burwood festival in burwood park - municipality of …€¦ · we received a five-star rating for...

Burwood Festival in Burwood Park

Burwood Park

4 Message from the Mayor

5 Message from the General Manager

6 Introduction

8 A Sense of Community

14 Leadership Through Innovation

18 Our Financial Performance

20 A Sustainable Natural Environment

24 Accessible Services and Facilities

28 A Vibrant Economic Centre

32 Statutory Requirements

40 Appendix 1 - State of the Environment Report

As Mayor of Burwood, I am pleased to present your Council’s 2012-13 Annual Report. In the past year, your Council has seen a number of exciting projects which confirmed Burwood’s position as the hub of the Inner West. For the period of 2012-13 Council has focused on better and more diverse service delivery, an intensive capital works and infrastructure program, embedded sustainability practices throughout our organisation, city and community and a local government that is more open and transparent.

Delivering a better Burwood for our CommunityYour Council is dedicated to enhancing the quality of lifestyle for the community by promoting harmony and excellence in the delivery of our services. In line with this vision, Council has made a commitment to maintain and upgrade community infrastructure.We received a five-star rating for Enfield Aquatic Centre from Royal Life Saving NSW. The rating further recognised the aquatic centre as one of the premier leisure facilities in the Inner West.In conjunction with our extensive footpath and road restoration program, your Council has invested more than a quarter of a million dollars renovating and installing new play equipment at Burwood Park, St Pauls Close and Keith Smith Reserve. The playgrounds were transformed into more exciting and adventurous recreational areas with the construction of swings, rides, slides and climbing equipment.Your Council has also embarked on a number of major projects to ensure that Burwood remains an exciting place to live, work and visit. Construction of Wangal Park commenced

with the parklands destined to become an oasis in the middle of Burwood for use as a recreational and educational space, accessible by everyone. A breath of new life was also injected into Burwood’s iconic Woodstock Community Centre. Works started on a new community hall that will adjoin the historic centre. The $1.6 million project will feature a new hall subdivided into two areas, a small coffee shop, and a lift to make the upper levels of the building more accessible.Plans were approved for the new Library and Community Hub that will include state-of-the-art facilities to cater for the community and plans were also approved for a multipurpose stage in Burwood Park, worth $350,000. Both projects will be completed in 2014.

A safer communitySafety continues to remain a priority for the community, and through a network of CCTV cameras, improved lighting, street cleaning and education campaigns in cooperation with the Police Local Area Command, we remain focused on promoting a safe area that families and visitors can enjoy.As part of our commitment to creating a safe environment, Council’s WipeOut Graffiti Hotspot Project, extensive CCTV network, community education and engagement initiatives has led to a decrease of graffiti vandalism by 12 per cent over a 24 month period. The ongoing NightSafe program was very successful in delivering community education campaigns and crime prevention strategies. The No Alcohol policy was successful in deterring alcohol-related antisocial behaviour in parks and reserves across Burwood. In 2012-13, our program of community

events attracted over 350,000 people to the area, building important relationships between residents and fostering local community pride.I am proud of your Council’s performance in 2012-13 and our achievements are testament to the hard work and dedication of community members, Councillors and Council staff coming together to ensure Burwood remains a great place to live, work and visit.

Cr John FakerMayor of Burwood

Message froMthe Mayor

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With its 7.26 square kilometres, Burwood has 40 hectares of public parks, the thriving Burwood CBD and an extensive range of community, economic and cultural initiatives that see more people come into our LGA each day for work and play.

The diverse mix of residential and commercial zoning in the Burwood CBD, low-density living areas in Croydon and Enfield, community hubs at The Strand, Liverpool Road and The Boulevarde, green spaces splashed throughout the LGA and industrial spaces along Parramatta and Georges River Roads, make for a unique urban landscape which attracts thousands of people to the area each year.

Over the past few years we have concentrated on making Burwood Council stronger, more efficient and more strategic.

This year we have conducted an extensive due diligence review and Council has been officially accepted to be a part of the Metro Pool Mutual Insurance scheme effective from 1 July 2013, along with the following Councils: Auburn, Botany bay, Holroyd, Hunters Hill, Kiama, Lane Cove, Marrickville and Rockdale. In joining Metro Pool, Council will achieve significant insurance premium savings for the 2013-14 financial year which will be redistributed into core services to the community.

In 2012-13, Burwood Council’s budget showed a $758,000 surplus, representing our commitment to fiscal responsibility and to delivering services based on a realistic and current understanding of

Council’s capacity to deliver on targets identified in our Delivery Program.

Council invests surplus funds with various Financial Institutions during the year. These invested funds have been receiving at least 0.15 basis points above the RBA official rate. Council ensures these funds are invested in secured instruments.

We are making significant gains with our property strategy, generating income over $47 million and have increased our infrastructure maintenance and renewal programs and continuing to roll out an extensive capital works program, which includes a new Library and Community Hub, a new wetland oasis in Wangal Park, a new community hall at Woodstock, a new multifunction stage in Burwood Park, and an extensive program of playground upgrades.

In an effort to support small businesses, Council has partnered with Clearly Business Enterprise Centre which offers a small business support service called “Small Biz Connect” providing specialised advice, business mentoring and opportunities for up skilling, in line with Council’s Burwood2030 Community Strategic Plan and Economic Development Statement.

Taking advantage of our strategic geographical position, Council has worked to balance residents’ quality of life with sustainable economic development.

Burwood Council has delivered its Burwood Local Environmental Plan (BLEP), which came into force in November and has replaced the Burwood Planning Scheme Ordinance (BPSO)

and the Burwood Town Centre (BTC) LEP 2010. As a major centre that has been identified by the NSW Government, Burwood’s LEP is an initiative that not only needed to leverage the potential of Burwood, but work within the broader framework of the Inner West. The Burwood LEP fulfils the NSW Government’s objective of creating a hub of the Inner West through increased housing stock and new employment opportunities. It also holds Burwood as a centre for Sydney’s long-term future.

We understand the community has high expectations on the services and facilities provided by Council and I make every effort to ensure that we are efficient and effective in our delivery. I appreciate the support given by my staff in improving this organisation and in implementing Council’s policies. I would also like to thank the Councillors for their support throughout the year.

Michael McMahonGeneral Manager

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Burwood Festival

The Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 428 of the Local Government Act 1993 and Clause 217 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005.

The Report outlines Council’s achievements in implementing the Delivery Program and the objectives set in conjunction with the local residents and stakeholders, following the five themes chosen to represent the main priority areas for the community:

a sense of CommunityLeadership through Innovationa sustainable Natural environmentaccessible services and facilitiesa Vibrant economic Centre

In addition, the Annual Report includes a State of the Environment Report, summarising the achievements of Council in relation to the objectives for the environment established by the Community Strategic Plan.

our VisionA well connected, sustainable and safe community that embraces and celebrates its culture and diversity.

our ValuesGovernance – consultation, accountability, transparency.

Service – efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness.

Sustainability – prudence, innovation, preservation.

Respect – honesty, fairness, dedication, integrity.

our MissionTo create a quality lifestyle for Burwood Council citizens by promoting harmony and excellence in the delivery of Council’s services.

INtroduCtIoN

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Tai Chi in Burwood Park

What the community said:• Provide services and facilities for the

ageing population and formal activities and recreational spaces for young people

• Balance population growth with quality of life

• Upgrade play areas, provide pet friendly areas and ensure more appropriate park structures for people with disabilities

• Provide opportunities to share different cultures and heritage

• Raise awareness of community activities and facilities that are currently available

• Involve young people in activities, facilities and services that are targeted towards them so that the resources are well utilised

• Better monitor antisocial and criminal behaviour such as graffiti and littering

• Encourage community events and ‘get to know your neighbour’ campaigns

•Maintain a sense of community pride

• Preserve heritage

Our Progress In response to the community’s feedback,

Council has implemented a number of initiatives around safety, sustainable planning, infrastructure maintenance, accessibility, multiculturalism, integration and civic celebrations.

about this themeThe theme ‘A Sense of Community’ relates to supporting the community to create a feeling of belonging, inclusiveness and wellbeing amongst Burwood’s culturally and linguistically diverse population. A Sense of Community is about people being proud of where they live, feeling safe and engaged in the community and having access to facilities and services that ensure they can lead a healthy and satisfying lifestyle.

Providing activities, facilities and services for all age groups so that people can meet and interact is important in creating a sense of community.

a seNse of CoMMuNIty

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Planning The Burwood Local Environmental Plan

2012 came into force on 9 November 2012, which has confirmed the long-term planning vision for the area.

Youth

Council continues to engage with local young people through a range of youth leadership opportunities, including:

• TheexpansionoftheBurwoodYouthAdvisory Group to be one of the largest Council youth advisory groups in Sydney with 26 members

• DeliveryoftheYouthWeek2013AmazingRace project – the event was delivered by the Burwood Youth Advisory Group and provided the opportunity for young people to explore Burwood and develop problem-solving and teamwork skills

• TheDifferentPeopleDifferentVoicesProject engaged school-aged youth in an educational board game to highlight racism and bullying issues. The project received additional funding, has trained 80 youth leaders and been delivered to 160 student participants.

Wangal Park Council approved and adopted the

Wangal Park Master Plan. The service lines have been installed and the pond was drained in preparation for the construction of the wetlands. The wetlands will be surrounded by natural bush vegetation that will attract ducks, migrating birds, frogs and other wildlife.

Safety Council continued a proactive relationship

with Burwood Local Area Command. All applications for CCTV footage were processed within service standards and the cooperation between the City Safe Program and Police has resulted in reduced crime statistics.

Council continued to deliver a range of community safety and crime prevention initiatives, which included:

• The WatchOut Program, implemented in partnership with the NSW Police Force, targeted robbery offences in the Burwood LGA leading to a 44% reduction in robbery offences.

• The WatchOut Safer Walkways saw 8 signs installed between the Burwood and Strathfield train station pedestrian corridor.

• The Community Safety and Crime Prevention plan was reviewed and underwent a comprehensive community consultation process.

• The Burwood Safety Audit Program was implemented with four reports in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design completed.

• The Burwood Safer Taxi Project, funded by the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department, will be implemented over the next two years to make taxi ranks in Burwood safer and more accessible.

• Safety signage was installed in parking areas that were identified as hotspots for theft from motor vehicles.

• Council reviewed the Alcohol in Parks Policy with time changes to 6pm

• Council received 44 CCTV footage applications from Police

Audits were conducted on the Reed and Woodstock reserve, results included:

• Reed Reserve completed with lighting upgrade and zoning of an alcohol prohibited area

•Woodstock Reserve completed with lighting maintenance and safer walking route establishment

Council ran a number of Road Safety Campaigns including:

• “Choose Right, Buckle Right” campaign on child restraint seats, with a total of 60 personal child restraint fitting appointments provided free of charge

• “Watch Out Cars About” campaign targeted at addressing pedestrian accidents within the Town Centres

• “Slow Down” campaign which identifies streets with excessive vehicle speeds and reinforces the message of safe driving behaviour

• “Senior Drivers and Senior Pedestrians Program” campaign to provide the elderly with information and tips on how to ensure safety while keeping mobile.

• Four Road Safety Audits of local schools across the Municipality targeted at identifying areas of improvement for streets around schools to improve student safety.

• Council developed a kit with road safety information and resources for local schools’ road safety representatives to address school’s and parents’ concerns;

The Burwood Youth Advisory Group has grown to be one of the largest Council youth advisory groups in Sydney with

26 members.

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New PLaygrouNds Council upgraded playgrounds at

Burwood Park, Keith Smith Park, Woodstock Park and St Pauls Close. The upgrades included the installation of shade cloth structures and rubber soft fall material to increase safety for children and families.

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Playground in Burwood Park

Infrastructure Council continued to deliver a program of infrastructure maintenance

and upgrades. The following improvements were delivered:

• 2,200 square meters of footpath

• 1.5 kilometres of asphalt roadway

• 350 square meters of paving

• 1000 lineal meter of kerb and gutter

• 22 pram ramps upgraded

• 4 traffic calming devices

• 240 square meters of turf

• 180 square meters of driveway

• New playgrounds in:

-Burwood Park-Keith Smith Reserve-St Paul Close

• New shade structures were constructed at Enfield Aquatic Centre

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Artist’s impression of Burwood Library and Community Hub

• Multicultural Engagement To improve communications between

cultural groups and Council, a number of programs were developed:

• Community Mosaic Project with two mosaic artworks installed at Enfield Aquatic Centre for International Women’s Day and Neighbour Day 2013

• Different People Different Voices Project (Phase Two) – (cultural bullying prevention)

• Families Week Expo

• Children’s Directory translated in Chinese, Korean, Tamil and Arabic

• Speakers Corner English language program (30-40 participants each week)

•Mobile Playvan (two days a week with 60-100 families participating in the program)

• Colourfest Film festival in conjunction with Harmony day

• Cultural competency training in partnership with the Metro Migrant Resource Centre.

Volunteer Network The Volunteer Network increased by 25%

and continues to establish partnerships with culturally specific organisations to increase the number of volunteers.

The Inner West Volunteer Expo was held on 16 May 2013 showcasing the community not-for-profit sector and service organisations work and their need for volunteers. The Expo had 41 community organisations and almost 1000 people in attendance.

Heritage Council approved the Comprehensive

Heritage Study Review over a period of two years, commencing in 2013/2014 financial year. The heritage funding program opened in May 2013 and Council applied for (dollar-for-dollar) funding to conduct the review.

Library• Burwood Library has over 21,000

registered borrowers who made 268,288 personal visits to the library, borrowing 268,114 items.

•More than 6,300 participants attended 436 activities conducted at the library, including writing workshops, author talks, English conversation classes and discussions on health and community issues.

• The Library’s collections grew annually by more than 10,000 items, and more than 14,000 books were borrowed by other libraries in the Inner West region through an interlibrary loans system.

• The library webpage was viewed 598,171 times during the year.

Inner West HACC Development and Training

The Inner West HACC (Home and Community Care) continues to engage with the Inner West providing assistance and support including:

•Workforce Development DVD and posters – encouraging students to join the Home and Community Care sector.

• Inner West Planning Needs – consultation with local HACC services to determine priorities of service needs in the region.

• Training to 147 HACC funded services across the region.

• Inner West Area Home and Community Podiatry provided access to podiatry treatments for over 1000 clients.

• Established partnerships with local podiatry clinics to enhance availability of services to residents

• Provided education and awareness to Allied Health and Aged Care Services of the importance of foot care and mobility.

Enfield Aquatic Centre Council completed the construction of

the new Water Play Park and opened it to the public on 24 December 2012. Council also completed the construction of the new Henley Park Cafe and concourse area and opened it to the public on the 30 January 2013.

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What the community said:• Encourage young people to get

involved in decision making

• Provide information in the different languages spoken in the community

• Ensure Burwood Council is financially sustainable

• Provide efficient, effective customer focused services

• Implement best practice effective governance

• Promote Council’s role as responsible employer of choice

Our Progress With the implementation of Council’s long

term financial and property management strategies, as well as revenue generated by successful grants obtained from State and Federal Governments, Council continues to be in a strong financial position. This has allowed the allocation of substantial funds to important capital works projects requested by the community, as well as to support long term sustainability strategies.

Property Portfolio The proceeds from the sale of Council

owned properties in 2011 has provided capital works program funding to commence the delivery of two major projects in 2012-13, including the construction of the Woodstock Community Hall and the Burwood Library and Community Hub.

LeadershIP through INNoVatIoN

about this themeThe theme relates to the leadership not only of our elected representatives but also leaders in our business, volunteer, spiritual and environmental community. It is about encouraging greater participation and engagement in decision making processes, and about thinking outside the square to resolve some of the challenges facing our community as we strive to be a leading community in economic prosperity, environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

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Burwood Town Centre

Promoting Better Practice

In 2012 Council requested the NSW Division of Local Government to undertake the Promoting Better Practice Review.

The overall aims of the review were to promote a culture of continuous improvement and greater compliance, promote good governance and ethical conduct principles and to identify and share innovation and good practice in local government.

The review involved an independent team closely evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of key aspects of Council operations, assessing Council’s overall strategic direction, checking compliance, examining appropriate practices and ensuring that Council has frameworks in place to monitor its performance.

The final report from the Division of Local Government was released in March 2013, and confirmed Burwood Council was in a strong position in relation to its program of continuous improvement, governance, service reviews and financial sustainability. Following the publication of the report, Council continued to work with the Division of Local Government on an implementation plan aimed at further improving key areas such as procurement, risk management, asset management and workforce planning.

Grants During the year Council was successful

in obtaining $2.29 million in grants from a wide range of categories such as Youth Projects, Families and Community Services, Aged and Disability, HACC, Podiatry Services and Volunteer Projects.

Council received significant annual funding for Home and Community Care (HACC), totalling $1.05 million to deliver five programs. These include HACC Training and Development, Volunteer Training and Recruitment, Assessment and Referral for Podiatry Services and Information and Advocacy for residents who are frail aged or have a disability.

Other funding highlights included a $200,000 grant from the State Library of NSW towards the new Library and Community Hub. The Federal Attorney General’s Department provided several grants for the Safer Walkways, Different People Different Voices Project (DPDVP), Burwood Safer Taxi Program and Burwood City Safe Programs.

Internal Audit Council continued to operate an Audit

Committee, consisting of two independent members and two councillors, and maintained the services of an independent Internal Auditor via a shared agreement through the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC).

In 2012-13 the Committee met four times and considered reports on Cash Management at Enfield Aquatic Centre, Legal Services panel, Accounts Receivable, Temporary Labour Hire, Trade Waste Management.

In addition, the Audit Committee reviewed the annual Financial Statements, and received regular updates from Council management on Risk Management framework, compliance with State legislation and external reviews.

Management of Complaints Council continued to seek feedback from

residents and stakeholders through a process of compliments and complaints.

Through its Complaints Management Policy and the Internal Ombudsman Policy, Council promoted accountability and transparency in dealing with community’s feedback, and related data was analysed on a monthly basis by the Executive Committee.

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Water play park at Enfield Aquatic Centre

Council as employer of choice

Council updated and adopted a new Training and Development Corporate Practice, Equal Employment Opportunity Management Plan, Succession Planning Framework Corporate Practice and Child Protection Corporate Practice.

Council strengthened its partnerships with Burwood-based Southern Cross Vocational College, where project students built new seating for use at Enfield Aquatic Centre and Burwood Park Community Centre. In addition Council hosted a total of 17 students from local schools, TAFE and University for work placement/experience opportunities.

Council held its second Employee Opinion Survey in October 2012, with an increase in overall staff satisfaction and a marked improvement in all of the best practice categories. All work teams have developed action plans for areas of improvement to be addressed for 2013/2014.

Customer Service The Customer Service call centre

received over 42,000 calls at an average service level of 86% of calls answered within 40 seconds. The Customer Service counter staff served over 12,000 customers with an average of 73% attended to within five minutes of arriving at Council.

Community Engagement Council has provided opportunities

for the community to have a say in a range of matters. The following community engagement projects have been undertaken:

• Quarterly information sessions at the Burwood Seniors Computer Club

• Continued work with the Wangal Park Implementation Advisory Group on key strategies such as the Wangal Park Plan of Management and Master Plan.

• A comprehensive Community Satisfaction Survey, which included two community consultation sessions. Council received a positive response from residents, with 93 per cent somewhat satisfied to very satisfied with Council’s performance.

• At the 2012 Local Government Elections, a Poll of Electors was held to ask residents if Burwood should obtain city status. Prior to the Elections, Council carried out an extensive ‘City Status’ campaign to encourage residents to engage in conversation and share their views.

• Residents were involved in the decision making process on key community issues. In particular, residents were asked to complete a survey to choose a design for the new Water Play Park at Enfield Aquatic Centre and new play equipment at Burwood Park. Residents were also invited to comment on the proposed dog off-leash area and bocce courts for Blair Park.

Well Informed Community•Website - Council’s website

registered approximately 600,000 unique visits per year.

• Information on key Council services and initiatives has been translated into Chinese, Korean, Greek, Arabic, Italian.

• Documents were available in both PDF and Word format in compliance with the Federal Government’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines V2.0. The website has a feature for all sections to increase the size of text.

• Council’s news on services and initiatives was distributed to the local papers (Inner West Courier and Burwood Scene) and published online on Council’s website and social media pages.

• Council published a quarterly newsletter, Burwood Update, which was delivered to all households and businesses in the LGA.

• 20 per cent of web users accessed Council’s website via mobile device or tablet.

• Council’s social media audience increased by 115 per cent.

•More than 45 per cent of users who ‘Liked’ Council on Facebook were aged 13-24.

Celebrate Community achievements Council sought nominations for Local

Citizen of the Year Awards, in the categories of Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Sportsperson of the Year. An awards ceremony was held as part of the Australia Day ceremony, these awards were given out by Craig Foster, former Socceroos and SBS commentator through the Woolworths Ambassador Program.

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1%

Rates & Annual Charges

User Charges & Fees

Interest & Investment Income

Other Revenue

Grants & Contributions Provided for Operating Purposes

Employee Benefits & Oncosts

Borrowing Costs

Material & Contractors

Depreciation & Amortisation & Impairment

Other Expenses

Loss from Disposal Of Assets

Grants & ContributionsProvided For Capital Purposes

Net Gain on Disposal Of Assets

39%

22%

23%

15%

40%

19%5%

9%

12%

8%

1%

1%


User Charges & Fees


Other Revenue



Borrowing Costs



Other Expenses




39%

22%

23%

15%

40%

19%5%

9%

12%

8%

1%

1%


User Charges & Fees


Other Revenue



Borrowing Costs



Other Expenses




39%

22%

23%

15%

40%

19%5%

9%

12%

8%

1%

1%


User Charges & Fees


Other Revenue



Borrowing Costs



Other Expenses




39%

22%

23%

15%

40%

19%5%

9%

12%

8%

1%

Rates & Annual Charges 19,013

User Charges & Fees 7,553

Interest & Investment Income 2,132

Other Revenue 3,546

Grants & Contributions provided for Operating Purposes 4,666

Grants & Contributions provided for Capital Purposes 3,145

Net Gain on Disposal of Assets 273

Employee Benefits & Oncosts 15,722

Borrowing Costs 392

Materials & Contractors 8,599

Depreciation & Amortisation & Impairment 5,832

Other Expenses 9,025

Loss of Disposal of Assets 0

2012-13 Total Income $40,328 Million

2011-2013 Total Operating Expenses $39,570 Million

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2007-08 2,345 2010-2011 10,005

2008-09 3,185 2011-2012 23,649

2009-10 3,270 2012-2013 758

2007-08 -2,545 2010-2011 7,026

2008-09 923 2011-2012 18,968

2009-10 -2 2012-2013 -2,387

2007-08 7,056 2010-2011 3,204

2008-09 13,351 2011-2012 6,228

2009-10 8.479 2012-2013 8,314

Operating Results ‘000s

Operating Result Before Capital ‘000s

Capital Expenditure ‘000s

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

8,314

6,228

3,204

8,479

13,351

7,056

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

-2,387

18,968

7,026

-2

923

-2,545

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

758

23,649

10,005

3,270

3,185

2,345

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

8,314

6,228

3,204

8,479

13,351

7,056

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

-2,387

18,968

7,026

-2

923

-2,545

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

758

23,649

10,005

3,270

3,185

2,345

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

8,314

6,228

3,204

8,479

13,351

7,056

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

-2,387

18,968

7,026

-2

923

-2,545

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

758

23,649

10,005

3,270

3,185

2,345

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Second Hand Saturday

What the community said:• Educate the community on sustainable

practices in different languages

• Promote leadership in environmental sustainability

• Promote water saving initiatives

• Provide incentives to recycle

• Develop management plans that improve the performance of Council operations to address global warming

Our Progress Council continued to operate under clear

targets of environmental sustainability, and promoting best practice to its residents and businesses. As a result of continuous monitoring, Council was able to implement a number of strategies at its main centres of activity.

Education The Treading Lightly program continued

with eight workshops hosted by Council. Topics included Green cleaning, Backyard Veggies, Organic Gardening, Growing Herbs – Pest and Disease Control, and Waterwise Gardening.

Council provided 46 education sessions to primary schools and childcare centres in the LGA with an average attendance of 30 at each session. The presentations included Better Get it Sorted, The 3R’s – RU Ready, Recycling It Won’t Cost the Earth, and Wild about Worms.

about this themeThis theme is focused on maintaining and ensuring we live in a healthy, safe and sustainable natural environment. This theme aims to protect our natural resources and assets including parks, trees, open green spaces and also ensure that our impact on the environment is reduced.

a sustaINaBLe NaturaL eNVIroNMeNt

Recycling A Bin Inspection Program (BIP) was

undertaken throughout November 2012 to address the issue of contamination in recycling bins. Over a one-month period, four areas were inspected with 400 bins checked. Prizes were awarded by the Mayor to the Most Improved and Most Consistent recyclers from the top two performing areas.

Environmental Score Keeping

Council continued the environmental scorekeeping service through the engagement of independent firm Planet Footprint to provide a managed data collection service in relation to energy and water usage as well as fuel consumption and waste disposal activities.

The information showed how Council was performing in reducing its environmental footprint and gave an indication as to how Council was performing compared to similar sized organisations.

As part of this service, Council was provided with regular and timely reports which can be used as management tools to improve Council’s environmental performance.

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Sustainable Events Management Plan

The plan applied to all Council hosted events and events held in the Burwood LGA. The plan outlined requirements and expectations as to how events would be conducted and staged in relation to environmental and sustainability considerations. Sustainability guidelines were sent to all stallholders involved in events and they were required to complete a sustainability questionnaire as a part of their risk assessment, prior to attending any Council run events.

Fleet Management Council is progressively updating its vehicle

fleet to be more environmentally friendly.

Council only purchased vehicles listed on the NSW State Government Prequalification Scheme for Motor Vehicles, and Green Vehicle Guide was used to determine the vehicles environmental score which is based on measures to improve fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainable Choice Purchasing

Council continued to be a partner in the Sustainable Choice procurement program for NSW Local Government, aimed at increasing the level of sustainable purchasing within the local government sector. Council has established a Committee which has undertaken training to advance the cause of sustainable purchasing.

Council also required that environmental and sustainability criteria should be included when preparing and requesting contract tenders.

E-waste collection Council conducted two e-waste drop off

days in the reporting year. The first event was held in September 2012 with 13,230 kilograms of material collected from 316 participants and the second event was held in 19 May 2013 with 9,829 kilograms of material collected from 328 participants.

energy saving Initiatives

Enfield Aquatic Centre The new Henley Park Café was installed

with a number of Natural Gas appliances to reduce the aquatic centre’s reliance on electricity. The heating system for the 25m pool was reconfigured to use the existing Natural Gas heating system.

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King Edward Street Croydon

What the community said:• Ensuring accessibility to services

and facilities especially for people with a disability

• Improve street lighting and lighting in public spaces

•Maintain vibrant and clean streetscapes so that they are free of graffiti and litter

• Address parking issues in the area

Our Progress Council continued to implement

infrastructure and traffic management programs to improve accessibility to services and facilities, taking into consideration the broader transport and road networks affecting the area. Council also maintained a colourful program of urban decorations aimed at making Burwood an attractive place to live, work and visit.

aCCessIBLe serVICes aNd faCILItIes

about this themeThis theme relates to the service and infrastructure that supports our community including roads, public transport, health facilities and education providers. This theme aims to improve the quality and equitable access to services in our community and also to enhance the visual appearance of our neighbourhoods, streetscapes and town centres.

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Compliance The Compliance Team performed

various patrols for specific offences. Some proactive patrols included park surveillance (approx. 18400), school parking enforcement (approx. 1840) and building site management (approx. 720). These patrols have seen numerous offences observed and formal action commenced against offending parties.

Accessibility Council upgraded 22 pram ramps,

constructed 2,200 square metres of footpath and 350 square metres of footpath pavers were upgraded, improving the overall accessibility of the area.

Parking Strategy Council’s Public Parking Strategy was

continually reviewed with additional areas incorporated into the strategy based upon high levels of parking occupancy. Areas of unrestricted parking were also identified to accommodate for those who require all day parking adjacent to the Town Centres and train stations.

Cycleways Council developed a new cycleway map

titled “Cycle Burwood”. The map not only covered the Burwood Local Government Area but also neighbouring Councils to provide users with one complete map which assists in cycling around Sydney. The map extended to Sydney Olympic Park, along the Cooks River towards Sydney Airport, along the Parramatta River and up to Sydney University.

Litter and Illegal Dumping Prevention

Council continued its educational approach on rubbish dumping with articles in local papers and leaflets placed in letter boxes of streets identified as common offending locations. Council took a more strategic approach by conducting site audits of main offending locations.

Urban Decorations Over 100 flags were installed around

Burwood each season, injecting vibrant colours and a festive tone into the area. In addition, Council installed garlands and fairy lights, as well as three Christmas trees during the Christmas season. Council upgraded the Christmas Decoration Program to incorporate 120 new garlands, covering new shopping districts in Enfield and Croydon and modernised the decorations on the Christmas Tree in The Strand, Croydon.

Graffiti Management Strategy

The redevelopment of the graffiti reporting system commenced with the launch of the WipeOut Graffiti Hotspot Project in cooperation with the NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice – Juvenile Justice, Burwood PCYC and NSW Police Force. This project met a significant number of the Graffiti Management Strategy community engagement outcomes for the year.

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Building and development The trend for major development

application being lodged has continued with determinations on developments worth $201 million being made over the past financial year.

Council also received a development application for the re-development of the Belmore St car park (formerly owned by Council) worth $100 million that was approved by the Sydney East Region Joint Regional Planning Panel.

Council has determined:

• 236 Development Applications (DAs) and Section 96 modifications

• 8 Complying Development Certificates

• 850 Planning Certificates

• 32 Construction Certificates

• 94 Outstanding Notices

• 32 Pre-DA Applications

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Dining on Burwood Road

What the community said:• Establish Burwood as the commercial

hub of the Inner West

• Encourage more community events

• Encourage and support the Chambers of Commerce

• Provide apprenticeship programs in the area to capture local knowledge

• Improve the standard of the shopping precincts so that the retail is high quality

Our Progress Council continued to support local

business by providing regulatory support and education, as well as up skilling opportunities through workshops and seminars.

At the same time, Council liaised with State and Federal Governments to attract grants and programs to the area to contribute to the activation of Burwood as the commercial hub of the Inner West region. Council is establishing an Economic Advisory Committee and has also developed a partnership with Clearly Business Enterprise Centre to provide a quality, personalised and highly subsidised business advisory program for small businesses.

about this themeThis theme relates to the businesses and services that contribute to the wider Burwood economy. It aims to ensure an economically sustainable and prosperous future in Burwood with a strong network of services that support existing businesses and institutions, and attract new and divers organisations.

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Regulatory Inspections In an effort to support small businesses,

Council’s Environment and Health carried out a comprehensive program of premises inspections which incorporates twice a year inspection of food premises, and annual air conditioning cooling tower inspections and other premises that can present a risk to public health.

The program also included education by way of distribution of information pamphlets in a range of languages to assist with non English speaking clients.

Council carried out a total of 389 inspections (328 food shops 32 Hair Dresser / skin penetration premises and 29 cooling towers).

In addition, targeted workshops were conducted twice a year on health and food handling regulations. One of the workshops was conducted in the Chinese (Mandarin) language with the aid of an interpreter for non-English speaking participants.

Economic Development Burwood continued to grow as the

commercial hub of the Inner West, and Council has established an economic development strategy to promote the area as a regional business district.

Council has promoted economic development in Burwood in the following ways:

• Sponsored the Inner West Local Business Awards and promoted the nominees and winners from the Burwood LGA in the local media.

• Engaged with local Chambers of Commerce

• Introduced a range of economic profiles on our website which provide valuable data on the local workforce, business community, transport methods, employment, income and disposable income levels.

•Worked with the Communications Faculty at Macquarie University to devise a public relations campaign to promote economic development in Burwood.

Support Small Business Council has participated in numerous

initiatives to help promote local business and strengthen the relationship between business, Council and the community.

• In December, Council established a small business advisory service ‘SmallBiz Connect’ in partnership with Clearly Business Enterprise Centre. Located in Council Chambers, SmallBiz offers support to local business in the inner west.

• Council sponsored the Burwood Shopping Guide, a pocket companion which is distributed to businesses and households in Burwood, Strathfield and Croydon.

• Supporter of the Inner West Small Business Expo 2012

Civic Events Through a program of civic events,

Council attracted over 350,000 visitors to Burwood activating the local economy and promoting Burwood as a destination for shopping, family fun and good dining.

Council conducted the following civic events and memorial services:

• Sandakan Remembrance Service

• Burwood Festival

• Carols in the Park

• Christmas in the Park

• Australia Day

• Lunar New Year

• Easter

• Heritage Week

• Anzac Day Service

• National Servicemen’s Service

• National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week

Council carried out a total of

389 inspections

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Civic events attracted over

350K visitors to Burwood

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Palms along Burwood Road

statutory reQuIreMeNts

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eLeCted rePreseNtatIVes

Mayoral Allowance 33,507

Deputy Mayoral Allowance 3,723

Councillors’ Fees 116,245

Total 153,475

Care and Other Related Expenses 996

Conferences and Seminar Expenses 27,284

Council Meeting Suppers 6,200

Councillors Civic Expenses 3,155

Councillors Donations 8,150

Councillors Travel Expenses 5,181

Equipment Purchases 14,579

Mayoral Civic Functions 4,610

Publications 109,408

Office Equipment 0

Overseas Travel Expenses 1,200

Printing and Stationery 32,987

Telecommunication Expense 5,716

Training Expenses 0

Miscellaneous Expense 70,629

Travel Expenses – Mayoral Vehicle 14,000

TOTAL 304,095

Mayoral & Councillors’ Fees 2012 – 2013

Payment of Expenses and Provision of Facilities for CouncillorsDuring 2012-2013 an amount of $304,095 was expended on the payment of expenses and the provision of facilities for Councillors. These expenses were provided in accordance with Council’s ‘Councillors’ Expenses and Facilities Policy’ and were made up as follows

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orgaNIsatIoNaL struCtureas at 30 June 2013

executive supportMayor & general Manager

Media, events andCommunication

general Manager

executive Management(Incorporating Internal ombudsman)

deputygeneral Manager

(Corporate, governance and Community)

deputygeneral Manager

(Land, Infrastructure and environment)

strategic Planning

asset and design

Property & Buildingenvironment & health

finance & resource Management

Enfield Aquatic Centre

Information technology

Building & development

works, Parks & operations

Customer services & recordsCompliance

Community & Library services

governance & Procurement

organisation development

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the seNIor eXeCutIVe teaMDetails of the General Manager’s remuneration and total expenditure on Senior Staff remuneration.

Employee Salary Component Employer Super / Salary Sacrifice

Non Cash Benefit (Car)

FBT

Michael McMahon 232,050 32,590 12,146 18,109

Veronica Lee 189,962 23,926 0 0

Bruce Macdonnell 179,849 22,898 10,628 10,319

Contractor Nature of Goods and Services $ (excl GST)

Parkequip Pty Ltd Construct a new water play facility at Enfield Aquatic Centre 328,998

Cleanway (Transpacific) Pty Ltd The Collection of Mixed Solid Waste and Recoverable Organics for three years with three one year extensions.

2,658,873

Tanner Architects Pty Ltd Design component for the refurbishment of the former Council Chambers at 2 Conder Street, Burwood to a new library and community hub.

427,933

Hill Rogers Spencer Steer Pty Ltd External audit - as per the Local Government Act 1993 the contract is for a six year term.

172,727

Details of Contracts AwardedThis section lists contracts awarded by Council for amounts greater than $150,000.

Council participates in the following South Sydney Regional Organisations of Council (SSROC) contracts in 2012-2013 financial year including:

• Temporary Staff - Adecco Australia Pty ltd, Comensura Pty Ltd, Blackadder Recruitment Company Pty Ltd, Excel Recruitment, Hays Specialist Recruitment Pty Ltd, Recruitment Edge, Regent Recruitment, Skilled Group Limited, SCO Recruitment

• Hardware - J Blackwood & Sons Pty Ltd, Corporate Express Australia Pty Ltd

• Road Brooms and Brushes - Rylepair Pty Ltd

• Road and Traffic Control Equipment - Road Management Solutions Pty Ltd

• Vehicle Tyre Supply - Bridgestone (Aust) Ltd

• Parking Infringement Papers - TMA Australia Pty Ltd

In 2012-2013 financial year, Council continued to use the existing Legal Panel as awarded in 2012.

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LegaL Costs – ProCeedINgs aNd serVICesDuring 2012-2013, Council incurred expenses in the amount of $486,117.88 in proceedings taken by, or against it, in accordance with Section 428(e) of the Local Government Act 1993. Details of all legal matters dealt with during 2012-2013 area as follows:

Subject Proceedings by Burwood Council

Proceedings Against Burwood Council

Results Costs $ Costs Awarded $

Legal Proceedings

30 Livingston St Burwood * Appeal Upheld $9,428.35

1 Railway Parade, Burwood (Construction Certificates)

* Ongoing $265,110.00

1 Railway Parade Burwood (Subdivision) * Matter Resolved $69,170.92 $40,000.00

2 Fountain Ave Croydon Park * Matter Resolved $21,065.29 $9,000 (plus $20,100

fine)

Councl vs Pratelli * Ongoing $6,851.26

Council vs Memduh Volkan Ermis * No action $1,710.00

Council vs Steve Nolan Constructions * Matter Resolved $70,991.05 70% costs

Council vs Dapto Marconi * Matter Resolved $6,217.93 $14,250.00

Council vs Anthony Doueihi * Ongoing $440.64

Council vs Chain * Ongoing $4,388.30

Council vs Killa Burger * Matter Resolved $932.10

Council vs Zannino * Matter Resolved $3,133.25

Council vs Duricic * Matter Resolved $3,071.10

TOTAL $462,510.19

LEGAL SERVICES

Property Sales $17,649.49

Rates Debts Recovery Actions $44,801.01

Legal Advice on Miscellaneous Matters $101,964.88

GRAND TOTAL $626,925.57

Details of work carried out on private landNo works was carried out on private property by the Urban Services and Compliance Team for the reporting period.

Council uses the services of a debt collection agency for the collection of overdue rates and charges and sundry debtor accounts. As a result of this service, some legal proceedings are instigated. The cost of this service amounted to $44,801.01 for the period of 2012-2013, of which the majority is recoverable from the ratepayer or trade debtor.

Companies in which Council held a controlling interestCouncil does not hold a controlling interest in any companies.

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Council uses the services of a debt collection agency for the collection of overdue rates and charges and sundry debtor accounts. As a result of this service, some legal proceedings are instigated. The cost of this service amounted to $44,801.01 for the period of 2012-2013, of which the majority is recoverable from the ratepayer or trade debtor.

stateMeNt of PartNershIPs, Co-oPeratIVes aNd JoIN VeNtures to whICh CouNCIL was a PartyRegional Recycling Materials ContractA regional recycling materials contract for the receiving, sorting and marketing of dry recyclables was established between six Councils including Burwood, Strathfield, Ashfield, Canada Bay, Leichhardt and Auburn, this contract expires in October 2013. Based on the success of this arrangement, the Councils have agreed to continue the joint approach and a tender process was undertaken in 2013 calling for tenders to deliver the service. The new contract is scheduled to start on 1 October 2013

Joint Burwood/Strathfield Recycling Collection ContractBurwood and Strathfield Council’s joint recycling collection service has been in place since April 2001. Both Councils recognised that there were economic and service benefits to be gained by sharing recycling collection services. The greatest advantage to both communities is the provision of a more comprehensive recycling service that caters for a far greater range of material than was previously being recycled.

Tenders were called for the continuation of the service in 2009 and a new contract was awarded for the continuation of the joint recycling collection service for a seven year term expiring in 2016. The service has been well accepted throughout the community and education programs will continue to be implemented to ensure that only proper recyclable material is placed in the bins and that contamination is avoided.

State of Activities relating to enforcing and ensuring compliance with the Companion Animals Act and Regulation.

Compliance has performed a number of programs this year in relation to animal management. These programs include annual inspection for all dangerous and restricted dogs, Dog Training School lessons as well as accommodating and managing local feral cats.

Apart from these programs, Council has a set of companion animal obligations which must be undertaken during the year and below is a summary of achievements:

• Increased enforcement of off-leashed dogs in public places and the introduction of educational articles on responsible companion animal management. The increase of enforcement of the off-leash areas and dogs roaming public places has highlighted a low dog attack rate in the area.

• Lodgement and submission of pound data collection information to the Division of Local Government at the end of the financial period.

• The immediate notification to the Division of Local Government for all reported and known dog attacks in the Burwood LGA including quarterly review notification.

• Council Law Enforcement Officers regularly attend Dog Training Schools for educational lectures.

• Council has continued to ensure that the majority of animals are re-homed as per the “no kill policy” and funding allocated to ensure the success of this program. Funding for this program is generated from the Companion Animal Funds, donations from the public and Council. The “no kill” policy does not take into consideration dangerous dogs, restricted dogs and feral cats as there are legislative provisions preventing each of these categories being re-homed. However, Council has maintained a high percentage of re-homed animals and our reputation is reflective of our high standards.

• Currently Council has three off-leash dog areas within the Burwood LGA with new fencing, new signage and better defined areas. Council is creating a new off leash area at Blair Park and this will take our total off leash areas to four.

Overall, Council has not only met its requirements relating to companion animal activities but also improved its enforcement service to the community ensuring Burwood is a safer place to live by enforcing legislative provisions.

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orgaNIsatIoN deVeLoPMeNt Equal Employment

Opportunity activities A new EEO Management Plan was

adopted in June 2013 with updated actions, strategies and programs to be undertaken over the next four years. Customer Service training was undertaken for key staff in February/March 2013 which raised awareness of dealing with customers with a disability or from a non-english speaking backgrounds. Throughout 2012-2013 Council continued to demonstrate its commitment to Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) across the organisation.

Work Health and Safety Council commenced market testing of

Council’s insurance portfolio (excluding workers compensation). Following on from a due diligence review undertaken in March/April 2013 Council was invited to join Metro Pool, a Council co-operative insurance pool scheme comprising the following member Councils; Auburn, Botany Bay, Holroyd, Hunters Hill, Kiama, Lane Cove, Marrickville and Rockdale. In joining Metro Pool, Council achieved substantial premium savings from 1 July 2013 across the insurance portfolio which has been redirected to services to the community. Council holds two (2) positions on the Metro Pool Board.

The Business Continuity Plan was approved in August 2012 and all managers were trained in their individual responsibilities and provided with copies of the Plan on USB drives for off-site storage.

Council successfully passed the 2012-2013 JLT/Statewide Risk Management Audit in June 2013.

In February 2012 the Work Health and Safety Corporate Practice and Statement was approved with framed copies of the Statement displayed in all Council work sites confirming our commitment to ensuring a safe and health work environment for all staff, volunteers, visitors and members of the public. Information sessions were conducted with staff on the Corporate Practice and our responsibilities under the legislation.

Workers Compensation claims have been effectively managed to ensure timely return to work of injured employees. All claims for workers compensation were processed and reported to Council’s insurer StateCover within a prescribed statutory time frame. Due to effective claims management and return to work programs, Council will receive a significant rebate on its 2012/2013 insurance premium and a reduced 2013/14 insurance premium.

Major health and safety initiatives conducted were:

• Flu Vaccination Program – April 2013

• First Aid Kit Service – April 2013

• Confined Space Training – May 2013

•Work Health and Safety Committee Member Refresher Training – May 2013

The Work Health and Safety Committee met regularly throughout the year providing an open forum in which management and employee representatives discuss health and work safety issues in the workplace and make recommendations for improvement.

A driver safety awareness survey was developed and implemented in June 2013 for all users of Council’s motor vehicle and plant fleet. The objective of the survey was to get staff to think about safe driving behaviours and road rule awareness.

Local Government Super representatives have continued on with the successful one on one personal superannuation and financial planning interviews for staff during the year to provide a financial “health check”.

Learning and Development Council continued to provide professional

and personal development opportunities through the delivery of over 160 individual or collective programs provided to staff ranging from Traffic Control, Updates to GST, Working Safely near Electrical Power Lines, Turf Chemicals, Heritage Assessments, Corruption Prevention, Employment Law, Aged Care, Strategic Assets Management, Crime Prevention, National Construction Code, Royal Lifesaving, Local Government Purchasing, Report Writing and Chainsaw Operation.

Inductions programs were held quarterly for all new staff and Council implemented a more comprehensive induction for volunteers and temporary employees.

Specific corporate programs were rolled out to compliment Councils focus on a positive work culture:

• Handling Difficult People

• Customer Service

• Disability Awareness

• TRIM training

• Code of Conduct refresher training

• Child Protection and mandatory reporting

• Armed hold up and cash handling

• Complaint Management

Council supported a number of staff in undertaking higher qualifications in the areas of Horticulture, Landscaping, Traffic Management and Local Government Management.

A new Training and Development Corporate Practice was adopted in June 2013 which will provide enhanced training and professional development opportunities for staff.

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PuBLIC INterest dIsCLosures

Council’s Public Officer is responsible for dealing with requests from the public in gaining access to information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. The Public Officer is supported by the Governance Officer and Project Support Officer – Governance in relation to the administration of all access to information applications received by Council.

For the 2012-2013 period Council received 215 informal access to information applications and five formal access to information applications. The majority of these applications were related to Development Applications and were all determined within the statutory timeframe.

Internal Reporting Policy Burwood Council’s Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994 - Internal Reporting Policy was adopted by Council on 27 September 2011.

The Policy is accompanied by a PID - Procedure for assessing disclosures and investigations.

Statistical information on PIDs Summarised below are the matters reported and actions taken during the reporting

period in accordance with the legislation and procedural requirements.

PID Obligations Actions taken by the General Manager in 2012-2013 to ensure staff awareness:

• Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994 - Internal Reporting Policy circulated to all staff via email and in hard copy to outdoor staff

• Reminders on PID framework circulated through staff weekly bulletins

• Brief introduction to PID legislation included in all new staff inductions

• Regular six monthly training sessions for new staff carried out by Council’s Internal Ombudsman

• The PID newsletter and guidelines papers from the NSW Ombudsman are received and circulated to the Executive and Management teams.

Jul 2012 – Jun 2013

Number of public officials who made PIDs 0

Number of PIDs received 0

Of PIDs received, number primarily about:

Corrupt conduct 0

Maladministration 0

Serious and substantial waste 0

Government information contravention 0

Local government pecuniary interest contravention 0

Number of PIDs finalised 0

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state of the eNVIroNMeNt rePort An important element in the growth and development of Burwood is to ensure that Council and the community recognise the significance

of protecting and maintaining a sustainable environment. Recognising its community leadership role in environmental management, Burwood Council carefully considers the environmental impacts associated with any of the activities resulting from any new policy, program or plan it formulates and develops. Further, Council is committed to developing and fostering a range of corporate and community ‘green’ actions and initiatives.

The State of the Environment Report (SoE) presents the condition of the Burwood Local Government Area (LGA) and the human impacts on our local environment during the 2012-2013 financial year as identified in the Burwood council Community Strategic Plan.

Action Service 2012-2013 Assessment Measures

Better promote existing recycling services

Education • Information is provided on Council’s website and updates featured in both the quarterly newsletters to residents and regular updates through the Mayoral column in the local paper

• A Bin Inspection Program (BIP) was undertaken in November 2012 with 400 recycling bins inspected, to determine the most common contaminant in the kerbside recycling bins. Awards were presented by the Mayor to the most consistent and most improved recyclers

• Free bin bay signage (12 signs distributed), flyers and noticeboard posters were provided to Multi Unit Dwellings (MUDs) to promote correct recycling practices

• Recycling information was provided to MUDs, as requested by the body corporate, in multi lingual pamphlets

Encourage a reduction in waste generation through the community education

Education • Council promoted the diversion of organic material from landfill through the promotion of worm farming and compost bins

• Council continued to offer both a battery recycling program and a mobile phone recycling program through collection points located in Customer Services.

• Council, through the Providing the Links program, undertook 46 free presentations to primary schools and childcare centres in the LGA on a range of topics including recycling and worm farming. A total of 868 students attended the presentations

• Council continued to support the Fridge BuyBack program through promotion on the website, quarterly resident newsletters and referral via telephone enquiries. The program is an energy efficiency and greenhouse gas abatement scheme that involves removing second working fridges from households. There have been a total of 212 old fridges collected through the scheme resulting in the removal of approximately 17 tonnes of green house gases and the recycling of 19 tonnes of metal.

• Council held 2 free electronic waste (e-waste) drop-off days at the Conder Street carpark during the reporting period. A total of 27 tonnes of e-waste was collected, of which 97% was recovered for recycling

• Council has continued its partnership with the Love Food Hate Waste program, which is managed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA). The program aims to raise awareness about the impact of food waste in NSW and reduce how much ‘good’ food is wasted. The program helps residents to avoid food waste, save time and money and reduce their environmental impact by planning better, shopping smarter and storing food effectively. Council promoted the program on the website and through the quarterly residential newsletters

Annual waste tonnages

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Residential waste 7027 6747 6880

Recycling 2731 2928 2758

Green waste 2314 2778 2350

Establish clear targets for recycling and reducing waste to landfill

Waste • The Strategic Waste Action Plan (SWAP) implementation continued with Council conducting a kerbside waste audit during 2012. The dry recyclables stream has remained consistent with the results of the 2008 waste audit with 13% contamination. Council will continue to promote and encourage correct recycling practices through regular education campaigns, twice yearly bin inspection programs and working with strata managers of Multi-Unit Dwellings (MUDs) to improve recycling from unit buildings.

• Council has joined with the Southern Sydney Region of Councils (SSROC) to develop contracts for the diversion of waste from landfill through alternate waste treatment processes.

Strategic Goal: Improved Waste Management

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Action Service 2012-2013 Assessment Measure

Hold a program of workshops to encourage more sustainable practices around the home and provide these in different languages

Workshops • Council’s Treading Lightly free workshop program continued with eight workshops hosted by Council throughout the reporting year. Workshop topics ranged from Backyard Veggies, Organic Gardening, Pest and Disease Control through to Waterwise Gardening

Establish community development projects to engage young people in local environmental initiatives

Environmental Initiatives

• Council partnered with the group Australian Youth Climate coalition and 3 adjoining Councils (Ashfield Canada Bay and Leichhardt) to deliver a forum called ‘Start the switch’. The program is aimed at increasing environmental awareness for young people. The forum was held at Ashfield Council on 11 June 2013 and there were approximately 150 student attendees from different schools in the LGA.

Seek community interest and support the establishment of community gardens in neighbourhoods to use as education tools

Community Gardens

• Council has considered the possibility of establishing a community garden however has decided at this time to defer any further action.

Educate the community on native plants and animals

Education • Council identified species of local native flora and fauna and the information is available on Council’s website


Promote Burwood as a Tidy Town and encourage community ownership

Promote Burwood as a Tidy Town

• The Dob in a Dumper program continued with media releases, information on Council’s website, letterbox drops and information in the quarterly resident newsletters promoting the clean up options available and to deter residents from illegally dumping unwanted household items

• Council is trialling the use of CCTV cameras to further reduce the incidence of dumped rubbish and graffiti throughout the LGA

• Information on waste transfer stations and self-haul disposal options was placed on Council’s website

Promote greater use of more efficient green technologies and alternative energy sources

Green Technologies and Alternative Energy Sources

• Council continues to promote sustainability and energy conservation through the Treading lightly workshops

• Council promoted and participated in the Earth Hour event which was held on 23 March 2013.


Provide incentives or awards for projects, developments and initiatives that promote environmental sustainability

Incentives and Awards

Program has been temporarily deferred.

Strategic Goal: Reduce Impacts of Population Growth on the Environment

Strategic Goal: Reduce Impacts of Population Growth on the Environment

Strategic Goal: Reduced Impacts of Population Growth on the Environment

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Develop management plans that improve the performance of Council operations to address global warming

Develop Management Plans

Council continued to implement initiatives and programs relating to the following Plans:

• Green Action Plan

• Sustainability Action Plan

•Water Savings Action Plan

• Strategic Waste Action Plan

• Litter and Illegal Dumping Prevention Plan

• Sustainable Event Management Plan

• Waste and Sustainability Improvements Payment (WaSIP) program The Green Action Plan was reviewed and updated in July 2012 to ensure that it remains current and relevant to Councils programs and projects.

• Reviews have been carried out of energy efficiency opportunities for facilities including the Enfield Pool, Woodstock and the new Burwood Library. Grants have been applied for to implement some of the recommendations in the current financial year.

• A report is submitted to Council each year advising of the progress and action taken in relation to each of the plans.

• Council is managing and replacing its vehicle fleet as per its Motor Vehicle Corporate Practice and is progressively updating its vehicle fleet to be more environmentally friendly.

• Council only purchases vehicles listed on the NSW State Government Prequalification Scheme for Motor Vehicles, and Green Vehicle Guide is used to determine the vehicles environmental score which is based on measures to improve fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Strategic Goal: Community Educated on Sustainable Practices

Looking Forward: The Future

The diversion of waste from landfill remains a priority for Burwood Council. The food and garden organics scheme that was being pursued did not eventuate as the applicant was not able to gain planning approval for the proposed processing facility.

Council is joining with the other SSROC Councils to develop a comprehensive regional waste strategy which will provide a suite of initiatives that will encourage and promote resource recovery and waste diversion. This will be supported with funding from the NSW EPA as part of the Waste Less Recycle More program.

If you have a comment or a question about the Annual Report 2012-13 and the State of the Environment Report please contact us:

Email: [email protected] Phone: 9911 9911Fax: 9911 9900 Mail: General Manager

Burwood Council PO Box 240 Burwood NSW 1805