GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE

General Manager’s

message

As this reporting period draws to a close, Council is in the process of reviewing Hornsby Shire’s Community Strategic Plan – looking forward to 2032. The Community Strategic Plan is the highest-level plan that Council prepares, developed collaboratively with our community, various local organisations and other levels of government, identifying our community’s main priorities and aspirations for the next ten years and outlining the various strategies to achieve them.

Council’s Delivery Program and Operational Plan then translate the Strategic Plan into specific actions and outcomes using the resources available to Council. Despite the upheavals caused by the COVID pandemic, bush fires and floods – Council has by prudent, responsible financial management not only delivered the full suite of services our community both expects and deserves but undertaken major initiatives like the Hornsby Park Project, the largest in our history. Through the course of developing our Long Term Financial Plan, Council has been committed to achieving forecasted annual surpluses to enable delivery of all projects identified over the 10-year timeframe. This report, however, focuses on the achievements of the last 12 months, going into considerable detail about how Council has met its various commitments to the community under our Delivery Program. I should draw the reader’s attention to several of the report’s many highlights. Council successfully delivered on 92% of its 2020/21 Delivery Program outcome targets, despite all the turmoil caused by the Black Summer bush fires, the recent floods, the global pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis. Council completed 46 capital projects this year. Notable highlights include: � The works on Peats Ferry Road to widen the footpath and planting new trees along the length of the road to provide shade and habitat for birds � 1,285 metres of local roads rehabilitated � 1,734 metres of new kerb and guttering � 16 footpaths (totalling 5,460 metres) � 1,792 metres of bushwalking tracks constructed/upgraded � 3 stormwater quality improvement devices constructed � The Pennant Hills Library upgrade, which included installing airconditioning, new lighting, resealed windows and other improvements which greatly brightened-up that much-loved facility.

One of Council’s more popular projects this year has been the development, with extensive community consultation, of Hornsby Shire’s new Public Domain Guidelines and Signage Plan. This important planning tool will guide the design of public spaces, such as streets, lanes, squares and parks in the Housing Strategy Precincts of Asquith, Waitara, Thornleigh, West Pennant Hills, Beecroft and the Galston main street, ensuring our town centres remain attractive, sustainable and resilient well into the future.

Another significant achievement has been completing the master plan for the Hornsby Park project to rehabilitate a disused quarry, transforming it into a new 60-hectare parkland, the largest single project ever undertaken by this Council. The tremendous success of Council’s street tree planting program, made possible with the participation of more than 2,000 community volunteers, is a source of considerable local pride, too. The development of a new Community and Cultural Facilities Strategic Plan, the new Community Engagement Policy and Plan, and of a new set of principles and actions to guide the development of Brooklyn, too, all bode well for the future. There is much more reported here. The ordinary day-to-day business of Council, building footpaths, surfacing roads, collecting and recycling waste, of presenting cultural services and much else besides has continued too, despite everything and thanks to the resourcefulness and hard-work of our staff. These have been tumultuous times. However, the Hornsby Shire and its Council have come through it in good shape and in a sound financial state, too. I commend this report to you, and wish to thank Council’s devoted, hard-working staff, our elected Council and especially those many community members whose input helped ensure the many successes reported here. The very good news is, Hornsby Shire’s best days are ahead of us, I am certain. As to be expected, Council’s budget – which was set before COVID-19 – has been adversely affected by the pandemic due to a loss of income from revenuegenerating facilities and through the extension of support to businesses, sporting and community groups via our Hornsby Helps package. However, due to a number of measures including staff participation in voluntary leave arrangements, I am pleased to report we ended the year better than anticipated with a small operational surplus. In closing, a very special thanks to our Hornsby Shire community for your support of Council. We are fortunate to have an abundance of bush and cycle trails, playgrounds, parks and open, green spaces for exercise and recreation, and it has been very satisfying to see residents out enjoying their local facilities in greater numbers than ever.

Steven Head

General Manager