By: Darlene Irvine, Executive Officer... 

I hope everyone has survived the end of financial year hump in one piece.  I know in our office there has been a flurry of work in preparation for our audit which we have now handed over to the auditors.  We have also just finalised the 2013-2014 Annual Report, a copy of which can be found here.

This month has seen a vast array of activity for myself and the coordinators.  For me:

• I met with the Productivity Commission on the NDRRA issues paper in Brisbane.  It is hoped (and I and LGAQ have requested) that a round table meeting occur in Cairns when the draft report is released.

• I travelled out to Oak Park for the community meeting regarding the Hann Highway.  While it was a long way to go and for my part involved camping (arghhh!) it was extremely beneficial to get the anecdotal information from the transport industry and producers to help build the case.  This case will also be included in the larger Queensland Western Road Action Group, the Hann being one of its priorities.

• We also had the ROC assembly where all the ROC's come together to identify their priorities (it's supposed to be top three but many of them take liberties :) ).  Not surprisingly, despite the varying locations many of our priorities align.  From the Executive Officer side we are all overwhelmed by the number of submissions we have had to (or not been able to) develop.  Where we believe we can, we will try and share this load and let one ROC take the lead with others supporting with information so we can all make an informed submission.

• Planning reform continues to haunt every corner for the Planners and the progression of their planning schemes:

o we have new Local Government Infrastructure Plans which need to be developed (more information in Steve's write up).  This plan will cross a number of portfolios (Asset Managers, Engineers and Financial Managers) in Councils and will challenge all involved.

o a new Planning for Queensland Bill is being developed to replace the Sustainable Planning Act, and

o a draft Queensland Plan Bill which will come out shortly.  This Bill will give statutory weight to the Queensland Plan and will require consideration in Councils' Planning Schemes and Corporate Plans.

• I am now having monthly catch ups with Greg Neilson from Ergon Energy to progress our priorities and understand the issues within Ergon Energy.  Street lighting has a number of long term issues which I believe (and hope) they are ready to tackle with us.  With the audit almost complete across the State there are a number of other little issues which have raised their head which we hope to resolve to the benefit of Councils.

• The FNQROC Regional Development Manual has been out for public consultation on the proposed changes and industry workshops have occurred.  Numbers of registrations were down and the number who attended were significantly down.  I believe this is for a number of reasons: (a) Cairns Regional Council has done a good job in working with industry throughout the year on proposed changes to the manual, so they were all aware, and (b) many of the changes were in favour for industry.  Submissions have now closed and we will progress assessing those submissions we received formally and at the workshops.

August also holds a vast array of activity:

• Today I met with Senator Jan McLucas and the Shadow Attorney General on NDRRA and in particular the 'value for money component'.

• We have a Planners meeting on 5 August prior to the Local Government Infrastructure Plan workshop to identify implications and tactics.

• On 11 August I have an action packed day for the Mayors and CEOs with:

o FNQROC AGM

o FNQROC Ordinary Meeting

o FNQRRTG Meeting

o Ergon Energy Workshop, and finishing with ... 

o a combined dinner with the FNQ&TS RDA Board.

By: Regional Procurement Coordinator, Amanda Hancock...

Scrap Metal Recycling

The Project Steering Committee attended a workshop this month to run through the draft tender documentation developed by FNQROC for the Regional Scrap Metal arrangement.  It was a very constructive session with attendance and input from throughout the region.  The workshop focused specifically on ensuring the tender will deliver responses from the market which will address the issues identified during our research.  The final amendments are now being made and it is hoped we will be in a position to place an invitation to the market in October 2014 with a view to commencing the regional contract in the first quarter of 2015.

Bitumen Reseals

Following the success of the 2013/2014 program, the Project Steering Committee unanimously agreed to extend the current contract by a further 12 months for the 2014/2015 reseal program.  Lessons have been learnt which will be applied in the coming year and we hope to build on the strengthening relationships between the supplier, participating Councils and FNQROC.

A post-delivery summary report will be prepared detailing the outcome of the 2013/2014 program.

Sodium Hypochlorite & Liquid Alum

We continue to oversee contract administration in relation to these contracts which are now into the third year of a three year term.

Councils leveraging off existing contracts

We are pleased to report that we continue to see member Councils within the region utilising the benefits of the Local Government Regulations, Section 235, which enables Councils to utilise the existing contracts of other Councils, avoiding the need for lengthy and often costly tenders.  This is a great example of Councils to working together for the benefit of the region.

Date Claimer: Regional Procurement Committee Meeting 29 August 2014.  This meeting will be chaired by Steve Cosatto as I will be on annual leave.  I am heading to the UK (time to dust-off those proper winter clothes!) and I will be back in early October.

By: Regional Natural Asset Management Coordinator, Travis Sydes...

As I was on annual leave for all of last month, this newsletter bridges from the end of June to end of July.

Natural Asset Management Advisory Committee (NAMAC) – Strategic Directions Workshop

The NAMAC met for a one day workshop in late June to establish and refine the regional strategic direction for Local Government natural asset management and to identify and refine the key requirements, expectations and deliverables of the FNQROC NAM Coordinator Role.  With the major changes and challenges in this area of Local Government business over recent years it was timely that the technical committee dedicated a session to explore how our strategic directions and partnerships in some detail.  The last time a review of this scale was undertaken was in 2008 (incidentally just prior to me taking the reins from the ever energetic Kirby Doak).  I am still packaging the report from the workshop which will be circulated to the executive and Councils shortly, but the key strategic directions for the committee in brief are:

• Work together to redefine the changing role and expectations of Local Government in the natural asset/NRM/pest management space.

• Work on resolving resourcing concerns including solutions and future options which help address the decline of externally/internally funded programs we have traditionally relied upon.

• Deliver an increased focus on operational/strategic outcomes via more detailed involvement in programs/projects of individual Councils.

• Utilise the learnings of strategic/spatial planning in others areas of business to complete natural asset management plans for Local Governments.

Click read more for:

• ATBC annual meeting – Cairns
• Wet Tropics NRM Plan consultation ramps up!
• National Biosecurity Bill on the table
• Upcoming dates

By: Regional Infrastructure Projects Coordinator, Steven Cosatto...

Regional Asset Management Group (RAMG)

For those who may be unaware there is a newly released statutory guideline 03/14 entitled "A Guideline for the Preparation of Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP)" under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA).  Under the SPA all local governments were previously required to include a Priority Infrastructure Plan (PIP) in their planning schemes.  With the introduction of the Sustainable Planning (Infrastructure Charges) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2014 (SPICOLA 2014), local governments are now required to include a Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) instead of a PIP.

An LGIP is that part of a planning scheme which identifies the local government's plans for trunk infrastructure which are necessary to service urban development at the desired standard of service in a coordinated, efficient and financially sustainable manner.

A grace period from 4 July 2014 to 30 June 2016 has been included in the legislation, during which time a local government planning scheme is not required to include a LGIP.  However, local governments which do not have a PIP/LGIP or plans for trunk infrastructure attached to their resolutions will continue to have limited conditioning powers.

Local governments which do not intend to levy infrastructure charges or impose conditions for trunk infrastructure do not need to include an LGIP in their planning schemes.

Under the SPA any local government which wishes to levy infrastructure charges or impose conditions about trunk infrastructure from 1 July 2016, will not be able to do so unless its planning schemes includes an LGIP which was in place by 30 June 2016 and complies with the requirements of this guideline.  Some key points raised with regard to asset management include:

• Within the guidelines, reference is made to 2.4 Financial Sustainability and Local Government Infrastructure Plans.  Ultimately, a local government must be able to demonstrate how it will fund the trunk infrastructure identified in its LGIP.  To demonstrate this, a local government's LGIP should align with its Asset Management Plans (AMP's) and the long term financial forecast.

• The LGIP template includes a requirement for councils to identify desired standards of service for water supply, sewerage, stormwater, transport and public parks and land for community facilities as well as a schedule of works.

• Schedule of works model and in particular the considerations for review of the value of future trunk infrastructure – direct costs, indirect costs, margin and project owner costs.  Project owner costs also have margins associated which you need to be between.

• Item 46 "is there alignment of the scope, estimated cost and planned timing of proposed trunk capital works and the relevant inputs of the Long Term Asset Management Plans (LTAMP) and LTFF? If not, what is the process underway to achieve this." – this last section does give councils some breathing space however the integration of these plans is now more prominent.

To assist councils in understanding the new landscape of regulations about the format of the planning documents, condition setting ability, Infrastructure Agreements and wider appeal rights, FNQROC has facilitated an information session on Tuesday 5 August 2014.  The information session will be run in conjunction with an organisation called Integran and supported by LGAQ. Whilst there is obviously a commercial interest with Integran running this workshop, I believe council staff will get some benefit and at this stage there are no alternative information sessions.

• Date Claimer: Information Session - "A Guideline for the Preparation of LGIP" - Tuesday 5 August 2014.
• Date Claimer: Regional Asset Management Group meeting - Monday 20 October 2014.

Regional Waste Management Group (RWMG)

Cairns Regional Council (CRC) has begun the review process of its current Waste Management Strategy (due for completion June 2015).  Although CCRC completed its strategy last year and TRC/MSC do not have to review theirs until 2016 for a 2017 deadline, as a group we have agreed we should utilise CRC's process to take a snap shot of where the region is currently positioned regarding items such as:

• Waste Infrastructure

• Local / External Drivers (legislation)

• Community Engagement

• Contracts

• Recycling.

At the very least this process will allow us to review our options regionally and aid councils in long term planning.

When you consider the investment required by councils and private industry, there is no quick fix to councils Waste Management issues.  The group has acknowledged the need to act regionally and to think long term.  An example of why a long term view is required is the kerbside collection arrangement, for industry to consider investment into an area, industry would prefer a seven year arrangement as that is the expected life span of the trucks used.  Naturally councils would also achieve economies of scale should we utilise our collective quantities, however we first need to align our current arrangements.

Date claimer: RWMG next meeting: Friday 15 August 2014 9.30pm to 1.30pm (Cairns).  The venue for the meeting has been changed to CRC Material Recycling Facility (MRF).

By: Regional Roads & Transport Group coordinator, Gerard Read... 

July has been a relatively quiet month for the RRTG.  The good news for the month was TIDS reached an expenditure level of 101% on a state wide basis in 2013/14.  This certainly goes a long way to ensure the scheme is maintained and funded at its current level.  It also helps with any case to return the funding to its previous level prior to October 2012.

In this update I discuss the following:

• Bridges Renewal Program
• Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program
• Roads & Transport Alliance Operational Review
• 2015/16 to 2018/19 Works Program Development
• 2014/15 Capability Agreement & Action Plan
• Road and Rail Crossing Interface Agreements
• TMR Road Safety Audits
• Standard Contract Documentation Presentation
• Vale Ron Diehm

Bridges Renewal Program

The Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development opened the Bridges Renewal Program (BRP) on 1 July.  Program Criteria (including funding conditions) and the Proposal Form are available from DIRD however you must register your interest by emailing them on email/bridgesrenewal)(infrastructure.gov.au. I'm sure all Councils would be well aware of this already. Closing date for Round 1 (2014/15) is 28 August.

$300 million over five years from 2014/15 has been committed to the BRP.  State, Territory and Local Governments are eligible to apply.  BRP will contribute a maximum of 50% of the total project cost. Further information is available from this website. 

Any Councils submitting for Round 1 (which I hope there are) should contact Darlene or myself with proposed project details to obtain a letter of support from FNQROC / FNQRRTG.

Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program

The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development also opened Round 4 of the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP) on 1 July.  Again, Program Criteria (including funding conditions) and the Proposal Form are available from DIRD however you must register your interest by emailing them on email/HVSPP)(infrastructure.gov.au.  And again, closing date for Round 4 (2014/15) is also 28 August.

The sum of $200 million over five years from 2014/15 has been committed to the HVSPP.  State, Territory and Local Governments are eligible to apply.  HVSPP will contribute a maximum of 50% of the total project cost. Further information is available on this website.  

As for the BRP, any Councils submitting for Round 4 should contact Darlene or myself with proposed project details to obtain a letter of support from FNQROC / FNQRRTG.

Read More

By: Regional Projects Officer, Daniela Gambotto...

Street lighting and Sustainability

We were fortunate to secure some time with Ergon Energy staff for this month's Street Lighting Group Meeting.  It's always a great opportunity to catch up with the Ergon Energy guys to get the latest on street lighting, and of course to continue to build our relationship.  Some of the key topics which came up in our discussions included the usual suspects...

• Tariff review – with the review of tariff structures complete and put in place for the 2014/15 financial year, we decided it was time to see if there were any savings to be made by changing tariffs.  Ergon Energy took the account details for some of our region's biggest energy users and undertook a comparison of current and other tariffs to assist with identifying the most cost effective option.  The comparison revealed that in some instances, facilities are already using the most cost effective tariff.  However, there are most certainly opportunities for Councils to make substantial savings on high energy use facilities by simply changing the tariff being charged.  At a quick glance, across the four council areas reviewed, savings of close to $200,000 annually have been identified as a result of this process.  This information has been passed on to Councils' technical officers who will review and make the recommended changes accordingly.  As advised by Ergon Energy staff, we will continue to monitor tariff pricing and will submit a review at least every 12 months to ensure we are always utilising the most cost effective tariff.  Many thanks to Ergon Energy's tariff specialists who efficiently provided this advice at no extra charge to the FNQ councils.

• Street light audit – the audit of Ergon Energy's street lighting fleet is very close to completion. This has been a mammoth undertaking for Ergon Energy and timelines have blown out, however the data is very nearly complete.  Soon Councils will have access to a new software package which will allow them to more adequately manage their street lighting fleet.  There are still some minor ownership issues with DTMR to be sorted out, but the package is pretty much ready to roll. Another big thanks to Ergon Energy!

• Service Level Agreement (SLA) – unfortunately we are yet to see a draft of the long awaited SLA which we have been pressing for some time now.  We understand the draft is very near to completion and will hopefully be able to view it shortly.  Ergon Energy is on the verge of rolling out its Street Lighting Strategy and will be undertaking a road show with Councils over the coming month.  It is anticipated that the SLA will be covered in this forum.

The staff at FNQROC enjoy a tradition of taking a turn at hosting a fancy dinner party.  Last month it was Steve and his lovely wife Kate's turn to play host.  It's also a great chance for the partners and children to catch up too.  The night involved wonderful food, lots of laughter and just a few drinks...  The photos below attest to starting out on good behaviour at the start, and finishing with a photo mash up!  From left to right - Sandra, Amanda, Darlene, Steve and Travis (Daniela and Gerard were absent on this occasion unfortunately).

FNQROC Board meetings and technical committee meeting dates are listed below.