-2 Financial investments (continued) Financial assets are not reclassified subsequent to their initial recognition.

Amortised cost

Assets measured at amortised cost are financial assets where: • the business model is to hold assets to collect contractual cash flows, and • the contractual terms give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding. Council’s financial assets measured at amortised cost comprise trade and other receivables, term deposits and cash and cash equivalents in the Statement of Financial Position. Subsequent to initial recognition, these assets are carried at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method less provision for impairment. Interest income, impairment and gains or loss on de-recognition are recognised in profit or loss.

Financial assets through profit or loss

All financial assets not classified as measured at amortised cost as described above are measured at fair value through profit or loss. Net gains or losses, including any interest or dividend income, are recognised in profit or loss. Council’s financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss comprise investments in Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) and Negotiable Certificate of Deposits (NCDs) in the Statement of Financial Position.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 32 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-3 Restricted cash, cash equivalents and investments §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§ §Total§

$ '000

Total cash, cash equivalents and investments

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

119,278

41,013

106,157

39,000

62,705 49,357 7,216

41,013 – –

63,013 43,116 28

39,000 – –

attributable to:

External restrictions Internal restrictions Unrestricted

119,278

41,013

106,157

39,000

§Total§

$ '000

2021

2020

Details of restrictions External restrictions – included in liabilities Specific purpose unexpended grants – general fund

External restrictions – included in liabilities

3,701

1,636

3,701

1,636

73,720 1,356 3,402 1,203 20,336

75,054 606 2,932 176 21,609

External restrictions – other

External restrictions included in cash, cash equivalents and investments above comprise: Developer contributions – general Environmental and stormwater levies Town improvement levy Special rate levy Domestic waste management

External restrictions – other

100,017

100,377

Total external restrictions

103,718

102,013

6,877 6,126 4,240 1,014 1,623 82 3,702 11,505 5,743 2,350 32 535 3,672 115 1,388 124 77 152

4,158 6,561 4,240 1,209 1,273 127 6,365 1,959 5,742 2,290 44 452 4,593 1,312 2,767 24 – –

Internal restrictions

Council has internally restricted cash, cash equivalents and investments as follows: Plant and vehicle replacement Employees leave entitlement Deposits, retentions and bonds Childcare equipment Election reserve Hurstville golf course Asset management Commercial property Strategic centres Financial assistance grant Revolving Energy Tree Preservation Stronger communities fund Aquatic facilities Merger Initiatives Allocation Outdoor Synthetic Sports Fields Heritage Building Grants Program Street Lighting

Total internal restrictions Total restrictions

49,357

43,116

153,075

145,129

Internal restrictions over cash, cash equivalents and investments are those assets restricted only by a resolution of the elected Council.

Page 33 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-4 Receivables §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

4,233 480 2,707 1

– – – –

3,863 397 2,243 1

– – – –

337 599 1,695 1,199 2

– – – – –

539 1,148 2,200 861 172

– – – – –

Purpose

Rates and annual charges Interest and extra charges User charges and fees Contributions to works Accrued revenues – Interest on investments – Other income accruals Government grants and subsidies Net GST receivable Other debtors

Total

Less: provision of impairment Debtors

Total provision for impairment – receivables

Total net receivables

11,253

–

11,424

–

(617)

–

(712)

–

(617)

–

(712)

–

10,636

–

10,712

–

1,163 27 22

– – –

972 38 54

– – –

Externally restricted receivables §Subnote§

Domestic waste management Town improvement Stormwater management

Total external restrictions

1,212

–

1,064

–

Unrestricted receivables

9,424

–

9,648

–

10,636

–

10,712

–

Total net receivables

§Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

712 260 (355)

538 242 (68)

Movement in provision for impairment of receivables

Balance at the beginning of the year (calculated in accordance with AASB 139) + new provisions recognised during the year – amounts provided for but recovered during the year

Balance at the end of the year

continued on next page ...

617

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

712

Page 34 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-4 Receivables (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

Accounting policy Receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. Receivables are generally due for settlement within 30 days.

Impairment

Impairment of financial assets measured at amortised cost is recognised on an expected credit loss (ECL) basis. When determining whether the credit risk of a financial asset has increased significantly since initial recognition, and when estimating ECL, the Council considers reasonable and supportable information that is relevant and available without undue cost or effort. This includes both quantitative and qualitative information and analysis based on Council’s historical experience and informed credit assessment, and including forward-looking information. When considering the ECL for rates debtors, Council takes into account that unpaid rates represent a charge against the rateable property that will be recovered when the property is next sold. For non-rates debtors, Council uses the presumption that an asset which is more than 30 days past due has seen a significant increase in credit risk. The Council uses the presumption that a financial asset is in default when: • the other party is unlikely to pay its credit obligations to the Council in full, without recourse by the Council to actions such as realising security (if any is held) or • the financial assets (for non-rates debtors) are more than 90 days past due. Credit losses are measured as the present value of the difference between the cash flows due to the entity in accordance with the contract, and the cash flows expected to be received. This is applied using a probability weighted approach. On initial recognition of the asset, an estimate of the expected credit losses for the next 12 months is recognised. Where the asset has experienced significant increase in credit risk then the lifetime losses are estimated and recognised. Council uses the simplified approach for trade receivables where the expected lifetime credit losses are recognised on day 1. There has been no change in the estimation techniques or significant assumptions made during the current reporting period. The Council writes off a trade receivable when there is information indicating that the debtor is in severe financial difficulty and there is no realistic prospect of recovery, e.g. when the debtor has been placed under liquidation or has entered into bankruptcy proceedings. Where the Council renegotiates the terms of receivables due from certain customers, the new expected cash flows are discounted at the original effective interest rate and any resulting difference to the carrying value is recognised in profit or loss. Rates and annual charges outstanding are secured against the property.

Page 35 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-5 Inventories §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

(i) Inventories at cost Stores and materials

–

113

–

Total inventories at cost

–

113

–

Total inventories

–

113

–

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Raw materials and stores, work in progress and finished goods

Raw materials and stores, work in progress and finished goods are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Costs are assigned to individual items of inventory on the basis of weighted average costs. Costs of purchased inventory are determined after deducting rebates and discounts. Net realisable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business less the estimated costs of completion and the estimated costs necessary to make the sale.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 36 of 79

– (12,398) (4,184) (2,672) – – – –

(36,626) (43,501) (3,581) (176,535) (39,555) – (78,321) (42,305)

(2,973) (398)

(443,049)

38,643 21,227 5,621 4,157

214,951 171,412 6,925 727

121,619 145,665 11,999 589,633 105,486 112,971 156,586 103,377

3,931 444

1,815,374

Gross carrying amount Restated

Accumulated depreciation and impairment Restated

At 1 July 2020

1,372,325

958 46

84,993 102,164 8,418 413,098 65,931 112,971 78,265 61,072

214,951 171,412 6,925 727

38,643 8,829 1,437 1,485

Net carrying amount Restated

14,200 970 – 236 1,265 775 – – 1,849 – – 234 485 – 6 345 275 – 20,640

8,315 – 46 – – – – – 1,257 148 – 5,410 208 – 534 771 – – 16,689

Additions Additions renewals 1 new assets

(7,551)

(76) –

(1,183) – – – (4) – (4) (58)

(6,019) – – –

– (207) – –

(23,699)

(363) 3

(2,557) (2,711) – (7,723) (1,346) – (1,339) (4,551)

– – – –

– (2,328) (556) (228)

(17,111)

continued on next page ...

– –

(5,769) – – – – – – (4,357)

– (6,985) – –

– – – –

Impairment loss / revaluation decrements Carrying value of Depreciatio (recognise d in P/L) disposals n expense

–

– –

13,960 – – 121 1,768 – 2,547 6,021

– – – –

(24,603) – 4 182

–

– –

(9) (83) (8,418) – – – – 8,510

(891) (18,207) 19,024 –

74 – – –

(24,223)

– –

(10,271) (3,132) – – – – – (76)

– (10,744) – –

– – – –

23,736

101 –

– – – 9,005 921 2 3,581 –

7,925 – 2,201 –

– – – –

Revaluatio Revaluatio n n Adjustment decrements increments to equity to equity s and WIP (ARR) (ARR) transfers transfers

Asset movements during the reporting period

(2) Open Space and Other Structures asset categories have been merged into the one category as they contain assets of a similar nature.

(1) Renewals are defined as the replacement of existing assets (as opposed to the acquisition of new assets).

– Buildings – specialised – Other structures 2 – Roads – Footpaths – Bulk earthworks (non-depreciable) – Stormwater drainage – Open space and other structures 2 Other assets: – Library books – Other Total infrastructure, property, plant and equipment

Capital work in progress Plant and equipment Office equipment Furniture and fittings Land: – Operational land – Community land – Council controlled land – Land under roads (post 30/6/08) Infrastructure: – Buildings – non-specialised

$ '000

By aggregated asset class

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

C1-6 Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment

1,795,984

3,429 444

121,962 143,785 – 580,465 109,661 112,973 160,773 111,929

217,231 136,252 28,150 727

36,629 21,327 5,671 4,576

Gross carrying amount

1,360,812

897 49

82,270 96,385 – 420,146 67,965 112,973 83,590 67,677

217,231 136,252 28,150 727

36,629 7,264 930 1,677

Net carrying amount

Page 37 of 79

(435,172)

(2,532) (395)

(39,692) (47,400) – (160,319) (41,696) – (77,183) (44,252)

– – – –

– (14,063) (4,741) (2,899)

Accumulated depreciation and impairment

At 30 June 2021

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21 –

(27,774)

(3,140)

(384)

(424,626)

79,642

4,249

444

1,767,139

(42,695) (6,394) (179,718) (38,302)

146,248 15,836 589,246 103,824

(73,861)

(34,761)

109,614

149,530

– –

727 7,969

112,932

– –

1,342,513

1,109

51,868

75,669

112,932

103,553 9,442 409,528 65,522

74,853

727 7,969

209,047 181,109

1,715 1,708

28,245 7,457

Net carrying amount Restated

23,136

–

4,462

3,495

–

– – 4,825 2,200

725

– –

31 –

74 10

7,314 –

Additions renewals 1

45,351

–

428

10,025

–

30 17 553 1,663

11,351

– –

206 25

17,009 4,007

Additions new assets

continued on next page ...

(1) Renewals are defined as the replacement of existing assets (as opposed to the acquisition of new assets).

– Other open space/recreational assets Other assets: – Library books – Other Total infrastructure, property, plant and equipment

– Stormwater drainage

– Other structures – Roads – Footpaths – Bulk earthworks (non-depreciable)

– Buildings – specialised

– Operational land – Community land – Land under roads (post 30/6/08) – Council controlled land Infrastructure: – Buildings – non-specialised

209,047 181,109

(3,631) (2,415)

5,346 4,123

Capital work in progress Plant and equipment

Office equipment Furniture and fittings Land:

– (11,551)

28,245 19,008

$ '000

Accumulated depreciation and impairment Restated

At 1 July 2019

Gross carrying amount Restated

By aggregated asset class

§Note/Subtotal§

(603)

–

(55)

–

– – – –

–

– –

– (57)

– –

– (491)

(22,364)

(14)

(552)

(3,590)

(1,303)

–

(2,687) – (7,711) (1,338)

(2,208)

– –

(558) (257)

– (2,146)

(8,091)

–

(212)

–

– – – –

(3,309)

– (1,044)

– (3,526)

– –

Impairment loss / revaluation decrements (recognised in P/L)

(13,925)

–

– – – –

–

– –

(13,925) –

WIP transfers

–

– – – –

–

– –

6,114 (6,114)

– –

Adjustments and transfers

Asset movements during the reporting period

Carrying value of Depreciation expense disposals Restated

C1-6 Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment (continued)

(4,917)

–

(2,170)

–

(38) (353) – (2,115)

–

– –

(241) –

– –

Revaluation decrements to equity (ARR) Restated

11,250

–

368

1,321 – 5,902 –

3,591

– –

Revaluation increments to equity (ARR)

1,815,374

444

3,931

103,377

156,586

112,971

145,665 11,999 589,633 105,486

121,619

727 6,925

214,951 171,412

5,621 4,157

38,643 21,227

Gross carrying amount Restated

1,372,325

958

61,072

78,265

112,971

102,164 8,418 413,098 65,931

84,993

727 6,925

214,951 171,412

1,437 1,485

38,643 8,829

Net carrying amount Restated

Page 38 of 79

(443,049)

(398)

(2,973)

(42,305)

(78,321)

–

(43,501) (3,581) (176,535) (39,555)

(36,626)

– –

(4,184) (2,672)

– (12,398)

Accumulated depreciation and impairment Restated

At 30 June 2020

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-6 Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

Accounting policy

Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment are held at fair value. Independent comprehensive valuations are performed at least every five years, however the carrying amount of assets is assessed by Council at each reporting date to confirm that it is not materially different from current fair value. Increases in the carrying amounts arising on revaluation are credited to the revaluation reserve. To the extent that the increase reverses a decrease previously recognising profit or loss relating to that asset class, the increase is first recognised as profit or loss. Decreases that reverse previous increases of assets in the same class are first charged against revaluation reserves directly in equity to the extent of the remaining reserve attributable to the class; all other decreases are charged to the Income Statement. Subsequent costs are included in the asset’s carrying amount or recognised as a separate asset, as appropriate, only when it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to Council and the cost of the item can be measured reliably. All other repairs and maintenance are charged to the Income Statement during the financial period in which they are incurred. When infrastructure, property, plant and equipment are acquired by Council for nil or nominal consideration, the assets are initially recognised at their fair value at acquisition date. Land is not depreciated. The property, plant and equipment acquired under finance leases is depreciated over the asset’s useful life or over the shorter of the asset’s useful life and the lease term if there is no reasonable certainty that the Council will obtain ownership at the end of the lease term. Depreciation on other assets is calculated using the straight-line method to allocate their cost, net of their residual values, over their estimated useful lives as follows: Plant and equipment Office equipment Office furniture Computer equipment Vehicles Heavy plant/road making equipment Other plant and equipment Transportation assets Sealed roads: surface Sealed roads: structure Unsealed roads Bridge: concrete Bridge: other Road pavements Kerb, gutter and footpaths

Years 2 to 10 10 to 20 2 to 4 3 to 8 3 to 30 3 to 20

25 to 40 50 to 100 20 100 50 60 to 80 30 to 250

Other equipment Playground equipment Benches, seats etc.

Years 5 to 15 10 to 20

Buildings Buildings: masonry Buildings: other

50 to 200 15 to 60

Stormwater assets Drains Culverts Flood control structures

80 to 150 20 to 150 80 to 100

Other infrastructure assets Bulk earthworks Swimming pools Other open space/recreational assets Other infrastructure The assets’ residual values and useful lives are reviewed, and adjusted if appropriate, at each reporting date.

Infinite 50 to 75 5 to 150 5 to 100

Land under roads

Land under roads is land under roadways and road reserves including land under footpaths, nature strips and median strips. Council has elected not to recognise land under roads acquired before 1 July 2008 in accordance with AASB 1051 Land Under Roads. Land under roads acquired after 1 July 2008 is recognised in accordance with AASB 116 Property, Plant and Equipment.

Crown reserves

Crown reserves under Council’s care and control are recognised as assets of the Council. While ownership of the reserves remains with the Crown, Council retains operational control of the reserves and is responsible for their maintenance and use in accordance with the specific purposes to which the reserves are dedicated. Improvements on Crown reserves are also recorded as assets, while maintenance costs incurred by Council and revenues relating to the reserves are recognised within Council’s Income Statement.

Page 39 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-7 Investment properties §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

Owned investment property

Investment property on hand at fair value

Total owned investment property

20,000

19,310

20,000

19,310

19,310 547 143

17,660 1,640 10

Owned investment property §Subnote§

At fair value

Opening balance at 1 July Net gain/(loss) from fair value adjustments Other movements

Closing balance at 30 June

20,000

19,310

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Investment property, principally comprising freehold office buildings, is held for long-term rental yields and is not occupied by the Council. Changes in fair values are recorded in the Income Statement as a separate line item. Properties that are under construction for future use as investment properties are regarded as investment property. These are also carried at fair value unless the fair value cannot yet be reliably determined. Where that is the case, the property will be accounted for at cost until either the fair value becomes reliably determinable or construction is complete.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 40 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C1-8 Intangible assets Intangible assets are as follows: §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

§Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

4,205 (2,979) 1,226

3,927 (2,565) 1,362

278

(417)

(414)

4,297 (3,396)

4,205 (2,979)

901

1,226

901

1,226

Software Opening values at 1 July Gross book value Accumulated amortisation Net book value – opening balance Movements for the year Purchases Amortisation charges Closing values at 30 June Gross book value Accumulated amortisation

Total software – net book value

Total intangible assets – net book value §Subnote§

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Software

Costs incurred in developing products or systems and costs incurred in acquiring software and licenses that will contribute to future period financial benefits through revenue generation and/or cost reduction are capitalised to software and systems. Costs capitalised include external direct costs of materials and services, direct payroll, and payroll related costs of employees’ time spent on the project. Amortisation is calculated on a straight line basis over periods generally ranging from three to five years. Software development costs include only those costs directly attributable to the development phase and are only recognised following completion of technical feasibility, and where Council has an intention and ability to use the asset.

Page 41 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Leasing activities

C2-1 Council as a lessee §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

IT equipment

Leases for IT equipment are generally for low value assets, except for significant items such as photocopiers and servers. The leases are for between 2 and 5 years, the payments are fixed, and there is a renewal option. Due to advances in technology, it is unlikley that Council would renew the leases at the end of the term.

(a) §Subnote§

Right of use assets

$ '000

IT Equipment

Total

2021 Opening balance at 1 July

162

Depreciation charge

(43)

Balance at 30 June

119

2020 Adoption of AASB 16 at 1 July 2019 – first time lease recognition Additions to right-of-use assets Depreciation charge

62 131 (31)

162

Balance at 30 June

(b) §Subnote§

Lease liabilities

$ '000 Lease liabilities

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

118

Total lease liabilities (1)

2021 Current

118

All lease liabilities are in relation to IT equipment right of use assets

(i) The maturity analysis

The maturity analysis of lease liabilities based on contractual undiscounted cash flows is shown in the table below:

< 1 year

1 – 5 years

Total

Total per Statement of Financial Position

2021 Cash flows

118

2020 Cash flows

118

160

$ '000

(d) §Subnote§

Income Statement

The amounts recognised in the Income Statement relating to leases where Council is a lessee are shown below: $ '000 Interest on lease liabilities Depreciation of right of use assets Expenses relating to low-value leases continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

2021

2020

2 43 277

2 31 186 Page 42 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C2-1 Council as a lessee (continued)

$ '000

(e) §Subnote§

(f)

219

2021

2020

(322)

(219)

Statement of Cash Flows

Total cash outflow for leases

§Subnote§

322

(322)

(219)

Leases at significantly below market value – concessionary / peppercorn leases

Accounting policy §Subnote§

At inception of a contract, Council assesses whether a lease exists – i.e. does the contract convey the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Council has elected not to separate non-lease components from lease components for any class of asset and has accounted for payments as a single component. At the lease commencement, Council recognises a right-of-use asset and associated lease liability for the lease term. The lease term includes extension periods where Council believes it is reasonably certain that the option will be exercised. The right-of-use asset is measured using the cost model where cost on initial recognition comprises: the lease liability, initial direct costs, prepaid lease payments, estimated cost of removal and restoration, less any lease incentives. The right-of-use is depreciated over the lease term on a straight-line basis and assessed for impairment in accordance with the impairment of asset accounting policy. The lease liability is initially recognised at the present value of the remaining lease payments at the commencement of the lease. The discount rate is the rate implicit in the lease, however where this cannot be readily determined then the Council’s incremental borrowing rate for a similar term with similar security is used. Subsequent to initial recognition, the lease liability is measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. The lease liability is re-measured when there is a lease modification, or change in estimate of the lease term or index upon which the lease payments are based (e.g. CPI). Where the lease liability is re-measured, the right-of-use asset is adjusted to reflect the re-measurement. Exceptions to lease accounting Council has applied the exceptions to lease accounting for both short-term leases (i.e. leases with a term of less than or equal to 12 months) and leases of low-value assets. Council recognises the payments associated with these leases as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Page 43 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Liabilities of Council

C3-1 Payables §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

3,413 1,769 747

– – –

4,226 2,583 717

– – –

2,871 5,170 9,741 24 2,207

– – – – –

2,724 4,792 10,062 26 141

– – – – –

Payables

Goods and services – operating expenditure Goods and services – capital expenditure Prepaid rates Accrued expenses: – Salaries and wages – Other expenditure accruals Security bonds, deposits and retentions ATO fringe benefits tax Other

Total payables

25,942

–

25,271

–

25,942

–

25,271

–

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

Externally restricted assets Domestic waste management Payables relating to externally restricted assets

1,767 1,767

– –

3,216 3,216

– –

Total payables relating to restricted assets

1,767

–

3,216

–

24,175

–

22,055

–

25,942

–

25,271

–

Total payables Payables relating to restricted assets §Subnote§

$ '000

Total payables relating to unrestricted assets

Total payables

continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 44 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C3-1 Payables (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

Current payables not anticipated to be settled within the next twelve months $ '000

2021

2020

The following liabilities, even though classified as current, are not expected to be settled in the next 12 months. Payables – security bonds, deposits and retentions

7,141

7,861

Total payables

7,141

7,861

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Council measures all financial liabilities initially at fair value less transaction costs, subsequently financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method.

Payables

Payables represent liabilities for goods and services provided to Council prior to the end of financial year that are unpaid. The amounts are unsecured and are usually paid within 30 days of recognition.

C3-2 Contract Liabilities §Note§

§TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000 Grants and contributions received in advance: Unexpended capital grants (to construct Council controlled assets) Unexpended operating grants (received prior to performance obligation being satisfied)

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

(i)

6,324

–

626

4,644

(ii)

682

–

531

7,006

–

1,157

4,653

657

–

452

–

Notes

Total grants received in advance Other

Total contract liabilities

7,663

–

1,609

4,653

Notes (i) Council has received funding to construct assets including sporting facilities, bridges, library and other infrastructure. The funds received are under an enforceable contract which require Council to construct an identified asset which will be under Council’s control on completion. The revenue is recognised as Council constructs the asset and the contract liability reflects the funding received which cannot yet be recognised as revenue. The revenue is expected to be recognised in the next 12 months. (ii) The contract liability relates to grants received prior to the revenue recognition criteria in AASB 15 being satisfied since the performance obligations are ongoing.

Contract liabilities relating to restricted assets §Subnote§

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

3,701

–

1,636

–

3,701

–

1,636

–

Total contract liabilities relating to restricted assets

3,701

–

1,636

–

Total contract liabilities relating to unrestricted assets

3,962

–

(27)

4,653

$ '000 Externally restricted assets Unspent grants held as contract liabilities (excl. Water & Sewer) Contract liabilities relating to externally restricted assets

continued on next page ...

Page 45 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C3-2 Contract Liabilities (continued) Total contract liabilities

7,663

–

1,609

4,653

Revenue recognised that was included in the contract liability balance at the beginning of the period §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

Grants and contributions received in advance: Capital grants (to construct Council controlled assets) Operating grants (received prior to performance obligation being satisfied)

1,574 476

4,587 499

Total revenue recognised that was included in the contract liability balance at the beginning of the period

2,050

5,086

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Contract liabilities are recorded when consideration is received from a customer / fund provider prior to Council transferring a good or service to the customer, Council presents the funds which exceed revenue recognised as a contract liability.

C3-3 Borrowings §Note§

§TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000 Loans – secured

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

500

125

500

625

Total borrowings (1)

500

125

500

625

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

500

125

500

625

500

125

500

625

Loans are secured over the general rating income of Council.

Borrowings relating to restricted assets §Subnote§

$ '000

Total borrowings relating to unrestricted assets

Total borrowings

Current borrowings not anticipated to be settled within the next twelve months §Subnote§

The following borrowings, even though classified as current, are not expected to be settled in the next 12 months.

(a) §Subnote§

Changes in liabilities arising from financing activities

Opening Balance

Cash flows

Non-cash movements Acquisition due to change in accounting policy

1,125 160

(500) (42)

– –

2020

$ '000 Loans – secured Lease liability (Note C2-1b)

Total liabilities from financing activities

1,285

(542)

2021

Closing balance 625 118

–

743

Non-cash movements

2020

§Subnote§

2019 continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 46 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C3-3 Borrowings (continued) Opening Balance

$ '000 Loans – secured Lease liability (Note C2-1b)

Total liabilities from financing activities

(b) §Subnote§

Acquisition due to change in accounting policy Cash flows

Closing balance

1,625 –

(500) (34)

– 194

1,125 160

1,625

(534)

194

1,285

Financing arrangements

$ '000

2021

2020

650 250 1,310

Total facilities

Bank overdraft facilities 1 Credit cards/purchase cards Other - Bank Guarantee

Total financing arrangements

2,210

37 410

35 1,310

Drawn facilities

– Credit cards/purchase cards – Other - Bank Guarantee

Total drawn financing arrangements

447

1,345

650 213 900

650 215 –

Undrawn facilities

– Bank overdraft facilities – Credit cards/purchase cards – Other - Bank Guarantee

Total undrawn financing arrangements (1)

1,763

865

The bank overdraft facility may be drawn at any time and may be terminated by the bank without notice.

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Council measures all financial liabilities initially at fair value less transaction costs, subsequently financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. Fees paid on the establishment of loan facilities are recognised as transaction costs of the loan to the extent that it is probable that some or all of the facility will be drawn down. Borrowings are removed from the Statement of Financial Position when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled or expired. The difference between the carrying amount of a financial liability that has been extinguished or transferred to another party and the consideration paid, including any non-cash assets transferred or liabilities assumed, is recognised in other income or borrowing costs.

Page 47 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C3-4 Employee benefit provisions §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000 Annual leave Sick leave Long service leave Other leave – RDO and TOIL

Total employee benefit provisions

2021 Current

2021 Non-current

2020 Current

2020 Non-current

4,798 333 9,027 224

– – 609 –

4,620 360 8,675 279

– – 567 –

14,382

609

13,934

567

Current employee benefit provisions not anticipated to be settled within the next twelve months §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

The following provisions, even though classified as current, are not expected to be settled in the next 12 months. Provisions – employees benefits

9,659

2020

8,608

Description of and movements in provisions §Subnote§

§Total§

ELE provisions

$ '000

Annual leave

Long service leave Sick leave

Other employee benefits

Total

2021

At beginning of year Additional provisions Amounts used (payments) Remeasurement effects Other – LSL Receipts Total ELE provisions at end of year

4,620 3,230 (3,109) 57 – 4,798

360 5 (23) (9) – 333

9,242 1,000 (625) 105 (86) 9,636

279 166 (217) (4) – 224

14,501 4,401 (3,974) 149 (86) 14,991

4,105 3,319 (3,113) 309 – 4,620

495 6 (131) (10) – 360

9,480 1,221 (1,415) 68 (112) 9,242

331 63 (138) 23 – 279

14,411 4,609 (4,797) 390 (112) 14,501

2020 At beginning of year Additional provisions Amounts used (payments) Remeasurement effects Other – LSL Receipts Total ELE provisions at end of year

Accounting policy §Subnote§

Short-term obligations Liabilities for wages and salaries (including non-monetary benefits, annual leave and accumulating sick leave expected to be wholly settled within 12 months after the end of the period in which the employees render the related service) are recognised in respect of employees' services up to the end of the reporting period and are measured at the amounts expected to be paid when the liabilities are settled. The liability for annual leave and accumulating sick leave is recognised in the provision for employee benefits. All other short-term employee benefit obligations are presented as payables. Other long-term employee benefit obligations The liability for long-service leave and annual leave that is not expected to be wholly settled within 12 months after the end of the period in which the employees render the related service is recognised in the provision for employee benefits and measured as the present value of expected future payments to be made in respect of services provided by employees up to the end of the reporting period using the projected unit credit method. Consideration is given to expected future wage and salary levels, experience of employee departures, and periods of service. Expected future payments are discounted using market yields at the end of the reporting period on national government bonds with terms to maturity and currency that match, as closely as possible, the estimated future cash outflows.

continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 48 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

C3-4 Employee benefit provisions (continued) On-costs The employee benefit provisions include the aggregate on-cost liabilities that will arise when payment of current employee benefits is made in future periods. These amounts include superannuation and payroll tax expenses which will be payable upon the future payment of certain leave liabilities which employees are entitled to at the reporting period. The obligations are presented as current liabilities in the Statement of Financial Position if the Council does not have an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least 12 months after the reporting date, regardless of when the actual settlement is expected to occur.

C3-5 Provisions §Note§

§TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021 Current

2021 Non-Current

2020 Current

2020 Non-Current

313 457 770

13 – 13

196 160 356

8 – 8

770

356

Other provisions Other - Workers Compensation Other Sub-total – other provisions

Total provisions Description of and movements in provisions §Subnote§

Nature and purpose of provisions §Subnote§

Other - Workers Compensation To recognise liabilities for Workers Compensation expense in relation to the Employee Benefits provisions. Other To recognise liabilities for planned redundancies.

Accounting policy

Provisions are recognised when Council has a present legal or constructive obligation as a result of past events, it is probable that an outflow of resources will be required to settle the obligation, and the amount has been reliably estimated. Where there are a number of similar obligations, the likelihood that an outflow will be required in settlement is determined by considering the class of obligations as a whole. A provision is recognised even if the likelihood of an outflow with respect to any one item included in the same class of obligations may be small. Provisions are measured at the present value of management’s best estimate of the expenditure required to settle the present obligation at the reporting date. The discount rate used to determine the present value reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the liability. The increase in the provision due to the passage of time is recognised as a borrowing cost.

Page 49 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Reserves

C4-1 Nature and purpose of reserves §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment revaluation reserve

The infrastructure, property, plant and equipment (IPPE) revaluation reserve is used to record increments and decrements in the revaluation of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 50 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Risks and accounting uncertainties

D1-1 Risks relating to financial instruments held §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Council’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks including (1) price risk, (2) credit risk, (3) liquidity risk and (4) interest rate risk. The Council’s overall risk management program focuses on the unpredictability of financial markets and seeks to minimise potential adverse effects on the financial performance of the Council. Council does not engage in transactions expressed in foreign currencies and is therefore not subject to foreign currency risk. Financial risk management is carried out by Council’s finance section under policies approved by the Council. A comparison by category of the carrying amounts and fair values of Council’s financial assets and financial liabilities recognised in the financial statements is presented below.

$ '000

Carrying value 2021

Carrying value 2020

Fair value 2021

Fair value 2020

24,744 10,636

24,583 10,712

24,745 10,968

24,583 9,995

104,013

80,000

104,013

80,000

31,534

40,574

31,534

40,574

Financial assets

Measured at amortised cost Cash and cash equivalents Receivables Investments – Debt securities at amortised cost Fair value through profit and loss Investments – Managed funds and Floating Rate Notes

Total financial assets

170,927

155,869

171,260

155,152

25,942 625

25,271 1,125

25,923 625

24,553 1,125

Financial liabilities Payables Loans/advances

Total financial liabilities

26,567

26,396

26,548

25,678

Fair value is determined as follows: •

Cash and cash equivalents, receivables, payables – are estimated to be the carrying value that approximates market value.

•

Borrowings and measure at amortised cost investments – are based upon estimated future cash flows discounted by the current market interest rates applicable to assets and liabilities with similar risk profiles, unless quoted market prices are available.

•

Financial assets classified (i) at fair value through profit and loss or (ii) at fair value through other comprehensive income – are based upon quoted market prices (in active markets for identical investments) at the reporting date or independent valuation.

Council’s objective is to maximise its return on cash and investments whilst maintaining an adequate level of liquidity and preserving capital. Council's finance area manages the cash and Investments portfolio with the assistance of independent advisors. Council has an investment policy which complies with the Local Government Act 1993 and Minister’s investment order 625. This policy is regularly reviewed by Council and its staff and an investment report is tabled before Council on a monthly basis setting out the portfolio breakup and its performance as required by Local Government regulations. The risks associated with the instruments held are: •

Price risk – the risk that the capital value of Investments may fluctuate due to changes in market prices, whether there changes are caused by factors specific to individual financial instruments or their issuers or are caused by factors affecting similar instruments traded in a market.

•

Interest rate risk – the risk that movements in interest rates could affect returns and income.

continued on next page ...

Page 51 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D1-1 Risks relating to financial instruments held (continued) •

Liquidity risk – the risk that Council will not be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due.

Credit risk – the risk that the investment counterparty will not complete their obligations particular to a financial instrument, resulting in a financial loss to Council – be it of a capital or income nature. Council manages these risks (amongst other measures) by diversifying its portfolio and only purchasing investments with high credit ratings or capital guarantees. •

Council also seeks advice from independent advisers before placing any funds in cash equivalents and investments.

(a) §Subnote§

Market risk – interest rate and price risk

$ '000 The impact on result for the year and equity of a reasonably possible movement in the price of investments held and interest rates is shown below. The reasonably possible movements were determined based on historical movements and economic conditions in place at the reporting date. Impact of a 1% movement in interest rates – Equity / Income Statement Impact of a 10% movement in price of investments – Equity / Income Statement

continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

2021

2020

1,603

1,452

3,153

4,057

Page 52 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D1-1 Risks relating to financial instruments held (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

(b)

Credit risk

Council’s major receivables comprise (i) rates and annual charges and (ii) user charges and fees. Council manages the credit risk associated with these receivables by monitoring outstanding debt and employing stringent debt recovery procedures. Council also encourages ratepayers to pay their rates by the due date through incentives. There are no significant concentrations of credit risk, whether through exposure to individual customers, specific industry sectors and/or regions. Council makes suitable provision for doubtful receivables as required and carries out credit checks on most non-rate debtors. There are no material receivables that have been subjected to a re-negotiation of repayment terms.

Credit risk profile §Total§

Receivables – rates and annual charges

Credit risk on rates and annual charges is minimised by the ability of Council to recover these debts as a secured charge over the land; that is, the land can be sold to recover the debt. Council is also able to charge interest on overdue rates and annual charges at higher than market rates which further encourages payment. $ '000

Not yet overdue

< 1 year overdue

1 - 2 years overdue

2 - 5 years overdue

> 5 years overdue

Total

–

2,864

1,056

313

–

4,233

–

2,829

934

100

–

3,863

2021

Gross carrying amount

2020 Gross carrying amount

Receivables - non-rates and annual charges and contract assets §Total§

Council applies the simplified approach for non-rates and annual charges debtors and contract assets to provide for expected credit losses, which permits the use of the lifetime expected loss provision at inception. To measure the expected credit losses, non-rates and annual charges debtors and contract assets have been grouped based on shared credit risk characteristics and the days past due. The loss allowance provision is determined as follows. The expected credit losses incorporate forward-looking information. $ '000

Not yet overdue

0 - 30 days overdue

31 - 60 days overdue

61 - 90 days overdue

> 91 days overdue

Total

3,846

281

1,185

205

1,503

7,020

5,355

200

160

287

1,559

7,561

2021

Gross carrying amount

2020 Gross carrying amount

continued on next page ...

Page 53 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D1-1 Risks relating to financial instruments held (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

(c)

Liquidity risk

Payables, lease liabilities and borrowings are both subject to liquidity risk; that is, the risk that insufficient funds may be on hand to meet payment obligations as and when they fall due. Council manages this risk by monitoring its cash flow requirements and liquidity levels, and by maintaining an adequate cash buffer. Payment terms can be extended, and overdraft facilities drawn upon in extenuating circumstances. Council has been proactive in managing cashflow during the COVID-19 pandemic by improving the debt recovery processes in both rates receivables and sundry debtors. Council also sold some property to increase its cash reserves. Council will continue to monitor cash flow requirements closely as it is unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact customers ability to pay their debts in full and on time. Borrowings are also subject to interest rate risk: the risk that movements in interest rates could adversely affect funding costs. Council manages this risk through diversification of borrowing types, maturities and interest rate structures. The finance team regularly reviews interest rate movements to determine if it would be advantageous to refinance or renegotiate part or all of the loan portfolio. The timing of cash flows presented in the table below to settle financial liabilities reflects the earliest contractual settlement dates. The timing of expected outflows is not expected to be materially different from contracted cashflows. The amounts disclosed in the table are the undiscounted contracted cash flows for non-lease liabilities (refer to Note C2-1(b) for lease liabilities) and therefore the balances in the table may not equal the balances in the Statement of Financial Position due to the effect of discounting.

$ '000 2021 Trade/other payables Loans and advances

Total financial liabilities 2020 Trade/other payables Loans and advances

Total financial liabilities

Weighted average interest rate

Subject to no maturity

0.00% 1.98%

9,741 –

0.00% 2.04%

payable in: 1-5 ≤ 1 Year > 5 Years Years 15,435 512

– 127

– –

Total cash outflows

Actual carrying values

25,176 639

25,195 625

9,741

15,947

127

–

25,815

25,820

10,062 –

14,492 523

– 640

– –

24,554 1,163

24,554 1,125

10,062

15,015

640

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

–

25,717

25,679

Page 54 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D2-1 Fair value measurement §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

The Council measures the following asset and liability classes at fair value on a recurring basis: – Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment – Investment property – Financial assets and liabilities The fair value of assets and liabilities must be estimated in accordance with various accounting standards for either recognition and measurement requirements or for disclosure purposes.

Fair value hierarchy All assets and liabilities measured at fair value are assigned to a level in the fair value hierarchy as follows: Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the entity can access at the measurement date. Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3: Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. The table below shows the assigned level for each class of asset and liability held at fair value by Council: §Subnote§

Fair value measurement hierarchy

$ '000

Level 2 Significant observable inputs 2021 2020 Notes

Level 3 Significant unobservable inputs 2021 2020 Restated

Total 2021

2020 Restated

Recurring fair value measurements Financial assets Financial investments At fair value through profit or loss

C1-2

–

Total financial assets Investment property

Total investment property

Plant and equipment Office equipment Furniture and fittings Operational land Community land Council controlled land Land under roads (post 30/6/08) Buildings – non-specialised Buildings – specialised Roads and bridges Footpaths Open space and other structures Stormwater drainage Library books Other assets

Total infrastructure, property, plant and equipment

continued on next page ...

31,534

40,574

31,534

40,574

–

31,534

40,574

31,534

40,574

20,000

19,310

–

20,000

19,310

20,000

19,310

–

20,000

19,310

– – – – – –

7,264 930 1,677 217,231 136,252 28,150

8,829 1,437 1,485 214,951 171,412 6,925

7,264 930 1,677 217,231 136,252 28,150

8,829 1,437 1,485 214,951 171,412 6,925

– – – – –

727 82,270 96,385 533,119 67,965

727 84,993 102,164 526,069 65,931

727 82,270 96,385 533,119 67,965

727 84,993 102,164 526,069 65,931

– – – –

67,677 83,590 897 49

61,072 78,265 958 46

67,677 83,590 897 49

61,072 78,265 958 46

–

1,324,183

1,333,682

1,324,183

1,333,682

C1-7

Properties held with the primary purpose of external lease

Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment

–

C1-6

Page 55 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D2-1 Fair value measurement (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

Valuation techniques Where Council is unable to derive fair valuations using quoted market prices of identical assets (ie. level 1 inputs) Council instead utilises a spread of both observable inputs (level 2 inputs) and unobservable inputs (level 3 inputs). The fair valuation techniques Council has employed while utilising level 2 and level 3 inputs are as follows: ◾

Financial assets

Council obtains valuations from independent investment advisors (CPG Research and Advisory Pty Ltd) on a monthly basis and at the end of each reporting period to ensure the financial statements reflect the most up-to-date valuations. Council holds various FRNs, covered and fixed interest bonds that are considered level 3 assets. Council obtains valuations from the arranger/issuer/bank on a monthly basis and/or at the end of each accounting period to ensure the financial statements reflect the most up to date valuation. The valuations sourced from the arranger/issuer/bank are based on mid-market prices. That is, valuations are marked at the mid-point of the bid and ask prices, which are variable (unobservable inputs), in the secondary market. ◾

Investment property

Council undertakes valuations of its investment property portfolio on an annual basis and at the end of each reporting period the financial statements reflect the most up-to-date valuation. The best estimate of fair value is the current price in an active market for similar assets; the following inputs are used where necessary: • •

Current prices in an active market for similar assets or similar properties in less active markets Discounted cash flow projections based on estimates of future cash inflows and outflows ‐ All investment properties are included in level 2 of the hierarchy with the key observable input to the valuation being the price per square metre.

The fair value of investment properties is determined by independent, qualified valuers who have experience in the location of the property. The revaluation of council’s investment properties building component was performed by Australis Asset Advisory Group as at 30 June 2021. ◾

Land (Operational, Community, Council Controlled and Land Under Roads)

Council obtains independent valuations of its Operational Land portfolio on a cyclic basis. Suitably qualified internal staff ensure that the fair value reported does not differ materially from actual fair value. In order to ascertain appropriate values to the Operational and Community Land, Council have primarily applied the Direct Comparison Approach. This approach involves investigation of vacant land sales evidence with comparable or similar characteristics. The various land components are analysed in order to derive a fair market value. For community and other special purpose land where there are a limited number of market transactions, Council have considered the market evidence of parcels of land of similar characteristics (but not restricted in use) with an appropriate discount applied for the property’s current zoning. The best estimate of fair value is the current price in an active market for similar assets; the following inputs are used where necessary: •

Current prices in active markets for similar assets or similar land parcels in less active markets ‐ Community and other special purpose land assets are included in level 3 of the hierarchy with the key unobservable input to the valuation being the price per square metre. Operational Land values are at indexation to reflect the inherent utility afforded from the 2020/21 valuation. ‐ Australis Asset Advisory Group performed an independent desktop valuation of Operational Land assets for the period ending 30 June 2021. Desktop valuations for Community and Council Controlled Land have been valued using Valuer General (VG) price per square metre for the period ending 30 June 2021. Land Under Roads (post 2008) was desktop valued using VG rates as at 30 June 2021.

continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 56 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D2-1 Fair value measurement (continued) ◾

Buildings

Specialised buildings are assets which, due to their particular design, application or use, are not normally traded within an established market and thus the basis for valuation of these buildings is the cost approach. Depreciated replacement cost is a method of valuation that is based on an estimate of the current cost of replacing the asset with a similar asset, less an allowance for the effect of depreciation (accrued physical wear and tear), and economic and functional obsolescence. Thus the following inputs and assumptions are used in determining fair value: • • •

Breakdown of building into relevant components comprising some or all of; External walls, windows and doors; Roof including framing and guttering; Electricals & lighting; Fire Equipment; Air Conditioning; Hot Water System; Lifts; Fitout, Fixtures & Fittings; Exterior Works & Landscaping; and Residual Structure. The straight line method of depreciation has been adopted which is based on the premise that the loss in value is in equal amounts over the full extent of the components/assets life. The effective lives of component/asset are the estimated life of that component/asset, assuming use in its present function, as part of a continuing business.

Specialised buildings are included in level 3 of the hierarchy with the key unobservable inputs being the effective lives and component condition / allowance for depreciation. Australis Asset Advisory Group performed an independent comprehensive valuation of Specialised building assets as at 30 June 2021. Non-specialised buildings are those for which a market exists and as such the best estimate of fair value is the current price in an active market for similar assets; the following inputs are used where necessary: • •

Current prices in an active market for similar assets or similar properties in less active markets. Comprehensive reference on building costs and useful lives.

Non-specialised buildings are included in level 3 of the hierarchy with the key unobservable input to the valuation being the price per square metre. Australis Asset Advisory Group performed an independent comprehensive valuation of Non-specialised building assets as at 30 June 2021. ◾

Open space, other structures, roads and bridges, footpaths, and stormwater drainage

Council obtains independent valuations on a cyclic basis and utilises suitably qualified internal staff to undertake interim revaluations as appropriate to ensure that reported fair value does not differ materially from actual fair value. These classes of assets are specialised in nature and not readily bought or sold on the open market thus the valuation technique adopted is the cost approach utilising the depreciated replacement cost concept. The following inputs are used where necessary: • • • • • • •

Pattern of Consumption Components Useful life Asset Condition Dimensions and specifications Relationship between condition rating and value (determining remaining life, useful life, etc.) Unit Rates

The asset classes other structures, roads and bridges, footpaths, open space, and stormwater drainage are included in level 3 of the hierarchy with the key unobservable inputs being condition rating, useful life and remaining life. Open space and other structure assets were desktop valued by JLL Public Sector Valuations Pty Ltd as at 30 June 2021. Stormwater drainage were comprehensively valued by APV Valuers and Asset Management as at 30 June 2021. Footpaths, Roads and Bridges were desktop valued by APV Valuers and Asset Management as at 30 June 2021.

continued on next page ...

Page 57 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D2-1 Fair value measurement (continued) §Note/Subtotal§

Fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (level 3)

continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 58 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D2-1 Fair value measurement (continued) The valuation process for level 3 fair value measurements Asset Category/ Comprehensive Description of Valuation Frequency processes Class §Note/Subtotal§ §Total§

Valuer

Responsibility

Financial Assets

Monthly

Monthly Valuation using the current price External in an active market for simiilar assets

Investment Properties

Annually

Full external valuation External every year

Strategic Property / Finance

Infrastructure

3 years per asset class

3 year valuation cycle 1 Comprehensive and Internal/External 2 Desktop

Assets & Infrastructure Directorate/Finance

Plant and equipment, office equipment and Annually furniture and fittings

Assessment of remaining useful life undertaken annually which impacts on the fair value

Assets & Infrastructure Directorate/Finance

Operational land

3 years

3 year valuation cycle 1 Comprehensive and External 2 Desktop

Assets & Infrastructure Directorate/Finance

Community land

3 years

Valuer-General land values or average unit Valuer General rate for similar / Internal properties if not available

Finance

Buildings – non specialised and specialised

3 years

3 year valuation cycle 1 comprehensive and 2 External desktop

Assets & Infrastructure Directorate/Finance

Land improvement non-depreciable

3 years

Full valuation every 5 Internal years or index applied

Assets & Infrastructure Directorate/Finance

Open space and other structures

3 years

3 year valuation cycle 1 Comprehensive and External 2 Desktop

Assets & Infrastructure Directorate/Finance

N/A

Assessment of remaining useful life undertaken annually which impacts on the fair value

Library/Finance

Library books

continued on next page ...

Internal

Finance Department

Page 59 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D2-1 Fair value measurement (continued) Significant unobservable valuation inputs used (for level 3 asset classes) and their relationship to fair value. §Note/Subtotal§ §Total§

The following table summarises the quantitative information relating to the significant unobservable inputs used in deriving the various level 3 asset class fair values. Valuation technique/s

Unobservable inputs

Financial Assets Investment property

Market Approach Income or Market Approach

Plant and Equipment Office Equipment Furniture and Fittings Library Collection Land: Operational Land Community Land Council Controlled Land Land Under Roads Open Space Land Improvements Other Structures Buildings: Specialised Non-Specialised

Cost Approach

Unit Price Estimated rental value (per sq metre) Rental Yield Open Market Value Gross Replacement Cost Remaining Useful Life Residual Value

Infrastructure: Roads Footpaths Bulk Earthworks Stormwater drainage

Cost Approach

Market Approach

Price per square metre Discount rate to account for zoning and other constraints on development and the potential for alternative use.

VG value (price per square metre) for Community Land Cost Approach

Condition Useful and Remaining Life Unit Rates Condition Useful and Remaining Life Component replacement rates Allowance for economic and functional obsolescence Condition Useful and Remaining Life Residual Value Unit Rates Condition Useful and Remaining Life Unit Rates Residual Value

Cost Approach

A reconciliation of the movements in recurring fair value measurements allocated to Level 3 of the hierarchy is provided below: §Total§

$ '000 Opening balance Total gains or losses for the period Recognised in profit or loss – realised (refer to Note B4-1) Recognised in other comprehensive income – revaluation surplus Other movements Purchases (GBV) Disposals (WDV) Depreciation and impairment Closing balance

Financial assets 2021

2020

IPP&E 2021

Total 2021

2020 Restated

40,574

57,461

1,333,682

1,314,268

1,374,256

1,371,729

(17,111)

(8,091)

(17,014)

(8,012)

–

(487)

6,371

(487)

6,371

5,093 (14,230) – 31,534

9,500 (26,466) – 40,574

39,348 (7,551) (23,699) 1,324,182

44,102 (603) (22,365) 1,333,682

44,441 (21,781) (23,699) 1,355,716

53,602 (27,069) (22,365) 1,374,256

Highest and best use §Subnote§

All of Council’s non-financial assets are considered as being utilised for their highest and best use.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 60 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D3-1 Contingencies §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

The following assets and liabilities do not qualify for recognition in the Statement of Financial Position, but their knowledge and disclosure is considered relevant to the users of Council’s financial report. LIABILITIES NOT RECOGNISED 1. Guarantees (i) Defined benefit superannuation contribution plans Council is party to an Industry Defined Benefit Plan under the Local Government Superannuation Scheme, named The Local Government Superannuation Scheme – Pool B (the Scheme) which is a defined benefit plan that has been deemed to be a ‘multi-employer fund’ for purposes of AASB119 Employee Benefits for the following reasons: – Assets are not segregated within the sub-group according to the employees of each sponsoring employer. – The contribution rates have been the same for all sponsoring employers. That is, contribution rates have not varied for each sponsoring employer according to the experience relating to the employees of that sponsoring employer. – Benefits for employees of all sponsoring employers are determined according to the same formulae and without regard to the sponsoring employer. – The same actuarial assumptions are currently used in respect of the employees of each sponsoring employer. Given the factors above, each sponsoring employer is exposed to the actuarial risks associated with current and former employees of other sponsoring employers, and hence shares in the associated gains and losses (to the extent that they are not borne by members). Description of the funding arrangements. Pooled Employers are required to pay future service employer contributions and past service employer contributions to the Fund. The future service employer contributions were determined using the new entrant rate method under which a contribution rate sufficient to fund the total benefits over the working life-time of a typical new entrant is calculated. The current future service employer contribution rates are:: Division B

1.9 times member contributions for non-180 Point Members; Nil for 180 Point Members*

Division C

2.5% salaries

Division D

1.64 times member contributions

* For 180 Point Members, Employers are required to contribute 7% of salaries to these members’ accumulation accounts, which are paid in addition to members’ defined benefits. The past service contribution for each Pooled Employer is a share of the total past service contributions of $40.0 million for 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, apportioned according to each employer’s share of the accrued liabilities as at 30 June 2020. These past service contributions are used to maintain the adequacy of the funding position for the accrued liabilities. The adequacy of contributions is assessed at each triennial actuarial investigation and monitored annually between triennials. Description of the extent to which Council can be liable to the plan for other Council’s obligations under the terms and conditions of the multi-employer plan As stated above, each sponsoring employer (Council) is exposed to the actuarial risks associated with current and former employees of other sponsoring employers and hence shares in the associated gains and losses. However, there is no relief under the Fund's trust deed for employers to walk away from their defined benefit obligations. Under limited circumstances, an employer may withdraw from the plan when there are no active members, on full payment of outstanding additional contributions. There is no provision for allocation of any surplus which may be present at the date of withdrawal of the Council. There are no specific provisions under the Fund's trust deed dealing with deficits or surplus on wind-up. The amount of Council employer contributions to the defined benefit section of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme and recognised as an expense for the year ending 30 June 2021 was $771,786. The last valuation of the Scheme was performed by the Fund Actuary, Richard Boyfield FIAA and covers the period ended 30 June 2020. continued on next page ...

Page 61 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D3-1 Contingencies (continued) Council’s expected contribution to the plan for the next annual reporting period is $712,254. The estimated employer reserves financial position for the Pooled Employers at 30 June 2021 is: Employer reserves only * Assets Past Service Liabilities Vested Benefits

$millions 2,620.5 2,445.6 2,468.7

Asset Coverage 107.2% 106.2%

* excluding member accounts and reserves in both assets and liabilities. The share of this deficit that is broadly attributed to Council is estimated to be 1.12% as at 30 June 2021. Council’s share of that deficiency cannot be accurately calculated as the Scheme is a mutual arrangement where assets and liabilities are pooled together for all member councils. For this reason, no liability for the deficiency has been recognised in Council’s accounts. Council has a possible obligation that may arise should the Scheme require immediate payment to correct the deficiency. The key economic long term assumptions used to calculate the present value of accrued benefits are: Investment return Salary inflation * Increase in CPI

5.75% per annum 3.5% per annum 2.5% per annum

* Plus promotional increases The contribution requirements may vary from the current rates if the overall sub-group experience is not in line with the actuarial assumptions in determining the funding program; however, any adjustment to the funding program would be the same for all sponsoring employers in the Pooled Employers group. (ii) Statewide Mutual Council is a member of Statewide Mutual, a mutual pool scheme providing liability insurance to local government. Membership includes the potential to share in either the net assets or liabilities of the fund depending on its past performance. Council’s share of the net assets or liabilities reflects Council’s contributions to the pool and the result of insurance claims within each of the fund years. The future realisation and finalisation of claims incurred but not reported to 30/6 this year may result in future liabilities or benefits as a result of past events that Council will be required to fund or share in respectively. (iii) StateCover Limited Council is a member of StateCover Mutual Limited and holds a partly paid share in the entity. StateCover is a company providing workers compensation insurance cover to the NSW local government industry and specifically Council. Council has a contingent liability to contribute further equity in the event of the erosion of the company’s capital base as a result of the company’s past performance and/or claims experience or as a result of any increased prudential requirements from APRA. These future equity contributions would be required to maintain the company’s minimum level of net assets in accordance with its licence requirements. (iv) Other guarantees Council has provided no other guarantees other than those listed above. 2. Other liabilities (i) Third party claims The Council is involved from time to time in various claims incidental to the ordinary course of business including claims for damages relating to its services. continued on next page ...

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 62 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

D3-1 Contingencies (continued) Council believes that it is appropriately covered for all claims through its insurance coverage and does not expect any material liabilities to eventuate. (ii) Potential land acquisitions due to planning restrictions imposed by Council Council has classified a number of privately owned land parcels as local open space or bushland. As a result, where notified in writing by the various owners, Council will be required to purchase these land parcels. At reporting date, reliable estimates as to the value of any potential liability (and subsequent land asset) from such potential acquisitions has not been possible. ASSETS NOT RECOGNISED (i) Land under roads As permitted under AASB 1051, Council has elected not to bring to account land under roads that it owned or controlled up to and including 30/6/08. (ii) Infringement notices/fines Fines and penalty income, the result of Council issuing infringement notices is followed up and collected by the Infringement Processing Bureau. Council’s revenue recognition policy for such income is to account for it as revenue on receipt. Accordingly, at year end, there is a potential asset due to Council representing issued but unpaid infringement notices. Due to the limited information available on the status, value and duration of outstanding notices, Council is unable to determine the value of outstanding income.

Page 63 of 79

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Related party disclosures

2,736

2,589 147

2021

2,667

2,523 144

2020

Council has determined that there are no other transactions with KMP and their related parties that need to be be disclosed.

Page 64 of 79

Council has determined that transactions at arm’s length between KMP and Council as part of Council delivering a public service objective (e.g. access to library or Council swimming pool by KMP) will not be disclosed.

§Subnote§

Other transactions with KMP and their related parties

Total

Short-term benefits Post-employment benefits

Compensation:

$ '000

The aggregate amount of KMP compensation included in the Income Statement is:

Key management personnel (KMP) of the council are those persons having the authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the council, directly or indirectly comprising the Mayor, Councillors, General Manager and Directors.

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

E1-1 Key management personnel (KMP)

People and relationships

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

E1-2 Councillor and Mayoral fees and associated expenses §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

69 387 70

69 397 56

The aggregate amount of Councillor and Mayoral fees and associated expenses included in materials and services expenses in the Income Statement are: Councillor expenses – mayoral fee/administrator fee Councillors’ fees Other Councillors’ expenses (including Mayor)

Total

526

522

Page 65 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Other relationships

E2-1 Audit fees §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

2021

2020

121

119

During the year, the following fees were incurred for services provided by the auditor of Council, related practices and non-related audit firms

Auditors of the Council - NSW Auditor-General: (i) Audit and other assurance services Audit and review of financial statements

Total Auditor-General remuneration

121

119

–

Non NSW Auditor-General audit firms (i) Audit and other assurance services Other audit and assurance services

Total remuneration of non NSW Auditor-General audit firms

Total audit fees

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

–

121

119

Page 66 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Other matters

F1-1

Statement of Cash Flows information

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Reconciliation of net operating result to cash provided from operating activities $ '000

Net operating result from Income Statement

Adjust for non-cash items: Depreciation and amortisation Net losses/(gains) on disposal of assets Adoption of AASB 15/1058 Losses/(gains) recognised on fair value re-measurements through the P&L: – Investments classified as ‘at fair value’ or ‘held for trading’ – Investment property – Revaluation decrements / impairments of IPP&E direct to P&L +/– Movement in operating assets and liabilities and other cash items: Decrease/(increase) in receivables Increase/(decrease) in provision for impairment of receivables Decrease/(increase) in inventories Decrease/(increase) in other current assets Increase/(decrease) in payables Increase/(decrease) in other accrued expenses payable Increase/(decrease) in other liabilities Increase/(decrease) in contract liabilities Increase/(decrease) in provision for employee benefits Increase/(decrease) in other provisions

Net cash provided from/(used in) operating activities from the Statement of Cash Flows

2021

2020

2,111

6,864

24,159 (3,097) –

22,809 (195) (9,739)

(148) (547) 17,111

(79) (1,640) 8,091

171 (95) 29 (225) (813) 525 1,773 1,401 490 419

(717) 174 42 (276) 381 3,400 (418) 5,810 90 82

43,264

34,679

Page 67 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

F2-1

Commitments

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Capital commitments (exclusive of GST) $ '000

2021

2020

8,663 1,198 3,892 453 1

11,191 381 1,005 2,472 1

Capital expenditure committed for at the reporting date but not recognised in the financial statements as liabilities:

Property, plant and equipment Buildings Plant and equipment Parks Infrastructure Software

Total commitments

14,207

These expenditures are payable as follows: Within the next year

Total payable

14,207

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

15,050

Page 68 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

F3-1

Events occurring after the reporting date

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Council is unaware of any material or significant ‘non-adjusting events’ that should be disclosed.

§Note§

Changes from prior year statements

F4-1

Correction of errors

§TocItem§ §Subnote§

Nature of prior-period error §Total§

Community and Council Controlled land As part of the revaluation of Community and Council Controlled land, it was identified that certain parcels of land were no longer in Council’s ownership. There were also instances where the same parcel of land was found in more than one land register. This error has likely occured when there has been a reclassification of land between the Community and Operational land categories to increase the service potential of the asset for Council. Additionally, the Community and Council Controlled land categories were last comprehensively valued in 2016. Since then, there have been material changes to land values in the Georges River Local government area that had not been accounted for correctly in prior years. These errors have been restated as at 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020 balances of Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment and Accumulated surplus and Revaluation reserves. Carrying amount adjusted

2019 ($'000) -23,290

2020 ($'000) -27,860

Buildings - Specialised and Non-Specialised As part of the revaluation of the Buildings - Specialised and Non-Specialised asset categories, it was identified that certain assets had been demolished but were still listed on the buildings register. There were also instances where certain assets had not been correctly recognised on acquisition, which resulted in a duplication of some components of assets within other asset categories. These errors have been restated as at 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020 balances of Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment and Accumulated surplus and Revaluation reserves. Carrying amount adjusted Accumulated depreciation adjusted Depreciation expense adjusted

2019 ($'000) -1,267 361 -

2020 ($'000) -4,639 410 -25

The errors identified above have been corrected by restating the balances at the beginning of the earliest period presented (1 July 2019) and taking the adjustment through to Accumulated surplus and Revaluation reserves. Comparatives have been changed to reflect the correction of errors. The impact on each line item is shown in the tables below.

Changes to the opening Statement of Financial Position at 1 July 2019 §Total§

Statement of Financial Position

$ '000 Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment

Total assets

Total liabilities Accumulated surplus Revaluation reserves

Total equity

continued on next page ...

Original Balance 1 July, 2019

Impact Increase/ (decrease)

Restated Balance 1 July, 2019

1,366,709

(24,196)

1,342,513

1,563,223

(24,196)

1,539,027

40,406

–

40,406

1,419,106 103,711

(23,716) (480)

1,395,390 103,231

1,522,817

(24,196)

1,498,621

Page 69 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

F4-1

Correction of errors (continued)

Adjustments to the comparative figures for the year ended 30 June 2020 §Total§

Statement of Financial Position Original Balance 30 June, 2020

Impact Increase/ (decrease)

Restated Balance 30 June, 2020

1,404,439

(32,114)

1,372,325

1,581,850

(32,114)

1,549,736

47,683

–

47,683

1,424,085 110,082

(31,595) (519)

1,392,490 109,563

1,534,167

(32,114)

1,502,053

Original Balance 30 June, 2020

Impact Increase/ (decrease)

Restated Balance 30 June, 2020

162,686

–

162,686

23,046 212

(25) 7,879

23,021 8,091

147,968

7,854

155,822

–

14,718

(7,854)

6,864

Original Balance 30 June, 2020

Impact Increase/ (decrease)

Restated Balance 30 June, 2020

Net operating result for the year

14,718

(7,854)

6,864

Total comprehensive income for the year

14,718

(7,854)

6,864

$ '000 Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment

Total assets

Total liabilities Accumulated surplus Revaluation reserves

Total equity

Income Statement §Total§

$ '000

Total income from continuing operations Depreciation and amortisation Impairment / revaluation decrement of IPPE

Total expenses from continuing operations Operating result from discontinued operations Net operating result for the year

Statement of Comprehensive Income §Total§

$ '000

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 70 of 79

75,054

13,550

–

830

117 1

712

29 664

100 7

2 6 29 8 362 81 40 – –

Interest and investment income earned

(15,714)

(4,563) –

(11,151)

(2,538)

(12) (8,613)

(5,538) –

– – – – (2,184) (558) (321) – –

Amounts expended

–

– –

–

– –

– – – – – – – – –

Internal borrowings

73,720

10,630 374

62,716

3,395

2,652 59,321

5,909 596

164 538 2,596 728 35,691 7,078 3,366 3 –

Held as restricted asset at 30 June 2021

–

– –

–

– –

– – – – – – – – –

Cumulative balance of internal borrowings (to)/from

continued on next page ...

145 313 408

Opening balance at 1 July 2020

Developer contributions by plan

CONTRIBUTION PLAN – repealed from 14 March 2013 Drainage Traffic facilities Parking

$ '000

§Subnote§

F5-2

§Subnote§

– – –

Cash

– – –

Non-cash

Contributions received during the year

2 4 5

Interest and investment income earned

– – –

Amounts expended

– – –

Internal borrowings

147 317 413

Held as restricted asset at 30 June 2021

Page 71 of 79

– – –

Cumulative balance of internal borrowings (to)/from

Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Council has significant obligations to provide Section 7.11 (contributions towards provision or improvement of amenities or services) infrastructure in new release areas. It is possible that the funds contributed may be less than the cost of this infrastructure, requiring Council to borrow or use general revenue to fund the difference.

Total contributions

10,419 94

S7.4 planning agreements S7.13 Court Ordered Development Consen – –

–

8,614

64,541 4,657 279

–

– –

70 7,085

2,565 60,185 1,529

– –

1,157 57

10,190 532

4,356

– – – – – – – – –

– 53 59 – 5,285 398 6 – –

Non-cash

162 479 2,508 720 32,228 7,157 3,641 3 –

Cash

Contributions received during the year

S7.12 levies – under a plan Total S7.11 and S7.12 revenue under plans

Drainage Roads Traffic facilities Parking Open space Community facilities Library Urban space Management Open space, recreation and public domain facilities Deficient car parking Non residential development in central business district S7.11 contributions – under a plan

$ '000

Opening balance at 1 July 2020

Summary of developer contributions

F5-1

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Statement of developer contributions as at 30 June 2021

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21 53

479 –

–

– 59 2,815 –

CONTRIBUTION PLAN NUMBER 8 – Kogarah Town Centre Drainage 17 Traffic facilities 2,195 Open space 15,159 Deficient car parking 90

continued on next page ...

– – – –

–

Total 743

CONTRIBUTION PLAN NUMBER 6 – Hurstville south areas Open space 743

–

Total 2,460

–

14,322

601

CONTRIBUTION PLAN NUMBER 5 – Open Space (2006) – Embellishment & Acquisition Open space 14,322 2,460

Total –

–

312

CONTRIBUTION PLAN NUMBER 4 – Streetscape Improvement – Hurstville Town Centre Open space 601 –

Total

CONTRIBUTION PLAN NUMBER 3 – Car Parking – Hurstville Town Centre Parking 312

Total

–

CONTRIBUTION PLAN – NUMBER 1 – Roads & Traffic Management Roads 479

1,436

–

17,038

Total

– –

1,157 57

– –

– – – –

Non-cash

152

7,058

10 6 6 –

Cash

Contributions received during the year

CONTRIBUTION PLAN – commenced 14 March 2013 Community facilities 3,841 Open space, recreation and public domain facilities 10,190 Deficient car parking 442 Non residential development in central business district 2,565

Total

1,403 1,145 3,641 3

Opening balance at 1 July 2020

Developer contributions by plan (continued)

Open space Community facilities Library Urban space

$ '000

F5-2

– 25 169 2

163

177

100 5

15 12 40 –

Interest and investment income earned

– – – –

–

(1,397)

–

(12)

(5,893)

(5,538) –

(343)

(1,323)

(787) (215) (321) –

Amounts expended

– – – –

–

– –

–

– – – –

Internal borrowings

17 2,279 18,143 92

751

15,548

608

315

538

2,652

12,758

5,909 504

3,693

5,835

641 948 3,366 3

Held as restricted asset at 30 June 2021

Page 72 of 79

– – – –

–

– –

–

– – – –

Cumulative balance of internal borrowings (to)/from

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

S7.12 Levies – under a plan

Total

CONTRIBUTION PLANS Georges River Council Section 7.12

§Subnote§

4,356

1,529

–

Total 1,489

CONTRIBUTION PLAN – Ramsgate commercial centre Community facilities 1,489

–

Total 190

–

2,924

Non-cash

362

320

17,781

Cash

Contributions received during the year

CONTRIBUTION PLAN NUMBER 9 – Kogarah Libraries – Buildings & Books Community facilities 362 190

Total

Opening balance at 1 July 2020

Developer contributions by plan (continued)

Community facilities

$ '000

F5-2

200

Interest and investment income earned

(2,538)

–

Amounts expended

–

Internal borrowings

3,395

1,506

557

374

20,905

Held as restricted asset at 30 June 2021

Page 73 of 79

–

Cumulative balance of internal borrowings (to)/from

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Statement of performance measures

F6-1

Statement of performance measures – consolidated results

§Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

$ '000

Amounts 2021

Indicator 2021

Indicator 2020

Benchmark

(5,307) 141,559

(3.75)%

(8.02)%

> 0.00%

79.95%

77.17%

> 60.00%

67,037 27,031

2.48x

2.63x

> 1.50x

18,873 563

33.52x

20.72x

> 2.00x

4,713 105,923

4.45%

4.26%

< 5.00%

128,757 10,090

12.76 mths

10.23 mths

> 3.00 mths

1. Operating performance ratio

Total continuing operating revenue excluding capital grants and contributions less operating expenses 1, 2 Total continuing operating revenue excluding capital grants and contributions 1

2. Own source operating revenue ratio

Total continuing operating revenue excluding all grants and contributions 1 Total continuing operating revenue 1

3. Unrestricted current ratio

Current assets less all external restrictions Current liabilities less specific purpose liabilities

129,677 162,201

4. Debt service cover ratio

Operating result before capital excluding interest and depreciation/impairment/amortisation 1 Principal repayments (Statement of Cash Flows) plus borrowing costs (Income Statement)

5. Rates and annual charges outstanding percentage Rates and annual charges outstanding Rates and annual charges collectable

6. Cash expense cover ratio

Current year’s cash and cash equivalents plus all term deposits Monthly payments from cash flow of operating and financing activities (1)

Excludes fair value increments on investment properties, reversal of revaluation decrements, reversal of impairment losses on receivables, net gain on sale of assets and net share of interests in joint ventures and associates using the equity method and includes pensioner rate subsidies

(2)

Excludes impairment/revaluation decrements of IPPE, fair value decrements on investment properties, net loss on disposal of assets and net loss on share of interests in joint ventures and associates using the equity method

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Page 74 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

Additional Council disclosures (unaudited)

G1-1 Statement of performance measures – consolidated results (graphs) §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

1. Operating performance ratio Purpose of operating performance ratio

This ratio measures Council’s achievement of containing operating expenditure within operating revenue.

Benchmark: ―

Commentary on 2020/21 result 2020/21 ratio

(3.75)%

Council does not generate sufficient Operating Income (without Capital Grants) to cover Operating Expenditure. This is an on-going issue that was highlighted in the Long Term Financial Plan. The ratio in 2020/21 has improved from last year but is still outside the benchmark. Council was successful in it's application to IPART for a special rate variation. These funds will help to improve the operating performance for Council in future years.

Ratio achieves benchmark

> 0.00%

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Ratio is outside benchmark

2. Own source operating revenue ratio Purpose of own source operating revenue ratio

This ratio measures fiscal flexibility. It is the degree of reliance on external funding sources such as operating grants and contributions.

Benchmark: ―

Commentary on 2020/21 result 2020/21 ratio

79.95%

Council continues to stay above the benchmark of 60% which shows that Council is not heavily reliant on income from grants and contributions to fund its ongoing operations.

Ratio achieves benchmark

> 60.00%

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Ratio is outside benchmark

3. Unrestricted current ratio Purpose of unrestricted current ratio

To assess the adequacy of working capital and its ability to satisfy obligations in the short term for the unrestricted activities of Council.

Benchmark: ―

> 1.50x

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

continued on next page ...

Commentary on 2020/21 result 2020/21 ratio

2.48x

The current ratio is still well above the benchmark but has dropped in 2020/21 as Council's cash and cash equivalents have reduced in order to fund the operations and capital works program.

Ratio achieves benchmark Ratio is outside benchmark

Page 75 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

G1-1 Statement of performance measures – consolidated results (graphs) (continued) §Note/Subtotal§ §Total§

4. Debt service cover ratio Commentary on 2020/21 result

Purpose of debt service cover ratio

2020/21 ratio

This ratio measures the availability of operating cash to service debt including interest, principal and lease payments

Benchmark: ―

33.52x

Council continues to be in a healthy position with minimal debt to service which decreases the pressure on operating cash.

Ratio achieves benchmark

> 2.00x

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Ratio is outside benchmark

5. Rates and annual charges outstanding percentage Commentary on 2020/21 result

Purpose of rates and annual charges outstanding percentage

To assess the impact of uncollected rates and annual charges on Council’s liquidity and the adequacy of recovery efforts.

Benchmark: ―

2020/21 ratio

4.45%

The percentage of rates debtors continues to be low and reflects Council's ongoing efforts at collecting rates and charges due. However, in 2020/21 there has been an increase which is likely due to the uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ratio achieves benchmark

< 5.00%

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Ratio is outside benchmark

6. Cash expense cover ratio Purpose of cash expense cover ratio

This liquidity ratio indicates the number of months a Council can continue paying for its immediate expenses without additional cash inflow.

Benchmark: ―

Commentary on 2020/21 result 2020/21 ratio

12.76 mths

Council is very liquid. The cash coverage ratio continues to sit at a healthy 12+ months which is a strong position to be in to fund Councils operations.

Ratio achieves benchmark

> 3.00mths

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Ratio is outside benchmark

Page 76 of 79

Georges River Council | Notes to the Financial Statements 30 June 2021

G1-2 Council information and contact details §Note/Subtotal§ §TocItem§ §Subnote§

Principal place of business: Corner MacMahon and Dora Streets HURSTVILLE NSW 2220

Contact details Mailing Address: PO Box 205 HURSTVILLE BC NSW 1481

Opening hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm Monday to Friday

Telephone: 02 9330 6400 Facsimile: 02 9330 6223

Internet: Email:

Officers

Elected members

General Manager Gail Connolly Responsible Accounting Officer David Tuxford Public Officer David Tuxford Auditors Audit Office of New South Wales Level 19 201 Sussex St SYDNEY NSW 2000

www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Mayor Nick Katris Councillors Ben Wang Christina Jamieson Colleen Symington Elise Borg Kathryn Landsberry (Deputy Mayor) Kevin Greene Lou Konjarski Nancy Liu Natalie Mort Nick Smerdely Peter Mahoney Sam Elmir Sam Stratikopoulos Warren Tegg

Other information

ABN: 57 789 014 855

Page 77 of 79

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT Report on the general purpose financial statements Georges River Council

To the Councillors of the Georges River Council

Opinion I have audited the accompanying financial statements of Georges River Council (the Council), which comprise the Statement by Councillors and Management, the Income Statement and Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year ended 30 June 2021, the Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June 2021, the Statement of Changes in Equity and Statement of Cash Flows for the year then ended and notes comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information. In my opinion: •

the Council’s accounting records have been kept in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993, Chapter 13, Part 3, Division 2 (the Division)

•

the financial statements: -

have been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the requirements of this Division

are consistent with the Council’s accounting records

present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Council as at 30 June 2021, and of its financial performance and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards

•

all information relevant to the conduct of the audit has been obtained

•

no material deficiencies in the accounting records or financial statements have come to light during the audit.

My opinion should be read in conjunction with the rest of this report.

Basis for Opinion I conducted my audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. My responsibilities under the standards are described in the ‘Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements’ section of my report. I am independent of the Council in accordance with the requirements of the: •

Australian Auditing Standards

•

Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 ‘Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards)’ (APES 110).

I have fulfilled my other ethical responsibilities in accordance with APES 110.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Parliament promotes independence by ensuring the Auditor-General and the Audit Office of New South Wales are not compromised in their roles by: •

providing that only Parliament, and not the executive government, can remove an Auditor-General

•

mandating the Auditor-General as auditor of councils

•

precluding the Auditor-General from providing non-audit services.

I believe the audit evidence I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my audit opinion.

Other Information The Council’s annual report for the year ended 30 June 2021 includes other information in addition to the financial statements and my Independent Auditor’s Report thereon. The Councillors are responsible for the other information. At the date of this Independent Auditor’s Report, the other information I have received comprise the Special Schedules (the Schedules). My opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information. Accordingly, I do not express any form of assurance conclusion on the other information. However, as required by the Local Government Act 1993, I have separately expressed an opinion on the Special Schedule - Permissible income for general rates. In connection with my audit of the financial statements, my responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or my knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work I have performed, I conclude there is a material misstatement of the other information, I must report that fact. I have nothing to report in this regard.

The Councillors’ Responsibilities for the Financial Statements The Councillors are responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards and the Local Government Act 1993, and for such internal control as the Councillors determine is necessary to enable the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the Councillors are responsible for assessing the Council’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting.

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements My objectives are to: •

obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error

•

issue an Independent Auditor’s Report including my opinion.

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but does not guarantee an audit conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards will always detect material misstatements. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error. Misstatements are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions users take based on the financial statements.

A description of my responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located at the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board website at: www.auasb.gov.au/auditors_responsibilities/ar4.pdf. The description forms part of my auditor’s report. The scope of my audit does not include, nor provide assurance: •

that the Council carried out its activities effectively, efficiently and economically

•

on the Original Budget information included in the Income Statement, Statement of Cash Flows, and Note B5-1 Material budget variations

•

on the Special Schedules. A separate opinion has been provided on Special Schedule - Permissible income for general rates

•

about the security and controls over the electronic publication of the audited financial statements on any website where they may be presented

•

about any other information which may have been hyperlinked to/from the financial statements.

Lisa Berwick Delegate of the Auditor-General for New South Wales 31 January 2022 SYDNEY

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Ms Gail Connolly General Manager Georges River Council Cnr MacMahon and Dora Streets HURTSVILLE NSW 2020

Contact:

Lisa Berwick

Phone no:

02 9275 7165

Our ref:

D2127085/1728

31 January 2022

Dear Ms Connolly

Report on the Conduct of the Audit for the year ended 30 June 2021 Georges River Council I have audited the general purpose financial statements (GPFS) of the Georges River Council (the Council) for the year ended 30 June 2021 as required by section 415 of the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act). I expressed an unmodified opinion on the Council’s GPFS.

INCOME STATEMENT Operating result

Rates and annual charges revenue Grants and contributions revenue Operating result from continuing operations Net operating result before capital grants and contributions

2021

2020

Variance

101.4

96.8

4.8

32.5

36.7

11.4

2.1

6.9

69.6

-18.5

-17.3

6.9

Rates and annual charges revenue of $101.4 million (2019-20: $96.8 million) increased by $4.6 million (4.8 per cent) in 2020–21 due to an increase in: •

general rates revenue by 2.6 per cent in 2020–21

•

rateable properties by 0.6 per cent (57,410 rateable properties in 2020-21 compared to 57,074 properties last year).

Grants and contributions revenue of $32.5 million (2019-20: $36.7 million) decreased by $4.2 million (11.4 per cent) in 2020–21 due to: •

$4.2 million decrease in special purpose grants and non-developer contributions for parks, stronger communities fund and other specific grants

•

$0.5 million decrease in other non-cash contributions for recreation and culture

•

$0.5 million increase in developer contributions for amenities/services and planning agreements.

The Council’s operating result from continuing operations of $2.1 million (2019-20: $6.8 million) including depreciation, amortisation and impairment expense of $41.3 million (2019-20: $30.9 million) was $4.7 million lower than the 2019–20 result. This was primarily due to: The increase in income from continuing operations of $3.3 million arose due to a: •

$4.6 million increase in rates and annual charges offset $4.2 million decrease in grants and contributions revenue noted above

•

$0.3 million decrease in user charges and fees

•

$2.1 million increase in other revenue

•

$0.7 million decrease in interest and investment income

•

$1.1 million decrease in other income

•

$2.9 million increase in net gains from disposal of assets.

The increase in total expenses of $8.0 million was mainly due to a: •

$0.7 million increase in employee benefits and on-costs

•

$2.8 million decrease in materials and services

•

$10.4 million increase in depreciation, amortisation and impairment of non-financial assets

•

$0.3 million decrease in other expenses

The net operating result before capital grants and contributions of ($18.5 million) (2019-20: $17.3 million) was $1.2 million lower than the 2019–20 result.

3 Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS The Statement of Cash Flows illustrates the flow of cash and cash equivalents moving in and out of Council during the year.

The Council’s cash increased by $0.2 million at the close of the year.

The cash outflows from investing activities increased by $14.8 million, from $27.8 million to $42.6 million in 2019-20 and 2020-21. This is due to a decrease in cash inflow from sale of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment and investment securities by $11.1 million and an increase in cash outflow from purchase of infrastructure, property, plant and equipment and investment securities by $3.7 million.

40 $ million

Cash inflows from operating activities increased by $8.6 million from $34.7 million in 2019-20 to $43.3 million in 2020-21. This is due to increase in cash flow from receipts of $6.9 million and a decrease in cash outflow from expenses of $1.7 million.

Net cash flows for the year

0 (20) (40) (60)

2019

2020 Year ended 30 June

Operating activities

Investing activities

2021

Financing activities

Cash flows from financing activities has remained consistent with prior year at net outflow of $0.5 million.

FINANCIAL POSITION Cash and investments Cash and investments

2021

2020

Restricted cash and investments: External restrictions

103.7

102.0

Internal restrictions

49.4

43.1

7.2

0.1

160.3

145.2

Unrestricted Total cash, cash equivalents and investments

Commentary

•

External restrictions include unspent specific purpose grants, developer contributions, domestic waste management charges, levies and planning agreements. The externally restricted cash balance has increased by approximately $1.7 million, mainly due to the higher developer contribution received

•

Balances are internally restricted due to Council policy or decisions for forward plans including works program. Internal restrictions have increased by $6.3 million.

•

Unrestricted balances provide liquidity for dayto-day operations. There has been an increase of $7.1 million in the unrestricted cash balance.

PERFORMANCE Performance measures The following section provides an overview of the Council’s performance against the performance measures and performance benchmarks set by the Office of Local Government (OLG) within the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. Operating performance ratio Operating performance ratio 0 (1) (2) Ratio (%)

The ‘operating performance ratio’ measures how well council contained operating expenditure within operating revenue (excluding capital grants and contributions, fair value adjustments, and reversal of revaluation decrements). The benchmark set by OLG is greater than zero per cent. The Council did not meet the OLG benchmark for the current reporting period with a ratio of (3.75) per cent.

(3)

(4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

2019

2020

2021

Year ended 30 June Operating performance ratio OLG benchmark > 0%

Own source operating revenue ratio

The Council exceeded the OLG benchmark for the current reporting period with a ratio of 79.95 per cent.

Own source operating revenue ratio 90 80 70

Ratio (%)

The ‘own source operating revenue ratio’ measures council’s fiscal flexibility and the degree to which it relies on external funding sources such as operating grants and contributions. The benchmark set by OLG is greater than 60 per cent.

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

2019

2020

2021

Year ended 30 June Own source operating revenue ratio OLG benchmark > 60%

5 Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Unrestricted current ratio

The Council exceeded the OLG benchmark for the current reporting period with a ratio of 2.48 times.

Unrestricted current ratio 4 3.5 3 2.5

Ratio (x)

The ‘unrestricted current ratio’ is specific to local government and represents council’s ability to meet its short-term obligations as they fall due. The benchmark set by OLG is greater than 1.5 times.

1.5 1 0.5 0

2019

2020

2021

Year ended 30 June Unrestricted current ratio OLG benchmark > 1.5x

Debt service cover ratio

The Council exceeded the OLG benchmark for the current reporting period with a ratio of 33.52 times

Debt service cover ratio

40 35 30 25

Ratio (x)

The ‘debt service cover ratio’ measures the operating cash to service debt including interest, principal and lease payments. The benchmark set by OLG is greater than two times.

15 10 5 0

2019

2020

2021

Year ended 30 June Debt service cover ratio OLG benchmark > 2x

Rates and annual charges outstanding percentage

The Council exceeded the OLG benchmark for the current reporting period with a ratio of 4.45 per cent.

Rates and annual charges outstanding percentage 6 5 Ratio (%)

The ‘rates and annual charges outstanding percentage’ assesses the impact of uncollected rates and annual charges on council’s liquidity and the adequacy of debt recovery efforts. The benchmark set by OLG is less than 5 per cent for metropolitan councils.

4 3 2

1 0

2019

2020

2021

Year ended 30 June

Rates and annual charges outstanding percentage OLG benchmark < 5%

Cash expense cover ratio

The Council exceeded the OLG benchmark for the current reporting period with a ratio of 12.76 months.

Cash expense cover ratio

12 Ratio (months)

This liquidity ratio indicates the number of months the council can continue paying for its immediate expenses without additional cash inflow. The benchmark set by OLG is greater than three months.

10 8 6

4 2 0

2019

2020

2021

Year ended 30 June Cash expense cover ratio OLG benchmark > 3 months

Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment renewals Infrastructure, property, plant and equipment renewals for 2020-21 amounted to $16.7 million in 202021 compared to $23.1 million in 2019-20. The decrease of $6.4 million is due to budgetary decisions for the 2020-21 year.

7 Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

OTHER MATTERS Legislative compliance My audit procedures did not identify any instances of non-compliance with legislative requirements or a material deficiency in the Council’s accounting records or financial statements. The Council’s: •

accounting records were maintained in a manner and form to allow the GPFS to be prepared and effectively audited

•

staff provided all accounting records and information relevant to the audit.

The Council’s: •

accounting records were maintained in a manner and form that facilitated the preparation and the effective audit of the GPFS

•

staff provided all accounting records and information relevant to the audit.

Lisa Berwick Director, Financial Audit Delegate of the Auditor-General for New South Wales cc:

Mr Kevin Greene, Mayor Mr Stephen Horne, Chair of Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee

§Cover§

Georges River Council SPECIAL SCHEDULES

for the year ended 30 June 2021

A leading, people-focused organisation delivering outstanding results for our community and city.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Georges River Council Special Schedules

for the year ended 30 June 2021 §MainTOC§

Contents

Page

Special Schedules: Permissible income for general rates (Merger Councils)

Report on infrastructure assets as at 30 June 2021

Page 2 of 6

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21 p

Page 3 of 6

Carry forward amounts which are in excess (an amount that exceeds the permissible income) require Ministerial approval by order published in the NSW Government Gazette in accordance with section 512 of the Local Government Act 1993. The OLG will extract these amounts from Council’s Permissible income for general rates Statement in the financial data return (FDR) to administer this process.

– 14

74,495 14

(6)

1 (310)

72,750 (311)

74,509

(310) (1) (311)

(2,301) 4,102 – 74,820

5.80% 2.00%

72,750 269 73,019

2021/22 Georges River Council

Adjustments account for changes in the number of assessments and any increase or decrease in land value occurring during the year. The adjustments are called ‘supplementary valuations’ as defined in the Valuation of Land Act 1916.

– (307)

31,229 (307)

72,439

(70) (4) (74)

– – 1,838 72,513

70,235 440 70,675

2020/21 Georges River Council

(2)

1 (3)

41,521 (4)

30,922

– (1) (1)

– – 784 30,923

0.00% 2.60%

29,893 246 30,139

2020/21 Former Kogarah City Council

The notional general income will not reconcile with rate income in the financial statements in the corresponding year. The statements are reported on an accrual accounting basis which include amounts that relate to prior years’ rates income.

t=q+r+s

q=o–p

41,517

(70) (3) (73)

– – 1,054 41,590

0.00% 2.60%

40,342 194 40,536

2020/21 Former Hurstville City Council

(1)

Notes

Plus income lost due to valuation objections claimed Carry forward to next year 6

Less notional general income yield Catch-up or (excess) result

o=k+n

Total permissible income

k = (c + g + h + i + j)

i = e x (c + g)

h = d x (c + g)

c=a+b

n = (l + m)

Notes

Plus (or minus) last year's carry forward total Less valuation objections claimed in the previous year Sub-total

Less expiring special variation amount Plus special variation amount Or plus rate peg amount Sub-total

Special variation percentage Or rate peg percentage

Permissible income calculation

Last year notional general income yield Plus or minus adjustments 2 Notional general income

Notional general income calculation

$ '000

§Note/Subtotal§ §Subnote§

Permissible income for general rates (Merger Councils)

Georges River Council

Georges River Council | Permissible income for general rates (Merger Councils) | For the year ended 30 June 2021

# 1 2 3 4 5

15,764

60,854

Required maintenance is the amount identified in Council’s asset management plans.

Condition Excellent/very good Good Satisfactory Poor Very poor

24,461

11,683

1,541 1,541

5,841 1,875 7,716

3,521 3,521

24,507

9,128

1,871 1,871

3,061 3,347 6,408

7,100 7,100

2020/21 Actual maintenance $ '000

Integrated planning and reporting (IP&R) description No work required (normal maintenance) Only minor maintenance work required Maintenance work required Renewal required Urgent renewal/upgrading required

Infrastructure asset condition assessment ‘key’

(a)

Total – all assets

11,285

21,393 21,393

5,387

Stormwater drainage Sub-total

Stormwater drainage

11,790 3,133 14,923

11,285

283 283

Sealed roads incl K&G Footpaths Sub-total

Roads

13,253 13,253

5,387

6,681 100 6,781

Buildings Sub-total

Buildings

Open space / Other recreational assets / other Sub-total structures

3,313 3,313

Asset Category

Estimated cost Estimated cost to bring to the to bring assets agreed level of 2020/21 to satisfactory service set by Required Council maintenance a standard $ '000 $ '000 $ '000

Asset Class

§Note/Subtotal§ §Subnote§

Report on infrastructure assets as at 30 June 2021

Georges River Council

930,774

67,445

83,590 83,590

533,119 67,965 601,084

178,655 178,655

Net carrying amount $ '000

1,341,367

111,747

160,773 160,773

693,438 109,661 803,099

265,748 265,748

Gross replacement cost (GRC) $ '000 2

94.0% 94.0%

0.7% 0.7%

0.1% 0.1%

1.9% 4.5% 2.3%

3.8% 3.8%

30.9% 48.5% 15.3%

1.3%

3.0%

0.0% 0.0%

0.1% 0.1% 0.1%

5.0% 5.0%

Page 4 of 6

3.9%

30.0% 19.0% 26.0% 22.0%

5.2% 5.2%

34.5% 52.2% 11.3% 10.3% 23.7% 61.4% 31.2% 48.3% 18.1%

45.7% 34.2% 11.3% 45.7% 34.2% 11.3%

Assets in condition as a percentage of gross replacement cost

Georges River Council | Report on infrastructure assets as at 30 June 2021 | For the year ended 30 June 2021

Georges River Council Report on infrastructure assets as at 30 June 2021 §Note/Subtotal§

Infrastructure asset performance indicators (consolidated) $ '000 Buildings and infrastructure renewals ratio

Asset renewals 1 Depreciation, amortisation and impairment Infrastructure backlog ratio

Estimated cost to bring assets to a satisfactory standard Net carrying amount of infrastructure assets Asset maintenance ratio

Actual asset maintenance Required asset maintenance

Amounts 2021

Indicator 2021

Indicator 2020

Benchmark

28,882 30,353

95.15%

71.07%

>= 100.00%

15,764 967,635

1.63%

1.49%

< 2.00%

24,507 24,461

100.19%

101.33%

> 100.00%

4.54%

4.49%

Cost to bring assets to agreed service level

Estimated cost to bring assets to an agreed service level set by Council Gross replacement cost

60,854 1,341,367

(*)

All asset performance indicators are calculated using classes identified in the previous table.

(1)

Asset renewals represent the replacement and/or refurbishment of existing assets to an equivalent capacity/performance as opposed to the acquisition of new assets (or the refurbishment of old assets) that increases capacity/performance.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

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>= 100.00%

To assess the rate at which these assets are being renewed relative to the rate at which they are depreciating.

Buildings and infrastructure renewals ratio

< 2.00%

This ratio shows what proportion the backlog is against the total value of a Council’s infrastructure.

Infrastructure backlog ratio

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Benchmark: ―

Infrastructure backlog ratio

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Benchmark: ―

Buildings and infrastructure renewals ratio

§Note/Subtotal§

95.15%

1.63%

Ratio is outside benchmark

Ratio achieves benchmark

20/21 ratio

Commentary on result

Ratio is outside benchmark

Ratio achieves benchmark

20/21 ratio

Commentary on result

Report on infrastructure assets as at 30 June 2021

Georges River Council

> 100.00%

Compares actual vs. required annual asset maintenance. A ratio above 1.0 indicates Council is investing enough funds to stop the infrastructure backlog growing.

Asset maintenance ratio

Cost to bring assets to agreed service level

This ratio provides a snapshot of the proportion of outstanding renewal works compared to the total value of assets under Council's care and stewardship.

Cost to bring assets to agreed service level

Source of benchmark: Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting

Benchmark: ―

Asset maintenance ratio

100.19%

20/21 ratio

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4.54%

Commentary on result

Ratio is outside benchmark

Ratio achieves benchmark

20/21 ratio

Commentary on result

Georges River Council | Report on infrastructure assets as at 30 June 2021 | For the year ended 30 June 2021

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT Special Schedule – Permissible income for general rates Georges River Council

To the Councillors of Georges River Council

Opinion I have audited the accompanying Special Schedule – Permissible income for general rates (the Schedule) of Georges River Council (the Council) for the year ending 30 June 2022. In my opinion, the Schedule is prepared, in all material respects in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting 2020–21 (LG Code) and is in accordance with the books and records of the Council. My opinion should be read in conjunction with the rest of this report.

Basis for Opinion I conducted my audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. My responsibilities under the standards are described in the ‘Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Schedule’ section of my report. I am independent of the Council in accordance with the requirements of the: •

Australian Auditing Standards

•

Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 ‘Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards)’ (APES 110).

I have fulfilled my other ethical responsibilities in accordance with APES 110. Parliament promotes independence by ensuring the Auditor-General and the Audit Office of New South Wales are not compromised in their roles by: •

providing that only Parliament, and not the executive government, can remove an Auditor-General

•

mandating the Auditor-General as auditor of councils

•

precluding the Auditor-General from providing non-audit services.

I believe that the audit evidence I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my audit opinion.

Emphasis of Matter - Basis of Accounting Without modifying my opinion, I draw attention to the special purpose framework used to prepare the Schedule. The Schedule has been prepared for the purpose of fulfilling the Council’s reporting obligations under the LG Code. As a result, the Schedule may not be suitable for another purpose.

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Other Information The Council’s annual report for the year ended 30 June 2021 includes other information in addition to the Schedule and my Independent Auditor’s Report thereon. The Councillors are responsible for the other information. At the date of this Independent Auditor’s Report, the other information I have received comprise the general purpose financial statements and Special Schedule ‘Report on infrastructure assets as at 30 June 2021’. My opinion on the Schedule does not cover the other information. Accordingly, I do not express any form of assurance conclusion on the other information. However, as required by the Local Government Act 1993, I have separately expressed an opinion on the general purpose financial statements. In connection with my audit of the Schedule, my responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the Schedule or my knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work I have performed, I conclude there is a material misstatement of the other information, I must report that fact. I have nothing to report in this regard.

The Councillors’ Responsibilities for the Schedule The Councillors are responsible for the preparation of the Schedule in accordance with the LG Code. The Councillors’ responsibility also includes such internal control as the Councillors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of the Schedule that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the Schedule, the Councillors are responsible for assessing the Council’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting.

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Schedule My objectives are to: •

obtain reasonable assurance whether the Schedule as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error

•

issue an Independent Auditor’s Report including my opinion.

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but does not guarantee an audit conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards will always detect material misstatements. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error. Misstatements are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions users take based on the Schedule. A description of my responsibilities for the audit of the Schedule is located at the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board website at: www.auasb.gov.au/auditors_responsibilities/ar8.pdf. The description forms part of my auditor’s report.

The scope of my audit does not include, nor provide assurance: •

that the Council carried out its activities effectively, efficiently and economically

•

about the security and controls over the electronic publication of the audited Schedule on any website where it may be presented

•

about any other information which may have been hyperlinked to/from the Schedule.

Lisa Berwick Delegate of the Auditor-General for New South Wales 31 January 2022 SYDNEY

Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

Glossary of terms and acronyms ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics Advocacy Proactively communicating to support for a recommendation of a cause or policy. ARIC Audit Risk and Improvement Committee Asset Management Plan a plan for managing the ongoing maintenance of existing Council assets and development of new assets to ensure they meet community needs and expectations now and into the future. Audit A systematic and independent examination of books, accounts, statutory records and documents of an organisation to ascertain how financial and nonfinancial disclosures present a true and fair view.

Councillors democratically elected by the residents and ratepayers of Georges River Council who set strategic direction for the organisation, monitor organisational performance, liaise with stakeholders and ensure operational compliance. Crown land land owned by the NSW Government and managed by Council. DA Development application Delivery Program a strategic document with a minimum four year outlook detailing how we will deliver the goals and strategies of our Community Strategic Plan. Development Control Plan (DCP) policy statements and more detail beyond the provisions contained in a Local Environmental Plan and serves to further guide development decisions across the Local Government Area. D&I Diversity and Inclusion. DIAP Disability Inclusion Action Plan. EEO Equal Employment Opportunity.

Benchmarking a process of comparing performance with standards achieved in a comparable environment with the aim of improving performance.

EOI Expression of Interest.

BENE-FIT 360 program to actively support our employees to achieve total wellbeing.

ESRP our Economic and Social Recovery Plan introduced to assist in the recovery of the impacts of COVID-19.

BCM Business Continuity Management. Business Continuity Plan provides the guidelines that establish the ground rules for the critical operations of Georges River Council. Capital works program A Council program of works which prioritises construction of necessary infrastructure to support the development of the region. Community land is land that is controlled under an adopted plan of management and must be kept for community use only. Community Strategic Plan part of a suite of documents that include the Delivery Program and Operation Plan, which outlines Council’s key actions over the next three years and budget for 2018/2019, fees and charges and the Resourcing Strategy. Council official employees, councillors, committee members and contractors.

ERM Enterprise Risk Management.

Executive is led by the General Manager and includes five directors (Business and Corporate Services, Community and Culture, Assets and Infrastructure, Environment and Planning, Legal Services and City Strategy and Innovation) and the Manager Office of the General Manager. Financial year the period from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 for this annual report. FTE full time equivalent. In relation to staff numbers this refers to a figure that is based on the wages for full-time staff. GIPA the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 which replaced Freedom of Information legislation. Greater Sydney Commission coordinates and aligns the planning that will shape the future of Greater Sydney. GST Goods and Services Tax.

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Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

HVM heavy vehicle mitigation. H&WB health and wellbeing. ICAC Independent Commission Against Corruption. Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of NSW (IPART) The tribunal sets the local government rate peg and assesses applications for special rate variations and council contribution plans. Integrated planning and reporting (IP&R) a framework that allows NSW councils to draw their various plans together, understand how they interact and get the maximum leverage from their reports by planning holistically and sustainably for the future. LEAP our people learning framework. Local Environmental Plan (LEP) An environmental planning instrument that contains legally binding provisions relating to development. LGA Local Government Area. LPP Local Planning Panel. Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) projects financial forecasts for Council for at least 10 years and is updated annually as part of the development of the Operation Plan. Master Plan a dynamic long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth. Office of Local Government Responsible for local government across NSW and the key adviser to the NSW Government on local government matters. Operational Plan an annual plan that provides details of projects and activities for one year of the Delivery Program with a detailed annual budget and fees and charges. Operating surplus ratio shows whether Council has the ability to cover its operating costs from operating revenues. PEP Performance Excellence program. Performance reporting is a key program promoting council transparency, accountability and performance.

Plan of Management (POM) A document which regulates the use and management of community land such as parks and reserves. Resourcing Strategy a critical link when translating strategic objectives into actions. RMS Roads and Maritime Services. SEPP State Environmental Planning Policy. Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) Eleven councils spanning Sydney’s southern suburbs, eastern suburbs, CBD and inner west. SRV Special Rate Variation. Stakeholder An individual or group with a particular interest in a project or action. Sustainability the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Stormwater management charge a service to manage the quantity and/or quality of stormwater that flows off land and includes a service to manage the re-use of stormwater for any purpose. TfNSW Transport for NSW. THRIVE our people learning program. TMAP Transport Management and Accessibility Plan. Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) an agreement entered into by a planning authority and a developer where a developer agrees to provide or fund public amenities and public services, transport or other infrastructure. Ward a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. Work Health and Safety the discipline concerned with protecting the health and safety of all stakeholders in the workplace from exposure to hazards and risks resulting from work activities.

Pillar themes that are important to the community and included in our Community Strategic Plan.

369

Index Accessibility........................................................... 146,160,162, 163 Active and Accessible Places and Spaces............ 19, 20, 285, 356 Bushland Management.........................................129, 133 Challenges in 2020/21 ..........................................20, 21, 123, 154, 165, 178 Children’s services................................................9, 101, 179, 188 Community Grants ...............................................80, 162, 256 Committees...........................................................79, 80 Community Strategic Plan .................................... 7, 18, 21, 34,120 Corporate values .................................................. 7 Councillors............................................................. 39, 70-78 Customer Service ................................................. 45-47 Delivery Program.................................................... 7, 18, 120, 121 Diversity and Inclusion Plan ................................. 105, 113, 220, 223 Economic development.........................................26, 65 Elections................................................................70 Energy Management ............................................126 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO).................. 105, 223 Events................................................................... 8, 22, 56 Financial Summary................................................28, 29 General Manager’s Report.................................... 10 General purpose financial statements................... 274 GIPA requests ....................................................... 229 Graffiti management.............................................. 124, 132 Heritage and conservation.................................... 135 Independent Auditor Reports................................. 348 Integrated Planning and Reporting........................ 7,120 Internal Audit......................................................... 86, 88, 210 Key achievements 2020/21........................................ 87, 20-21, 123, 139, 153, 165 Learning and development.................................... 108 Library services ....................................................21, 177, 190, 191 Major projects ....................................................... 204, 221, 244 Mayor’s message..................................................8 Open space ..........................................................20, 29, 44, 123 Operational Plan ...................................................7, 120, 121, 205 Organisational Structure........................................ 98-101 Parking .................................................................20, 22, 157 Partnerships and Collaboration ............................ 96 Parks and Playgrounds.........................................20, 44, 123, 161 Pedestrian improvements......................................153, 244, 245 Population statistics ..............................................41, 42 Performance summary 2020/21............................ 18, 28 Procurement.......................................................... 90 Rates ....................................................................21, 24, 28, 35 Recycling ..............................................................13 Regulatory ............................................................170, 193 Resourcing Strategy .............................................7, 120 Risk Management ................................................ 83-85 Seniors programs.................................................. 155, 186

370

Statutory Index Senior staff remuneration packages...................... 223 Stormwater management ..................................... 136 Swimming pool safety and inspections........... 193, 195, 197, 209 Traffic management............................................... 245, 248 Translations .......................................................... 3 Tree management.................................................127, 197 Vision of the community........................................ 7 Voluntary PlanningAgreements............................. 147 Volunteers............................................................. 61 Wards.................................................................... 41, 71 Waste management..............................................128 Website.................................................................. 50, 204, 205 Workforce..............................................................94, 101, 108 Work, health and safety......................................... 114, 221 Youth programs ....................................................187

Governance Councillor Meeting Attendance.........................................81 Councillor Expenses and Provision of Facilities...............82 Our Organisation and our people Remuneration of Senior Staff...........................................223 Overseas visits representing Council...............................223 Statement of Activities EEO Management Plan...............223 External bodies that exercise functions delegated by Council.........................................................................224 Bodies in which council had controlling interest...............225 Bodies in which the Council participated..........................225 Our Performance – Pillar 1 Environmental upgrade agreement..................................136 Stormwater management services...................................136 Coastal protection services..............................................137 Fisheries Management Act...............................................137 Our Performance – Pillar 2 Voluntary Planning Agreements.......................................147 Work carried out on private land.......................................150 Our Performance – Pillar 3 Disability Inclusion Action Plan.........................................162 Our Performance – Pillar 5 Companion Animals Act...................................................194 Compliance with NSW Carers Act....................................195 Inspection of Private Swimming Pools.............................195 Our Performance – Pillar 6 Rates and Charges Written Off........................................226 Special Rate Variation Expenditure..................................226 Capital Expenditure Reporting.........................................29 Government Information Public Access (GIPA)................ Public Interest Disclosures...............................................231 Contracts Awarded...........................................................227 Summary of amounts in relation to Legal Proceedings............................................................232 Additional Statutory Information Grant Success..................................................................252 Grants paid to Council during 2020/21.............................256 COVID-19 Recovery Grants.............................................256 Community Grants Program.............................................258 Micro Grants.....................................................................260 Rewrite the Night Grants..................................................260 Venue Hire Grants............................................................261 Community Facilities Rental Subsidy...............................263 Donations.........................................................................265 Sponsorship.....................................................................265 Heritage Grants................................................................266

371

2021 It's A Mood - Pop-Up Skate Park, Olds Park.

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Georges River Council // Annual Report 2020/21

373

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 Georges River Civic Centre Corner MacMahon and Dora Streets, Hurstville Open: Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5.00pm Phone: 02 9330 6400 | Email: mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au