Published on Wednesday, 31 July 2024 at 4:15:00 PM
Hello, I am Vivienne MacCarthy, President of the Shire of Donnybrook Balingup. Welcome to this summary of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 24 July 2024.
You can listen to a full recording of the meeting on the Shire’s website, where you will also find the Minutes of the meeting and detailed attachments.
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At the outset of this month’s meeting, I shared updates on the timeline for the release of our budget and rates information. We anticipate the budget to be finalised by late September, with rates information becoming available by mid-August.
Last month, Council reported a longstanding issue where insufficient funds have been set aside for the Shire’s long-term objectives and responsibilities. By the close of the 2023-2024 financial year, an estimated annual funding shortfall of $1.75m was identified within the Asset Management Plan. To avoid passing on a bigger problem to be addressed in future years Council have received a newly adopted Long Term Financial Plan, which introduces a forward-looking performance measure to highlight the asset management funding gap each year.
This year, the Plan identifies that our rates base is underfunding expenditure and asset maintenance by 25%. Our objective is to reduce this figure annually and it is understood this cannot be achieved by increasing rates alone. To be clear, the content of the Long Term Financial Plan does not imply a 25% increase in rates for the 2024-2025 period. Council is considering alternative strategies to lessen our yearly dependence on rate increases. These strategies include:
- Developing a program to review and rationalise the Shire’s asset portfolio,
- Reducing recurring expenditure,
- Pinpointing areas of potential overservice, and
- Identifying grant funding opportunities for significant asset renewal projects.
The current 25% asset management funding gap sets the current benchmark. Councillors have requested that this percentage benchmark be reported regularly throughout the year, to serve as a measure of our collective efforts to reduce the gap.
Item 9.1.1: Development Application – Brookhampton Hall External Refurbishment
Council endorsed a development application to refurbish the external walls of the Brookhampton Hall at a cost of $78,350. The Hall and accompanying War Memorial are listed on the Register of Heritage Places as a Permanent Entry, because it has aesthetic, historic, and social cultural heritage values to the Brookhamptom community.
The proposal will ensure the Brookhampton Hall, constructed in 1899, continues it’s long history of serving it’s rural community. First used as a school and for church services and home to the Brookhampton Bell Ringsers since they formed in 1904, the Hall was later extended for Community meetings. During World War II, the Hall was adapted to accommodate refugees from Singapore and Malaya and for Prisoners of War.
The Brookhampton Hall is highly valued by the Brookhampton community. Councillors acknowledged the Brookhampton Hall Committee for their work and contributions toward the maintenance and upkeep of the Hall, in collaboration with the Shire.
Item 9.1.2: Dark Down South Open Air – South West Metal Fest – Event Application
In light of our experiences with the Meliora Arts & Lifestyle Festival over New Year in 2023, the Shire is now developing an Events Policy. Until this policy is finalised, all multi-day music festivals require Council approval.
At item 9.1.2, Council approved the Dark Down South Open Air Metal Festival. This event is scheduled to take place at the Jim McDonald Oval in Kirup on 22 and 23 November 2024.
This public, ticketed event will feature both live and recorded music, a variety of food trucks, and onsite camping facilities for up to 650 attendees. The festival organisers are required to meet 19 conditions, including the development of comprehensive management plans for noise, fire and emergency, traffic, and risk.
Event notifications will be sent to all residents within a 2km radius of the festival location. Our Council Plan strives to maintain a balance between attracting visitors to the Shire and considering the potential impact of an event on a locality.
The South West Metal Fest has received support from the Kirup Progress Association and the Kirup Tavern, who welcome the commercial opportunities that the festival will bring to the community.
Item 9.1.3: Meliora Arts & Lifestyle Festival – Event Application
The second festival to be approved by Council was for a Meliora Arts & Lifestyle Festival, which is to be held on the same weekend as the South West Metal Fest. The dates for this event will be 22 to 24 November 2024.
This event is also public and ticketed, and will host up to 3,000 attendees alongside 500 contributors. It will feature food trucks, potable water tanks, BYO alcohol, and on-site camping for up to 3,500 people for three days.
Council approved the event subject to 23 conditions, including the requirement of plans for noise modelling, monitoring and management, camping and parking , fire and emergency management, as well as risk assessment and management.
Again, like the Metal Fest, event notifications will be sent to residents within 2km at a cost to the applicant. In collaboration with the Donnybrook Balingup Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DBCCI), event notifications with be sent to local businesses within the Shire to ensure the full commercial opportunity is captured.
Item 9.1.4: Access & Inclusion Reference Group (AIRG)
At our June Ordinary Council Meeting, Council approved a Disability Access & Inclusion Plan (DAIP) which included the establishment of an Access and Inclusion Reference Group (AIRG). The first step in setting up the Group was for Council to approve their ways of working through their Terms of Reference (the Terms).
The Terms sets out the Group’s structure, purpose, objectives, membership, meeting frequency, and reporting arrangements. The structure of the Group is designed in a way that offers flexibility without the constraints of a formal Committee of Council.
Council will begin advertising for nominations for the Group through various methods and platforms, including the Shire’s website, Preston Press, the Donnybrook Balingup Community Radio (DBCR), and on community noticeboards.
Item 9.2.3: Annual Review of the Long Term Financial Plan (15 year period 24/25 – 38/39)
The Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) is prepared each year, prior to the budget. It serves to inform and guide Councillors about the Shire’s financial position, telling us about the timing of when assets need maintenance or replacement, and providing the most financially sustainable pathway to meeting the future objectives and responsibities of the Shire. Unlike the budget, the LTFP is not a binding document.
As mentioned earlier, the LTFP has introduced a transparent, forward-looking performance measure. This year, our rates base indicates that we are underfunding our long term responsibilities by 25%. With this information in mind, Council’s highest priority is to reduce this figure and maintain it each year at a more acceptable level.
As part of the approval, Council has requested this benchmark figure be measured and progress reported throughout the year.
Item 9.2.4: Adoption of 2024/2025 Fees & Charges
Council approved the 2024/25 review of Fees and Charges. This comprehensive review process involved an analysis of fees in relation to their corresponding service costs, comparative studies, and a dedicated Council workshop. As a result, a general increase of 7.5% has been approved in most fees outlined in the Schedule. This schedule incorporates new fees, as well as fees which have been modified beyond the 7.5% increase to align more closely with current standard service costs.
Regulatory fees, including those for development applications, building applications, swimming pool inspections, and pet licenses, have been established within the confines of legislative limits.
Item 9.3.1: Council Plan – Biannual Progress Report (January – June 2024)
Council was pleased to receive an update on the progress of our Council Plan (2022-32). The Plan outlines the Shire’s operational and capital project priorities and aspirations.
This update covers the period from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024. To date, we have completed 28% of the items outlined in the Plan, with 52% currently in progress. The balance of items have been deferred due to a lack of grant funding or other limitations.
I am pleased to highlight key achievements from this quarter, including:
- Establishment of a Youth Leadership Group
This group is tasked with developing a comprehensive youth plan for the Shire.
- Childcare & After-School Care Opportunities
Research into Childcare and After-School Care has identified service gaps and proposed solutions. From this work, the Shire has secured $25,000 in grant funding to address the attraction and retention of childcare workers.
- Community & Road Safety Education
The Shire has been sharing educational content from the WA Police, Road Safety Commission, RAC, DFES, and other primary sources, through social media and local schools.
- Responsible Dog & Cat Ownership
A campaign was developed and launched to promote responsible dog and cat ownership.
Updates on achievements against the Council Plan will be included in a media release on the Shires website and within the September issue of the Preston Press (see our Shire Connect article).
Thank you for listening to this summary of the Ordinary Council Meeting that was held in July. If you would like more details, they can be found on the Shire’s website.
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