General

• What is integrated planning and reporting?

• Integrated Planning and Reporting is essentially a planning system that helps Council to work with the community to establish where the community want to go and how we are going to get there.

• What is the delivery program?

• The Delivery Program sets out the work that Council proposes to undertake over the next four years as part of the delivery of the community outcomes and goals of the Community Strategic Plan. The first year of the Delivery Program is the Operational Plan.

  The Delivery Program is updated annually and includes:
  

  • background on the community’s long term needs and aspirations
  • our priorities for the next four years in meeting community needs and aspirations
  • details of what our 16 key services provide, their budget, and how service performance is measured
  • projects to be delivered by each service in the next four years.

  Also included in the delivery program are financial forecasts for the future three years.

• What is the budget?

• An overview of the 2022/23 budget is shown on page 11 of the Delivery Program, showing the Council’s income sources and how the funds will be spent.

  The income is used to deliver services (operational budget) as well as manage and maintain our infrastructure assets (capital budget) such as roads, footpaths, buildings, parks, wharves, stormwater system etc. The capital budget funds both new works and maintenance works, which are planned in line with our Asset Management Strategy and Plans. Each of the 16 key services also sets out its income and expenditure for the next four years.

  The Budget chapter provides more detail on the consolidated budget for 2022/23. It also projects our financial position for the next four years, and is planned to ensure financial sustainability.

• What is the fees and charges document?

• The Fees and Charges document details how much Council will charge for a range of services in the financial year. These are usually services provided on a user-pays basis, which not all ratepayers will use e.g. hiring halls, childcare, theatre tickets. Fees and charges are set annually.

  Fees generally rise by a modest percentage each year.

• Where does the list of projects come from?

• The projects listed in the draft Delivery Program have rolled forward from the 2021-25 Delivery Program with new projects having been established to address community priorities in the Community Strategic Plan. This is further shaped by more recent community feedback on a wide range of projects, strategies and actions plans that have been developed together with the community, business, non-profit organisations, grant bodies and Government.

  All projects are set out under each service, and a map of local capital projects is provided.

• How will Council use my submission?

• Every submission received will be considered in the finalisation of the documents and the operational program. Council will remove personal and identifying information from each of the submissions before making the content public.

• When will the report go to Council for adoption?

• The final documents and engagement report will be presented to Council on Tuesday 28 June 2022 with the report being available on the agenda papers for the meeting.

  The agenda will be available by Thursday 23 June 2022.

  View details about Council meetings - https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/council/mee...

• How can I learn more?

• More information is available in the document library, where you can access all of the documents that are on exhibition.

  You can learn more about local projects by finding a fact sheet with a list of the projects that are scheduled for your local area.

  There are two webinar presentations available for you to view – one on the Delivery Program and Budget and one on the capital works program for 2022/23.

  In addition, there are several opportunities for you to attend an information session, check the ‘save the date’ section of this project page.

Proposed rate increase

• Why is Council seeking to increase rates by 2.4%?

• The draft budget proposes a modest increase to rates of 2.4% which equates to an average increase of $37 per year for residents. This supports Council in meeting increases in costs due to inflation like higher prices for fuel and construction materials. This modest increase ensures Council maintains services at current levels and continues to invest in the renewal of community infrastructure assets.

  Each year the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) set the maximum amount rates can be increased for all Councils in NSW. In December 2021 they announced the limit would be 0.7% for the 2022/23 financial year, however this was based on outdated inflation information. With inflation currently at 5.1%, the Minister for Local Government has established a process through the IPART for Council’s to apply for a higher increase that is consistent with the Council’s expected level of rating income (to a maximum of 2.5%). Council has resolved to apply to IPART for approval to increase rates by 2.4%.

• Can I make a submission to IPART on Council’s proposed 2.4% rate increase?

• IPART has published Council’s application on their website and is accepting submissions until 25 May. Submissions can be made here. IPART will notify Council of its decision on 21 June.

  If IPART approves the application, Council will make a decision on the rate increase at its meeting on the 28 June. If you want Council to consider your views you will need to make a separate submission to Council on the rate rise.

• If rates increase by 0.7%, the IPART rate peg, how would the proposed program change?

• Council will need to reduce the overall program in 2022/23 by $3 million. It is likely this will result in a reduction in our working capital ($0.25m) as well as funding for community infrastructure:

  • Road resheeting - $1m
  • Stormwater works - $0.435m
  • Replacement of library books - $0.2m
  • Rockpool renewals - $0.2m
  • Scotland Island roads and drainage improvements $0.15m
  • Foreshores renewal $0.145m
  • Sportsfield renewal $0.1m
  • Playground renewal $0.1m
  • Building renewal programs - $0.398m
• Why doesn’t Council look for savings?

• Council is focused on continuing to achieve efficiency savings and reinvesting those into our community. In the development of the 2022/23 draft budget, Council has achieved a reduction in operating costs of $1.8 million. This includes efficiencies from the introduction of new systems and processes and the optimisation of plant and fleet. We are continuing to work across the organisation to provide efficiency improvements and contain costs.