The Councillors will also consider entering into a three-year Resource and Performance Agreement with Wonderland Entertainment and Leisure Pty Ltd for $56,700 plus $10,000 in-kind, per annum, to provide Wonderland Spiegeltent for Carnivale 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Other key items on the agenda include:

Telecommunications facility - Lot 1 Prins Road Lower Daintree

With a view to improving customer services and providing faster and more reliable voice and data services, it is recommended Council provide Telstra with approval to establish a new 40-metre high monopole Telecommunications Facility at Lot 1 Prins Road, Lower Daintree.

Although the proposed development does not comply with the height limits anticipated by the Planning Scheme, the proposed development is found to be an acceptable form of development for the site and the broader rural area.

Bridge renewal program: Poletti's Bridge

With the Diggers Bridge project is under budget and on schedule, it will be proposed that Council apply to the Australian Government to have the surplus grant funding of $439,000 approved under Round Three of the Bridges Renewal Program for Diggers Bridge Replacement Program to be transferred to the Poletti’s Bridge Renewal Project.

And Council will commit to providing the required capital funds of $511,000 to complete the Poletti’s Bridge Replacement Project should the application to transfer the grant funding be successful. A construction budget of $950,000 is required for the construction and project management phases.

The proposal is to renew Poletti’s Bridge with a single span post tensioned concrete beam structure. This new structure will mitigate the risk associated with the current ageing infrastructure and will deliver economic benefits for the local industry currently operating in the valley accessed via Poletti’s Road. 

Poletti’s Bridge is a shovel ready project as the detailed design and documentation is completed and this project has successfully gained all approvals required for construction

Financial report for the period ended 31 August 2018

Key points:

• Operating revenue is currently under budget by $130k.
• Operating expenditure is under budget by $789k.
• The operating surplus is currently $7.9m compared to a budgeted surplus of $7.2m.
• Council has received 35% of its annual budgeted operating revenue.
• Year to date operating expenditure is currently under budget.
• Fees and charges are under budget by $158k mainly due to timing differences with the raising of licence fees. This expected to correct itself during September.
• Grants and subsidies are $34k ahead of budget partly due to an increase in the anticipated Financial Assistance Grant for the 2018/19 financial year.
• Interest received is less than anticipated and is $20k under budget.
• Employee benefits expenditure is $151k under budget and can be impacted by various factors, such as staff vacancies, the amount and timing of leave taken and the allocation of costs to capital expenditure.
• Materials and Services expenditure is under budget by $639k and while committals currently equal $6.8m it should be noted that the majority of these committals relate to annual expenditure contracts.
• Depreciation expense has been accrued based on the budget forecast, as the asset register is still being finalised as part of the 2017/18 end of financial year process and cannot be updated with actual depreciation for the new financial year until this process is completed.
• The operating result is $660k ahead of budget.

 - CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAIL

Daintree River ferry: Traffic analysis project

Although Council’s submission for a $100,000 grant application to the State Government’s Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline Program 2 (MIPP) was unsuccessful, it is being recommended to proceed with the traffic engineering analysis project at the Daintree River Ferry and the costs associated with this project be incorporated in the 2018-19 Annual Budget Review.

Councillors will be advised that the traffic engineering analysis project at the Daintree River Ferry is deemed to be an integral project to inform the community and assist develop the tender documentation for the next ferry operations contract.

Petition: Installation of closed circuit television cameras in Front Street, Mossman

Council has been presented with a petition requesting the installation of Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) along Front Street, Mossman from George Davis Park up to the Woolworths Supermarket site.

Signed by 93 petitioners, it follows the recent incident of a fire in a Council rubbish bin that almost burnt adjacent buildings containing three businesses and a number of anti-social behaviour/criminal activities carried out in area.

The Principal Petitioner has also entered into discussions with Mossman Police who advise that they have provision for the CCTV screens and the manpower for surveillance and reviews of CCTV footage.

Agenda:

1. Request superseded planning scheme aquaculture l3 Vixies Rd Wonga Beach
2. Material change of use for extension to existing community use - 20 Mill Street, Mossman
3. Material change of use - telecommunications facility - lot 1 Prins Road Lower Daintree
4. Superseded planning scheme request- Bougainvillea Street, Cooya Beach
5. Application for permanent road closure over part of unnamed road adjoining lot 138 on sr454, Toll Gate Road, Oak Beach
6. Bridge renewal program - Poletti's Bridge
7. Wonderland Spiegeltent - resource & performance agreement
8. Carnivale 2019 proposed program and contractual arrangements
9. Section 235 other exceptions Ecotourism Australia
10. Financial report for the period ended 31 August 2018
11. Christmas close down period 2017
12. Daintree River ferry - traffic analysis project
13. CEO report for June - August 2018
14. Petition - for installation of closed circuit television cameras in Front Street, Mossman
15. Petition - request to install traffic control speed bump at or close to 30 Marlin Driv - 

 - For more information CLICK HERE

Join the conversation

Thumb up or thumb down or place a comment below.

* Readers are encouraged to use their full details below to ensure comment legitimacy. Comments are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport or its staff. Comments containing unlawful, obscene, defamatory, personal or abusive material will not be published.