LAST year\u2019s creative city financial report, which covers the progress that\u2019s been made towards the City of Ballarat\u2019s 2019 Creative City Strategy, was endorsed by all councillors at least week\u2019s regular council meeting.<\/p>\n
The strategy set seven targets for the municipality to reach by 2030 and seeks to deliver benefits to the creative sector.<\/p>\n
Targets like increasing community participation, employing artists, tripling attendance at events, and creating more cultural tourism are performing well according to the document.<\/p>\n
However, the target of creating 3000 jobs in the creative industry is currently on a downward trend.<\/p>\n
Cr Belinda Coates said it was important to celebrate the creative aspects of Ballarat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we\u2019re a creative city that has so many benefits and so many aspects that are making the city more vibrant and enjoyable,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what the creative strategy has done is really broadened our idea of what being creative actually is, it\u2019s not just being a visual artist or a painter.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Annual report noted<\/strong><\/p>\n Also, and as part of reporting season, councillors noted last financial year\u2019s annual report.<\/p>\n The report is a requirement under the Local Government Act 2020<\/em> and details the achievements, challenges, and activities of the municipality between July 2022 and June 2023.<\/p>\n Key numbers included a $144 million capital works program, the development of a \u2018customer charter\u2019 to improve customer service provided by City of Ballarat staff to ratepayers, residents and visitors, and the allocation of more than $1 million of community grants.<\/p>\n \u201cInvesting in the City of Ballarat\u2019s future has been a central theme for 2022\/2023,\u201d said Mayor Cr Des Hudson.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the Her Majesty\u2019s Theatre refurbishment to the Ballarat Airport runway extension, our $144 million citywide transformational capital works program is delivering major projects that will leave a legacy for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n New charter for the City<\/strong><\/p>\n Councillors endorsed a new customer charter which provides standards ratepayers, residents and visitors can expect when interacting with City of Ballarat staff.<\/p>\n Along with the charter, customer response standards have also been created that aim to capture data on the activities of municipal staff.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about setting the values for the organisation and setting the values for officers and staff around interactions with the community,\u201d said Cr Coates.<\/p>\n \u201cAs public servants, people working for local government are at the forefront of customer service interaction.\u201d<\/p>\n The development of the charter followed a consultation period which included reviewing comparable charters, multiple surveys.<\/p>\n As part of the new charter \u201ctarget response times\u201d including urgent public safety matters delt with on the same at with the goals of at least making them safe.<\/p>\n \u201cStandard requests and reports\u201d like rates notices request, emptying missed bins and contact information updates could take up to three working days.<\/p>\n \u201cComplex\u201d issues, like getting a new bin delivered, or access to reports have been given a 10-day benchmark response time, while other \u201ccomplex\u201d maters, like getting a pothole filled would need to start with 10 days.<\/p>\n Issues like complaints or things that are already covered by existing municipal polices will default to the response times detailed within the relevant document.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n