Q. Does Waverley Council have a plan for the future?
Yes, it’s called the Waverley Together Strategic Plan and it’s a blueprint to guide Council and the community over a 12 year period. It was adopted in April 2006 was prepared in close consultation with residents, businesses, community groups and others.
A commitment was given in the Strategic Plan that it be reviewed and updated within 12 months of every local government election, the last of which was held in September 2008.
We are currently honouring our commitment to review and update Waverley Together Strategic Plan. The updated plan will be named Waverley Together 2 (WT2).
Q. So, the Strategic Plan is a blueprint for Waverley’s future. What areas does it cover?
We will divide the Waverley Together 2 Strategic Plan into four major themes that are often considered to be the foundations of sustainability and are frequently referred to as the ‘quadruple bottom line’. These are:
• social
• environmental
• economic
• governance
Social refers to…
Plans that add to Waverley’s vibrant culture, indigenous heritage, sense of community and those that promote a safe, healthy and harmonious living environment.
Environmental refers to…
The initiatives that Council hopes to implement regarding environmental sustainability. For example, plans that will seek to promote recycling and reuse, maintain and enhance wildlife corridors and help residents choose environmentally friendly transport options.
Economic refers to…
Initiatives that support the economic vitality and liveability of the Waverley area. This includes strategies that support neighbourhood wellbeing, planning, built form and urban design, transport and access.
Governance refers to…
Policies and procedures that aid in the transparency and accountability of Council operations. For example, strategies that deal with ethical standards and community communication and consultation initiatives.
Q. Can I have a say about the future direction of Waverley?
Yes! We are seeking your comments and feedback on issues affecting the Waverley area. Your input and ideas will help guide important decisions about our community, our assets and our environment. Your responses will be reported to Council which will assist them to make decisions about the future direction of Waverley.
You can leave a comment on the opening page and/or take the link to our Budget Allocator tool and have a say about how you would prioritize Council’s services.
Q. Does Council have a financial Plan?
Yes, it’s call the Long Term Financial Strategy (LTFS) and it contains a set of long range financial projections. It is designed to show the financial impacts of providing different levels of service, as well as undertaking different programs of capital works. The LTFS covers the 14 year time period from 2008/09 to 2021/22. This length of time has been selected to align with the timeframe of the Waverley Together Strategic Plan 2.
Q. What is Councils Current financial situation?
Waverley Council operates from a sound financial position. Council’s major sources of revenue in 2007/08 were rates, parking fees and charges, grants and the Domestic Waste Charge.
The previous financial years have resulted in an operating surplus and, as predicted in the 2008/12 Management Plan, the next three financial years (up to and including 2010/11) are also predicted to result in a surplus. However by 2011/12, with the current levels of expected income and expenditure, an operating deficit is predicted.
Q. What will Council do to avoid an operating deficit?
Council is looking at many different strategies to avoid going into deficit.
• increasing fees and charges (such as for parking and development applications), increasing contributions from developers
• decreasing existing service levels
• decreasing the number and/or size of capital projects
• increasing rates.
Before, we make any decisions we want to know how you feel about the different options available and get your input on what you think is the best strategy to keep Council providing the services that are important to you.
Q. If we had a rate increase, how would it affect me?
It all depends on the percentage rates are increased. But to put it in perspective, typically a 1% rates increase equates to an extra 12 cents a week in your rates bill.
To compare Waverley’s rates against the bigger picture, Waverley Council current rates are almost $100 under the NSW average.
Q. How can I have my say?
Have a say by using our Budget Allocator tool to prioritize where do you think Council should spend its money in the coming years. This interactive tool lets you balance the Council budget your way. Your responses will form part of a report to Council which will assist them in making decisions about spending.
Q. What is an asset??
Council assets cover a wide range of Council owned infrastructure such as roads, footpaths, kerbs and gutters, stormwater drainage, buildings and malls, beach and coastal infrastructure it also covers Council owned trees, parks and reserves, urban open spaces and Waverley Cemetery.
Q. What is a SAMP?
Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs) are designed to give Council an understanding of the condition of a our assets, assess their suitability for use and assess their risks, impacts and benefits.
Most importantly, SAMPs also explain how we will maintain existing assets, get rid of assets which are no longer suitable for use and/or acquire new ones.
Q. What assets will Waverley’s SAMP3 cover?
In last 5 years Waverley has become a leader in Local Government strategic asset management. We published our first Strategic Asset Management Plan SAMP1 in 2006 and SAMP 2 in 2007 we are now preparing SAMP3…with your help!
SAMP3 will analyse the following assets:
Roads
Footpaths
Kerbs and Gutters
Stormwater Drainage
Buildings
Urban Open Spaces and Malls
Beach and Coastal Infrastructure
Parks and Reserves
Waverley Cemetery
Other Assets
Street Trees
Q. How does Council determine the condition of an asset?
We use a 5-point system:
Condition 1: Good condition
Condition 2: Minor deterioration
Condition 3: Medium deterioration
Condition 4: Major deterioration
Condition 5: Unserviceable.
Q. Does Council have an environmental plan of action?
Yes, we do and we’ve called it the Environmental Action Plan (EAP). The EAP’s overarching aim is to reduce the environmental footprint of the Waverley community as a whole, as well as Council’s own operations.
It is currently estimated that Waverley’s environmental footprint is 8 ha per person per annum. This plan aims to progressively reduce this footprint until it is 1.8 ha per person per annum.
Q. How does Council plan on achieving its environmental goals?
In order to reduce our environmental footprint, we will use the principles of ecologically sustainable development, often known as ‘ESD’, to guide our decision making. These principles are:
• conservation of biological diversity and ecological integrity
• intergenerational equity
• the precautionary principle and
• improved valuation, pricing and incentive mechanisms.
The Environmental Action Plan is divided into four focus areas energy, water, waste and biodiversity. Each focus area outlines activities that Council and the community can undertake or are currently undertaking, to aid in the reduction of Waverley’s environmental footprint.