Item No.	Item Title	Page No.
1	Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts Report	7
2	Pilot Facade Improvement Program	227

Economic and Industry Development Committee

Meeting Agenda

19 November

2020

Doc ID No: A6354670

ITEM: 1

SUBJECT: Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts Report

AUTHOR: Project Officer - Major Projects and Advocacy

DATE: 1 September 2020

Executive Summary

This report provides an overview of recent and potential government activities in relation to the Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area. It also summarises the outcomes of the Council-funded Willowbank Intermodal Terminal Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts Study.

Over the medium to long term, the 6,000 hectare Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area will be transformed from its rural character today to a bustling industrial precinct incorporating inland rail, a range of industrial and commercial land uses, new infrastructure and a potential intermodal terminal.

Council procured a Social and Economic Benefit and Impacts Study (the study) (attachment 1) relating to the proposed Intermodal Terminal to better understand the benefits and impacts associated with the proposed infrastructure. The study outlines that the development of an Intermodal Terminal at Willowbank (Ebenezer) is integral to capturing long term economic benefit from Inland Rail operations, and will act as catalyst for industrial land activation in Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area.

Recommendation/s

A. That the findings of the Willowbank Intermodal Terminal Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts Study report be received and noted.

B. That Council note the development of an advocacy plan will be progressed in conjunction with Council to assist in determining Council’s future role in the precinct and to guide advocacy activities.

C. That the Office of Economic Development conduct a series of workshops to engage further with Council regarding the opportunities and issues associated with the future development of the Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area.

RELATED PARTIES

There are no conflicts of interest declared for the Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts Study.

Advance Ipswich Theme

Strengthening our local economy and building prosperity.

Purpose of Report/Background

The Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area (see blue shaded area in figure 1 below) will experience significant and material change between now and 2041. Currently an area with rural character, this area has been zoned for many years as future industrial in the Ipswich Planning Scheme and is expected to evolve into a significant employment hub for the Ipswich region as its 6,000 hectares of land is developed.

Figure 1: Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal surrounding context map

Due to the areas existing character, a significant investment in new infrastructure will be required to enable development in the area to meaningfully commence. Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) owns approximately 550 hectares of land (Willowbank Business Park) in the precinct. In 2019 a business case was finalised through Building Queensland which estimates that approximately $100 million is required for the following estate works and external infrastructure:

· internal precinct works such as roads, earthworks, reticulated water and sewerage, and other utilities;

· road access to the precinct from the Cunningham Highway, including intersection works; and

· trunk water main.

This infrastructure investment by the state (and potentially federal) government will enable other private landowners in the area to access new and critical infrastructure to service future employment generating development. The state government has committed substantial funding towards these estate and infrastructure works, however this is contingent on the federal government providing an equal co-contribution, for which there is no commitment at this point. The requisite funding amounts are confidential at this stage.

The critical enabler that may catalyse federal government funding to activate the area will be the delivery of the Calvert to Kagaru section of Inland Rail and the potential Willowbank (Ebenezer) intermodal terminal. The delivery of intermodal terminals are considered by Inland Rail/the Federal Government to be important to fully realising the benefits of inland rail and maximising productivity in Australia’s freight network.

This Committee report focusses on the Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal as a potential key catalyst to development commencing in the area. However, it is acknowledged that there are many other opportunities and issues associated with the future development of the Ebenezer Regional Industrial area on which the Council will need to be briefed.

This Committee report recommends that further workshops be facilitated with Council, through the Office of Economic Development, to enable Mayor and Councillors to be informed in relation to all aspects of the Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area.

Strategic Context

This section provides an overview of the potential intermodal terminal, inland rail and Economic Development Queensland’s proposed Willowbank Industrial Park.

Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal

The Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal is a potential road-rail interface facility which may be developed in EDQ’s Willowbank Industrial Park, alongside the alignment of Inland Rail. This facility is expected to provide a direct linkage to interstate markets and would be a local interface to national supply chains for local industry.

According to Inland Rail: Intermodal terminals play a significant role in facilitating the consolidation, storage and transfer of freight between rail and road at the beginning and end of each rail journey. Intermodal terminals provide connectivity to ports, regional networks and other capital cities and other locations. Efficient intermodal terminals can also increase flexibility for freight operators’ and decrease the overall cost in a supply chain.

This project was identified as a Regionally Significant Project by Council in April 2020. Council initiated the study to secure up to date and relevant data to determine and support Council advocacy activities for this project.

As the outcomes of the study describe below, the Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal will be a catalyst to local employment opportunities in a range of industries and to industrial land demand driven by businesses co-locating to the intermodal facility to access supply chain efficiencies and proximate access to domestic and international markets.

Given the change that is expected to this area over the medium to long term, there is opportunity for Council to advocate and plan for agreed outcomes to secure benefits for the local region and to potentially minimise inappropriate land uses and negative impacts.

An intermodal facility in the vicinity of Willowbank (Ebenezer) has been identified in a number of external planning documents and activities, including:

· Southern Queensland Freight Corridor Study (2010) lists an intermodal facility at Ebenezer as a medium or long-term solution to improving intermodal freight terminal capacity across South East Queensland.

· The Australian Rail Track Corporation Business Case for Inland Rail (2015) considers new intermodal terminal facilities at Ebenezer and Bromelton to support existing facilities at Acacia Ridge.

· ShapingSEQ (2017), which outlines investment in enabling infrastructure such as intermodals that support Regional Economic Clusters (such as Ipswich, Springfield and Ripley), and that also support existing and new major enterprise and industrial areas (such as Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area) through supply chain networks. This document nominates a facility near Willowbank / Ebenezer as a future intermodal terminal.

· TransformingSEQ (2019), which acknowledges the proposed Willowbank Intermodal Terminal as supporting maturity of the South East Queensland Trade and Enterprise Spine which connects Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane and as unlocking new jobs in the south-west and western growth areas (i.e., Ipswich). This document also identifies the Willowbank Intermodal facility as an opportunity to support growth in SEQ’s transport and communication sector.

· State and Federal governments have jointly committed funding towards a Business Case for Brisbane Inland Rail Terminal. This business case will consider the development of an intermodal terminal in Brisbane to support Inland Rail.

Inland Rail

Inland Rail is a 1,700km rail freight project connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. It is comprised of 13 individual projects across 38 local government areas, five of which are in Queensland. The Calvert to Kagaru section of Inland Rail traverses the Ipswich local government area, from Calvert eastward to Ebenezer and Willowbank (the alignment is shown in Figure 1).

Inland Rail intends to remove freight vehicles from roads, cutting emissions and improving road safety outcomes while shortening freight transit times between Melbourne and Brisbane to 24 hours. 70% of freight carried on Inland Rail is expected to be domestic.

Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has received funding from the Federal Government to deliver Inland Rail in partnership with the private sector. The Calvert to Kagaru section of Inland Rail will be delivered under a Public Private Partnership and is currently at the Environmental Impact Assessment stage, which is expected to be opened for public consultation in late 2020.

ARTC have a number of programs intended to secure ongoing local benefit for local businesses and suppliers to Inland Rail construction, focused on capability and capacity building to upskill local businesses and workers; however intermodal terminal inclusion on the route of Inland Rail is considered to be market-driven.

Officers from ARTC’s Social Performance Program and DITRDC have engaged with Council officers regarding their objectives to secure direct and ongoing benefit to local regions, particularly in employment outcomes and skills and capability building across workforce and businesses. This is intended to be achieved through minimum compliance goals for workforce participation in construction and operational phases by local, indigenous and female workers, with preference given to suppliers who demonstrate a commitment to exceeding thresholds set out in the Australian Industry Participation Strategy.

ARTC has a number of initiatives including the Inland Rail Skills Academy, which includes an MOU with Construction Skills Queensland and partnerships with universities in STEM programs to provide upskilling and pathway opportunities to the workforce. Planning for Business Capability Sessions are underway and expected to be delivered in the near future.

The Parkes to Narromine section of Inland Rail which has now completed construction of 5.3km of new track and upgrades to 98.4km of existing track, employed:

· 1862 people in total; 302 of whom were indigenous

· 762 were local residents, of whom 197 were local indigenous,

· 982 people who were in a sustainable role (defined as employed for 26 weeks or more for a minimum of 15 hours a week),

· 72 women, and

· 303 tradespeople.

The Calvert to Kagaru section of Inland Rail which will traverse Ipswich is 53km of new dual gauge track to be delivered under a Public Private Partnership. This can be expected to employ a significant number of local residents and provide business development opportunities for local businesses. Council officers will continue to engage with technical and social representatives of ARTC as this project approaches public consultation, which is expected to be available for public comment in late 2020 as statutorily required by the Queensland Coordinator-General.

Willowbank Industrial Park

Willowbank Industrial Park is a 548 hectare land holding within the Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area owned by EDQ. It has been identified as a future industry area since 1993, and has also been identified as a Regionally Significant Employment Area and Regional Development Area under ShapingSEQ (South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017).

EDQ lodged a Development Application with Council for Reconfiguration of a Lot and Material Change of Use over 100 hectares to establish Willowbank Stage One. Approval was granted in 2017 and Stage One is expected to be comprised of 18 lots and 2 balance lots in carrying size from 800m2 to 20ha. EDQ expects Stage One to deliver over 2,500 full time equivalent jobs by 2035.

Social and Economic Impacts Assessment Study

Methodology

The study was delivered in September 2020 by consultant CDM Smith. The study examined the economic contribution and social impact of the Willowbank/Ebenezer Intermodal Terminal relative to a social and economic baseline.

Baseline

The following are key data points relevant as socio-economic baseline in 2041:

· The employment retention rate of Ipswich LGA is expected to decrease from 77.3% in 2015-16 to 44.7% in 2040-41. This will result in approximately 128,000 local jobs in 2040-41, when population and employment growth are accounted for.

· In 2040-41, the largest employing industries in Ipswich are expected to be Health Care and Social Assistance (28,357 workers), Manufacturing (18,008 workers), Education and Training (15,507 workers), and Retail Trade (12,404 workers).

· Industrial worker industries such as Manufacturing and Transport, Postal and Warehousing are expected to record substantial increases in persons employed between 2021-22 and 2041-42 (at 2.3% and 1.3% average annual growth rate respectively).

Considerations and assumptions relating to Economic and Social Assessments included:

· Assessment was based on two different facility types and three different associated operational intensity scenarios of 350,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) per annum, 500,000 TEUs/annum and 750,000 TEUs per annum.

· Construction was estimated to take 3 years.

· For intermodal terminal operations, a five-year ramp up period to full capacity was assumed, with full operational status assumed by 2036.

Heavy Vehicle Impacts of the Intermodal Terminal

· As a freight and distribution hub, the report estimates potential impacts of the Intermodal Terminal on the two proximate road freight routes; Cunningham Highway and Warrego Highway. The analysis found that the intermodal terminal would significantly decrease traffic volumes on the Warrego Highway across all operational intensity scenarios, and the Cunningham Highway would experience increases in heavy vehicles movements with the exception of Champions Way.

· It also identified the route between the intermodal site and the Ipswich Motorway at Dinmore may be impacted with 80% of associated freight traffic likely to utilise this route, representing between 1 and 6% of average daily traffic volumes.

Economic Contribution Assessment Outcomes

The economic contribution assessment provides an assessment of economic impacts attributable to the Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal on the Ipswich and SEQ regional economy.

Table 1 (Attachment 2) summarises assumptions and economic contribution across three operational intensity scenarios. Economic contribution is expressed through a lower and upper limit which relate to two potential development options.

In summary, based on the analysis in the report, the ongoing contribution of the Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal at Year 15 (estimated 2046), would be a contribution of between:

· $676.95m (minimum) and $1,428.17m (maximum) to output

· $153.73m (min) and $324.18m (max) to household income

· 1,679.1 (min) and 3,543.4 (max) FTEs jobs

· $299.24m (min) and $631.55m (max) to value add

In 2035-36 (Year 5), the Intermodal Terminal is anticipated to employ an additional 890 – 1,897 persons relative to the no-intermodal baseline scenario for the same year. By 2040-41, this is expected to increase to an additional 1,306 to 2,792 persons employed in comparison to the baseline scenario for employment in 2041. These additional persons employed will primarily work in Transport, Postal and Warehousing; Wholesale Trade; and Manufacturing.

Social Impact Assessment Outcomes

The Social Impact Assessment examined outcomes of community values, way of life, culture, safety, quality of life, infrastructure, health and wellbeing, and livelihoods across all scenarios and project phases. It should be noted that impact varied based on project phase and operational intensity scenario. For simplicity, the maximum estimated impact across all phases is listed below; moderate, low and unknown impacts have been excluded but are available in Attachment 1.

Social Benefits

Social benefits described below indicate the high significance of the Intermodal Terminal to local employment outcomes and the benefits associated with local residents having the opportunity to access local employment opportunities. Social benefits have a high emphasis on liveability outcomes, including residents’ ability to engage with family time and recreation due to a reduction in commute time, the ability to access work due to likelihood of possessing the appropriate skill set, and the impact of co-investment in improving infrastructure used to access services, employment and education.

The study outlines that the large scale benefits to the whole of the LGA in regards to employment opportunities, quality of life improvements related to localised employment and accessibility, and improvements to social and transport infrastructure have a region-wide impact as opposed to the many of the negative impacts which were considered to be more localised in their impact.

Table 2: Identified Benefits

Benefit	Impacted stakeholders	Consequence	Likelihood	Significance
Health and Wellbeing benefits of increased employment opportunities and associated income	Ipswich LGA community	Major	Likely	High
New training and upskilling opportunities for Ipswich workforce	Ipswich LGA community	Moderate	Likely	High
Potential reduction in commuting times for residents of Ipswich LGA due to creation of local employment opportunities and higher employment containment resulting in a range of financial, health and wellbeing benefits	Ipswich LGA community	Moderate	Likely	High
Potential upgrades to roads and key intersections resulting in time savings and improved safety for road users	Nearby residents, road users of Cunningham Highway to Dinmore, workers and families	Moderate	Likely	High
Land value changes; uplift due to demand for proximate demand	Nearby landholders	Minor	Likely	Moderate

Social impacts

Social impacts outlined below largely relate to the significance change in character that the Ebenezer area is expected to undergo in the coming years and are considered to be contained to the directly affected area and immediate surrounds.

However, due to the industrial zoning of the land, many of the negative impacts that are closely tied to perceptions of place will be realised albeit at a slower pace and potentially of lesser significance as land is developed for industrial purposes without the intermodal terminal.

Table 3: Identified potential impacts

Impact	Impacted stakeholders	Consequence	Likelihood	Significance
Increase safety risk on specific nearby roads due to additional heavy vehicle traffic	Nearby residents, road users of the Cunningham Highway to Dinmore	Major	Likely	High
Delays from increased traffic on specific nearby roads and additional rail crossings	Nearby residents, road users of the Cunningham Highway to Dinmore, workers and families	Moderate	Likely	High
Increased public fund expenditure on intensified road maintenance	Taxpayers / ratepayers	Major	Likely	High
Amenity impacts for neighbouring landholders from an increase in traffic noise	Nearby residents, residents along Cunningham Highway to Dinmore	Moderate	Likely	High
Potential increase to health risk associated with reduced air quality	Nearby residents, residents along Cunningham Highway to Dinmore	Moderate	Possible	High
Inconvenience during construction	Nearby residents, residents along Cunningham Highway	Moderate	Likely	High
Cumulative Traffic, Noise and Air Quality Impacts	Adjacent residents, residents along Cunningham Highway to Dinmore	Moderate	Likely	High
Change to sense of place as rural character of the area changes to industrial uses	Nearby residents	Moderate	Likely	High
Localised community composition changes	Nearby residents	Major	Likely	High

Advocacy Context for this Project

As a Regionally Significant Project, the Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal was included in advocacy activities by Council ahead of the October 2020 State Election. Advocacy outcomes included a request that the Business Case for Brisbane Inland Rail Intermodal Terminal be expedited by the State Government in consultation with the community, and also included a request that the State Government accelerate planning and delivery of upgrades to the Cunningham Highway (Yamanto to Ebenezer Creek) section.

As supported by the information in the social and economic impact assessment study, these actions would be critical to ensure the activation of 6,000 hectares of employment-generating industrial land in Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area, and in addressing a congestion problem tied to this section of highway that costs the local economy $45m in productivity per year.

The Office of Economic Development will work closely with Council in relation to defining Council’s role in shaping the future outcomes for the Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area as well as the associated future advocacy actions beyond the 2020 State Election.

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

As neither land owner nor infrastructure owner, Council has no direct lever to impact the delivery of the Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal beyond supporting land use planning outcomes and providing support to other state or private landowners in their industrial land activation activities.

Council has identified that the development of this area will provide catalytic long-term and region-wide benefit for Ipswich and leverages the operation of Inland Rail, but there is opportunity for Council to plan and work collaboratively with stakeholders to determine how impacts can be mitigated in consultation with the community.

This includes Council identifying a pathway to securing associated infrastructure investment including required infrastructure for industrial land activation, and upgrades to Yamanto-Ebenezer Creek section of the Cunningham Highway (including Amberley Interchange) and anything further determined by Council as part of future workshops.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

There are no current budget allocations relating to progressing any further technical analysis in relation to the Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area.

The cost of the Willowbank Intermodal Terminal Social and Economic Benefits and Impact Study was $59,920 ex GST to consultant CDM Smith, this was allocated within the 2020/21 Office of Economic Development operating budget.

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

Community Consultation

Community consultation was not required to support the social and economic impact assessment study as it constitutes a technical report to quantify economic and social impacts only. Should the State or Federal Government progress the Detailed Business Case for the Intermodal Terminal, community consultation will be a requirement at that stage.

Community consultation relating to the delivery of Inland Rail is expected to be undertaken in late 2020 by the Office of the Coordinator-General.

Stakeholder Engagement

This study was informed by internal and external stakeholder consultation and involved representatives from:

Internal:

· Office of Economic Development

· Social Planning

· Transport and Traffic Branch

· Strategic Planning

Internal stakeholders provided information specific to strategic land use planning and history, local community infrastructure and insights into the site, its uses, and the impact of, and concerns regarding Inland Rail on the local community gleaned from previous participation in Inland-Rail associated consultation. These stakeholders also reviewed and provided feedback on drafts to ensure veracity of outcomes represented.

This study has been provided for use in the upcoming Industrial Land and Employment Needs Analysis that is being initiated by the Planning and Regulatory Services Department.

External:

· EDQ

· Queensland Treasury

· Transport and Main Roads

· ARTC

· Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning

o Economic and Infrastructure Strategy Group

o Regional Development

o Economic Development

· Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (DITRDC) was approached but deferred to representatives from ARTC.

These external stakeholders provided a range of information including commercial in confidence information that formed the basis of the scenarios for development and the resulting estimated impacts.

Conclusion

The activation of Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area will provide a future employment hub for the residents of Ipswich and will provide long term economic benefit. The Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal is likely to act as a catalyst to this industrial land activation and is an integral element of securing long term economic benefit from the operation of Inland Rail by securing a local interface with a national supply chain.

The Willowbank (Ebenezer) Intermodal Terminal is likely to provide a range of high significance and long term benefits to the Ipswich community, primarily relating to employment opportunities, business investment, and health and wellbeing indicators associated with higher employment containment which will not occur without the development of the Intermodal Terminal acting as a catalyst to an industrial employment precinct.

The negative impacts highlighted are expected to emerge over time regardless of Intermodal Terminal development, indicating that development of an Intermodal Terminal in the vicinity of Willowbank (Ebenezer) will provide a catalytic net benefit to the residents of the Ipswich LGA and is an opportunity to maximise lasting benefit from the Inland Rail Programme to Ipswich.

Council has an opportunity to plan to support the maximisation of benefits to the Ipswich region and proposes that an advocacy plan be developed in conjunction with Councillors to determine Council’s role and actions moving forward.

Attachments and Confidential Background Papers

1.	Willowbank Intermodal Terminal Economic and Social Benefits and Impacts Study ⇩
2.	Summary of Economic Contribution Assessment Outcomes ⇩

Clare Coburn

Project Officer - Major Projects and Advocacy

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Dan Heenan

Coordinator - Major Projects and Advocacy

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Cat Matson

Manager, Economic and Community Development

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Ben Pole

General Manager - Community, Cultural and Economic Development

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”

Economic and Industry Development Committee

Meeting Agenda

19 November

2020

Item 1 / Attachment 1.

PDF Creator

Economic and Industry Development Committee

Meeting Agenda

19 November

2020

Doc ID No: A6572060

ITEM: 2

SUBJECT: Pilot Facade Improvement Program

AUTHOR: Project Manager - Ipswich Central

DATE: 28 October 2020

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the recommendations for the Pilot Façade Improvement Program that closed on Monday, 19 October 2020.

Recommendation/s

That Council endorse $93,723.73 of the approved $100,000 Pilot Façade Improvement Program funding support being allocated to assessed applications ranked 1 to 8 in Attachment 1.

RELATED PARTIES

There was no declaration of conflicts of interest.

Advance Ipswich Theme

Strengthening our local economy and building prosperity

Purpose of Report/Background

The Pilot Façade Improvement Program was designed to incentivise businesses and building owners in the Ipswich Central precinct to improve their facades. It is part of a broad program of activity being developed to stimulate wider investment and to revitalise key economic and community activity within Ipswich Central.

This program was approved at the Economic Development Committee No. 2019 (10) on 22 October 2019 and work commenced on the consultation, guidelines, governance, acquittal processes and marketing plan for the program.

Internal and external consultation in the following six months saw the program widely communicated to local business through briefings, Shape your Ipswich and local media. The guidelines and processes were finalised and the program was due to be launched in April 2020, but due to COVID-19 the program was placed on hold.

The Pilot Façade Improvement Program launched on 27 July and closed on 19 October 2020. The program allowed applicants 12 weeks to source quotes and submit applications through Smarty Grants.

Twelve applications were submitted for the program, seven others were commenced but not submitted.

Total funding requested across the 12 completed applications totalled $136,849, exceeding the $100,000 allocated to the pilot.

Given the program was over-subscribed, the assessment panel prioritised applications using the agreed and published assessment: benefits (40%), the project (30%), local contractors (20%) and budget (10%). The panel comprised Daniel Keenan ICC Principal Officer Urban Design and Heritage Conservation, Paula Grant USQ Senior Lecturer Urban and Regional Planning, and Erin Marchant ICC Project Manager - Ipswich Central.

Based on this assessment, eight of the 12 applications are recommended to be funded utilising $93,723.73 of the $100,000 pilot program budget.

The works applied for include painting, lighting upgrades, access improvement, changing façade materials and branding. The applications received were from businesses in the Nicholas Street Precinct, Brisbane Street and Limestone Street and will all make a significant difference to the pilot area. Applications were received from businesses who have collaborated with their neighbours and others who are stand alone.

Applicants can commence works once the terms and conditions are signed and the majority will be complete within three months. There is one property that may take longer due to the heritage nature, but all will be complete by the end of the 2020/21 financial year.

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

Four applications to the value of $43,125.50 will be unfunded in this pilot round.

As the panel deemed all applicants met the criteria there are risks of not taking advantage of the enthusiasm and time invested by the applicants sourcing quotes and working with local suppliers to submit their applications.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

The pilot program had a total of $100,000 allocated and is oversubscribed by approximately $36,000. It was an extremely competitive round of funding with all applicants deemed acceptable by the assessment panel.

Council may choose to approve an additional funding amount of $36,849.23 to progress all 12 of the assessed and acceptable applications. This would result in a total cooperative investment into the Ipswich Central precinct of over $300,000.

If Council chose to approve additional funding, it could consider a Recommendation B such as:

That Council endorse an additional $36,849.23 (along with the $6,276.27 remaining budget) in funding support to the Pilot Façade Improvement Program be allocated to assessed applications numbered 9,10,11 and 12 in Attachment 1.

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

Project leads from the Office of Economic Development consulted with the following Ipswich City Council teams and officers:

· Urban Design and Heritage Conservation– Daniel Keenan

· Planning – Mitchell Grant

· Infrastructure and Environment – Mark Bastin and Grant Sorensen

· Coordination and Performance – Sean Madigan

· Stakeholder Relations – Allison Grant and Rachel Vickary

· Marketing Services – Leah Boettcher and Carly Gregory

· City Events – Jo Jordan

· Community Development – Josie Berry and Sarah Sheehy

· Grants Management – Matthew Mulroney

· Legal Services – Allison Ferres-MacDonald, Vivian Little, Nicola Harris

· Finance – Jeffrey Keech, Chase Maudsley, Brett Edmunds

· Workplace Health and Safety – Chris Lee

· Risk and Compliance - Graham McGinniskin and Kathy Jakimowicz

· Internal Audit – Mark Odan

· Procurement – Wanda Schoenfisch

Community consultation included:

· a series of three emails to the Business Ipswich database (400);

· engagement with every business in the pilot area by council officers, providing them with a copy of the guidelines;

· a video of Councillors Doyle and Fechner promoting the program which was distributed through social media channels and Shape your Ipswich;

· several meetings were held with applicants by the Heritage Advisor and council officers.

All of this communication was well received by the business community.

On conclusion of the Pilot Façade Improvement Program a survey will be sent to all applicants of this program, including the seven who did not complete their applications. This is to gain insights about the process and to identify any areas for improvement.

Feedback from the applicants will be incorporated and amendments to the program will be implemented in potential guidelines for 2021-2022. This will also consider how such a program may be implemented across a wider area.

Conclusion

The Pilot Façade Improvement Program has been well received and has achieved its primary objectives of stimulating wider investment in the area and working with local suppliers to promote economic development in Ipswich Central.

The improvements will contribute to the area’s atmosphere, overall appeal, and to create an engaging experience for locals and visitors. It will complement the Nicholas Street Precinct investment and other private investments in Ipswich Central.

Attachments and Confidential Background Papers

1.	Pilot Facade Improvement Program Figures ⇩

Erin Marchant

Project Manager - Ipswich Central

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Cat Matson

Manager, Economic and Community Development

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Ben Pole

General Manager - Community, Cultural and Economic Development

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”