Annual Report 2021-22

Annual Report 2021-22 kcook2

The Annual Report 2021-22 documents our performance within the 2021-22 financial year (FY2021-22) and contains information about our community, our councillors, and our organisation.

It also details the allocation of resources, services, initiatives, and associated performance indicators, mapped to the 7 themes of the Boroondara Community Plan 2021-31. This allows us to map our progress against delivering the strategic objectives of the community plan. You can find out about the community plan on our Boroondara Community Plan 2021-31 page.

The online version of the Annual Report 2021–22 has been simplified and edited for the web.

Read the original Annual Report 2021-22

Fast facts about our services

Fast facts about our services kcook2

Below are some quick statistics on our service performance and our community's interaction with these services in FY2021-22.

An open book

1.88 million library items borrowed

Two residential garbage bins

64,053 tonnes of materials collected from kerbside bins and 46,229 tonnes were diverted from landfill

Two dumbells stacked

1.35 million visits to our local leisure and aquatic centres

A phone with a speech bubble coming out of it

181,991 phone calls answered by our customer service team

A road

654 km of local roads and laneways managed by Council

A park bench with two trees beside it

701 new trees planted

A form with a tick in the top right corner

1,310 planning applications received

A group of 4 people standing together

208 groups received Council community grants

A hand with a heart in the palm area

2,317 volunteer referrals by the Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre

Council snapshot

Council snapshot kcook2

Our vision represents our commitment to the community outlined in the Boroondara Community Plan 2021-31. You can find out more on our Boroondara Community Plan page.

Our purpose and values describe how we will work together to achieve our goals for the community.

Vision

A sustainable and inclusive community.

Purpose

We work together to deliver the community priorities and place our customers at the centre of everything we do.

Values

We will create a collaborative and customer-centric culture which connects our people to our purpose, inspires them to be their best, and provides a great place to work. You can see our 6 organisational values on Our values page.

Our role as a council

The City of Boroondara is established through and governed by the Local Government Act 2020. We are committed to our community’s vision to create ‘a sustainable and inclusive community’ in Boroondara. 

To deliver on our community’s vision, our roles are as follows.

Planning

We are working directly with the community to ensure community needs are anticipated and met, now and into the future.

Delivering

We are delivering services, programs and facilities at the local level.

Partnering

We are working collaboratively with residents, community groups, the State and Federal Governments and other stakeholders to facilitate desired outcomes and build community capacity.

Advocating

We are considering the diverse needs of our community. We are also representing community interests to influence industry, peak bodies and associations, and State and Federal government decision making.

City profile

Boroondara has an estimated residential population of 176,632 people (as at 30 June 2021). Our residents were born in more than 145 countries and speak more than 120 languages. Within Boroondara we have one of the highest concentrations of schools of all Victorian local government areas.

You can find out more about the demographics of the City of Boroondara in the City of Boroondara Community Profile on the id Community website.

We have 53 shopping centres and strips, with the main shopping strips located at Camberwell Junction, Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn and Kew Junctions. A quarter of our residents earned $2,000 or more per week in 2021, and 19% of our residents volunteer.

Graph showing age groups of Boroondara residents as a percentage, compared to age groups of Melbourne residents as a percentage as at 30 June 2021. In Boroondara, 12% of residents were 0 to 11 years old compared to 15% for Melbourne. In Boroondara 8% of residents were 12 to 17 years old compared to 7% for Melbourne. In Boroondara, 10% of residents were 18 to 24 years old compared to 9% for Melbourne. In Boroondara, 13% of residents were 25 to 34 years old compared to 16% for Melbourne. In Boroondara, 19% of

Council wards and councillors

The City of Boroondara's 11 Council wards in FY2021-22 are represented by individual councillors, each elected by members of the community for a 4-year term of office. Our wards and the FY2021-22 councillors representing them are:

  • the Maling Ward represented by Mayor and Cr Jane Addis
  • the Glenferrie Ward represented by Cr Wes Gault
  • the Solway Ward represented by Cr Garry Thompson
  • the Bellevue Ward represented by Cr Jim Parke
  • the Cotham Ward represented by Cr Felicity Sinfield
  • the Gardiner Ward represented by Cr Victor Franco
  • the Junction Ward represented by Cr Di Gillies
  • the Lynden Ward represented by Cr Lisa Hollingsworth
  • the Maranoa Ward represented by Cr Cynthia Watson
  • the Riversdale Ward represented by Cr Susan Biggar
  • the Studley Ward represented by Cr Nick Stavrou.

You can find out more about our current councillors and wards on our Mayor and councillors page.

Our organisational structure

Our Executive Leadership Team that leads the organisation includes our CEO, 4 directors and 3 senior leaders. The FY2021-22 Executive Leadership Team members are:

  • Chief Executive Officer, Phillip Storer
  • Director Community Support, Carolyn McClean
  • Director Places and Spaces, Daniel Freer
  • Director Urban Living, Scott Walker
  • Director Customer and Transformation, Mans Bassi
  • Executive Manager People, Culture and Development, Mary-Anne Palatsides
  • Chief Financial Officer, Amy Montalti
  • Manager Governance and Legal, Bryan Wee.

More information about our current Executive Leadership Team is available on our CEO and executive team page.

Our financials

Our financials kcook2

We have outlined a summary of our performance below. You can find more information in our Independent Auditor’s Reports of our Financial Report and Performance Statement at the bottom of this page. 

Operating position

Our net operating surplus for FY2021-22 is $10.96 million. This surplus compares favourably to the original budget surplus of $9.01 million.

The favourable variance is primarily due to the impact of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic on Council’s operations. Whilst there was an unbudgeted impact on revenue, this was offset by reduced costs due to the restrictions causing an inability to progress some operating projects.

Our adjusted underlying result – after removing non-recurrent capital grant income, monetary contributions, and non-monetary asset contributions – is $2.2 million. The adjusted underlying result for FY2021-22 has normalised due to the impacts of COVID- 19 in FY2020-21 and resulting impacts on revenue and expenditure streams.

This chart represents the net operating result by financial year from 2018 to 2022. From 2018 to 2019 the net operating result was $30.72 million. From 2019 to 202 it was $12.25 million, and from 2020 to 2021 it was negative $9.43 million. From 2021 to 2022 the net operating result was $10.96 million.

Liquidity

The working capital ratio, which assesses our ability to meet current commitments, is calculated by measuring our current assets as a percentage of current liabilities. Our result of 213.89% indicates a satisfactory financial position.

This chart represents the working capital ratio by financial year from 2018 to 2022. From 2018 to 2019 the working capital ratio was 300.81%. From 2019 to 2020 it was 272.44%, and from 2020 to 2021 it was 177.32%. From 2021 to 2022 the working capital ratio was 213.89%.

Obligations

We ensured that we maintained infrastructure assets at expected levels while continuing to deliver the services needed by the community. We invested $49.64 million in renewal works including the renewal of buildings ($24.24 million), roads ($10.23 million) and drainage ($3.7 million) during FY2021-22. This was funded from capital grants of $4.55 million and cash flow from operations of $63.39 million.

At the end of FY2021-22, our loans and borrowings repayment ratio – measured by comparing interest-bearing loans and borrowing repayments to rate revenue – was 1.48%. The higher ratio of 11.28% in the 2018-19 financial year was due to Council retiring existing debt. A 20-year loan was repaid in full that financial year, and as such the loan and borrowing repayments represented a higher portion of rates revenue for the year.

This chart represents the loans and borrowing repayment ratio by financial year from 2018 to 2022. From 2018 to 2019 the loans and borrowing repayment ratio was11.28%. From 2019 to 2020 it was 1.56%, and from 2020 to 2021 it was 1.53%. From 2021 to 2022 the loans and borrowing repayment ratio was 1.48%.

Asset renewal ratio is measured by comparing asset renewal and upgrade expenditure to depreciation and was 142% in FY2021-22. This is due to major renewal projects at Kew Recreation Centre, Canterbury and Community Precinct.

This chart represents the asset renewal ratio by financial year from 2018 to 2022. From 2018 to 2019 the asset renewal ratio was 134%. From 2019 to 2020 it was 127%, and from 2020 to 2021 it was 153%. From 2021 to 2022 the asset renewal ratio was 142%.

Stability and efficiency

We raise revenue from rates, user fees, fines, grants, and contributions. Our rates concentration, which compares rate revenue to adjusted underlying revenue, was 81.03% for FY2021-22.

We are very reliant on rates as a source of revenue because of statutory restrictions on many fees and charges, and the inadequate increase in the payments from the Victorian Government to adequately fund services.

In the prior year, non-rate revenue declined as an overall proportion of total revenue. In 2020-21, non-rate revenue included user fees and charges and our support package to the community which waived fees for some services to community groups and local businesses. This year, non-rate revenue has increased in proportion to rate revenue resulting in the decline of the rates concentration ratio due to reduced impacts of COVID-19 on our non-rate revenue streams. The average rate per property assessment is $2,065.

This chart represents the rates concentration ratio by financial year from 2018 to 2022. From 2018 to 2019 the rates concentration ratio was 76.23%. From 2019 to 202 it was 79.36%, and from 2020 to 2021 it was 83.75%. From 2021 to 2022 the asset renewal ratio was 81.03%.

Read the Independent Auditor’s Reports of our Financial Report and Performance Statement

Operations and our performance

Operations and our performance kcook2

Economic factors

Boroondara is facing external factors which are increasing cost pressures on Council services and facilities, while also facing the need to maintain assets appropriately. External economic factors include:

  • inflation rising rapidly
  • post COVID-19 recovery
  • cost escalation in the construction industry caused by COVID-19, extreme weather events, labour shortages, fuel prices, freight cost, war in Ukraine, insurance premiums and other factors
  • the slow return of patrons to our Leisure and Aquatic facilities after past lock down periods
  • the reduction of the traditional backyard across areas of the municipality increasing the demand by residents on our open space, parks, and sporting facilities.

Despite these external factors, rising interest rates will support increased investment income returns for our cash holdings while our fixed interest rate loans provide repayment certainty for the future term of the loans.

In summary, we are facing external factors which are increasing cost pressures on our services and facilities, while facing the need to maintain assets appropriately. Our capacity to meet these obligations is challenged by the State Government imposed cap on revenue; a cap the state does not apply to itself.

Major projects

Our major projects for FY2021-22 include:

  • the Kew Recreation Centre redevelopment ($68 million over 4 years)
  • the Canterbury Community Precinct ($11.3 million)
  • the Michael Tuck Stand Feasibility Study ($160k in FY2021-22).

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic

Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic also influenced our operations, including:

  • providing a Coronavirus support hotline and website support
  • coordinating with community organisations providing support
  • maintaining our services during the pandemic
  • making parking modifications during the pandemic
  • supporting local businesses and community groups
  • moving activities and events online
  • facilitating and encouraging the importance of safe community connections
  • providing support for the local volunteer sector.

Our performance against priority themes

The Boroondara Community Plan 2021–31 (the Plan) outlines 7 themes our community told us were important in 2017. In 2020-21, our community told us these themes still represent what they want us to focus on over the next 10 years.

Our performance is reported against each of the 7 priority themes on the following pages.
 

Theme 1: Community, services, and facilities

Theme 1: Community, services, and facilities kcook2

Case study: Summer in the Park

Summer in the Park is a popular annual program of arts and culture events, staging entertainment for all ages in some of Boroondara’s favourite parks and gardens.

The Boroondara community responded strongly to the Summer in the Park program. This program of arts and culture events resulted in:

  • 18 events hosted for Summer in the Park throughout February and March 2022
  • All events were free of charge with theatre performances offered for the first time
  • Over 4,000 attendees were attracted to the performances throughout the series.

The program also helped to creatively activate public parks throughout the municipality, and created an opportunity for Boroondara Arts and independent artists to reengage with audiences in a live setting.

A band standing in a rotunda playing their instruments with one person at the front of the group holding maracas above their head.

Theme 1 performance

Below is a breakdown of the strategic indicators, progress of initiatives and other service performance indicators for this theme. You can find out more detail about these indicators and previous year’s results in the full report.

You can also read through our continuous improvement initiatives, community engagement, and benchmarking activities for this theme in the full report.

Strategic indicators

In almost all cases our strategic indicators saw consistent or improved results in FY2021-22. The strategic indicators that met or exceeded the forecast include the following.

Percentage of graffiti removed from Council owned assets within one business day of notification:

100%

Number of arts and cultural community events delivered or supported by Council:

234 events

Audience satisfaction with Boroondara Arts curated programs and events:

85%

Number of community groups using council facilities directly under a lease or license agreement:

192 groups

Number of people participating in active ageing programs and events:

1,105 participants

Number of vaccinations administered:

20,374 vaccinations

Number of attendances by young people at youth programs or services:

8,840 attendences

Number of community organisations funded through the Community Strengthening Grant Program:

208 organisations

Food safety assessments (percentage of registered class 1 food premises and class 2 food premises that receive an annual food safety assessment):

100%
 

Percentage of community strengthening grants provided to culturally and linguistically diverse and disability groups:

18%

Some indicators did not meet our forecast this year:

  • The satisfaction with recreational facilities (76, out of 100). The slight decline from last year (79, out of 100) still has us significantly above both metro and state-wide averages. It is largely attributed to personal users, men, and residents aged 18 to 34 years, who rated Council’s performance in this area significantly lower than in FY2020-21.
  • Overall participation in library services, which includes loans, returns, visits, program attendances, e-books and audio loans, enquiries, reservations, Wi-Fi, and virtual visits (6,513,131 participants). Although this is below our forecast it is an increase on the previous year’s result reflecting a growing confidence by the community in returning to library spaces.

Progress of initiatives in the Budget

All initiatives for this theme aside from one were completed in FY2021-22. These include:

  • presenting a draft Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre Strategic Service Plan and achieving an additional 25 new member organisations annually
  • opening the renewed Alamein Neighbourhood and Learning Centre
  • undertaking a Workplace Gender Audit and preparing a Gender Equality Action Plan
  • delivering a program to support older residents to improve their digital capabilities
  • developing a Community Resilience Framework
  • increasing the number of physical and electronic library loans by 5%
  • increasing the Summer in the Park programming with two additional events
  • supporting 10 creative activation and installations across parks, laneways, and public areas
  • providing 25 individual grants for low-income earners or people facing disadvantage
  • delivering targeted health and wellbeing programs for young people
  • adopting the revised Road Management Plan
  • conducting a communications campaign to pool and spa owners about their responsibilities
  • developing and adopting the Asset Plan in accordance with Local Government Act 2020 requirements
  • implementing the Capital Works Renewal Program.

We also completed the major initiative of progressing the Kew Recreation Centre to at least 45% to create a recreation facility to meet current and future community needs.

The one remaining initiative, progressing the Canterbury Community Precinct construction, is 85% completed. This was delayed by COVID-19 related supply chain issues. The Canterbury Community Precinct Stage One works are anticipated to be completed by October 2022 and Stage 2 works are anticipated to be completed by early to mid-2023.

Other service performance indicators

The following other service performance indicators and measures are based on the FY2021-22, unless stated otherwise. You can find out more detail including how these indicator results were calculated in the full report.

Animal management

Time taken to action animal management requests

FY2021-22: 1.16 days

FY2020-21: 1.25 days

Cost of animal management service

FY2021-22: $7.89 per municipal population member

FY2020-21: $7.84 per municipal population member

Animal management prosecutions

FY2021-22: 100%

FY2020-21: 100%

Animals reclaimed

FY2021-22: 68%

FY2020-21: 48%

High rate of reclaimed animals continues in line with high registration levels. Increase in registrations means we have more up to date contact details for pet owners, leading to higher reclaim rates.

Animals rehomed

FY2021-22: 17%

FY2020-21: 10.7%

A higher number of cats being surrendered or brought in by the public has resulted in less reclaims (animals collected). The majority of animals brought in by the public were not registered, so need to be adopted or fostered.

Aquatic facilities

Health inspections of aquatic facilities

FY2021-22: 1 health inspection

FY2020-21: 0.33 inspections

Utilisation of aquatic facilities

FY2021-22: 7.65 visits per head of municipal population

FY2020-21: 5 visits per head of municipal population

Cost of aquatic facilities

FY2021-22: $0.88 per visit

FY2020-21: $2.24 per visit

Improved outcome due to lockdowns being lifted. Although not back to pre-pandemic levels, attendance is improving slowly.

Food safety

Cost of food safety service

FY2021-22: $318 per registered or notified food premises

FY2020-21: $381 per registered or notified food premises

Time taken to action food complaints

FY2021-22: 1.4 days

FY2020-21: 1.7 days

Food safety assessments completed

FY2021-22: 100%

FY2020-21: 100%

Critical and major non-compliance outcome notifications followed up

FY2021-22: 93%

FY2020-21: 96%

Maternal and Child Health (MCH)

Cost of the MCH service

FY2021-22: $75.27 per hour of service delivered

FY2020-21: 70.77 per hour of service delivered

Participation in the MCH service

FY2021-22: 81%

FY2020-21: 81%

Participation in the MCH service by Aboriginal children

FY2021-22: 93%

FY2020-21: 96%

Infant enrolments in MCH service

FY2021-22: 101%

FY2020-21: 100%

Result is above 100% as more infants have enrolled with Boroondara than birth notifications received.

Participation in 4-week Key age and stage (KAS) visits

FY2021-22: 102%

FY2020-21: 102%

Result over 100% as attendance for 4-week Key age and stage (KAS) visits has been above birth notifications received.

Libraries

Physical library collection usage

FY2021-22: 3 loans per physical library collection item

FY2020-21: 3 loans per physical library collection item

Recently purchased library collection (last 5 years)

FY2021-22: 63%

FY2020-21: 60%

Active library borrowers in municipality

FY2021-22: 21%

FY2020-21: 22%

Cost of library service per population member

FY2021-22: $50

FY2020-21: $48

Theme 2: Parks and green spaces

Theme 2: Parks and green spaces kcook2
Strategic Objective: Green and open spaces are provided, well-utilised, and enhanced.

Case study: Victoria Park Regional Playground upgrade

Over recent years, different improvements have been made to Victoria Park in Kew as part of the Victoria Park Concept Master Plan. We have been working on the next upgrade to the northern playgrounds, creating a new, larger-scale regional playground that enhances park amenities, improves accessibility, and creates a place for the whole community to enjoy together.

Feedback received from the community during 2 rounds of consultation helped to shape the design of the new playground. The exciting new playground includes the community’s most popular themes to create a fun and inclusive design.

The Victoria Park Regional Playground is supported by the Victorian Government through the Suburban Parks Program. We also received support from the National Ageing Research Institute for a dedicated seniors’ fitness area, and from Kew Rotary for an accessible double barbecue.

Looking down on the Victoria park regional playground area that has been newly renovated with new equipment and landscaping

Theme 2 performance

Below is a breakdown of the strategic indicators, progress of initiatives and other service performance indicators for this theme. You can find out more detail about these indicators and previous year’s results in the full report.

You can also read through our continuous improvement initiatives, community engagement, and benchmarking activities for this theme in the full report.

Strategic indicators

In some cases our strategic indicators saw either consistent or improved results in FY2021-22. The strategic indicators that met or exceeded the forecast include:

  • user satisfaction with a range of parks in Boroondara, benchmarked with participating councils (80%)
  • the number of trees on Council managed land (44,885 trees).

One indicator did not meet our forecast this year, this was the satisfaction with the appearance of public areas (79, out of 100). The appearance of public areas remains one of our top performing areas in the Customer Satisfaction Survey, achieving a rating of 79 in both 2022 and 2021. We also remain significantly above both metro (72) and state-wide (71) averages for this indicator.

Progress of initiatives in the Budget

All initiatives for this theme aside from one were completed in the FY2021-22. This includes:

  • proactively managing and renewing our ageing street and park trees by implementing year 4 of our Tree Strategy
  • engaging 200 participants and activating 12 community spaces through the ‘Fit Park Series’
  • implementing a program to increase the planting of trees on local streets to 1,000 per year
  • developing a master plan for Gardiners Creek
  • installing solar lights along 500m of Boroondara park paths
  • developing a plan to identify suitable public open spaces to install outdoor exercise equipment.

The one remaining initiative was completing construction of play spaces at Deepdene Park in Deepdene, Central Gardens in Hawthorn, Hilda Street Reserve in Balwyn, and the new Regional Playground at Victoria Park. This initiative is 95% complete, with the Victoria Park Regional playground, Central Gardens and Deepdene Park nearing completion with slight delays due to COVID-19 supply chain issues. Works are anticipated to be completed in late July 2022 with Hilda Street to commence in August 2022 due to contractor availability.

Theme 3: The environment

Theme 3: The environment kcook2
Strategic Objective: The environment is considered in all decision making.

Case study: Formalising our Climate Action Plan

In September 2021 we formalised our Climate Action Plan (CAP) to pave the way for how we will tackle climate change together with our community over the next 10 years. In September 2021, Council endorsed our Climate Action Plan and at the same time, declared a Climate Emergency.

Following extensive community consultation, the CAP was developed in recognition of the real and increasing threat climate change has on our environment, health and wellbeing and quality of life for current and future generations.

Our vision is that everyone who lives, works, and plays in Boroondara will come together to achieve the collective goals outlined in the CAP.

A large tree at a park with green foliage, lit by the sun that is coming through the leaves

Actions we have delivered in the FY2021-22 include:

  • holding a virtual launch event for the Climate Action Plan where we heard from some influential people working towards shaping a more sustainable future
  • updating our Procurement Policy to place a greater emphasis on sustainability
  • providing a program of advice and support for Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) in private development
  • helping residents and businesses access affordable, quality solar PV (photovoltaic) systems as part of a program developed by local government
  • supporting our community to make their homes more sustainable and comfortable by providing quality home energy assessments
  • delivering a sustainability leadership course, empowering community members to take environmental leadership action at a local level
  • implementing revisions to other Council policies.

We will continue to deliver actions and periodically track progress against our climate action targets.

Theme 3 performance

Below is a breakdown of the strategic indicators, progress of initiatives and other service performance indicators for this theme. You can find out more detail about these indicators and previous year’s results in the full report.

You can also read through our continuous improvement initiatives, community engagement, and benchmarking activities for this theme in the full report.

Strategic indicators

In many cases, our strategic indicators saw either consistent or improved results in FY2021-22. The strategic indicators that met or exceeded forecast include the following.

Kerbside collection waste diverted from landfill (percentage of garbage, recyclables and green organics collected from kerbside bins that is diverted from landfill):

72%

Percentage reduction of Council CO2 emissions compared with 2007-08 emissions:

81%

Area of land actively managed for biodiversity:

62 ha
 

Satisfaction with environmental sustainability:

65 (out of 100)

Satisfaction with waste management:

73 (out of 100)

One indicator did not meet our forecast this year, this was the volume of harvested water (rain and stormwater) re-used within council buildings and open space irrigation (5.6 ml). This reduced due to rainfall during the irrigation season being higher than recent periods, and the breakdown of some key facilities which are scheduled for reinstatement during 2022-23.

For the percentage reduction of community emissions compared with 2020 emissions we had a 10% forecast; however we were not able to gather this year’s data as there was a one-year lag in the data. This will be reported on next financial year.

Progress of initiatives in the Budget

All initiatives for this theme aside from one were completed in the FY2021-22. This includes:

  • implementing the Biodiversity Asset Management Plan (BAMP) 2013-23
  • implementing initiatives including the Backyard Biodiversity project, Wildlife not Weeds program, and rollout of interpretive signage
  • using a minimum of 20% of recycled materials in our asphalt products to resurface roads
  • reviewing our street sweeping service to provide a more flexible approach to street cleaning
  • completing the implementation of the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service to Multi Unit developments.

The remaining initiative was to implement the FY2021-22 actions in our new Climate Action Plan to deliver a range of initiatives. This initiative is 85% complete, with the LED (Light-emitting diode) Lighting and Solar PV (photovoltaic) installations having proceeded during FY2021-22. Design work is underway for EV (electric vehicle) charging infrastructure and degasification. These projects will be completed in FY2022-23.

Other service performance indicators

The following other service performance indicators and measures are based on the FY2021-22, unless stated otherwise. You can find out more detail including how these indicator results were calculated in the full report.

Kerbside bin collection requests

FY2021-22: 175 requests per 1,000 kerbside bin collection households

FY2020-21: 285 requests per 1,000 kerbside bin collection households

Kerbside collection bins missed

FY2021-22: 5 missed bins per 10,000 scheduled kerbside collection bin lifts

FY2020-21: 9 missed bins per per 10,000 scheduled kerbside collection bin lifts

Cost of kerbside garbage bin collection service

FY2021-22: $114 per kerbside garbage collection bin

FY2020-21: $115 per kerbside garbage collection bin

Cost of kerbside recyclables bin collection service

FY2021-22: $86 per kerbside recyclables collection bin

FY2020-21: $83 per kerbside recyclables collection bin

Kerbside collection waste diverted from landfill

FY2021-22: 72%

FY2020-21: 69%

Theme 4: Neighbourhood character and heritage

Theme 4: Neighbourhood character and heritage kcook2
Strategic Objective: Protect the heritage and respect the character of Boroondara, while facilitating appropriate, well-designed development.

Case study: Municipal-Wide Heritage Gap Study

Our Municipal-Wide Heritage Gap Study aims to protect valued heritage places and precincts by including them in a Heritage Overlay. Including places in a Heritage Overlay means they need a planning permit from us if property owners wish to demolish, alter, add, or erect new buildings.

This suburb Gap Study aimed to identify and protect places and precincts of heritage value and help retain the local identity of Glen Iris.

In line with the Heritage Action Plan, we engaged a qualified heritage expert to conduct the review.

After an extensive review process and community consultation, the project is now in its final stage. We have requested final approval from the Minister for Planning to protect 15 Glen Iris properties and 3 heritage precincts by permanently adding them to the Heritage Overlay.

Protecting places of aesthetic, social or historical value is incredibly important to Boroondara - both now and into the future.

A residential one story house with a car parked in the driveway and a large tree in the front garden

Theme 4 performance

Below is a breakdown of the strategic indicators, progress of initiatives and other service performance indicators for this theme. You can find out more detail about these indicators and previous year’s results in the full report.

You can also read through our continuous improvement initiatives, community engagement, and benchmarking activities for this theme in the full report.

Strategic indicators

In many cases our strategic indicators saw either consistent or improved results in FY2021-22. The strategic indicators that met or exceeded the forecasts include the following.

Number of heritage planning scheme amendments considered by Council:

12 amendments

Average number of days to process a planning application:

39 days

Percentage of Council planning decisions upheld, and decisions successfully mediated at VCAT

71%

Percentage of ‘demolition consents’ under section 29A of the Building Act by Building Services checked within 15 business days

100%

Progress of initiatives in the Budget

All initiatives for this theme aside from one were completed in the FY2021-22. This includes:

  • protecting the City’s heritage by completing the Municipal Wide Heritage Gap Study

  • advocating to the State Government to change the threshold for the application of Heritage Overlays
  • conducting audits of Essential Safety Measures (fire safety audits) in buildings containing combustible cladding when referred by the Victorian Building Authority and taking appropriate enforcement action.

We also completed the major initiative of developing an Environmentally Sustainable Design Policy, and establishing a dedicated Environmental Sustainable Design Officer role.

The remaining initiative was to prepare an updated Heritage Action Plan to guide our future work program for heritage protection and advocacy. This initiative has commenced and is 10% complete due to resources being prioritised for community heritage nominations and completion of the Heritage Gap Studies this financial year. The Heritage Action Plan will recommence in FY2022-23.

Other service performance indicators

The following other service performance indicators and measures are based on the FY2021-22, unless stated otherwise. You can find out more detail including how these indicator results were calculated in the full report.

Statutory Planning

Cost of statutory planning service

FY2021-22: $3,617 per planning application received

FY2020-21: $3,603 per planning application received

Council planning decisions upheld at VCAT

FY2021-22: 53%

FY2020-21: 55%

Time taken to decide planning applications

FY2021-22: 81 days

FY2020-21: 98 days

Planning applications decided within required timeframes

FY2021-22: 59%

FY2020-21: 83%

This declined significantly due to limited staffing, combined with the impacts of COVID-19 leave. Timeframes improved between April to June 2022, and are projected to return to desirable levels in the coming year.

Theme 5: Moving around

Theme 5: Moving around kcook2

Case study: removal of the Union Road level crossing

On 2 December 2020, the Victorian Government announced plans to fast track the removal of the level crossing at Union Road, Surrey Hills. The project will lower the rail line under the roads into a trench and combine the existing Surrey Hills and Mont Albert stations into a new premium station.

As part of our role in the project, we have continued to:

  • meet regularly with the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) to advocate on behalf of our community
  • work with the community and share their concerns and ideas with the LXRP
  • advocate to the LXRP to ensure the new open space at Union Road is safe and accessible, enhances the environment and neighbourhood character, and meets community needs.

We worked with the community to develop an Urban Design Advice (UDA) document for the Surrey Hills level crossing removal project. The UDA highlights the community’s preferences, and the LXRP used our UDA to inform its designs.

The widened bridge will:

  • connect with open spaces on either side of the rail trench
  • unite the north and south sides of the shopping centre
  • encourage active transport
  • improve accessibility
  • reduce congestion
  • create a more usable open space for everyone to enjoy.
A train going through the current surrey hills level crossing on union road

Theme 5 performance

Below is a breakdown of the strategic indicators, progress of initiatives and other service performance indicators for this theme. You can find out more detail about these indicators and previous year’s results in the full report.

You can also read through our continuous improvement initiatives, community engagement, and benchmarking activities for this theme in the full report.

Strategic indicators

A strategic indicator that met our forecasted goal was the number of advocacy initiatives related to public transport services (12).

Some indicators did not meet our forecast this year. These include the following.

Satisfaction with sealed local roads:

71 (out of 100)

This saw a slight decline in performance but continues to be one of our top performing areas in the Customer Satisfaction Survey, performing above both metro and state-wide averages.

Satisfaction with local shared paths for cycling and walking as a way to get around Boroondara:

61%

This remains stable, but may have been affected by the increased use of shared paths during lockdowns.

Number of traffic counts and surveys used to investigate, assess, and respond to traffic and parking issues:

95

These recommenced with the relaxation of pandemic restrictions and the return of schools and offices. We are working to clear the backlog of traffic counts and surveys which had been held off due to the pandemic.

Number of sustainable transport programs delivered to primary schools:

0

This was affected by COVID-19 restrictions and with extended periods of home learning. Officers are completing planning works with a view to deliver programs during FY2022-23.

Average daily bicycle users for Gardiners Creek Trail, the Anniversary Trail, Koonung Trail, and Main Yarra Trail:

3,381

Bicycle use over the four main trails has been impacted by the pandemic lockdowns during the 2021-22 financial year. Commuter bicycle use has also been impacted by flexible working arrangements.

Percentage of sealed local roads that are below the renewal intervention level set in the Road Management Plan:

89%

Based on new 5-year condition data, this shows an increase in roads rated as very poor. We have increased renewal expenditure for the next 4 years to bring road conditions back to target.

Percentage of footpath inspections completed, and defects remediated within the timeframes as specified in the Road Management Plan:

87%

This is largely caused by the difficulty in ensuring contractors complete replacement of asphalt and concrete paths within specified time frames.

Progress of initiatives in the Budget

All 5 initiatives for this theme from the budget were completed in the FY2021-22. This includes:

  • advocating to the Victorian Government for the needs of the Boroondara community in relation to Public Transport improvements for disability access and network linkages
  • advocating to the Victorian Government for the Box Hill to City cycling corridor project
  • completing the review and adopting the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy
  • conducting a feasibility and design of improvements to the shared path networks.

Our major initiative of advocating to the Victorian government to address the needs of the Boroondara community was also completed. This advocacy was in relation to public and active transport, open space, urban design and environmental opportunities associated with the North East Link and Union Road Level Crossing Removal projects to ensure the community is represented in the decision-making.

Other service performance indicators

The following other service performance indicators and measures are based on the FY2021-22, unless stated otherwise. You can find out more detail including how these indicator results were calculated in the full report.

Sealed local road requests

FY2021-22: 66 requests per 100 kilometres of sealed local road

FY2020-21: 61 requests per 100 kilometres of sealed local road

Sealed local roads maintained to condition standards

FY2021-22: 92%

FY2020-21: 95%

Cost of sealed local road reconstruction

FY2021-22: $104 per square metre of sealed local roads reconstructed

FY2020-21: $101 per square metre of sealed local roads reconstructed

Cost of sealed local road resealing

FY2021-22: $27 per square metre of sealed local roads resealed

FY2020-21: $24 per square metre of sealed local roads resealed

Satisfaction with sealed local roads

FY2021-22: 71 (out of 100)

FY2020-21: 74 (out of 100)

Theme 6: Local economy

Theme 6: Local economy kcook2
Strategic Objective: Support local businesses and enhance shopping precincts, fostering a strong economy, and welcoming places for the community.

Case study: Expanded outdoor trading opportunities

We introduced expanded outdoor trading opportunities in late 2020 to help our local economy recover from the impacts of COVID-19. We installed temporary 'parklets' in some of our shopping strips to enable outdoor dining in repurposed car-parking spaces. This activity was supported by funding from the Victorian Government’s ‘COVID Safe Outdoor Activation Fund 2021’.

The return of summer outdoor trading in 2021 and 2022 received a positive response from the community and traders. A significant portion of the Victorian Government’s funding was allocated to extending the current parklet program until the end of January 2023.

We also supported local traders in this period by fast-tracking temporary footpath trading permits. In addition, we waived all permit fees through to the end of March 2022.

Following this success, we’ve drafted new and updated outdoor trading guidelines to support businesses to safely trade outdoors in shared public spaces. After community consultation, we expect to adopt these new guidelines on the future use of footpaths and parking bays by the end of 2022.

Three people around a table that is on the side of the road in a parklet area bordered by plants between them and the road

Theme 6 performance

Below is a breakdown of the strategic indicators, progress of initiatives and other service performance indicators for this theme. You can find out more detail about these indicators and previous year’s results in the full report.

You can also read through our continuous improvement initiatives, community engagement, and benchmarking activities for this theme in the full report.

Strategic indicators

In all cases our strategic indicators saw either consistent or improved results in FY2021-22. The strategic indicators that met or exceeded the forecasts include the following.

Satisfaction with work to improve quality of streetscapes in shopping precincts to attract and retain good shops and businesses:

59%
 

Number of proactive strip shopping centre maintenance inspections completed:

1,313 inspections
 

Participant satisfaction in Council’s business training activities:

80%
 

Number of permits for outdoor trading:

83 permits
 

Progress of initiatives in the Budget

All initiatives for this theme aside from one were completed in the FY2021-22. This includes:

  • promoting "Buy Local" to Boroondara residents to encourage them to shop within the municipality
  • developing a new Economic Development and Tourism Strategy
  • continuing to assist registered Food and Health businesses during the pandemic
  • continuing to proactively service the City’s retail precincts through the Service Crew program
  • undertaking annual inspections in all retail precincts to develop a works program to maintain street furniture.

The remaining initiative was to adopt the Glenferrie Place Plan and commence a new placemaking project. This major initiative has commenced and is 35% complete. The draft Glenferrie Place Plan is being reviewed following the Federal Government decision to withdraw commuter parking funding. The parking and financial strategies will be adapted to the new conditions and presented to Council for final adoption in late 2022. The Camberwell Junction Place Plan is on track with draft Vision and Priorities currently being coordinated with Strategic Planning team to ensure relevance into the future.

Theme 7: Leadership and governance

Theme 7: Leadership and governance kcook2
Strategic Objective: Ensure decisions are financially and socially responsible through transparent and ethical processes.

Case study: Boroondara Reconciliation Strategy 2022-26

The Boroondara Reconciliation Strategy 2022-26 was developed to formalise our commitment to reconciliation in Boroondara. It represents a significant step on our reconciliation journey and builds on the reconciliation initiatives we were already implementing.

How we developed our strategy:

  • Listening to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations to understand the role we can have as a Council, and our community can play in the reconciliation process.
  • Asking for feedback from the broader community, local community service providers and local organisations to help us understand their views and ideas about how to be involved and progress reconciliation locally.
A path through a forest area with australian trees and dry land

We agreed to a collective vision for reconciliation: to create a welcoming community where the histories, cultures, knowledge, achievements, and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are acknowledged, respected, considered, and celebrated.

The Boroondara Reconciliation Strategy was adopted in March 2022 by Council and formally launched on 2 June 2022 during National Reconciliation Week.

Theme 7 performance

Below is a breakdown of the strategic indicators, progress of initiatives and other service performance indicators for this theme. You can find out more detail about these indicators and previous year’s results in the full report.

You can also read through our continuous improvement initiatives, community engagement, and benchmarking activities for this theme in the full report.

Strategic indicators

In many cases our strategic indicators saw either consistent or improved results in FY2021-22. The strategic indicators that met or exceeded the forecasts include the following.

Satisfaction with the overall performance of Council:

71 (out of 100)
 

Satisfaction with informing the community:

65 (out of 100)

Current assets compared to current liabilities:

213.89%
 

Number of transactions initiated via our website:

105,037 transactions

Satisfaction with community consultation and engagement:

59 (out of 100)

Percentage of freedom of information requests responded to within prescribed timeframes:

100%

Number of cyber security incidents that compromise user data:

0

Access to Council’s website (percentage of time available)

99.95%
 

Some indicators did not meet our forecast this year, these include the following.

Satisfaction with making community decisions

61 (out of 100)

This is only a slight reduction from last year (62) but continues to be one of our lowest performing service areas as community expectations are higher. This is consistent with what is being seen at the metro and state level.

Satisfaction with customer service

72 (out of 100)

This is not a significant decline from last year (75) and was consistent across the state and metro level. Our customer service rating is in line with the Metropolitan group and significantly higher than the State-wide average for councils.

Percentage of adopted capital projects completed at the conclusion of the financial year (based on most recent amended budget)

78%

We saw multiple issues that inhibited the delivery of capital projects, including Planning - Service Brief, design changes or scope changes needing additional consultation, weather, building permit delays, delays from other Authorities, budget increases requiring approval, COVID-19, availability of contractors, and supply chain delays).

Number of calls abandoned when customers are trying to reach Council’s customer service

4.3%

This may have been impacted by resource shortages due to COVID-19 and increased call volumes from severe weather events. This has been addressed through reliable workforce planning and contingency programs.

Progress of initiatives in the Budget

All initiatives for this theme were completed in the FY2021-22. This includes:

  • engaging with strategic procurement aggregators and other Councils to explore collaborative contract opportunities
  • developing and implementing a new Council Plan 2021-2025
  • undertaking customer experience benchmarking to inform improvements to service delivery and the ease in which customers can transact with us
  • developing a chat bot capability on our City of Boroondara website.

We also completed the following major initiatives:

  • Conduct a review of the Community Engagement Policy with further community consultation to ensure we are meeting the community’s expectations on how we engage with them.
  • Ensure we operate within a financially sustainable framework through preparation of the Budget 2022-23 (plus 3 subsequent financial years) in-line with statutory requirements, and submit for consideration by Council.
  • Adopt the refreshed Boroondara Community Plan 2021-31 to meet the needs of the community now and into the future and set the long-term strategic direction and vision for Council.
  • Introduce an Enterprise Booking Tool enabling online ticketing, registrations, and online bookings to provide the community with an easy-to-use event and booking system for Council facilities.

Other service performance indicators

The following other service performance indicators and measures are based on the FY2021-22, unless stated otherwise. You can find out more detail including how these indicator results were calculated in the full report.

Governance

Council decisions made at meetings closed to the public

FY2021-22: 4%

FY2020-21: 4%

Satisfaction with community consultation and engagement

FY2021-22: 59 (out of 100)

FY2020-21: 59 (out of 100)

Councillor attendance at council meetings

FY2021-22: 98%

FY2020-21: 98%

Satisfaction with Council decisions

FY2021-22: 61 (out of 100)

FY2020-21: 62 (out of 100)

Cost of elected representation

FY2021-22: $53,352 per councillor

FY2020-21: $47,095 per councillor

This reflects a change to the Local Government Act 2020 and an increase in allowances made by the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal No 01-2022 in accordance with section 39 of the Local Government Act 2020. The current increase applied from 18 December 2021.

Challenges and future outlook

Challenges and future outlook kcook2

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to be a challenge across all areas. Some of these challenges included:

  • requirements for density quotas, vaccination status check ins, and changing rules and requirements impacting our arts and cultural programming
  • illness of event organisers and artists requiring event delivery to be reconsidered or cancelled
  • COVID-19 capacity and density requirements and lockdowns impacting Citizenship Ceremonies
  • virtually conducting Council meetings posing logistical challenges
  • balancing return to work for staff against the occupational health and safety risk
  • barriers for participants who were unfamiliar with digital tools when online engagement and community workshops were required
  • impacts on community organisations delivering projects funded by Council grants
  • assessing our approach towards debt collection for the recovery of outstanding rates and charges in a COVID-19 environment
  • cost shifting from the State Government to Local Government without the necessary funding or revenue sources placing greater pressure on the financial sustainability of Council and our ability to deliver services and infrastructure at the expected levels.

Additional challenges

We also saw additional challenges this year:

  • Local businesses being impacted by major transport works in Union Road Surrey Hills and Glenferrie Road Hawthorn. We advocated to LXRP and Yarra Trams authorities on behalf of these businesses and provided outreach and support through our business support services.
  • Contractor staff shortages and unavailability of materials made meeting defect compliance timelines under the Road Management Plan challenging.
  • A significant storm event caused us to receive many tree work requests, which took several months to resolve.
  • The last of the Local Government Act 2020 changes came into effect on 1 July 2021, involving further changes to policies, procedures, and reporting requirements.
  • The impact of a volatile construction industry contributed to unprecedented cost escalations and supply chain delays, making the delivery of projects within time and budget challenging.
  • Higher scrutiny of insurance risks from underwriters and increased rates offered by insurers. Despite this, Council secured a risk transfer program that remains sustainable in the long-term.

The future

We will:

  • focus on using feedback obtained from new customer surveys to drive continuous improvement
  • focus on the commencement of planning of Kew Library and on forming partnerships with community groups to offer joint education programs/events across all sites
  • navigate the changing landscape in aged care services
  • facilitate the economic recovery for businesses impacted by COVID-19
  • increase our community engagement capability across the organisation
  • continue to focus on standardising operating procedures and meeting regulatory standards
  • continue making Boroondara greener through increased planting, enhanced service levels in parks and sportsgrounds, and a commitment to reducing emissions
  • provide organisations with support as they rebuild their programs, including with volunteer recruitment
  • continue delivering the Transforming Boroondara program initiatives which provide community benefits, while effectively maintaining delivery of services to the community
  • assist the organisation to plan for and solve complex problems using data and facilitate creative solutions that place our community at the centre of what we do
  • advocate for community and Council involvement in the planning system as new planning reforms are developed and implemented by the State Government
  • seek to protect the interests of Council and the community with any new building reforms
  • establish a strategic planning work program to ensure that planning for future changes in the municipality is undertaken so that growth and development can be appropriately managed as the community changes.

Corporate governance

Corporate governance kcook2

We provide leadership and good governance to the municipal district and the local community. Our role includes:

  • considering the diverse needs of our community in decision-making
  • providing leadership by establishing strategic objectives and monitoring achievements
  • ensuring resources are managed in a responsible and accountable manner
  • advocating the interests of our community to other communities and governments
  • fostering community cohesion and encouraging active participation in civic life.

We maintain strong relationships with other tiers of government, neighbouring councils, and organisations such as electricity and water distributors.

Council meetings and delegated committees

Attendance

Council meetings are open to the public and usually scheduled on the fourth Monday of each month. In accordance with the requirements of the Governance Rules, additional, unscheduled Council meetings may be called when required.

In FY2021-22, we held 18 Council meetings. The table below reflects the number of Council meetings attended by each councillor, and the Council meetings which councillors had Council-approved leave of absence and therefore were not present at the meeting.

Councillors

Total Council meetings attended

Meeting dates where a councillor was granted a leave of absence

Cr Jane Addis (Mayor)

18

No leave of absence

Cr Wes Gault (Deputy Mayor)

18

No leave of absence

Cr Jim Parke

17

28 February 2022

Cr Felicity Sinfield

18

No leave of absence

Cr Victor Franco

15

No leave of absence

Cr Di Gillies

16

6 June 2022

Cr Lisa Hollingsworth

18

20 June 2022

Cr Cynthia Watson

16

13 December 2021

Cr Susan Biggar

16

6 June 2022

Cr Garry Thompson

16

13 December 2021

11 April 2022

Cr Nick Stavrou

18

No leave of absence

Conflicts of interest

We require conflicts of interest to be disclosed by councillors, members of delegated committees, Council officers and contractors. The procedures for making disclosures vary depending on the role and circumstances, but they generally involve disclosing the relevant interest in accordance with the Governance Rules and then stepping aside from the relevant decision-making process or from the exercise of the public duty.

During FY2021-22, 17 conflicts of interest were declared at Council and Delegated Committee meetings.

Councillor allowances and expenses

Allowances paid to each councillor during the year are in the table below, along with councillor expenses for FY2021-22.

Councillors are reimbursed for expenses incurred while performing their duties. Expenses can be broken down into the following categories:

  • Information and communication
  • Accommodation and travel
  • Professional development
  • Other expenses (including levies and charges, membership fees, minor equipment purchases, general administration, and childcare expenses).

A breakdown of these expenses is available in the complete Annual report.

Councillors Allowance Total expenses
Cr Jane Addis (Mayor) $89,872 $1,528
Cr Garry Thompson (Mayor until November 2021) $65,267 $1,028
Cr Wes Gault (Deputy Mayor) $41,749 $1,307
Cr Jim Parke $35,333 $12,077
Cr Felicity Sinfield $35,333 $9,734
Cr Victor Franco $35,333 $4,607
Cr Di Gillies $35,333 $5,033
Cr Lisa Hollingsworth $35,333 $5,808
Cr Cynthia Watson $35,333 $1,283
Cr Susan Biggar $35,333 $10,104
Cr Nick Stavrou $35,333 $7,537

 

Our committees

Our committees kcook2

You can find out more about the purpose of each committee and which councillors attend on our Advisory and other committees page.

Audit and risk committee

The Audit and Risk Committee oversees and monitors the effectiveness of Council in carrying out its responsibilities for accountable financial management, good corporate governance, maintaining an effective system of internal control and risk management and fostering an ethical environment.

The committee meets 4 times a year. Recommendations from each Audit and Risk Committee meeting are subsequently reported to and considered by Council.

Internal audit

The following internal audit reviews were commissioned as part of the internal audit plan for FY2021-22:

  • Swimming pool registrations and safety of building structures
  • Asset Management
  • Legislative Compliance Management
  • Human Resources Management
  • Business Continuity Management
  • Follow-Up Review
  • Information Security.

External audit

We are audited externally by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO).

Council Advisory Committees

Arts and Culture

Boroondara Eisteddfod Advisory Committee update

The Eisteddfod Advisory Committee meets 4 to 5 times per year. The committee provided support and feedback into the challenging delivery experienced during 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ability to continue to deliver the Eisteddfod during 2020 and 2021 has resulted in record registrations for the 2022 program, which will be delivered in person. The committee plays a lead role in consideration of adjudicators, sponsors, volunteers, and accompanists, as well as the Camerata Orchestra which will feature in the Piano Concerto finale.

Boroondara Arts Advisory Committee update

The Boroondara Arts Advisory Committee has convened quarterly during 2022. Items considered in this forum have included specific curated programs and how best to engage local artists, ongoing mechanisms of support for local artists and community creative organisations, and the ability to consider sponsorship and partnership opportunities with Council.

Community Planning and Development

Boroondara Public Health and Wellbeing Advisory Committee update

The Boroondara Public Health and Wellbeing Advisory Committee (BPHWAC) met on 15 December 2021 and 21 March 2022. The most recent meeting was in person on 20 June 2022 at Council.

The meeting included:

  • a presentation from YMCA sharing early findings from a recent evaluation of access and inclusion at YMCA centres, in collaboration with Deakin University
  • a presentation from Access Health and Community on the new Access to Community (A2C) program, which seeks to increase social connections and improve mental wellbeing of socially isolated residents
  • a presentation on the Boroondara Disability Action Plan refresh, seeking support and feedback from members to increase engagement of residents and service providers information sharing by members
  • a facilitated discussion to inform the refresh of the Boroondara Disability Action Plan.

Boroondara Community Safety Advisory Committee update

The Boroondara Community Safety Advisory Committee met on 17 November 2021 and 23 February 2022. The most recent meeting was a hybrid meeting on Wednesday 25 May 2022 with the following agenda items discussed:

  • a presentation on the future directions for the committee
  • a presentation on the refresh of the Disability Action Plan
  • a presentation and discussion on Community safety month activities
  • a presentation from Swinburne University on the National Student Safety Survey
  • an update on graffiti management
  • an update on crime and safety
  • updates from members about crime and safety activities.

Boroondara Community Strengthening Grants Assessment Panel update

The Boroondara Community Strengthening Grants Assessment Panel met to consider 3 rounds of community grants in FY2021-22, including the 2021-22 Annual Grants (up to $10,000), and 2 rounds of Small (Biannual) Grants (up to $3,000). The Panel recommended a total of 137 applications for a range of projects and activities that will contribute to community strengthening across the 3 grant rounds.

Health and Wellbeing Services

Boroondara Early Years Advisory Committee update

The committee met on 18 November 2021 and 24 February 2022. The last meeting was held on 26 May 2022. Key discussions from last meeting related to a presentation about School Transitions from Helen Inglis (Kindergarten Improvement Advisor). Committee members gave updates.

Liveable Communities

Marketplace Development Fund (MDF) update

The MDF Committee met quarterly throughout the year and embarked on a new marketing campaign involving the creation of monthly articles, showcasing the market and broader Camberwell precinct to encourage greater visitation to the market and a longer dwell time in the precinct by market goers.

The MDF Committee has also been updated on key projects being undertaken within Camberwell such as the Camberwell Draft Place Plan and Structure Plan and enhancements to the Camberwell Fresh Food Market.

Add Life to Your Years Advisory Committee update

Two advisory committee meetings were held in the first half of the financial year before a decision was made by Council in November 2021 to no longer continue the advisory committee. Council officers will look at ways to continue to engage with those who want to contribute to Boroondara as an Age-Friendly City.