31 May, 2019

Council Delivering in First Six Months of Office

As May sees the conclusion of the first six months of the 2018-2022 City of Adelaide Council term, the new Council is already delivering results for residents, businesses and visitors to the City of Adelaide.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor pointed to homelessness funding, multiple new policies to benefit the city and key infrastructure spending in the CBD and Park Lands as being the major achievements.

The Lord Mayor was particularly pleased that this has been achieved as eight new councillors have made the adjustment to public life so quickly and are already delivering for their communities, focusing on main streets, city businesses growth, street greening, and unique experiences and activations.

“While the draft Integrated Business Plan will be adopted next month, Council has prepared a balanced budget which sees the rate in the dollar frozen for the sixth consecutive year, while implementing measures to remove barriers for business and foster growth,” said the Lord Mayor.

“This budget will also see the delivery of more cultural activation and unique experiences throughout the City and North Adelaide while also delivering $38.2 million in infrastructure, including $7.2 million towards street upgrades and greening.

“This Council is determined to build upon the reputation it has fostered in recent years for working effectively with other tiers of government and the private sector to maximise benefits for our community and this is already seeing results,” said the Lord Mayor.

“The Adelaide City Deal, signed in March, is worth more than $500 million to the city and will stimulate investment in the East End of the CBD through the redevelopment of the Lot Fourteen site.

“We have also been working collaboratively with the State Government to secure funding for important infrastructure works such as the Quentin Kenihan Inclusive Playspace and a new City Skate facility.

“City of Adelaide ratepayers and visitors can expect more positive outcomes from Council as we move into the next six months of this term.”

Achievements to date include:

• Signing the $500m Adelaide City Deal partnership between Federal, State and Council which will catalyse development at Lot Fourteen, promote our Smart City investments and bring increased activity to the City’s East End
• The formulation of a balanced budget 2019-20 budget which includes:
  • Freezing the rate in the dollar for sixth consecutive year
  • Removal of outdoor dining fees for city businesses
  • Increases to homelessness funding (contingent on State Government support)
  • Reinstating the Splash Adelaide program
  • Funding for masterplans for O’Connell, Melbourne and Hutt Streets
  • Saving the City Connector Bus through additional funding
• Securing $3 million in State Government funding to deliver a City Skate Park on West Terrace
• Securing $1 million in State Government funding to deliver a Quentin Kenihan Inclusive Playspace in Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka (Park 14)
• Entering into Stage 2 of 88 O’Connell Street Development; a major project designed to attract people and support the vitality and prosperity of North Adelaide and create an important gateway to the CBD.
• Progressing Central Market Arcade redevelopment project which will help strengthen the Market District as a premier food and wine destination and complement the beloved Adelaide Central Market.
• Securing Black Spot funding for the intersection of Glover Terrace and West Terrace
• Launching the ParkAdelaide Smart Parking App to make parking more accessible and move towards an expiation free city
• Installing Australia’s first ‘100% recycled road’ and trialling recycled road mixtures
• Strongly opposing the Adelaide Oval Hotel development including appearances at the State Parliament Select Committee
• Commencing construction of first Changing Place in the City of Adelaide
• Reducing traffic congestion by extending Pulteney Street clearway times in line with the State Government’s Keeping Metro Traffic Moving policy
• Conducting an E-scooter trial, providing more options for fast, convenient transport throughout the city
• Creating a balance between residential, visitor and business needs through changes to parking controls in North Adelaide
• Hosting a 2019 Federal Election Roundtable and advocating to candidates around city growth policies
• Advocating on Local Government Reform to increase transparency, accountability and efficiency in the local government sector
• Working with the State Government on Planning Reform
• Submitting to the State Government’s single-use plastics and Container Deposit Scheme discussion papers
• Submitting to the development of South Australia’s Arts Plan 2019-2024
• Providing more community accessible Automatic External Defibrillators to help first responders potentially save the life of someone suffering cardiac arrest
• Adopting the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2019-2022 to ensure infrastructure investments and Council programs are accessible and inviting to people of all abilities
• Approving a location for the Vietnamese Boat People Memorial on Victoria Drive
• Approving the Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka (Park 14) Draft Master Plan
• Progressing plans for an East/West Bikeway while working to complete the North/South corridor
• Endorsed nation leading Sustainable Events Guidelines
• Endorsed an updated Encroachment Policy to provide developers with certainty and to maintain and enhance our city’s streetscape
• Identifying 9 priority Black Spot locations and applying for Federal Government funding
• Investigating improvement of multilingual customer service opportunities to better support our diverse community
• Investigating the current state of childcare services supply within the City of Adelaide to improve access to childcare for city families
• Investigating the creation of micro Tender Opportunities for Small Businesses to better support small businesses in the City of Adelaide
• Investigating atmospheric lighting for O’Connell Street and Melbourne Street North Adelaide
• Investigating an ‘International Ambassador’ style program with the aim to engage Adelaide’s international and multicultural business communities, initially focusing on China
• Investigating the reinstatement of the Rundle Road Weekend Closure and On Street Paid Parking to support local businesses and provide motorists with more parking opportunities
• Conducting an Integrated Transport Strategy process in partnership with State Government

Matt Halliwell