Agenda of Ordinary Meeting of Council - Monday, 5 September 2022

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 5 September 2022

RP-1

Reports from Staff

RP-1 AMENDMENT TO WAGGA WAGGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA BUSH FIRE PRONE LAND MAP

Author: Sam Robins

General Manager: Peter Thompson

Summary:

The purpose of this report is for Council to receive and note the revised Draft Bush Fire Prone Land Map. The draft map has been prepared by the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) in consultation with Council to identify areas with elevated bushfire risk within the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area, in accordance with the latest mapping guidelines and will update the current map which was implemented in 2016.

Recommendation

That Council:

a receive and note the report

b support the proposed changes made by the RFS in consultation with Council Staff

Report

Introduction

The purpose of this report is for Council to receive and note the revised Draft Bush Fire Prone Land Map. The draft map will be made available to the public via Councils website while it is being reviewed and certified by the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service. There is no requirement to publicly notify/advertise the map and given Council are not the authority for the map it is not considered relevant or appropriate to ask for comment on the draft map.

The map has been prepared by the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) in consultation with Council to identify areas with elevated bushfire risk within the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area, in accordance with the latest mapping guidelines and will update the current map which was implemented in 2016.

Background

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) and the Rural Fires Act 1997 (RF Act) were amended on 1 August 2002 to enhance bush fire protection in the development assessment process. This included the requirement for the preparation of a Bush Fire Prone Land (BFPL) map identifying vegetation within Local Government Areas (LGAs) that has the potential to support a bushfire.

The identification of Bush Fire Prone Land (BFPL) in NSW is required under the Section 10.3 of the EP&A Act, which states:

“10.3 Bush fire prone land (cf previous s 146)

(1) If a bush fire risk management plan applies to land within the area of a council, the council must, within 12 months after the commencement of this section (and before the end of the period of every 5 years after the commencement)

(a) request the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service to designate land (if any) within the area that the Commissioner considers, having regard to the bush fire risk management plan, to be bush fire prone land, and

(b) must record any land so designated on a map.

(2) The Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service must, if satisfied that the land designated by the Commissioner has been recorded by the council on a map, certify the map as a bush fire prone land map for the area of the council.

(2A) The Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service may, in accordance with the regulations, review the designation of land on a bush fire prone land map for an area at any time after the map is certified and revise the map accordingly.

The revised map

(a) becomes the bush fire prone land map for the area on being certified by the Commissioner, and

(b) is to be provided to the council by the Commissioner.

(3) Land recorded for the time being as bush fire prone land on a bush fire prone land map for an area is bush fire prone land for the area for the purposes of this or any other Act.

(4) The bush fire prone land map for an area is to be available for public inspection during normal office hours for the council.

(5) In this section

bush fire risk management plan has the same meaning as it has in the Rural Fires Act 1997.

Note— Division 8 of Part 4 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 contains provisions relating to the carrying out of development and bush fire hazard reduction work on bush fire prone land.”

Bush Fire Prone Land (BFPL) is land that has been identified as land that can either support a bush fire or that is subject to bush fire attack. Not being identified as being bush fire prone land on the BFPL map is not a guarantee that losses from bush fires will not occur. Changes to the landscape and the environment may occur from time to time or over time and therefore the certified BFPL maps may not be a true indication of bush fire risk.

Bush fire prone land maps are certified by the Commissioner of the NSW RFS. The identification of BFPL is a trigger to consider a set of specifications for building on land identified as bush fire prone. Those specifications are outlined in a document titled “Planning for Bushfire Protection” (PBP) and the current legislated version that is adopted is PBP 2019 as well as Australian Standard 3959-2018 – Construction of buildings in bush fire prone areas.

Bush Fire Prone Land Maps are required to be reviewed at least every five years under Section 10.3 of the EP&A Act. Council is therefore required to review its maps.

A draft map was prepared by RFS and provided to Council in September 2021. To ensure that the mapping provides the best outcomes for Council and the community the map was reviewed by relevant Council Staff, the Local RFS and an accredited bush fire consultant from CR Bushfire was engaged to review the mapping. As part of that engagement the consultants were asked to determine any clear inconsistencies between the draft map, the applicable legislation and policy, as well as focus on particular areas of concern raised by Council Staff. Both internal and external (consultant and Local RFS) comments were reviewed, and recommended amendments put forward to RFS. RFS provided a revised map based on these comments. It is important to note however, that the Commissioner can make direct changes to a BFPL map at any time, as outlined in Section 10.3 of the EP&A Act, above.

Issues and comments

To assist with the preparation of BFPL maps, the NSW RFS prepared the Guide for Bush Fire Prone Land Mapping (Version 5b) (NSW Rural Fire Service 2015).

The Mapping Guideline groups vegetation types into categories based on the level of bushfire risk. The current version of the Mapping Guideline (released in 2015) has introduced a new Category 3 Vegetation which includes grasslands. The NSW RFS provided a three (3) year transition for this type of vegetation to be mapped on the BFPL map, which was from 2015-2018.

For reference, when Council adopted the 2016 map the inclusion of Grasslands was optional and Council opted not to included them. The inclusion of Grasslands is no longer optional.

Vegetation Category 1

Vegetation Category 1 is considered to be the highest risk for bush fire. It is represented as red on the BFPL map and will be given a 100 metre buffer (that is the land within 100 metres of the edge of the vegetation will also be mapped as BFPL). This vegetation category has the highest combustibility and likelihood of forming fully developed fires including heavy ember production and includes areas of forest, etc.

Vegetation Category 2

Vegetation Category 2 is considered to be a lower bush fire risk than Category 1 and Category 3 but higher than the excluded areas. It is represented as light orange on a bush fire prone land map and will be given a 30 metre buffer. It includes vegetation like rainforests and remnant vegetation.

Vegetation Category 3

Vegetation Category 3, the new (since 2015) category, is considered to be medium bush fire risk vegetation. It is higher in bush fire risk than category 2 (and the excluded areas) but lower than Category 1. It is represented as dark orange on a Bush Fire Prone Land map and will be given a 30 metre buffer. This vegetation includes grasslands.

The inclusion of Category 3 vegetation on the BFPL map has seen a significant increase in the amount of area on the draft Wagga BFPL map that is identified as being bush fire prone. (see attached maps)

What does being mapped as BFPL mean?

As outlined above, once adopted the map becomes a legislative trigger for the consideration of bushfire impacts on new developments via Development Applications (DA’s), Complying Development Certificates (CDC’s) and Constructions Certificates (CC’s). The purpose is to ensure that new developments are appropriately designed to the level of bushfire risk they are exposed to. There are different assessment pathways depending on the type of development, however, all developments essentially are required to comply with Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019.

If you are carrying out a subdivision on BFPL that could lawfully be used for residential or rural residential subdivision or you are carrying out what is known as Special Fire Protection Purpose (SFPP) development (which is development like schools, child care centres, hotels, seniors housing, etc.) on BFPL a “bush fire safety authority” (BFSA) is required from the NSW RFS.

Building work on BFPL must also comply with the requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC). The NCC contains the technical provisions for the design and construction of buildings. Under the Deemed to Satisfy provisions of the NCC, building work on BFPL must comply with Australian Standard 3959:2018 Construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas (AS 3959) or the National Association of Steel Framed Housing (2014) Steel Framed Construction in Bush Fire Areas (NASH Standard).

As part of the consideration of a development on BFPL, Council officers will need to undertake a bush fire attack assessment in relation to the application. There is a detailed methodology for this assessment in the PBP.

Therefore, having your land mapped as BFPL means that you must consider the PBP and the NCC requirements when planning for your development and that additional information will be required with an application for development.

Legal Implications

Section 10.3 of the EP&A Act requires councils, where a Bush Fire Risk Management Plan applies, to record a bush fire prone land map after consulting with the Commissioner of the NSW RFS. The Commissioner will designate lands to be bush fire prone within an area and, when satisfied that the lands have been recorded on a map, certify the map as the Bush Fire Prone Land map. Councils are required to make these maps available for public inspection.

Section 4.14 of the EP&A Act requires that where development of bush fire prone land occurs, the consent authority must be satisfied that the development complies with Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019 or has consulted with the Commissioner of the NSW RFS. Complying development is permitted on bush fire prone land for the lower risk bush fire attack levels (Australian Standard 3959 BAL levels 12.5, 19, and 29). Such development is required to meet development standards complying with Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019.

Section 100B of the Rural Fires Act 1997 requires that a Bush Fire Safety Authority is issued by the Commissioner of the NSW RFS for all residential subdivision or special fire protection purpose developments on Bush Fire Prone Land. A Bush Fire Safety Authority is issued where the Commissioner believes that the development complies with standards that provide the development with appropriate protection measures against bush fire.

Section 10.7 of the EP&A Act requires that a Council will, in the planning certificate, include advice on relevant matters affecting a parcel of land of which it may be aware. This includes Bush Fire Prone Land, as specified in Schedule 2 of Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021. The section 10.7 certificate is an important mechanism for Councils to inform people living in or looking to purchase into a bush fire prone area, that bush fire is a consideration.

Conclusion

Council is required to have a current bush fire prone land map under amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. Council staff are satisfied that the draft map has been appropriately reviewed by relevant stakeholders and appropriately reflects bush fire prone land in the Wagga Wagga LGA.

Financial Implications

The draft BFPL map has been prepared by NSW Rural Fire Service at no cost to Council. The independent review of the draft BFPL map by the certified bushfire consultant was undertaken within Councils existing budget.

Council, once having had its Bush Fire Prone Land certified by the Commissioner of the NSW RFS, should regularly monitor and review the information to ensure currency and reliability of data depicted. Monitoring and review of the bush fire prone land should reflect required certification and approval standards within legislative timeframes (i.e. before the end of the period of every five years after the certification date of the map as outlined in section 10.3 of the EP&A Act). This process will be managed by Strategic Planning within existing budgets.

Policy and Legislation

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979

Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations 2021

Rural Fires Act 1997

Link to Strategic Plan

The Environment

Objective: Wagga Wagga is sustainable, liveable, and resilient to the impacts of climate change

Adapt to our changing climate

Risk Management Issues for Council

There is a requirement under the EP&A Act for Council to request the Commissioner of NSW Rural Fire Service designate land as bush fire prone and record on a designated map every 5 years. Failure to do this is a failure to discharge Council responsibilities under the EP&A Act.

Bush fire events present a great deal of risk for many properties across the Wagga LGA and NSW wide. Catastrophic fire events across NSW and Australia over recent years have shown the serious and critical need to have current mapping and policy to reduce the risk to life and property through ensuring that new developments are appropriately located and designed for the level of bush fire threat that they are exposed to.

The current mapping was implemented in 2016 and has not been updated in accordance with Rural Fire Service’s Guide for Bush Fire Prone Land Mapping (Version 5b) 2015. The adoption of a present-day bush fire prone land map will ensure that where there is an elevated bushfire risk, well defined controls for development are considered and the risk associated with bush fire events is mitigated to an acceptable level.

Failure to update the maps may result in incorrect information being provided on 10.7 Certificates, inconsistent assessment of Development Applications and Complying Development Certificates and failure to provide the most accurate and up to date information to the community.

Internal / External Consultation

Stakeholder consultation is not a requirement as the map is a NSW RFS map and not Councils.

The map was reviewed by relevant Council Staff, the Local RFS and an accredited bush fire consultant from CR Bushfire was engaged to review the mapping.

The draft map will be made available to the public via Councils website while it is being reviewed and certified by the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Given Council are not the authority for the map it is not considered relevant or appropriate to ask for comment on the draft map.

Attachments

1.	Current Bush Fire prone Land map - Provided under separate cover
2 .	Proposed Bush Fire Prone Land Map - Provided under separate cover
3 .	Consultant review - Provided under separate cover
4 .	Guideline to Bush Fire Prone Land mapping - Provided under separate cover
5 .	Fact Sheet for changes to the mapping - Provided under separate cover

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 5 September 2022

RP-3

RP-3 MAJOR EVENTS, FESTIVALS AND FILMS SPONSORSHIP - ROUND TWO

Author: Sophie Gairn

Director: Janice Summerhayes

Summary:

Council is in receipt of six applications for the second round of the 2022/23 Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship Program. This funding is available to support events held from 20 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.

Recommendation

That Council:

a authorise the General Manager or their delegate to enter into an agreement to sponsor the following events through the 2022/23 Major Events and Sponsorship Program:

i Murrumbidgee Turf Club ‘Breakfast with the Stars & Races’ to the amount of $5,000

ii Pinnock Watts Family Trust ‘Fitz Fest Wagga Wagga’ to the amount of $10,946

iii Borambola Wines ‘G&B, Pastorale Wagga & Borambola Wines Dining Experience’ to the amount of $5,000

iv Mardi Gras Festival 2023’ auspiced by Acon Health Limited to the amount of $12,500 with conditions

v Wagga City Aero Club ‘Wings Over Wagga Wagga’ to the amount of $10,000

b decline the application for sponsorship from the ‘Flow Festival 2022”

Report

These applications have been assessed by the Major Events Advisory Panel (the Panel) in line with the Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship guidelines.

The Panel Members were:

· The CEO of Henty Machinery Field Days

· The Business Owner of Little Triffids Flowers

· The Tourism and Economic Development Officer, Lockhart Shire Council

· The Events Officer, Wagga Wagga City Council

· The Destination and Events Coordinator, Wagga Wagga City Council

The details of the applications received along with the recommended sponsorship funding amounts are summarised as follows:

	Organisation Name	Event Name	Amount Requested	Event Budget	Reason
1	Murrumbidgee Turf Club	Breakfast with the Stars & Races	$10,000	Income: $32,600 (does not include Council’s funds) Expenditure: $43,300 Profit: $-700 Recommended Funding: $5,000	The event is strongly aligned to the history, character, and culture of the city. The organiser has successfully developed and delivered other events of this nature. The event aligns to the eligibility criteria to attract regional and state media exposure. However, the Panel noted this application does not demonstrate the potential for long-term sustainability as this is a one-off event and therefore recommends partial funding support and recommends an increase in ticket price to cover any additional costs.
2	Pinnock Watts Family Trust	Fitz Fest Wagga Wagga	$20,000	Income: $10,100 (does not include Council funds) Expenditure: $45,725 Profit: -$35,625 Recommended Funding: $10,946	This event has significant potential for both community and business benefits. The applicant has demonstrated strong collaboration with local creatives and businesses. The event aligns strongly to Council’s Cultural Plan 2020-2030 objectives to create a vibrant city centre and support the development and presentation of local creative works. Over 40% of the event budget was requested which is beyond the acceptable limit of the funding guidelines. The Panel recommends partial funding to support this event to adhere to funding guidelines. The applicant has indicated they will seek further funding from other sources prior to the event taking place to cover the expenditure shortfall.
3	Borambola Wines	G&B, Pastorale Wagga & Borambola Wines Dining Experience	$10,000	Income: $30,300 (not including Council funds) Expenditure: $40,300 Profit: $0 Recommended Funding: $5,000	This event aligns well to the character and culture of the city which will attract visitation. The benefits and value of this project demonstrate strong partnerships with local business. The event organiser has a proven track record of hosting and delivering events in the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area. The Panel noted though a limited ticket number of 200 was indicated, the event had the potential for regional/national media reach and recommends partial support.
4	Auspiced by Acon Health Limited	Wagga Mardi Gras Festival	$20,000	Income: $62,432 (not including Council funds) Expenditure: $77,990 Profit: -$15,558 Recommended Funding: $12,500	This event aligns to the City of Wagga Wagga’s vision to be a connected and inclusive community, creating long term legacy for the community The event aligns to the major tourism event category defined in the Events Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2024 attracting significant attendee numbers, economic benefit, and generation of national media exposure. The application scored highly against the community benefit criteria, however the Panel noted that the applicant did not include a strategy for future growth and continued development which is required for the Flagship Funding criteria. For this reason, the Panel recommends the partial funding amount of $12,500 be approved for this event for one year only encouraging the applicant to reapply next year for Flagship Funding for a further two years if the applicant submits a strategic plan identify the future growth plans for this event.
5	Wagga City Aero Club	Wings Over Wagga Wagga	$10,000	Income: $241,300 (not including Council funds) Expenditure: $209,215 Profit: $32,085 Recommended Funding: $10,000	The event strongly aligns to the major tourism event category defined in the Events Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2024 attracting significant attendee numbers, economic benefit, and generation of national media exposure. This event aligns well to the character and culture of the city which will attract visitation. The benefits and value of this event scored highly in terms of event experience, event management and strong partnerships with local business. The event organiser has a proven track record of hosting and delivering events in the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area. The Panel found this event met all the required criteria for funding.
6	Flow Festival	The Flow Festival	$10,000	Income: $52,800 (not including Council funds) Expenditure: $46,150 Profit: $6,650 Recommended Funding: $0	The Panel noted this application was not submitted under the appropriate funding stream and contained inconsistent information. The Panel recommends this applicant apply in future rounds of the Major Event, Festival and Films Sponsorship funding in the Developing Events category and the applicant contact staff prior to submission to seek support through the funding application process.

Event Details

Breakfast with the Stars & Races | Sunday 2 April 2023 (to be confirmed TBC)

Breakfast with the Stars & Races is an initiative of Murrumbidgee Turf Club with the aim to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup and to drive excitement for Country NSW's biggest racing carnival.

Breakfast with the Stars & Races will take place at one of the Murrumbidgee Turf Clubs’ annual race day events in April 2023. The ticketed event will showcase an open panel discussion with racing insiders including high profile trainers, jockeys, and ambassadors of racing.

The cocktail style breakfast event is designed to promote the 150th anniversary of the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup through a question-and-answer session on the history of the cup. The event will be showcasing the cups’ importance to Wagga Wagga, highlight the fashion and millinery over the 150 years and generate excitement.

Breakfast with the Stars & Races will offer barista coffee and tea leading into a high energy race day for the entire community to enjoy. The model encourages families to attend and enjoy children’s entertainment and activities, a live band, and great racing.

The Murrumbidgee Turf Club has demonstrated an extensive track record of organising and hosting events with a calendar of over twenty-five race meetings per year hosting 35,000 patrons. Event summary for Breakfast with the Stars & Races includes:

· Date: Sunday 2 April 2022, TBC

· Expected attendance: 1,000

· Visitors (from outside of Local Government Area): 40%

· Program duration: 1 day

· Proposed venue: Murrumbidgee Turf Club

· Programming: Cocktail style breakfast event celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup with an open panel discussion with high profile trainers, jockeys, and ambassadors of racing.

· Total income: $32,600 (does not include Council’s funds)

· Total event cost: $43,300

· Total amount requested: $10,000

· Profit: -$700

· Cost to attend: $13 per ticket

· Based on Tourism Research Australia Data, the event will generate visitor spend of $30,000 for day visitors and $105,600 for overnight visitation

The applicant is seeking $10,000 in funding from Council’s Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship for the event. They have indicated they are reliant on this funding to proceed with the event. If successful in securing funding the applicant will acknowledge Council’s support through logo placement on all marketing material and on-the-day signage, and promotion through media opportunities.

The Panel has assessed this application against the Major Events, Festival and Films Sponsorship Guidelines for Incubator Events and recommends this event receives partial funding of $5,000.

The Panel’s assessment and recommendation is summarised as follows:

· The benefits and value of this project scored well in terms of aligning to the history, character and culture of the city, management, and ongoing benefit to business

· The event organiser has successfully developed and delivered other events of this nature

· The event aligns to the funding criteria to attract regional and state media exposure

· The Panel noted the cost to attend the event is low and encourages the event organiser to increase the ticket price to cover the shortfall of funds required to delivery this event

· The application did not demonstrate the potential for long-term sustainability as this is a one-off event

Fitz Fest Wagga Wagga | Saturday 20 May 2023

Fitz Fest 2023 is a 12-hour music festival featuring a diverse range of original and local music that also focuses on activating Fitzmaurice Street as a day and night event space. Fitz Fest is in its third year of delivery.

The 2022 event created a platform for 70+ local musicians to showcase their original work to event patrons. The 2021 and 2022 Fitz Fest events were sponsored by Wagga Wagga City Council to the amount of $34,500. These events have provided work for local musicians and local business generating social and economic benefits for our community. Event summary for Fitz Fest 2023 includes:

· Date: Saturday 20 May 2023

· Expected attendance: 4,000+

· Visitors (from outside of Local Government Area): 12.5%

· Program duration: (12hrs) one day

· Venue: Fitzmaurice Street precinct, indoor and outdoor venues

· Programming: 75+ musicians expected at 10 local venues

· Total event income: $10,100 (does not include council funds)

· Total event cost: $45,725

· Profit: -$15,625

· Total amount requested: $20,000

· Based on Tourism Research Australia Data, the event will generate visitor spend of $60,000 for day visitors and $34,050 for overnight visitation

The funding requested will be used to pay for artist fees, event promotion, event management and curation, production fees, insurance and equipment hire. If successful in securing the requested funding the applicant will acknowledge Council’s funding support through logo placement on promotional collateral and media releases.

The Panel has assessed this application against the Major Events, Festival and Films Sponsorship Guidelines for Developing Events and recommends this event receives partial funding of $10,946. The Panel’s assessment and recommendation is summarised as follows:

· Over 40% of the event budget was requested which is beyond the allowable limit of 40% or lower as outlined in the funding guidelines. For this event a limit of $18,290 can be awarded based on the event cost of $45,725. Therefore, partial funding is recommended to support this event which is in adherence with funding guidelines

· The event is in its development phase and is considered to have potential in terms of both community and business benefit

· The applicant has demonstrated strong collaboration with local creatives and business

· The event aligns strongly to Council’s Cultural Plan 2020-2030 objectives to create a vibrant city centre and support the development and presentation of local creative works

· The application shows a loss of $15,625. The applicant has indicated they will secure funding from other sources prior to the event in order to cover this shortfall.

G&B, Pastorale Wagga & Borambola Wines Dining Experience | Saturday 1 October 2022

In conjunction and consent with the organisers of Gears & Beers, Pastorale Restaurant and Borambola Wines wish to enhance this major event offering in the City by providing a truly local wine and dine experience at the unique location of the Wollundry Bridge. This event is being held by Pastorale Restaurant and Borambola Wines solely, aligning with the Gears & Beers (G&B) Festival event.

Pastorale will source and produce a menu of locally grown foods. Borambola Wines will offer their 100% estate grown wines, along with Tuckerbox beers using local malted barley, Tuckerbox cider using local apples and Riverina Gin using locally grown botanicals. The fine dining experience will offer a three-course menu with roving entertainment, live music, and guest speaker Mike Tomalaris. The event organisers have demonstrated strong community commitment in their application.

Event summary for G&B, Pastorale Wagga & Borambola Wines Dining Experience includes:

· Date: Saturday 1 October 2022

· Expected attendance: 200

· Visitors (from outside of Local Government Area): 75%

· Program Duration: (4.5hrs) one day

· Proposed venue: Wollundry Bridge

· Programming: Three-course wine and dining experience, roving performers, live music, and guest speaker

· Total income: $30,300 (not including council funds)

· Total event cost: $40,300

· Profit: $0

· Total amount requested: $10,000

· Cost to attend: $150 per ticket

· Based on Tourism Research Australia Data, the event will generate visitor spend of $7,500 for day visitors and $39,600 for overnight visitation

The applicant has requested $10,000 in funding from Council’s Major events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship for this event and have indicated that if their application does not receive any funding, the event would not proceed. If successful in securing the requested funding the applicant will acknowledge Council’s funding through logo placement on all marketing material and promotions through media opportunities.

The Panel has assessed this application against the Major Events, Festival and Films Sponsorship Guidelines for Incubator Events and recommends this event receives partial funding of $5,000. The Panel’s assessment and recommendation is summarised as follows:

· The event aligns well to the character and culture of the city which will attract visitation to the City

· The benefits and value of this project scored well in terms of event experience, event management and strong partnerships with local business

· The event organiser has a proven track record of hosting and delivering events in the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area

· The Panel noted though a limited ticket number of 200 was indicated, the event had the potential for regional/national media reach

· The Panel recommends that the applicant increases ticket sale numbers and seeks further sponsorship to cover the shortfall of funds required to deliver this event

Wagga Mardi Gras Festival | Friday 10 – Sunday 12 March 2023

In March 2019 the inaugural Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras Festival was held with the aim of raising the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex communities in the Riverina. Wagga Wagga City Council sponsored the event to the amount of $15,000 with the event organiser reporting estimates of 10,000 attendees participating at the Mardi Gras parade.

In 2020 Council sponsored the second Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras Festival to the amount of $20,000. Due to circumstances outside the reasonable control of HC Events Pty Ltd the Mardi Gras event was cancelled the day before the event was due to be held with the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Mardi Gras event was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022 Council sponsored the third Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras Festival to the amount of $15,000 with the event organiser reporting estimates of 7,500 – 9,500 attendees participating at the Mardi Gras parade. Event summary for the 2023 Wagga Mardi Gras Festival includes:

· Date: Friday 10 – Sunday 12 March 2023

· Expected attendance: 5000

· Visitors (from outside of Local Government Area): 40%

· Program Duration: 3 days

· Proposed venue: Baylis Street and Victory Memorial Gardens

· Programming:

o Friday 10 March – XXX Drag Show

o Saturday 11 March – Parade and Festival

o Sunday 12 March – Rainbow Recovery Market

· Total income: $62,432 (not including council funds)

· Total event cost: $77,990

· Profit: -$15,558

· Total amount requested: $20,000

· Based on Tourism Research Australia Data, the event will generate visitor spend of $150,000 for day visitors and $340,500 for overnight visitation

The event organiser is working with local businesses to secure sponsorship for the festival and has confirmed that these sponsorship requests are in negotiation and currently embargoed. The event is forecasted to make a profit of $4,442 in 2023 with funds being reinvested into the 2024 event.

The applicant has requested $60,000 in funding over three years from Council’s Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship through the Flagship Event stream. They have indicated that if their application is unsuccessful the event will still proceed. If successful in securing the requested funding the applicant will acknowledge Council’s funding through logo placement on all marketing material and promotions through media opportunities. The Panel has assessed this application against the Major Events, Festival and Films Sponsorship Guidelines for Flagship Events and recommends this event receives partial funding of $12,500 for one year as follows:

· The event aligns to the City of Wagga Wagga’s vision to be a connected and inclusive community, creating long term legacy for the community

· The event aligns to the major tourism event category defined in the Events Strategy and Action Plan 2020-24 attracting significant attendee numbers, economic benefit, and generation of national media exposure.

· The application scored highly against the community benefit criteria, however it was noted that the applicant did not include a strategy for future growth and continued development which is required for the Flagship Funding criteria.
For this reason, the Panel recommends the partial funding amount of $12,500 be approved for this event for one year only encouraging the applicant to reapply next year for Flagship Funding for a further two years if the applicant submits a strategic plan identifying the future growth plans for this event.

Wings Over Wagga Wagga | Saturday 15 – Sunday 16 April 2023

Wings Over Wagga Wagga is a major air show weekend targeted at families and aircraft enthusiasts. The event will take place over two days at the Wagga Wagga Airport. On the Saturday a fly-in for private and recreational flyers is planned to view aircrafts on display and to watch the practice run for the Sunday event. Sunday will be the main event with a major four-hour air display open to the public.

The family friendly public event on will also showcase static aircraft displays and motor vehicles with food, beverages and rides available. The event organisers are anticipating 6,000 to 10,000 people will be in attendance across the weekend. The event organisers has demonstrated strong community commitment in their application.

Event summary for Wings Over Wagga Wagga includes:

· Date: Saturday 15 – Sunday 16 April 2023

· Expected attendance: 6,000 - 10,000

· Visitors (from outside of Local Government Area): 47%

· Program Duration: 2 days

· Proposed venue: Wagga Wagga Airport

· Programming: Major air show, children rides and family activities

· Total income: $241,300 (not including council funds)

· Total event cost: $209,215

· Profit: $32,085

· Total amount requested: $10,000

· Cost to attend: $20 - $70 per ticket

· Based on Tourism Research Australia Data, the event will generate visitor spend of $420,000 for day visitors and $79,200 for overnight visitation

The applicant has requested $10,000 in funding from Council’s Major events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship for this event and have indicated that if their application is unsuccessful the event will still proceed. If successful in securing the requested funding the applicant will acknowledge Council’s funding through logo placement on all marketing material and promotions through media opportunities.

The Panel has assessed this application against the Major Events, Festival and Films Sponsorship Guidelines for Incubator Events and recommends this event receives the full amount requested of $10,000 as follows:

· The event strongly aligns to the major tourism event category defined in the Events Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2024 attracting significant attendee numbers, economic benefit, and generation of national media exposure.

· The event aligns well to the character and culture of the city which will attract visitation to the City

· The benefits and value of this project scored highly in terms of event experience, event management and strong partnerships with local business

· The event organiser has a proven track record of hosting and delivering events in the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area

· This event meets all funding criteria

The Flow Festival | Saturday 8 October 2022

The Flow Festival is a music festival held annually at the Wagga Wagga Boat Club on the grounds of Bosley Park. This year’s event is planned for 8 October 2022 and will showcase eight artists & regional bands from the Riverina to perform on the main stage. The festival works with local food vendors as well as the Wagga Boat Club to run a bar and restaurant service on the day.

The applicant has requested $10,000 in the Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship as an Incubator Event. The Panel has assessed the application against the Sponsorship Guidelines and note the following:

· The event has been running since 2019 with three executed events completed, however made a submission through the Incubator Event funding stream which is for new innovative events that are in their first or second year of delivery only.

· This application contained inconsistent information.

· The event organiser has indicated that they would be able to proceed without receiving any funding and it will make a profit.

· The Panel encourages this applicant to reapply in future rounds of the Major Event, Festival and Films Sponsorship funding through the Developing Events stream and encourages the applicant to contact staff prior to submission to seek support through the funding application process.

Financial Implications

2022/2023 Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship Program:

2022/23 Major Events Sponsorship Budget	$80,000
2021/22 Major Events Sponsorship Budget Proposed Carryover	$21,032
TOTAL EVENTS SPONSORSHIP BUDGET	$101,032
Less current commitments
· Bidgee Theatre Productions – Mumma Mia (approved at 29 November 2021 Council meeting, $10,000 in total, $5,000 remaining)	($5,000)
· Showroom Australia - Fitz Fest 2022 (approved at 29 November 2021 Council meeting, $14,500 in total, $7,250 remaining)	($7,250)
· Australian National Pigeon Association – Australian National Pigeon Show (approved at the 7 March 2022 Council meeting)	($2,418)
· Rotary Club of Wollundry - Gears + Beers (approved at 7 March 2022 Council meeting)	($15,000)
· Wagga Road Runners Inc – Wagga Trail Marathon (approved at 10 May 2021 Council meeting)	($7,918)
· Bush Fringes - Wagga Wagga Fringe Festival (Round One approved at 18 July 2022 Council meeting)	($10,000)
· Apex Club of South Wagga Wagga - Motor Mania (Round One approved at 18 July 2022 Council meeting)	($10,000)
TOTAL CURRENT COMMITTMENTS	($57,586)
Remaining sponsorship funds available	$43,446
Recommended sponsorship in this report – Round Two
· Murrumbidgee Turf Club – Breakfast with the Stars & Races	($5,000)
· Pinnock Watts Family Trust – Fitz Fest Wagga Wagga	($10,946)
· Borambola Wines – G&B, Pastorale Wagga & Borambola Wines Dining Experience	($5,000)
· Auspiced by Acon Health Limited – Mardi Gras Festival 2023	($12,500)
· Wagga City Aero Club – Wings Over Wagga Wagga	($10,000)
TOTAL RECOMMENDED SPONSORSHIP ROUND TWO	($43,446)
Remaining sponsorship funds available for the 2022/23 Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship Program	$0

As detailed in the above table there is no further Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship Program funds available for the 2022/23 financial year, these funds are now exhausted. Therefore, the next advertised round will commence in the 2023/24 financial year.

Policy and Legislation

POL087 – Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship

Link to Strategic Plan

Growing Economy

Objective: We are a hub for activity

Outcome: We have vibrant precincts

Risk Management Issues for Council

Risk management will be addressed as part of any future sponsorship agreement, with terms and conditions ensuring events are managed in a COVID-19 safe framework based on the current Public Health Order in place at the time. A staged payment schedule based on event planning and delivery milestones will also be implemented to mitigate against non-delivery of event with each applicant.

Internal / External Consultation

Mail

Media

Community Engagement

Digital

Rates notices insert

Direct mail

Letterbox drop

Council news story

Council News advert

Media releases

TV/radio advertising

One-on-one meetings

Your Say website

Community meetings

Stakeholder workshops

Drop-in sessions

Surveys and feedback forms

Social media

Email newsletters

Website

Digital advertising

TIER

Consult

Involve

Collaborate

Attachments

1.	Application Form - Murrumbidgee Turf Club This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
2 .	Murrmbidgee Turf Club x Breakfast with the Stars Concept Plan This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
3 .	Murrumbidgee Turf Club - Budgeted MTC 150 years Breakfast 2023 This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
4 .	Murrumbidgee Turf Club - Video Links to support MTC submission This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
5 .	Application Form - Pinnock Watts Family Trust This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
6 .	Pinnock Watts Family Trust - Fitz Fest Budget Estimate 2023 This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
7 .	Pinnock Watts Family Trust - Fitz Fest 1600px This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
8 .	Pinnock Watts Family Trust - Fitz Fest Program 2022 This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
9 .	Pinnock Watts Family Trust -Combined Fitz Fest Event Plan 2022Budget 2023 This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
10 .	Application Form - Borambola Wines This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
11 .	Borambola Wines - GB Pastorale Borambola Dining Experience Budget This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
12 .	Borambola Wines - Site Map for GB Pastorale Borambola Dining Experience Oct 2022 This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
13 .	Application Form - Mardi Gras This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
14 .	Mardi Gras - Event budget 2022 equital This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
15 .	Mardi Gras - Event PlanLLLJ Wagga Mardi Gras 2023 This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
16 .	Mardi Gras - Feedback survey - questions This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
17 .	Application Form - Wagga City Aero Club This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
18 .	Wagga City Aero Club - WOWW Concept Plan This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
19 .	Wagga City Aero Club - WOWW Draft Budget WWCC - 3 August 2022 This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
20 .	Application Form - Flow Festival This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
21 .	Flow Festival - 8 Oct 2022 Costings This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
22 .	Flow Festival - Oct 8th 2022 Site Map This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
23 .	Flow Festival - Advertising This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
24 .	Flow Festival This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover
25 .	Flow Festival Photo This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover

No.	Name of Applicant	Requested Subsidy $
1	Carevan Wagga Incorporated	$1,000.00
	Total	$1,000.00

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 5 September 2022

RP-5

RP-5 DRAFT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY 2022

Author: Michael Casey

Executive: Scott Gray

Summary:

The draft Community Engagement Strategy 2022, has been updated in line with Council’s legislative requirements.

Recommendation

That Council:

a place the draft Community Engagement Strategy 2022 on public exhibition for a period of 28 days from 6 September 2022 to 3 October 2022 and invite public submissions until 3 October 2022

b receive a further report following the public exhibition and submission period:

(i) addressing any submission made in respect of the draft strategy

(ii) proposing adoption of the strategy unless there are any recommended amendments deemed to be substantial and requiring a further public exhibition period

c receive and note the update in relation to village consultations

Report

Community engagement is a conversation between the community and Council. Sometimes referred to as public participation or participatory democracy, it’s the process of involving people in the decisions that affect their lives. Council relies on the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) guidelines to define the way we engage with the community.

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Council actively encourages community participation in governance and decision-making processes and see that this is an essential factor to successful decision making. Council is committed to having open, honest, respectful, and truthful communication with the community and encourages the community to do the same.

The draft strategy is a re-fresh of our previous strategy and remains a high-level document that guides Council’s approach and obligations to engaging with our local communities. The contents of the strategy is a commitment to following best practice.

Community engagement at Council is guided by two key documents:

Community Engagement Strategy (this document)

· Overview of how Council will engage with the community

· Summary of methods and techniques

· Identification of the main groups we will focus on engaging with

· Reference to best practice required under the Act

· Resources dedicated to engaging with the community

Community Engagement Toolkit

· Provides templates and resources to help Council staff identify how to engage with community stakeholders

· Internal resource developed by the Communications and Engagement Team to provide a framework for other teams in the organisation to work within

The Community Engagement Toolkit has been significantly overhauled to reflect current day practices and to reflect the demographic of Council and its constituents. The Communication and Engagement Team cannot participate in every engagement activity that occurs within Council, so the Toolkit is a critical resource for other teams within the organisation to use. A centralised calendar is also under development to provide a single snapshot of engagement activities planned or underway. This will provide the Communication and Engagement Team with an additional oversight to minimise duplication or engagement burnout within the community.

Many voices

Council is committed to listening to all perspectives in our community by using a wide range of communication methods to reach the widest cross section of residents and engaging with targeted community groups for specific circumstances. Below are just some of the methods we use:

· Online (website, connect.wagga, online services etc)

· Council News

· Social media

· Media

· Community meetings

· Letterbox drops

· Addressed letters

· Surveys

· Site visits

· Personal briefings

· Meetings

· Email

· Telephone

Our community is made up of a diverse range of people with different levels of English and access to technology. Whatever our message or engagement method is, we must make sure it is accessible to the most number of people possible.

Council’s list of target groups has also been re-ordered to recognise the importance of deliberate consultation with local First Nations residents and organisations, and now also includes ‘Villages and rural communities’ as an identified group. While Council attempts to reach as many community members as possible, the following key community target groups have been identified within the Strategy:

· Wiradjuri and First Nations people

· People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD)

· People of all abilities

· Families

· Single parents

· Children

· Young people

· Older people

· Villages and rural communities

· Community groups

· Stakeholders (business, government, private)

· Councillors

· Council staff

Villages and rural communities

Council is responsible for the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area (LGA) which covers an area of 4,825.9km2 and includes the surrounding villages of Tarcutta, Ladysmith, Mangoplah, Uranquinty, Collingullie, Oura, Humula, Currawarna and Galore.

At the 31 January 2022 Council Meeting a Notice of Motion was submitted to Council in relation to Village Meetings with the following recommendation:

That Council receive a Report on moving the location of some of the Ordinary Meetings from the Wagga Wagga Council Civic Centre chambers to multi village locations during a calendar year with the report including but not limited to the following:

a holding a minimum of one Ordinary Council Meeting per calendar year at each of our villages

b locations in each village where meetings could be held

c how live streaming will operate in these locations and any concern; and

d options for community engagement session before meeting with residents, senior staff and Councillors

The matter was referred to a workshop for further discussion and this discussion occurred as part of the Councillor Workshop held 4 July 2022. Council is committed to visiting both our suburbs and villages to meet and engage with communities across our LGA. In regards to specific engagement with villages, it is proposed that we develop a village engagement plan through the following phased approach so the plan reflects the needs of individual areas.

Phase 1 – Discovery

Staff will build a contact list internally by working with Council teams who are already active in the community. Following this Council will proactively call on residents and groups in villages to register for updates and engagement opportunities.

Communication and Engagement team members will accompany the library vans on multiple village visits to start learning about each village and meet and talk with local residents. This learning phase will be important for designing solutions to improve Council’s communication and engagement with villages.

A broader ‘call for contacts’ campaign will be rolled out by Council Staff through existing contacts and networks, as well as promoted on social media, published in Council News, advertised on our website, and spoken about to media.

As part of this call-out, staff will promote the Council News weekly email newsletter, website and social media channels to those who want to be informed but may not be interested in engagement. Residents wanting to get involved online can sign up to our engagement platform (connect.wagga) to be notified of calls for feedback and engagement.

Staff will provide context in communications around what ‘getting involved’ means and

what activities or avenues are available for those who want to have a say. As part of this communication a resident’s ability to influence any process being participated in will need to be made clear to residents, so that realistic expectations are made and committed to from Council and are understood by residents.

Phase 2: Plan Development

Following the exploration of who in the villages would like to engage with Council, and what topics they would like to engage on, a process can be designed to aim for the highest quality engagement, factoring in frequency of in-person engagement, staffing required or Councillors to attend.

The intent is to increase communication between residents of the villages and suburbs and Council and provide methods for local residents to give feedback to Council and participate in the decision-making process that involves residents and their environment.

The proposed plan is to identify what village residents want, before designing any engagement format. Whatever format visits to the villages will take should be relaxed and interactive, with the aim of promoting contact with Council and listening to residents by Council and Councillors.

Any cohort within the community can request a meeting with Council staff and Councillors in their location. In the village context this option is available to individuals, progress associations and community groups, pending resourcing by Council staff.

It should be noted that Council staff cannot be at every village every week, so a process that identifies issues, and the preferred response and response type, will greatly benefit residents and Council.

Financial Implications

N/A

Policy and Legislation

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

Community Leadership and Collaboration

Objective: We are informed and involved in decision making

Outcome: Everyone in our community feels they have been heard and understood

Risk Management Issues for Council

No specific issues identified.

Internal / External Consultation

Amendments to the revised Community Engagement Strategy are of a minor nature and do not change the intent of the Strategy. Therefore, it is considered not necessary for public exhibition prior to readoption.

Mail

Media

Community Engagement

Digital

Rates notices insert

Direct mail

Letterbox drop

Council news story

Council News advert

Media releases

TV/radio advertising

One-on-one meetings

Your Say website

Community meetings

Stakeholder workshops

Drop-in sessions

Surveys and feedback forms

Social media

Email newsletters

Website

Digital advertising

TIER

Consult

Involve

Collaborate

Attachments

draft Community Engagement Strategy 2022 - Provided under separate cover

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 5 September 2022

RP-6

RP-6 OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE REPORT - 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022

Author: Jacqueline Martin

Executive: Scott Gray

Summary:

This report provides details of Council’s performance against the Combined Delivery Program and Operational Plan 2021/2022 as at December 2021.

Recommendation

That Council receive and note the Operational Performance Report for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.

Report

In accordance with the Integrated Planning and Reporting (IPR) framework, Council is required to report its progress against the Delivery Program on a biannual basis.

This report provides a summary of Council’s activities and performance for the financial year and outlines the progress we’ve made in implementing Council’s combined Delivery Program and Operational Plan 2021/22.

Through this report, we look at what we’ve accomplished by measuring the outputs of the services, programs and projects delivered by Council (what we did), and the effectiveness of our strategies and plans through outcomes (what we’ve achieved) for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.

The five strategic directions as set out in the Community Strategic Plan 2040 provide the structure for the Report. These are our focus areas for achieving our community’s long-term priorities and goals and ultimately our community’s vision for the future.

In addition to the project performance report 2021/22, project reports have been provided on a regular basis through the monthly finance report and through the bulletin.

Summary of Performance

Actions are assigned a status (as per the following table) to identify their level of completion against expected outcomes for the reporting period.

Status Key and summary

n	Off track	Indicates that an action is at risk, and generally relates to the target for the year not being met or the action is on hold	4 actions
n	Monitor	Indicates that an action may be at risk if issues are not addressed, and generally relates to the target for the year not being met	19 actions
n	On track	Indicates that an action is on track or completed and the target for the year was met	194 actions

While there are some areas requiring attention, progress of the large majority of actions identified in the DPOP are progressing according to schedule, with 194 (89.4%) of the actions having a status of ‘n on track’. This is still a positive achievement during a very difficult time with the interruptions of COVID-19 and staff shortages.

Summary of Actions reported requiring attention

To assist Councillors below is a summary of the 23 actions identified within the report with a status of ‘n off track’ or ‘n monitor’.

Code	Action 2021/22	Annual comment	Primary Responsibility	Progress	Status
1.1.6	Develop and deliver an Annual Internal Audit Plan considering Council's areas of risk exposure	Changes in resourcing during the second half of this year have impacted the delivery of some actions identified in the 2021/22 Internal Audit Plan. Outstanding actions will be carried forward to 2022/23 Internal Audit Plan for completion.	Audit	60%	n
1.1.7	Develop and deliver an Internal Audit Strategic Plan	The Internal Audit Strategic Plan was developed during the financial year however, changes in resourcing during the second half of the year have impacted the delivery of some actions within the reporting period. Outstanding actions will be carried forward for completion 2022/23 financial year.	Audit	60%	n
1.2.5	Develop a strategic property portfolio plan	Preparation of strategic property plan commenced during 2021-22 H2. Further work required to finalise strategic property portfolio plan which will be assisted by additional resources from July 2022.	Land and Property	30%	n
1.2.8	Manage the delivery of Council's capital works program in accordance with Council's Project Management Framework and project plans	Capital works projects and programs account for over $86 million of the planned activities for the 2021/2022 financial year. Progress: % YTD Actual $69,268,582 vs Approved Budget $108,984,216 = 64%. Project status summary (life of project) 125 projects: n Off track=1 n Monitor=59 n On track or completed=65 See ‘project performance report 2021/22’ for further information per project.	Project Management Office	64%	n
1.5.1	Continue to deliver a sustainable fleet replacement program aligned to operational requirements and provide optimal outcomes for Council and the community	39 items of plant and fleet were scheduled for replacement in the 2021/22 year. Supply issues associated with COVID-19 and resourcing had an impact with the following outcomes achieved: · 3 light vehicles were deferred · 3 plant items were put on hold pending internal service reviews · 11 items were replaced · 11 items have had orders placed and we are awaiting delivery 11 items of plant were not started	Procurement Services	60%	n
1.5.2	Continue to implement Council's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy and manage the delivery of Council's ICT projects	Implementation of projects identified in the strategy has ceased due to prolonged and ongoing resource shortages within the ICT division. This is unlikely to change in the next 6 months, however the most critical projects will still progress with the assistance of third-party providers.	Information and Communications Technology Services	70%	n
1.5.7	Manage Council's Cyber Security systems and processes in accordance with Council's Cyber Security Strategy	Council has implemented a number of services to identify any attacks in near real time before any damage can occur to systems and data. Progress against the implementation plan within the strategy has been delayed however due to ongoing resource shortages.	Information and Communications Technology Services	40%	n
2.1.6	Monitor and maintain the Council Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) network	A replacement program has been commenced for the aging cameras within the CBD, however ongoing delays in sourcing hardware have continued into the 22/23 financial year.	Information and Communications Technology Services	80%	n
2.4.10	Undertake mandatory inspections of swimming pools as prescribed under legislation	Inspections organised and being undertaken are reliant upon site/property access, Building Surveyor availability, workload & information sufficiently provided to undertake the inspection within the five business days. During this period 37.35% of inspections were completed within five business days.	Development Assessment and Building Certification	100%	n
3.1.3	Improve bus shelters to be accessible (rolling scheme upgrades) (DIAP item 2.23)	No bus shelter improvements to make them more accessible were completed in the 2021/22 financial year.	Roads and Footpaths	0%	n
3.7.5	Identify and develop a suite of personal development programs aligned to organisational values and provide opportunities for staff to engage in activities to enhance leadership capabilities across the organisation	All identified learning and development programs completed in line with Council's Corporate Training Plan. Due to COVID-19 and limited access to staff due to absences, the Leadership Program Delivery was put on hold and will be re implemented in 2022/23.	People and Safety	50%	n
3.8.1	Increase number of people with a disability employed at Council towards a 10% target (DIAP item 3.8)	Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) data collected upon employee commencement is not mandatory for the employee to complete. Current available information is not a valid reflection of current workforce. Further discussions to be held with Social Planning regarding an approach to fulfill DIAP item 3.8 requirements.	People and Safety	30%	n
3.8.2	Undertake annual Employee Opinion Survey of employees to gauge workplace diversity and employees’ attitudes to inclusion and accessibility (DIAP item 3.4)	The 2021 Culture Survey undertaken by CERM PI (University of South Australia) did not have a focus on workplace diversity and employee attitudes to inclusion and accessibility. Further consultation to be held with Social Planning to determine appropriate method to capture this information in accordance with DIAP item 3.4.	People and Safety	30%	n
5.1.1	Assess and determine development applications, construction certificates, complying development applications and manage risks through monitoring their compliance	All applications within this Action are reliant on sufficient information lodged, Officers availability for assessment / inspection and workload. Staff numbers and continued increase in Applications lodged, expected previously agreed timeframes will be difficult to achieve. Also, during this period there were an increase in all applications due to property improvements or sale of properties. This has impacted the processing times with zero of the seven key performance targets achieved for this period.	Development Assessment and Building Certification	100%	n
5.1.2	Assess and determine public section 68 applications ensuring compliance with engineering standards and development conditions	A high volume of work has been experienced in this period and the Subdivision section is currently one Engineer short, impacting application processing timeframes this FY. As a result, targeted timeframes were not met with 68% of section 68 processed within 14 business days.	Subdivisions	100%	n
5.1.3	Assess and determine subdivision development applications and subdivision works certificates ensuring compliance with engineering standards and development conditions	A high volume of work has been experienced in this period and the Subdivision section is currently one Engineer short, impacting application processing timeframes 2021/22. Also, the complexity of some Subdivision Works Certificates requires more time to assess and also requires consultation with other staff within Council which requires extra time. As a result, targeted timeframes were not met with 0% Subdivision Work Certificate applications determined within 20 business days and 68% of Subdivision Certificate applications determined within 10 business days.	Subdivisions	100%	n
5.1.10	Prepare a new Wagga Wagga Development Control Plan	Progress continues to be delayed. In the absence of a State Template for the development control plan being released, priority amendments are currently being considered and prioritised as an interim measure.	City Strategy	20%	n
5.1.11	Present planning proposals to Council within six months of lodgement	Six planning proposals have been received during the 21/22 Financial Year. One has already passed the six-month reporting timeframe, three have met the six month reporting timeframe and two are yet to be reported or pass the reporting timeframe. A significant contributor to the delay in reporting planning proposals to Council is where the proposal requires significant decisions to be made where we do not have clear strategic policy or strategy to inform the decision.	City Strategy	50%	n
5.1.14	Update the Sewer Development Servicing Plan	The Development Servicing Plan (DSP) Sewer is currently on hold pending the development of a Sewer Capacity Model. This model shows where the Sewer network is expected to have capacity issues as a result of the growth of the city and then models solutions. The preferred solution is costed and will then inform the DSP Sewer.	City Strategy	0%	n
5.3.1	Develop a Council carpark renewal program	Only attribute capture of carparks to improve the asset register for car parks occurred. A quote was obtained from a consultant to progress this action however, funding was not available to complete the works.	Roads and Footpaths	20%	n
5.3.2	Develop a footpath replacement program	Only updating of the footpath network in the GIS system occurred. Development of this program will fall out of the statutory revaluation of the footpath assets where condition assessment of the paths must be undertaken. The revaluation of the footpath network must occur in 2022/23 and is an action in the 2022/23 Operational Plan.	Roads and Footpaths	10%	n
5.3.4	Develop a Wagga Wagga Central laneway renewal program	Due to a lack of internal resources, this action did not commence. An external quote to complete the action was obtained, however no funding was available to deliver the action.	Roads and Footpaths	0%	n
5.4.4	Review & update Council's Street Tree Management Policy	Not started due to resourcing shortages, will commence 2022/23.	Parks and Strategic Operations	0%	n

Financial Implications

N/A

Policy and Legislation

NSW Local Government Act 1993

Link to Strategic Plan

Community Leadership and Collaboration

Objective: We have strong leadership

Outcome: We are accountable and transparent

Risk Management Issues for Council

N/A

Internal / External Consultation

Internal consultation has been undertaken with responsible officers, managers and directors.

Mail

Media

Community Engagement

Digital

Rates notices insert

Direct mail

Letterbox drop

Council news story

Council News advert

Media releases

TV/radio advertising

One-on-one meetings

Your Say website

Community meetings

Stakeholder workshops

Drop-in sessions

Surveys and feedback forms

Social media

Email newsletters

Website

Digital advertising

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Operational Performance Report - 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 - Provided under separate cover

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 5 September 2022

RP-7

RP-7 REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Author: Carolyn Rodney

Summary:

Council has received six (6) fee waiver requests which are detailed for Council’s consideration.

Recommendation

That Council:

a in accordance with Section 356 of the Local Government Act 1993, provide financial assistance to the following groups:

i. Rotary Club of Wollundry – Saturday Markets $2,090.00 (Request 1)

ii. Combined Riders of Wagga - Toy Run $300.00 (Request 2)

iii. Cancer Council Wagga - Relay for Life $1,620.40 (Request 3)

iv. Wagga Leagues Swimming Club - National Masters Swimming $2,110.00 (Request 4)

b note the proposed budget available for financial assistance requests for the remainder of the 2022/23 financial year

c not provide financial assistance to the following groups due to the reasons noted in this report:

i. Light Horse Memorial Committee – Traffic Management (Request 5)

ii. Tolland Wolves Soccer – Sportsground Hire (Request 6)

Report

Six (6) Section 356 financial assistance requests are proposed for consideration at this Ordinary Council meeting. Details of each request are shown below:

1. Rotary Club of Wollundry – Request for Hire of Wollundry Lagoon Precinct and Amphitheatre and toilet hire charges to be waived – $3,300.00 for 2022/23

James Hamilton on behalf of the Wollundry Rotary Markets Saturday Market Committee in the attached letter (Attachment 1) requests:

“Dear Peter,

Rotary Club of Wollundry Wagga Wagga Inc. is requesting that any costs associated with the use of Civic Precinct is waived for the 2022/23 financial year. The City Council has in the past waived the fees associated with the use of the civic precinct for Saturday markets use as the markets provides broad benefits to the local community. All funds raised at Saturday market are donated to local charitable organisations who assist disadvantaged people in our local community. Also, the markets provide a social setting which benefits for the mental health of members of the community and a source of supplies where people can purchase various types of goods.

Thank you for considering the request to waiver the fees associated with the use of the civic precinct.

James Hamilton

On behalf of Saturday Market Committee”

The fees for the use of the Wollundry precinct for the Saturday markets includes a hire fee for the Wollundry Lagoon Precinct at $190.00 per month (annualised to $2,090.00) and $110 per month (annualised to $1,210.00) for the Civic Theatre toilet hire fee, which is a cost recovery for the cleaning to be undertaken after each of the Saturday markets.

Stall holders at each of the Saturday markets is charged a stall holder fee – currently $55 per space, and an additional $10 per site for a powered site. All electricity use is borne and paid for by Council.

The writer of the request notes that all funds raised by this event goes to local charitable organisations. Council staff are recommending waiving the $2,090.00 which will provide relief, however the charge for the cleaning costs that Council is required to undertake for the use of Civic Theatre toilets is not recommended to be waived.

The above request aligns with Council’s Strategic Plan “We activate our community spaces to promote connectedness” – Objective: “We have opportunities to connect with others”.

The Rotary Club of Wollundry Wagga Wagga have not received any other financial assistance from Council this financial year.

2. Combined Riders of Wagga Toy Run – $300.00

Pat Combs, Coordinator of the 2022 Toy Run for the Combined Riders of Wagga Wagga, in the attached letter (Attachment 2) requests:

“Dear Mr Thompson,

Once again we will be conducting the Annual Wagga Toy Run which will terminate at the Civic Complex on 3^rd December.

Being a charitable event would you consider waiving the venue hire at the Wollundry Lagoon Precinct for this event?

Yours sincerely

Pat Combs

Co Ordinator 2022 Toy Run”

The fees for the use of the Wollundry precinct includes a hire fee for the Wollundry Lagoon Precinct for $190.00 and $110.00 for the Civic Theatre toilet hire fee.

Given the event is an annual charitable event, Council staff are proposing for the full $300 hire fee for the Wollundry Lagoon Precinct be waived in this instance.

The Combined Riders of Wagga Wagga have not received any other financial assistance from Council this financial year.

The above request aligns with Council’s Strategic Plan “Our community are proud of where we live and our identity” – Objective: “Promote a strong sense of place”.

3. Cancer Council Wagga Relay for Life – Request fee waiver of Connolly Park (Additional $620.40); plus Gregadoo Waste Management Centre Fees up to maximum of - $1,000.00

Council approved at the 27 June 2022 Council meeting a fee waiver of $679.00 for the Cancer Council for their Relay for Life event (included in the annual Section 356 contributions, grants and donations with the adoption of the annual 2022/23 Integrated Planning and Reporting suite of documents. Council fee waiver for this event mentions Parramore Park Hire, however this event has been held at Connolly Park for several years now.

The full fee for the use of Connolly Park is $1,299.40. The adopted fee waiver mentioned above included one signage fee and no lighting fee, which on review should have originally been included with the annual adoption of fee waivers.

In addition to the above adjustment required Christine Williams, the Community Relations Coordinator for Western NSW at the Cancer Council in the attached email (Attachment 3) requests:

“Dear Mr Peter Thompson

On behalf of the Wagga Wagga Relay for Life committee, may I request the City of Wagga Wagga waiver fees at Gregadoo Waste Management Centre regarding any rubbish from the event.

Wagga Wagga Relay for Life is the largest fundraiser in the city for Cancer Council NSW and will be held at Conolly Oval on 7-8 October 2022.

Rubbish from the 24-hour Relay will be taken to the Gregadoo Waste Management Centre following the event by Cleanaway trucks.

With more than 48,000 people in NSW diagnosed with cancer each year, the Relay For Life fundraising is essential for Cancer Council to offer support to families affected by the disease, as well as finding new and better way to detect and treat cancer.

The Relay is also a unique way to celebrate cancer survivorship, remembers loved ones who have died from the insidious disease and empower teams of families, friends and colleagues to raise money to fight back against cancer.

Kind regards

Christine Williams”

The Gregadoo Waste Management Centre fees for the Relay For Life event is estimated to be a maximum $1,000.00. It is proposed to provide a fee waiver for this expenditure from the Solid Waste Reserve, which has current capacity.

The Cancer Council have not received any other financial assistance from Council this financial year other than what is mentioned in the above request.

The above request aligns with Council’s Strategic Plan “Our community are proud of where we live and our identity” – Objective: “Promote a strong sense of place”.

4. Wagga Leagues Swimming Club - National Masters Swimming – Request for pool hire fee waiver - $2,110.00

Anthony Paul, Secretary of the Wagga Wagga Swimming Club in the attached letter (Attachment 4) requests:

“Dear Craig

The Wagga Leagues Swimming Club have won the rights to host the Australian Winter Swimming Titles in Wagga on the weekend of 16 to 18 September 2022.

We have booked the outdoor pool at the Oasis for Saturday morning from 8.00am to 11am and Sunday from 7.30am-3.00pm.

We ask that for the total cost of $2,110.00 be waived in view of the benefit of the event being held in Wagga.

The Saturday will be used for teams to try out the pool and confirm their times. While Sunday is the competition day where we will have events from 8.00am to approximately 2.00pm.

There will be approximately 400 swimmers and with families possibly 600 people in total coming to Wagga from all over Australia for the event.

We ask the Council to consider this application.

Yours faithfully

Anthony Paul

Secretary

Wagga Wagga Swimming Club

Consistent with other National sporting events held in the City, it is proposed to waive this hire fee, in recognition of the overall economic benefit this event will have for the Wagga Local Government area, and surrounds.

The Wagga Leagues Swimming Club have not received any other financial assistance from Council this financial year other than what is mentioned in the above request.

The above request aligns with Council’s Strategic Plan “Safe and Healthy Community” – Objective: “Promote a strong sense of place”.

5. Light Horse Memorial Committee – Request for additional contribution for Traffic Management - $3,740.00

At the ordinary meeting of Council held on 11 November 2019, Council resolved the following:

Further request for financial assistance:

Pat Leary, Light Horse Memorial Committee President in the attached letter dated 14 July 2021 (Attachment 5a) requests:

“Dear Fiona,

The Light Horse Memorial Committee are planning a fund-raising Trek by members of the Light Horse Assn. through villages of the Riverina and the City of Wagga, over a seven day period, Sat. 4^th Sep. to Sun 12^th Sep. 21….

As it is a planned Fund Raising Event to raise monies toward the erection of our planned Light Horse Monument to be erected in the Victory Memorial Gardens, the LHM Committee would therefore like to ask the WWCC to sponsor us in this matter by covering the cost of the Traffic Plan implementation by a donation of funds or Grant….

For your consideration,

Pat Leary

President

LHMRSWS”

A further letter (Attachment 5b) was received by Council on 9 February 2022 and notes the following:

Dear Fiona

The LHM Committee approached you on July 14^th 2021 re financial support for the traffic control plan for our planned parade/ceremony on the 4^th September 2021 which we decided to defer due to the Covid restrictions and border closures that would be in place at the time. We plan to hold the parade and ceremony on Sunday 3^rd April, 2022…

Thanking you in anticipation

Pat Leary

President

LHMRSWS”

The Traffic Management Invoice (attachment 5c) was provided to Council staff on 3 August 2022.

Council staff are not recommending to provide further financial assistance to the Light Horse Memorial Committee. The previous Council resolution from 11 November 2019 shown above resolved to contribute $50,000 towards the Memorial and that the Light Horse Memorial Committee will be responsible for raising the required remaining funds for construction.

6. Tolland Wolves – Request for fee waiver of Rawlings Park - $345.00

Joshua Lang, Tolland Football Club President in the attached letter requests:

“Dear Mr Thompson,

I am writing on behalf of the Tolland Wolves Football Club to request casual ground hire fees totalling $460 for four days at Rawlings Park from 12-15 July.

Our club has proudly conducted a school holiday clinic in the July school holidays for the past 23 years; giving countless children a fun and safe activity to take part in.

The soccer clinic offers skills-based soccer training to any child, not just those from our club or playing within the Football Wagga Wagga competition. It also offers a development opportunity for under 14s and under 16s players to coach sessions, lead small groups and grow their soccer skills.

The clinic is an important fundraiser for our club, though we try to keep the cost affordable so it is accessible to local families.

For the first time in many years we increased the price of the clinic from $100 to $110 due to rising costs.

The waiving of the ground hire fees will ensure we will be able to keep costs for families manageable into the future.

Kind regards

Joshua Lang

The request was originally for $460.00 however the clinic was for 3 days and the group did not require the fourth day, with the charge being revised down to $345.00.

As this clinic had a fee for service pricing model, Council staff are not recommending for this request to be approved in this instance. Many other organisations hold fee for service events, and it has the potential to set a precedent if this request is approved.

Financial Implications

Section 356 Budget Summary
2022/23 Opening Budget*	$43,528.00
Total of fee waivers approved to date	($5,268.10)
Revised Balance of Section 356 fee waiver financial assistance	$38,529.90
1) Rotary Club of Wollundry – Saturday Markets	($2,090.00)
2) Combined Riders of Wagga Toy Run	($300.00)
3) Cancer Council Wagga Relay for Life Total proposed for fee waiver = $1,620.40 ($1,000.00 proposed to be funded from the Solid Waste Reserve)	($620.40)
4) Wagga Leagues Swimming Club - National Masters Swimming	(2,110.00)
*RP-8 – Requests for Financial Assistance – Property Rates – report presented to this Council meeting	($415.93)
Subtotal Fee Waivers included in this report and RP-8 - Report noted above – proposed to be funded from the Section 356 Budget	($5,536.33)
Proposed Balance of Section 356 fee waiver financial assistance budget for the remainder of the 2022/23 Financial Year	$32,993.57

*Please note that the 2022/23 opening budget advised at the 18 July 2022 was incorrectly presented at $54,380.02. This amount is a combination budget in Council’s Finance system of other fee waivers in the Operational Plan annual adoption. The opening amount unallocated available for new requests is $43,528.00, as shown below from an extract from the adopted Operational Plan.

Policy and Legislation

POL 078 – Financial Assistance Policy

Link to Strategic Plan

Community leadership and collaboration

Community satisfaction with long term planning for Wagga Wagga is increasing

Objective: Wagga Wagga has strong community leadership and a shared vision for the future

Risk Management Issues for Council

N/A

Internal / External Consultation

Cross Directorate consultation has been undertaken as required.

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 5 September 2022

RP-8

RP-8 REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE - PROPERTY RATES

Author: Carolyn Rodney

Summary:

The Wagga Wagga Show Society (Show Society) have requested for annual financial assistance of 50% property rates subsidy - $12,781.35 for the 2021/22 rating year, and $13,059.00 for the 2022/23 current rating year.

The Show Society have previously received an annual 50% subsidy on their property rates since 2004/05 (17 years), totalling $148,204.40.

Recommendation

That Council:

a advise the Wagga Wagga Show Society that it is unable to offer any further assistance in the form of property rates subsidies due to budget constraints and several years of estimated budget deficit positions

b authorise in accordance with Clause 131 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005, the write-off of interest charges up to $415.93

c fund the interest write off of up to $415.93 as detailed in the financial implications section of the report

Report

The Show Society have previously received an annual 50% subsidy on their property rates since 2004/05 (17 years), totalling $148,204.40.

History on previous financial assistance provided:

Due to budget deficit positions, and the increasing requests Council receives for financial assistance, Council resolved at the 27 August 2018 Council meeting in report RP-8 Review of Current Financial Assistance provided to community organisations, businesses and individuals the following:

d) provide notice to the current organisations who are receiving annual donations and fee waivers that from 1 July 2020, Council will be moving towards a financial assistance application process, which may result in their organisation not receiving the financial assistance after the 2019/20 financial year

The above was resolved in order to allow a review of the assistance provided, and to allow other organisations the opportunity to request financial assistance, noting that there is an annual budget allocation for financial assistance.

Notice was provided to all organisations who were included in the annual list of Section 356 financial assistance resolved during the annual adoption of the Integrated Planning and Reporting suite of documents.

Due to the global pandemic in early 2020, the above review process was delayed, with organisations who usually receive annual donations and fee waivers given a two-year reprieve, now required to potentially request assistance from the 2021/22 financial year. Extract from the 2020/21 Long Term Financial Plan:

The 2021/22 financial year is the first year in 17 years that the Show Society have not been included in the annual fee waiver/donation list approved by Council in June of each year. Due to the Show Society not receiving the automatic 50% property rates waiver, the Show Society requested in November 2021 (Attachment 1) consideration be given again to providing a 50% fee reduction of their property rates, equating to $12,781.35 for the 2021/22 rating year, and $13,059 for the 2022/23 current rating year.

Given the amount requested, Council staff requested the Show Society provide their latest financial statements, for the newly elected Councillors to fully consider the Show Society’s request along with their financial position and performance. The Show Society provided a letter from their Accountant (Attachment 2).

Councillors considered the Show Society’s request at a Councillor workshop held on 21 February 2022, and again requested the latest financial statements of the Show Society in order to consider the request.

The Show Society’s 31 December 2021 financial statements were provided to Council staff on 6 June 2022. A subsequent Councillor Workshop was held on 15 August 2022 where the financial assistance request was considered by Councillors along with the Show Society’s latest financial statements – provided under separate confidential cover attachment (Attachment 3).

Financial Implications

Any reduction in property rates income places further financial pressure on Council to deliver the required services to the Wagga community.

Based on the level of financial assistance requested, the Show Society’s latest financial statements, Council’s budget constraints and several years of estimated budget deficit positions, Council staff are recommending to not offer any further assistance in the form of property rates subsidies to the Wagga Wagga Show Society.

Council staff are recommending to write off the interest accrued on the Show Society’s property rates account, given the length of time of this request, with the delays experienced due to providing the financial statements, the newly elected Councilllors commencing, and the scheduling of Councillor Workshops.

The interest expense accrued on the Show Society’s property account since November 2021 and estimated up to 6 September 2022 (day after Council meeting) is $415.93. It is recommended to write this interest off for the above reasons.

It is proposed to fund the $415.93 from the Section 356 financial assistance budget. RP-7 Requests for Financial Assistance report presented to this Council meeting has an estimated balance of $32,993.57, inclusive of the recommendations presented to the 5 September 2022 Council meeting.

Policy and Legislation

Clause 131 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005

Council’s Debt Management Policy – POL 017

Link to Strategic Plan

Community leadership and collaboration

Community satisfaction with long term planning for Wagga Wagga is increasing

Objective: Wagga Wagga has strong community leadership and a shared vision for the future

Risk Management Issues for Council

Any reduction in property rates income places further financial pressure on Council to deliver the required services to the Wagga community.

Internal / External Consultation

Internal consultation was undertaken with relevant Council staff, the Executive Team and Councillors.

Attachments

1 ⇩.

Wagga Show Society - Original Request to Council

2 ⇩.

Wagga Show Society Accountant Letter

CONFIDENTIAL - Wagga Show Society - 2021 Financial Statements

This matter is considered to be confidential under Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act 1993, as it deals with: commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it. - Provided under separate cover

2022/23 Subsidy Budget	$10,300.00
Applications previously approved: 18 July 2022 Council meeting 8 August 2022 Council meeting	($5,050.00) ($ 250.00)
Total applications approved to date	($5,300.00)
2022/23 Subsidy Budget remaining	$ 5,000.00
Recommendations for subsidy included in this report:
1) Carevan Wagga Incorporated	($1,000.00)
Proposed Budget available for remainder of this financial year	$ 4,000.00