This annual report is the final report measuring the City of Melbourne’s performance against Council Plan 2005–2009 and the objectives developed by the previous council. When this Council Plan was developed, Melbourne was gearing up to host the Commonwealth Games and ‘youtube’ was making its debut on the internet.

Much has changed in four years. Digital broadcasting and social networking are changing the way we communicate and spend our leisure time. The fragility of our environment has been highlighted through Victoria’s prolonged drought and the fragility of the world’s economy—and its impact on organisations, businesses and people—has been revealed through the global financial crisis.

Melbourne, like other cities worldwide, faces challenges in providing infrastructure and services for an increasing (and increasingly diverse) population while minimising its ecological footprint and responding to the impacts of global finances.
The Council Plan 2009–2013 was developed with these challenges, and the city’s strengths, in mind. The Future Melbourne Community Plan, endorsed in September 2008, provides the overarching structure for Melbourne City Council’s committee structure and the framework of the Council Plan 2009–2013.

Over the next four years, the council will invest around $1.3 billion to implement its Council Plan. This will include capital works, services, facilities and promoting Melbourne as a location for living, investing and visiting. Delivering value-for-money and good financial management are themes which will guide the council’s decision-making.

The 2009–2010 annual report will measure our performance against the 11 key strategic activities of our 2009–10 annual plan and the goals of Council Plan 2009–2013 to be:

• a city for people
  
• a creative city
  
• an economically prosperous city
  
• a knowledge city
  
• an eco city
  
• a connected city
  
• an organisation that leads by example and manages its resources well.

The 11 key strategic activities for 2009-10, as outlined by the annual plan and budget, are:

• develop a new 10-year financial plan
  
• facilitate the energy and water retrofit of commercial buildings
  
• establish two enhanced late night taxi ranks
  
• develop and implement a community engagement framework and evaluation methodology
  
• continue to implement drought proofing to ensure water security for Melbourne’s parks and gardens
  
• start rejuvenation of Kensington Town Hall and establish a framework for the roll-out of community centres across the municipality including in Carlton, Southbank and Docklands
  
• establish and implement new commercial waste collection standards
  
• start to implement the approved strategy for Swanston Street through documentation and schematic design
  
• establish a one-stop-shop model for business development in the city
  
• progressively implement changes to the Melbourne Planning Scheme based on the 2008–09 audit approved by the Minister for Planning
  
• determine and agree on a long-term strategy for the Queen Victoria Market site.

Progress on these activities will be documented in our next annual report.