A number of Council’s operations are run on a business or commercial basis. This ensures services are efficient and effective and rate revenue is not drained from other Council programs.
Now under the management of the Business and Enterprise Group these operations include Council’s quarries, the Airport, cemeteries and crematorium, water and sewerage, waste services, tourism and property management.
In addition, Lismore City Council has a number of joint enterprises with the private sector. One of these is a Tea Tree plantation to be established on Council owned land adjacent to the Airport.
Yielding medicinal and other marketable products, the plantation will use wastewater from Council’s Sewerage Treatment Plant. Providing a natural filtration system, this joint venture will bring environmental as well as commercial returns.
Council’s partner in the venture, Main Camp Pty Ltd, will provide infrastructure, planting, cropping and marketing. Another joint venture, the Turf Farm also uses wastewater further lessening the load on Council’s Treatment Plant.
Council also has one of the best waste management services in NSW. With over 13,000 pick ups per week, it averages only two or three missed bins. Staff are always looking for ways to improve the service. Currently, staff are benchmarking their activities, to compare their performance against the best organisations in both the public and private sector.
This performance measurement approach will be incorporated into all Council’s business activities over the next 12 months.
Lismore Airport is one of NSW’s busiest regional services. Carrying some 22,000 passengers in 1996, Council works in close partnership with its major carrier Hazelton Airlines. A number of private commercial operations are also located at the Airport, including aircraft maintenance and flying schools.
