The 2018 Local Government Excellence Awards are several weeks away, but Campbelltown City Council already has plenty to celebrate, with nine projects among this year’s finalists.
The successful projects were:
Creative Communities category: The Transformative Power of Art: Campbelltown Arts Centre explored the transformative power of by art presenting Another Day In Paradise (pictured), the first major exhibition by the late artist Myuran Sukumaran.
Environmental Leadership and Sustainability category – Cook It! Macarthur: The project aimed to increase awareness of the environmental, economic and health impacts of wasteful food consumption, with the hope of changing behaviours and providing members of the community with skills to prevent food waste.
Community Development and Services category: IT & Biscuits: Campbelltown City Library’s IT & Biscuits program encourages adults in the community to visit the libraries and learn about technology in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with other people while enjoying a cup of tea and biscuits.
The program has helped more than 1,200 participants to become confident using technology, including computers, email, internet, mobile phones and social media.
Community Partnerships and Collaboration category: Let’s Talk Legal: This program was developed in partnership with Macarthur Legal Centre. It provides free legal talks presented by legal professionals including advice and information, with an option to receive further information or assistance during a one-on-one consultation.
Service Delivery Initiative category – Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) workshops: Council is a local network partner with Little Scientists Australia and offers hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) for educators/ teachers working with children aged three to six. The aim of the workshops is the give early childhood educators the confidence to explore STEM subjects using existing, low-cost, everyday materials.
Service Delivery Initiative category: Pop-Up Library: Council established a pop-up library in Campbelltown Mall to enable continuation of service while one of its largest library branches was renovated.
Service Delivery Initiative category – Fostering Effective Early learning (FEEL): Council’s early learning centre Waratah Cottage partnered with the University of Wollongong in a study called Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL).
Asset Management and Infrastructure category – Council’s Corporate Asset Management System: Asset renewal backlog is the amount of funding required to bring all assets (including, roads, footpaths, buildings, public spaces and play equipment) up to a “satisfactory” standard. Council’s asset renewal backlog in 2013 was $33.838 million. That year, council resolved to eliminate the backlog by 2023-2024. By utilising a centralised comprehensive asset management system and advanced asset management techniques, council reduced the backlog to $20.2 million by June 30, 2017.
Special Project category – Community Strategic Plan, Campbelltown 2027: Campbelltown City is at the epicentre of one of the most significant growth corridors in NSW, which is driving infrastructure, investment and jobs. Council undertook extensive community consultation ahead of reworking its Community Strategic Plan to ensure it was ready to meet the challenges that come with such unprecedented growth.
Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr George Brticevic, said he was proud that so many council initiatives had been selected as finalists in the annual awards.
“As a council, we constantly try to find new ways to engage with the community and move with the times in the types of services we provide and the way that we provide them,” he said.
The awards night will be held on June 7 in Sydney.
