2007–08 Annual Report
with abridged financial statements
The complete Annual Report will be available from the Administration Centre and the Bassendean Memorial Library and on the Town’s website from 20 January 2009.
General Meeting of Electors
Local Government Act 1995
NOTICE is hereby given that a General Meeting of Electors of the Municipality of the Town of Bassendean will be held in the Bassendean Community Hall, 48 Old Perth Road, Bassendean, at 7.00 pm on Tuesday 3 February 2009.
Order of Business
1.0 ANNUAL REPORT
- Report of the Mayor
- CEO's Report
- 2007/08 Audited Annual Financial Statements
2.0 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
- Electors are encouraged to take the opportunity to raise questions of the Mayor and Senior Officers of the Council.
Availability of the Annual Report
- The Annual Report, containing the Financial Statements, will be available for inspection at the Council Offices during office hours from 20 January 2009.
Cr Tina Klein JP, Mayor
Mayor's Report
In October 2007, I was extremely proud and humbled to have been elected for my third term to serve as the Mayor of the Town of Bassendean for a two year period and to be able, once again, to report on the Town’s activities through the Annual Report for 2007–08.
I can report with a great deal of satisfaction that the 2007–08 financial year was one where significant highlights were noted and where many outstanding achievements were completed. For example, the Town of Bassendean now has a new Local Planning Scheme which was Gazetted on 24 June 2008 and congratulations are warranted for the Manager Development Services, Mr Brian Reed, for his professional stewardship of the new Scheme over several years.
Protecting and improving
The Town of Bassendean is committed to protecting its natural environment and safeguarding our number one asset, the Swan River. A major $1.2 million riverbank restoration project was launched at Ashfield Parade in January 2008 and the three year project is now well underway.
Council also approved the first stage of the Success Hill Concept Plan and new access stairs and a floating fishing platform will be constructed in the 2008-09 financial year. The obsolete and unsound jetties at Pickering Park were also removed and the foreshore rehabilitated.
Revitalising the Town Centre
In August 2007, Council adopted the Town Centre Area Strategy Concept Plan which is a blueprint for the revitalisation of the Bassendean Town Centre. At the end of the financial year the State Government was undertaking an $80,000 study on the feasibility and implementation of the Plan.
Looking to the future
In other planning studies, the Town participated in the Ashfield Enquiry by Design program in workshops from 16, 17 and 20 June with community, councillors and officers contributing. At the end of the financial year, Council was eagerly awaiting the outcomes to fully engage the community in commenting on and shaping the preferred option for the redevelopment of Ashfield into the future.
The first year of a two year program to relocate the tennis courts to the eastern end of the BIC Reserve was completed in the reporting year. A new link road extension from Hamilton Street and a new car park was constructed and funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation was secured for two new Plexi-Pave tennis courts to be constructed early in the following financial year.
Council secured the future of the Wind in the Willows Child Care Centre in its current location by the transfer to Council of land owned by St John Ambulance in Wilson Street which had been used by the Wind in the Willows.
The youth skate park at Steel Blue Oval Bassendean was completed and the Bassendean Youth Service returned to their headquarters in the McDonald Stand adjacent to the new skate park after being housed in the former business centre and squash court site.
Public events and art
The community again benefitted from spending on public events, cultural and public art activities including the inaugural Sculpture Park Exhibition and the subsequent purchase of three public art installations.
Changes in governance
In terms of governance, the first October Council elections were held using the proportional preferential voting system. New faces elected onto Council were Cr Lynda Butler (West Ward), Cr Gerry Pule (West Ward) and Cr Sam Piantadosi (North Ward) who were welcomed as new Councillors for the Town. These Councillors, along with Cr Michelle Stubbs (who was returned in the East Ward) were all sworn in at a special meeting of Council on 23 October. Cr Mary Elgar (East Ward) was unable to attend the meeting on 23 October and was sworn in at a special meeting of the Council on 8 November. Councillors defeated at the election were Cr Jack Fox and Cr John Sutherland along with Cr Ross Dunkerton who resigned mid-term to take up residence in Queensland and Cr Mark Devlin who retired from his Councillor duties.
These are only some of the major highlights and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank my fellow Councillors from both the previous and current Councils who served over the financial year for their dedicated commitment to the Town. The CEO, Mr Gary Evershed, deserves thanks for his leadership and continued drive and focus on the strategic direction of the Town over the reporting year and thanks also to the Directors and staff for their dedication and commitment to the Bassendean community.
Mayor Tina Klein JP.
