Advocate p.2 – 27 Sept 2014

DEVONPORT
Finances: Has adopted a break-even operating budget (based on way over the top rates levels). Its borrowings are very manageable, but it would do well to slash them in coming years. Tightening up on staffing costs. More efficiencies needed.
Rating: 6/10.
Rates: Devonport’s rates remain appallingly high, but the council took a very positive step this year and did not raise rates at all. Rating: 5/10.
Community projects: The $250 million Living City Project master plan has been adopted. The council has generated a feeling of what many say is unprecedented excitement around a project, which is well-deserved. Past councils failed with five similar plans past paying out the money to have them done and then seeing them shelved and allowed to gather dust. The real work starts now on Living City, which is to implement the plan properly. The council has made big promises about a national retailer in the CBD and should secure that ASAP along with the private investment needed for Living City. The council must retain the unique character of Devonport as Living City goes ahead or risk an expensive white elephant.
Again, the Devonport Jazz Festival was a hit for the council. Rating: 8/10.
Development: Devonport’s $14 million Splash Aquatic Centre opened in January. A major achievement and the facility is well-used. The council upset some East Devonport residents supporting the old Tascot carpet factory being returned to an industrial site for a spud factory. Meantime East’s Costa berry development has been good for jobs. Spreyton and Don areas have had some residential growth with more retail at Spreyton to support an increase in population. Council funding for Renew Devonport has been received as a positive move but fixing parking in the city is still in the pipeline.
Rating: 8/10
Advocacy: The council seemed to be pretty half-hearted in efforts to keep the historic trans-Mersey Torquay ferry. It goes against the Living City plan’s aim to focus more on the Mersey River to allow the little ferry to be axed. The ferry has been an important part of the history and character of Devonport. There is work still going on behind the scenes to bring the unique ferry back and council should make this happen.
A plan is in place for Tiagarra to reopen in time for the tourist season by using volunteer labour but this matter was allowed to drag on for far too long. A significant tourist attraction and asset should not have been shut over two peak tourist seasons.
Rating : 4/10.
Teamwork: There were great examples like Living City where elected members worked as a team to support it but overall it remains a divided council. In truth, with all the thorough Living City planning and research done by council deputy general manager Matthew Atkins and the community taskforce that sold Living City in the community, it meant all the aldermen had to do was not get in the way. Hostilities between the mayor and some aldermen have continued to flare up at the council table at times.
Rating: 5/10. Overall: 6/10
BURNIE
Finances: Moving to exit areas where it should not be involved, particularly childcare, and simplifying council operations are positives. Notched a $2.63 million underlying operating deficit for 2013-14 and expects a $635,000 deficit in 2014-15, despite grossly over-charging on rates. Major efficiency gains needed.
Rating: 3/10.
Community projects: The controversial and fiddly UTAS land deal continues to concern many in the community. The council refrained from splurging ratepayers’ cash on major new assets, cutting its cloth to suit the times. The pool redevelopment is the big item on the horizon and much of that will be paid by other levels of government.
Rating: 6/10.
Development: Challenging economic times are not the council’s doing. It is doing a decent job on economic development and working to build community capacity. A major retail shake-out is continuing, as evidenced by the many empty shops in the CBD. Mine closures will not help. The Bunnings development is the major recent positive.
Rating: 6.5/10.
Rates: Remain much too high. Kept general rate increase to 1 per cent, but slugged ratepayers by more than the inflation rate anyway due to hiking waste management charges.
Rating: 2/10.
Advocacy: The council has been solid in this area, standing up for its community and the wider region and raising pertinent issues with the bigger levels of government. For the third biggest council on population in the region, it punches above its weight.
Rating: 8/10.
Teamwork: Every alderman does not love and adore every other alderman, but the council has held together remarkably well on politically dangerous decisions, such as the Makers’ Workshop deal and potentially selling its childcare centres.
Rating: 8/10
Overall: 5.6/10.
WEST COAST
Finances: In a word, tight. The council notched a $1.48 million operating deficit for 2013-14 and has budgeted for a further deficit of $580,000 this financial year. It has run soundly for quite a few years and will need to be disciplined in coming years.
Rating: 4.5/10.
Community projects: The council has done a superb job here, largely in response to the ongoing production halt at Mount Lyell (which is now permanent). It used its own and state government funds to provide work for miners while making improvements around the towns.
Rating: 9/10.
Development: Fish farm expansion has been the big positive, while tourism is well placed to pick up strongly. A resumption of mining at Avebury would be a huge result for the West, with some hope for two other new projects near Zeehan. Closure of Mount Lyell hurt and the looming closure of Henty will be nearly as big a blow.
Rating: 4/10.
Rates: Not cheap, but not noticeably over-expensive, given the small rates base funding services at five main towns. Increased rates by less than the inflation rate.
Rating: 7.5/10.
Advocacy: Has done a sound job in this area, despite the September 2013 death of mayor Darryl Gerrity, who was the king of local advocacy. His wife, Robyn, succeeded him as Mayor. She has done well in pushing the West’s interests in a difficult time for the mining sector.
Rating: 8/10.
Teamwork: Appears to have gone backwards in recent months, which is the last thing the West Coast needs right now. Rating: 5/10.
Overall: 6.3/10.
KING ISLAND
Finances: A different animal, given its tiny population and rates base. Expecting a $128,000 operating deficit in 2014-15, which would be a 23 per cent improvement. Has found efficiencies and savings, but will need to find more, or hit up ratepayers and/or governments. Losing general manager Mark Goode will not help.
Rating: 5/10.
Community projects: Has a relatively big $3.1 million capital works budget for 2014-15, with highlights including an airport terminal upgrade, road sealing and a Naracoopa jetty upgrade.
Rating: 8/10.
Development: Much depends on whether the big wind farm proposal and tungsten mining go ahead. These are out of the council’s hands.
Rating: 5/10.
Rates: Increased rates and waste collection charges by a reasonable 2.5 per cent, while freezing some fees and charges and cutting others. Charges very low rates by regional standards.
Rating: 8/10.
Advocacy: Appropriate sea and air links, plus freight costs and economic development are the key issues. The council has done a decent job in this area, but significant economic development results are needed.
Rating: 6/10.
Teamwork: We have no reliable knowledge on this measure. Rating: 5/10.
Overall: 6.2/10.
LATROBE
Community projects: Undeniably the biggest goal kicked for Latrobe Council in terms of community projects would have to be the Baldock Memorial statue and gates at the Latrobe Recreation Ground. The community and the region came together to honour one of the greatest footballers to come out of Latrobe and Tasmania. Latrobe Council has also hit a few other nails on the head in the community this year with the construction of the Port Sorell Performing Arts Centre and the Latrobe Mens Shed.
Rating: 9/10
Development: Development has been another area that Latrobe has grown in substantially over the past financial year. Developments in the Shearwater and Port Sorell area seem to know no bounds. Ghost Rock Vineyard has been approved to build its new winery and interpretation centre that will house former MasterChef contestant Ben Milbourne’s new cooking school. In addition a brand new Woolworths supermarket was built in Alexander Street Port Sorell along with a BWS bottleshop.
Rating: 9/10
Finances: Frankly, magnificent on just about every meaningful measure. Strong financial position without ripping off ratepayers. A benchmark council. Could do more on asset renewal and replacements.
Rating: 9/10.
Advocacy: Always a solid performer in terms of reaching forward for its community, the Latrobe Council has always been in favour of development and tourism in its region. Has established itself as a “historic town” which gives it a popular albeit small edge in terms of retail compared to its much bigger neighbours. Tourism, retail and events are strong industries for the region.
Rating: 8/10
Rates: Has budgeted for general rates income to grow by 4.1 per cent this financial year, which is a touch too high even with 1 per cent of that coming from newly rateable properties. Remains cheap by regional standards, helped by strong growth in the ratepayer base, but needs to maintain its discipline to keep that sound competitive advantage compared to most other councils.
Rating: 7/10.
Teamwork: Latrobe Council usually does pretty well working as a team. Structurally they are pretty sound and everyone voices their
opinions in a safe environment. It’s a tight ship that is run effectively by Mayor Mike Gaffney, who is finishing up as mayor after government changes meant he was unable to have two roles as both Mersey MLC and Latrobe Mayor.
Rating: 9/10
OVERALL RATING: 8.5/10
Contributed to by SEAN FORD (Burnie, King Island, West Coast and all rates and finances ratings), LIBBY BINGHAM (Devonport), ADAM LANGENBERG (Central Coast), ARYELLE SARGENT (Circular Head and Waratah-Wynyard), CAITLIN HEATHCOTE (Latrobe) and DOUG DINGWALL (Kentish)
Ratings for the region’s other four councils, plus a ratings “ladder”, will appear in Monday’s edition.
Caption: TOP SPOT: A major achievement has been Devonport’s $14 million Splash Aquatic Centre, which opened in January. The facility is popular and well-used. Picture: Katrina Docking. COMMUNITY PLUS: Darrel Baldock is honoured at the unveiling of the Baldock Memorial at the Latrobe Recreation Ground. The memorial is one of the council’s greatest achievements of 2014. Picture: Jason Hollister. Closure of Mount Lyell hurt the West Coast. Picture: Grant Wells.