FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORT – OCTOBER 2023

Executive summary

Year-to-date (YTD) performance against current budget as at 31 October 2023 is positive with operating revenues outperforming forecast and operating expenditure slightly under forecast YTD. Capital revenues are above forecast with capital expenditure slightly above forecast due to delivery of disaster reconstruction projects.

• Reflects constructed assets and intangibles only (excludes contributed) The $3.1 million full year operating surplus comprises $2.5 million general operating surplus from activities that are funded through Council’s general rate, regulatory fees and sales of goods and services; as well an additional $0.2 million from holiday park operations and $0.2 million from waste operations, and a further $0.2 million in unspent levy and separate charge funds which are constrained in reserve for future use.
• Includes Waste and Holiday Park operations as shown in the table below Council elected to apply National Competition Policy (NCP) reforms to its Waste Management and Holiday Parks which provides greater transparency and assists with removing anti-competitive conduct and ensure the best allocation of Council's limited resources. A summary of the YTD operational performance of these business activities are outlined below. Financial statements including Statement of Income & Expenditure, Statement of Financial Position (balance sheet), and Statement of Cash Flows are included as attachments for information for Council. Figure 1: Actual Performance Compared to Budget Council’s performance against key measures of financial sustainability has been calculated as at October 2023. These statutory indicators enable the reader to assess Council’s success in managing its budget, cash and debt as well as undertaking sustainable asset management. The table below contains a snapshot of a number of key measures, with full detail included in the report. YTD Measures of Financial Sustainability Current Target Actual YTD Status Budget Operating Surplus Ratio On Track 0-10% -0.6% 30.3% Net Financial Liabilities On Track Ratio <60% -9.0% -49.6% Cash Cover Ratio On Track 3 months 9.3 months 13.8 months Asset Sustainability Ratio On Track > 90% 150.5% 52.3%

Recommendation

That Council note the report by the Manager Financial Services (Acting) to the General Committee Meeting dated 13 November 2023 outlining October 2023 year to date financial performance against budget, including changes to the financial performance report with the inclusion of key financial sustainability indicators.

Report

Operating Revenue (YTD Benchmark 33.3%) Council has received 46.0% ($60.9 million) of its operating revenue budget ($132.4 million). Commentary on each revenue category is provided below.

Category

Summary

Comments •

Rates and Levies $44.5 million (49.8%) Waste utility charges $71.5k above YTD of the annual budget of budget (50.2% or $7.9 million of $15.7 million $89.3 million has been annual budget earned) • earned General rate (net of discounts) $175.7k below YTD budget (49.7% or $33.6 million of $67.7 million annual budget earned) •

Fees and Charges $4.2 million (37.2%) of Property $43.5k above budget (56.8% or the annual budget of $406.9 of $716.1k annual budget earned) • $11.4 million has been Building & Plumbing $69.5k below budget earned (29.6% or $0.7 million of $2.5 million annual budget earned) • Local Laws $69.4k below budget (37.9% or $806.2k of $2.1 million annual budget earned) • Community Facilities $50.5k below budget (20.9% or $84.9k of $406.3k annual budget earned) • Development Assessment $39.1k below budget (38.3% or $1.5 million of $3.8 million annual budget earned) •

Sale of Goods and $4.8 million (34.9%) of Holiday Park revenue $377.6k above budget

Services the annual budget of (42.2% or $1.6 million of $3.7 million annual $13.9 million has been budget earned). Any revenue upside will be earned generally offset by a corresponding increase in associated operating costs. • Community Facility fees $176.6k above budget (37.6% or $1.2 million of $3.1 million annual budget earned) • Waste Management fees $124.0k above budget (29.7% or $2.0 million of $6.8 million annual budget earned) •

Interest Received $2.4 million (84.9%) of Interest revenues are tracking above budget the $2.8 million annual with investment in higher yielding term budget has been deposits maximising the return on surplus earned cash holdings. •

Other Revenue $0.9 million (31.0%) of Other revenue is in line with budget the $2.9 million annual expectations at this stage budget has been earned •

Operating Grants, $1.8 million (29.6%) of Operating Grants and subsidies is in line with

Subsidies the $6.2 million annual budget expectations at this stage • budget has been 100% ($2.0 million) of the financial assistance received grant was again prepaid in June 2023 and may impact on Council’s 2023/24 final operating position if the prepayment approach is discontinued by the Australian government. •

Unitywater On track Unitywater distributions are fixed each year so

Distributions there is limited budget variance risk

Figure 2: Operating Revenue Position by Type (Excluding Rates)

Operating Expenditure (YTD Benchmark 33.30.0%) Actual operating expenditure is currently 94.9% ($116.2 million) of full year budget ($122.5 million). Detailed commentary for each expenditure category is provided below.

Category

Summary

Comments •

Employee Costs $15.6 million (31.4%) of the Expenditure for permanent staff salaries annual budget of $49.6 and wages underspent ($1.5 million) due million has been expended to position vacancies, partially offset by additional spend on casual staff and external labour hire ($599.9k). • Training costs $4.4k below budget (16.6% or $61.9k of $372.6k annual budget spent) •

Materials and $19.2 million (31.7%) of the Digital Hub $103.8k above budget (99.7%

Services $60.6 million annual budget or $198.4k of $198.9k annual budget has been expended. spent) relates to grant funded project with offsetting revenue. • Property and Facility $38.8k below budget (30.9% or $1.5 million of $4.9 million annual budget spent) • Governance $23.9k above budget (92.6% or $839.8k of $906.6k annual budget spent) • Building & Facilities $20.7k above budget (28.3% or $324.0k of $1.1 million annual budget spent) • Information Technology Communications $20.1k above budget (37.3% or $1.6 million of $4.3 million annual budget spent) • Waste Management $117.5k below budget (28.7% or $4.3 million of $14.8 million annual budget spent) • Cemeteries $80.2k below budget (8.9% or $28.9k of $325.6k annual budget spent) •

Finance Costs Currently on track Whilst existing loan borrowings are set with fixed interest rates, any further RBA rate rises will impact finance costs on new loan borrowings.

Depreciation Currently on track Nil

Other Expenses Currently on track Nil

Figure 3: Operating Expenditure Position by Type

Tourism and Economic Development Investment Summary Council resolved to report on a monthly basis, investment details for tourism and economic development. Expenditure at 31 October 2023 is outlined below:

Expenditure

YTD Budget

YTD Actual

Variance

$m $m

$m Payment to Tourism $- $1.26 $1.26 Noosa $- Economic Development $0.30 $0.30

$-

Total

$1.56 $1.56 The first instalment payable under the Tourism Noosa agreement for the 2023-24 financial year was made in July. Tourism and economic development activity is funded through the general rate, with 5.8% of the annual general rate committed towards tourism and economic development. Should actual general rate revenue fall below budget, this does not impact Council’s contractual commitment to fully fund its contribution to Tourism Noosa and all associated tourism activity. Any general rate revenue shortfall is funded through other general revenue sources to ensure all planned activities are undertaken in full.

Capital Revenue Full Year Capital revenue of $7.3 million received comprises cash contributions from developers ($286.3k) and capital grants ($6.3 million). Note that the timing of capital grant receipts are generally dependent on the timing of grant conditions and also capital delivery performance, and that the timing of the receipt of developer contributions (both cash and contributed) is unpredictable. Council has funding approval from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority for reconstruction works relating to the Black Mountain landslip and several other flood impacted sites, which occurred during the February 2022 rain event. Council has received upfront payments of $24.4 million to fund these works.

Figure 4: Capital Revenue by Type

Capital Program Actual capital expenditure (excluding commitments) is $17.7 million (YTD budget $16.1 million). Detailed discussion of progress in the delivery of the capital works program is provided through a separate quarterly report by the infrastructure team.

Figure 5: Capital Program Delivery Performance

Cash Management and Investment Performance Total cash on hand at the end of October was $126.4 million. Included in this balance are funds held in trust and for restricted purposes (e.g. unexpended levy and grant funds), prepaid grants including the financial assistance grant, QRA disaster funding and other capital works grants, prepayment of Waste Levy subsidy (4 years), and unspent monies committed for funding capital projects which are underway and will continue during the financial year. The following pie charts present the mix of cash held at October 2023 by agency (graph on the left) and by credit risk rating (graph on the right). All funds have been invested in accordance with the Investment Policy and in consideration of the principles of ethical investment, preservation of capital, return on investment and counterparty thresholds.

Figure 6: Closing Cash Held by Agency and Credit Rating The following chart monitors the 12 month trend on total cash and the agencies invested. To maximise the return on in its cash holdings Council has invested $40 million in higher yielding term deposits. These investments were made in line with Council’s Investment of Surplus Funds policy.

Figure 7: 12 Month Trend of Cash Invested by Agency

Measures of Financial Sustainability The following table incorporates a set of financial sustainability indicators to further assist in managing Council financial performance. There are no current emerging risks regarding performance noting the early stage of the financial year.

Category

Comments •

Operating Surplus Ratio

Intent: Identifies the extent to which revenues cover operational expenses, to ensure community equity is not degraded •

Target: 0 – 10% •

Result: 30.3% •

Comment: The high ratio reflects the levying of rates in July, which will degrade as expenditure occurs on operations through the financial year to 30 June 2024. •

Cash Expense Cover

Intent: Indicates how long council can continue paying its day-to-day expenses from cash at bank without needing additional cash flows •

Target: > 3 months •

Result: 13.8 months •

Comment: Current cash cover remains above target, while business as usual expenditure through to 30 June 2024 will degrade Council’s cash holdings, albeit not below the target range of 3 – 6 months. Cash balance include funding for capital programs, unspent grant monies paid in advance, Waste Levy subsidy prepayments and

QRA

advance payments for disaster projects which are restricted for specific purposes and inflate the ratio. •

Asset Sustainability Ratio

Intent: Measures the extent to which assets are being replaced as their condition degrades to ensure service potential is maintained •

Target: 90% of depreciation budget spent on renewals annually •

Result: In line with budget •

Comment: The ratio will progressively increase each month as expenditure on renewals occurs as part of the capital works program. •

Net Financial Liabilities Ratio

Intent: Outlines the level that net Council debt can be

Category

Comments serviced by operating revenues. A ratio below zero implies that liabilities are less than cash (and other current assets) and there is adequate borrowing capacity available if needed. •

Target: less than 60% •

Result: -49.6 •

Comment: Council has low debt levels and strong cash holdings. The July rates revenue also inflates the YTD actual outcome. •

Investment Return

Intent: Ensure appropriate return on investment yield for cash at bank. •

Target: 0.25% above current Bloomberg commonwealth 10-year bond rate yield (3.99%) •

Result: 5.01% •

Comment: With bond at higher levels, Council has invested surplus cash in higher yielding term deposits to maximise returns. Council’s investment returns remain above target. •

Rates in Arrears

Intent: Ensuring that the amount of unpaid rates remains sustainable and does not negatively impact cash flows •

Target: 5% industry benchmark •

Result: 6.7% •

Comment: Rates arrears are in line with performance for the previous 6 and 12 monthly cycles.

Report details

Index: ECM/ Subject / 22.09 – Monthly Financial Performance Report