Lane Cove Council Budget Papers 2024/2025 - See How Council Will Be Spending Your Rates Money

At the Lane Cove Council’s April Meeting, Lane Cove Councillors approved the release of the Lane Cove Council’s Delivery Program, Operational Plans, Budget and Draft Fees (the Budget Papers) for public comment. You can have your say by completing this form – you must submit your comments by midnight on 5 June 2024

LCC Budget Papers must be approved before the start of each financial year.

Every NSW local council is guided by its ten-year Community Strategic Plan. This Plan is the highest level of Strategic Planning undertaken by local councils and identifies the community’s main priorities and aspirations. It sets out the objectives to achieve the community’s vision and is developed after community consultations.

The four-year Community Strategic Plan is our councillors’ key ‘go-to’ document. It identifies all the key activities the council has committed to undertaking over its four-year term. All council plans, projects, activities, and funding allocations must be directly linked to this plan.

An Operational Plan is developed annually that details a Delivery Program, identifying individual projects and activities that will be undertaken in a specific financial year to achieve the commitments made in their four-year Delivery Program. If it is not in the operational Plan, then it is doubtful that a council will take on a new programme/or spend money on an unbudgeted item – they are reviewed each quarter.

The Operational Plan must include the council’s detailed annual budget, the council’s Statement of Revenue Policy (i.e. the rates and levies ) and charges (such as parking charges at LCC carparks or applications for tree removals) in the next financial year.

Lane Cove Council Budget Papers 2024/2025 - See How Council Will Be Spending Your Rates Money - In the Cove (2)

The Lane CoveBudget Papers consist of the following documents:

Draft 2024/25 Budget Overview

This is the high-level summary of the Budget Papers. This document summarises where Lane Cove Council gets its money (i.e. rates and fees and charges, grants, revenue from investments and buildings it owns and operates like The Canopy). This document also summarises plans for how and where Lane Cove Council spends its money each year.

Draft 2024/25 Delivery Program and Operational Plan

This document combines the Delivery Program and Operational Plan. The Delivery Program lists 6 Strategic areas established by the Lane Cove Community Strategic Plan – Our Natural Environment, Our Built Environment, Our Society, Our Culture, Our Local Economy and Our Council.

Lane Cove Council Fees and Charges

Some fees/charges are set by other legislation and cannot be changed (i.e. development application fees) however you may like to comment on charges that impact you. Go to Page 137 of the Delivery and Operational Plan and look at the charges that will be applied in 2024. If you regularly use a particular council service, then check out the fees that will apply next financial year.

Trees

Are you looking to remove 1 -3 trees (that are not in a dangerous position) – the application fee has increased to $134.00. Note the Lane Cove Council now applies fees for a tree inspection when a tree is overhanging a house – this has increased from zero fees to $134.00. You may want to make a comment on how much this has changed.

Dog Walking

Is your dog walked by a local Dog Walking Company? The fee for dog walkers to use Lane Cove Parks is proposed to be $2,280.00 (this is the highest of any council in Sydney and only one other council imposes this fee).

Hiring a Council Hall

Do you want to hire a local council hall (for example, having a party in Waterview Community Centre near Hughes Park) – see how much it will cost?

Car Parking Fees

The fees and charges also include Car Parking Fees for Council-Owned Car Parks in Lane Cove Village – parking rates have increased slightly (see below)

Review the fees and charges on page 141 of the Delivery Programme and Operational Plan.

Rates Increase

The Minister for Local Government determined the general permissible increase in Rates for all councils in 2024/25 to be 4.9% increase.

Council levies two Ordinary Rates and one Special Rate as follows:

Stormwater Levy

A stormwater levy applies to provide additional funds to implement
stormwater projects as identified in the municipal-wide flood study. It is proposed to levy a stormwater levy of $25 per residential or business property and $12.50 per residential strata unit. The levy is proposed to raise $332,000. This levy is the same as last year.

Operational Plan

The Operational Plan identifies the detailed actions to be taken in the 2023/24 financial year.

A range of New Initiatives are contained in the Draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan, including:

Implementation of the Age-Friendly Strategy
Development of a Social Inclusion Strategy
Development of a Children and Families Policy
Fitout of new childcare space at St Leonards South
Kindy Cove Child Care Centre Improvements, including new Shade Sails
Lane Cove Aquatic Centre Energy Efficiency Improvements
Major upgrade works at Bob Campbell Oval, including turf field, amenities and playground
Continue the construction of a new Sport and Recreation Facility at 180 River Rd, Lane Cove
Complete the development of a Masterplan for Burns Bay Reserve
Implement playground equipment upgrades at Leemon Reserve and Stringybark Reserve
Complete the development of a Masterplan for Stringybark Creek Reserve
Celebrate Greenwich Library’s 60th Birthday and Lane Cove Library’s 70th Birthday
Enhance the multimedia studio and develop podcasting facilities that create opportunities for collaboration and lifelong learning
Develop communications on how to prepare for extreme climate events and emergencies
Implement Childsafe Standard Policies and practices, including the provision of training
Implement new utility management software (Trellis) to manage, monitor and report on energy and water use
Respond to the NSW Government’s proposed Planning Reforms
Manage the implementation of public domain works at StLeonardsSouth,including the provision of water sensitive urban design principles
Complete Village Streetscape Improvements along Burns Bay Road Lane Cove
Implementation of Burns Bay Road Cycleway – Linley Point
Explore funding opportunities for Shared User Pathways to access the new Sport and Recreation Facility
Implement Lane Cove North Traffic Management Plan – Centennial Avenue Pedestrian Refuge and Close Elizabeth Parade
Implement Lane Cove North Speed Reduction Plan
Upgrade the intersection at Mowbray Road / Centennial Avenue / Greenlands Road to improve traffic flow east bound on Mowbray Road into Centennial Avenue
Investigate the lane reconfiguration at Greenwich Road and River Road to improve traffic flow
Undertake design development for Northwood Road Safety Upgrades
Recognise, develop and celebrate sustainability champions, businesses and among Council staff
Continue the Sustainability Rebates Program
Incorporate circular economy principles in Council operations and promote sharing economy platforms in the community to improve resource recovery and reduce waste generations
Work with local businesses to reduce waste and increase resource recovery
Upgrade boardwalk and remediate land at Ventemans Reach
Conduct a LGA wide bush track audit
Convert the Terrace Function Room into a Multifunction Theatre Space
Work with the community to promote and expand linkages to indigenous culture
Support activation of the Village Streetscapes Improvements
Develop and implement Councillor Induction Program
Review relevant Council Codes and Policies following the induction of Councillors
Transition Council’s fleet to Electric Vehicles by 2025 including purchasing up to two additional electric vehicles
Implement outcomes of internal audits and service delivery reviews
Review the Procurement Policy (based on OLG Model) ensure it is relevant, compliant and reflects contemporary sustainability standards
Develop a Digital Engagement Strategy
Undertake comprehensive review of Community Strategic Plan by engaging with the community and providing feedback on the outcomes/results of the engagement
Review recruitment and retention strategies
Introduce a new Leadership Development Program within Council

Draft Resourcing Strategy

This document outlines Lane Cove Council’s resourcing strategy and includes the three plans below.

Draft Long Term Financial Plan

The 10-year Long Term Financial Plan has the following objectives

Maintain or improve existing service levels to the community
Maintain a strong cash position
Maintain an operating surplus in the annual Budget
Maintain a sufficient Employee Leave Entitlements Reserve based on the age and entitlements of all staff, in accordance with Council’s Workforce Management Plan.
Capital expenditure on asset renewal matches or exceeds depreciation to continue to maintain or reduce the infrastructure renewal backlog.

It is noted in the Plan that:

“Council’s current financial position continues to remain sound. The audited Financial Statements as at 30 June 2023 indicate that Council’s internally restricted cash reserves totaled $72.2 million and its externally restricted cash reserves (such as developer contributions and grants) totaled $50.3 million and unrestricted cash of $1.2 million.”

Draft Asset Management Plan

This is an overarching document on how Lane Cove Council manages assets. The executive summary states:

“In our asset portfolio, we have over 29,000 assets, with a value of over $1.08 billion (June 2023).

Our asset portfolio includes roads, buildings, open space, stormwater, plant and fleet and other assets. These assets enable us to provide services and facilities to the community to meet their needs.

Our asset performance has been positive, meeting the Office of Local Government asset sustainability measures for many years. Continued focus on these measures will be required, particularly with increased population forecast and the demands it brings in terms of asset consumption.

Our asset value and condition has improved over the years and places us in a positive position to sustainably maintain and renew our asset portfolio:

Council’s asset renewal backlog is currently estimated to be $11.6 million, representing slightly less than 2% of Council’s total asset value
The current replacement value of our infrastructure assets is estimated at $718 million
Buildings and road related assets make up 70% of our total asset stock by value with stormwater assets making up a further 14
We plan to spend $144 million over the next 10 years on renewals ($88 million) and new assets ($56 million). 80% of our assets are either in Condition 1 (Excellent) or Condition 2 (Good) and do not require immediate replacement or renewal. Our asset management practices are reliant on quality asset data, effective asset management systems, efficient business processes, skilled staff and independent expert advice. This is critical for effective lifecycle management of assets to support the delivery of quality services.
Over recent years, we have been modifying our asset management practices to suit the business needs, focusing on:
- Maintaining an integrated and fully centralised asset register for all our major asset classes
- Enhancing our asset management skills
- Integrating risk considerations within the asset management system and business processes Our focus is to improve our asset management maturity. This involves ongoing reviews of the following:
- Asset data and systems, including cyclical valuations and asset audits
- Skills and processes
- Asset evaluation and performance

Draft Workforce Management Plan

This Plan identifies Lane Cove Council’s people requirements, including skills and employment practices. The Plan details principles of human resource management, workforce planning and capability building. It outlines how Lane Cove Council will develop and maintain its employee base that meets current and future organisational and community needs.”

Sustainability Levy

In 2007 Lane Cove Council introduced a Sustainability Levy. The Levy was introduced with 79% support of the community to fast-track actions identified within the Lane Cove Council’s Sustainability Action Plan.

Many sustainability focussed projects and programs have been directly funded by the Levy and may not have been undertaken if it wasn’t for the introduction of a Sustainability Action Plan.

Bush Friend Casual Supervision

Dunois Reserve Restoration Project

Electric BBQ’s

Every Child a Bushland Experience

What Happens Next?

You can have your say by completing this form – you must submit your comments by midnight on 5 June 2024

Lane Cove Council Budget Papers 2024/2025 - See How Council Will Be Spending Your Rates Money - In the Cove (2024)