City of Wanneroo annual report says economic climate a key challenge

THE Wanneroo council has accepted the City’s annual report 2015-16, which outlines achievements, activities, income and expenditure for last financial year.

Carried unanimously at the November 7 council meeting, the report said the current economic climate was a key challenge for the City amid population growth.

“The slowing down of economic growth and increased unemployment in WA has an impact on residents,” it said.

MORE: City of Wanneroo rewards early rate payers

“The challenge for the City is to find ways to ‘do more with less’ as we attempt to meet community expectations, including the provision of more infrastructure and community capacity building.

“High levels of growth in the community also mean that the levels of diversity in terms of age, background, religion, ethnicity and disability are continually changing.”

In terms of environmental challenges, the report said coastal erosion and rising sea levels were likely to have a significant impact.

“Water usage and quality is likely to be an ongoing challenge as decreasing rainfall affects the supply of drinking water in the greater Perth metropolitan area,” it said.

Highlights of the year listed in the report included adoption of the economic development strategy, implementing the tourism strategy and approving changes to the local housing strategy to allow higher density development in the City’s southern suburbs.

It also listed the Fund Our Future advocacy campaign, adoption of a climate change and mitigation strategy, developing the Cycle Wanneroo bicycle plan and adoption of the Access and Inclusion Plan.

The report highlighted progress on projects such as the Pearsall Hocking Community Centre, Yanchep playing fields, Hudson Park sports amenities, Warradale nature playground, Old Yanchep Road works, Salitage Park and Koondoola Community Centre.

A message from chief executive Daniel Simms said the population passed 198,000.

“The City’s corporate business plan details how we will deliver on the commitments,” he said. “Of the 80 operational actions listed for delivery, 69 per cent were either completed or on target for the year.

“The first stage of our new project management framework was implemented from July 1, 2015, which has helped in the achievement of a higher completion rate of projects.”

According to the report, the City spent $51.4 million of its budgeted $74.8 million for capital works projects in 2015-16, compared to $47.7 million of the $74.7 million budgeted the previous year.

The report said 32 per cent of the City’s population is under 20 years old and 40 per cent were born overseas, with 17 per cent born in the UK and 4 per cent in New Zealand.

It said the City’s population would grow to more than 411,000 people living in about 150,000 homes by 2041, with 113,000 people moving into the coastal growth corridor between Alkimos and Two Rocks.

Another 57,000 people are expected to move into the east Wanneroo region.

“The City of Wanneroo can accommodate growth until approximately 2070,” the report said.

It said there were more than 11,600 local businesses providing 53,000 local jobs.The report said the City employed 1005 people in the equivalent of 853 full-time jobs, with 88 of those earning more than $100,000 a year.

At the top end, one – the chief executive – fell into the $300,000-$499,000 salary package band and six were within the $190,000-$289,999 band.

The City of Joondalup council is due to consider its Annual Report 2015-16 at the November 15 council meeting.