Message from the CEO

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

When I reflect on the 2021/22 financial year, it’s humbling to see the many ways in which our organisation’s collective effort demonstrated resilience and continued delivering for our region. After months of planning and developing, it was wonderful to begin the financial year by celebrating the opening and operationalisation of the Philip Street Communities and Families Precinct. I am incredibly proud of our people and how together, their efforts have strengthened our community and social services system while delivering an award-winning, purpose-built facility. I was also pleased to see the completion of Council’s Lessee Service Model, an initiative to make it easier for our lessees to access the services they need to effectively manage their facilities. Through customer feedback we were able to make informed, practical changes to our processes to ensure we are continuing to meet the expectations of our lessees, as well as support Council in managing its current and future leases. This year saw Council deliver the first year of our refreshed 2021-26 Corporate Plan, following an opportunity for an early review of our 2018-23 Corporate Plan. Our refreshed plan is considerate of our region’s current economic climate and impacts of the global pandemic, while guiding us in enhancing our connections, providing value for money and meeting community expectations in the way we serve. For our people, our Corporate Plan clearly defines our strategic direction and highlights the outcomes and objectives we’re committed to delivering to reach our corporate goals in

addition to our standard business operations. Refreshing our plan strengthened our Strategic Planning Framework and keeps us accountable and aligned to our vision to ‘Connect. Innovate. Diversify.’ At the heart of our organisation is our people and we remain strongly committed to creating a place where our people are proud to work. One of the actions we have taken to learn more about our people and better understand our collective personality was through the undertaking of Council’s first culture survey. These results were used to develop a Culture Action Plan which will be outworked over We focus on pragmatic the next two years. Although delivery that is based on collective effort and it will have its challenges, I am confident in our people and our ability to work alongside makes it easier. one another and be involved in shaping the culture we’re trying to achieve. While I am always proud to see our organisation delivering on its commitments to our community, it’s the little things that I’m perhaps most proud of. It’s hearing about an employee being acknowledged for the work they do in our community by their local coffee shop or having a team’s camaraderie and work ethic acknowledged by a visitor to our region. It’s knowing the little things we do make a difference in the communities in which we operate.

Leisa Dowling

Chief Executive Officer, Gladstone Regional Council

1INTRODUCTION AND HIGHLIGHTS

This section introduces the Gladstone Region, where it is, who lives and works here and how history has forged its identity. It provides insight into Gladstone Regional Council (GRC) as a local government authority serving a dynamic part of Queensland.

This section also includes a summary of our finances, performance and operations. Highlights from our successes and challenges are shared as we reflect on the year gone by and what we look forward to in 2022/23.