Delivering a bright future for our community

Sunshine Coast Council has continued on its path to building a healthier, happier and more sustainable region for residents and visitors.

This includes investing in our local roads and active transport networks, inclusive community spaces, our natural environment and delivering infrastructure projects that create jobs for the future.

The 2023-24 Sunshine Coast Council Annual Report, endorsed at this month’s Ordinary Meeting (November 21), showcases the region’s progress and the breadth of Council’s services delivered to the community.

Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the annual report provided a snapshot of the many services, facilities, projects and events Council had delivered in the last financial year.

“Our community is at the heart of everything we do,” Mayor Natoli said.

“Your Council has a duty to be open and accountable and this report is a great example of this.

“It highlights how we’ve tracked against performance targets and delivered on our strategies and plans.

“It’s an opportunity to showcase the programs, people and practices that have contributed to our progress, and it reflects on the changes we need to implement as we plan for the future.

“Our vision to be Australia’s most sustainable region is underpinned by well-established strategies for our region, focused on our community, environment and economy.

“Those strategies shape new ways of working and build a culture of continuous improvement to deliver better services and better outcomes for our residents and visitors to our region.’’

Spotlight on Council’s outcomes

A selection of highlights from the 2023-24 Annual Report:

• More than 282,000 customers were assisted by our customer contact centres rating a score of 4.52 out of 5 on the ease of working with Council.
• Around 17,072 hectares of mowing sites were maintained, along with 5,303 hectares of garden beds.
• More than $13.6 million was allocated for new and upgraded park and playground facilities.
• $25 million was invested in resurfacing and/or rehabilitating 62.9 kilometres of sealed roads, with a total of 180 road projects completed.
• More than $5.2 million was awarded through 1,071 grants to our community.
• Waste services were collected on time 99 per cent of the time.
• $353.8 million was spent with local suppliers in the financial year, an increase of $39.4 million in comparison to the previous year.

A community effort

Mayor Natoli said Council achievements over the past year were the result of collaboration across our communities, all levels of government, industry and business.

“Through partnerships with the Queensland and Australian governments, we’ve delivered critical infrastructure.

“I’d like to thank my fellow Councillors and all Council employees as well as our community volunteers who together help make our region such a special place.”

The Annual Report and financial statements are available on Council’s website.

Green light from Queensland Audit Office

In a separate item at the Ordinary Meeting, Council was advised the Queensland Audit Office (QAO) issued an unmodified audit opinion for Council’s 2023-24 financial statements.

Outstanding Organisation Portfolio Councillor Ted Hungerford said an independent audit undertaken by the QAO revealed Council’s key financial reporting and audit deliverables had again been met.

“This is the 16th consecutive unmodified audit opinion Sunshine Coast Council has received from the QAO following its review of our 2023-24 draft financial statements, internal control framework and financial sustainability ratios,” Cr Hungerford said.