Theme 1: Resilient, Safe and Inclusive Communities

 / Highlights / People

Measures

Description

2016/17

2017/18

Comment

Community’s sense of belonging (feeling part of the community) – rating out of 5, community survey

4.0

3.9

No significant change

Community perception of feeling safe in their community (rating out of 5 - community survey)

4.3

4.2

No significant change

Australian Unity Personal Wellbeing Index (rating out of 5 - community survey)

84.1%

83.1%

Stable, well above Australian index of 75

Council’s resilience and readiness capability in emergency management (rating out of 5 - community survey)

4.1

4.2

No significant change

Satisfaction with the number and type of events in the Shoalhaven (rating out of 5 - Community survey)

3.7

3.6

No significant change

Number of attendees at events in Shoalhaven (events per person per year - Community survey)

10

10

No significant change

Community satisfaction with parks sporting venues, aquatic centres, and public halls (rating out of 5 - community survey)

3.67

3.68

No significant change

Community perception of Shoalhaven as a liveable city (rating out of 5 - community survey

4.1

4.0

No significant change

Utilisation of aquatic centres (Council records)

850,000

819,497

Slightly down improved counting system

Achievements

Key Priority 1.1: Build inclusive, safe and connected communities

Council continues to work hard on keeping the Shoalhaven safe for residents and visitors:

  • Inspection of 1068 Sewage Management Facilities, 295 hygiene inspections of food premises, 54 skin penetration premises and 26 public swimming pool audits undertaken in the past six months
  • Management of 115 asset protection zones and more than 3,600ha of natural area
  • Reduced chemical used on weed control. Chemicals selected for weed control are chosen based on efficacy, cost and minimising impact on the environment. A “steam weeder” is currently being sourced to replace a chemical spray unit, further reducing the amount of chemical released into the environment
  • Consultants engaged to undertake the Lower Shoalhaven River and St Georges Basin Flood Risk Management Studies/Plans
  • The Shoalhaven Crime Prevention Plan has been reviewed
  • $400,000 funding provided for the Berry and Broughton Vale Rural Fire Station
  • Waste Service Activities include:
    • Wombat, of the Sticks and Wombat team from (Channel 9’s The Block), volunteered to be a recycling ambassador for the Shoalhaven.  He has produced several recycling adverts for radio and Facebook and will be launching the Shoalhaven’s Waste Warrior media messaging campaign.
    • Presentation on the Shoalhaven’s ten Community Recycling Centres (CRC’s) situated at each of the SCC Depots at a recent Industrial Ecology Conference.  These CRCs have successfully collected and recycled 56,880kg of paint, household batteries, gas cylinders, smoke detectors and other household hazardous waste in the last 6 months
    • Over fourteen of the ever-popular Spring Season Home Sustainability workshops were held.  These workshops provide training on innovative ways to reduce household waste, avoid waste production and embrace organics recycling
    • For National Recycling Week in November last year Waste Services focussed on events in Ulladulla.  A very successful series of workshops and events including a Tip Tour, worm farming, Bokashi (fermented compost process), Furoshiki (the art of folding cloth to make bags instead of using plastic bags), Beeswax Wraps (a sustainable alternative to wrapping your lunch in plastic) and Backyard Chooks (the ultimate food composter).  ABC Radio produced two feature segments resulting from the event
    • Introduction of a new methodology to recover materials from mixed waste loads at the three weighbridge facilities.  This change resulted in a 40% increase in recovery (diversion from landfill) from 309,000kg in the previous 6 months to 432,000kg in the last 6 months and resulted in a reduced waste levy payment to the State Government by about $60,000.  The new methodology also allowed us to recover new materials such as polystyrene, building waste, electronic waste, glass, cardboard, plastics and untreated timber
    • A new small vehicle transfer facility has been constructed at West Nowra. The facility provides a concrete floor for tipping, taking away the risk of fall from heights and allows staff to sort and recover recyclable materials from the mixed waste

The community’s health situation as measured in the Annual Community Survey remains stable. Future surveys will determine if the current downward trend is a significant change in community health or just normal variance in the data.

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  • Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy was adopted by Council and formally released in March 2018
  • A Planning Proposal to facilitate the Nowra Homeless Shelter finalised
  • Mollymook ‘all-inclusive’ play space (Livvi’s Place): construction of play equipment, pathways, fencing and lift and change facility
  • Launch of a junior & youth dyslexic collection at the libraries and adoption of Shoalhaven Libraries Operations, Children’s and Internet Policies
  • Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre (SEC) has increased the number of wheelchair accessible seats in the Auditorium from two to 10
  • Increased dedicated disability car parking in SEC’s Graham Street car park by one
  • Moss Vale Road South Urban Release Area - Package of draft plans adopted for public exhibition
  • Council took over the running of the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter from the RSPCA. The new Animal Shelter opened to the community in July 2018

The community’s Wellbeing Index is continuing to improve, given the long term trend.

scc-cr_chart_1.1_b

  • Launch of a junior & youth dyslexic collection at the libraries and adoption of Shoalhaven Libraries Operations, Children’s and Internet Policies
  • Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre (SEC) has increased the number of wheelchair accessible seats in the Auditorium from two to 10
  • Increased dedicated disability car parking in SEC’s Graham Street car park by one
  • Moss Vale Road South Urban Release Area - Package of draft plans adopted for public exhibition
  • Council took over the running of the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter from the RSPCA. The new Animal Shelter opened to the community in July 2018

Key Priority 1.2: Activate communities through arts, culture and events

Council continues to support a wide range of arts and culture events and programs.Some of the key highlights for 2017/18 financial year include:

Creating places to meet, greet and enjoy

  • The Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre (SEC) featured a range of programs and events including musicals, musical theatre, live performances, comedy, school events, workshops and a range of other events and functions.
  • SEC’s Shoalhaven Unearthed attracted a strong field of entries aged 8 to 70 – offering professional development opportunities, publicity, commercial radio exposure and engagements for emerging artists 
  • SEC programmed Morning Matinee attendances grew from average attendance of 359 to 463 per performance
  • Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre 2018 Season Launch -a great success with 400 people attending
  • Shoalhaven Regional Gallery activities include:
    • Partnerships with River Fest (Art Tank project) and SEC (‘Soft Core’ – Cosmo McMurty)
    • Three artist-led workshops – professional practice for local artists, 32 students
    • Three In-Conversation events, with 75 audience and annual HSC art exhibition of student work – BOW WOW
    • Volunteer Guides conducted eightfree Gallery Guided Tours –with 96 participants
    • School holiday workshops at the Gallery – works on paper and sculptures. Six workshops in conjunction with Sea of Waste exhibition, with 55 students; six workshops in conjunction with Shoalhaven Art Society and Creative Moments shows. Mixed media and collage - 48 students taking part
    • Wastey Whale in the making at Enviro Expo along with four school visits during making of art for Sea of Waste - 90 students
    • Tank Art Project live painting by AJAY in partnership with Bennett’s Environmental and River Festival 2017
    • Ongoing partnership with Young Coasties Song Music Project, Culburra
    • Continual partnership with Jerrinja Exposed Project – ongoing connection between exhibiting artists and art stakeholders
    • Public programming at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery continues to grow and provide opportunities for art engagement by the community
    • New branding for the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery – inclusive of Shoalhaven Aboriginal and artistic communities. The feather represents Nowra (Aboriginal word for black cockatoo) & feather used as an artist tool
    • Gallery working in partnership with Roxy Theatre, Nowra and Fan Force to bring art movies to the Shoalhaven
  • Activities from your Library:
    • Paint the Town READ: a literacy program conducted as part of Children’s Week; undertook hatching of the egg and book readings to children; this is now a road show
    • Children’s Week: undertook a day at Nowra Showground with estimated 150 participants
    • New library resources launched: new video streaming service with over 30,000 films, documentaries, instructional videos and television series; Beamafilm, an Australian streaming channel for independent content; free ebooks and audiobooks; and free access to more than 7000 newspaper and magazine titles
  • In February, Council hosted the Queen's Baton Relay in Nowra which saw over 5,000 community members join in an accessible celebration to share the dream of the Commonwealth Games, with 21 local baton bearers.
  • NAIDOCWeek: Awards held in Wollongong, attended by 500 people. Morning tea at Council attended by 50 people, with presentations from Culungutti and Chronic Care. NAIDOCDay at Nowra Showground, with 1000 people
  • Council, the Nowra CBD Revitalisation Committee and Verb Syndicate collaborated to create a free ‘Winter Lane Art Project’ Event. This allowed the community to undertake a range of art activities and enjoy community connectedness in the Nowra laneway
  • Celebrations of Youth Week included a range of specific engagement opportunities with youth of the City, BMX bike workshops, swim events and a Masterchef cook off

Volunteers are critical for helping to improve and manage community assets. It is worrying to see a gradual decline in the number of volunteer hours provided by community members.

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Key Priority 1.3: Support active and healthy communities

Healthy options provided by Council:

  • Get in Step program: As part of creating an active Shoalhaven, Shoalhaven City Council in partnership with Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and Grand Pacific Health have teamed up to “Make Healthy Normal” with a series of signed health walks across the Shoalhaven
  • Launch of a pedometer collection at all library branches as part of Get in Step
  • Berry District Park project is progressing with the adoption of the Master Plan
  • Council joined with the community to officially open the Ray Abood Oval Playground facility in Cambewarra

Council continues to build and acquire paths and cycleways, having increased total length by more than 100km in the past 8 years.

scc-cr_chart_1.3_a

  • Development / implementation of Ulladulla Leisure Centre Mini Master Plan / 24hr Gym Access / Café Front of House & Amenities Design and Upgrade - staged concept design currently in draft form, finalised drawings completed March 2018
  • Planning for Bay & Basin Gym / Learn to Swim Pool Extension to support Bay & Basin Community & Recreational Precinct – Business Case in draft - completion February – submission of further report on overall precinct to Council January 2018
  • Launched the Sussex Inlet Learn to Ride facility with a community event in October
  • Partnership with Illawarra Shoalhaven Social Investment Trust (ISSIT) on the East Nowra ‘Our Place’ initiative – including plans for the Parramatta Park Learn to Ride
  • Upgrade works for the Nowra Skate Park completed
  • Funding allocated for detailed designs for Artie Smith Oval and for the Culburra Skate park
  • New Point of Sale implementation at aquatic/leisure centres / Introduction of Online Booking System / Online Payments & Direct Debits for a range of services - contract awarded, implementation during February 2018
  • Parks & Facilities undertook vegetation maintenance of 38 additional sites including Twin Waters Estate and Livvi’s Place Mollymook
  • Through art workshops and events, the Gallery contributed to social and mental wellbeing through participation and social opportunities
  • The Gallery provided Social Media marketing support for events occurring in the Shoalhaven, encouraging community participation
  • Pacific City Park improvements in Bayswood. The new playground has been built on the adjacent higher ground with an additional above ground 200mm concrete edge with ag-line drainage to further prevent any water pooling in the playground. The new equipment features an intergenerational swing and play elements that will create play enjoyment for all ages.
  • Continued work on the Shoalhaven Indoor Sports Centre was undertaken with significant progress achieved in this key sporting project for the Northern Shoalhaven
  • Reducing the dune height in front of Shoalhaven Heads Surf Life Saving Clubhouse
  • Ulladulla Netball Courts were officially opened in March. The $277,000 project included cleaning and repairs of existing courts construction of two new plexipave courts and four spectator platforms. This project was part funded by the Federal Government.
  • Plans for Bay and Basin Community Hub and Bomaderry Swimming Pool were altered to meet Council resolutions and align with community feedback

Use of community facilities continues to grow. Pools and leisure centres show strong growth over the past seven years, while libraries’ results for physical attendance numbers remains relatively constant, there has been a large increase in numbers of people using the on-line services.

scc-cr_chart_1.3_b

  • The new purpose-built $2.5 million “Mind the GaP” facility located at UOW’s Shoalhaven Campus in Nowra was completed to address the high rate of mental health needs in the Region, particularly amongst younger people, and will focus on improving the prevention, early recognition and treatment of mental health issues, including suicide prevention. The initiative, which was jointly funded by the Commonwealth Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund ($1.229M) and the University of Wollongong ($1.230M) was led by Shoalhaven City Council and the University of Wollongong, and delivered in partnership with Lifeline South Coast, Lifeline Australia Research Foundation, COORDINARE, Nowra Medicare Local, the Illawarra and Shoalhaven Local Health District, Noah’s Shoalhaven, and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI)