About the Project
Did you know that Council manages and maintains nearly 18,000 Open Space and Pathways assets including footpaths, rail trails, parks, playgrounds, sports fields and amenities?
The number of assets Council owns grows each year as new developments are completed, and community needs evolve. Each year, the expenses increase as we undertake maintenance and upkeep on both existing and newly added open space and pathways assets.
To ensure Council's open space and pathways asset network meet the community's needs, we are reviewing our asset management plan. The Open Space and Pathways Asset Management Plan (OSPAMP) is designed to outline the service levels required to maintain all of our assets cost-effectively and keep our community safe. The financial commitment for this asset class has been modelled and options will be considered in line with the desired levels of service. The OSPAMP will be reviewed every four years.
Pathways will play a crucial role in Bass Coast Shire's Integrated Transport Strategy by linking pedestrians and cyclists to our townships and activity centers. While pathways were once overseen by the Road Asset Management Plan, they will now be incorporated into Open Space to ensure the allocation of necessary resources to maintain our high standard of service.
In August, Council invited the community to review the draft Open Space and Pathways Asset Management Plan seeking feedback on the proposed levels of service and ongoing management of Council's Open Space and Pathways asset network.
All feedback will be reviewed and considered into a final draft which was presented and adopted at the September Council Meeting.
Although not in scope for the asset management plan, if you are interested in Council's plans to build new tracks and trails please read the adopted strategy here.
The assets listed below will be incorporated into the Open Space & Pathways Asset Management Plan:
- Pathways including footpaths, tracks & trails, pram crossings, steps and associated signage.
- Playgrounds, skate parks, exercise equipment and playing surfaces.
- Sporting areas including active sports fields & courts and passive reserve green space.
- Park furniture; tables bins and benches.
- Amenities like beach showers, drink fountains, BBQs and water taps.
- Public artwork and memorials.
- Signage including information, wayfinding, regulatory and warning.
Some of the feedback Council is seeking is on the proposed levels of service (LoS).
LoS are the basis of the Asset Management Plan's lifecycle management strategies and work programs. They are designed to align with the strategic goals outlined in the Council Plan, balancing community needs with available resources.
As community expectations evolve, LoS are adjusted to address priorities fairly and equitably. For more information, refer to the current Open Space Asset Management Plan, Section 3.2 on page 9.
There are multiple challenges facing the management of Council's assets over the 10-year horizon of the plan. These include:
- A cap on rates below inflation: as inflation makes the cost of materials and labour to repair and renew assets grow, a rate-cap below these yearly increases in costs requires Council to allocate a growing portion of the budget to these activities
- Aging infrastructure and New Requirements: Some assets in the Shire are approaching the end of their lifecycle and will need to be replaced in the 10-year horizon of the plan. Often this kind of renewal includes additional costs and different building and design requirements usually resulting in the need for new designs.
- Heavier Use of Assets: As the population of Bass Coast Shire grows, assets are being used by a growing number of people that use them for travel, business or recreation. This heavier use results in the assets needing to be repaired or renewed more often, placing greater pressure on the budget
- Growing Inventory of Assets: As new developments are built throughout the shire, the overall number of pieces of infrastructure Council manages also grows. This growing inventory places a greater burden on the budget to repair and renew Council assets
The Draft Open Space & Pathways Assets Management Plan recognises these challenges and recommends seeking to maintain existing levels of service despite the growing costs by allocating a larger share of Council's budget to the repair and renewal of assets.
The draft Open Space and Pathways Asset Management Plan will recognise the challenges facing Council in the management of these assets.
Some potential options include:
- Maintain existing levels of service despite the growing costs, by allocating a larger share of Council's budget to the repair and renewal of these assets.
- Aiming for a higher level of service and ensuring no assets are graded as "poor" or "very poor" condition by allocating an even larger share of Council's budget to asset management.
- Maintenance of current levels of spending leading to a fall in level of service, and
- Decrease existing funding leading to a greater fall in level of service.
Some options may also require council to restrict the use of certain assets if their condition falls below an acceptable level by imposing closures or decommissioning some infrastructure.
Some opportunities exist in the longer term to decommission assets that do not provide a crucial service, in order to allocate funding to more critical assets.
Council is seeking feedback on all of the above, recognising that some elements, such as the need to ensure assets meet relevant safety requirements or the overall revenue Council is able to collect through rates, are non-negotiable.
