Home Local Councils City of Rockingham

Local Councils

City of Rockingham

Home page: http://www.rockingham.wa.gov.au/
Population: 107,000
Annual Revenue: $101,939,545
No of households: 46,868

Community questionnaire


Access to Information

How easily council displays information about what it is doing for environmental sustainability.

Q1.   Does this Council display eco-sustainability information in its foyer or in other Council-owned buildings?
A.   Water Saving brochures produced by the Department of Water are displayed in the foyer of the Council Administration Building, along with battery recycling, mobile phone recycling and cartridges recycling bins with corresponding information.

Q2.   Does this Council visibly advertise events that support eco-sustainability in the community? (ie hazardous waste collections, living smart courses, etc) Details?
A.   Beyond Gardens and SERCUL Fertiliser Wise workshops are advertised in local community newspapers, on the City’s website and on the City’s corporate Facebook page.

Q3.   Does this Council website display eco-sustainability information in 1 or 2 clicks from its home page? Please include the link for eco-sustainability information.
A.   The City also actively posts information on its corporate Facebook page.

Q4.   Does this Council train frontline staff to deal with some public requests for eco-info? (vs always switching through to someone else’s messagebank). Details of issues covered by frontline staff?
A.  No

Q5.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

Top


General Support for Environmental Sustainability

General ways that this council promotes environmental sustainability.

Q1.   Does this Council employ 2+ environmental / sustainability officers (or similar role by a different name)? Please provide job titles, areas of responsibility, and which department they are in.
A.   1x Co-ordinator of Sustainability & Environment (Planning Services Department) 2x Full Time Environmental Planning Officers (Planning Services Department) 2x Part time Environmental Planning Officers (Planning Services Department) = Full Time Equivalent

Q2.   Does this Council offer eco-sustainability awards to business or industry?
A.  No

Q3.   Does this Council offer eco-sustainability awards to residents or schools?
A.   The City has established an awards program recognising the achievements of individuals and community groups for their efforts helping to generate a strong, connected, healthy and safe Rockingham community. The Celebrating Rockingham Awards have a Schools Environmental Project Award Category.

Q4.   Does this Council offer eco-sustainability grants to residents/ schools/ community groups/ businesses? Details?
A.   The Council has a Community Grants Program 2010/2011 that has four key areas comprising sundry donations, minor grants, event grants and major grants (currently Community Group Capital Grants), eligibility for funding is defined as "Not-for-profit clubs, groups, organisations and individuals that are providing economic, social, cultural, community or environmental services, infrastructure and benefits to the Rockingham community".

Q5.   Does Council provide funding/assistance for school gardens?
A.  No

Q6.   Does this Council support any community gardening projects?
A.   The community can access information regarding the Rockingham Community Garden from the following website: www.rccg.org.au.

Q7.   Has this Council hosted a Living Smart course, or similar in 2011/2012? Details?
A.   A Living smart course was held in February/March 2011 at the Naragebup Environment Centre and was attended by 20 people. Living Smart Workshops have been held at Naragebup Environment Centre in the City of Rockingham on six previous occasions.

Q8.   Does this Council have any Living Smart courses planned for 2012/2013? Dates, times, venues, booking contact?
A.  No

Q9.   Does this Council work with schools to provide education on eco-sustainability issues?
A.  No However, City of Rockingham has designed a Sustainability Education Program for upper primary and early high school aged school groups. It has been developed with the Curriculum Councils Curriculum Framework at the centre of achieving the programs outcomes, but more specifically the Society and Environment Learning Area.

Q10.   Does this Council support Bushcare Friends and/or other environmentally focused community groups? Details?
A.   Naragebup Environment Centre, Baldivis Children’s Forest

Q11.   Does this Council support WA/national/international events to promote sustainability? (eg World Environment Day, Earth Hour, Sustainable September)
A.  No

Q12.   Does this Council report periodically to the community on the state of the local environment? How often? (include weblink)
A.   The Council is committed to ongoing State of Environment (SoE) and Environmental Action Plans (EAP). The SoE process establishes priority environmental issues within Rockingham, gives a measure of the state of the environment (as it affects each issue) and the pressure that the issue is under. The EAP subsequently provides an Action Plan for the City to address these issues in an effort to reduce the pressures being experienced. The Council has released full State of Environment Reports in 2001, 2005 and 2009 and interim Report Cards in 2003 and 2007.

Q13.   Has this Council declared itself a nuclear-free zone? Symbolic and/or embedded into Town Planning Scheme?
A.  No

Q14.   Has this Council declared itself a GMO/GE free zone? Details?
A.  No

Q15.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  Unknown

Top


Protecting and Restoring Nature in Residential Areas.

How this council manages the air, water, land, plants, animals and micro-organisms - and their ecosystems - in its care.

Q1.   Does this Council have any demonstration native gardens? If so, where?
A.  No

Q2.   Does this Council use native plants (vs exotics) for verges, traffic islands, around Council buildings, etc? What % of Council plantings?
A.  

Q3.   Does this Council involve the community in native planting days?
A.  

Q4.   Does this Council offer residents free or subsidised native seedlings or plants? Details of when, where & prices?
A.  No The City no longer gives away seedlings. The City also offers street trees to residents for the verge adjacent to their property. Council staff also plant the requested trees during the winter months.

Q5.   Does this Council provide lists of appropriate local native plants? How are they publicised and distributed?
A.   The City provides native plant lists and a link to Florabase on the City of Rockingham website. Residents can also obtain information sheets on the types of native plants suited to the City at the Council Administration Building.

Q6.   Does this Council warn residents against planting exotic species that may escape into bushland? How?
A.  No

Q7.   Does this Council encourage residents to convert some of their lawns and/or verges to native gardens? How?
A.   The City offers native street trees, to be planted by Council officers.

Q8.   Does this Council award outstanding native gardens?
A.  

Q9.   Does this Council offer incentives for owners of big backyards in high density areas to retain these blocks for biodiversity? Details?
A.  No

Q10.   Does this Council have other means of protecting mature trees in residential areas? Details?
A.  No

Q11.   Does this Council act on residents' complaints of cats preying on native fauna? What action is taken? On what % of complaints?
A.  No

Q12.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

Top


Sustainable Building and Design

How this council supports the community to build sustainably

Q1.   Does this Council have a model Sustainable building or subdivision? Details?
A.   Sustainable House in Evermore Heights, Baldivis, also an example of a sustainable subdivision model.

Q2.   Does this Council have an interpretive display of sustainable features on any of its buildings?
A.  No

Q3.   Does this Council provide support for residents wanting to build sustainable homes?
A.   Energy efficiency measures introduced in May 2011 make it a requirement for all new dwellings to achieve a 6 star energy efficiency rating under the Building Code of W.A. The city’s building Department can provide advice on guidelines for energy efficient homes.

Q4.   Does this Council have measures in place to support businesses and residents to design above the minimum star ratings? Eg Hosting green building design courses etc.
A.  No

Q5.   Does this Council discourage the use of rainforest or old growth timbers and recommend alternatives, when issuing building permits?
A.  No

Q6.   Does this Council require an independent vegetation survey before issuing a building permit and inspection after development to ensure no unauthorised removal?
A.  No

Q7.   Does this Council promote the use of renewable energy sources (eg Photovoltaic cells, wind turbines) to residents and businesses through funding, incentives or otherwise? Details?
A.   Through the development of a wind atlas for the community to access through the city’s website, and through a demonstration wind turbine at Lark Hill Sport Complex.

Q8.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

Top


Sustainable Transport / Climate Change

Action being taken by this council to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Q1.   Is this Council offering any energy efficiency programs for residents in 2012/2013 (e.g workshops, home energy audits? Details?
A.   Residents can hire Home Energy Assessment (HEAT) tool kits from all three libraries in the City. These tool kits have information to assist residents in performing a home energy audit, and providing information on how they can reduce energy use in their homes.

Q2.   Does this Council support businesses to improve their energy efficiency? Details?
A.  No

Q3.   Does this Council have measures in place to decrease private car use throughout the municipality? Details?
A.   The City encourages active transport, car pooling and the use of public transport. The City employs a 1.0 FTE Engineering Technical Officer- Transport, who works on programs to promote transport via alternative transport modes.

Q4.   Does this Council promote the use of electric and/or hybrid vehicles? How? (eg providing ev recharge points)
A.   The City has a hybrid Honda Civic. All vehicles purchased must achieve at least a 3.5 star rating in the government Green Vehicle Guide.

Q5.   Does this Council provide free cycling/public transport maps to residents? Details?
A.   TravelSmart Maps (central and south Rockingham) as well as Rockingham to Perth cycle maps are available free to residents. These are available through local centres such as libraries and the Council Administration Building.

Q6.   Does this Council contribute to security for bicycles at train & bus stations? Details?
A.  No This is the responsibility of the Public Transport Authority who control and manage train/bus stations.

Q7.   Does this Council have a Travel Smart /Sustainable Transport officer? If so, what fraction of a f/t position?
A.   Full time Travel Smart Officer (now called Engineering Technical Officer- Transport).

Q8.   Does this Council provide support for Walking School buses? How? Where?
A.   Two Officers are skilled to provide training to local parents/volunteers. Training has recently (within last 12 months) been provided to Warnbro Primary, Safety Bay Primary and Makybe Rise Primary. Warnbro has an active route and Safety Bay and Makybe are setting theirs up.

Q9.   Does this Council provide any local public transport additional to Transperth Services? Details
A.   The City provides the ‘Rockingham Connect’ Community Transport Service. A door to door service for the transport of disadvantaged residents of Rockingham - ph 9550 7933.

Q10.   Does this Council show a comparison of its expenditure on infrastructure for road transport incl. carparks /public transport/cycling/walking?
A.   This financial data is available in the City’s budget which is a public document. Can be accessed at www.rockingham.wa.gov.au.

Q11.   Does this Council continue to monitor its community greenhouse gas emissions/ manage climate change?
A.   The city uses Planet Footprint to monitor its electricity, gas and water usage. The City also undertakes regular greenhouse gas emission inventories.

Q12.   Does this Council publish the annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with its operations (units of electricity, gas, transport fuel)?
A.  No

Q13.   Has this Council consulted with the community on ways it is planning to reduce greenhouse emissions? When? How many members of the community attended?
A.   During State of the Environment (SoE) community consultation process.

Q14.   Has this Council consulted with the community on ways it may adapt to climate change? When? How many members of the community attended?
A.  No

Q15.   Does this Council support community led initiatives for climate change adaptation? (eg Transition Town)
A.  No There are currently no community led initiatives for climate change adaptation but the City would support such groups if they emerged.

Q16.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.   The city is currently looking at climate change adaptation at both a corporate and community level. The city is analysing the best ways to adapt to climate change and what practices we can implement to reduce the City’s carbon footprint.

Top


Waste Management

How this council works towards the goal of zero waste.

Q1.   Does this Council have measures in place to prevent plastic bags from entering the environment? eg removal of bags from pollutant traps, plastic bag bylaws, etc
A.   The City of Rockingham targets littering hot spots within the area, preventing plastic from entering our eco-system.

Q2.   Does this Council provide receptacles just for cigarette butts in public places? Details?
A.   Cigarette bin facilities are placed outside the popular foreshore and entertainment areas on footpaths and eateries. These are regularly serviced by Foreshore Attendants, and Waste Collection Staff. An e waste recycling collection is provided annually by Apple. Several drop-off points are located throughout the metropolitan area, including the City of Rockingham Council Administration Building.

Q3.   Does this Council provide its own local drop-off facilities for recycling of spent fluoro globes & tubes, batteries and mobile phones?
A.   CFL’s, batteries and printer cartridges (residential quantities) can be deposited free of charge at the Millar Road Landfill Facility. Cartridge. Battery and mobile phone recycling bins are also placed in the Rockingham Council Administration Building and in all the City’s local libraries.

Q4.   Does this council provide local drop off points for recycling of e-waste? Details?
A.  Unknown

Q5.   Does this Council offer residents financial incentive for reducing their general rubbish? Details?
A.  No

Q6.   Does this Council offer businesses incentives to reduce general rubbish? Details?
A.   Recycling bins or skips are available to businesses that choose to utilise the recycling service. Other bulk recycling services are currently being explored, for example packing cardboard from shops and restaurants.

Q7.   Does this Council promote recycling within its industrial zone? Details?
A.  Unknown

Q8.   Does this Council collect and compost kitchen waste?
A.  No Not at present, however as part of the City of Rockingham’s new Strategic Waste Strategy, residents will be provided with a 240L organics bin, to add to the recycle and residual waste bins. The potential for capturing around 30-40% of residential waste and turning it into a resource will prevent it from going to landfill and therefore reduce emissions.

Q9.   Does this Council offer practical support for household composting and/or worm farming? Details?
A.  No

Q10.   Does this Council participate in Resource Recovery Park or tip shop for residents?
A.   The Millar Road Landfill provides other recycling facilities onsite. Facilities are provided for the following materials: all metals, cardboard and paper, untreated timber, polystyrene, engine oil (residential quantities), and gas bottles. Clean prunings are shredded into mulch and offered to the public at no charge. For further inquiries please call Waste Services (08) 9528 8550.

Q11.   Does this Council provide local drop-off points or collection days for HHW (Household Hazardous Waste)?
A.  No

Q12.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

Top


Water Management

How this council assists and educates local businesses and community to conserve water resources.

Q1.   Does this Council support residents to improve their water efficiency? (eg waterwise verges, workshops on waterwise gardening/ food production, rebates). Details?
A.   The City currently holds two Great Gardens Workshops a year and participates in a community verge makeover program through the Great Gardens team. An EnvironmentWise calendar is also produced by the City annually and includes information on waterwise gardening techniques and water saving technology.

Q2.   Does this Council support businesses to improve their water efficiency? Details?
A.  No

Q3.   Does Council support residents to harvest rainwater (e.g. through provision of rebates)? Details?
A.   An EnvironmentWise calendar is produced annually by the City and includes information on the use of rainwater tanks, including DoW rebate schemes.

Q4.   Does this Council promote and provide support for residents to reuse greywater? How? How many applications from residents have been received?
A.   A Greywater reuse information sheet is available on the City’s website.

Q5.   Does this Council take any other action for water conservation? Details?
A.   The City achieved Milestone 4 of the ICLEI Water Campaign this year, through the successful implementation of a range of Corporate water conservation and quality improvement measures. The City is currently working towards Milestone 5 of the program which will involve conducting a re-inventory to identify improvements that have been made since the selected base-year.

Top