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ordinary meeting of council to be held on tuesday, 26 april 2005 at ...

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oper<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong>al fleet. This process has <str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>en driven by the lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> funding <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> bring assets up <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a<br />

s<strong>at</strong>isfac<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry standard. The seven year rolling programme, as adopted by Council, will address this<br />

shortfall in order <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> balance the current depreci<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> with the need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> ensure our assets comply with<br />

legisl<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong>. While not all assets will meet the desirable standards as set in the process due <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the high<br />

replacement value and estim<strong>at</strong>ed cost <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> bring <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a s<strong>at</strong>isfac<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry standards, the process nevertheless<br />

enables a more equitable and str<strong>at</strong>egic approach <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> managing resources.<br />

Further, in the past 3 years, there have <str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>en reviews across each department <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> improve<br />

the oper<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong>al efficiency <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> service delivery. The outcomes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these reviews have identified savings<br />

though a reducti<strong>on</strong> in staff num<str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs, revisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> oper<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong>al procedures, increasing the accountability<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> staff and managers <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> deliver services within set time periods, and standards and the applic<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

new technology. The key driver <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this programme has <str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>en <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> absorb costs increases whilst<br />

maintaining existing service levels and where possible freeing up resources for the provisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new<br />

services. For example cre<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new positi<strong>on</strong>s including the Internal Ombudsman, Corpor<strong>at</strong>e<br />

Lawyer and improvements <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the development assessment process.<br />

Introducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> more efficient work practices<br />

Ku-ring-gai is c<strong>on</strong>tinually reviewing, refining and implementing work practices th<strong>at</strong> improve<br />

productivity and efficiency. Skill development, multi-skilling, retraining, effective recruitment and<br />

the applic<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new technology are all <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ols th<strong>at</strong> Council is utilising in this regard. Council’s<br />

sought outcome has <str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>en <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>at</strong> least maintain, if not improve the quality, quantity and range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

services <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fered within a budgeting framework th<strong>at</strong> does not increase in real terms and where<br />

possible is reduced.<br />

Some examples over the last 4 years include:<br />

• Higher frequency visit<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> and improved services <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> parks and sporting fields following a<br />

review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> maintenance in 2002/03. This resulted in the cre<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> larger multi-skilled and<br />

geographically based teams with a reducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 4 positi<strong>on</strong>s.<br />

• Development <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a business case and subsequent acquisiti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a “Forest Mulcher” which has<br />

dram<strong>at</strong>ically increased the frequency in maintenance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> fire trails and fire breaks from a three<br />

year cycle <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>at</strong> least twice a year. Ku-ring-gai has significant areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> high fire risk and this<br />

$100,000 initi<strong>at</strong>ive has <str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>en funded by not replacing a labourer vacancy for 2 years. The<br />

machine has an effective life <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 5 years.<br />

• Through improved processes, a specialist tennis court booking <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer’s duties have <str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>en<br />

absor<str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>d in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> existing staff and th<strong>at</strong> positi<strong>on</strong> not replaced.<br />

• The alignment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> management structure within the Open Space and Planning Departments<br />

allowed a reducti<strong>on</strong> in manager positi<strong>on</strong>s by <strong>on</strong>e, which represented a saving <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

approxim<strong>at</strong>ely $70,000 for the organis<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> and also a reducti<strong>on</strong> in service duplic<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong>.<br />

• Implement<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a computerised Cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>mer Request System <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> both provide improved<br />

service <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>mers, accountability for staff and efficiencies through improved management<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> workflow across various areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council. Initially utilised for waste and tree requests, the<br />

system is now utilised for all internal and external service functi<strong>on</strong>s.<br />

• Reducti<strong>on</strong> in outstanding Development Applic<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong>s – In Oc<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>r 2003, Council had<br />

approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 1,000 outstanding applic<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong>s. Following a complete restructure and<br />

reorganis<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> work this has now reduced <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> 550. This provides a tw<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>old <str<strong>on</strong>g>be</str<strong>on</strong>g>nefit <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

Council, both in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> reducing Council’s exposure <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> unnecessary legal costs and<br />

provisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> quality cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>mer service <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> applicants.<br />

• The completi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant utilis<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> and cost comparis<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> short term hire versus<br />

purchase for plant items. As an outcome the organis<strong>at</strong>i<strong>on</strong> now has a plant replacement<br />

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