SUSTAINABILITY Is it just about infrastructure?

1. SUSTAINABILITYIs it just about infrastructure? Cam Opie Director Community and Information Services

2. City of Mitcham • One of the first 3 Councils outside Adelaide • 1990 one of the lowest rate incomes in the State and proud of it • Low level of services • Poor allocation for infrastructure maintenance and depreciation

4. Mitcham Infrastructure • Focus on resourcing for sustainable roads footpaths and drains - major maintenance & upgrade commitment • Financial Sustainability Report - LGA Classified as Level 3 in a 6 point scale • Sustainable with a moderate margin of comfort

5. Financial Sustainability Report • We are making decisions as perpetual organisations for current and future generations; • Majority of our business is community infrastructure; • Many of us have significant infrastructure backlog issues which demand greater funding and possible reductions in services • need to say “no” to to demands for involvement in issues beyond our current resources. • focuses most on roads, footpaths and drains

6. Community Infrastructure • In this context at Mitcham we have had to think hard how to address community infrastructure (buildings, parks), social wellbeing, developing a sense of place based on community needs.

7. Mitcham- The Community • 2001 - 60,000 population • Higher than ASD average over 65 years • ASD average for 12 to 25 years • Well educated and paid and housed • Many frail aged • Increasing levels of asset rich and income poor elderly • Disadvantaged community in west of Mitcham

8. MITCHAM GOODWOOD RD SEIFA Index of Disadvantage

9. Community infrastructure • Many parks which are often undeveloped • Numerous community buildings, and centres with single leases, and used minimally • No community development support or staff for “community centres” • No Council (community or civic) facilities west of Goodwood Road – 18,000 pop • Two highly used 40 year old stand alone libraries

10. Strategic Planning Strategic Plan 1998-2002 • Prepared by staff, advertised for comment – minimal cost • 2 responses • Strategic Plan 2003-2008 • Aimed to engage the community in vision setting and directions

11. Vision 2030 • Cost to Council $13,000 plus staff time • Collaboration with Flinders U • Vision Forum – Leaders of community • Special Interest Groups met frequently and several surveys • Summit to endorse directions • Over 2000 people directly engaged

12. Key Social Goals • Investigate and develop: • 3 community hubs • 2 Youth Hubs • Cultural Hub • With Community development support • Contain significant partnerships • Aim to Improve wellbeing and create a sense of place • Libraries, community rooms, IT training, shared offices, focus on all ages.

13. Key Social Goals • Goal is for improved sustainability of community facilities by: • Improved location, multi use , collaboration, purpose built quality facilities • Rationalise poor performing facilities • Creative and inclusive management • Establish performance indicators

14. Asset Rationalisation • Rigorous examination of role, effective use, constraints and income stream from all properties, buildings and land • Develop opportunities for sale, relocation or improved income streams, partnerships. • Return proceeds to community infrastructure

15. Disposals Development Income Streams Open Space/ Community Facilities Improvement Fund (OS/CFIF) • Local Community Projects, including: • Playgrounds • Open Space • Sporting Clubs • Community Development • Community Infrastructure • Community Hubs • Mitcham Village • Mitcham West • Belair Rd • Blackwood Asset Rationalisation and Development Process

16. Progress - Cultural Hub? • Historic Mitcham Village a Cultural Hub • Following extensive consultation subject to final Council approval • Partnership with Uniting Church and multiple tenancy with heritage, theatre, dance, artists and arts, crafts and cultural groups • Creating initially a management group with diverse membership to oversight the project • Capital costs covered by property sales

17. Progress – Mitcham West • Investigating a shopping centre development on or near South Road with library, community centre, agency tenancies and business training • Researching possible collaborations with Marion Council and Health, Welfare and Youth agencies. • Asset rationalisation projects identified to potentially cover capital costs.

18. Is it Sustainable? • Significant community and Council support for strategic response to a Sense of Place…creation of Hubs …they are still there involved and pushing • Partnerships and collaborators must be nurtured and community development staff to be employed • Survey found 80% supported sale or development of underused properties to improve community infrastructure….and infrastructure generally • Initial sales and developments supported by community and Council • Council and community must continue to believe they are not selling the farm and wasting the proceeds

19. Is it Sustainable? • Community/stakeholders own the directions • This direction is possible in Mitcham in view of significant and dispersed under used property • Aim for creative measured outcomes with little impact on rates. • But ….. still a strong emphasis on road, footpath, and drain infrastructure • A fragile process

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