A snapshot of your new Council after 11 months

“Ngaral Kulji Bubungu” (Building Economic Base - Eastern Kuku Yalanji)

“Pulmpa dakil jarral-a-kaling” (Building a Strong Place/Foundation - Yirrganydji)

Libraries…

Mossman Library

OPEN: Mon, Tues, Wed 10am –5pm; Thurs 10am – 6pm Fri 10am – 4.30pm; Sat 9am – 12 noon

 Library programs: o Storytime & Baby rhyme time – 92 sessions & 2334 attendees o School holiday activities – 6 sessions & 135 attendees o Computer basics – 8 sessions & 29 attendees o Other -16 sessions & 254 attendees

Water infrastructure

 A Total of 427 Customer Requests for Services (service repairs and callouts) -None outstanding

 Main Breaks -Total = 13

 New Service connections - Total = 87

 Settlement reads = 193

 Capital works programs 3,500meters of 100mm main syndicate road plus 12 new connections

 Ashford Ave Port Douglas 60meters of 100mm dicl water main laid

 Capital works Rutherford road 2,200meters of 100mm main laid plus 10 new connections

 Daintree intake access track upgraded

 Mossman intake stainless steel relining of the water race.

“This has been a very successful first year for the new Douglas Shire” Mark Howarth Water Reticulation Team Leader

Port Douglas sub branch

@ Port Douglas Community Hall

Open: Tues 1pm-5pm; Thurs & Fri 9am – 1pm

 Library membership - 6,953 (new members 754)

 Public visits - 70,775 (Mossman 65,640, Port Douglas 5,135)

 Loans - 83,847

 Inter-library loans - 265

 PC bookings - 5,425

Development and Environment

“Bubu Ngulkurrku Kuji Karidadibalaba” (Keeping improving the Country - Eastern Kuku Yalanji)

“Nganyji kuri:-mayin...Pulmpa-wu maminga-lum” (Let’s get better to look after Country - Yirrganydji)

Council’s Development Assessment (DA) team have been busy with a total of 143 applications in assessment during the year, an average of three applications per week.

The development of a House in the Settlement Areas North of the Daintree River Locality, on Rural Settlement-zoned land or if it does not meet the relevant Acceptable Solutions of Planning Scheme codes, triggers the requirement for a Material Change of Use (MCU) application and there were 25 such applications assessed. Other examples of MCU’s assessed or under assessment include: a Multi-unit Housing development of five units in Craven Close, Port Douglas; a Home Based Business for massage therapy in Port Douglas, Outdoor Sport and Recreation (horse trail rides) at Rocky Point, Tourist Attraction (sugarcane and cocoa farm tours) at Whyanbeel; Home Activity (artist’s studio) at Port Douglas; a Home Based Business (B&B) at Diwan; expansion of marina berths from 115 to 140 at the Reef Marina; horse riding arena at Heritage Rise, Craiglie; Outdoor Sports and Entertainment (gymnasium) in the old Shire Hall, now located at Craiglie; a Caretaker’s Residence at Shannonvale Winery; Shopping Facility (arts and crafts centre) at Diwan; and a Multi-unit Housing development of four units in Garrick Street, Port Douglas, already on the market.

The DA team also assessed requests to extend relevant periods of development approvals for several Multi-unit Housing developments at Port Douglas: at Mitre Street, Coral Drive, the Pandanus Caravan Park site; and Murphy Street.

The major Reconfiguring a Lot applications Council assessed and determined was for Stages 4 and 5 of Shepherd Valley Estate in Mossman (106 new lots, approved); and Mossman-Daintree Road, Rocky Point (10 lots, refused). Still under assessment are: Vixie’s Road, Wonga Beach, (72 lots); Junction Road, Mossman, (33 lots); Oasis Drive, Wonga Beach (5 lots); Gorge Road, Mossman Gorge, (19 lots); and Oasis Drive, Wonga Beach, (17 lots).

Some examples of the Operational Works applications assessed or being assessed are: bridge stability works, Forest Creek; road and drainage works, stormwater, earthworks, water and sewerage infrastructure at several sites in the Shire; underground fuel storage facilities; Advertising Devices; car park construction; residential driveway construction; and an application for Stage 1 of Douglas Gardens at Captain Cook Highway, Craiglie.

In addition to assessing applications, the DA team also provides a ‘Planner-ofthe-Day’ service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, when the on-call officer answers enquiries received in person at Council’s Customer Service desk, by telephone or by email. As well, officers provide detailed planning advice in response to formal Pre-lodgement Enquiries about proposed development. Council’s development compliance area is also extremely active.

Further information regarding the above applications can be obtained from Council’s website.

Development applications assessed or underway (at 8 Dec 2014)

Some achievements of the Finance and Information Technology branch this year ….

 Prepared and adopted two budgets – 2013/14 & 2014/15 (and the associated policies), with a strategy to achieve a balanced operating position within 5 years.

 Prepared and adopted two sets of fees and charges schedules – 2013/14 & 2014/15

 Issued two sets of half yearly rate notices - designed the rates templates and created all payment options, validated data from the deamalgamation and issued notices within the same timeframe as Cairns Regional Council

 Validated and balanced Council’s new land valuation from DNRM and also used the data for rates modelling purposes

 Issued three sets of water usage notices - designed the water templates and created all payment options, validated data from de-amalgamation and issued notices within the same timeframe as Cairns Regional Council

 Established a financial delegations register in accordance with the principles of Council’s procurement policy

 Lodged all statutory returns within required timeframes

 Lodged Council’s first Grants Commission Return within the required timeframe

 In conjunction with Council’s Operations Department, reviewed and recalculated the estimated costs and forecasted years for the future restoration of Council's landfill sites, resulting in a reduction of $2.9M in Council’s provision / liability

 Completed the opening balance process, fair value assessment of assets and liabilities transferred as a result of de-amalgamation and established Council’s Asset Register

 Completed end-of-financial-year-process and audit for 2013/14 within statutory timeframes – first de-amalgamated Council to complete the process

 Prepared Community Financial Report for inclusion in the Annual Report

 Developed and presented monthly financial reports to Council

 NDRRA Monsoonal flooding in Feb and Cyclone Ita in April created a $15M project for government funding for asset restoration worksestablished financial guidelines and systems for management of revenue, expenditure and claims

 Grants data base established to monitor funding received by Council and facilitate grant acquittals

 Re-established a local Stores presence for Council

 Implemented a new IT environment / equipment – local servers, network, telephones and rebuild of all workstations, together with a Cloud hosted environment for core software systems

 Undertook a 4 month rapid implementation of software systems to support core business functions in readiness for 1st January. Continued to implement and refine software during the year. The standard vendor implementation timetable is 18 months from start to go-live.

 Performed the data extraction and migration from CRC systems into the new Douglas systems

 Re-designed all forms, templates and reports to meet Council’s needs.

A new Council needs a new look and in November and December staff chose a new corporate uniform in the colours of the rainforest and the sea: Davidson Plum, Quandong, Mango, Sand and basic black. Here are our models:

MEDIA RELEASE 10 December 2014

The Douglas Shire is now officially even more welcoming after Mayor Julia Leu officially unveiled new “Welcome to the Douglas Shire” traffic signs this morning. The three-metre-wide signs feature the slogan “Where the Rainforest Meets the Reef” with an iconic image of Cape Tribulation welcoming visitors to the Douglas Shire. Mayor Julia Leu said Council was proud to identify the official boundaries of the Douglas Shire and highlight the natural beauty of the region.

“The Douglas Shire is the only place in the world where two World Heritage-listed natural environments meet so it is only fitting we showcase this when welcoming visitors,” Mayor Leu said.

“The Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef are world-renowned destinations and the new signs capture the essence of our region perfectly.

“It is another important step in the first 12 months of our new Council which I think represents the fact this Council and all our staff are very proud to work for the people of the Douglas Shire and we want to make a great first impression.”