COUNCIL MINUTES Thursday 30 May 2019 P/49 19
CORPORATE SERVICES DIRECTORATE
ITEMS
19.1 Proposed Budget 2019/2020 Consultation Reponses
FILE
NO: SF6641
AUTHOR:
Paul Gimpl (Chief Financial Officer)
DIRECTOR:
Louise Foster (Director Corporate Services)
DECISION
STATEMENT: To consider the 2019/2020 Budget public consultation process and
the responses submitted. RECOMMENDATION: That Council: 1. receives and agrees
on responses to the submissions received, as follows: (a) Mr Ian Routley (b) Mr
Ted Sands (c) Treva Alen (x3) 2. notes that the Council Meeting of 13 June 2019
is the intended date on which the budget will be adopted and the rate will be
set. Ms L Foster (Director Corporate Services) and Mr P Gimpl (Chief Financial
Officer) were in attendance to answer questions of Council in respect of this
Agenda Item. Mr Ted Sands spoke to the Recommendation
DECISION: 30
May 2019 MOTION Moved Councillor D H McKenzie, seconded Councillor J Finlay.
That the Motion, as per the Recommendation to Council, be adopted.
CARRIED
11:0 FOR VOTE:
- Mayor
Councillor A M van Zetten,
- Deputy
Mayor Councillor D C Gibson,
- Councillor
J Finlay,
- Councillor
A E Dawkins,
- Councillor
N D Daking,
- Councillor
D H McKenzie,
- Councillor
K P Stojansek,
- Councillor
P S Spencer,
- Councillor
J G Cox,
- Councillor
A G Harris and
- Councillor T G Walker
The following
questions (typed as received), submitted to Council in writing on 6 June 2019
by Mr Ray Norman, have been answered by Mr Michael Stretton (General Manager). It should be noted that these same questions were submitted under
another name (Treva Alen) as part of the Council's 2019/2020 Annual
Plan and Budget Consultation process and
were answered at the
Council Meeting dated 30 May 2019. Given that the questions have
been re-submitted, further responses are provided below:
Given the
proposed budget allocation of $7.9Million or approx. $151K per week that is
largely funded from rate demands:
Questions:
1. How
many staff are employed full-time and part-time in this area of activity
overall and within the aegis of the Cultural Unit'?
Response: The Cultural Unit includes one
employee who reports directly to the Director Creative Arts and Cultural
Services. The main purpose of the unit has been the development of the
Council's inaugural Cultural Strategy.
2. How many
staff are employed full-time and part-time at the QVMAG?
Response: The QVMAG has an employment status of 27 full-time
and 36 part-time employees (46.8 full-time equivalents).
3. How many
staff are employed full-time and part-time Princess Theatre?
Response: The
Princess Theatre has an employment status one fulltime employee.
4. How many
staff are employed full-time and part-time in Cultural Unit?
Response: The Cultural Unit has an employment status of one employee.
5. Given that
the QVMAG BUDGET represents something in the order of 5.5% [ $6.2Mil] of the city's recurrent
budget, how does this component of 'the cultural spend' compare with
comparable cities elsewhere?
Response: The Council's services and structure in the
Creative Arts and Cultural Services Directorate are unique and it is not possible to
directly compare and contrast against other Councils in this respect. That
said, the Council benchmarks itself against Tasmanian and mainland Councils
across its overall function. The Council reports its performance in annual
reports, both specifically for the QVMAG and for the overall Council itself.
6. Similarly,
how does Launceston's total 'cultural spend' [$7,9 Mil ... 7%] –
plus $644K events spend – compare with comparable jurisdictions elsewhere in
Australia.
Response: The Council's services and structure in the
Creative Arts and Cultural Services Directorate are unique and it is not possible to
directly compare and contrast against other Councils in this respect. That
said, the Council benchmarks itself against Tasmanian and mainland Councils
across its overall function. The Council reports its performance in annual reports,
both specifically for the QVMAG and for the overall Council itself.
7. Given that
the Cultural Unit has been envisioned as a 'purposeful operation', going forward what
are current outcomes that would be its measures of success in 1 year, 2 years,
3 years 5 years?
Response: The outcomes of the Cultural Unit will be
refined following the completion of the Cultural Strategy later this year. Once
the Cultural Strategy has been completed a more specific and detailed work plan
will be developed for the Cultural Unit.
8. Given the
additional $400K plus in the QVMAG'S recurrent budget allocation and the
proposed $5.3K Capital expenditure, what are the anticipatable and measurable
outcome flowing from this expenditure?
Response: The additional expenditure is largely related
to the audit and
digitisation of the collection, which will commence in
2019/2020. This will be the first audit of the collection, which has occurred
in the history of the institution.
9. What
specific 'productivity dividends'
can be expected for cultural outputs in the Municipality as a consequence of
the implementation of the 'Cultural Unit' and other efficiencies being
implemented? How and when are the 'dividends' going to be accessed and by
whom?
Response: Local
Government Councils do not pay dividends and it is not proposed that the Cultural Unit
will alter this. The Unit will create the Cultural Strategy which will provide
an overarching framework to guide the future direction of the City's cultural
entities and assets.
10. What grant
funds and/or sponsorships going forward are being sought in this area for
cultural production, publications and/or research, and from whom?
Response: The
priorities for grant funding and/or sponsorship applications will be determined
following the completion of the Cultural
Strategy.
11. What
research projects are currently in place and when is it anticipated that there
will be an outcome or interim report?
Response: The
Unit is currently in the process of completing the Cultural Strategy, which has
involved a significant amount of public engagement and research.
12. What
strategies are in place, and anticipated, towards developing incoming
generative initiatives via, or by, the City's cultural producers, et al via the 'Cultural
Unit'.?
Response: It is highly likely that there will be a range
of positive economic outcomes as a consequence of actions arising from the
Cultural Strategy. However, income generation
in not a primary motivation of the strategy or the Cultural Unit.
13. Given the
relative magnitude of the proposed operational budget/s what is the proposed
reporting schedule to Council?
Response: Progress against the Annual Plan and budget is
reported to the Council on a quarterly basis.
Questions on Notice - Mr Ray Norman -
Cultural Unit and Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery - 6 June 2019 City of
Launceston COUNCIL AGENDA Thursday 27 June 2019
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