WDRC Corporate Plan 2013-2017

CORPORATE PLAN 2013 - 2017

Planning for the future

Western Downs Regional Council Corporate Plan 2013 - 2017 | 2

This Corporate Plan will see the last five years of planning come to fruition with the consolidation of Council’s core business deliverables across the region and the enhancement of liveability in all communities.

Now entering the second term as an amalgamated council, this Corporate Plan marks the maturing of Western Downs Regional Council as a regional and united entity. An organisation of local people who see themselves as community leaders tasked with the responsibility of governing our diverse region in order to provide services that support lifestyle choices.

This is a Corporate Plan for the business that is Western Downs Regional Council and translates the community’s long-term vision for the region into measureable actions. It speaks directly to the organisation, the primary audience, setting out the high level priority strategies that will guide Council’s operations over the next five years.

These high level priority strategies are Council’s response to issues identified by the community

in the Western Downs 2050 Community Plan (WD2050) and have been categorised under the following eight theme areas:

Effective And Inclusive Governance

Enriched Communities

Healthy Living

Welcoming Communities

Innovation And Economic Success

Balanced Growth

Healthy Natural Environment

Accessible And Connected Places

Building the Corporate Plan upon the same eight theme areas as the Community Plan creates a clear linkage between Council’s operations and the achievement of a shared vision for the region.

Over the life of this plan Council will work toward its vision of being an innovative and connected organisation united in the mission of making our communities even better places within which to live and grow.

We do so understanding the significant challenges ahead to carefully manage the growth of our prospering region and balancing the competing demands of financial, social and environmental sustainability.

Some of these challenges include the financial pressure of providing essential infrastructure now for predicted population growth; striking the right

Planning for the Future


balance between the agriculture and resource sectors; addressing the social impacts of rapid growth such as housing affordability; succession planning to combat an aging workforce; and keeping pace with technology to improve service delivery.

As you’ll see in this plan, we not only recognise these challenges but also the opportunities they present — foremost of which is to create a performance driven organisation through effective corporate governance.

We will strive to lead by example, leaders who prepare now for the future through forward planning, investment in training and by seeking opportunities for innovation at all levels of the organisation.

Some key projects and initiatives to fall out of this plan include: significant investment in essential infrastructure relating to water, wastewater and roads; finalisation of the regional planning scheme; implementation of a regional waste strategy; consolidation of health services; and the development of modern governance systems including Asset Management and Enterprise Risk Management.

We are confident that Council and staff working in partnership with our communities, along with the other key stakeholders identified in WD2050, to deliver the priority strategies of this Corporate Plan will not only strengthen us as an organisation but ultimately make our region an even better place to live.

Planning for the Future cont’d

Phil Berting PSM

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Cr Ray Brown

MAYOR


BackgroundEmerging from a collection of rural townships with their roots in agriculture, the Western Downs Regional Council area has become a hive of activity and growth through continued agriculture, manufacturing and resource diversification.

Inherently rural in nature, the Western Downs region is located three hours west of Brisbane and is part of both the Murray-Darling River and the Fitzroy River catchments. The region covers an area of 38,039 square kilometres and comprises six main centres — Dalby, Chinchilla, Miles, Tara, Jandowae and Wandoan — with numerous other smaller towns and villages scattered throughout the area. The Warrego Highway is the main road link through the region.

PeopleBucking the trend of rural population decline, the Western Downs region has consistently enjoyed population growth, increasing by 2,175 persons over the past five years which represents an average annual growth rate of 1.4%. The region’s residential population is expected to increase to 43,670 persons over the period to 2031, an average annual rate of 1.5%. Estimates of full time equivalents, a count of external residents working in the region, further boost the region’s population.

The estimated number of employed persons in the region was 17,146 in the September Quarter 2012, growing by 681 persons or 4.1% over the previous twelve months. The unemployment rate was 4.4% which was significantly lower than the averages for Queensland (5.6%) and Australia (5.2%).

Almost 40% of employed residents work in the agriculture, forestry and fishing, retail trade, and construction industries.

EconomyMining makes the largest contribution to the regional economy comprising 23.0% of the region’s $2.2 billion Gross Regional Product (GRP) in 2011/12, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing (12.2%), construction (7.6%), manufacturing (4.7%) and retail trade (4.4%) sectors. The GRP for the Western Downs grew strongly by 5.3% in 2011/12, outstripping State growth of 4.0%.

The energy resources sector has the potential to more than triple GRP and businesses have begun to diversify from traditional markets in agriculture into components, parts and services for the energy sector.

Regional Profile


Strong growth and development is evident across the region in accommodation and food services (up 18.8% on 2010/11); rental, hiring and real estate services (up 18.4%); professional, scientific and technical services (up 14.0%), and construction (up 13.1%).

In total, the Western Downs Regional Local Government Area contributed approximately 0.8% of the Gross State Product for Queensland in 2011/12.

LifestyleThe region’s residents enjoy the benefits of living within friendly and active communities in a relaxed country setting away from the pressures of time or traffic congestion experienced in city centres.

The Western Downs region offers the advantage of affordable living, with the median house price at $320,000 in the September Quarter 2012. Despite an increased median value of 67.4% over a five-year period to September 2012, the region’s median house price is approximately 37.0% below those in the Brisbane metropolitan area.

Although residents are spread across a vast geographical area, modern facilities such as aquatic and fitness centres, art galleries, museums, cinemas and civic centres, bring the comforts of metropolitan living to the rural communities.

The region experiences a subtropical climate with average temperatures of 18 to 30 °C in summer and 5 to 20 °C in winter.

In the 12 month period to June 2012, 255 new dwellings were approved for construction across the region at a total value of approximately $73.8 million.

Looking ForwardThe Western Downs is in the midst of a significant resource driven economic boom that is set to transform the local economy well into the future.

It is anticipated that the resource-rich plains of the Western Downs, which feature significant deposits of fossil fuels and natural gas combined with a climate that’s favourable to renewable energy development, will lead to more than $180 billion being invested over the next 20 years across some 300 major and sub projects.

This resource-related activity is estimated to have the potential to generate:

• 6.3 billion tones of thermal coal

• 6 million barrels of oil

• 565 billion cubic metres of Coal Seam Methane Gas (CSG)

• 2.6 million barrels of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

Any future resource projects will continue to drive population growth across the region, as the influx of workers to construct and operate these projects arrives. In turn, this will positively influence the workforce participation rates of existing residents and help keep unemployment low.

However, the impending resource boom will not last forever and Western Downs Regional Council is taking a strategic view to ensure that traditional sectors like agriculture and manufacturing continue to thrive throughout the boom. It is important to ensure a diversified and interlinked community that will benefit all.

Regional Profile cont’d


The Corporate PlanThe Western Downs Regional Council’s 2013 – 2017 Corporate Plan is the strategic business plan for Council that translates the community’s long-term vision for the region into measureable actions.

The Corporate Plan states Council’s vision and mission for the organisation and sets out high level priority strategies that will guide its operations over the next five years. From this plan Council develops its three year Department Business Plans, annual Operational Plans and budgets.

Council’s performance against agreed work priorities is assessed quarterly with a review of its Operational Plan and Budget. At the end of the year Council also provides the community with an Annual Report which outlines its achievements and performance against the Corporate Plan.

The Corporate Plan provides the link between our community’s needs and expectations as identified in the Western Downs 2050 Community Plan and Council’s operational activities.

In April 2011, Council adopted the Western Downs 2050 Community Plan (WD2050) following 12 months of research and consultation with communities across the region. The Community Plan provides a long term vision of how the region will look in 2050 and the issues that the community recognise as priorities over this period.

The key themes and issues from the WD2050 vision were categorised in the following eight areas:



Healthy Living



Balanced Growth



As the over-arching strategic document for the region, WD2050 and its associated reports provided significant reference material that was used to inform the development of this five-year Corporate Plan.

The corporate planning process was also informed by:

• Situation Analysis identifying key Economic, Social, Environmental and Governance issues

• Council’s 10 Year Financial Forecast

• Council’s Priority Infrastructure Plan

• Council’s Community Services 10 Year Capital Works Program

• Council’s 10 Year Roadworks Program

• Council’s 10 Year Utilities Infrastructure Program

• Various strategic and master plan documents

• Legislative requirements

Strategic Planning


Corporate Plan Structure The Corporate Plan has been structured around eight strategic theme areas which reflect the eight vision themes developed in the Western Downs 2050 Community Plan (WD2050).

As the Community Plan was developed with extensive community consultation, adopting the same eight theme areas creates a clear linkage between Council’s operations and the achievement of a shared vision for the region.

As Western Downs Regional Council is just one key stakeholder in the delivery of WD2050, Council identified and prioritised the issues it is responsible for or contributes to under each of the Vision Theme areas.

The results of this process were distilled into a statement defining how each theme relates specifically to Council. Furthermore, for clarity and differentiation the ‘Vision Themes’ are referred to as ‘Strategic Themes’ in the Corporate Plan.

The structure of the Western Downs 2013 – 2017 Corporate Plan is built around these eight Strategic Themes with Effective and Inclusive Governance at its core (as shown graphically below). The nine priority strategies of Effective and Inclusive Governance describe the central business philosophies that drive Council as an organisation and therefore apply to all functional areas.

Each of the eight Strategic Themes contains the following information:

Ambition StatementA short statement defining what Council aims to achieve under this theme.

Priority Strategies High level and broad strategies provide meaningful but not prescriptive direction in relation to desired outcomes under the theme.

Measures of Success Provide narrative on what the outcomes of the strategies will look like when successfully achieved.

Community Priorities Provide another link back to the WD2050 as these are also listed as Vision Outcomes under each Vision Theme.

WelcomingCommunities

Innovation and Economic

SuccessBalanced

Growth


Accessible and Connected

PlacesEnriched

Communities

Healthy Living

Effective and Inclusive

Governance

Strategic Planning Framework


Advocacy RoleIn addition to delivering daily essential services and pursuing the priority strategies outlined in this Corporate Plan, Western Downs Regional Council recognises the importance of its advocacy role on behalf of the Western Downs region.

As one of the largest regional councils in Queensland, Western Downs Regional Council is positioned to use its political strength and resources to strategically lobby all levels of government on issues critical to our region.

In partnership with key stakeholders, Council will advocate on behalf of local communities on major issues that impact upon our current and future lifestyle, as identified in the Western Downs 2050 Community Plan.

Principles of Local Government The Western Downs Regional Council 2013 – 2017 Corporate Plan has been developed in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2009. Under this legislation Council must adopt a Corporate Plan at least every five years outlining its strategic direction, strategies and planned outcomes in response to local and regional issues.

In addition, it requires anyone who is performing a responsibility under this Act to do so in accordance with the following local government principles:

a) Transparent and effective processes, and decision-making in the public interest; and

b) Sustainable development and management of assets and infrastructure, and delivery of effective services; and

c) Democratic representation, social inclusion and meaningful community engagement; and

d) Good governance of, and by, local government; and

e) Ethical and legal behaviour of councillors and local government employees.

Strategic Planning Framework cont’d


Our Mission

We are part of the community we serve, working together to provide valued leadership and services to our diverse region.

Our Mission says:

Who Council is — Leaders who operate strategically and staff who deliver operationally

Why Council exists — To responsibly govern our region and provide services that deliver liveability

What Council does — Deliver services that meet community needs through strategic leadership, informed decision making, and an empowered team

What is unique about Council — Councillors and staff live and work in the diverse communities that they serve

Our Vision

An innovative team — connected locally, united regionally.

Our Vision says that by 2017 Council will be:

Innovative — A responsive organisation willing to take managed risks that lead to innovative solutions

Connected — In touch with our local communities and their needs

United — A regional entity, working collaboratively

Our Values

As elected representatives and staff of Western Downs Regional Council our behaviour reflects our values:

Our Strategic Direction


Our Strategic Themes Western Downs Regional Council is committed to delivering services, projects and initiatives over the next five years in response to the priority strategies devised under the following eight Strategic Themes:


Western Downs Regional Council can be relied on to govern its communities and manage its business with strategic vision, equity, transparency, collaboration and financial responsibility.


The communities of the Western Downs are enriched through the provision of relevant facilities, essential as well as social services targeted to the needs of our growing region.

Healthy Living

The people of the Western Downs enjoy the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle within safe and inclusive communities.


The unique character and identity of the people and towns of the Western Downs will be promoted and celebrated both within our region and beyond.


Through strategic investment, facilitation and advocacy Western Downs Regional Council will continue to build capacity for the sustainable growth of our prosperous region.

Balanced Growth

A balanced and responsible approach to the continued growth of our region will promote sustainable development that enhances the liveability of our communities and the prosperity of our diverse businesses and industries.


The region’s natural environment and key ecosystems including flora, fauna, waterways, wetlands, and areas of cultural significance are managed through the mitigation of the impacts of development, population growth and climate change.


The Western Downs region will continue to develop accessible transport systems and advocate for improved telecommunications to connect our people, businesses and industries locally, regionally, nationally and globally.

Our Strategic Direction cont’d


Effective and Inclusive Governance

Strategic Theme 1:Western Downs Regional Council can be relied on to govern its communities and manage its business with strategic vision, equity, transparency, collaboration and financial responsibility.

Strategic Ambition: Strategic leadership and a shared vision deliver an accountable, sustainable and performance orientated business.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

1.1. We put safety first to ensure safe and healthy workplaces.

1.2. We support and empower a team that respects the organisational values which drive us forward.

1.3. We are a customer service focused organisation.

1.4. We partner and engage with our communities and key stakeholders through two-way communication.

1.5. Asset Management and service standards are key drivers of our organisation’s strategic decision making.

1.6. Strategic planning and an effective governance framework guide our performance driven and accountable organisation.

1.7. Robust financial management achieves sustainable and accountable fiscal governance.

1.8. The application of technology advances our operational efficiency.

1.9. Our Risk Management approach reduces Council’s exposure to negative impacts without limiting innovation.


Strategic Theme 1: Effective and Inclusive Governance cont’d

Council’s Measures of Success • Our strong culture of safety eliminates

injuries in the workplace.

• Our team, comprising of staff and councillors, are all individual leaders who share and drive the vision forward. As leaders we support, encourage and enable the team to perform to the best of their ability. As leaders we engender professional trust and respect throughout the organisation. Organisational values are the cornerstone of our business practices, appreciating there are consequences of non-compliance.

• Customer service is more than just customer contact, it is the whole customer experience, from initial contact through to delivery and follow-up. We aim to meet or exceed our agreed service standards for all customers, both internal and external.

• We communicate and engage with our communities regularly, openly and at an appropriate level i.e. inform, consult, collaborate, involve, empower.

• The planned acquisition, operation, maintenance and disposal of assets will drive the long-term optimisation of investment, and performance of Council assets. Our lead sections develop asset management frameworks that are applied by all asset owners across the organisation. Asset owners are responsible for implementing defined service levels.

• The decision making and action of our people is guided by and measured against the relevant strategic plan, legislation, policy and/or procedure. The business philosophy that drives the organisation is understood at all levels through ongoing collaboration, education and promotion. Each level of strategic and operational planning has a clear link back to the Corporate Plan.

• Considered and informed financial planning is a key decision making tool used across the organisation and is linked to service level and asset management objectives. As a result, Council is a financially responsible, accountable and sustainable organisation.

• We take advantage of the latest technologies to improve the delivery of services.

• Effectively recognising and mitigating risk at all levels of the organisation is part of how Council does business.

Community Priorities • Sustainable Management

• Working Together

• Excellence in Governance

• Meaningful Community Engagement


Strategic Theme 2:The communities of the Western Downs are enriched through the provision of relevant facilities, essential as well as social services targeted to the needs of our growing region.

Strategic Ambition: Provide facilities and services for people to live, learn, grow and connect.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

2.1. Our infrastructure and essential services meet the needs of our communities.

2.2. Our communities are participative, learned and culturally connected.

Council’s Measures of Success • Infrastructure and services are provided to

meet agreed customer service standards and identified future need.

Council has a role in the planning, provision, operation and/or maintenance of infrastructure i.e. stormwater, drainage, street lighting, car parking, cemeteries, parks and gardens, Council capital projects and Council owned and/or operated community facilities including sporting grounds.

Council traditionally is and remains the sole provider of essential services i.e. Waste Management, Environmental Health, Water and Wastewater.

• Council contributes to a “sense of community” through the provision of community and cultural facilities and services (where Council provides a facility or service).

Community Priorities • Strong Social Capital and Community

Cohesion

• Ready Access to Excellent Community Education

• A Full Range of Quality Community Facilities

• Active Communities

• A Rich Cultural Life



Strategic Theme 3:The people of the Western Downs enjoy the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle within safe and inclusive communities.

Strategic Ambition: Encourage community participation in health and wellbeing initiatives.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

3.1. Social and recreational services encourage community health and wellbeing.

3.2. Strategic partnerships provide facilities and services that address the social needs of our communities.

3.3. Strategic partnerships keep our communities safe and ready to respond to and recover from disasters.

Council’s Measures of Success • Council works in partnership with external

groups for the delivery of social, cultural, recreational and funding programmes. Rather than delivering the programmes, Council supports and provides advocacy to empower the community including special needs sectors such as youth, aged and the disabled.

• Council may provide identified facilities and social services (Aged Care/Social Housing/Home and Community Care (HACC)) in the absence of traditional service providers.

• In the event of a disaster, Council’s business continuity strategy ensures the supply of its essential services and support to emergency services. Pre-event, Council assists in building resilience in the community to recover from disaster events. Post event, the community and businesses are supported in the recovery from disaster events. Mitigation strategies are developed where practicable.

Community Priorities • Healthy People, Healthy Environment

• Inclusive and Safe Communities

• Strong Partnerships for Health and Wellbeing

• Accessible and Dependable Health Facilities and Services

Healthy Living


Strategic Theme 4:The unique character and identity of the people and towns of the Western Downs will be promoted and celebrated both within our region and beyond.

Strategic Ambition: Western Downs is more than just a place to live, attracting visitors and retaining residents through events that celebrate our communities.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

4.1. The Western Downs Region attracts visitors to play and stay.

4.2 The Western Downs Region is promoted as a welcoming place to live and grow.

Council’s Measures of Success • Through strategic partnerships the Western

Downs is marketed as a region to experience explore, and enjoy. Tourism campaigns target the drive through market and liveability campaigns target new as well as existing residents.

Community Priorities • Dynamic Tourism

• Appealing and Memorable Towns and Villages

• Well Promoted Towns and Villages



Strategic Theme 5:Through strategic investment, facilitation and advocacy Western Downs Regional Council will continue to build capacity for the sustainable growth of our prosperous region.

Strategic Ambition: Strategic and innovative investment decisions will create business and industry opportunities that are commercially sustainable.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

5.1. Our commercial enterprises are sustainable and build capacity within our organisation and the community.

5.2. Innovative economic development strategies support regional growth.

Council’s Measures of Success • Council operates its commercial enterprises

with the aim to make a profit as well as remain competitive and viable in the marketplace.

• Council has a role in supporting regional growth through the provision of regional specific information, facilitation and advocacy through strategic partnerships.

Community Priorities • Strong Business and Industry Investment

• A Skilled and Available Workforce

• Strong Partnerships for Health and Wellbeing

• Accessible and Dependable Health Facilities and Services

• Affordable Living

Innovation and Economic Success


Strategic Theme 6:A balanced and responsible approach to the continued growth of our region will promote sustainable development that enhances the liveability of our communities and the prosperity of our diverse businesses and industries.

Strategic Ambition: Plan and deliver strategic infrastructure and services to meet the current and future needs of the region whilst managing our natural economic resources.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

6.1. The sustainable development of our region is informed by strategic policy and planning instruments.

6.2. Infrastructure supports the sustainable development of our region.

Council’s Measures of Success • The region’s population and land use

pressures are managed while identifying limits to growth and capacity across the Western Downs to support strong healthy communities. Sustainability also includes intangible aspects of growth.

• Infrastructure is provided to meet agreed customer service standards and the long-term liveability of the region.

Community Priorities • Infrastructure That Supports Growth

• Sustainable Urban Growth

• Natural Economic Resources are Protected

Balanced Growth


Strategic Theme 7:The region’s natural environment and key ecosystems including flora, fauna, waterways, wetlands, and areas of cultural significance are managed through the mitigation of the impacts of development, population growth and climate change.

Strategic Ambition: Manage and protect our natural environment for the generations of today and into the future.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

7.1. We are a climate smart organisation.

7.2. Our natural environment is protected and managed to maintain community wellbeing.

Council’s Measures of Success • As an organisation we work towards reducing

our environmental footprint.

• The operations and the services we provide will be undertaken in a way that meets or exceeds our environmental duty of care. Where a choice exists we aim to preserve environmental assets.

Community Priorities • Protected Ecosystems and Biodiversity

• Limiting Climate Change Impacts



Strategic Theme 8:The Western Downs region will continue to develop accessible transport systems and advocate for improved telecommunications to connect our people, businesses and industries locally, regionally, nationally and globally.

Strategic Ambition: Plan, construct, maintain and advocate for efficient transport and communication infrastructure.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES

8.1. Our transport infrastructure meets the needs of our growing community.

8.2. Strategic partnerships will deliver efficient and safe local, regional and national transport systems and effective regional telecommunications.

Council’s Measures of Success • Road and airport infrastructure is planned and

provided to meet current customer service standards and identified future demand.

• Council partners with and advocates to external service providers to meet identified current and future transport and telecommunications service needs..

Community Priorities • Effective and Sustainable and Regional

Movements

• Effective and Sustainable Local Movements

Accessible and Connected Places

Contact CouncilWestern Downs Regional Council strives for continuous improvement and welcomes your feedback in relation to its 2013 – 2017 Corporate Plan.

Council can be contacted:

1300 COUNCIL (1300 268 624) Interstate 07 4679 4000

1300 FAXWDRC (1300 329 937) Interstate 07 4679 4099

[email protected]

www.wdrc.qld.gov.au

Address correspondence to The Chief Executive Officer, PO Box 551, Dalby QLD 4405

Visit your local Customer Service Centre: Chinchilla 86 Heeney St Dalby 30 Marble St Jandowae 22 George St Miles 29 Dawson St Tara 19 Fry St Wandoan 6 Henderson St

Acknowledgement The development of this Corporate Plan showcases the ability and collective expertise of the Council team to coordinate and collaborate on projects across our expansive organisation. The plan has been produced exclusively by staff with the direction and support of Councillors, the Executive Team and the Corporate Planning Community Reference Group.

Documents

WDRC Corporate Plan 2013-2017