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Local Councils

City of Swan

Home page: http://www.cityofswan.com/
Population: 115,561
Annual Revenue: $157,400,000
No of households: 47,298

Corporate questionnaire


Access to Information

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

Q1.   Does this Council train reception staff to deal with sustainability FAQ's from residents? Provide details on method of training and on the issues covered.
A.  

Q2.   Do Council sustainability staff have input into the Council website layout to ensure that residents can easily locate info on environmental sustainability?
A.  

Q3.   Do Council sustainability staff ensure that eco-sustainability brochures are prominently displayed in civic centre foyers and ‘satellite’ offices?
A.  No Our policy is to not print eco-sustainability brochures.

Q4.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category? Tell us any of your own initiatives.
A.   Our policy is to not print eco-sustainability brochures.

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General Support for Environmental Sustainability

General ways that this council promotes environmental sustainability.

Q1.   Does this Council employ 2+ f/t or equiv. p/t environmental / sustainability officers (or similar roles by different names?) Please provide details of position, department and areas of responsibility.
A.  

Q2.   Does this Council have a Green or Ethical Purchasing Policy in place?
A.  

Q3.   Does this Council use a sustainability framework (economic, social, environment, governance) in all its planning, reporting and decision-making processes? Details?
A.  

Q4.   Does this Council’s annual report (or similar) explicitly support sustainability using such guidelines as the Global Reporting Initiative?
A.  No Not yet.

Q5.   Does this Council provide an annual report to the community on the state of the environment and encourage feedback?
A.  No

Q6.   Does this Council provide sustainability staff the opportunity to liaise with Councillors re sustainability information?
A.   On a regular basis.

Q7.   Does this Council provide staff education on sustainability issues?
A.  No

Q8.   Does this Council have a ‘green team’ or Sustainability/Environmental advisory group?
A.   .

Q9.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  Unknown

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Natural Resource Management

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

Q1.   Does this Council have an Integrated Water Management/ Catchment Management/ Stormwater Management Plan/ Food and Agriculture Localisation Plan in action? If so, which of the above?
A.   Integrated Water Management/ Catchment Management/ Stormwater Management Plan.

Q2.   Does this Council have Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan Guidelines?
A.  

Q3.   Does this Council have a Green Plan in action?
A.  Unknown

Q4.   Does this Council have a Natural Areas/ Bushland Management Plan?
A.   We are developing these for land under our management.

Q5.   Does this Council have any policies /strategies for retention of mature trees?
A.  No

Q6.   Does this Council have a strategy in place for the control of phytophora dieback?
A.  

Q7.   Does this Council have a strategy in place for the control of environmental weeds?
A.  No

Q8.   Does this Council have a strategy to protect and enhance biodiversity in the local area?
A.  

Q9.   Does this Council have any strategies for the development of wildlife corridors?
A.  

Q10.   Does this Council have a Nutrient/ Irrigation Management Plan?
A.  

Q11.   Does this Council have a Sustainable Landscaping Strategy/Plan/Policy
A.  No

Q12.   Does this Council have a Landowner Biodiversity Incentive Scheme?
A.  No

Q13.   Does this Council have a Marine/Coastal Management plan, where applicable?
A.  No N/A

Q14.   Does this Council manage a substantial area of bushland? How much?
A.  

Q15.   Does this Council exert pressure to protect remnant bushland in the face of urban expansion plans?
A.  

Q16.   Does this Council encourage and support other land management agencies to protect/manage bushland with the LGA (e.g. DEC, FESA, Perth Regional NRM)? What is the area managed by these agencies?
A.  

Q17.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  Unknown

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Sustainable Building and Design

How this council promotes and exhibits sustainable building practices

Q1.   Does this Council have a membership with the Green Building Council of Australia?
A.  

Q2.   Does this Council own buildings demonstrating outstanding Sustainable Design features, eg earning a Green Star Rating? Details?
A.  No

Q3.   Does this Council actively promote Sustainable Building Design above minimum legal BCA standards?
A.  No

Q4.   Does this Council have a Sustainable Design Policy?
A.  No

Q5.   Does this Council reject development applications from individuals or commercial developers that deny solar access (eg solar hot water, PV, sunlight for garden) for the specific property and its neighbours?
A.   The R-codes require this.

Q6.   Does this Council allow shading devices in front yards? (eg Shade sails, roller shutters etc)?
A.  

Q7.   Does this Council allow the installation of solar hot water systems and PV cells on north roofs that face onto the street?
A.   Except in area where specific heritage guidelines apply.

Q8.   Does this Council avoid using rainforest or old growth timbers in Council buildings and constructions?
A.  No

Q9.   Does thisi Council use recycled/biodegradable materials in its infrastructure/ construction items?
A.  

Q10.   Does this Council have policies and incentives for recycling of construction waste?
A.  

Q11.   Does this Council reward sustainable design practices, ideas and construction? What kinds of incentives, bonuses and relaxations in policy are offered to those who undertake such design, construction etc?
A.  No

Q12.   Does this Council have a mechanism to promote and support the application of Water Sensitive Urban Design principles on Council property as well as in the wider community?
A.  

Q13.   Does this Council have a Renewable Energy Systems Policy?
A.  No Not specifically.

Q14.   Does this Council use Renewable Energy sources in any of its buildings? Details?
A.   The City has 3 PV demonstration sites.

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Sustainable Transport / Climate Change

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

Q1.   Does this Council employ a TravelSmart Officer or similar? If so, for what fraction of time?
A.  No

Q2.   Does this Council purchase government accredited Green Power? If so, what %?
A.  No

Q3.   Does this Council offset all or some of its vehicle fleet's carbon emissions? What % of vehicle fleet emissions are offset? By what agency are these offsets accredited?
A.  No

Q4.   Does this Council publish its annual energy consumption and the GHG emissions of its operations (units of electricity, gas, transport fuel)? Details?
A.  Unknown 2011/12 will be our baseline year.

Q5.   Does this Council attempt to reduce employees' solo car travel to the workplace? Details of incentives/support for walking, cycling, public transport, car pooling?
A.   The City is active in promoting the use of alternative transport options such as walking, cycling and public transport. The City has recently installed additional bike racks and locker facilities and provided a daily subsidy to staff who travel to work by public transport or bicycle.

Q6.   Does this Council regularly tally and graph its employees' commuting carbon emissions to motivate efforts to reduce?
A.  

Q7.   Does this Council’s fleet include a majority of fuel-efficient vehicles (<7L/100km) for urban use? No. of vehicles in total fleet? No. of vehicles using <7L/100km?
A.   We have nine vehicles in our fleet returning realtime fuel usage figures below this level.

Q8.   Has this Council begun to factor in impacts of climate change across all departments and all areas of governance, especially planning?
A.  

Q9.   Is this Council addressing peak oil risks and vulnerabilities? How?
A.   Through a wide variety of Council functions.

Q10.   Does this Council continue to monitor its corporate greenhouse gas emissions/ manage climate change following the end of CCP funding? (eg. using WALGA reporting platform, Planet Footprint or other frameworks)
A.  

Q11.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  Unknown

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Waste Management

How this council works towards the goal of zero corporate waste.

Q1.   Does this Council recycle any of its municipal solid waste?
A.   The City has an MRF and is actively working to divert more waste from landfill.

Q2.   Does this Council have a zero waste to landfill strategy?
A.  

Q3.   Does this Council have a methane reduction plan?
A.  No

Q4.   Does this Council have waste treated by an industrial biological composting system?
A.  No

Q5.   Does this Council have an internal program that aims to reduce the amount of waste generated by Council staff?
A.  

Q6.   Does this Council process its own kitchen/lunchroom waste in composting/wormfarming/bokashi system/s?
A.  

Q7.   Does this Council recycle all of its paper wastes?
A.  

Q8.   Does this Council recycle all possible plastic, aluminium and glass waste?
A.  

Q9.   Does this Council recycle all its ink and toner cartridges?
A.  

Q10.   Does this Council predominantly use high % recycled paper? Details?
A.  No

Q11.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  Unknown

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Water Management

How this council manages its corporate water usage

Q1.   Does this Council plant waterwise vegetation within Council properties, verges, public open space?
A.  

Q2.   Does this Council use Best Practice waterwise irrigation within Council properties, verges, public open space? (eg sub-surface irrigation)
A.  

Q3.   Is this Council a participant in ICLEI’s (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Water Campaign? Provide details of milestone and achievements.
A.   Currently at M2/M3.

Q4.   Has this Council been endorsed as a Waterwise Council or progressing towards endorsement?
A.  

Q5.   Does this Council water its own green spaces between 6pm - 9am as per Water Corporation regulation?
A.  

Q6.   Does this Council have its own Water Conservation Plan to target groundwater consumption?
A.  

Q7.   Does this Council have measures in place to ensure that its total bore water use remains within its annual entitlement? What % of bores are metered, and how often are meters read? If not, is such monitoring being planned?
A.   All bores are magflo metered and connected to our centralised irrigation system. System is connected to weather station so water is not applied following suitable rainfall or in high wind.

Q8.   Does this Council keep a schedule of the amount of water applied and when it is applied in its public open spaces?
A.   See above.

Q9.   Does this Council turn off its irrigation systems in winter for Council properties using scheme water, as per Water Corporation regulation?
A.   See above.

Q10.   Has this Council conducted a water audit of any of its large water consuming facilities to identify where water savings can be achieved?
A.  

Q11.   Does this Council have any water conservation or efficiency measures in place at large water consuming facilities such as Aquatic Centres?
A.   The City has been recently recognised for its water saving activities in Recreation Centres.

Q12.   Does this Council have a Waterwise Purchasing Policy that mandates Council purchase water efficient appliances and fittings above minimum standard? (eg showerheads, flow restrictors and urinals)
A.   The City's building renewal guidelines require a minimum Wels rating for all fittings.

Q13.   Does this Council have measures in place to ensure that all Council owned facilities are retrofitted with water efficient appliances and fittings?
A.   The City's building renewal guidelines require a minimum Wels rating for all fittings.

Q14.   Does this Council reuse any of its own grey water? If so, what % /how much?
A.  No

Q15.   Does this Council undertake staff education campaigns with a focus on water conservation and efficiency (indoor and outdoor)?
A.  No

Q16.   Does this Council monitor its ‘Works Depot’ to ensure hazardous materials are managed properly and contaminants do not enter stormwater drains?
A.  

Q17.   Does this Council take any other action for water conservation? Details?
A.  Unknown

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