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