BANJUP RESIDENTS GROUP General Meeting 31 July 2016 Banjup Residents Group 1 31 July 2016
Guests today include: Banjup Residents Group 2 31 July 2016
Apologies • Members • Non-Members – Wendy Jenkin – Joe Francis MLA – Rita Zuks – Mayor Logan Howlett – Deputy Mayor Carol Reeve-Fowkes – Cllr Steve Portelli – Cllr Chamonix Terblanche Banjup Residents Group 3 31 July 2016
Agenda Banjup Residents Group 4 31 July 2016
Confirmation of Minutes of 13 March General Meeting • Minutes posted on BRG web site – No comments received • Motion: – The BRG accepts the Minutes of the General Meeting held on 13 March 2016 as a true and accurate record • Vote Banjup Residents Group 5 31 July 2016
Financial Position Coco Franklin - Treasurer Banjup Residents Group 6 31 July 2016
Financial Position – 31 July 2016 Banjup Residents Group 7 31 July 2016
Acceptance of Financial Position • Motion: – The BRG accepts the Financial Position as reported • Vote Banjup Residents Group 8 31 July 2016
3:05 Civility and Communications Protocols David Beckwith Banjup Residents Group 9 31 July 2016
Committee proposes formalising our Group’s good behaviours • Many organisations have: – Code of Conduct – Meeting Rules – Correspondence Rules • Committee proposes Civility and Communications Protocols – Non-binding – Just common sense and good manners Banjup Residents Group 10 31 July 2016
At BRG meetings this is what we do anyway • Listen to others • Give and accept compliments • Think the best of • Apologise earnestly others • Be inclusive • Accept and give constructive criticism • Build co-operation • Gently remind others • Do not speak ill to be considerate Banjup Residents Group 11 31 July 2016
All BRG communications must be approved beforehand by the Committee • All communications must be civil – Emails – Letters – Flyers – Telephone – Face-to-face • Private email addresses always ‘Bcc’ • Responses must be timely – If you don’t reply, then your agreement is assumed Banjup Residents Group 12 31 July 2016
Protocols published on BRG web site • See http://banjup.webs.com/officebearersrules.htm • Committee working to them • Let us know your thoughts • Will ask for your approval at next general meeting Banjup Residents Group 13 31 July 2016
3:12 Value for Money from City of Cockburn Ian Thurston Banjup Residents Group 14 31 July 2016
Cockburn uses surveys to assess its performance The City is the Industry Leader in 9 areas !! Telephone surveys of 400 residents 2 from Banjup !! Banjup Residents Group 15 31 July 2016
Most Cockburn residents seem satisfied with value for money Banjup Residents Group 16 31 July 2016
How do they know they are getting value for money? • Sure, bins emptied and roads maintained • Could it be done for half the cost? • We just don’t know • Nothing to compare it with – No Coles vs Aldi, Swan Taxis vs Uber • Perception survey misleading – Used by Cockburn to justify themselves – BRG labelled troublemakers • So, what is our perception? Banjup Residents Group 17 31 July 2016
What does Cockburn do for us? • Empty our bins • Clear our verges • Provide security patrols • Power ~ 40 street lights • Built Beenyup footpath to nowhere • Provide library at Cockburn Central • Provide Seniors Centre – half an hour away • Collect $1800 from each property Banjup Residents Group 18 31 July 2016
What has Cockburn not done for us? • Made arbitrary, unworkable changes to fire regime • Ignored excessive fuel loads before Banjup fire • Gave no help after Banjup fire • Under-funded feral animal control • Ignored Jandakot Road heavy traffic • Not solved Knock Place exit • Stuffed our rates – twice! Banjup Residents Group 19 31 July 2016
Is Cockburn making best use of our $1800? • Emptying bins - $458 • Patrolling streets - $67 • What do they do with the remaining $1275? • 1/3 on constructing stuff - $425 • 2/3 on maintenance and services - $850 – Half of that is payroll - $425 Banjup Residents Group 20 31 July 2016
Cockburn employs 490 people • Total payroll is $49 million – Each employee costs $100,000 • Is Cockburn making best use of its staff? Banjup Residents Group 21 31 July 2016
Cockburn’s unit costs seem higher than other councils Metropolitan hospital with 1,500 employees has just 7 HR staff – 1 for every 214 !! Banjup Residents Group 22 31 July 2016
Cockburn proposed increasing rates by 3 % each year • Your Committee submitted – – Times are tough – Inflation 1% – Don’t just pass on increased costs to captive ratepayers – Find savings within your organisation – Take 2% out of your operating costs each year • Not ambitious !! – Save ratepayers $30 million over 5 years – Reduce rate rises to just 1% each year Banjup Residents Group 23 31 July 2016
Cockburn Directors stonewalled us • They said “ benchmarks show we are among the most efficient ” • We said “ no you are not – look at those comparisons ” • They said “ but we are different ” • We said “ you can’t have it both ways ” – You can’t claim to lead the benchmarks, then dismiss them when they don’t suit Banjup Residents Group 24 31 July 2016
Cockburn Councillors resisted their Directors • Rejected 3% rise • Voted for 2.5% rise – $300,000 reduction – but same services • Directors acquiesced • Administration will make cuts – Stationery No internal – Contingencies efficiencies !! – 1 graduate trainee not taken on Banjup Residents Group 25 31 July 2016
Cockburn had to refund rates last year • Rolled rubbish into rates • Claimed that rates rise was only 3.5% • BRG showed it was twice that • Cockburn gave most ratepayers a refund – “Concession” Banjup Residents Group 26 31 July 2016
Concession will apply again this year • Shown as separate line on rates bill – Only on properties with GRV over $20,690 • 99% of Banjup • Ensures each of 40,000 Cockburn’s properties get only 2.5% rise • Pensioner rebate lesser of 50% or $750 Banjup Residents Group 27 31 July 2016
Everything keeps going up except our wages Source: Cockburn Rating Statements and Long Term Financial Plan extrapolations Banjup Residents Group 28 31 July 2016
Should we expect more from our local governments? • WA state government looking at ‘rate capping’ – Victoria capped increases to 2.5% this year • Past few years rates increased 6% annually • Councils argue capping reduces money for essential maintenance – Unmended potholes – Peeling paint – Unheated public pools • Blame it all on nasty state government • Internal inefficiencies remain Banjup Residents Group 29 31 July 2016
Forced cost savings always hit front line services We need to Right! We’ll fire reduce the health some budget nurses! Banjup Residents Group 30 31 July 2016
Melville and Fremantle ratepayers are petitioning Parliament for inquiry • Better accountability of local government • Make “value for money” vital part of reporting • Report against tangible performance measures – NOT woolly “perceptions” • League tables to highlight inefficient practices – Not just ‘cartel’ of councils comparisons – Compare against private sector • HR staff per 100 employees • Procurement staff per $100 million purchases Banjup Residents Group 31 31 July 2016
Should Banjup and Jandakot residents join others to press for better value for money? • Motion: – BRG members instruct their Committee to join other representative groups in campaigning for changes in local government that will deliver continuously improving value for money and accountability for ratepayers • Vote Banjup Residents Group 32 31 July 2016
3:42 Increased Water Withdrawals Dan Franklin Banjup Residents Group 33 31 July 2016
Hydrological extent of Water Mound different from legislated extent • 760 sq km – 40 metres deep – ‘Superficial aquifer’ • 43 gigalitres taken annually – 6% rural residents – 84% commercial use – 10% Water Corp • Superficial aquifer rises – Water table goes up • Wetlands fill • Superficial aquifer falls – Water table falls • Our trees suffer • Wetlands empty Banjup Residents Group 34 31 July 2016
Water Corp began increasing abstractions in February • Water Corporation allocation increased 50% – 2.9 GL to 4.4 GL • However … – 2008 8 GL – 2010 5 GL – 2011 2.9 GL • Water Corp uses water to ‘Shandy’ Jandakot water with desalination water • And the future? Banjup Residents Group 35 31 July 2016
Groundwater is increasing part of Perth water supply • Rainfall decreasing, 1.4mm/yr over last 70 years • Dams contributing almost nothing • Perth will have 3.5 million people • More desal plants, more groundwater but treated waste recharge Banjup Residents Group 36 31 July 2016
Jandakot aquifer has begun winter recharging Banjup Residents Group 37 31 July 2016
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