CORPORATE SERVICES HIGHLIGHTS AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES REPORT FOR JULY 2012

Author: Director Corporate Services

Purpose To review the Corporate Services Department Highlights and Significant Issues for July 2012.

Background and Discussion Highlights and Significant Issues for period are as follows: -

DIRECTOR CORPORATE SERVICES

CORPORATE SERVICES MANAGEMENT Various Meetings:

o ALG; o Joint Consultative Committee; o Health & Wellbeing Committee; o Improving Waste Outcomes Committee; o Corporate Services Management and Executive Team Meetings; o Sustainable Futures Advisory Committee Meeting; o SafePlan; o Rates Review and Alternate Sources of Revenue Working Group; o Infrastructure Charges; o Various discussions re allowances; o Business Improvement Team Meeting;

QTC Training for Councillors; Various meetings re Strategic Risk Management; Manager's Remuneration Review; Develop Terms of Reference for Water and Sewerage Capital Advisory Committee.

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT- GOVERNANCE GROUP

GOVERNANCE One (1) RTI finalised. Enforcement Manual training provided

ASSET MANAGEMENT Asset valuations underway. Donated asset processing finalised with Development Services. End of year processing continuing.

INTERNAL AUDIT Internal audit program continuing.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Preparation of Annual Financial Statement continuing. Carryovers for 2011/2012 being prepared. 1st half yearly rates notices to be issued 7th August 2012. RATES & CHARGES REPORT

Rates Outstanding

Outstanding Balance

Rates Levied

Annualised Percentage

Rates Outstanding 31.07.12 95,683,408

92,859,960

51.5%

Prepayments -514,156

Rates Overdue 7,005,297

3.8%

Rates Overdue Last Month 8,672,660

194,691,337

2.2%

Rates Outstanding 31.07.11 88,568,959

85,782,604

51.6%

Rates Overdue 6,675,300

3.9%

Aged Analysis

Outstanding Balance

Percentage

Current 88,341,548

92.33%

2010/2011 4,935,007

5.16%

2009/2010 1,114,142

1.16%

2008/2009 470,373

0.49%

2007/2008 240,823

0.25%

Older than 2007/2008 581,515

0.61%

TOTAL 95,683,408

100.00%

Sundry Debtors

as at 31.07.11

as at 31.07.12

General Debtors 11,967,400

11,665,083

Mackay Entertainment Centre 98,056

147,708

Water 177,413

143,508

Waste Water 104,983

175,151

Waste Services 748,109

1,043,630

Total $13,095,961

$ 13,175,080

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT – ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION

• A number of Council major projects have developed during the month, with specific reports

provided to Council via briefing sessions.

• Grants applied for on behalf of Council during July:

• Suncorp/Queensland Police Service - Community Grant Scheme (Road Safety) - Application submitted for drop-off/pick-up zone and disabled access ramps at Mackay District Special School.

• Keep Australia Beautiful/Coca Cola Australia - Beverage Container Recycling Community Grant - Application submitted for implementation of recycling bins for beverage containers at Council administration buildings and depot precinct.

Successful Grant notifications received during July –

• Nil

INFORMATION SERVICES

The Information Management project has commenced initially with an information audit to

occur over the next two months as Stage 1. The project will deliver a roadmap and scope of works to enable the Council to improve information process flow and management their knowledge and information using a systemic workflow. The Final Audit Report is due for delivery by engaged consultant, Glentworth, on 3rd August and present to SLT on 16 August.

GIS is developing a solution to resolve ongoing waste bin ownership issues. GIS is currently resolving significant addressing issues for Grasstree Beach and Belmunda

which will result in clarity for residents and emergency services for rural addressing numbers. Library Public Internet Service and Computing Systems project has commenced. This project

will include upgrades to infrastructure and technical management of information technology services combining the replacement of all computer hardware and software to Windows 7 and Office 2010 platform. This will increase availability of computer training services to the general public,

CUSTOMER SERVICE The annual animal registration period has ended, with a significant increase in registration

renewals being processed. Customer Services participated in the highly successful Pet Registration Day, which resulted in numerous animals being registered or micro-chipped.

The program continued to roll-out the customer service training to Civil Operations field-based staff. The training has been very well-received by staff, with good levels of participation.

The Customer Service Information review is well-advanced, with overall project coordination being provided by one of council’s business analysts. The project aims to simplify and improve information retrieval for front-line agents.

A new process for identifying and tracking cemetery payments has been developed in

consultation with Technical Services. Customer Services is actively participating in the implementation of the new banking tender

and is working with Financial Services to identify business improvements that new banking technology enables.

New Customer Request Reports for councillors have been developed, which provide a greater level of detail and enable easier tracking of requests. The new reports will be available from 1 September 2012.

Solid progress continues to be made with the Business Improvement Team, with a number of projects signed off, including implementation of the Enforcement Manual. This project has been well-received by staff across council.

PROCUREMENT & PLANT EcoMackay Expo event planning. Evening contractor information session at the MECC – Wet plant hire/slashing contracts. Sarina Water Recycling Facility – D & C Evaluation/Workshops. 2012/2013 Light Fleet Review completion.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Recruitment Total Vacant Positions - (includes positions vacant due to leave such as Maternity Leave) – 121

(28 new positions created as approved in 12/13 budget) Requisitions Lodged – 42 Unfilled Open Requisitions – 65 Total Number of Positions Filled – 42 Terminations – 15 Monthly Turnover – 1.41%

WORKPLACE HEALTH & SAFETY JULY 2012 Management of 18 Work Related compensation claims including 3 new claims with 9 claims

being finalised. Management of 11 non-work related Return to Work Programs with 2 new cases and 3 cases being finalised.

41 Incident Reports received, recorded and distributed for comment (36 staff, 05 Non Staff Members).

Provided 125 WH&S Inductions, 28 Staff, 90 Contractors, 7 Work Experience and no Volunteers. Review and feedback on 1 Contractor (Water Infrastructure) Safety Management Plan. Council had 1 notification to WH&S Queensland regarding workplace injury (14057). Participated in 34 Worksite Hazard inspections in the Civil Projects, Civil Operations,

Procurement and Plant, Water Services and Parks and Environment work groups.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

July was a busy month for media coverage on council issues Over 320 mentions in local media for the month ( refer graph below)

• Media issues included: Festival of Arts, Community Grants, Connors Road, Paradise St, Pet

registration, City Deals first birthday etc. • A number of speeches provided for Mayor, including presentation to Chamber of Commerce,

QME, NAIDOC Week, Matsuura citizens visit and Sarina Show • Manager invited to attend Australia Local Government Womens Assoc State Conference in

Cairns to present Council Connect Marketing initiative to conference. • Finalised marketing campaign for ecoMackay Expo to be held in August • Preparations continue on producing “Now and Then” M150 commemorative book • Assisting Community Development in launch of Rural Healthy Communities program • Strong visitation to website in July – all council websites recorded notable increase in traffic.

Website- Social Media snapshot

• Strong visitation to MECC due largely to Festival of Arts. We have also seen good increase to

ecoMackay website during July • Visits to Council corporate website increased by 32 per cent in July 2012 compared to figures for July

2011 (37.065 visits) • Steady growth continues for all eNewsletters – total subscribers now a 6,414 plus 1694 subscribers for

City Deals Club. • Marketing-advertising campaign to promote eNewsletters was booked for Olympic coverage in late July-

early August on WIN TV • Facebook fans number 2524 – almost double the activity recorded on the site in July compared to

previous month. We continue to have a strong commitment to responding to Facebook posts to be utilised as a ket educational tool.

46

40

203

2 5 24

Media Monitoring Break-Down July 2012 News Clips/Articles

Seven Television

WIN Television

Daily Mercury/Midweek

Courier Mail

Mackay Telegraph

Advertisers

Visits to council websites for July

CRITICAL ACTIVITIES PROPOSED FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTH • Annual Financial Statements; • 2011/2012 Carryovers to be finalised. Consultation Corporate Services Management Team. Resource Implications Nil. Conclusion Overall Programs are largely in line with the Operational Plan and Budget for the one month to 31 July 2012. Officer Recommendation That this report be received.

Artspace, 1128

MECC, 15,399

Mackay City Centre, 8,452

Botanic Gardens, 1079

Mackay Regional Council, 49,124

Sarina Sugar Shed, 616

Eco Mackay, 408