MAYOR STAPLETON: Welcome to our October council meeting.
I'm Mayor Libby Stapleton and it's a pleasure to welcome members
of the community into our chambers tonight.
This meeting is also being livestreamed so a big welcome to those tuning in online
and of course welcome to all my fellow Councillors and officers.
Live captioning will accompany the livestream
and the council chamber is fitted with a hearing loop,
which transmits directly to hearing aids.
So we hope that this assists those who may have hearing difficulties.
The Surf Coast Shire local government area spans the traditional lands
of the Wadawurrung people and the Gulidjan and Gadubanud peoples of the Maar Nation.
I would like to acknowledge that here in Torquay at the main council offices
we are gathered on Wadawurrung country and I pay my respects to Elders past,
present and emerging.
The Wadawurrung people have nurtured and protected these lands and waterways
for thousands of generations and, as always, I'm just so grateful
for the opportunity to live and work in such a beautiful part of the world.
We also wish to acknowledge the traditional owners
of the lands on which each person is attending
and acknowledge any Aboriginal people who may be viewing the meeting tonight.
As most would be aware, over the past week our state has experienced
significant rainfall and flooding, which has included areas
of the Surf Coast.
A large amount of rain hit our Shire, impacting many.
With more rain forecast, I do encourage community members
who are in flood-prone areas to please plan ahead.
Of course, our thoughts are with everyone impacted across our Shire
and more broadly across the state, and I would like to thank our staff here
for their quick response and the support that they have provided
to our community over the past week or two.
There have been many activities and opportunities for engagement
with the community over the past month but last weekend really captured a few
that are close to my heart.
On Saturday, I joined Councillors and officers at a drop-in session at
in Aireys Inlet to talk with residents about a potential social
and affordable housing project at Fraser Drive.
I was heartened by the conversations and willingness of community
to discuss the housing challenges that we face as a community across the Shire,
as well as the risks and opportunities presented more locally
by this particular project.
There are additional ways for residents to have input
into this important project so please check our website for more information
on how you can be involved.
Then on Saturday night, I was lucky enough to see the latest performance
by the Torquay Theatre Troupe called Harp on the Willow,
which was really so entertaining.
It's running until this weekend, so I encourage you all
to do yourself a favour and get along to the MAC's Shoestring Theatre
to enjoy this fabulous show and to immerse yourself
in some quality local theatre.
If you haven't had an opportunity to see the Shoestring Theatre
in action yet, it's a great time to go along and have a look.
Finally, it was so heart warming to open the Surf Coast Kite Festival
on Sunday morning.
They had a fortunate window between rain on Saturday and rain on Monday, but to get
out there and see the kites flying, families and children
out enjoying our local community, having simple, affordable fun
and enjoying the great outdoors.
There were colourful kites, smiling faces and lots of great entertainment,
as well as a carbon-neutral event that was discussed
by the Jan Juc preschool parents.
So well done to all involved.
It was a huge effort and I know how much effort goes
into putting on events like this for our community.
Especially as volunteers, it is very much appreciated.
Now, on to our agenda tonight, there are a number of items
of strong community interest, including the Annual Report, an update
on the Karaaf project, our Communications and Community Engagement Strategy
and a graffiti management policy, so let's get under way.
In terms of process, council meetings operate
according to our adopted Governance Rules, which include the following procedures.
During the meeting, the mover to of a motion or an amendment may speak
for a maximum of five minutes to open the debate
and then a further two minutes to make any closing statements.
Any other Councillor, including the seconder, may speak
to a motion for no more than three minutes.
Councillors are committed to our roles, accountable to the community and at
all times aim to be respectful and ethical in all that we do.
Our decisions and debate will adhere to these values and principles.
With that in mind, and in line with our Governance Rules, I would like
to recite the pledge as a sign of our commitment.
As Councillors, we carry out our responsibilities with diligence
and integrity and make fair decisions of lasting value for the wellbeing
of our community and environment.
I have not received any apologies for this evening,
noting that Councillor Gazzard is still on a leave of absence.
We have Councillor Allen joining us via Zoom and I believe that Councillor
Wellington will also be via Zoom, so I won't take that as an apology
and assume that she will be with us in a moment.
Confirmation of minutes
- can I please have a mover and seconder to confirm the minutes
of the council meeting held on 27 September 2022?
Moved by Councillor Bodsworth and seconded by Councillor Schonfelder.
Thank you.
And all those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
Are there any Councillors requesting a leave of absence?
No, thank you.
Any declaration of conflicts of interest?
If a Councillor or an officer has a conflict of interest,
please declare it now and do so again just prior
to the item being discussed, in which case you will be required
to leave the council chambers or, if you are joining us virtually, the host
will place you in a virtual waiting room whilst the matter is being considered.
Are there any declarations of conflicts of interest?
No?
Thank you.
And if any conflicts arise during the meeting,
please just make them known.
I believe we have presentations from Councillor Schonfelder
and potentially Councillor Wellington tonight.
Councillor Schonfelder, would you like to start?
CR SCHONFELDER: Thank you.
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the 100th birthday
of the Mount Moriac Primary School, accompanied by the Deputy Mayor,
Councillor Pattison.
We met current and past students, teachers and parents and were impressed by
all the photographic displays and went on a tour of the school.
I would like to congratulate all those involved with the 100th birthday
and, in particular, to the principal Mark Zara
and there were hundreds of people who came and fortunately the rain held off.
The vision of the school is creating students who become engaged
citizens and can strengthen the wellbeing of their society, underpinned
by the guiding principles: exceptional, responsible and respectful.
I would just like to make one complaint, if I may.
At 1 o'clock, all the cakes sold out!
So there were no more cakes left!
But everyone really enjoyed the day, so once again, congratulations
on the centenary of the Moriac Primary School.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Schonfelder,
and hopefully there are future Councillors amongst them as well.
Cheers.
And Councillor Wellington, thank you for joining us.
I believe you have a presentation as well this evening?
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you, yes, Mayor Stapleton.
I would like to inform Councillors that we have recently lost two very important
and contributors to our community of Winchelsea, and I would like
to just briefly recognise what those people have done for the community,
the Winchelsea community more broadly.
I would start with Trevor Brown, on 18 September,
and Trevor had been in the Winchelsea community since 2000,
I think having perhaps retired into Winchelsea.
He had been a CFA volunteer for many, many years in both (inaudible) and also
in Winchelsea and has attended many, many hundreds
- I think since 2000 he attended more than 700 callouts for the CFA
and obviously more since then, so he's done an incredible job
for the CFA.
He was a very quiet and well-liked man, always had a smile on his face.
He volunteered in enormous ways throughout the community, not just
with the CFA but he was very active with the Globe Theatre, along
with his wife, Helen.
He was also very active in the Winchelsea Festival,
and that was a huge event that Winchelsea ran I think every year,
and it actually raised $100,000 for the community hub (inaudible).
A massive contribution from a small community
and Trevor was the Treasurer of the organisation that ran that.
He also had been the Chief Executive of what was the Winchelsea
and District Traders and Tourism Association, which has morphed
over the years into the Growing Winchelsea Committee,
which continues to be very, very active, so he was very active in that
all the way through.
He also volunteered his services
- he was a former bank manager and he would also undertake audits, a lot
of volunteer audits for not for profit organisations,
which was really appreciated in the community.
He was one of those people who was always there.
He was at the sausage sizzle or he did a lot of work
with the sound equipment at any event in Winchelsea.
He would be helping with the sound.
He was always smiling.
He was quite ill for quite a long time but it never took the smile off his face
and his engagement in the Winchelsea community.
He was really loved and his wife is really loved and the community
is very sad for her but very supportive as well and hope that they can help her
to cope with this really difficult time.
So I wanted to let council know, but also in particular with Trevor as well, in fact
he was the Surf Coast citizen of the year in 2020.
So he was recognised for his volunteer activities and
he did a wonderful job.
We will miss him very much.
The second person that I would like to acknowledge is John Bumford.
John was the convener or coordinator of the Uniting Church and John had been
in Winchelsea for a little bit less time than Trevor
but had made a huge contribution and John brought
to Winchelsea not just his music but his music was an enormous part of what
he brought to Winchelsea and it actually was a tool
- it was something that he used to actually become known in the community
and trusted in the community and that enabled him
to do more things in the community other than music.
So people loved and trusted John.
He was a really well-known figure throughout the community.
He was a past marathon runner and, in fact, I have only recently learnt
he had won significant medals, including the Masters Games.
He was often seen with his dog Hamish, walking or running around Winchelsea,
very much a part of the community.
He loved his football in Winchelsea.
He would attend all the home football games and
he would usually up there Thursday night at the club dinner, networking with people
and seeing if anybody needed anything, and then quietly going
about organising ways to support people in the community.
He ran the food relief centre for the Uniting Church until
they relocated it from Winchelsea.
His music is what most people will probably remember him for, though,
because he brought to Winchelsea an incredible talent
of playing the piano and he was a really exceptional pianist and
he knew a lot of people in the music world as well.
He started Morning Melodies in Winchelsea and he would attract singers
of great talent to come to Winchelsea and he would accompany them.
Olive, his wife, would turn the pages.
It would be held at the old Shire Hall where he donated the grand piano
to be used, the baby grand, and a lot of people had a significant music
experience that think never would have had in other circumstances in Winchelsea,
and that will be remembered by Winchelsea forever.
There's a famous photo of John with a trolley, a removalist trolley,
wheeling his grand piano from the Shire Hall down across the bridge
and up the road to the Globe Theatre and he was everywhere, accompanying events
and concerts and people's special moments and he played at one
of my birthday parties.
The last time I heard him play was at the 50th wedding anniversary
of a couple in Winchelsea.
He brought his music to the church and also the community of Winchelsea and
he used his music to support people.
He was just a beautiful, humble and very kind man who helped an enormous
number of people in the community.
He will be very much missed.
He was very involved in lots of events and clubs and things like the men's shed
and the Growing Winchelsea organisation and what have you.
He'll be very much missed by all of those and by the broader community
for his contribution.
So I did want to let council know that he had passed away and we
will miss both John and Trevor very, very much indeed.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Wellington.
We will now move on to public question time.
As per our Governance Rules, members of the public who wish to ask a question
to council are able to submit their written question to us.
We've had two community members submit a total of three questions ahead of time,
so we will answer those first, and then I know we have community members
here tonight who have indicated they would also like
to ask some questions.
So Andy will follow up those written questions with you
after that.
So our first question
- two questions are from Darren Noyes-Brown , and as Darren is not here with us
at the meeting, I'll read them on Darren's behalf.
The first part "the environmental assessment states
the Karaaf wetlands have 91 introduced species and 88 Indigenous species.
It says most of the Saltmarsh not affected by stormwater is relatively weed free.
It also says if adverse hydrological conditions
can be prevented, the Saltmarsh has a higher chance
of recovery.
Map 3 shows lots of red areas where there is an average of 95%
of plants that are dead, some of those are species that would meet
the requirements to be endangered.
Aren't these all indications that preventing post
development stormwater from entering the Karaaf
is needed rather than just "reducing"
the volume as stated in key consideration 7
of the officer report?
As you would know, Darren, this item is on the agenda tonight
for consideration by council, so I will refer to your question
to the CEO to respond to.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Thanks very much, Mayor Stapleton, and thanks, Darren,
for your questions and also for your really strong commitment
to the Karaaf and the health of the Karaaf.
The reason the officer report is not definitive about the removal of
all stormwater is that the environment is quite dynamic and so our approach
we believe needs to be flexible to allow different conditions
like both high and low rainfall and impacts of climate change.
The stormwater assessment identifies the amount of pre-development
flows that would have entered the system.
However, we're also mindful that we have more to learn about how much water
is needed by the Karaaf and I guess in relation to what water
- from what sources, at what time of year and in what climatic conditions
to ensure it's healthy.
It is such a complex environment and making sure that we don't do anything
- in terms of our next steps
- that we're protecting the Karaaf and we understand whatever those impacts
might be is going to be really important.
So having said that, we're not sure yet that it's as simple
as saying that the Karaaf should not receive any freshwater from stormwater
at any time.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Ms Seymour, and the second question from Darren:
there appears to be a focus on keeping the mouth
of the Thompsons Creek open, but this will have its own negative impacts
on estuary species reliant on periodic freshwater.
The salt wedge estuary ecological community of Thompsons Creek is listed
under the EPBC Act.
Why is keeping the Thompson Creek mouth open a focus,
rather than adequately dealing with stormwater quality
and volume issues when it is stated in the environment report that
the impacts of stormwater inputs have occurred
over a period of five years and the recent closure of the creek was
over a period considerably shorter than that?
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Thanks, Darren, for your second question.
The environmental assessment has identified that prolonged inundation
in the Karaaf occurs when the estuary mouth is closed.
The report author has put forward the idea of artificially opening the mouth
of the Thompson creek as an interim measure to assist
with drainage whilst we understand our options for diverting water in the
short term and develop long-term plans to reuse the water.
You'll note in the council report that there are some reservations from agencies
about this idea as it can have some other impacts
as you rightly suggest.
We would say that there needs to be more work done to really consider the merits
and the issues associated with this.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Ms Seymour.
Our next question is from Swami Samadhijyoti Saraswati.
This is in relation to council meeting agendas
and minutes that are available for public viewing.
Swami says there are a multitude of reasons why people like
to stay up-to-date with council business.
One of the ways this is achieved is by reading the official documentation, ie,
agendas and minutes provided by council on the website.
On 1 April 2022, correspondence was sent to Surf Coast Shire alerting staff
to a discrepancy on the website.
The council agenda was available and the minutes were not,
and then the minutes were unavailable and the
- sorry, and then the minutes were available
and the agenda was not.
Usually both the agendas and minutes are available
for any time access on the website.
The reply I received from Governance was that there was
a technical glitch identified by the IT team.
I was referred to the minutes and results of the decision making process
and the discrepancy was dismissed.
All agenda and minutes since that time have been subject
to the same technical glitch.
Given that the technical glitch was highlighted in April 2022,
is it likely to persist?
Will the Surf Coast Shire make all the information available
for public viewing again?
I'll refer that to our CEO for a response.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Thanks, Swami, and it's fabulous that you're so
interested in council business.
We love it when our community are engaged with the business of council and thanks
for bringing this to our attention.
In relation to the technical glitch, at first it did look
like there was a technical glitch, as we transferred to our new system.
However, following further investigation, what actually happens when
the minutes are processed, it overrides where the agenda is uploaded
on the website, and what that actually does
is it ensures that our minutes include the full council report,
as it appeared in the agenda, as well as retaining the original recommendation
and it therefore makes all the public information available
in the one document and in the one place for easy access.
If you would like a copy of previous agendas
without the council resolutions, please let us know because we're happy
to provide those to you, and in the meantime, we'll look
into the part of the website where we archive agendas
and see how this can be sourced if required.
Thanks again for your questions and also for your really strong interest
in the business of our council meetings.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Ms Seymour.
And Andy McCauley is here and would like to ask a couple of questions.
So you can come up to the table, Andy, thank you.
ANDY: Thank you for the opportunity.
The Design Flow report confirmed that the wetlands
of north Torquay are substantially
- MAYOR STAPLETON: Sorry, Andy, could I just get you
to move the microphone a little closer so we can hear you properly.
ANDY: As a result, the water produced by them, the stormwater, is polluted.
Most of them don't even reach 50% of the recommended size.
It's a serious problem.
Now, I don't believe the council should just accept that the systems which they've
authorised should do that.
I accept that there are difficulties and obviously
to expand a wetland in an already-constructed estate
is virtually impossible.
I have talked about the Dunes forever.
It is not a wetland.
It has no macrophyte level so it's a serious problem there.
So what I'm saying, I guess, or my main question is: there
is one opportunity that I see for expanding these wetlands and that is
between the Stretton wetland and the Dunes wetland
and the Zeally Sands wetland down that reserve.
There is an opportunity to make that one a lot more attractive,
two, to treat the stormwater and not remove the kids' playgrounds or
the other facilities that are there.
I accept it's a cost.
It's again a cost that's been passed on to the community or to the council
but that is one opportunity and it's quite serious.
So I guess my question is: can we include that as one
of the things that is costed so that at least it's part of the choices that
the council will at some stage hopefully soon make
with regard to the treatment of the stormwater?
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Andy.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Thanks, Andy, and, Andy, again, as everyone would know,
has a strong advocate for the work that we have been doing
in relation to the Karaaf and we thank you for your commitment and work with us
on this, particularly over the last 12 months.
In terms of answering your question, I think the answer is yes, albeit that
at the moment we need to focus initially on what is the work that we can do based
on the current report and the priorities in that report and ensuring that the work
that we're doing with our wetlands is maximising the effectiveness
of our existing wetlands.
What that means longer term around other opportunities,
we're certainly open to that, but I guess the recommendation
from the report is that in the first instance we need
to absolutely make sure that our current wetlands are operating as effectively
as they can.
But we are keen to look at other options like the one you have put forward
and we need to assess the feasibility and prioritise them in relation
to our effort and also our funding.
ANDY: Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Andy, you had a second question
about the sediment basin.
ANDY: Of course.
Sediment is the killer of our systems.
I would say the sands has absorbed hundreds of thousands of tonnes
of sediment and we have moved from a lake system to a wetland and we're
on the way to being a flood plain.
That's our whole system.
If we got to a flood plain, it would be catastrophic for the Karaaf.
Now, we are currently facing
the development of Stretton.
The Dunes was bad and there's a GHD report which the council has which confirmed
the transfer of sediment which was massive.
Now, I think the council has taken some steps to try to improve the performance of
- it's mainly the builders, the construction of the roads
at the moment in Stretton is quite sound.
They've got limited amount of sediment that's flowed
into the stormwater system, but once construction starts
- and you can see it outside the Sands Hotel at the moment,
you'll see that they've just cleared one of the lot shops at the hotel
- you'll see they've just cleared one of the (inaudible) at the hotel
and you'll see from the road from there up to Horseshoe Band Road is just a layer
of dirt.
Multiply that by 800.
So what I'm concerned about at the moment is the risk to the system.
Now, one of the biggest
- well, where Stretton and the Dunes empties into,
the Zeally Sands, that pit at the moment has been given a green
- a light priority.
It was half planned out the first time and that is fine.
It is a sediment pit.
At least it's an outlet where the sediment
- there's many that don't have them.
But my concern is once Stretton gets into full construction, we're going
to have the same problems as we have had before.
I went down today and checked the outflow from the sands into the Karaaf.
It was clear.
I checked the inlet into the sands from the system above us.
It was completely opaque.
So this happens every time
- it is excessive rainfall at the moment but every time there is a massive amount
of sediment moving through this system, so I think the sediment pit
of the Zeally Sands, which is referred to in this report, the amenity lake
they call it
- I think they got that wrong, but anyway, that's beside the point
- that needs to be cleared out properly.
That's a prime defence for the sand system and it's going to absorb
- I mean, at the moment
- I mean, the sediment is meant to take 72 hours to get
across the Stretton wetland.
I put food dye in the sediment in the Stretton wetland.
15 minutes from woe to go, so from in to going straight down the pipe
to the Zeally Sands.
Now, there's some recommendations in the report
to improve that but it's a big job.
And that pit is a prime point of defence.
So I really do believe that that needs to be increased
from not very important to critical because at least that means that it's
as big as it can be and, again, it's the same problem.
It goes straight over the top and instead of going
through the areas it's meant to go through, to slow down the flow,
it goes straight into our first amenity lake.
So I really do believe there's two things
- it needs to be as deep as it can be and it needs to be cleaned out regularly,
particularly during this construction phase, and that
will last for three or four years.
So it's a significant defence.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Andy.
I'll just ask our CEO to respond.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Thanks, Andy.
I think that's a really good question for you to ask our consultant
at Thursday's community meeting, which I hope you'll be
- ANDY: I can assure you I will.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Good to hear, Andy, because we specifically ask
the consultants as our appointed experts to prioritise those actions that would
have the greatest impacts on the performance
of the constructed wetlands and we're now using that information
that's in those actions that are identified
in that report to develop costings and an action plan to get moving
on the highest priorities.
The Amenity Lake sediment basin isn't at the moment one of those, and so we
will focus our attention elsewhere in the short term;
hence why I suggest you ask the consultant about it on Thursday.
To your point regarding the high sediment run-off
during construction phases of the land within the catchment, you're right,
we've been doing quite a lot of work in this space lately,
and actually I think the work we're doing has meant that we're addressing issues
before they're raised through community on the most part,
and very recently we've appointed a litter prevention officer who started I
think 10 days ago who will also strengthen our capacity
to be working closely with our builders to ensure those sites are managed
effectively to try and reduce any impact that those building sites are having
in terms of the stormwater and down through the sands and into the Karaaf.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you.
Andy, I believe you're generously going to ask a question on behalf of Rob Bullim
because he can't be here tonight.
ANDY: Yes, Rob unfortunately has got COVID and is over in Maffra so he's unable
to attend.
Look, Rob's concern is, I guess, saying there's a lot
of learnings that the council has taken through this process
and his question asks: how that is being applied to future planning
and how it is being applied to other wetlands that are yet
to be built, I guess, or managed?
I should read his question out.
Firstly, congratulations on completing and releasing the assessment.
It is clear that there has
been some systemic under-estimation of both capacity and imperviousness
and design required of the wetlands.
Would the council consider adopting a policy complying any existing or
new development to comply
- that's interesting language
- to comply with the appropriate standards, which as he points out have been adopted
by the Geelong City Council, but really they're being driven
by Melbourne
- I think Melbourne City Council is seen as one of the leaders in Australia now
in dealing with the stormwater issues, which are an issue everywhere.
So Rob's question is: is the council going to use those standards
for its own planning?
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Thanks, Andy, and thanks, Rob.
I hope you make a speedy recovery and can return back to the Surf Coast.
ANDY: He's talking.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: That's good.
Council is required under the Planning Scheme
to ensure that new developments comply with Melbourne water guidelines
regarding stormwater management.
So yes, we do need to consider how we can best represent this
as a requirement for all new developments, whether that's through a policy or some
other form of documentation.
And he's right, we have learnt a lot in this space.
This requirement cannot be applied retrospectively
to developers that have been
- where wetlands have been completed and where council has accepted the design
and delivery of constructed wetlands.
One of the considerations in this instance is that it's the volume
of water that appears to be having the biggest impact
on the Karaaf, so the report helps us understand
that future developments should make careful consideration of the sensitivities
of receiving water body beyond the requirements
of the Planning Scheme, which the development will be subject to.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Andy, and Rob, for your questions.
Clearly and understandably, there is significant community interest
in the Karaaf reports, which are on council's agenda tonight, as item 4.3.
And I do encourage the community to attend our Karaaf information session
here on Thursday night from 6 till 8pm or you can join online
and it's a great opportunity to meet the authors of both those reports
and obviously direct any additional questions you have for them or
for our council officers.
So we look forward to seeing you there.
Thank you.
I do not believe we have any petitions to be tabled tonight
and there are no notices of motion, so we will move straight
into our first report, which is the Surf Coast Shire Council Annual
Report for 2021/22, and this Annual Report highlights
council's performance against the council plan
and the annual budget.
It details the breadth of council's services and operations,
financial performance, governance and management processes
and the responsibilities fulfilled by Councillors,
the executive management team and employees.
We have a recommendation to note the report
and do I have a mover for that?
Councillor Hodge, thank you.
And seconded by Councillor Barker, thank you.
As per the recommendation.
Thank you, Councillor Hodge.
CR HODGE: Thank you, Mayor Stapleton.
As you read into that introduction, it is an easy to read snapshot
of the Surf Coast Shire.
Its contents include our organisation, our performance, our governance
and our financial statements.
These financial statements have already been to the Victorian Auditor-General's
office and have since been audited.
Outlining of the document presents fairly with relevant legislation.
But it's a terrific read for the community on our organisation
- of Councillors, our structure, and of course it also involves
all the information about our staff and we know that they're great community
people that spend a lot of time working at their best for this organisation.
It talks about our performance and incorporates our 7 themes
of our council plan.
It talks about our governance in legislation, in democratic
and corporate governance, and there's interesting facts
on each topic that are boxed, and just some of them
- our operation now has gone to 37,694, our median age is 42, so I'm well
above the average on that one, but I've been here for a long time.
Our dwellings now are up to over 20,630 rateable properties, so we are growing
at a rate, and I think later on in the report it says we have had 375
new homes built in the last year alone.
So we welcome those people to this community.
It also describes our capital works, and this is so important to our community
because it's the buildings and the services that we do
and we are delivering over $21 million in capital works, which
is quite a large part of our budget, to make sure we've got the infrastructure
for this growing community.
And it's all about services throughout this.
It's not just about rates, roads and rubbish that many people believe it
is, but all the services that we provide
- the libraries, the maternal child care.
But one that's really interesting is the waste services.
We've seen over the last couple of years the fourth bin introduced
and this has really improved the waste being diverted from our landfill.
In 2019, 52% was diverted and now it's up to 71%.
So that's fantastic.
And I know the feedback that I get a lot is that people are really appreciative
of the app on their phone and there's been over 10,000 downloads
of our Scrap app, so that's absolutely fantastic
and the officers from IT that have done that, I congratulate them.
In our customer service, our girls out the front have had to deal with 39,000
requests through email and calls, so that's just a phenomenal amount of work
and I congratulate them too.
It goes in this
- what we do with the public, 77,000 in small grants, which was also
- and these small grants to these communities,
they spend the money so well that it actually makes their group better,
quicker or more available to bring more people in,
and our volunteering is up as well, so that's terrific.
We also did $2,500 grants to IDAHOBIT Day, which was fantastic for our community.
And in our environmental leadership, it talks about, and the events
and our information centres had over 60,000 visitor inquiries so
not only are we a growing population, we've also got such a big group
of people coming down, tourism is great for our economy, and now with COVID, well,
we're learning to live with it probably better,
we're seening the return of all the events.
Bells Beach is coming back and we're seeing more productivity
in arts, planning.
It's listed in this Annual Report as well.
So I would like to thank the officers for putting it all together,
especially the easy read of it and also
- and that's in our engagement policy later on, to make clear, genuine plain speak,
and this document does it, and I really look forward
to the community, if they have feedback, but I know online it doesn't suit everyone
Perhaps we can do some hard copies and pop them in at community houses,
so people if they're sitting down can actually read it, but it
is really interesting to see where their rates go and
all the services we provide.
So I recommend the Annual Report and I hope I get support from
all the Councillors.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Hodge, and Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Thanks, Mayor.
Councillor Hodge mentioned roads, rates and rubbish.
I tend to think that as an organisation we should be focused
on making and maintaining roads well, reducing rates every year,
managing rubbish really well and running a really transparent planning
Department so that landowners and residents can have a clear
understanding of where we're heading as a community.
There are several metrics that show individual elements
of our spending are decreasing and our spending on loans continues
to dwindle, as we pay down our debts, and for these I share my praise
for sound fiscal management.
But in the real world, many of us are facing costs
of living pressures.
While we continue to provide a broad range of services,
many of which I think are superfluous and not what anyone could call core
services, the forecast spending per property
continues to rise in coming years.
We as an organisation and a council have a lot of power.
We have a lot of power to control the incoming rates
and how those rates are spent.
This report outlines these increasing costs and I encourage anyone who wants us
to rein in spending to share their views with Councillors
and the organisation more broadly because failing to do so
will facilitate the continued high levels of rates being charged
and the related spending.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
Would anyone else like to speak to this item?
Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
I've got a long list of things that I would like to highlight
from it and it's a big report so I'm going to skip most of them, avoid them,
but a few generalisations that I'd like to make to start, which
is I think we're two years
- we're halfway through our term as a council.
At this halfway point, and I think a conclusion that I take
from this report is that we have a clear
principled progressive and community-minded council plan.
I think that that's reflected really strongly in the report
and I think that it's been a great foundation
for the work that we've done as Councillors and the organisation staff.
We have a relatively new CEO
- in the lifetime of the council plan, we have a new CEO
and a new organisational structure to implement the council plan,
which again I think has been an essential part of the successes that are talked
about in the report.
We have a highly expert and committed staff and, again,
I think the staff
- the degree to which the staff has embraced
the council plan and also embraced I guess the new key areas of focus
of the council has been really outstanding and I thank the staff
for their dedication.
We also have an evolving, continuous improvement capability
and I think that that's important to all of us as Councillors and one
of the things that I think stands out in this council
is a high degree of non-defensiveness, and I think there's nothing worse
for a responsible authority than being defensive and closing your ears
to criticism and closing your minds to criticism, and I think the Karaaf item
- we have heard a couple of questions on and we're discussing in a minute
- is a really good example of that where I think we've got failures
from the past which related partly to a defensiveness, and I think that's one
of the things that's shifted under this council.
So I'm going to very quickly highlight a very specific things.
Anglesea River
- I'm delighted that we made a submission to Southern Rural Water
on the Anglesea River and our reflecting community concerns
about the groundwater extraction and the effect that's had
on the river's ecology, and that is an example
of something where we didn't have a direct management responsibility
in that issue and we have undertaken that out of solidarity with the community
and a desire to speak up on what we think is the right thing to do.
Waste to landfill, Cr Hodge has mentioned, down 30%.
We have had fantastic events.
I would just like to specifically mention one, which
is the Aireys Inlet Dark Sky event.
A great one.
Coogera Park playground
- much better than the old one, I've heard from the kids using it.
(Inaudible) Creek Flood Mitigation Working Group, including community representation
from Liz Wood, so I would like to commend Liz.
A bunch of others I'm going to have to skip.
So without wanting to sound self-congratulatory,
I think it's a really good report and we should be proud of it.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Bodsworth.
Any other Councillors?
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you, Mayor Stapleton.
So just a few things that I would like to point out.
The Winchelsea Leisure Time Centre Joint Youth Agreement
- we had at one point sort of five major pieces
of community infrastructure close in Winchelsea,
including the Leisure Time Centre.
We had the shut of the (inaudible) mud hut,
the Leisure Time Centre and something else I can't think of just
at the moment.
But it looked as though we might not continue
to have a joint use agreement with the Leisure Time Centre
but I think there has been a change in approach and I think
- I'm really pleased to see that that agreement has been
executed and the works are progressing with the Education Department
and hopefully that facility will eventually be reopened
to the community after many, many years being closed.
The sale of land (inaudible) for the provision of accessible
and affordable dwellings is great.
It continues to (inaudible) a few planning issues which
we need to get on to but it is going to be a good development when
we get through it.
Rezoning land at Cape Otway Road in Mount Moriac, so there is growth
in that community, which is welcomed.
The Memorial Keys project was completed.
At an overarching level there, are fewer decisions being made
at meetings closed to the public.
And that's really good.
That's about transparency.
I'll just stop the clock for a second and ask for clarification that (inaudible)
to ask at the beginning, but in the meeting (inaudible),
let me just ask
- it says renewable power resulted in significant savings I think
to the environment and to costs.
I was just wondering about that, whether it is actually accurate?
I thought it was costing us more.
I certainly agree that it results in significant savings for the environment
but isn't it costing us more as a council to use renewable energy?
That was my question.
It says we marked our (inaudible) year using renewable power
for council buildings and street lights, meaning significant savings
in emissions and costs.
Obviously it's savings in emissions but is it really savings in costs?
MAYOR STAPLETON: My understanding is it is definitely savings in costs but just
to clarify I will refer to one of our General Managers or via the CEO.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Councillor Wellington, it is savings in costs.
I don't know if our General Manager of Place Making and Environment wants
to speak to it more specifically, but there are savings in costs.
OFFICER: Yes.
Through you, Mayor Stapleton, I think the key factor here
is the council's inclusion in the power purchasing agreement that was established
across the sector and it's that bulk purchasing that's
actually realised those cost savings in the purchasing of power.
CR WELLINGTON: That's all renewable now, is it?
MAYOR STAPLETON: Yes, that's correct.
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
I just wanted to clarify that.
It's an important statement.
There's a couple of things I wanted to comment on.
We've got terrible ongoing problems with our unsealed roads.
There's a lot of perform indicators in the report
on sealed records.
But unsealed records, for whatever reason, don't hit
the performance indicator table.
I know that's set by
- it's set externally, it's not set by council,
but I believe we need performance indicators for unsealed roads.
It's the biggest source of complaint that I get.
And after these recent rains, we're going to have major ongoing problems,
and I think inadequate resource is allocated to deal with them.
I'm very
- I think people in the community
- a number of people
- a lot of people remain disappointed about council's decision not
to participate in celebratory events in relation to Australia Day.
I know there's a lot of controversy about the date, but there
is a view that that decision was made without consultation
with the broader community and a lot of people remain very disappointed
about it.
I did notice there's a lot of interest, a lot of gender inequity
between the full-time and part-time workplace.
I presume we'll be looking at that and seeking to address that over time,
but there's a huge distinction in gender, depending on which part
of the work force people come from, which is interesting and shown up
- really highlighted in this.
And I just wanted also to note that on page 65 there's the inevitable
attendance at meetings by Councillors.
There's a huge number of meetings that council runs.
Many more than actually
- council meetings, mainly briefings, and I don't go to them
for reasons that are well-known, but really the fundamental one being I
prefer to interact with council in a public forum.
So I believe that it would be clear from those who watch council that I do
- I am across the subject matter and I read my papers thoroughly
and I am well briefed before meetings, so I would just like
to explain that statistic because it has me attending 1 meeting
and others attending 50.
I like to think I spend that time
in the community rather than sitting in council meetings and it's not
- MAYOR STAPLETON: Cr Wellington, you're well and truly
over your time allocation so I'll just ask you to wrap up.
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you, Mayor.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Wellington.
Did anyone else want to speak to this item?
No.
We'll put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
Next report is to determine the planning permit
application the 21/0465 for the construction
of buildings associated with the existing art
and craft centre known as Ashmore Arts.
We do have a detailed recommendation before us in the agenda, Councillors.
Does anyone wish to move a motion?
Is that a question, Councillor Wellington, or are you wanting to move?
CR WELLINGTON: It's a question.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Please go ahead.
CR WELLINGTON: I was just wondering about the planning (inaudible)
- it refers to the development of 10 studios when
on the site there are 14 studios, two workshops and a shed and a house,
which presumably you need a planning permit, but I just wondered
about the difference between
- there's four studios and two workshops but don't seem
to be included in the planning history.
MAYOR STAPLETON: I'll just refer that through our CEO, Councillor Wellington.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: And, Mayor Stapleton, I'll refer that to our General Manager
of Place Making and Environment.
OFFICER: I'm sorry, Councillor Wellington, I'm not in a position
to provide an accurate answer to that particular question.
Apologies.
CR WELLINGTON: I just wonder if I could have that
- in response
- perhaps in the minutes as to why
- it might be that they were built
- I don't know, they might be hundreds of years old or something or whatever`,
but I just wondered
- I thought it was unusual there was a discrepancy in the number of buildings
on the site versus the number of planning permits issued.
OFFICER: Happy to take that on notice and provide a response.
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you.
So going back to the motion and the recommendation before us,
would anyone like to move that item as per the recommendation?
Thanks, Councillor Barker.
And a seconder?
Councillor Schonfelder, thank you.
And would you like to speak to the item, Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Very briefly, thanks, Mayor.
It's great to see landowners wanting to use their land the way they see fit.
Surprising, given this development is west of Duffields Road,
since the position council has previously had on the issue indicated we were opposed
to development in this area.
It will be good to see this sets a precedent so
that others in the area can do the same.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
Councillor Schonfelder?
Councillor Schonfelder CR SCHONFELDER: Thank you, Mayor Stapleton, and I would
like to congratulate the applicant on wanting to develop this land
for the purposes of those in the arts industry,
which I think is very important and I know that with COVID,
that a lot of businesses, particularly very small businesses,
have been struggling.
So I feel as though we have to be mindful of that and I know that Spring Creek has
been talked to at great length but my understanding
is that there's opposition to residential development west
of Duffields Road and an encouragement to have agricultural pursuits
in the spring valley but we do also have the ability
under the Planning Scheme to allow development as far
as one workshop and eight craft sheds and two art pods and I was very impressed
when I visited the site, along with other fellow Councillors,
how the landscaping is sympathetic to the great visual impacts
and also the fact that there was no objection, it should be noted, Mayor,
from the EPA and the CFA
- so from the Environmental Protection Authority and the Country Fire Authority.
The council has looked at relevant Planning Scheme provisions
pertaining to the Great Ocean Road region, protection of biodiversity.
There is a commitment to plant more trees, including the yellow gums,
and it would be my understanding that, prior to European settlement,
there would have been more of those trees locally in this area.
So that also includes native vegetation management,
river corridors, waterways, lakes and wetlands, bushfire planning,
land use capability, protection of agricultural land,
sustainable agricultural land and environmental landscapes and values,
and I know that in the agricultural industry, there is actually a move
- and as a former policy analyst at the Victorian Farmers Federation,
Mayor, there is a move to have more shedding
and have more protection for livestock, given that the weather we have had
recently with the storms and the like.
So I feel as though this development complements our
local area and I wish them well in their pursuits.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Schonfelder.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
Firstly in relation to Councillor Barker's comments,
I think it is important to differentiate between this kind
of rural creative industry development and residential development, and also
to point out that the footprint of the proposal at Ashmore Arts is,
by my guesstimation, about 1/800th of the footprint
of the proposed residential development in Spring Creek.
So vastly different in scale and also completely different in land use.
So I'm comfortable with the recommendation as per the report.
There's two issues that I would like to talk about.
One is that I think, as the report talks about, there is scope to disperse some
of the proposed buildings into the rest of the site, which I think
is a really sensible proposal, in recognition of one of the objections
on the potential visual impact of the clustered buildings viewed
in that fairly sort of open valley landscape,
I think that would be a really worthwhile alteration to the plans,
and also an issue that was raised during objections, which I think
is a really important one, which was basically a question: where are
the limits when it comes to this kind of development?
So it's had a fairly strong level of support here from the Councillors
but I think it's important for us to recognise that while this application
might get through, we also need to be mindful of what would happen
if there was an incremental increase in these small add-ons
because obviously there's a point where the small add-ons become too much
and that concept of limits is an important one for us to explore,
if future planning permit applications arise.
But otherwise I'm comfortable with this.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Bodsworth.
And Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thank you, Chair.
As is often the case when we're faced with potential competing objectives,
to nurture the innovative and creative industry is one
of the 10 principles contained in the council plan,
and on the other hand, there's the amenity of surrounding residents
and overlay protections.
As has been mentioned, we visited recently the existing Ashmore
Arts Centre and I was greatly impressed by the facility that provides studio
and workshop space to one of the 20 artists and designers
in really what is a beautiful setting, providing a strong community identity and,
therefore, (inaudible)
- the officers refer to the granting of the permit to the council
and we held a Special Council Meeting on 11th of this month
for the Hearing of Submissions.
I think the work of the planning officers and the applicant over the
past few months has resulted in, I believe, an excellent outcome.
The conditions that are listed in the notice of decision
to grant a permit contained in the report provide a workable solution
to the objections raised, including five buildings
to be relocated or deleted and the landscape in the screening
proposal makes the new development less likely to cause an adverse visual impact;
detailed parking and accessways, waste water management systems
and bushfire emergency management plans that are reviewed annually.
So I intend to support the recommendation for the granting of a permit
and I congratulate all those concerned with achieving this outcome.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
Are there any other Councillors who would like to speak?
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Just a couple of questions before I start, if you don't mind.
Sorry, can we stop the clock because I'm asking a question?
Thanks.
The report refers to the proposed significant landscape
overlay in the area and that this would trigger a permit
under that.
I wondered what the permit triggers were under the significant landscape overlay?
MAYOR STAPLETON: I'll refer that to the CEO, Councillor Wellington,
but I am not sure that is a question that can be
answered without notice.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Councillor Wellington, I suspect we'll need to take that
on notice because we don't have a planning
representative at the meeting tonight to be able to answer those kind
of technical answers unless
- OFFICER: No.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: We'll need to take that on notice,
Councillor Wellington.
CR WELLINGTON: Sorry.
That's a shame.
I thought you had a planning person
- CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: No, we don't tend to bring council officers other than our
General Managers to council meetings.
CR WELLINGTON: So the others can't be answered but I'll ask them anyway and
if I could get responses, that would be good.
I just wondered there's an estimated square metreage of development on the site
and I just wondered if the existing house and any other developments are included
in that estimated square metreage or whether that is just, if you like,
the purpose-built arts centre development?
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Wellington.
We'll take both those questions on notice and officers will get back to you.
CR WELLINGTON: And then my third question was how broadly was this advertised?
Was it advertised to the population on the other side of the creek or just
to the neighbouring property owners?
OFFICER: I haven't got that one either.
CR WELLINGTON: I think that
- CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Councillor Wellington, I'm sorry that we can't answer
your questions tonight.
But we'd be really happy ahead of consideration if you have questions
to be able to do that to help you make an informed decision,
but we'll certainly get back to you with the answers after tonight.
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
I mean, one of my issues is that people in the community are
limited to the access to these reports and so
from my perspective, the reports should be sufficiently
comprehensive so that people in the community can ask those
- I mean, they seem to be pretty obvious questions.
You know, if you look at
- so I did ask previously at the briefing I think
- at the Hearing of Submissions what the square metreage was
of the existing buildings and there's a table in the report
which says they're 2095 square metres.
And they talk about building approved by the various planning permits but
they don't talk about the house or any other sheds that might have been
on an existing property so I'm not sure whether this encompasses all
of the building or not.
And I just was looking at some figures around it.
So there's already site coverage on the site of 2096 square metres
is what this table says and so the existing footprint was 1572
square metres and the additional would add another 322,
which makes it over 2,000 square meters.
Now, the average Australian house is
- I looked that up
- and it is just about 200 square metres.
So we're actually talking about development on this property,
as I see it, as the equivalent of about 10 Australian houses
and we've got 41 acres.
So you're talking about the intensity of development which is
like a rural residential development and whether it's costed or it is spread out,
I think there is a lot of development on this site.
I know it's a tremendously fantastic facility.
I know that.
And I'm just concerned that we've had a decision that we're not having
development west of Duffields Road and yet we can develop something
to the equivalent of a rural residential development
on a site of 41 acres in terms of site coverage, not of use,
with a permit.
So I feel really uncomfortable about it and I feel that I'm not going
to support it.
And I don't feel that obviously the whole future
of Spring Creek remains still to be sorted out in one way or another,
and I just feel that at this point we should not be approving
more development that would bring this level of intensity to this size property.
I know as Councillor Bodsworth said, it's very low intensity if you look it
in different ways but if you look at it in terms of the development
of this size property, it's actually
- it's reasonably equivalent to what you would have in a rural
residential development on a 41 acre property.
And I don't
- I'm hoping I've got those figures right but I feel really uncomfortable and it
and I'm not going to support it on that basis.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Wellington.
Any other Councillors wanting to speak to this item?
Councillor Pattison?
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
I just wanted to mention quickly that when we look at this proposal before us,
we're talking about an additional 522 square metres and we're
- the coverage is 1.2% building coverage of the site.
I know that at Ashmore Arts, we're looking at this just as these art pods and the
like but there's extensive replanting, revegetation that's been done on the site,
and I just wanted to echo Councillor Bodsworth's sentiments
around this is very different to residential development
and that's why I'll be supporting it tonight.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Pattison.
Any other Councillors?
And Councillor Barker, do you have any closing statements?
CR BARKER: No, thanks, Mayor.
MAYOR STAPLETON: We'll put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And against?
And the motion is carried 7-1.
Thank you, Councillors.
Item 4.3 is the Karaaf project update.
This report presents the final reports and outcomes of two projects
within council's Karaaf wetlands program and recommends that council continues its
commitment to improving the health of the Karaaf wetlands
and our community's future water security.
We do have a detailed recommendation in the report.
Would anyone like to move that motion?
Councillor Pattison as per the recommendation?
CR PATTISON: Yes, as per the recommendation.
MAYOR STAPLETON: And is there a seconder for that?
Councillor Bodsworth, thank you.
And Councillor Pattison, would you like to speak to the item?
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Through the reports presented as part of the agenda tonight,
council acknowledges that stormwater is having an adverse impact
on the Karaaf wetlands and that the constructed wetlands are too
small to deliver best practice treatment of the stormwater.
These are significant findings and they enable council to move forward
with solutions to address these issues.
I'm very grateful for our dedicated community that have
worked tirelessly advocating for the Karaaf.
Thanks, Andy, for being here tonight and all those that are watching online.
There are two key reports that are being presented
- the environmental assessment of the Karaaf wetlands as well
as the north Torquay constructed wetlands assessment.
Both of these assessments have gone into a lot of detail
and it's really important work and I know the community
and others have worked really hard over a number of years
to get these assessments undertaken so we can have a starting point
to move forward on resolving what's been happening
with the Karaaf.
It's important from the environmental assessments
that demonstrate the importance of the Karaaf.
We know that it's so important and it has a lot of cultural value
for the Wadawurrung and the like and these environmental assessments are
another report demonstrating the significance of the Karaaf Saltmarsh,
with a broad range of plants that exist there, and many
of them are endangered and there's important work needed
to protect and restore these.
So it's already been mentioned many times but council
is holding an information session on Thursday
and I really encourage our community that are interested, passionate
about what's happening at the Karaaf, come along
because that's a great opportunity to ask questions, really understand
and have a good discussion around the Karaaf, what's been done,
and to understand the commitment that council has
to addressing these issues and also answer questions that
the community has because the authors of the reports
will be there answering questions as well as other stakeholders.
So I also thought it worth noting some of the work that's already been done.
There's always
- there's a lot of work to do but I'm happy that council is doing work.
There's been extensive weed removal of typha at the esplanade wetlands.
That was massive.
I don't know if anyone saw the quantum of typha that was removed.
It was enormous.
And I think that was a really important learning for our council
around the level of invasive weeds in the wetlands,
and then there's also
- there's shorter term projects.
I know when we talk about more reports that need to be done,
people can feel like there's this spin of reports.
The reports are really important but council is committed
to doing the short-term actions, looking to optimise the existing wetlands
through further weed removal, new plantings
to improve the water filtration and remove sediment.
Council is committed to making the wetlands
- the constructed wetlands that are there as effective as
they possibly can be so there can be the best treatment of the stormwater
before it moves through the sands, lakes and into the Karaaf.
And then when we look at some of the medium term actions,
there's further projects, further reports.
Identification and costing of infrastructure options
to improve water quality and to divert or reuse stormwater,
and the exciting one I think is the Barwon Water's concept
for the Thompson Valley because that really solves everything.
The water, A, is used beneficially and there is good outcomes
for the community with the green break and the Thompson Valley agricultural reuse
and the like, but also the water is not going into the Karaaf
and it's not causing damage, and then there's less concern
around the level of treatment that's achieved
in the undersized wetlands, constructed wetlands,
because we're using that water elsewhere.
That's a really important piece of work but it's sort of medium term, longer term.
Then really importantly there's the Wadawurrung assessment
of the Karaaf wetlands, listening to Country and learning what it needs,
as well as the hydrological study
- how water moves within the wetlands and relationships
to the wider Thompson Creek catchment.
So I think I'm running out of time but the recommendation really affirms
council's commitment to delivering on the Karaaf wetlands program
and continuing to further develop our understanding
of factors that are influencing the health of the Karaaf wetlands
and the options available to council as well as other agencies
to improve the health because it is more than just council.
Obviously the stormwater is coming from council but when we get
to managing the Karaaf, it needs to be working with Wadawurrung,
with the CCMA and Parks Victoria and the like to have a wholistic management
of the system.
So when deciding to move the option before us, there is an alternate option
around just accepting all of the recommendations
but I think it's important
- it's a very complicated system and there's lots going on
and it's important that we note the reports are committed to delivering
on outcomes for the Karaaf and then balance up what
is the right way forward based on a number of factors.
So that is why I'm moving the recommendation
that has been put forward tonight.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Pattison.
And Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor Stapleton.
I agree that the recommendation, and not the alternate recommendation,
is the way that we should go.
I think the alternative recommendation warrants a careful thought
and I gave it some careful thought, but I see a bit
of a blank cheque factor in the alternative option
and I just don't think that we're in a position to sign up and commit
to full implementation of the report, given what we know now
and given the things that we still need to establish.
And also in talking about this item tonight, I would like
to acknowledge the traditional owners, being the Wadawurrung people,
and to acknowledge that the area, the Karaaf wetlands and Pt Impossible,
is an area of huge significance to the Wadawurrung.
So in talking about the Annual Report, I talked about our halfway point
as a council, and to me the first half of our term
- in the first half of our term, I see this Karaaf, the progress made
on Karaaf, as one of the most
- one of the things that I'm most proud of in this half term, which is not
to suggest that we've completely nailed it
We all know that we haven't, and we all know that we've got a lot of work
to do, both to fill in the gaps to decide what we can afford to do,
how we can use partnerships that Robyn, the CEO, and senior staff
and the project staff have been so good at developing, use those partnerships
to help us implement the report's recommendations.
So there is a pledge that was made for a large amount of money.
Tonight's budget should reveal whether that pledge comes through
and obviously that will add a lot of horse power to what we can achieve.
So all in all, I think that we were behind before.
We dropped the ball, I think.
We weren't the good neighbour that we want to be and that's had downstream impacts
which I think we've all acknowledged we're sorry for
and I think this is part of making that right and the job
is not done but I think we're heading in the
great direction and I would also like to thank Andy and the others,
Glenda Shemali, Darren Noyes-Brown, and others who have been fighting
for better treatment of the Karaaf for many years.
Thanks.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Bodsworth.
Would any other Councillors like to speak to this item?
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
Look, the recommendation is to note it and I think that
is significant in the sense that it does
- council has acknowledged the problem and has recognised its contribution to it
and its need to do something.
I just don't think there's a sense of an emergency around this.
And I know we need to know more but this has been
- I think Andy first approached us as councillors maybe two years ago.
I know he's in the gallery.
I can't see him.
But it's been a very long time ago.
We've got some really, really good information now.
We need more.
We've got a climate emergency and this is a carbon sink.
I mean, we've said there is a climate emergency.
I didn't support that because I thought it was virtue signalling
, to be honest, rather than getting on and doing something.
We've got a carbon sink that we've actually almost destroyed.
And if you look at the reports, they talk about questioning whether
- how many years it will take for this to recover, even
if we got best practice in tomorrow.
The potential recovery of the vegetation of the highly impacted area towards
the western end is unclear.
It is not known whether we've past the tipping point.
Andy has come forward tonight and said there are more things we can do
with the infrastructure that we own or that we control and we should be doing
that and we shouldn't be talking about what can we afford for the Karaaf.
We should be looking at what does the Karaaf need
and then how do we get the resources to do it,
and that might mean we don't do some other things we would like to do.
But I am with Councillor Barker absolutely,
that the range of things that we like to do is very, very broad
and I don't believe we can afford to do that.
We're the ones who said we've got a climate emergency.
This council said it.
We've got an emergency right on our doorstep with a carbon sink that
is dying in front of us.
So I will support the recommendation but I would like to see a sense
of emergency around this, rather than a broad declaration
of emergency.
This is truly urgent.
We have to get on really quickly and do this, and we ought
to be doing things in the short term, immediate term, as quickly we can,
about river management, about getting rid of gravel nature strips in the northern
parts of Torquay, about managing the drainage system
in the wetlands that we've got.
It cost us $250,000 to get rid of the typha that's at the esplanade.
There is massive cost involved.
I know there's money around the corner but we need to look at these costs
and say: Well, what's more important?
The carbon sink we've got or delivering community education about the environment?
I would say I know exactly what's more important.
It's the carbon sink that we've got that's dying.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Wellington.
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Thanks, Mayor, I'll support this but I'm not convinced
that it does enough in a quick enough timeframe to prevent irreparable damage
to the wetlands.
I also thank all Australian taxpayers for their 12 cent contribution,
should that $1.9 million commitment be realised to resolve our local issue.
I'm actually perplexed at how an organisation that claims
to help our environment to thrive could let the typha build up
to the levels that they got to and presided
over the significant degradation of the Karaaf.
This sort of maintenance is what I would consider a core service.
For every dollar we spend on non-core services, it takes away a dollar
from managing this element of our core services.
What is concerning to me is that by the time the next report is due,
it is uncertain whether or not endangered plant species
in the Karaaf will survive.
Based on what I have heard during public question time,
I now have a few questions of my own.
You can leave the clock running.
I will finish what I'm going to say.
First question, what was the process council decided
and what expert information was sought to support the decision
to implement only some of the actions recommended
in the assessment?
MAYOR STAPLETON: Sorry, Councillor Barker, are you asking that question now?
So you're seeking an answer on that.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Can you ask the question again, Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: What was the process council decided and what expert information was
sought to support the decision to implement only some
of the actions recommended in the assessment?
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: We haven't made any decisions about how
- what we're talking about doing is actually looking at the recommendations
and prioritising the action.
We haven't said that we won't implement all of the actions.
We're saying we need to look at them, prioritise which one also have the biggest
impact and which ones we should do first in order to do that
as we work through and understand
- and as we build our better understanding and test and trial.
Our view is that this is likely to need to be quite a dynamic environment where
we learn, adjust, act and do that in a continual way
but we haven't said we won't be implementing some of them yet.
We need to work through them specifically and look at how we prioritise them
to make sure we're doing the things that are going
to make the biggest difference.
CR BODSWORTH: Excellent.
Second one.
What can be done to ensure the sediment doesn't cause
catastrophic downstream effects and why aren't we doing that now?
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: So in terms of the sediment, we are
- we've got a whole lot of work that is being done now in terms of working
with our builders and with our litter management
and we've been doing enforcement and education in the last six months or
more in that space to actually ensure that our building sites
are being managed effectively.
And then to the sediment, there's a whole process that we need to go
through in terms of our construct a wetlands,
around cleaning out sediment ponds and managing that so that we are ensuring
that those wetlands are working to optimum capacity
and I think this report is really helpful in helping identify exactly what are
the actions that are required and what can we do
to Councillor Wellington's point around what do we need to do straightaway,
what is the further work that we need to do in terms of prioritising action
and where are we heading in the longer term?
So that's what we're focused on.
CR BARKER: Excellent.
Thanks, and the last one: are we going to ensure that construction companies
manage the cost of sediment inflows to the wetland system
if the construction sites in the future are not managed effectively?
I know you've got the plan to manage them effectively
but what happens if they aren't managed effectively?
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: So I guess that's why we're doing the enforcement of science
in that space.
In terms of our capacity to require them to clean out the sediment ponds,
I don't think we have capacity to do that but we are very proactively
- both with our new Litter Enforcement Officer and the broader work we're doing
with the EPA around the management of those work sites, proactively looking
to try and minimise sediment and rubbish that's going
into our constructed wetlands and through the system, and catch it
before it goes into the Karaaf.
CR BARKER: Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
Any other Councillors wanting to speak to this item?
And Councillor Pattison, did you have any closing comments?
We'll now put the motion to a vote.
Sorry, Councillor Wellington, did you have a question?
CR WELLINGTON: Can I ask a question?
Just when the CEO said something there, it raised a question with me.
We don't have capacity to require the cleaning
out of the wetlands
- I guess the question is whose ownership they are under because certainly a lot
of the infrastructure is under council ownership?
But also it raises questions for me about what we require of developers.
If developers have continuing ownership of wetlands, it should be
within our planning control, and maybe it hasn't been in the past,
but we have looked at the planning scheme to see what we're doing
with upcoming developments to ensure that we do have capacity,
to make sure, first of all, that the systems are adequate and,
secondly, that they're maintained either by us when they're handed over to us or
by the developers if they're retained in somebody else's control.
So, to me, this is a critical public interest issue,
and if it's not in our plan
- and it probably can't be answered tonight because we haven't got a planner present
- but if it's not within our planning
- if we're not using the Planning Scheme to the maximum capability now,
that should be done immediately so that we stop this getting worse
from a planning perspective while we sort out what we can do
with the damage that's been created.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks,Councillor Wellington.
I think we probably can answer some of those questions for you now.
I'll just refer that to the CEO.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Councillor Wellington, sorry, let me clarify.
My response to Councillor Barker was in relation to individual builders
as opposed to broader developers.
So I was talking specifically around a building site as opposed
to a broader developer response around their obligations
to a constructed wetland that's under their control.
So I was saying that in terms of forcing individual builders to clean
out our sediment ponds, we don't have capacity to do that,
but in terms of developers and the wetlands that are
under developer control, then there's work that we are doing
with our developers in terms of what needs to be done
around ensuring that they are maintained effectively and one
of the things that is highlighted in this report is that
because of the under-sizing of our wetlands, the importance
of more regular cleaning out of the sediment ponds and so that
is going to be an important part of the work that we look at and we work
with our developers on.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you.
Thanks, guys.
And just to double check, Councillor Pattison, any closing comments?
CR PATTISON: No, that's fine.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you.
We'll put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
Moving on, our next report is requesting council
to adopt the Communications and Community Engagement Strategy
2022-2025.
We have a recommendation to note the community engagement findings
report and to adopt the strategy.
Do I have a mover for that recommendation?
Councillor Pattison, thank you.
And a seconder?
Councillor Barker.
Thank you.
And Councillor Pattison, would you like to speak to this item?
CR PATTISON: Yes, please.
So the recommendation before us is for adopting the Communications
and Community Engagement Strategy for 2022 to 2025 and this sets out the principles
and processes for communicating and engaging with community
for the next three years.
Some of the key
- the strategy's key directions focus on working with First Nations people,
improving accessibility and inclusion, and representation of diverse views
and reducing barriers to participation, building relationships and trust,
working together with community and stakeholders, sharing information,
creating opportunities and improving understanding,
pursuing more opportunities for community and stakeholder input
into council's decision making processes, and that also includes influencing
and deliberative engagement, growing council-wide understanding
of the role around importance of good engagement and communications
and seeking continuous improvement.
So this is the new strategy and it replaces the one from 2019 to 2021,
and it's been an opportunity to review the priorities
and seek fresh community input and set new goals.
It builds on the existing work providing
communications and engagement that are transparent,
genuine, relevant and accessible for all parts of our community, and we need
to ensure that our community members feel included, informed and able
to contribute to the decisions that are affecting them,
and I think this strategy reflects the views of our council
and it's something that as a Councillor group,
we are often stressing the importance of good communication
and ensuring that our community feels engaged and enabled to do more,
and I think this strategy is a great framework for that.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Pattison.
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: My main concern about this strategy
is that some key elements of the strategy are currently unfunded
and would require council adoption of future budget bids before
they could be implemented.
We need to be really clear on what the trade-offs
for this direction will be.
This will increase the cost of business of council.
I think it will deliver better communication
between residents and ratepayers and our organisation.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
Would any Councillors like to speak to this item?
Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Chair.
I recognise that this is a very comprehensive strategy
and that we are mandated under the Local Government Act 2020
to undertake community engagement and that it obviously is desirable
to seek feedback, to use our limited resources more
effectively.
However, I do have a concern that the pressing needs identified
in this process often do not have sufficient resources
to address the issues, and that's been highlighted previously,
in previous debates.
Some revenue spent on engaging should be redirected
to solving.
I have often said over the past two years that I do not think that
we engage with a proper cross-section of the community.
For example, those who serve on advisory committees must complete
a written application or take part in an interview.
Now, not all people are comfortable with one of these elements,
let alone both.
Therefore, our engagement in this area was skewed.
Now, I do not want to give the impression that I do not value the commitment
of those who serve.
Far from it.
And mind you, I do not have the answers to address the problem,
but it still concerns me.
I will support the recommendation but I do so with reservation.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
Would any other councillors like to speak?
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Yes, thanks very much.
I see engagement as being predominantly cultural
but it also requires a systems basis.
So engagement stems from a the interaction of a person who never has anything to do
with council but suddenly has a problem right through
to community groups that are really developed in order to interact mainly
with council and to promote the purposes and the wellbeing of their community,
and they need to have very regularly online
communication with council, and then, of course, there's all sorts
of minority groups.
Everyone's got different needs.
Basically, people
- to me, good engagement
- at the end there's an outcome, and the outcome
is that people feel that they've been heard.
They've got access to information when they need it and
they feel that they've been heard when they've got something to say.
I don't know, I guess we'll wait and see what comes
out of the community satisfaction survey as to whether people feel they've been
heard.
I have had massive issues with getting access to information
over the years through FOI.
That's been resolved pretty much completely now.
I get all the information I need and I really appreciate that
with the new administration.
But I do hear a lot from people particularly
around planning issues where they just don't seem to be able to get
through and they don't seem to be able to get information when they need it.
They don't seem to feel that they really understand what's required
of them and they don't necessarily feel that they're heard.
So I see all of these words on paper about engagement
and it seems that engagement has become an outcome in itself
- tick, we've engaged.
You know, we've done the survey.
We've done the group forum.
We've done this and that.
I feel with some of the group forums, we kind of
- we don't get a good cross-section.
We don't get the people who disagree with it.
We only often get the people who agree with it.
And we come out with what we might have had
in our head in the beginning.
So we're not necessarily really listening to the community.
And, look, the fact that
- the first strategy in this
- I don't know whether yes really know what the engagement problem
is in the community, and who feels they're disengaged and why.
So we hear from some small groups but we have done some survey work
with this but I'm not sure that we've got a really clear view
of the person in the street in Winchelsea or the person on the street
in Lorne or the person in the street in Anglesea, what is that they want
from engagement with council and are we listening to what they want?
We shape a council plan and then we direct the strategy
within that council plan, and I don't think it's necessarily
the strategy that the ratepayer generally or any ratepayer
- you know, that the ratepayers actually genuinely
look for.
I mean, I'm not going to vote against it.
I'll support it for the work gone in it, it's very nicely presented,
but is it going to help us
- at the end of the day, customer satisfaction
- the community satisfaction with community that will tell me
whether or not we've managed to engage with people.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Wellington.
Would any other Councillors like to speak in Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Just briefly.
I kind of echo Councillor Wellington's comments in a way, in that reading
through the report, it's obvious that even to the communications
and engagement experts that we have on staff running this,
the results can be baffling.
I sympathise with them trying to get the balance right
because the data that's presented in the report shows that people have
wildly different expectations from engagement.
They're looking for different things and, as Councillor Wellington said,
some have very specific preferences and others have these general hard to pin
down preferences that are really hard for us as an organisation
to address really well.
So I think this is a case where we have to accept that it's a really tricky
business and you're damned if you do, damned if you don't, in a way.
You're going to disenfranchise people if you don't engage and then you're going
to disenfranchise some people if you do.
And I just think that we need to continue to undertake this kind of survey work
and sort of careful thinking but to imagine that we're going to nail it
and have all people satisfied with engagement all the time would be
a fantasy and I think that this strategy does
a really good job of acknowledging that and still going ahead
and presenting some really useful strategies.
So I support it and I think it's a tricky business.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Bodsworth.
Any other Councillors?
Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: Just very quickly, what I found interesting in this
is the way engagement and how people engage has changed
over the years from them reading newspapers
or getting newsletters.
We've seen a huge growth in the council Facebook page and website, which
is really good, and hopefully the education
in the community, especially for the older generation, are getting on
to websites now so we can hear more from them.
But we talked before about the success of the app on our phones with our waste.
Wouldn't it be terrific if we were able to have an app
- and it's mentioned in the strategy
- a council app which needs to be budgeted of course for but access feasibility,
and I think that could be a really big
- if we could get 10,000 people online to when their rubbish is getting picked
up, imagine if we had that continual education
out there and then feeding back.
So that's a terrific thing that I can see in the future.
But thanks, it is tricky but we've got to be innovative and we've got
to put resources to it, which no doubt will be a discussion at the next budget,
but I think a council app, which is mentioned in here,
would be a really great way of stepping up innovation to the community
and getting their feedback.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Hodge.
And any other Councillors?
Any closing comments, Councillor Pattison?
Thank you.
We'll put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
Our next report is for endorsement to undertake the process
to rename a number of streets within the new development
at 51 Main Street, Winchelsea, following advice
from Geographic Names Victoria.
We do have a recommendation detailing which streets are to be renamed.
Do I have a mover?
Councillor Schonfelder.
Is that as per the recommendation?
And anyone to second that?
Councillor Wellington, thank you.
And Councillor Schonfelder, would you like to speak to that item?
CR SCHONFELDER: Thank you, Mayor.
The recommendation is that council declare its intention
to rename 1.1 Davidson Street from house numbers 11 to 16
to Riverview Drive to Warner Street, then 1.2, Riverview Drive
from 24 Riverview Drive to Wiltshire Rise to Smith Street, 1.3, Sinclair Close
and Moran Way to Sinclair Circuit.
Secondly, that council issues a public notice
and invites submissions in accordance with section 223
of the Local Government Act 1989.
Now, what has happened in the past, Mayor
- and I have been contacted about this
- we have a development in Winchelsea along the river and west of
- well, east, actually, of the existing residential area
that comprises Smith Street and Warner Street
and what happened was these new streets were earmarked to eventually meet up
with existing streets but because of emergency services,
I believe the council was recommended to have different names for these roads
but I was thinking that in Melbourne, there's Toorak Road that has City
of Stonnington part of it and then City of Melbourne,
and in the City of Melbourne part, it has Toorak Road west, and I felt
in hindsight
- and I know we've talked tonight about the Karaaf
and we've talked about different issues
- and in hindsight, it might have been better
to have simply said Smith Street west or even Warner Street west
until the streets connected together.
Like, it was a fairly tricky issue.
I'd like to thank Chris Riley, who went around and got signatures for a petition
about this issue, and I know that we've had COVID
and we've had a few problems I think communicating with some
of the locals in the area because of COVID and we had lock date downs
during this period, but the fact that the advice that
we've received from Geographic Names Victoria that
they have recommended that we now rename these roads,
I think it's a sensible outcome that has now been achieved.
So I recommend this item for the council.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Schonfelder,
and Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thanks.
It happened really because of different developments happening
at different times and then one of them speeding up a bit and (inaudible).
Obviously it's preferable to
- and we certainly need to meet the guidelines,
but for simplicity, it's obviously better for this to be done as soon as possible.
It's always difficult for people who are (inaudible) properties
and have an existing addresses to have to change
- if they purchase anything
- but this hopefully won't find too much inconvenience to too many people
and what we're agreeing tonight is just to put it out for consultation
and no doubt we'll hear back from the community about what it thinks,
and we will effectively take it from there.
I think naming of streets is always of interest to community
and there's often suggestions also put forward about naming a street on
past identities in communities as well.
See what we get back on it but at the moment I think it's fine for it
to go for consultation.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Wellington.
Are there any other Councillors?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Just a question.
Point number 2, is there any reason why we're not using reference
to Local Government Act 2020?
MAYOR STAPLETON: Some particular items are still relevant
to the 1989 Local Government Act, so I assume that's why
but I'll just get the CEO to confirm.
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Yes, that is my understanding.
CR BARKER: Do you have a type of activity?
CR ROBYN SEYMOUR: Yes.
There's some things that are
- the bulk of things are now covered off by the 2020 Act
but there's still some carryover from the former
- CR BARKER: OK.
Thanks.
MAYOR STAPLETON: And did you have anything you wanted to say or was it just
the question?
OK.
We'll put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
So item 4.6 is for the Graffiti Management Policy.
And this item is requesting council to endorse the policy
for community consultation and the development
of the graffiti management policy is a guide for council
and the community in the management of graffiti within the Surf Coast Shire.
Do I have a mover?
Councillor Allen, is that as per the recommendation?
CR ALLEN: As per the recommendation, thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you.
And a seconder for that?
Councillor Schonfelder, thank you.
And Councillor Allen, would you like to speak to this item?
CR ALLEN: Thank you, Chair.
I have long had a personal dislike for illegal graffiti.
In my view it shows disrespect towards our communities and their citizens,
communities that rely on natural beauty and neighbourhood character.
It may be seen as a harsh judgment but I also believe that as a council,
we also show disrespect towards our communities by allowing graffiti
to remain.
I'm very pleased that we have begun the journey to include a draft policy,
and after community consultation and necessary adjustment,
to bring the final policy back to council.
As a school principal, I held the view that graffiti,
once it appears, must be removed as quickly as practicable,
and that policy was successful.
Tagging is a modern form of marking territory
and can be quickly removed in a cost-effective way, because
if it remains, it spreads and then becomes an resource-intensive
issue to remove.
When joining the Council, I was (inaudible)
to see what other local government authorities do.
Most councils have a Graffiti Management Policy and tonight again I'm pleased that
we've begun the process.
However, I believe that many of the statements in the draft
need further detail.
For example, the reporting of graffiti is the first and a vital step.
I would like more detail in the policy as to how this might be addressed
and managed.
The draft recognises that some forms of graffiti should be rightly removed
within 24 hours, but I note that when this is done,
it must be recorded and forwarded to the police.
But then we moved to a 20 business days removal.
Now, a month is too long, in my view.
Many of the LGA policies are five
working days removal.
I accept that this is a complicated matter,
but so are many issues that we deal with, and the draft recognises that we must
engage with the authority, other government Departments,
public utilities, local businesses and residents, all
with different policies and expectations.
So we have already started a coordinating role in the space, which is terrific.
And there's no one profile for people who vandalise our assets.
Looking at those apprehended and charged, they mainly come from outside our towns
and often outside our municipality, and this highlights to me the importance
of removing tags as quickly as possible, as visitors with intent will add
to the tag.
The draft policy highlights the importance of education and involvement, and I agree
- graffiti quickly reported and removed is an essential step
in managing the issue.
Previous council policy provided some of the victims with the materials
to remove the graffiti, and with the proper controls this
is an action that I believe we should revisit.
This is a highly complex social issue.
Some communities use harsh deterrents that are not acceptable in our context,
but I do think that the perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions
and (inaudible) fines imposed upon those who are found guilty.
I also believe that we should through our advocacy (inaudible) be
lobbying the State Government to support state-wide
educational programs and to finance LGAs for the cost of removal.
We should also attempt to education suppliers
of materials commonly used for graffiti
- not to sell without asking questions.
I thank the officers who prepared the draft and I support it
as the first step in a complex journey.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
And Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: Thank you, Mayor.
I echo the sentiments expressed from Councillor Allen
and note that theme 4 of our council plan is sustainable growth and strategy 11 is
to protect heritage and township character.
Council is committed to the removal of graffiti from council assets,
rapid removal increases town amenity and helps the community feel safe
and well cared for.
I would like to emphasise the fact that our municipality comprises coastal
townships and rural villages and I would not consider any
of the settlements to be suburban and when it comes to graffiti, there seems
to be a connotation that it is something that happens in the suburbs
and also in the downtown of many larger cities, for instance.
We are not opposed to street art, and I think it's very important
to distinguish between legal activities of people who have sought
permission from either private
- a private property owner or a non-private property owner such as a council,
to have street art displayed because I know that many examples
of them are quite impressive and that's something
in one way I think should be encouraged and, in particular, when it comes
to reconciliation with First Nations people as well,
more street art, acknowledging the history of our ancient continent,
that would be something that I would welcome.
I know that there seems to be
- when it comes to graffiti, I'm not an criminologist,
but I know we have a Councillor who has a policing background
and I know that some people
- and I know
- I was going to say some young people but Councillor Allen has very correctly
said that people who do commit graffiti vary.
It's not always the stereotype of teenagers or younger people,
but I think there's a part of a rebellious streak
with people doing it, so whether they're anti social,
but I look forward to the findings comes back
from our engagement.
But I know in songs
- I'm a big Paul Simon fan and there's a song that has the lyric
"Words of the prophets are written on the subway wall".
In a way, graffiti has been glamorised too in our popular culture,
so we have a challenge of encouraging street art
but deterring illegal and anti-social conduct.
Thank you, Mayor.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Cr Schnofelder.
Would any other councillors like to speak?
Cr Bodsworth.
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
I've got nothing to add to that, except that
- and it's a little bit outside the scope of this but I'm also bothered by
- when it comes to can, there's some great content to here
about advocating to owners of other public infrastructure,
utility companies and that kind of thing.
I'm also bothered, and I know the people who
- in the Anglesea ward have contacted me about infrastructure compounds
and the standard of presentation of public infrastructure and utility boxes
and particularly the larger compounds that I can think of at the top
of Harvey Street in Anglesea, in an otherwise exquisite natural
landscape, horribly presented, in terrible condition with a portable
outside toilet that neighbours have to look into in Aireys Inlet
on Bambra Road.
We've got a super-ugly utility compound.
I mean, these are utilitarian things but there's no need for them to be as ugly
as they are so I hope that we can accept submissions that relate to that,
although it's slightly off topic, it's still
- hopefully, if we go forward with our advocacy and negotiations
and partnerships with other agencies, I hope that that can be on the agenda
as well.
But I enjoyed seeing the policy and I commend Councillor Allen
for his strong advocacy on this and getting to this point.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Bodsworth.
Any other Councillors?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Just really quickly, this definitely falls
within what I believe is core services.
However, every dollar we spend on graffiti management
is a dollar that we can't spend on other services,
so it's important that any sort of education
on this articulates that it costs community even more so when we have
to resolve the issue.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Barker.
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thanks.
I just wanted to say I agree with Councillor Allen absolutely.
I think graffiti should be removed as quickly as possible and certainly in
more than a week I think is too long.
It will be interesting to see what the community says about that,
and by definition, graffiti is illegal, so street art is not graffiti, and we need
to be clear that
- we need to be really clear about what graffiti is and we really need
to crack down on it in my view, and street art is not graffiti
and I don't think there's any distinction to be made.
Street art is made with permission and often would require planning
permission, I suspect.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Wellington.
Councillor Allen, did you have any closing comments?
CR ALLEN: Yes, thanks, Mayor.
The officers have done a great job with dealing with the different utilities
and it is a very complex issue.
Look, Telstra are fantastic.
They come down, they clean off the graffiti on the telephone boxes.
(Inaudible) terrible, and so there a
- it is a complex issue and I agree with Councillor Barker and I meant to say
within our advocacy, we should be asking the State Government
to recompense councils for the cost of cleaning graffiti.
And it also flows over into our operations.
I was delighted that today in fact some officers go it in touch
with me and they're going to remove some bins
in Lorne that are surplus to requirements in the off period
and they've been kept there and stored there
and they've been graffitied.
Now, there's no point in them staying there in Lorne.
They should be removed.
And I am delighted that the officers are working with the contractors
to have them removed.
So there are things that we can proactively do to support the policy.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Allen.
And we'll now put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
Next up we have item 4.7, and this report is to consider a request for support
from the Stribling Reserve community asset committee for the provision
of new furniture to assist with the sustainable operation
of the reserve.
Do we have a mover?
Councillor Allen, is that as per the recommendation?
CR ALLEN: Thank you, Chair.
MAYOR STAPLETON: And a seconder for that item?
Councillor Bodsworth, thank you.
And Councillor Allen, would you like to speak to this item?
CR ALLEN: Yes, thank you, Chair.
Councillors, the recently opened Stribling Pavilion
in Lorne is a magnificent council facility that is ideally positioned
to fill an unexpected reduction in the number of facilities
in Lorne capable of hosting large functions,
including weddings, conferences and special community events.
Over the past two years, three major conference
and function facilities in Lorne (inaudible)
to provide these opportunities.
This is an unexpected market opportunity for the Stribling Reserve
to help fill this gap in Lorne and, at the same time,
help secure the sustainable operation of the reserve.
The existing premises is perfectly adequate for the use
of the Lorne (inaudible) College, which has exclusive use during term
and school hours and for school community meetings, dinners
and user group needs.
This furniture will remain.
However, that's if the motion is accepted
- however, if the community asset committee and the successful operator are
to properly market the reserve for larger functions catering for up
to 200 people, which it has the capacity to do, it needs (inaudible) fit
for purpose that can be used and then properly stored.
The community asset committee has over the past four years undertaken a mammoth task
to raise over $600,000 to equip the reserve with state-of-the-art
facilities.
It would be very difficult
- it would find it very difficult to go back to the community and ask
for more, and it is by regulation unable to borrow the money.
So the proposal before us for consideration is both creative
and opportune.
It is proposed to purchase the furniture from the unallocated cash reserve
with the undertaking by the asset committee that the funds
will be returned in full over two years.
The proposal enables the committee to (inaudible) operator
to conduct functions over the coming season rather than wait 12
months before generating income from the source,
with the revenue opportunity that from this year would be lost.
The income generated from all sources enables the community asset
committee to meet all operational and maintenance costs without drawing
upon ratepayer income.
Thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
And Councillor Bodsworth, did you have any comments?
CR BODSWORTH: No, I don't, thanks, Mayor.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Bodsworth.
Any other Councillors wanting to speak in Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Just quickly, thanks, Mayor, normally I wouldn't support
the expenditure of this but given the repayment schedule
and the fact that it will make the operation able
to fund the ongoing maintenance of its area, I'm very happy
to support the motion.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thanks, Councillor Barker.
And Councillor Allen, did you have any closing comments?
CR ALLEN: No, thanks.
MAYOR STAPLETON: I'll put the motion to a vote.
All those if favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
And our next report is the project budget adjustments
and cash reserve transfers for October 2022,
and this report contains proposed project budget assessments
and cash reserve transfers for council ratification
and approval relating to the 2022-23 financial year.
We do have a recommendation detailing what that is.
Do I have a mover for this item?
Councillor Bodsworth, is that as per the recommendation?
CR BODSWORTH: Yes.
MAYOR STAPLETON: And a seconder?
Councillor Barker, thank you.
And would you like to speak to this item?
CR BODSWORTH: No, I don't.
CR BARKER: Just very briefly.
I would strongly urge interested people to read where the funding sources of many
of the projects listed in the report come from and how that impacts their income.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
And any other Councillors wanting to speak?
And we'll put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
CR SCHONFELDER: Mayor, I commend you on your efficiency because it's 8 o'clock
right now and I was about to ask for a break, please.
MAYOR STAPLETON: We've just got one more item before we move into close.
Can you hold on for
- CR SCHONFELDER: I can.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Sorry, two very
- you can hold on?
CR SCHONFELDER: I can.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Item 4.9 is requesting council
to note the Councillor expenses paid and attendance at meetings
for the September quarter.
We do have a recommendation.
Do I have a mover and a seconder?
Councillor Pattison as per the recommendation?
CR PATTISON: That's right, yes.
MAYOR STAPLETON: And is there a seconder?
Councillor Barker.
And would you like to speak to the item, Councillor Pattison?
Councillor Barker?
Anyone else?
And we put the motion to a vote.
All those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
And item 4.10 is recommendation requesting council
to note the previous conflict of interest records,
which are detailed there.
Do we have a mover and a seconder?
As per the recommendation, Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: Yes, Mayor.
MAYOR STAPLETON: And seconded by Councillor Barker.
And did you want to speak to the item?
CR SCHONFELDER: I shall reserve my right, thank you.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Schonfelder.
Councillor Barker?
Any other Councillors?
And all those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
Thank you, Councillors.
We have one confidential item to consider tonight, which
is actually now two I believe because we have some urgent business which
is confidential as well.
So we will now say goodbye to everyone watching from home
and thank you for joining us this evening.
Can I please have Councillors to move and second a motion to moved
into confidential?
Councillor Bodsworth, seconded by Councillor Hodge.
And all those in favour?
And the motion is carried unanimously.
- CR HODGE: Chair, can I just say at the next council meeting,
we have a Mayoral vote in between and we don't know what's going to happen
at that time but I would like to thank you for the two years that you've certainly
put into the Chair.
As a new Councillor you've done an exceptional job and congratulations.
MAYOR STAPLETON: Thank you, Councillor Hodge.
That's very much appreciated.
And we'll now say good night to our viewers on the livestream.
Thank you.