Management

GENERAL MANAGER'S DIVISION

General Manager
Robert Ball

As Chief Executive Officer, the General Manager implements the decisions of Council's elected representatives. He is also responsible for the day-to-day management of Council as a corporate organisation.

The General Manager's Division acts as a liaison between Councillors and staff in the effective development and implementation of policy decisions. This includes internal auditing and monitoring to ensure Council's services meet professional and industry standards and live up to community expectations.

The Division also includes Council's Community Relations Team. Community Relations handles Council's public affairs activities, including media liaison, event co-ordination and corporate communication. The Community Relations Team also coordinates Council's monthly Citizenship ceremonies.

Key team:

• Executive Manager, Corporate & Community Services - Gary Bensley
• Executive Manager, Environment Services - Robert Stephens
• Executive Manager, Planning - Scott Phillips
• Acting Executive Manager, Strategy - Julie Williams 
• Executive Manager, Works - Max Woodward
• Internal Auditor - Brian Thompson
• Manager, Community Relations - Michelle Edmunds

CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY DIVISION

Corporate and Community provides management support to Councillors and Council staff, as well as a range of services to the community.

Executive Manager, Corporate & Community Division
Gary Bensley

The Corporate and Community Division is responsible for providing high quality and cost effective information, services and facilities and to identify, provide, co-ordinate and encourage support services and facilities which assist in developing and maintaining the quality of life for people in the Shire.  The Corporate arm of the Division comprises the Administration Services, Financial Services and Information Technology Services and Business Systems Branches whilst the Community arm comprises the Library and Information Services and Community Services Branches.

Administration Services Branch

The Administration Services Branch provides a diverse range of services both to the organisation internally and to members of the public.  These include:  support to the Mayor and Councillors; coordination of Council Meetings including the preparation of Agendas, Business Papers, and Minutes; Council's Records Management Services; Risk and Insurance matters; management of Council's Commercial properties and the Hornsby Mall; public access to information held by Council through Freedom of Information and Council's Document Access Policy as well as Privacy Management issues.  We also take care of a range of internal services such as the management of Council's light vehicles fleet, security for the Administration Building, management of Council's main Reception area and the storage and retrieval of Council's Legal Documents.  The Manager of Administration Services Branch also holds the position of Council's Public Officer.  If you need to know anything about these areas of Council, give us a call on  (02) 9847 6566.

Financial Services Branch

The Financial Services Branch is responsible for raising and collecting rates, paying the bills, investing funds, co-ordinating and reporting on the annual budget, procurement sourcing and advice preparing GST and FBT returns and providing corporate financial advice.

Library & Information Services Branch

The Hornsby Shire Library and Information Service  operates the Central Library in Hornsby, branches at Pennant Hills, Epping, Berowra and Galston, and a  Home Library Service provides material to people who are incapacitated and unable to visit their local library. Each Library offers an information service and a variety of resources including books, magazines, DVDs and CD-ROMs to support education and recreational needs. The online catalogue, Community Directory and a range of database can be accessed from the Library web page, both at work and at home. The Library offers programs and seminars including storytime sessions, book clubs, internet and computer skills training, Higher School Certificate seminars, and family and local history presentations. Resources not held within the Shire may be obtained on Inter Library Loan.

Community Services Branch

Community Services operates out of the premises adjoining the Central Library on George Street, Hornsby.  The Branch provides a range of services to all sections of the community, including Child Care, Youth Development, Over 55 services and events, Home Modification and Maintenance and Community Centre Management.  The Branch is also active in Social Planning issues and provides advice on Access and Equity Issues to community based organisations.

Information Systems Branch

The Information Technology & Business Systems team is located on Level 1 of the main Council Administration building. The areas of focus are in continuous improvement and development of Council's Information Technology Systems, which includes the networking infrastructure and applications, communications systems, and internet services. Also, this Branch focuses on the continuous improvement of Council's business processes and associated use of the Corporate Software Solution through process review, ongoing improvements, and maximising the usage of this solution across the organisation.

Public Officer

Council has nominated the Manager, Administration Services Branch, as its Public Officer.  Among other duties, the Public Officer may deal with requests from the public concerning the Council's affairs and has the responsibility of assisting people gain access to public documents of the Council.  Enquiries to the Public Officer should be addressed as follows:

 Hornsby Shire Council, 296 Pacific Highway, Hornsby 2077
     PO Box 37, Hornsby 1630
     (8.30am to 5pm, Mon - Fri)  (02) 9847 6608

Alternatively, you may wish to email your enquiry to Council's Public Officer:  rabicair@hornsby.nsw.gov.au

Key team:

• Manager, Administration Services - Robyn Abicair
• Acting Manager, Community Services - David Johnston
• Manager, Financial Services - Glen Magus
• Manager, Information Systems - Craig Munns
• Manager, Library and Information Services - Cheryl Etheridge
• Public Officer - Manager, Administration Services Branch

ENVIRONMENT DIVISION

Executive Manager
Robert Stephens

Your Council is committed to maintaining the natural beauty which makes Hornsby Shire a great place to live. The Environment Division looks after all of the environment you live in, from the bush and waterways to streets and shops.

We handle all Waste Management, including garbage collections, street sweeping, kerbside clean-ups and liquid waste removal from rural properties. The Environment Division also manages and promotes recycling throughout the Shire, operating a weekly service to collect paper, glass bottles and jars, plastic milk bottles, PET plastic bottles and aluminium cans.

Your Council is responsible for some 6,000 hectares of bushland, not including National Parks, the largest area of bushland under the control of a single Council in NSW. The Bushland and Biodiversity Team manages the bushland and works in partnership with volunteer Bush Care groups on projects including tree planting and bushland regeneration. The Water Catchments Team manages waterways to preserve and enhance these precious natural assets. They monitor the rivers and creeks and carry out projects to improve water quality.

Hornsby Shire's Open Space network also includes 174 developed parks. Council develops and maintains these parks in consultation with the community, including 134 playgrounds, 12 garden parks and 55 separate playing fields. The Parks and Landscapes Team also advises on and enforces Hornsby Shire's Tree Preservation Order, which is designed to protect the Shire's tree canopy.

Fire poses an annual threat to both bushland and properties. The Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Rural Fire Service, with more than 600 volunteer firefighters, works all year round to protect the Shire and promote fire safety.

Enforcing laws to protect the environment and raising community awareness is also a Council priority. The Environment Division carries out regular health studies of the Shire's food handling premises, enforces animal control regulations including dog registration and raises awareness of issues including dog control, immunisation, food safety and pollution. Council's Rangers and Honorary Rangers also patrol throughout the Shire to monitor and protect your recreation and bushland areas.

Key team:

• Manager, Bushland and Biodiversity - Diane Campbell
• Manager, Environmental Sustainability & Health - Julie Ryland 
• Manager, Parks and Landscapes - Peter Kemp
• Manager, Waste Management - Rob Holliday
• Manager, Water Catchments - Ross McPherson

PLANNING DIVISION

Executive Manager
Scott Phillips

The Planning Division seeks to strike a sustainable balance between meeting the needs of Hornsby Shire's growing population and protecting our natural environment.

The Town Services Planning Branch prepares comprehensive strategies for the development and future use of all land within the Shire. These include Local Environmental Plans, which determine what types of development are allowed in an area, and Development Control Plans, which set standards for developments including environmental protection, heritage conservation, social and economic considerations.

Three assessment teams consider all development applications.  These teams comprise Environmental Health and Building Inspectors, Town Planners and Engineers.  They provide expert evaluation of DAs to ensure that new developments comply with State laws and Council Local Environmental Plans and Development Control Plans. They also monitor development consents to ensure that conditions of approval are complied with.

Development applications are subject to rigorous inspections to ensure appropriate standards of health and safety are met. The Planning Division also issues building certificates, strata subdivision plans and investigates health and building complaints.

The Planning Division is supported by the Customer Service Branch, a team of officers responsible for handling over-the-counter and telephone enquiries and registering applications.

Customer Service staff are able to advise Council's customers on application procedures and give advice on the progress of applications.

Key team:

• Manager, Assessments Team (1) - Simon Evans
• Manager, Assessments Team (2) - Rodney Pickles
• Manager, Customer Service - Annette Richardson
• Manager, Subdivisions - Paul David
• Manager, Town Planning Services - James Farrington

WORKS DIVISION

Executive Manager
Max Woodward

The Works Division provides technical, management and education services to develop and maintain Hornsby Shire's infrastructure, including roads, drains and Council and community buildings and amenities.

Council is responsible for a Local Roads network including more than 1,300 local roads, 26 regional roads and more than 260 kilometres of footpaths. The Works Division carries out ongoing repairs to roads and footpaths, as well as planning and implementing road improvement programs. It also provides computerised mapping and land survey services and monitors and assesses street lighting.

For road users, Works manages the Shire's traffic needs, accommodating around half a million vehicle movements within Hornsby Shire every day. Traffic Engineering identifies and implements measures to improve traffic flow, reduce the risk of accident and increase driver and pedestrian safety.

Your Council's Drainage Systems play a vital role in maintaining the environment, through effective management of stormwater. There are 300 kilometres of drainage infrastructure throughout the Shire, requiring repair and maintenance. Works crews also carry out improvement projects to mitigate and control flooding, sediment build-up and pollution, while technical staff prepare policies including comprehensive Management Plans for water catchments.

At the other end of the waterways, the Works Division enhances some 200 km of foreshore, designing, building and maintaining public facilities including wharves, tidal pools, boat ramps and sea walls.

Community Buildings form a focal point for residents and community groups within your Shire. Council designs, constructs and maintains buildings and facilities including Community Centres, Senior Citizens Clubs, Child Care Centres, Libraries, public toilets and bus shelters. The Works Division is also responsible for maintaining and upgrading all Council administration buildings.

Council also operates three Aquatic Centres at Hornsby, Epping and Galston, offering heated swimming pools, fitness facilities and learn to swim lessons. New centres are planned for Cherrybrook and Berowra.

Key team:

• Manager, Aquatic Centres - Scott Hewitt
• Manager, Assets - Chon-Sin Chua
• Manager, Design and Construction - Rob Rajca
• Manager, Engineering Services - Peter Powell
• Manager, Property Development - Peter Thompson
• Manager, Traffic & Road Safety - Lawrence Nagy
• Works Support Co-ordinator - Lyndon Taylor

STRATEGY DIVISION

The Strategy Division develops and maintains council’s medium to long-term plans and programmes which provide direction for council's activities. The division also leads and facilitates the staff management and organisational change processes necessary to fulfil council’s Management Plan goal of "Creating a Living Environment".

Taking this view to our shire’s future is a key influence in maintaining council's development as an efficient, effective and respected organisation.

The Strategy Division provides council with resources to forward plan achievable goals, developing operational mechanisms required to progress them and generating performance measures to demonstrate how these goals are achieved

The Strategy Division comprises two branches, the Corporate Strategy Branch and the Human Resources Branch.

Corporate Strategy

The Corporate Strategy Branch coordinates positive change within council by:

• Establishing strategic goals with the elected members and management
• Developing a three-year Management Plan, a blueprint for council’s operations
• Quarterly reporting of Management Plan reviews conducted with operational management
• Monitoring community expectations and working to ensure council meets these expectations
• Organising the review of services
• Benchmarking our performance against best practice and industry standards
• Developing independent quality accreditation for council's operations and;
• Encouraging the growth of local business and the economy.

Human Resources

The Human Resources Branch provides key services to council by:

• facilitating and leading change in workplace reform
• introducing and developing a performance-based salary system
• promoting best practice in occupational health and safety management and;
• encouraging staff to enhance their professional services to council and the community through our development program, which aims to develop leadership, teamwork and communications skills.

Key team:

• Manager, Human Resources – Jim Mitchell
• Team Leader, Corporate Projects -Julie Williams
• Executive Planner - Vacant
• Quality Systems Coordinator - Mark Way