The Finance department provides a wide range of services to internal and external clients of the council.

The finance section comprises of:
Payroll
Debtors
Creditors
Banking
Purchasing
Power card sales
Permit sales
Information Technology
General accounting

The Administration and Social services department provides the following services:

Reception
Council administration
Post office
Record keeping
Training and other community social service community engagement programs

The Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council has signed a tenancy management agreement with the Department of Communities; the Department is responsible for managing the tenancy agreements.

There are approximately two hundred and twenty social housing dwellings in the Napranum community. The size of the houses, range from one bedroom units to seven bedroom houses.

The building and maintenance division of the Council maintains all houses under an agreement with QBuild. There were many upgrades of various categories in the community during this financial year. Switchboard upgrades on houses were started and over forty houses are completed so far.

Bathroom and kitchen upgrades were also completed. A number of houses received internal and external painting upgrades and over ten houses received full upgrades.

The Napranum Land and Sea Management Program has been running for many years. The Traditional Lands concentrated on are Pennefather River and Beach, Billy’s Lagoon and across 20 mile and Stones Crossing. The commitment to natural resource management work on these lands is funded by the federal governments working on Country Program.

Staff in our unit are: Ranger Coordinator Matt Gillis, Community Cultural Adviser Teddy (Telo boy) Barkley, Senior Ranger-Philip Mango, Rangers-Godfrey Wigness, Herbert (Bones) Jerry and Bronwyn Hall.

Key Activities during the year included:

Weed Management
Major infestations were targeted in Napranum with over a hundred mature Leucaena trees being removed from one site. The trees were cut down and the stumps poisoned.  Gamba, Caltrop, Mossman River grass and Sicklepod were also removed.

Visitor Management
A draft plan for tourism management has been drawn up and is undergoing a review process with major areas of concern identified. Rangers patrolled the Pennefather area monitoring permits and would like to thank all visitors for their support. With all permit sales revenue going back into the ranger’s budget for tourist related facilities.

Fire Management
Rangers work in collaboration with Rio Tinto, and the Rural Fire Brigade to conduct controlled burns around the Napranum DOGIT.  Rangers undertake controlled burns throughout the year for biodiversity asset protection and reduction of wildfires.

Ghost Nets & Marine Debris
Rangers collect and recover ghost nets and other marine debris from Pennefather Beach.  They work in collaboration with Tangaroa Blue and Ghostnets Australia to collect data and gather information about origin.

Turtle Management
Rangers have completed all parts of their turtle management training, with breeding turtle’s data, hatching success, nest sites and locations and predation by feral animals all being monitored and recorded. Control measures have been identified for the coming breeding season. With technical support from Jennie Gilbert the triage centre is fully operational and ready to receive injured turtles; Jennie has a long history working at Pennefather and her advice and training with rangers has been invaluable, with Rangers recovering many stranded and injured turtles.

Feral Animals
Feral pigs are controlled by aerial shooting, darting and monitoring.  This is slowly reducing the impacts and predation on marine turtles.  Rangers work in with West Coast Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance.

Community Education
Rangers host the annual Western Cape College marine studies group at Pennefather with marine debris studies, nesting turtles and Ghost nets being focused on. Rangers gave power point presentations, field trips, practical demonstrations and information sessions; where all rangers gave talks in their chosen areas. Teachers from the College were impressed at the ranger’s professionalism and the fact that a few short years ago some rangers were students themselves.  A trainee Ranger from WCC has been employed by the Rangers and works two days a week, with schooling on three days, undertaking studies in conservation and land management.

The Council operates an Aged & Disability Service that includes supported accommodation for up to 6 clients, 12 Home Care Packages and the Commonwealth Home Support Program. We service up to 45 clients providing Meals on Wheels, Transport, Domestic Assistance, Personal Care, Medication delivery and prompting, assistance with medical and allied health appointments, Social Support (assistance with Banking/shopping/Centrelink) and a Leisure and Lifestyle Program (including Day Respite).

Younger people with a disability have been identified and currently we are working with management and staff from Department of Communities to assess those people to obtain funding to provide the above services to them in readiness for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The Council will be applying to become a service provider for the NDIS.

Over the past three months we have been working towards becoming an organisation that provides quality care and meeting the “Standards”. We have focused on improving the physical/environmental standards at the facility (building and yard), Infection Control and Workplace Health and Safety. We have implemented the systems and processes required to meet the Standards and for reporting requirements. These systems and processes also address the changes implemented in Aged Care on 1 July 2015 and will enable us to commence Client Directed Care.

There a 6 staff members employed by the Council including a Registered Nurse Division 2, three Aged Care Workers who have completed their Aged Care Certificate III and two Aged Care Workers who are enrolled to commence their Aged Care Certificate III with TAFE Cairns. The Manager is working towards developing the knowledge, skills and experience of the current staff to enable them to accept more responsibility in different program areas.

The Napranum Early Childhood Centre (NECC) prides itself in acknowledging and respecting the culture, background and history of each individual child and their families and ensuring that each of these individual needs are respected and considered in all aspects of our service.

The NECC believes that children learn best through play and need to develop understanding and respect for themselves and others.

The NECC has 4 units:

Yarr (approved LDC service) 6mths – 3yrs Alandhak 3yrs-3 ½yrs Kyembal 3 ½ - 4 1/2 yrs. (Approved Kindergarten program) Thungganh 4 ½ - 5 1/2 yrs.

The centre is proud to maintain 100% qualified local Indigenous staff at the centre. The centre caters for over 90 Indigenous and Non Indigenous children ranging from ages 6mths - 5 1/2 years old.