Public Exhibition: Draft 2011-2012 Operational Plan

What is the Delivery Program and Operational Plan?

This is the point where the community's strategic goals are systematically translated into actions.

The Delivery Program is a statement of commitment to the community from each newly elected council. In preparing the program, Council is accounting for its stewardship of the community's long-term goals, outlining what it intends to do towards achieving these goals during its term of office and what its priorities will be.

The Delivery Program replaces the former Management Plan requirements. It is designed as the single point of reference for all activities undertaken by Council during each term of office. All plans, projects, activities and funding allocations must be directly linked to this Program.

Incorporated in the Delivery Program is an annual Operational Plan. It spells out the details of the Program - the individual projects and activities that will be undertaken each year to achieve the commitments made in the Delivery Program.

Each new council will be responsible for preparing a new Delivery Program in response to Sustainable Blue Mountains 2025 and will be held accountable for implementing the program within its term. The outgoing Council is required to report to the community on what it has achieved in this regard.

The Council must review its Delivery Program each year when preparing the Operational Plan. Any significant amendments to the Program must be re-exhibited.

The Blue Mountains City Council Delivery Program and Operational Plan

The Blue Mountains Delivery Program and Operational provides detailed information on the Council's specific actions and projects that will be implemented for each service including the Capital Works Program, Budgets, Rates and Charges and Fees and Charges. A Delivery Program is generally a fixed 4-year plan that aligns with the council electoral cycle (3 years in the case of Blue Mountains City Council remaining term of office).

Council is in the process of reviewing its existing Rating Structure (ie. the system used to calculate the rates payable for Residential, Business and Farmland properties) and is proposing a new rating structure, commencing 2011-2012, that is:

• A simpler structure; and
• A fairer and more equitable structure overall, with all ratepayers paying their fair share.

The proposed structure is currently on public exhibition

Planning for Services - The Next 10 Years

To provide services that meet community needs the Council plans for service provision into the future. It is important that the views of the community inform this work.

The Council prepares a number of plans each year, which provide details of how the Council is responding to community priorities in the short and long term.

The plans give details about the services, facilities and infrastructure the Council will provide and shows how much the Council will be spending on these services. The Council is also required to report back to the community on the progress being made in implementing these plans.

More information on the Council's Integrated Plans can be found on Council's website