Pittwater Council Annual Report - Pittwater Council - NSW ...

Section 2 - Statutory StatementsCultural Programs - Section 428 (2) (j)At the time of the 2006 Census, 21.3% of Pittwater residents were born overseas. Of overseas bornresidents, proportions were: United Kingdom (41.7%), New Zealand (9.62%), United States (4.3%), SouthAfrica (4.04%) and Germany (3.82%).6.6% of residents spoke a language other than English at home. The most commonly spoken languageswere German, Italian, Serbian, Croatian, Dutch and French.In the 2006 Census 169 people identified themselves as being of Indigenous origin living in Pittwater.Pittwater’s Social Plan 2005-2009 considers the needs of a number of target groups, including peoplefrom culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and outlines actions that Council can take to addressidentified needs.Mona Vale Library provides books in languages other than English. The Library also holds a literacy collectionfor people who are learning English.Pittwater Council is a member of the Aboriginal Social Plan working group and contributes funding towardsthe employment of an Aboriginal Project Worker to implement the Northern Sydney Regional Social Plan.Council has participated in the Gurringai Festival since 2001. This is held each year to celebrate Reconciliationand NAIDOC Weeks. Council continues to acknowledge country before Council meetings and at formalCouncil functions.Council is also a member and co-contributor to the Aboriginal Heritage Office Project, with other NorthernSydney councils. Membership involves discussing the progress, development and implementation of thevarious programs. In collaboration with the Office, Aboriginal Heritage sites are identified, surveyed andstudied to provide a database from which management, conservation and education programs will bedeveloped.Council continues to implement the actions from our first Cultural Plan, Living Pittwater, 2006-2011.• ArtZpace provides exhibition space at Avalon Recreation Centre for young artists. ArtZpace 2009consisted of thirteen young and emerging artists.• In partnership with Pittwater Community Arts, Artfest was completed in September 2008. This is abiennial Youth Art Festival for children from pre-school to year 12 to encourage and recognise artitsictalent in Pittwater’s young residents.• The 2008 Annual 24/7 Youth Film Festival was also held as a regional SHOROC project.Environmental Infrastructure Levy - Section 428 Part 2 (r)The Pittwater Environmental Infrastructure Program is funded by a 5% per annum levy through a specialvariation to the ordinary rates income for a period of seven years from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2012.The purpose of the Levy is to fund the upgrade and retrofit of missing environmental infrastructure throughcarefully targeted and high priority projects. All funds derived through the Levy are held in a restrictedaccount and may only be used for the agreed schedule of works.The Pittwater Environmental Levy is managed through the Pittwater Environmental Infrastructure LevyCommunity Contract which sets out the range of works aimed to be achieved within the seven yeartimeframe of the Levy.The Environmental Infrastructure Levy program is also overseen by the Community EnvironmentalInfrastructure Levy Advisory Committee, which meets every six months (or as the need arises) to review theforward works program.2008/2009 EI Levy Income & ExpenditureIncomeAs at 30 June 2009, for the 2008/2009 financial year, an amount of $1,373,794 (on an accrued basis)has been levied. For the 2008/2009 financial year, of the $1,373,794 accrued levy, $1,346,574 had beenreceived as at 30 June 2009. Interest of $415 has been accrued. Total income, inclusive of interest as at30 June 2009, was $1,346,989.It is noted that the EI Levy provides ‘seed funding’ for dollar-for-dollar grants and Council applies annually fora number of grants to further expand the scope of the works. Grants received by Council for the 2008/2009financial year amount to $598,260.ExpenditureAs at 30 June 2009 $1,802,555 expenditure was incurred on environmental infrastructure projectscomprising $1,242,290 levy funding and $560,265 grant and other funding. The expenditure on works forthe 2008/2009 period is set out in the 2008/2009 - EI Levy - Expenditure Schedule.30