The Kiama community has been very fortunate for the initiatives that its Council has undertaken in the development of community services since 1953. Council is now recognised as a leader in innovation and service provision, especially for a coastal/rural Council with a population of less than 20,000 people.
Today Council offers a comprehensive range of services for children and young people, provides support services for the frail aged and people with a disability and undertakes various cultural development initiatives. They are multidisciplinary in nature, delivering high quality services to consumers.
A number of services now are provided six days a week (library), others seven days a week (community nursing and youth services) or on demand seven days a week 24 hours a day (Brokerage Nursing Service).
Kiama is the only Council which continues to be directly involved in providing community nursing services in NSW, and has expanded this program by using a brokerage (contracting) model. To achieve this the nursing service has employed a casual pool of over 50 nurses under a workplace agreement. Agencies broker these nurses from Council to provide nursing and social support services not only in the Kiama area but also some services in the Wollongong, Shellharbour and Shoalhaven Local Government areas.
In addition to community services’ development, Kiama Council has been recognised for the development of its innovative Municipal Health Plan using a holistic approach to environmental health planning in the Municipality. It is a strategic approach to health and environmental planning incorporating the principles of Agenda 21 and ecologically sustainable development.
By using a Vision Workshop process the community was consulted. Residents and tourists were asked to record their vision on their ideal healthy township in the Kiama Municipality in 20 to 25 years time. The process found that community, economic and environmental issues that affect health are interdependent and cannot be considered in isolation.
The plan aims to link international, commonwealth, state, regional and local health, environment and economic goals and programs. It also encourages every citizen to become responsible for improving their own health, as well as preserving and improving the local environment.
The plan is being implemented through funding being obtained for a number of the adopted programs such as the Kiama Safe Communities Program.
Caring for the aged
Commencing operations in 1979, the Blue Haven Retirement Village and Associated Aged Care Facility is fully owned and operated by Kiama Council. The complex presently contains 40 nursing home beds, 30 hostel units and 115 independent living units.
A new wing is presently being added to the nursing home which will see an additional 12 beds provided. Following the completion of the nursing home extensions in September 2002, Council will determine the timing of its next and most significant expansion of the Village – the construction of an additional 89 independent living units to be known as Stage 5.
Stage 5 will be constructed in three phases with the upper floors enjoying some of the best views in Kiama. The seven storey building (five residential and two for car parking) will be serviced by two lifts, powered by a backup generator. The building will also provide substantial resident recreation areas, including a glass walled skylounge.
Tenure of the independent living units is secured by way of a Loan Licence Agreement with Council, with ownership of the unit remaining with Council. A number of financial options are available. The most common being a loan made by the resident which is amortised to a maximum of 25 per cent over 10 years. All capital appreciation is retained by Council.
Currently valued at $26 million and providing accommodation for 225 people, the Blue Haven complex has 15 full time and 60 part time employees. Its Board of Management, comprising Councillor and citizen representatives, ensures Blue Haven’s relevance and accountability, and is one of the reasons the complex receives such wide spread support from the local community.
NSW leader in recycling and waste minimisation
Kiama Council’s integrated recycling and waste minimisation program and collection services have been recognised as innovative and an example of best practice by Local Government.
This includes being the first Council in NSW to reach the previous 50 per cent waste reduction target to landfill and introducing the ‘All in ONE’ single bin for recycling and garbage and Revolve Recycling Centre. In 1995, Council received the Sydney Morning Herald and Institute of Municipal Management Award for management innovation for its waste service.
Council’s Waste Business Unit is contracted to provide the staff and resources to undertake a wide range of waste and recycling services. These include domestic waste and kerb side collection services, operation of a materials recovery facility and Revolve Recycling Centre, green waste collection and processing, effluent and trade waste service.
Mayor Councillor Sandra McCarthy said there has been major benefits for both the Council and community. Benefits include the following.
- Generating local employment for over 30 staff.
- Potential profits now remain with Council and the community.
- Council and the community own the assets of collection vehicles, bins and the materials recovery facility valued in excess of $1.2 million.
- Flexibility to undertake various trials to improve systems and introduce new services such as collection of green waste and materials that can be composted.
- Potential savings of a minimum of $1.2 million over an eight year period compared to the cost of a contractor.
- Quick response time to service customer request.
- Cost savings will be used to partially finance waste management services in the future.
Commercial activities ease funding shortfall
As all Councils are aware, traditional sources of revenue are restricted or declining. They do not maintain an appropriate link to the cost increases which Councils have to face each year.
In this environment Kiama Council is becoming increasingly reliant on its commercial activities to generate the revenue to maintain the level of service which its residents deserve. In the 2001/2002 year, Council’s commercial activities will contribute approximately 45 per cent of total projected revenue.
Starring among Council’s commercial activities is the performance of its holiday parks. Council has operated five parks at Blowhole Point Kiama, Surf Beach Kiama, Kendalls Beach Kiama, Werri Beach Gerringong and Seven Mile Beach Gerroa for many years. In 1998, Council developed a 10 year Business Management Plan for the development and operation of the parks. The Plan was predicated on meeting consumer demands and providing for market trends.
Following extensive research, it became apparent that the holiday parks would need to offer the public something extra by way of facilities and added value for the accommodation dollar. In adopting this Plan Council has committed to capital expenditure in the order of $15 million over the life of the Plan. Meeting with immediate success, the implementation of the Plan is now two years ahead of schedule with the parks generating approximately $1.2 million profit per annum after all operating and debt servicing costs are accounted.
In addition to the successful development and operation of the holiday parks, Council also carries out land development and a commercial waste service unit.
Council is in the final stages of the planning and designof a 250 lot residential development within the defined town boundaries of Gerringong. The design is based on best practice principles and includes solar orientation of lots, rainfall storage tanks within each lot and riparian corridor rehabilitation and protection.
