Agenda of Policy Review Committee Meeting

Council_Mark_POS_RGB 2013 MEETING CALENDAR

January 2013 - December 2013

(adopted by Council 19/11/12)

TIME

JAN

FEB

MAR

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

Mon

Ordinary Council Meeting

7.30pm

23^ü

(7.00pm)

25@

29v

27#

24 *

26@

21∞

25#+

Policy Review Committee

7.00pm

v	Meeting at which the draft corporate planning documents (Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program, Operational Plan, Resource Strategy) are endorsed for exhibition
*	Meeting at which the draft corporate planning documents (Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program, Operational Plan, Resource Strategy) are adopted
#	Meetings at which the Operational Plan quarterly reviews (March and September) are presented
@	Meetings at which the Delivery Program progress reports (including the Operational Plan quarterly reviews for June and December) are presented
^	Election of Mayor/Deputy Mayor
ü	Meeting at which the 2012-2013 Annual Statements are presented
∞	Meeting at which any comments on the 2012-2013 Annual Statements are presented
+	Meeting at which the Annual Report is presented

- Extraordinary Meetings are held as required.

- Members of the public are invited to observe meetings of the Council (Ordinary and Policy Review Committee).

Should you wish to address Council, please contact the Senior Governance Officer, Glenn Schuil.

Policy Review Committee Meeting 18 November 2013

Penrith City Children's Services Cooperative Ltd

Compiled by: Janet Keegan, Children's Services Manager

Authorised by: Ruth Goldsmith, Acting Assistant General Manager

Outcome	We can work close to home
Strategy	Provide access to education and training to improve residents ability to take advantage of current and future employment opportunities
Service Activity	Deliver high quality children's services

Presenters: Max Friend - Chairperson - Penrith City Children's Services Cooperative Ltd - Annual Report

Executive Summary

This report provides information on the operations of the children’s services auspiced by Council and managed by the Penrith City Children’s Services Cooperative (PCCSC) for the period July 2012 to June 2013. The report includes information on the financial operations of the services managed by the Cooperative. The report recommends that the information be received and that Council underwrite the operations of the PCCSC for a further period of 12 months.

Background

The PCCSC became effective from 1 January 2003 and was created to manage a number of children’s services on Council’s behalf including long day care, preschool, before and after school and vacation care. In 2008, the Board also took on the management of St Marys Occasional Children’s Centre following its co-location with St Marys Children’s Centre. The structure of the Cooperative is a Board of Directors including parent representatives, three Councillors, a staff representative, community representatives and a representative of the General Manager. The Board meets on a bi-monthly basis and operates under Council delegation as a non-trading entity. The Board looks at broad policy matters, sets the direction for children’s services and makes major decisions that affect the provision of children’s services. Parent Advisory Committees, elected annually at each site, provide valuable input into the operational aspects of individual services.

On Council’s behalf, the Board manages 26 facilities encompassing 17 long day care, five preschools, nine before and after school care services, six vacation care and one occasional care service. Approximately 4,000 children aged 0-12 years attend the services annually with approximately 300 staff employed in centre-based service delivery including permanent, temporary and casual employees working in full-time and part-time capacities.

Children’s Services has a broad strategy in Council’s Delivery Program to deliver high quality children’s services. Linked to this strategy are the four major goals in the Board’s current Strategic Plan – being a leader in quality, sound financial management, enabling a skilled workforce and being known and respected as a provider of high quality not-for-profit services. It is pleasing that a number of key primary actions within these goals have been implemented during the period of review. Following the previous year’s favourable operational financial outcome, this year Children’s Services has focussed on consolidating service delivery to the high levels expected by the community. In an effort to address some of the challenges faced during the year, the Board, along with the Children’s Services leadership and management team, have focussed attention on a variety of initiatives, a snapshot of which are highlighted in this report. The following comments provide information on some of the operational aspects of the children’s services managed by the Cooperative, as well as a summary of the financial reports for the period July 2012 to June 2013.

The Children’s Services Program

The Children’s Services program is focused on delivering high quality children’s services that are affordable, accessible and viable. There were approximately 4,000 children who utilised the services during the year with an increase of new families, indicating rising popularity. For the cumulative period July 2012 to June 2013, of the six components of children’s services managed by the Board, four achieved or exceeded projected utilisation targets (long day care, preschool, before school care and occasional care). After school care and vacation care did not meet utilisation targets in the order of eight and six percent respectively. A major contributing factor to the under-achievement of utilisation targets was the number of schools across the LGA opening their own out of school hours services on site which is an attractive ‘one stop shop’ option for parents. In addition, historically, children are often withdrawn from after school care when there is increased pressure on families’ disposable income and children are cared for by friends or family or go home alone. Significant strategies from the Children’s Services marketing and promotions plan were implemented during the reporting period to promote the quality and affordability of the services managed by the Board.

Annual Customer Survey

The children’s services annual customer satisfaction survey was undertaken in October 2012, the results of which have been analysed. Parents were asked to identify their satisfaction and perception in a number of key areas including rating their centre in 26 areas, rating the quality and their confidence in the service. Parents were also invited to make suggestions for improvement. In summary, services were rated excellent to good with particular feedback made about the high quality of the centre staff. There are always opportunities to improve the way in which services are delivered and the Children’s Services Coordination Unit is working with centre staff to identify strategies to continue to support and develop them. It is pleasing that a number of strategies from the Children’s Services Workforce Workplan, developed after the Employee Opinion Survey, have been implemented. In addition, work has been progressed on ways to improve communication between parents, staff and children. Where issues were identified at particular sites through the customer survey, the matters have been addressed with services individually.

Building and Playground Upgrades

Children’s Services continuously strives to maintain services as aesthetically pleasing and safe environments for children, families and staff. To this end a significant number of building and playground upgrades totalling $425,382 have been completed during the financial year being reported on. The Board is making more provision than ever for building and playground upgrades to meet the ongoing challenge of ageing buildings.

Enrolment of Children from an Aboriginal Background and Children with Disabilities

Of particular note during this reporting period is the sustained enrolment of children from an Aboriginal background across Children’s Services with the support of significantly reduced preschool fees for Aboriginal families and the support of the SAACS (supporting Aboriginal access to children’s services) project. The SAACS worker is the first point of contact for Children’s Services for Aboriginal parents which is then followed up with assistance through the enrolment process and liaison with the family some weeks after enrolment. The SAACS worker has been working with centres to build their capacity to include families from an Aboriginal background and be culturally reflective. In addition, Children’s Services embarked on a partnership with NGROO Education to increase the enrolments of Aboriginal children specifically in preschool services. Currently 77 families who identify from an Aboriginal background attend the services with 26 accessing the reduced preschool fee.

Support to improve access for children with ongoing high support needs has been provided by the commonwealth funded Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS). This program builds the capacity of services through the development of service support plans to include children with ongoing high support needs into mainstream services. ISS funding enables services to engage an additional staff member but there is a significant shortfall in the funding received and the cost of employing additional staff which needs to be met by services. It is this gap in funding that is provided by Council to the Cooperative’s operations. During the year the Intervention Support Program (ISP) funding supported 36 children across preschool and long day care. Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS) supported 32 children attending long day care, out of school hours care and occasional care and Supporting Children with Additional needs (SCAN) funding supported 22 children across Council’s Preschool services.

Curriculum Implementation

Curriculum implementation is a critical indicator of the high quality of service delivery across the children’s services sector. During this reporting period, the Children’s Services Curriculum Renewal Group has continued to provide ongoing training and support to Council’s services to understand the principles and practices of the Early Years Learning and My Time Our Place Frameworks and how these relates to their everyday practice. In addition, one of our early childhood educators has provided tailored support to each service which has substantially escalated the engagement and understanding of staff teams in the new curriculums. Our staff teams have made a great deal of progress in their understanding of the new framework and are now confident, not only in using it in their work with children but in articulating it to others. It has placed our children’s services in a position of strength as they have entered the new Assessment and Rating system which began in 2012.

There are a number of other ways that children’s centres have added value to the curriculum and program provided for children. Synergising with Munch and Move for the younger age group is the Active After School (AAS) initiative for children of school age attending children’s services. This initiative aims to enhance the physical level of Australian primary school children and operated at all of our school age care services during this reporting period for two afternoons a week. Activities are chosen by the children and funded by the Australian Sports Commission.

The Paint Penrith REaD (PPR) project, supported by Council and the Board, and led locally by Mission Australia, has substantially increased its profile during this reporting period. The focus of the project is on promoting the importance of reading to children from birth as research clearly shows this has positive literacy outcomes for later life. All of Council’s children’s centres and libraries again participated in National Simultaneous Storytime in May this year and Council’s centres are ‘thinking smarter’ about literacy initiatives at each site and branding activities under PPR. During this reporting period, the Board entered into an agreement with Mission Australia and United Way Australia for the rollout of the Imagination Library, a book delivery program, in North St Marys. Approximately 138 children have been signed up which means they will each receive a book a month, posted to them at their home, until their fifth birthday.

Outcomes from the new Assessment and Rating Process

The National Quality Standard came into effect on 1 January 2012. All 26 services managed by the Cooperative had developed a Quality Improvement Plan by 30 April 2012 in line with requirements. The first assessment and rating visit (Ridge-ee-didge Children’s Centre in Oxley Park) was in August 2012. By 30 June 2013, 12 services had been rated and assessed, with five rated at exceeding the national standard, five at meeting the national standard and two at working towards the national standard. This is a great result and well above the outcomes generally across NSW.

Funding for Child Care Links

Federal funding for the Child Care Links (CCL) program ($306,000 for three years) has been extended to 2018. It is now funded under the Family Support Program umbrella and the outcomes changed to focus on service delivery to the most vulnerable sections of the community including a strong focus on Aboriginal families as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to the Closing the Gap initiative. Through CCL funding, a supported playgroup has been developed in St Clair Primary School, co-facilitated by staff from Stepping Stones Early Learning Centre, building relationships with local families and the school. This dovetails with the significant work being undertaken annually across all of Council’s children’s centres with transition to school and high school. The Links project has also worked with other service providers in St Marys in developing a therapeutic playgroup for children experiencing speech delays as this was identified as a high need in the St Marys area. This initiative was accompanied by training workshops for early childhood and school staff in identifying and supporting children with speech delays in those environments and information on activities and teaching strategies. .

The family support workers from Gateway Family Services continued to visit six Council services located in areas identified with higher levels of vulnerability. Gateway also provided a range of parent workshops during this period. The workshops were aimed at building the capacity of parents in terms of providing positive parenting strategies and background to understanding children’s behaviour.

During this period the CCL worker attended the Indigenous playgroup (in conjunction with NCNS) at Cranebrook and presented Walking the Talk speech program in this forum focussing on early literacy activities with Aboriginal children and their parents. Parents were provided with inexpensive ideas to promote literacy and speech development with their children.

The Links project also provided funds to deliver a Positive Parenting Program in partnership with Mission Australia in Kingswood in term 2012. This was attended by 13 parents (including six dads) with participants stating they gained new tools to support them in their parenting role.

Children’s Services Business Approach

During the year, children’s services has strengthened its business model approach to the management of centres. The Business Coordinator dedicated to Children’s Services has further strengthened and streamlined business practices across all services managed by the Cooperative. Significant attention has been paid to the issue of fee payment and billing and management of debt and there is still work to be done and improvement to be made in this area. Productivity initiatives have included upgrades to the software for the management of children’s enrolments, attendance and family fees as well as efficiencies from centralised financial systems and global contracts for cleaning, consumables and garden maintenance.

In January 2013, the administration of children’s services was centralised to the Civic Centre. Initial teething issues related to this have now been overcome and has resulted in a more cohesive approach to administration and customer service. It has enabled the educators at our services to concentrate more on developing trusting and reciprocal relationships with the families using their service.

Financial Results

The services managed by the Cooperative reported an operating surplus from ordinary activities of $30,000 for the 2012-13 year. This surplus was achieved from revenues of $17,094,000 with expenses for the same period being $16,098,000. This surplus result is after a contribution from Council of $186,000 as well as transfers to a number of operational reserves of $1,049,000 for future projects and transfers from reserves for current year projects of $103,000. These reserves include provision for playground/building upgrades, bus replacement, centre equipment, advertising and marketing.

Income derived from the provision of childcare, as represented by child care fees and child care benefit (CCB) was $14,879,000 which is an increase of 1.9%. The attainment of this income is essentially attributed to the favourable utilisation rates achieved by the Cooperative’s various service types. Grant funding of $2,117,000 was provided by both the State and Federal Governments. This is representative of a decrease of 18.3% in terms of grant funding received compared to last year financial year.

Employee costs for 2012-13 were $14,157,000 which is an increase of 4.3%. Reflective of the industry within which the Cooperative operates, employee costs account for the largest category of expenditure and comprise 82.1% of the total cost of the Cooperative’s operations. Expenditure on materials, contracts and other expenses were $1,941,000 which is a decrease of 10.8% upon last year’s result. This was largely the result of reduced discretionary expenditure at a number of Children’s Centres.

Council is committed to financially supporting the initiatives undertaken by the Cooperative which is reflected by the subsidy provided to the Cooperative of $186,000 (2012 $181,000). This subsidy provides essential funding for inclusion support and St Marys Occasional Care. Council makes significant other financial contributions to children’s services overall which is outlined through the annual Operational Plan. The financial outcome for the services managed by the Cooperative for the financial year 2012-13 is considered a good result and is testament to the strong financial management of the Cooperative’s services. For the children’s services managed by the Cooperative, the maintenance of utilisation levels is critical to their financial viability and the external grant funding received is of high importance to be able to sustain service delivery at current high levels.

Conclusion

The establishment of the Penrith City Children’s Services Cooperative in 2003, has proved to be an effective management model for the children’s services sponsored by Council. The favourable outcome for the 2012-13 financial year is an excellent achievement given the current financial environment, and provides some necessary equity to better position the services for the coming years. The Board of Directors is well aware of the complexities of the operation of children’s services and the challenges that this brings and maintaining a balance between services that are viable, accessible and affordable is high on the Board’s agenda. Sustaining the quality of service provision for which Council’s services are known is a key driver.

The Penrith City Children’s Services Cooperative is strongly committed to the provision of quality not-for-profit services for children. Affordability continues to be the driving factor for utilisation levels across all service types and balancing this with viability is a key priority. Lobbying and advocacy continue in an attempt to ensure that issues related to children’s services, and particularly issues related to the not-for-profit sector, are raised and have a high profile. Continued compliance with the new National Law and Regulations is testament to the skill, motivation and dedication of the children’s services staff and the support provided by the Internal Coordination Unit.

The Board is under no illusion that the year ahead will hold many challenges in its quest to ensure the children’s services remain viable within a climate of increased competition, legislation and regulation requirements and the challenge to maintain a skilled workforce. Some of the known challenges for children’s services for the year ahead include the National Quality Framework, possible changes to external funding, maintaining ageing assets, marketing and promotions and maintaining utilisation. Children’s services and the Board will need to keep abreast of emerging issues so that sound change management practices are adopted and the high quality of service provision is sustained.

During the financial year 2012-2013, there were no significant changes in the state of affairs of the Cooperative. The Annual General Meeting of the Cooperative was held in October 2013, at which meeting a Special Resolution was endorsed reducing the number of Board Directors from 15 to 11, comprising three parent, Councillor and community representatives, one staff and one representative of the General Manager. The Council’s representatives on the Board are Councillors Michelle Tormey, Prue Car and Ross Fowler OAM. The General Manager’s representative and Company Secretary Executive Manager is Vicki O’Kelly.

RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. The information contained in the report on Penrith City Children's Services Cooperative Ltd be received.

2. Council agree to underwrite the operation of Penrith City Children’s Services Cooperative Ltd until the presentation to Council of the Penrith City Children’s Services Cooperative Ltd Annual Report for 2013-14.

ATTACHMENTS/APPENDICES

There are no attachments for this report.

Policy Review Committee Meeting 18 November 2013

Penrith City Centre - Car Parking Rates

Compiled by: Peter Wood, Development Assessment Co-ordinator

Authorised by: Paul Lemm, Development Services Manager

Outcome	We plan for our future growth
Strategy	Facilitate development that encourages a range of housing types
Service Activity	Delivery timely assessment, regulation and certification of development and building work in accordance with statutory requirements

Executive Summary

Penrith City Centre and its statutory landscape has been in place since 2008 however since that time although development approvals have been granted construction has not taken place. There has been much debate as to the reason why investment within the City has occurred. It is important therefore that our policies and statutory provisions are not seen as a barrier to facilitate development and foster confidence from the development industry.

Council’s policy requirements need to be competitive when compared to other regional cities in order to retain and attract new investment. For the city to emerge and grow it must be able to retain institutions such as the Australian Tax Office and other Government Agencies. Through the retention and attraction of these types of Government Agencies the City will be seen as economically viable and confidence in business investment will improve.

Council is currently undertaking policy changes including the draft LEP 2013 which includes the City Centre. There are also planning reforms imminent which will incorporate changes to the way in which monetary contributions are applied to public infrastructure including car parking. Car parking provision is a major consideration in undertaking new development within the City Centre and it has a significant bearing on the viability of a project. It is timely that Council considers the applicability and relevance of current parking policies in the City Centre, so that it enables Penrith to be both competitive and attractive for business investment.

A review of the current City Centre controls indicates that they are not as competitive as other comparable regional centres. Given that each regional city is competing for investment opportunities it is important that our car parking requirements are reconsidered and not seen as a deterrent to investment. The careful management of parking rates not only relates to the specification for new developments, it flags Council’s intentions and aspirations with regards to parking provisions (supply) more generally; being a significant influence on travel patterns/demand and the City Centre environment.

Parking Controls

The relevant current and future parking controls and contributions are summarised as follows:

Penrith LEP 2008 (City Centre)

(3) Consent must not be granted for development on land zoned B3 Commercial Core or B4 Mixed Use that involves the erection of a new building or an alteration to an existing building that increases the floor area of the building unless:

(a) at least one car parking space is provided for every 60 square metres of the floor area of the building that is to be used for commercial activities, and

(b) at least one car parking space is provided for every 30 square metres of the floor area of the building that is to be used for retail activities.

(4) Car parking required by this Plan must be provided for on site unless the consent authority is satisfied that adequate car parking is provided elsewhere.

Penrith DCP 2007 (City Centre)

60% of the total number of parking spaces required by a development, other than for service vehicles, car washing bays and parking spaces allocated to people with a disability, are to be provided on-site. The balance of the total required number of spaces not provided on-site is subject to a contribution under an adopted Contribution Plan or as set by the terms of a Voluntary Planning Agreement.

Penrith Civic Improvement Plan 2008

Car parking contribution for commercial development if not provided on-site is $19,806 per car space.

Car parking contributions apply to all commercial and business related uses where parking is not provided on-site including, but not limited to, office uses, retailing, wholesaling, light industrial uses, service related development, recreational facilities, but does not include residential development or public open space.

Penrith DCP 2006

Commercial premises (including business & office premises) Penrith – 1 per 40sqm gross floor area, St Marys – 1 per 40sqm gross floor area.

Shops (Penrith & St Marys Town Centre) 1 per 26m² of net retail floor area (excluding

Arcades).

In summary the current controls require one parking space for every 60m² to be provided on site for commercial Gross Floor Area up to 60% of the total parking provision required, with the remaining 40% being met by a contribution of (approaching) $20,000 per space towards off-site provision. Council can only apply the Civic Improvement Plan as made so no variations can be considered for Section 94 contributions. Council may however consider varying the parking requirement in accordance with Clause 32 of the LEP upon written request from the applicant.

Regional City Comparison:

A table of current relevant parking rates for other comparable commercial centres is included in Appendix 1. Of note the commercial parking rates in the well developed Central Business Districts of Chatswood and Sydney City with good railway proximity are as low as 1 space per 200m² and 1 space per 175m² respectively.

A comparison of Penrith City Centre parking rates with the regional cities of Parramatta and Liverpool is provided in the following table:

Regional City Centre Parking Rate Comparison
*LGA*	*Retail*	*Commercial*
Penrith C.C	1 per 30 m² GFA	1 per 60 m² GFA
Parramatta C.C	1 per 30 m² GFA	1 per100 m² GFA
Liverpool C.C	1 per 200 m² GFA - ground level 1 per 100 m² GFA other part of the building	1 per 200 m² GFA - ground level 1 per 150 m² GFA other part of the building

The above table demonstrates that the Penrith City Centre current rates are much higher than those of comparable regional cities with which it competes for investment.

Using the above comparative car parking rates and applying them to a hypothetical development which includes 10000m² of commercial floor space and 1000m² retail floor space the following comparisons are made:

Car Parking Comparison Between Regional Cities
	*RETAIL*	*COMMERCIAL*	*TOTAL*
Penrith	33	166	200
Parramatta	33	100	133
Liverpool	5 or 10	50 or 66	76 max

The above comparison shows that Penrith requires 67 more car parking spaces than Parramatta and 124 more than Liverpool. This discrepancy places Council at a disadvantage when trying to attract the same scale of development when compared to the other two regional cities.

The adoption of a revised parking rate of 1 space per 100m2 of commercial floor spaces will result in fewer spaces being provided per development, which in the long term will result in a proportional (ratio) reduction in off-street parking spaces in the City Centre. This approach is consistent with Council’s adopted parking policy and is aimed at reducing the overall private vehicle demand. This parking approach will help to protect road capacity within the City Centre road network and encourage a change in the use of active and public transport modes and help achieve mode share targets identified by the NSW Government.

The revision of the revised parking rates will improve a centre’s accessibility profile by promoting the movement of residents and workers by non-car travel modes to, from and around the city centre. Through time, the revised parking rates will need to be supported by similar on-street parking management strategies as identified within the adopted parking policy. Other Regional Cities have identified the need to actively manage parking supply over time. A failure to achieve this change in travel behaviour through integrating transport and land use, and controlling access, is likely to result in increased congestion, which will impact on the attractiveness of Penrith City Centre in its ability to support economic growth.

Conclusion

It is highly likely that the planning reforms will not permit the imposition of Section 94 contributions for car parking. This change will remove the ability for Section 94 contributions to be made for any shortfall in car parking which would need to be made available on site. Given the cost associated with the construction of basement car parking and the uncertainties in relation to the City’s water table, reliance on the current car parking code will present challenges for future development opportunities within the City.

The removal of parking controls from the LEP and the need to amend the City Centres DCP highlights the importance of adopting an interim policy position in relation to car parking within the City Centre. It is important to align Penrith City Centre closer to other regional cities, so that our car parking requirements do not act as a deterrent for the retention and attraction of business within the City.

The comparison between Parramatta and Liverpool Councils would suggest that a policy requiring 1 space per 100m² of commercial floorspace appears to be more reasonable and place Council in a more competitive framework.

RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. The information contained in the report on Penrith City Centre - Car Parking Rates be received.

2. Council adopt a minimum commercial parking space rate of 1 space per 100m²Gross Floor Area (GFA) as an interim policy until such time as a new parking rate is adopted in a new DCP and removed from the current LEP.

ATTACHMENTS/APPENDICES

1. View

Summary of Parking Rates

1 Page

Appendix

Policy Review Committee Meeting 18 November 2013

St Marys Town Centre Corporation Triennial Business Plan

Compiled by: Terry Agar, Acting Centres Co-ordinator

Authorised by: Jeni Pollard, Place Manager

Outcome	We have safe, vibrant places
Strategy	Grow and revitalise our centres and neighbourhoods
Service Activity	Support the revitalisation of Penrith City Centre, St Marys Town Centre and other key identified places in the City

Presenters: Steve Perry - St Marys Town Centre Limited - St Marys Town Centre Limited Triennial Business Plan

Executive Summary

The new St Marys Town Centre management entity, the St Marys Town Centre Limited (SMTCL) has prepared its draft Triennial Business Plan for Council’s consideration. This report outlines the background to the creation of the new corporation and provides an overview of the Triennial Business Plan.

The report advises Council of the constitution of the SMTCL and also seeks Council agreement to the terms of the draft Deed of Agreement for the management of the operational and financial relationship between the parties.

An outline of the business plan will be presented to Council by the Chairperson of the St Marys Town Centre Limited, Steve Perry. The plan has been developed over some months of discussion and Council officers were consulted in the final drafting of the document. Council’s support for the business plan is sought by the SMTCL.

Background

In 1998, Council adopted a unique model for the promotion and management of the Penrith City Centre and St Marys Town Centre. The model involved the creation of the Penrith City Centre Association and the St Marys Town Centre Management Inc. The “Associations” were established as incorporated bodies to promote the economic development and interests of the businesses in the centres. Under the terms of the then agreements with Council, the Associations were funded through a business sub-category rate and were essentially self governing with minimal Council oversight.

Council undertook a review of the management of the Penrith and St Marys centres during 2011 to determine whether the Associations’ model was achieving the desired outcomes of economic growth and maintaining the vitality of the centres. Following this review, Council endorsed the creation of a corporation structure led by a board representing a broad range of community interests. The new governance model proposed a working agreement between Council and the corporations which required a commitment to develop a business plan to achieve a range of outcomes.

In late 2012, the process of implementing the findings of the review commenced with the creation of new governance arrangements and the selection of the board members for the two new centres corporations. The next step in the finalisation of the new governance structure is the agreement by Council to the ongoing funding and performance assessment for the new corporations, the provisions of their constitutions and the scope of their 3 year business plans.

Since the commencement of the corporations in early 2013, the board members have been working on a range of activities and initiatives including preparation of their 3 year business plans to improve the development and performance of the Penrith and St Marys centres. To assist the corporations in their task, draft business plans were prepared by Council that provided suggestions to the boards.

This report includes an outline of the constitution and proposed funding agreement as well as an overview of the Triennial Business Plan. The chairperson of the board of the SMTCL, Steve Perry will give a presentation on their 3 year business plan.

The Penrith CBD Corporation presented its plan to Council on 7 September 2013. The Plan was formally endorsed by Council on 30 September 2013.

Constitution

A draft company constitution was prepared by Council to assist the new St Marys corporation board with its registration with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). The company was registered as the St Marys Town Centre Ltd on 25 February 2013. A copy of the corporation’s registered constitution is in Attachment 1.

In accordance with the ASIC requirements, each board member has consented to act as a director of the company for the new corporation.

In summary, the constitution governs the following activities and functions of the boards:

· Company objectives

· Definition of terms and membership

· Use of income and liabilities

· Director positions and responsibilities

· Powers of the Company and the directors

· Meetings procedures.

The Deed of Agreement, discussed below, outlines a requirement for the corporations to consult with Council prior to any proposed changes to their constitution.

Deed of Agreement

Council’s Senior Legal Officer has drafted an agreement for endorsement by Council and the SMTCL. The agreement secures ongoing funding for a term of 3 years and, subject to mutually agreed performance outcomes, allows for ongoing renewal.

The Deed of Agreement is a new approach to defining and clarifying the relationship with an entity of Council. The Deed provides certainty to both parties about the expectations of Council and the autonomy of the Corporation.

In summary, the agreement specifies how the relationship between Council and the new corporations will be managed in the following ways:

· Scope and objectives

· Principles and protocols for working together

· Relationship management structure and processes

· Dispute resolution procedures

· Insurance and liability requirements

· Procedures for termination of the agreement.

A key feature of the Deed is that the corporation must prepare a draft Triennial Business Plan, including an annual plan which outlines their key activities and strategic directions for the period. Following endorsement of the Triennial Plan, the annual business plan is presented to Council for endorsement, triggering payment of funds.

A formal, independent review of the performance of the corporation in achieving their business plans will be undertaken in the third year of their agreement and prior to any new agreement being entered into. To this end, Council has negotiated to withhold 3% of the annual operating funds of the SMTCL for the purpose of undertaking the review and also to support any training that Council requires the board to attend.

The Deed also outlines a process for dispute resolution including an option for mediation if required. Unlike agreements with other entities, this Deed also includes a 30 day termination clause which can be enacted by Council or the SMTCL. Arrangements are in place to ensure that this clause does not disadvantage the corporation when entering into lease agreements.

The SMTCL has been consulted about the Deed during its preparation, has negotiated changes as they have felt appropriate and has indicated a willingness to enter into the agreement with Council.

A copy of the corporation agreement is at Attachment 2.

Triennial Business Plan

The St Marys Town Centre Limited has prepared its Triennial Business Plan 2013-16 for Council’s consideration and this is provided at Attachment 3. The Deed of Agreement specifies that the SMTCL’s business plan must include:

· Confirmation of the scope and operation of the enterprise having regard to the available resources and objectives described in its constitution

· An outline of the responsibilities of all parties that are involved in City Centre enhancement activities

· Detailed statements of all identified City Centre enhancement activities and their resource implications including efficiencies and savings

· Activities requiring additional resources are to be identified separately from those that will be able to be undertaken within current resources.

The SMTCL’s Triennial Business Plan 2013-16 has adopted a new vision for the corporation that reflects their desire to develop the town centre into a prosperous and lively place through collaboration. The corporation has a commitment to positive social outcomes for residents as well as enhanced economic outcomes for local businesses as articulated in their vision:

“To ensure that St Marys is the vibrant heart of the district, providing diverse experiences and services in a safe, friendly atmosphere.”

This vision is supported by a plan that specifies a range of actions that will be undertaken over the next three years and specifies a budget for those actions being undertaken in the current financial year.

Key proposed actions include:

· Regular entertainment and events in the refurbished Coachmans Park

· Consideration of a proposal to run the St Marys Spring Fair

· Re-branding of the SMTCL to reflect its new corporation status

· Employment of an operations manager

· A building facade and business presentation improvement program

To assess the success of the actions, the business plan specifies a range of performance indicators that the corporation will use to review the outcomes and suggest any necessary changes to their approach.

The Triennial Business Plan also includes a range of contemporary governance actions to promote best practice as a public corporation. An annual operations plan will be prepared detailing a monthly work program to help the board manage its responsibilities in an open and transparent way.

Next Steps

During the past 12 months, the previous St Marys Town Centre Association and the new SMTCL have endeavoured to maintain continuity of and build on their successful promotions of the town centre. The current board’s business planning has supported previous promotions such as the popular Halloween event whilst seeking to broaden its agenda into new projects such as tackling the presentation of the buildings and businesses. A major challenge for the SMTCL over the next 12 months will be the recruitment of an operations manager to support the strategic agenda of the board.

Overall, the Triennial Business Plan represents the next step in achieving the vision of the SMTCL, which is consistent with the vision of Council to revitalise the town centre as a strong and vibrant district centre. The plan, underpinned by partnerships and effective governance is focussed and achievable.

As outlined in the Deed of Agreement, the Triennial Business Plan is being presented to Council for endorsement. At the conclusion of the first year of the plan the corporation has been asked to undertake a brief independent review of their performance against their plan. This review will inform their activities in Year 2 of their plan which will be brought back to Council before October 2014.

Conclusion

It is anticipated the creation of the St Marys Town Centre Limited will result in an energetic and professional approach to the management of the St Marys Town Centre. The current board represents a diverse range of community interests which has resulted in a business plan that takes the corporation in a number of new directions.

The proposed Deed of Agreement between Council and the St Marys Town Centre Limited sets out a new partnership arrangement that will improve the joint management of the St Marys Town Centre and enable the corporation to interact with other public and private agencies with more independent authority. The agreement recognises the need for the SMTCL to produce measurable outcomes over the next 3 years prior to a continuation of funding.

The SMTCL’s Triennial Business Plan is a positive step towards addressing the myriad of challenges faced by the businesses, property owners and the general community in the St Marys Town Centre. The Triennial Plan positions the SMTCL as an initiator of actions to enhance the town centre as well as a key collaborator with Council in the Centre’s revitalisation.

RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. The information contained in the report on St Marys Town Centre Corporation Triennial Business Plan be received.

2. Council write to the St Marys Town Centre Limited advising that Council supports is draft Triennial Business Plan.

3. The Council Seal be affixed to the Deed of Agreement referred to in this report.

ATTACHMENTS/APPENDICES

1. View	St Marys Town Centre Limited Constitution	18 Pages	Attachment
2. View	St Marys Town Centre Limited Deed of Agreement	13 Pages	Attachment
3. View	St Marys Town Centre Limited Triennial Business 2013-2016	28 Pages	Attachment

Policy Review Committee Meeting 18 November 2013

Queen Street, St Marys Streetscape Improvement Plan

Compiled by: Elizabeth Roxburgh, Landscape Architect

Karin Schicht, Landscape Architecture Supervisor

Authorised by: Michael Jackson, Major Projects Manager

Outcome	We have safe, vibrant places
Strategy	Grow and revitalise our centres and neighbourhoods
Service Activity	Manage the development of master plans and designs for Council's assets and public domain

Executive Summary

The Draft Queen Street, St Marys Streetscape Improvement Plan (SIP) was endorsed for Public Exhibition by Council at its Ordinary meeting of 26 August 2013. A formal Public Exhibition period followed for four weeks from 30 August 2013 to 30 September 2013. Council advertised the formal exhibition period through multiple channels, detailed later in this report.

Consultants Spackman Mossop Michaels have reviewed the formal submissions received and have prepared a Public Exhibition Report. This report found that there are no significant issues arising from submissions received and as a result this Final Draft SIP differs very little from the Draft SIP presented to Councillors at the Policy Review Committee meeting on 12 August 2013 and endorsed at the Ordinary meeting on 26 August 2013.

The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s adoption of the Final SIP in order to proceed to the staged implementation of improvement works.

Background

The development of the SIP has involved a comprehensive program of community engagement and several signoffs by the project team, Council and the community. The community engagement program informed the development of the final Draft SIP, which Council endorsed for formal Public Exhibition at its Ordinary meeting on 26 August 2013.

Public Exhibition Feedback and Recommendations

Council advertised the Draft SIP formal public exhibition period through multiple channels as well as making the project material available in a number of ways. These included:

· A presentation of the Draft SIP to the community who had previously been involved

in workshops

· A display in the St Marys Library

· The document was available to view in Penrith Library

· Online viewing of the Draft SIP document

· Two press advertisements in the Western Weekender

· FM Vintage radio, Mayors advertisement, daily for a week from 9 September 2013

· Public Exhibition material at Fusion in St Marys on the day of the St Marys Spring

Festival on 7 September 2013.

Penrith City Council received 21 formal submissions from the public regarding the exhibition of the Draft SIP. In addition, two submissions were made after the exhibition period.

Spackman Mossop Michaels reviewed the formal submissions received and prepared a Public Exhibition Report. The report found that there were no significant issues affecting the finalisation of the Queen Street, St Marys Streetscape Improvement Plan.

The report categorises the feedback into the elements that make up the Draft SIP. General comments about the SIP were all positive. People were enthusiastic about the possibility of improvements for Queen Street.

The elements that received the majority of comments include:

- St Marys Square

This received the most number of comments during the exhibition period. There were four supportive comments compared to eleven comments expressing concern. Many of the comments were concerning the impacts on accessibility to the station with the relocation of the informal pick up/drop off area at the northern end of Queen Street. Other concerns were about the square providing a place for methadone clinic clients and subsequently not being used by other people.

- Street Trees and Vegetation

Street trees were the next most commented on element of the SIP, with four people raising concerns about the types of species that have been chosen. Two comments were in regard to concern over the size of the newly planted trees and the time it will take to achieve the same level of shade that the Plane trees currently offer.

Other feedback addressed issues around the pedestrian lighting, verge and planters, footpath paving, street furniture, the planted road medians, activation, public art and other issues out of the scope of the project such as shop frontages, the methadone clinic and parking.

The report provides recommendations for minor changes to the Draft SIP in response to feedback received. The minor changes now reflected in the Final SIP include additional notes for the following elements:

- St Marys Square: Noting the requirement for additional studies required during the detailed design phase.

- Pedestrian Lighting: Noting that the colour of the light poles is to be decided during the detailed design phase.

- Street Trees & Vegetation: Noting that cultivars of the chosen tree species are to be selected during the detailed design phase and are to consider non-fruiting, thornless and low maintenance species.

- Planted Road Median: To include a note in the SIP about precedent locations around Sydney where median planting has proven to be successful in slowing traffic.

- Verge and Planters: A note stating that plant species selection is to occur during the detailed design phase of the project.

- Footpath Paving: Noting that the engineering methods of most appropriate construction techniques are to be determined during the detailed design phase.

- Activation: Additional clarification in the text regarding whom the activation areas should be designed for during the detailed design phase.

- Street Furniture: Noting that the furniture palette will be determined in the detailed design phase.

- Public Art: Noting that more detail on the type of art envisioned for Queen Street can be found in the Place Making Strategy, Part D: Public Art Strategy.

Program and Next Steps

The following table outlines the key components leading to implementation of public domain works for Queen Street, St Marys.

Item	Description / milestone	Involvement by	When
1	Informal Councillor Briefing	Councillors	Complete
2	Intensive community engagement phase	Community, key stakeholders, staff	Complete
3	Presentation of place making strategy and concept options (drawings)	Councillors	6 May Councillor Briefing
4	Community engagement with concept(s)	Community, key stakeholders, staff	Saturday street stand and Community W’shop #2, complete
5	Develop draft SIP Plan	Council officers	June
6	Presentation of preferred concept / draft SIP at 80%	Councillors – will enable team to refine draft SIP	15 July Councillor Briefing
7	Draft SIP Plan	Councillors – approve for endorsement for public exhibition	12 August Policy Review Committee Meeting
8	Draft SIP Plan	Councillors – formal endorsement for public exhibition	26 August Ordinary Council Meeting
9	Public exhibition, including presentation to stakeholders	Community, stakeholders, staff	September
10	Develop Implementation and Staging Plan and Final draft SIP	Council Officers	August - September
11	Final Draft SIP	Councillors – approve for endorsement final SIP	Policy Review Committee Meeting (NOW)
12	Final Draft SIP, Implementation and Staging Plan	Councillors - endorse final SIP	25 November Ordinary Council Meeting
12	Tender documentation of stage 1 (engage consultant, documentation, approvals)	Major Projects Department	tba
13	Tender process and construction of stage 1	Major Projects Department, contractor	tba

The implementation funds for the St Marys Queen St Improvement Program are shared with those for the Penrith City Centre Public Domain Masterplan and a detailed implementation strategy for the allocation of funds to both centres will be developed and presented to Council’s Finance Working Party for further consideration.

Initial Project Priority

The single item within the proposed plan which can be said to offer the greatest community benefit, and which can be implemented as a stand alone project, is the Pedestrian lighting scheme which is to run the length of Queen St on both sides. The proposed pedestrian lighting scheme addresses existing perceptions of poor public safety and will dramatically improve the visual amenity of Queen St pavement areas at night. These wide pavement areas are currently quite dark as the light spill from the street lighting is cut by the extensive tree canopy. It is recommended that the pedestrian lighting scheme (estimated cost $800,000) be approved as the initial priority for detailed design and implementation.

Conclusion

The extensive community engagement program undertaken with this project and continued through the public exhibition period has generated a Final Draft SIP that is underpinned by community responses and internal Council officer technical input. Adoption of the Final SIP by Council will enable the detailed design and construction documentation for implementation to commence.

RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. The information contained in the report on Queen Street, St Marys Streetscape Improvement Plan be received.

2. The Final Queen Street Streetscape Improvement Plan be endorsed for the staged implementation of works,

3. The first project implemented is to be the Pedestrian lighting scheme.

ATTACHMENTS/APPENDICES

1. View	Final Draft SIP Public Exhibition Report	22 Pages	Attachment
2. View	Final Draft Streetscape Improvement Plan	30 Pages	Attachment

Policy Review Committee Meeting 18 November 2013

Our River

Compiled by: Karin Schicht, Landscape Architecture Supervisor

Victoria Patterson, Landscape Architect

Authorised by: Michael Jackson, Major Projects Manager

Objective	We have safe, vibrant places
Community Outcome	Improve our public spaces and places
Strategic Response	Manage the development of master plans and designs for Council's assets and public domain

Executive Summary

The Draft ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan was endorsed for Public Exhibition by Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 26 August 2013. A formal Public Exhibition period followed for four weeks between 2 and 30 September 2013. Council advertised the formal exhibition period through multiple channels, detailed later in this report.

The consultant team led by CLOUSTON Associates have reviewed the formal submissions received and have prepared a Community Engagement report (located as appendix in attached document). The exhibition process highlighted in general support for the Draft ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan and as a result the Final Master Plan differs very little from the Draft presented to Councillors at the Policy Review Committee meeting on 12 August and endorsed at the Ordinary Council meeting on 26 August 2013.

The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s adoption of the Final ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan in order to proceed to the staged implementation of improvement works.

Background

The development of the ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan has involved a comprehensive program of community engagement and several signoffs by the project team, Council and the community. The community engagement program informed the development of the final Draft Masterplan, which Council endorsed for formal Public Exhibition at its Ordinary meeting on 26 August 2013.

Public Exhibition Feedback and Recommendations

With support from the PCC Communications Team, the Draft Masterplan formal Public Exhibition period was advertised through multiple channels and the project material was made available in a number of ways. These included:

· panel boards on display in the Civic Centre library with hard copy feedback forms available

· manned feedback stand at Sunday Siesta markets on 8 September at Tench Reserve

· temporary display structures with display panels during the entire exhibition period in Tench Reserve and Regatta Park East

· Council’s web page dedicated to the project, containing the display material and engagement report (www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/OurRiver) and link to on-line survey.

· Press advertisements in the Western Weekender and information in the Mayoral Column

· Various media releases and articles

· Radio advertisements

· Social media posts

· Personal emails and letters sent to people or organisations who had previously been involved in workshops or provided feedback

· Flyers hand-delivered to residents in the project area

· A briefing meeting with Tench Avenue landowners

PCC received 95 feedback forms in total: 57 between the feedback box at the library and the community information stall at the Sunday Siesta on 8 September at Tench Reserve, and another 38 surveys were completed online. 99% of respondents could be considered local to the LGA. 38% resided directly adjoining the river precinct, 43% were residents of the wider Penrith LGA. 15% of respondents represented sporting and community groups, 3% represented local businesses and there was a submission from a government agency.

A total of 18 formal submissions were received by Council during the exhibition period. Much of the formal submissions received relates to fine grain implementation aspects that are not normally detailed at a conceptual master plan level. These comments will be useful for the on-going development of the delivery program for the Our River project.

The RMS Green Bridge Project was acknowledged as a design element in the master planning process and is reflected in the final draft plan, but public exhibition feedback was not sought regarding the Green Bridge design concept or specific details of the RMS project. Any specific feedback received was re-directed to the RMS Green Bridge project team.

The consultant team reviewed all the submissions received and prepared a Community Engagement report which contains their analysis and recommendations. This report found that there were no significant issues affecting the finalisation of the ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan.

The report categorises the feedback into the elements that make up the Draft ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan:

- Our Accessible River: Comments provided related to road approaches to the river, road alignments, car parking, walking & cycling connections, M4 pedestrian bridge, water edge access, water activity and emergency access. In most instances these specific comments will be subject to continuing development in the implementation plans that will be required to deliver key aspects of the Final Master Plan. In nearly all instances the Draft Master Plan promotes the overall aspirations of the communities’ expectations of the future plans for the Our River project.

- Our Active River: Many detailed comments were provided regarding overall users and visitors and what facilities will be provided, increased tourism zoning for restaurants, cafes & other businesses, upgrades to Tench Reserve, introduction of a Regional facility at Regatta Park, overall river foreshore amenities, picnic facilities, shade & shelter, quiet areas, safety at day/night and quality/availability of playgrounds. In nearly all instances the Draft Master Plan promotes the overall aspirations of the communities’ expectations of the future plans for the Our River project.

- Our Cultural River: Comments received regarding the cultural river principles have related to general support for an increase in events and festivals, views to the water and waters edge, interpretation of the river area and the overall cultural heritage of the river. In all instances the Draft Master Plan promotes these concepts and specific locations are identified for events and festivals.

- Our Healthy River: The concerns of the community regarding the overall health of the river have been a continual theme throughout the engagement process. During the exhibition detailed feedback included the urgent need to manage the foreshore habitat, overall protection of the river environments and natural systems, the need to improve water quality and the management of waste. In all instances the Draft Master Plan promotes these concepts.

- Our Managed River: The on going management of the river was seen as a critical component of the overall Draft Master Plan by the community. Particular comments received during the exhibition related to bank erosion, vegetation management, land acquisitions and the overall coordination of management of the river. These issues will be subject to further detail investigation in the implementation of delivery plans.

The Community Engagement report provides recommendations for minor changes to the Draft Master Plan in response to feedback received. The minor changes now reflected in the Final Master Plan are:

- Our Accessible River: Many aspects of the accessibility features outlined in the Draft Master Plan will require more detailed traffic analysis and options. Add annotation to indicate specific proposals are subject to more detailed studies. Add annotation to indicate a more detailed boating review and user consultation is to be included in the next stage.

- Our Active River: Add annotations to explore possible amenities under the M4, Emu Plains and possible future lighting between Jamison Road and Nepean Avenue.

The Final ‘Our River’ Master Plan comprises a Master Plan report as well as a Comprehensive Community Engagement Report, a summary of which is an appendix to the Master Plan report.

Implementation & Staging

The Public Exhibition feedback form asked people to consider some of the key larger projects proposed and asked to indicate their overall priority to a list of 6 key features of the Draft Master Plan.

Completion of the foreshore pathways was considered the overall highest priority, with 46% of all responses. This was followed by creating the Regional facility at Regatta Park with an expansion into a flexible, multifunctional events and festival space and thirdly was enhancing views of the river by a new vegetation management approach. A full breakdown of the list can be found in the Community Engagement Report.

The ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan identifies priorities and staging to inform and guide the associated planning, consultation, design and funding for the subsequent staged implementation of works.

The Masterplan is currently envisaged with an implementation timeframe of more than 20 years, with significant new funding required to fully implement all components and a dependency on attracting corresponding private development in areas such as the properties to the east of Tench Avenue and in areas of Regatta Park. A small number of property acquisitions are required in Regatta Park and detailed studies regarding traffic impacts in particular need to be undertaken in order to realise the full intent of the Regatta Park concept.

Vegetation management, bank stabilisation and view sharing are priority tasks along the length of the river precinct. With an adopted Masterplan in support, the required negotiations with the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) can be progressed much more quickly than previously to allow for targeted improvements in these key areas. The vegetation management plan will need to incorporate ways to improve views and vistas without compromising riverbank stability. The Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 requires permission from OEH before any vegetation management e.g. tree removal – particularly on the toe of the riverbank. The development of the required detailed vegetation management plans are prioritised in the first stage.

The proposed works priorities could be implemented in four or more phases which span a timescale in excess of 20 years. A number of funding possibilities need to be explored before the full extent of the master plan can be delivered, and there is a need for up-front funding to develop the current conceptual master plan elements into shovel ready projects suitable to either attract funding or to take advantage of funds as they become available.

· Current – 3 years : Section 94 District Open Space (DOS) funds totalling $2,021,700 plus grant funding and Council contributions for a grand total of $2,532,422:

1. Tench Reserve = $740,144

2. River Road Reserve, Leonay = $333,685

3. Regatta Park East, Emu Plains = $180,755

4. Regatta Park West, Emu Plains = $54,400

5. Great River Walk (GRW), Emu Plains = $1,223,438

a. award of GRW construction tender expected on 25 November 2013

· Stages 2-4 (currently unfunded)

The current Great River Walk Section 94 DOS funding, along with Metropolitan Greenspace Program funds and Council annual budget allocations will ensure that the Emu Plains leg of the Great River Walk is completed in this financial year.

Activation programs for the river precinct will be an important component of the ongoing success of the precinct. Activation budgets are not capital expenditure, so dedicated allocations within the operational budgets will be required in future budget cycles.

Program and Next Steps

Item	Description / milestone	Dates
1	Consultant engagement	Complete
2	Community and stakeholder engagement program (includes surveys, interviews, web, workshops, media)	Nearing completion May - July
3	Issues identification and visioning phase	Complete May – June with Councillor Briefing (3/6)
4	Develop draft concept options	June - July with Councillor Briefing (15/7)
5	Develop draft master plan	July - August with Council Briefing (5/8)
6	Endorsement of Draft master plan for Public Exhibition	Policy and Review Committee Meeting (12/8)
7	Preparation for public exhibition and minutes adopted at Ordinary Meeting (26/8)	12-26 August
8	Public exhibition period	2 – 30 September
9	Finalise master plan and adopt	NOW
10	Tender documentation of Stage 1 (engage consultant, documentation, approvals)	tba

Once the Final Master Plan has been adopted by Council the preparation of construction documentation can commence for the delivery of works under the Section 94 District Open Space Plan.

Conclusion

The extensive community engagement program undertaken with this project and continued through the Public Exhibition period has generated a Final Master Plan that is underpinned by community responses and internal Council officer technical input. Adoption of the Final ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan by Council will enable the associated planning, detailed design and construction documentation for implementation to commence.

RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. The information contained in the report on Our River be received.

2. The Final ‘Our River’ Nepean River Master Plan be endorsed for the staged implementation of works.

ATTACHMENTS/APPENDICES

1. View

FINAL 'Our River' Nepean River Masterplan, November 2013

105 Pages

Attachment

Policy Review Committee Meeting 18 November 2013

Penrith Aquatic & Leisure Limited (Formerly known as City of Penrith Regional Indoor Aquatic & Recreation Centre Ltd) - Annual Report and Board of Directors

Compiled by: Adam Beggs, Governance Officer

Authorised by: Glenn Schuil, Senior Governance Officer

Outcome	We are healthy and share strong community spirit
Strategy	Provide opportunities for our community to be healthy and active
Service Activity	Provide and maintain sport and recreation facilities that meet community needs

Presenters: Alan Brown - Penrith Aquatic & Leisure Limited - Chairpersons Report

Greg Crawford - General Manager - Penrith Aquatic & Leisure Limited

Executive Summary

The report to the Council details the performance of the City of Penrith Regional Indoor Aquatic and Recreation Centre Ltd for the financial year 1 July 2012 - 30 June 2013.

Financially the company had a net profit of $65,569 which was $63,698 more than budget ($1,871).

Major renovations had the indoor pool complex closed until late November 2012 reducing the total visitations. Penrith City Council provided additional financial support due to loss of business during this period ($401,526).

Ripples invested $100,190 into repairs and maintenance of Council’s asset.

Ripples employed on average 110 people from the Penrith and surrounding region.

The company had a change of name as of 1 July 2013 to Penrith Aquatic and Leisure to coincide with the merger with Penrith Pools.

The report recommends that Council agree to underwrite the operations of Penrith Aquatic and Leisure Ltd for 30 months from 1 July 2013.

Background

This report to Council follows the nineteenth Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 27 September 2013 for the financial period 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013.

The General Manager, Greg Crawford will be in attendance tonight to make a short presentation. Extracts from the Company’s most recent annual report are provided below. These give an overview of key aspects of the business during the period July 12 – June 13.

Chairman’s Report

2013 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

I am pleased to report that in 2013 we have seen Ripples change its business name to Penrith Aquatics and Leisure to create a business name that supports further development of the services the company provides to the community of Penrith on behalf of the company’s main stake holder Penrith City Council.

2013 has also seen Ripples expand its responsibilities to include Penrith Memorial Swimming Pool in Station Street Penrith. The additional responsibility now means Ripples covers in excess of 600,000 visitations annually. This growth provides Ripples the opportunity to amortise operational and administration costs across two entities whilst providing enhanced career advancement for the existing staff of both centres and gives the Community more flexibility in the use of Ripples membership.

I formally welcome Councillor Trish Hitchen to the board and sadly accept the resignations of former Board Members, Councillors Ben Goldfinch and Marko Malkoc, thank you for your contribution during your term with Ripples. There still remains one vacancy on the company’s board and it has been decided to leave this position vacant for the present time.

Penrith City Council successfully completed major refurbishment work at Ripples St Marys requiring the closure of the centre for an extended period during the second half of 2012. The improvements to the centre have been well received by the community and staff and we look forward to seeing continued growth in visitor numbers and revenue.

Strategic plans presented to the board by SGL consultants during the restructure of the City’s Aquatic services are encouraging, the concepts for redevelopment of both of Penrith and St Marys facilities that were presented by SGL only need to obtain financial and project management support from Penrith City Council. This commitment will ensure that the community reap the benefit of world class Aquatic fitness and leisure services.

Financially the business continues its reliance on significant funding provided by Penrith City Council and it is anticipated that future funding will need to continue if the centres are to maintain facilities and services for our customers. The financial reports show that the profit for the year was net $65,569 against revenue of $3,779,851 with the net result underpinned by a $1,111,526 grant from Penrith City Council.

I would like to thank Penrith City Council, Councillors and their Staff for their commitment to Ripples and their support of the business’s operations.

I take this opportunity to thank my fellow board members for their continued voluntary work in overseeing the company’s progress and on behalf of all directors thank General Manager Greg Crawford and his staff for the great work they have completed in a very challenging year for the company.

Alan Brown

Chairman

General Manager’s Report

“Our purpose is:

To provide leisure, medical and educational activities to the Western Sydney region which upholds the centre’s primary purpose of being first in fun and fitness everytime.

We are doing this by:

· Working with Penrith City Council to develop and maintain high quality facilities

· Ensuring safe, healthy, secure and environmentally sustainable conditions for our staff and all users, and high levels of customer service

· Managing limited resources sustainably

· Providing facilities and programs that focus support for:

- the provision of leisure, medical and educational outlets for the wider

St Marys area

- the provision of low cost recreational services

- the health and fitness needs of the local community

- community engagement

- the development of lifelong practices that will improve people’s wellbeing

- fun and enjoyment as a recreational activity

In 2012-2013 Ripples St Marys Leisure and Hydrotherapy Centres.....

· attracted 395,136 visitors to the Centres

· completed a major refurbishment of the indoor pool complex

· had a increase in total revenue of 1.6% and a reduction in expenses of 1.8%

· taught over 500 school children to swim in the school physical education program

· had 70,000 entries to the fitness area

· conducted over 2,800 group exercise classes

· ranked the best swim squad in the region

Ripples St Marys Leisure and Hydrotherapy Centres contributed to Penrith City Council’s vision by:

1. A Leading City

We contribute by

· Offering high quality sport, leisure and recreational facilities

· The delivery of programs and services that exceed industry expectations and requirements

2012-2013 Outcomes

· Corporate membership with industry bodies including Austswim, Swim Australia,

Fitness Australia and the Australian Leisure Facilities Association

· Major upgrades to indoor aquatic facility

· Upgrades to fitness equipment and programs

· Initiated efficiency programs to establish best practice

· Development of a strategic plan

2. City of Opportunities

We contributed by

· Building ties with local business to foster opportunities through partnerships

· Providing employment opportunities for over 100 people in the wider Penrith community

· Providing opportunities for people to take charge of their lives through healthy initiatives

· Providing avenues to pursue personal goals

2012-2013 Outcomes

· Raising approximately $3,000 for the Samuel Morris Foundation

· Provided sponsorship to two local sporting teams and the Ripples Swim Club

· Providing support for people in financial difficulty (via reduction in fees etc)

· Fostered partnerships with the St Marys Band Club

· 395,136 visits to the centres

· Several gold medals at state swimming meet

· Employment of approximately 115 staff from the wider community; $30,000 spend on

staff training and welfare

3. A Green City

We contributed by

· Installation of a solar thermal and solar PV system at Hydrotherapy

· Reductions in total utilities use

· Consultation with Council to develop alternative energy strategy

2012-2013 Outcomes

· Reduced energy consumption by 17% compared to previous year

· Water consumption reduced by 8% compared to previous year

· Investment into energy saving technology

4. A Liveable City

We contributed by

· Providing safe, affordable and attractive recreational facilities and activities for the wider

community

· Offered a range of facilities and services that enhance people’s lives

2012-2013 Outcomes

· Attracted 395,136 visit to centres

· Invested $100K in repair and maintenance to maintain council’s asset

· Installed new water play facilities to enhance the user experience

5. A Vibrant City

We contributed by

· Providing not only a outlet for physical and recreational activities but social ones as well

· Create opportunities for people from minority or disadvantaged groups to integrate and

associate within the wider community

· Help foster community spirit through community engagement and integration

2012-2013 Outcomes

· Helped raise over $3000 for the Samuel Morris Foundation

· Provided numerous prizes for local schools, charities and community groups

· Sponsored two local junior sports teams

· Conducted member nights out, social events such as the City to Surf race, dinners,

shopping days and promotional activities

· Conducted fun “Open days” and participated at school fete’s, community days and

festivals

Challenges

The 2012-2013 year was a year of transition. With a major refurbishment and roof replacement of the indoor aquatic centre, business was disrupted but to the credit of the staff, Board and patrons, Ripples continued to operate effectively through this difficult time. The pain was however worth it with a revitalised facility including new point of sale systems; new front entry, refurbished cafe and water play features.

Ripples have also taken on the responsibility of managing the Penrith Pools site and challenges exist in the integration of the business to create opportunities and efficiencies. Ripples is working with council in developing master plans for both sites and opportunities to invest into the facilities to further deliver the recreational and social goals for the City of Penrith.

As part of this integration, Ripples is in the process of modernising operational systems and program delivery across the business to help drive performance and product offerings. For example, a new website is being designed that will integrate member usability enabling patrons to upgrade and purchase online and access information easily. Social media advertising and search engine optimisation will also give a greater spread of marketing and information opportunities. While these initiatives are a challenge, they are essential in driving Ripples into the future as a modern, efficient recreational facility.

Appreciation

I would like to acknowledge our appreciation of the following in their support for Ripples in 2012-2013.

· The Ripples Board of Directors

· Penrith City Council and their staff

· The Samuel Morris Foundation

· St Marys Band Club

· Staff that have moved on to other opportunities

I would also like to thank my management team and all Ripples staff for their valuable contribution in 2012-2013. In challenging times their efforts and commitment is certainly welcomed.

Gregory Crawford

General Manager

Net Profit/Loss

Total attendance for the year

Total Income to Total Staff Expenses Ratios:

2012-2013 = $1:$0.67

2011-2012 = $1:$0.69

2010-2011 = $1:$0.68

2009-2010 = $1:$0.74

Gas and electricity Usage

Water Usage

The Year Ahead

· Invest in technologies that provide both cost and outcome benefits

· Drive program based activities at all centres to maximise returns

· Work with council to develop master plans and capital improvement programs

· Actively pursue community based grant funding to run programs

· Target industry awards to showcase our achievements

RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. The information contained in the report on Penrith Aquatic & Leisure Limited (Formerly known as City of Penrith Regional Indoor Aquatic & Recreation Centre Ltd) - Annual Report and Board of Directors be received.

2. Council agree to underwrite the operations of the Penrith Aquatic & Leisure Limited for 30 months from 1 July 2013.

ATTACHMENTS/APPENDICES

There are no attachments for this report.