Community Theme
Our theme of Proactive Leadership seeks to value our customers and achieve prudent financial
management and sound governance.
Where Are We Now?
Hills Future is Council’s long term Community Strategic Plan that directs the four year Delivery Program and annual budgets. Council is committed to delivering the outcomes of Hills Future, with a strong financial position that has continued over many years.
Challenges for Tomorrow
• Maintaining financial sustainability in the long term.
• Continuing to inform and educate the community about the significant changes occurring in and around the Sydney Hills including the impacts of population growth and the Sydney Metro Northwest.
• Planning Council’s workforce to better match resources to workload and deal with the additional work an increasing population generates.
• Adapting to new ways of working post-COVID-19.
Total Assets in
Dollars Percentage
of Staff Retained Thousand Rate
Notices Million Page
Views of Council’s Website
$4.3B
87.79%
69 6.50
June 21 June 21
June 21
June 21 June 17 3.6M
June 18 3.9M June 19 4.0M June 20 4.2M
June 17 58 June 18 61 June 19 64 June 20 67
June 17 87.05 June 18 87.15 June 19 85.02 June 20 88.9
June 17 3.90 June 18 6.00 June 19 6.00 June 20 6.08
$
$
ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 26 APRIL, 2022
Financial Management & Reporting Quarter Three:
Council resolved to establish an Audit Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC). The ARIC will monitor and provide oversight of the adequacy and effectiveness of Council’s risk management, internal control, internal and external audit, financial management and compliance functions under a Charter.
The committee will consist of three Councillors and three external independent members. One of the external independent members will be appointed as the Chair as part of this process.
Council is seeking applications from suitable qualified individuals interested in appointment as independent members of the ARIC.
Quarter Two:
Council’s Annual Report for 2020-2021 was endorsed by the Mayor and highlights the organisation’s performance over a number of areas including leadership, communities, balanced growth, the environment and financial security.
End of Term Report 2017-2021 Under the NSW Government’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Legislation for Local Government, Council is required to produce a report on its progress in implementing the Community Strategic Plan during its term. The aim of this report is to provide the community with a status of how Council is progressing toward achieving its Strategic Plan - Hills Future. This report was presented to Council at its last meeting for the Council term.
Quarter One:
Council’s Annual Report for 2019-2020 achieved a Gold Award for the fourth year running from The Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA). The awards provide an opportunity for organisations across the Asia Pacific to benchmark their reports against the ARA’s criteria, which are based on world best practice.
COVID Support Measures The General Manager can write-off interest charges for a period of six months on outstanding rates whereby the ratepayer is able to show conclusively they are experiencing financial hardship during this financial year and have entered into a payment plan as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The General Manager can negotiate and implement deferrals of rent payments to Council for a period of up to six months and to waiver rent payments up to $20,000 for tenants who
The General Manager can amend, cancel or enter into new leases as required to facilitate the Local Government election in December.
The General and Special Purpose Financial Statements were once again audited by the Audit Office and presented to Council on 24 August 2021.
An unqualified opinion was issued for FY20-21.
Council continues to be debt free and in a strong financial position.
This is the fifth year that Council has been able to produce these annual accounts within 10 days after the end of financial year.
Human Resources & Wellbeing Quarter One:
RUOK Day Council held a virtual Health and Wellbeing Expo for all staff on Thursday 9 September. Session topics included mindfulness, yoga, ergonomics, sleep, healthy minds and healthy eating. RUOK? Day is a national day of action dedicated to inspiring all Australians to ask family, friends and colleagues, ‘Are you ok?’
Customer Service
Quarter One:Council continued to serve customers during COVID-19 lock down. While the front counter had to close due to Health Orders, phone and back office operations continued as per normal. Phone calls to Council had increased on the previous quarter (6.51% or 1,689 calls) while service standards remained unaffected.
Face-to-face meetings with Development Advisors changed to teleconferences.
Council Elections
Quarter Two: Dr Peter Gangemi was elected as the new Mayor of The Hills Shire, following the Local Government Election on 4 December 2021.
Mayor Gangemi, as well as 12 Councillors, was officially sworn in on 23 December at the Council Chambers. They will represent the community until September 2024.
Returning to Council is Clr Frank De Masi, Clr Reena Jethi, Clr Ryan Tracey and Clr Tony Hay OAM. Dr Barbara Burton, who was a Councillor from 2008 to 2012, also makes a return to Council.
New Councillors include Mitchell Blue, Jessica
S ii l P Fi i l
Achievements to Date
ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 26 APRIL, 2022
18 The Hills Shire Council Quarter Three Review as at March 2022 19-20 20-21 QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATOR HILLS SHIRE PLAN
OUTCOME STRATEGY
90.8 89.4 • Community satisfaction - people who agree there are opportunities to have a ‘real say’
on issues.
3. Sound governance that values and engages our customers and is based on transparency and
accountability.
NSW State Plan Priorities
• Better Government digital services.
3.1 Facilitating strong two way relationships and partnerships with the community, involve them in local planning and decision making and actively advocate community issues to other levels of government.
3.2 Provide prompt, complete, friendly and helpful advice and information to the community and respond in a timely manner meeting service standards for all service requests.
3.3 Ensure Council is accountable to the community and meets legislative requirements and support Council’s elected representatives for their role in the community.
89.8 90.2 • Community satisfaction - level of communication and access to information.
91.0 91.0 • Community satisfaction with Council’s overall performance.
70.2 68.9 • % Customer requests actioned within agreed service standards.
91.0 90.6 • Community satisfaction with Council’s professional conduct.
89.4 90.8 • Community satisfaction with Council’s decision making.
508.5 468 • Days lost due to workplace injuries.
100% 100% • Risk Management plans in place for all key and high priority risks.
100% 99.8% • Council’s rating on the Governance Health Check.
57* 81.0 • % Actions achieved in Hills Delivery Program.
4. Prudent management of financial resources, assets and people for long term sustainability.
NSW State Plan Priorities
Strong Budget &
Economy
• Protecting our credit rating.
• Delivering strong budgets.
4.1 Council has a clear strategic direction that guides its decision making and creates a safe and skilled workforce that delivers high quality services and products.
4.2 Maintain a strong financial position that supports the delivery of services and strategies and ensures long term financial sustainability.
86.4 95.0 • % Standards achieved in Operations Plan.
93.6 94.4 • Community satisfaction with long term planning for The Hills Shire.
12.8 3.9 • Unrestricted current ratio.
116 127 • Debt service ratio.
0.95 0.99 • Building and infrastructure renewal ratio.
Measuring our Quality of Life
Quality of Life indicators are reported annually. The column below shows a two year comparison with current year’s results reported in green. Other results below are as per the community survey conducted in April 2021.
Proactive Leadership
ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 26 APRIL, 2022
Operational Performance Measures
Proactive Leadership
KPI Method Target Actual
Performance STATUS Executive Services
Average time (hrs) to distribute minutes to group. < is better 48.00 24.00 Average number of business days taken to process
formal GIPA applications. < is better 11.00 8.83
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Audits completed in annual audit program. > is better 67.50 75.00 Implemented annual Risk Management Plan. > is better 67.50 75.00 Legal Services
Legal advice provided within 14 days of instructions. > is better 90.00 100.00 Local court prosecutions commenced within 14 days
of instructions. > is better 81.00 81.00
Customer Service
Enquiries resolved at first point of contact (Ex). > is better ANNUAL
% of DAs online for customer to view within 4 hours
of lodgement. > is better 80.00 97.71
Information Technology
% Customer enquiries resolved at the helpdesk
compared to total number of calls to the helpdesk (Ex) > is better 62.00 91.90 Number of unscheduled corporate system outages. < is better 7.00 0.33
Organisation satisfaction with IT. > is better ANNUAL
Completed IT Incidents within 4 days. > is better 70.00 81.00 Financial Management & Reporting
Payments paid electronically. > is better 70.00 97.37
% Variation to budget (Recurrent Expenditure). < is better 5.00 -5.76
% Variation to budget (Recurrent Income). < is better 5.00 -1.50
Contract renewals on time. > is better ANNUAL
Payroll processes completed within agreed time frames. > is better 90.00 100.00 Special Projects, Property & Buildings
Occupancy of rented property. > is better 90.00 94.67 Human Resources & Wellbeing
Average number of days lost to absences (Ex). < is better 7.00 1.77 Lost time injury frequency rate (Ex). < is better 11.00 7.74 Percentage of staff retained (Ex). > is better 85.00 96.10 Safety incidents responded to within 24 hours. > is better 95.00 100.00
On Track Action Required
ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 26 APRIL, 2022
20 The Hills Shire Council Quarter Three Review as at March 2022