Nillumbik the Green Wedge Shire

Nillumbik the Green Wedge Shire

Council Plan 2013-2017

Adopted by Council on 25 June 2013 and reviewed most recently on 26 May 2015.

Our Councillors

Nillumbik Shire Council has sevenCouncillors who are elected byresidents to govern the municipality.The Shire is divided into seven wardsand one Councillor is elected torepresent each ward.

The Mayor of Nillumbik is chosen by theCouncillors for a 12-month term.Nillumbik Councillors, for thefour-year period until the nextCouncil election in 2016, areintroduced on this page.

Councillor Meralyn Klein, Blue Lake Ward, Mobile: 0407 801 066, Email:

Councillor Anika Van Hulsen, Bunjil Ward, Mobile: 0408 281 905, Email:

Councillor Michael Young, Edendale Ward, Mobile: 0437 840 866, Phone/fax: 9431 1972, Email:

Councillor Peter Perkins, Ellis Ward, Mobile: 0437 455 064, Email:

Councillor Ken King, Sugarloaf Ward, Mobile: 0427 549 759, Email:

Councillor Helen Coleman, Wingrove Ward, Mobile: 0437 940 930, Phone/fax: 9439 0063

Email:

Councillor Bronnie Hattam, Swipers Gully Ward, Mobile: 0400 411 862, Phone: 9431 4035, Email:

*Shire and Ward map*

Our goals

To enable a better future for Nillumbik residents andencourage healthy, safe and resilient communitiesthrough the provision of quality services.

To preserve and nurture the natural environment of theGreen Wedge for future and current generations throughresponsible leadership and stewardship.

To provide infrastructure and plan for a builtenvironment which respects and preserves the uniquecharacter of the Green Wedge

To develop a prosperous local economy throughpartnerships with local business, governments and thecommunity, consistent with our Green Wedge values.

To provide good governance, leadership and responsiblefinancial management and to make decisions in aninclusive and transparent manner.

Our Council Plan

Under the Local Government Act 1989, Council is required toproduce a four-year Council Plan by 30 June in the year followinga general Council election.

The Council Plan 2013-2017 is the elected Council’sstatement of its priorities for the Nillumbik community overthe next four years, in response to the opportunities andchallenges facing the Shire. It will guide the organisation’swork to manage and deliver services and facilities for Nillumbikresidents during the Council’s term.

The Council Plan includes Goals, Strategies, Indicators and aStrategic Resource Plan which can be defined as follows:

• Goals* – the outcomes Councillors want to have achievedwithin their four-year term
• Strategies – how Council will achieve each goal.Strategies will clearly relate to ongoing Council servicesand priority projects
• Indicators** – how progress towards the goals willbe evaluated
• Strategic Resource Plan – a four-year budget outlininghow the strategies will be financed and resourced

Each year, in line with the Budget process, Council willproduce an Annual Plan identifying how Council will worktowards achieving the goals in the Council Plan. Councilpriorities, major projects, capital works, service improvementsas well as actions in response to Council strategies will be setout in the Annual Plan.

Progress against the Annual Plan will be detailed in Council’sAnnual Report, with major projects and service highlightsreported to Council in a quarterly progress report.

Input for the Council Plan

Council has a strong commitment to engage with thecommunity on issues that will protect and enhance the amenityand unique character of the Shire and its townships.

Council has adopted a number of detailed plans and policiesthat inform the content of the Council Plan 2013-2017. Thecommunity was actively engaged in the development of thesekey planning documents. The Council Plan lists these planningdocuments for reference.

The Council Plan has also been informed by Council’s AnnualCommunity Survey. This survey, undertaken in January2013, involved face-to-face interviews with 500 randomlyselectedresidents across five precincts of the Shire includingGreensborough, Diamond Creek, Eltham, Eltham North andrural townships.

The survey aims to measure the importance to the communityof a broad range of Council services and facilities and to gaugetheir satisfaction with these services as well as identify keypriorities and issues to be addressed. This information wasused by Council to inform its long-term planning deliberations.

In 2011 and 2012, Council undertook a comprehensivecommunity visioning exercise to capture and articulate ourcommunity aspirations for the future of their Shire. Theresulting document – Picture Nillumbik – is detailed further onthe following page.

The Council Plan will be reviewed and updated on an annualbasis to reflect the evolving needs of the community andCouncil’s ongoing activities in planning to make the Shire abetter place for current and future generations.

Our community's vision

Between October 2011 and June 2012, Nillumbik ShireCouncil embarked on a community engagement processduring which we asked our residents a seemingly simplequestion: ‘What is your vision for your local community?’

The range of responses and depth of feeling highlighted thediversity of people, passions and possibilities that make theShire unique.

The resulting document – Picture Nillumbik – represents asummary of more than 500 responses, online submissions,interviews and workshop contributions.

The community values identified from the work are:

• Local village life – a love and affection for the uniquetownship as a place to meet, shop, play and connect in ameaningful way
• Deep connection and resilient community – a communitythat comes together and responds to economic, social andenvironmental challenges
• Balance with nature – a community seeking to protect,nurture and experience the environment so that it cansustain life
• A sustaining and evolving economy – local living, workingand playing, creating the conditions for sustainable andeconomic growth in green business, sustainable transport,agriculture and food production
• Creative expression, art and cultural exchange –a community rich in cultural heritage worth sharingand celebrating
• Experience, discovery and fulfilment – lifelong learning,participatory democracy and positive living through allstages of life.

Picture Nillumbik – our community’s aspirations for their Shire– will evolve as conversations continue, forming an importantbasis for future planning for both Council and the community.

Picture Nillumbik has been a vital input to the Council Plan2013-2017.

Our Shire

The Shire of Nillumbik covers an area of 432 square kilometres.At its south western gateway, Nillumbik is located less than 25kilometres north-east of Melbourne, and has the Yarra River as itssouthern boundary.

It extends 29 kilometres to Kinglake National Park in the north/north-east and stretches approximately 20 kilometres from thePlenty River and Yan Yean Road in the west, to Christmas Hillsand the Yarra escarpment in the east.

Population

Nillumbik has a population as at 30 June 2011 of 64,219people who enjoy a healthy, safe, family-friendly lifestyle withinclose-knit communities.

More than 60 per cent of Nillumbik residents are aged between18-60 years. Our community has a high rate of employmentwith 96.9 per cent of our residents employed either full or part time.Of those, 66 per cent drive their car to work. More than 85 per cent of ourresidents own or are purchasing their home.

Households

The Shire of Nillumbik has a relatively healthy and affluentcommunity which lives largely in family units in singledwelling properties.

In Nillumbik in 2011, there was a higher proportion of couplefamilies with children as well as a lower proportion of oneparentfamilies. Overall, 49.4 per cent of total families were couplefamilies with children compared to 34 per cent for greater Melbourne,and 9.6 per cent were one-parent families compared to 10.4 per cent forgreater Melbourne.

There was a lower proportion of lone person households(13.4 per cent compared to 22.3 per cent in greater Melbourne) and asimilar proportion of couples without children (23.5 per cent) whichis the same as greater Melbourne.

In 2011, there were 19,847 separate houses in the area, 1,100medium density dwellings, and 14 high density dwellings.Analysis of the types of dwellings in Nillumbik Shire in 2011shows that 94.5 per cent of all dwellings were separate houses; 5.2 per centwere medium density dwellings, and 0.1 per cent were high densitydwellings, compared with 71.1 per cent, 21.1 per cent, and 7.2 per cent in GreaterMelbourne respectively. (Source: Census 2011)

The Green Wedge Shire

The Shire of Nillumbik is known as the Green Wedge Shire. Theterm Green Wedge is used by the State Government to describenon-urban areas that surround metropolitan Melbourne, outsidethe Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The Nillumbik Green Wedgecovers 91 per cent of the total area of the Shire.

Nillumbik is a collection of townships, each with its own uniqueidentity and heritage, set among bushland and rolling hills. Themajor activity centres are Eltham and Diamond Creek. Ourtownships offer residents and visitors distinctive village-styleshopping, access to professional services and public transportand places to meet and socialise. Striking mud-brick buildingsand award-winning wineries complement the Shire’s naturallandscape. Residents feel connected to their local townshipsand have a strong sense of community. The community valuesand wants to protect the Green Wedge with its bushlandenvironment, open spaces and artistic heritage.

Aboriginal heritage

The area now comprising the Shire of Nillumbik was roamedfor centuries by the Wurundjeri-willam clan of the Woi wurrungspeaking people. The Wurundjeri people called our regionnillumbik meaning shallow earth – a name later used by theEuropeans who settled here.

Nillumbik Shire Council has made a strong commitment toreconciliation with the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation.This commitment has been demonstrated through thedevelopment of Council’s Policy Commitment to Reconciliationwith Indigenous Australians 1998, and the Nillumbik ShireCouncil Reconciliation Charter adopted in 2008.

A formal acknowledgement statement is read at the beginningof each Council meeting and other public events to respectand give recognition to the culture, language and practicesof the traditional owners of the land now known as the Shireof Nillumbik.

Environment

Nillumbik’s natural environment is characterised by steepridges and gentle sloping hills enclosing plains and flats.The south is dominated by lowland hills while further norththe Shire’s boundary is framed by the mountains of theKinglake Ranges.

Remnants of open grassy woodland, with relatively shallowsoils dominated by long-leafed and red box eucalypts andoccasional stands of ironbark still remain on the hillsides, ridgetops and along the creeks. The fertile soils of an old volcano atKangaroo Ground offer rich farming land.

Despite clearing by European settlers, Nillumbik retains largeareas of native vegetation on public and private land and sitesof national, state and regional significance for their fauna. Threemajor creeks run through the Shire and Nillumbik also containssignificant natural wetlands.

Nillumbik’s Green Wedge is host to a number of state andnational parks and Council also manages a number ofimportant environmental reserves.

Artistic Heritage

The creative life of the community is highly-valued and largenumbers of artists live and work here in the quiet beauty of ourlandscape.

Nillumbik‘s existing artist communities such as ButterflyStudio, Dunmoochin, Baldessin Studios, and Montsalvat,and the strength of artistic traditions commencing from theearly Australian Impressionist painters through to currentpractice in contemporary arts showcased at local, regionaland international forums, all contribute to Nillumbik’s definingcharacteristics as an arts-rich environment.

Active Lifestyles

Nillumbik has a higher level of participation in sport andrecreation activities than the State and National averages.

Walking for recreation is the most popular activity, followed byaerobics/fitness, swimming, cycling, running and horse riding.Nillumbik’s participation in more structured sports such astennis, golf, football and netball are all higher than the Stateand National averages.

This is a snapshot of the Shire of Nillumbik. More detailedinformation is available on Council’s website.

Our challenges

Like many Victorian councils, Nillumbik faces a number ofchallenges that require financial discipline and innovation tomeet community needs.

Structural and demographic issues

Nillumbik has more residents per property (2.9 residents)than any other Victorian municipality (State average of 1.9residents). Council’s rates need to fund services for 50 per cent moreresidents than the State average. This is the major factor indetermining Council’s expenditure needs, which means thatrates per property in Nillumbik are relatively high, even thoughrates per resident are lower than the State average.

Nillumbik is a small municipality by metropolitan standards,and is not able to achieve the economies of scale availableto larger metropolitan councils. Despite this, spending perresident in Nillumbik is below State averages.

Just over 90 per cent of the Shire is rural, however only a smallproportion of the population lives in the rural area. This createsadditional costs for providing services for residents in themore remote parts of the shire. Despite this, Nillumbik isdesignated as a metropolitan municipality and is not eligiblefor certain government grants that fund programs or projectsfor rural communities.

The community has a very high socio-economic statuswhich is equal highest of any Victorian municipality. This is apositive measure of community wellbeing, but it does meanthat Council receives a smaller share of government grants. An ageing local population will place more demands uponCouncil services in the years ahead.

Legacy issues

Rehabilitation of two former landfill sites at Plenty andKangaroo Ground is required in accordance withEPA requirements.

Council is liable to fund shortfalls in the Local AuthoritiesSuperannuation Fund Defined Benefit Plan. This was closedto new members in 1993 but all Victorian councils must stillcontribute if the fund’s investment performance is not sufficientto meet entitlements of continuing and former employees.

Infrastructure challenges

Council needs to address the funding gap for renewal andmaintenance of existing infrastructure assets such as roads,footpaths, drains and buildings. Currently Council assetsdepreciate at around $8 million each year, however Councilonly spends around $6 million annually on renewal of theseassets. Underspending on renewal is not a saving, as highercosts will eventually be borne by future ratepayers.

A number of Nillumbik’s major facilities are quite old andrequire significant spending to upgrade them to contemporarystandards, both in terms of community expectations andcurrent design standards. Examples include the ElthamLeisure Centre and the Diamond Creek Community Centre.

Local conditions present a number of infrastructure challengesfor Council. Nillumbik has steep topography and is heavilytreed, which both add to infrastructure and maintenancecosts. And when much of Nillumbik was first subdivided,only low-scale infrastructure was provided. Communityexpectations for roads, footpaths and drains are now different,and a higher level of infrastructure is often required.

Nillumbik’s infrastructure, particularly the road network, isimpacted heavily by the rapidly increasing residential growth inneighbouring municipalities whose residents travel through ourShire to get to work and access services.

Services

Council has increasing responsibilities for emergencymanagement. Natural disasters such as bushfires andfloods have placed significant demands on Council in recentyears, both in terms of prevention (tree clearing, drainageimprovements) and community recovery programs.

Climate change adaptation represents a significant challengein terms of droughts, fires, floods and other extreme weatherevents. There is also a significant community expectation thatCouncil will take a lead role in environmental sustainability.

Community expectations about the standard and range ofservices provided by Council continue to rise, however it israre for existing service levels to be reduced to offset thesecost impacts. Community expectations about consultation andengagement, and the use of technology to communicate withCouncil are also increasing.

Cost-shifting

Nillumbik continues to experience long-term declines ingovernment grants for general services, and the erosion in thevalue of specific service grants. In 2012-2013 this cost wasmore than $2.2 million. Some of this arises from the transfer ofservice responsibilities from the State Government to Council.

Changes to standards set by government often lead to ahigher cost to Council in service delivery. Examples includeexpansion of preschool services, and stricter requirements fortree clearing around power lines.

The imposition of State and Federal government costs uponcouncils such as the landfill levy – which increased from $9 pertonne in 2009-2010 to $53.20 per tonne in 2013-2014 – andcarbon price have increased costs for Council and ratepayers.

Our goals

Nillumbik Shire Council has identified five goals* to describe what we are working towards – what we want to achieve over the next fouryears and how we would like Nillumbik to be in the future.

All activities completed by the organisation contribute to one or moreof these goals.

These five goals, the strategies to achieve them and how our successwill be measured, are detailed on the following pages.

Also listed are the Council services that contribute to each goals, alongwith relevant Council policies and plans, and legislation that definesCouncil’s role and responsibilities.

* Defined in the Local Government Act as Strategic Objectives

Goal 1 Our community

Our goal is to enable a better future for Nillumbik residents andencourage healthy, safe and resilient communities through theprovision of quality services.

Nillumbik has a healthy, active andconnected local community that enjoysgood health and strong engagement intoeducation and employment.

Our residents enjoy varied recreational andcultural pursuits and have a strong sense offeeling part of their local community andtownships and embrace the many enrichingexperiences and lifestyles that comes fromliving within the Green Wedge Shire.

They feel strongly that they can turnto their neighbours for help and feel safein Nillumbik.

Our residents are aware of the risk of naturaldisasters such as bushfires and the need to bewell-prepared.

Strategies

• We will strive to make our Shire safe by meeting our statutory responsibilities for emergency management including the risks of naturaldisasters such as fire and flood
• We will deliver programs to support community awareness of and resilience to emergencies and natural disasters, in partnership withother agencies
• We will create opportunities and places for all individuals, regardless of age or ability, to volunteer and participate in community lifeand enjoy the Green Wedge Shire
• We will plan and deliver accessible community services that enhance health and wellbeing across all life stages
• We will partner with health and community sector agencies to ensure residents have access to services they need
• We will provide recreation and sports facilities and services to enhance social participation and to help our community be active and healthy
• We will provide our community with opportunities for education, life-long learning and creative pursuits
• We will engage the community in enhancing local neighbourhoods to make them welcoming and vibrant places
• We will promote responsible pet ownership to protect our residents and the environment

Strategic indicators