As an organisation, we have invested
significantly in achieving the goals
articulated in our 2014-19 Corporate Plan
and I am proud of our ‘scorecard’ this
financial year. Adapting our strategic
direction to meet the changing and
diverse needs of our residents remained
a key priority, with Council adopting two
new Corporate Goals – ‘Culture’ and
‘Innovation & Technology’ during this
financial year.
consultative approach to urban design and the work we
are doing to transform the Toowoomba CBD and our
regional communities. Planning for a growing region is a
great responsibility and, whilst it is important to ensure
consistent and cohesive infrastructure planning, it’s
essential that community collaboration is included to
realise the shared vision of our region.
Toowoomba Regional Council adopted its Local
Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) in May 2017.
Changes to state government legislation in 2014 enabled
Council to adopt the LGIP, which replaces the previous
Priority Infrastructure Plan (PIP) in the planning scheme.
The LGIP identifies trunk infrastructure (water, sewerage,
stormwater, transport, parks and community facilities) that
is required to service urban development at the desired
standard for our future communities. More specifically,
the information in the plan covers the type, cost, size
and expected timing of infrastructure and will guide
Council decisions about development and associated
infrastructure requirements.
The Greater Toowoomba Waste Management Facility
was recognised as one of the most progressive in the
country, with Council winning the Innovation Award
at the 2017 Australian Landfill and Transfer Stations
Innovation and Excellence Awards in Sydney. The
$20 million facility opened in December 2015 and has
revolutionised the way we approach waste services
across the region, reducing the number of loads to landfill
by 72 percent, during its first 12 months of operation.
With a growing population comes an increased waste
generation and landfill challenges. Council responded
to those challenges this year, with the adoption of The
Toowoomba Region Waste Management Strategy.
Our community is embracing landfill diversion and this
strategy is a blueprint for how we will move from a waste
disposal to a resource recovery mindset.
Remaining at the forefront of technological advances
was a high priority for Council, with our Information,
Communication and Technology (ICT) team completing
41 projects this financial year. With the support of our ICT
staff we are delivering innovative, responsive, high quality
and consistent technologies that will meet organisational
and community expectations.
Our significant achievements would not be possible
without the ongoing commitment of a dedicated team.
I would like to thank our Mayor and Councillors for
their leadership and vision this year. I would also like to
acknowledge the support of all our employees and my
Executive Management Team including Kevin Flanagan,
who retired from his position as Water and Waste Services
General Manager at the end of this financial year
following a 40 year career in local government.
We live in a wonderful region and I am truly proud of
Council’s role in delivering the community outcomes
articulated in our 2016/17 Annual Report.
Brian Pidgeon
Chief Executive Officer - Toowoomba Regional Council
Annual Report 2016 - 2017 I TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL
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