CR PATTISON: Welcome, everybody.
Good evening and welcome to our April Council meeting.
I'm Mayor Liz Pattison and it's a pleasure to welcome members
of the community joining us tonight.
This meeting is also being live streamed, so a big welcome
to those joining us online and of course welcome
to my fellow Councillors.
We've got Councillor Kate Gazzard online and also Councillor Wellington who
will be joining us tonight.
Live captioning will accompany the live stream
of this meeting.
We hope that this assists those who have hearing difficulties.
I would like to acknowledge that here in Torquay at the main Council office
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 I'm so grateful for the opportunity
to live and work in this beautiful part of the world.
OFFICER: It's very quiet.
CR PATTISON: Oh, we'll just get our volume up a little.
Can the people in the gallery hear me okay
Not great?
Alright, we might pause for a moment and get the volume up.
Ah, there we go.
Thank you.
Great, thanks for the thumbs up.
So I've just
- for those
- I've said a quick welcome and acknowledging that we're gathered
on the lands of the Wadawurrung people.
We also wish to acknowledge the traditional owners
of the lands on which each person is attending
and acknowledge any Aboriginal people viewing the meeting tonight.
As always, it has been an exciting month for events in our local community,
with a major highlight being the 61st Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, which wrapped
up earlier this month.
There were some sensational heats throughout the event and a sunny,
relaxed atmosphere in the event village.
I took my kids down and we all had a lovely time.
There was something for everybody.
Two new winners got to ring the bell, with rookie Cole Houshmand
and teen sensation Caitlin Simmers making it a double win for Southern California.
Looking ahead, Anzac Day is later this week on Thursday, 25 April
with the dawn services to be in Torquay and Lorne and morning services
in Anglesea and Winchelsea.
I encourage everyone to head along to the local service
to commemorate the sacrifice and bravery of our servicemen and women.
On this coming Saturday, 27 April we will also see the Great Ocean
and Otway Classic Ride in Torquay.
A massive 3,200 cyclists will be enjoying the scenic ride
along the coast and through our hinterland over distances of 60km, 145 and 204km,
so I wish them all the best of luck with those long distances
and I think our Deputy Mayor will be there with the starting gun for the race early
on Saturday morning.
And finally, we will see Australian Indigenous Surfing
Titles on 24 and 26 May.
This event will begin with a traditional welcome to country
and smoking ceremony at Djarrak, which is the Wadawurrung name
for Bells Beach, on Friday morning, followed by three days
of competition showcasing the best of Indigenous surfing in Australia.
And now on to our agenda for tonight.
So the process, for those that are new to one of our Council meetings,
Council meetings operate according to our adopted Governance Rules,
which include the following procedures.
During the meeting, the mover of a motion or an amendment may speak
for a maximum of 5 minutes to open the debate
and then a further 2 minutes to make a closing statement.
Any other Councillor, including the seconder, may speak
to a motion for no more than 3 minutes.
I ask that members of the gallery avoid using mobile phones
during the meeting as this can distract Councillors as well
as other members of the gallery.
I also note that any unauthorised recording of the meeting is prohibited
under our Governance Rules.
However, you can access a copy of the official recording on our website
after the meeting.
I would now 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".
Do we have any apologies for tonight's meeting?
No.
And confirmation of minutes
- can I have a mover and a seconder to confirm the minutes
of the Council meeting held on Tuesday, 26 March 2024?
Thank you, moved by Councillor Bodsworth and seconded by Councillor Hodge.
Are there any leave of absence requests from Councillors?
No.
Declarations of Conflicts of Interest
- OFFICER: We need to put the minutes to a vote.
CR PATTISON: Sorry, thank you, Governance, and Liberty.
Yes, we'll now put the confirmation of the minutes to the vote.
All those in favour.
And that's carried.
Yes, Kate had her hand up, so that was moved unanimously.
And we've done leave of absence requests.
Declarations of Conflicts of Interest
- if a Councillor or an officer has a conflict of interest,
they must declare it now and do so again just prior
to the item being discussed.
Are there any officers or Councillors with a conflict of interest?
No.
- Councillor Bodsworth, I believe you've got a presentation.
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
I'd like to update Councillors on the progress
of the Anglesea McMillan Street Community and Health Hub co-design process.
So co-design workshops 1 and 2 were held last Thursday
and Saturday respectively.
The co-design process brings a community deliberative
approach to development of a precinct concept plan.
39 people are participating, including precinct stakeholders
and community representatives selected from a diverse pool of applicants
to provide broad representation of ages, genders, housing status, life experience,
local knowledge and networks.
The group's output will be a draft concept plan
for wider community review and then consideration by Council.
On Thursday, facilitator Helen Jennings guided
participants through deliberations on vision and principles.
Surf Coast Shire Council staff provided background,
including the intent or the why of the project and the scope
of the project.
Participants were asked to look forward 20 or 30 years.
On Saturday, design and planning professionals guided
participants through functional and spatial deliberations,
including a jigsaw piece-type exercise of allocating space to different functions
and spatial requirements.
Many participants were struck by the amount of space available
through reorganising buildings and spaces.
The group was highly energised and engaged.
The workshop time flew by.
The inclusion of affordable key worker housing
as a must-have element of the plan is contentious and clearly difficult
for some participants to accept.
Despite that, to their credit, they stayed in the room.
I admire the commitment people are showing by being part of this group.
I love that we're hearing from lots of people we haven't heard from before
and I hope that the group can continue through the process with a minimum
of background noise.
The process priorities creativity and strength of ideas,
fairness and representativeness.
It allows everybody involved to have an equal say
and accords everybody equal status.
The project architects and urban designers are currently
considering input from the workshops and will bring ideas back to the group
on 2 May.
The aim of this session will be to agree on a draft concept plan that
will then be provided to the broader community for feedback
in mid to late May.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thanks, Councillor Bodsworth.
We have no public questions today, so that means we move into the next item
- we also have no petitions, so we're going to move on to Notice of Motions
and I'll make sure I speak right into the microphone today.
It seems to be picking it up not quite as well as usual.
So Notice of Motions.
We've got Notice of Motion 157, Duck Hunting in Modewarre,
and we have lost Councillor Gazzard off the live stream.
We will progress on because we do have quorum.
Governance, could you contact Kate?
Councillor Kate Gazzard is calling in from home.
She's actually unwell.
But she was well enough to join the meeting, so hopefully she
will be back on shortly.
She is back.
Great.
It may have been a technical issue.
So we've received a notice of motion relating to duck hunting
in Modewarre, which was submitted by Councillor Gazzard and supported
by Councillor Schonfelder.
Our Governance team have advised they have adjusted the formatting
of this slightly for clarity.
However, no wording has been changed from the agenda that was released.
Can we display on the screen the slightly amended motion?
So it's a formatting change.
Councillor Wellington and Councillor Gazzard,
can you see that alright?
Yes, great.
Alright.
So Councillor Gazzard, would you like to move the motion as displayed?
Yes, Councillor Gazzard will move the motion.
And a seconder for the motion?
Councillor Schonfelder.
Would you like to speak to the motion, Councillor Gazzard?
You're on mute, Councillor Gazzard, if you'd like to speak.
CR GAZZARD: Yes, thank you.
I would like to move this motion to close Lake Modewarre
- CR PATTISON: We're having some
- we can't hear you, Kate.
I don't know if you've got
- there's something wrong with your internet.
Perhaps try again.
CR ALLEN: Perhaps the seconder can
- CR GAZZARD: Hang on, I'll try
- CR PATTISON: Ah, much better.
Yes, take out the ear pods.
That's far better.
We could hear you fine when you just were speaking then.
CR GAZZARD: Can you hear me?
CR PATTISON: Yes, perfect.
It must have been the ear pods, so that's good.
CR GAZZARD: Great.
Thank you.
Yes, I'd like to move this motion to close Lake Modewarre, Brown Swamp
and Lake Gherang to duck shooting.
The main reasons for this was referred by the Friends of Lake Modewarre group,
who we met with in March at Lake Modewarre and visited one of the neighbouring farms
at Brown Swamp where the duck shooting occurs within 50 to 200 metres
from residents' homes.
Duck shooting is
- there's been a Victorian parliamentary inquiry and overwhelming community support
to stop recreational duck shooting in Victoria
and actually Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales have banned
recreational duck shooting.
We want our native wildlife to not only survive, but to flourish and
to thrive as they are part of our community as well and
they just don't get a voice.
Lake Modewarre is protected wetland habitat
home to the blue-billed duck, the brolga, red-capped plovers and diamond doves.
Even if there was strict policing, of which ducks are legally allowed
to be slaughtered, the effects of hunting will drive away protected species,
contribute to noise and litter pollution and is an effect to the health
and wellbeing of native birds.
We need to preserve our native wildlife and develop a safe habitat
for wetland species and a safe space for people to be able to do activities
to support physical and mental health and wellbeing for our community.
It was alarming to me how close the shooting occurs
to residents' homes, including two families
of very young children, and proximity to gun shooting is a physical threat
to health and safety, but also is emotionally and mentally distressing
and can have long-lasting effects.
(Inaudible) is crucial for children's development and
all children should feel safe in their homes and surroundings.
So I would encourage all of my fellow Councillors
to support the motion and thanks to the Friends of Lake Modewarre
for their advocacy and lobbying.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Gazzard.
Councillor Schonfelder, would you like to speak?
CR SCHONFELDER: Yes, Mayor.
You can hear me okay, I hope.
CR PATTISON: Maybe bring your microphone a bit closer.
CR SCHONFELDER: I am a previous holder
- CR PATTISON: Perfect.
CR SCHONFELDER: Can you hear me now?
CR PATTISON: Here, Adrian.
CR SCHONFELDER: I am a previous licensed firearm holder.
I have done shooting in the past and hunting.
A very good friend of mine is a champion shooter.
I acknowledge that at the Paris Olympics shooting is a sport
and Australians have done very well in the shooting category
- Russell Mark, for example, and Michael Diamond.
I support the eradication of foxes, rabbits, deer, wild pigs and wild dogs
as an example.
I visited with Councillor Gazzard and Councillor Wellington Lake Modewarre
and met Friends of Lake Modewarre and a shooter actually came along
and spoke as well and all the people present said,
and I believe that Councillor Gazzard and Councillor Wellington can confirm this
, that none of those present said they were against people shooting.
It was just the location of Lake Modewarre, Brown Swamp
and Lake Gherang due to the proximity of housing in the area.
And also I would like to add that CORA, being billed an international sports
centre, I feel that if shooting is taking place nearby,
it would be inappropriate, so that's like an extra element to consider.
Very correct in what Councillor Gazzard said
about young children and people residing close
to these wetlands.
I know at Brown Swamp there are horses there as well
and residents said the horses get startled and I was surprised
at how close the housing was and I know there's a new house that's
being built at the moment and there's been more residential
development in this precinct.
So I'm someone who's enjoyed fishing at Lake Modewarre and I'm very familiar
with the area and once again I concur with Councillor Gazzard
about protecting the wild ducks in the precinct and the brolgas as well.
I've had videos sent to me of brolgas in the area and I know that
with the recent wet weather we've had, there's been a proliferation of wildlife
at Lake Modewarre.
So I'm not against people duck shooting, but I feel as though this area,
it's inappropriate and notice that the State Government has
actually closed for this season duck shooting
at Lake Modewarre, Mayor, and I congratulate the State Government
for this and I welcome the contribution from my Councillors to this item
and ask them to support this motion.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak to the motion?
Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
I'm happy to support this motion.
I recognise that it's an advocacy proposal and that the Council doesn't have
authority to decide on hunting regulations.
I agree with the notions around the impact on nearby residents' physical
and mental health and safety.
I mean, I have personal views on duck hunting,
which aren't really relevant here because of the scope of the motion.
So I'm happy to support it.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors
- Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thanks, Mayor.
I'd just like to ask a question and make a comment.
As I understand it, the State Government has now closed Lake
Modewarre to shooting because of the presence of a special kind of duck.
I'm just wondering if officers have knowledge
of what's happening with Brown Swamp.
CR PATTISON: Thank you for that question.
I'll pass that to our CEO.
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: Councillor Wellington, we're not aware of anything occurring
at Brown Swamp in terms of banning, but one of the things that we know
from speaking to State Government is that if people see endangered species
at the swamp and report it through the online portal at DEECA,
then they will send people out to investigate and where
they find endangered or at-risk birds they will then seek to put that wetland
on the banned list as well, which is what happened with Lake Modewarre.
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
I'd like to comment, if I can.
CR PATTISON: Yes, sure.
CR WELLINGTON: Look, I
- well, first of all, I should say I considered
whether I had a conflict of interest because my husband
is the financial accountant for Winchester, which makes the bullets
- or produces and distributes the bullets in Australia,
most of the bullets in Australia, but he doesn't get paid
according to how many bullets are sold or not, so I don't think I really have
a conflict of interest.
In any case, I'm completely opposed to duck shooting occurring
in these locations in our shire.
I think this is a reasonable motion for Council to put forward
because although we have no regulatory authority over duck shooting,
we have a community which is directly affected
- not affected because they're emotionally upset
about something which is happening elsewhere or because
they have a political or policy sort of objection to some use of resources,
but they're directly affected because they've been permitted to buy land
and build houses in an area next to a swamp and now they're subject,
and not unreasonably I suspect they would not have thought to inquire
about duck shooting because most people have got minimal
interest in duck shooting and, you know, would not necessarily think to inquire
whether duck shooting occurred in that environment when no doubt
the properties were sold to them outside the shooting season.
So we've ended up with families in proximity
to duck shooting which happens at the morning and at night
for a long period and the impact of that on children, from my perspective,
is very much a health and wellbeing issue that is in the domain
and influence of this council.
So I don't accept what has been put to me that this is not Council's business,
it's the governmental authority that deals with it.
I think we do have a clear responsibility here.
It's quite different from the other areas in which this Council has gratuitously
involved itself without (inaudible), but this is not one of those.
I think we should make an amendment to this motion, which I'll come
to in a minute, because it seems to me that Lake Modewarre gratuitously
has been some blue-winged ducks or birds of some sort that have been found
on Lake Modewarre which have saved those residents for this season,
or for the moment anyway, from the very negative not just amenity
impact, it's more than amenity impact in this case.
It's more than a nuisance.
It's an emotional
- I would say it is quite dangerous for children to be exposed to that sort
of input from their environment, which is normally very quiet and peaceful
and a beautiful rural environment.
I would like to suggest that we ask for immediate closure of Brown Swamp
as well
- not just that we write and ask for permanent closure,
but we ask for immediate closure
- and I'd like to stop at this point and ask whether the mover and seconder
will accept that, and that we put in a fourth dot point
saying that we request the State Government or we request the Gaming
Management Authority to immediately close Brown Swamp
on the basis of the very negative health and wellbeing impact of shooting so close
to residential properties.
CR PATTISON: I just have to seek if we have a seconder for that,
for your amendment.
Do we have anyone who would like to second that amendment?
CR BODSWORTH: Mayor, can I ask a question, please, about the amendment?
CR GAZZARD: Can I hear it again?
CR PATTISON: Councillor Gazzard, we need a seconder
and it can't be you or Councillor Schonfelder.
So before
- CR WELLINGTON: Mayor, do we need a seconder when we're just
asking the mover and seconder if they're willing to
- CR PATTISON: Because the debate has already started, we can't
- we do need a seconder.
CR BODSWORTH: I'm happy to second it.
CR PATTISON: Okay, so we have a seconder.
Now, Councillor Gazzard, we'll just get that motion up
on the screen
- I mean, Councillor Wellington, sorry.
We'll just give governance a moment to get that up on the screen.
CR WELLINGTON: Can I ask who the seconder was?
CR PATTISON: The seconder was Councillor Bodsworth.
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
CR PATTISON: So is that as per what you were seeking,
Councillor Wellington, what we can see on the screen?
CR WELLINGTON: It is, thank you.
CR PATTISON: So I'll give Councillors a moment.
This is the first others have seen of the amendment.
So we'll just give everyone a couple of minutes to digest the amendment.
Sorry, Councillor Bodsworth, did you
- I think Councillor Bodsworth had a question.
CR BODSWORTH: No, it's okay.
It was about the wording.
CR PATTISON: Okay, great.
Councillor Wellington, would you like to speak to your amendment?
CR WELLINGTON: I'll just finish.
I'd just like to say I very much appreciate
the fact that Councillor Bodsworth
- CR PATTISON: Sorry, Councillor Wellington
- CR SCHONFELDER: Councillor Gazzard said she's happy with the amendment.
CR PATTISON: So because the debate has already started,
we need to
- all of the Councillors will vote on whether the amendment
- so I'll move it back to you, Councillor Wellington, for you to speak
on the amendment.
CR WELLINGTON: Well, as I said
- thanks, Mayor
- the people near Brown swamp are very much affected
by this.
I know how much shooting affects my dogs at home and we live in a rural area
and shooting is part of life in those sorts of areas
and it's certainly not happening excessively near our property,
but when it does happen, it's very distressing to other animals.
It's nerve racking for, you know, human beings, I'm absolutely sure,
it would be totally nerve racking for people,
especially children who are suddenly exposed to some sort of noise
like this when they're not used to it.
I think as a Council we have allowed that land to be developed and subdivided
and for homes to be built and someone said to me the duck shooting was there first.
Well, I'm sorry, but it's actually much more complex than
that and a nuisance is a nuisance whether it was there first or second or
third or last, it doesn't matter, a nuisance is a nuisance.
This is a nuisance I believe, a very serious nuisance to those people,
and it is our responsibility I believe under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act
to advocate for these residents and try to get a permanent solution so
that they're not living on a knife edge for the future or, you know,
for this duck season for that sort of intrusion.
I think it's appalling, I really do.
So I hope Councillors will support that amendment.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Wellington.
Councillor Bodsworth, would you like to speak to the amendment?
CR BODSWORTH: No.
CR PATTISON: No.
Would any other Councillors like to speak to the amendment?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: I won't be supporting any further incursion into the liberty
of hunters to do their thing.
I'll be speaking more on the substantial motion later.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
We'll now put the amendment to the vote.
So this is the amendment for Councillor Wellington to see
if that becomes a substantive motion.
All those in favour of accepting Councillor Wellington's
amendment.
And all those opposed.
So the amendment is carried 8-1.
So the amendment now becomes a substantive motion and we'll move back to the debate.
Would any other Councillors
- so if you've already spoken, you can't speak again.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Barker.
CR BARKER: Thanks, Mayor.
I was going to say let's put aside the grammar of the last sentence,
but thank you for fixing that.
But let's focus on its intent, positive outcome for public safety.
You know what else would result in a positive outcome for public safety?
Closing Victoria Police and prohibiting the sale of sugary drinks,
including coffee.
But I won't be calling for these to be banned
and I won't be supporting duck hunting to be banned or contributing to its ban.
Victoria Police shot at innocent peaceful protesters and sugar
is one of the worst substances that you can put in your body.
Now, duck hunting has been happening in this area for well over 100 years.
Like purchasing near airports or moving into homes
near airports or railway lines moving into areas that have noise typically
result in lower housing costs.
I trust that people moving into an area conduct their own due
diligence, but if the sellers or the agents that allowed
the residents into these homes without the knowledge
of duck hunting occurring nearby, then I think the residents should take
up the issue with those people.
I'm aware of the historical issues local residents
have experienced with their proximity to fired ammunition,
but I understand that much of this has been mitigated
through exclusion zones.
I'm concerned that if this motion is successful, it will pave the pathway
to prohibit more outdoor activities in the future.
In a closing statement I hope you'll outline all activities that want
to be banned in the interests of public safety.
The Victorian inquiry into duck hunting had around half
of respondents in support of duck hunting, while a large portion
of the objectors used a pro forming document as their contribution.
If we are to consider the merits of this inquiry, I think it's important
to consider all submissions, not just the ones we like.
I'd like to foreshadow an alternate motion if this decision is deferred
to include a public consultation phase should this motion fail.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Do you have any closing remarks, Councillor Gazzard?
CR GAZZARD: No, that's fine, thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And all those opposed.
And the motion is carried 8-1.
We now move on to the reports for our Council meeting,
the first one being our Draft Budget for 24-25 and for that to go
to public exhibition.
So the purpose of this report is to seek Council's endorsement
to place the 24-25 Draft Budget on public exhibition.
Do I have a mover of the motion?
Councillor Allen
- is that as per the recommendation?
CR ALLEN: Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: And do I have a seconder?
Councillor Stapleton.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
This motion is to endorse and place the proposed 2024-25
Council budget on exhibition from tomorrow until 20 May.
A copy may be obtained on the Council's website and in hard copy
at the Council office.
For members of the public who wish to make a submission, there
will be a special council meeting on Tuesday, 4 June at 6pm.
The budget will be adopted, including any proposed changes to rates
and charges at the June Council meeting on Tuesday,
the 25th.
The budget describes the services and initiatives to be funded and how
they relate to the Council plan, which will be in its final year.
The budget outlines the rates, service rates and charges
and an explanation of the differential rating system that
we adopt in the Surf Coast Shire.
The process to develop the budget is extensive, beginning
in October last year and it has concluded
- continued until tonight's presentation.
Much of the budget is already framed by previously adopted commitments,
statutory requirements and the success or lack thereof
of grant applications.
There is not a large degree of discretionary expenditure, but there
is some.
Our rating system, which I think is generally understood that we are bound
by the State Government's Fair Go Rates System for this budget a 2.75 percent
increase to general rates, this compared to the rate of
- the current rate of inflation of 4.1%, which is declining, it is coming down,
but it means that the purchasing power of each dollar that we spend is less.
A key feature of the budget is a $25.4 million capital expenditure
program, 11 million which is on new projects such
as a Great Ocean Road bike route and the upgrade
to the Aireys Inlet top shopping area.
The remaining 41.4 million is ongoing capital works, headlined
by two facilities, the Winchelsea pool redevelopment
and the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre.
Across our local road and footpath networks we are allocating
more than 13 million to make it easier and safer for people to move in and
around their communities.
Asset renewal is a large component in our budget.
We have a 10-year renewal program which ensures that our
assets are fit for purpose, which the community rightly expects.
The asset renewal allocation is based on conditional report assessments.
The overall allocation to renewal is increasing by over 9%
over the next four years.
Affordable housing and accommodation is a priority of this Council
and we continue to lay the groundwork for long-term
success.
The development of the Affordable Accommodation Action
Plan has already paid dividends.
Residents will see that the Anglesea Community
and Health Hub has an accommodation component,
plus our ongoing work in the Fraser Drive precinct in Aireys Inlet.
We continue to achieve efficiencies through our three business reform programs
, business improvement, business case investment
and digital transformation.
I am pleased that we continue to support our creative people
and industries, a priority in the Council plan,
articulated through the recently
adopted Creative Places Strategy
- perhaps not to the extent that I would like, but we must all make compromises.
I am very pleased that the Council is supporting Lorne Biennale
with the commitment of $60,000 for the next two events.
It is estimated that each Biennale brings $2 million into the local economy.
The Draft Budget is a comprehensive and complex document.
I have highlighted only a few of the elements.
Residents are always keen to see the budget highlights by ward.
This is contained in appendix D.
Again, in my ward there is continued support of events,
with the 2025 Gran Fondo World Championships to be held in Lorne
and district and a commitment to the Lorne Men's Shed Parking Design
Project.
Appendix A is also of interest as it details the fees
and charges schedule that range from hall hire, statutory planning charges
to pet registration.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Stapleton, would you like to speak?
CR STAPLETON: Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Councillor Allen.
Developing the budget is a challenging process
and we know that there are many important and competing priorities
throughout the shire.
Operating in a financially strained environment means that we have to say no
to many of the things that we'd like to do for our community.
It doesn't mean these things are not important.
Council has the tough role of balancing priorities
and ensuring our spending reflects the outcomes we have already agreed
to in the Council plan, which was developed
with extensive community input and is a broad reflection
of what our community values.
Choices need to be made about what we believe
is in the best interests of the broader community now,
while ensuring we are preparing for future needs of the community for
at least the next 10 years.
The budget gets tighter every year and there are fewer discretionary funds
to allocate to new priorities.
With the State Government rate cap of 2.75%, the revenue collected
from rates cannot keep up with escalating costs of the materials
and services our community needs.
We also have a growing community and with it comes growing expectations.
To help maintain a sustainable financial position,
officers are working constantly through a business reform program
to find more savings and efficiencies every year and
to make incremental changes in the way we do our business, which helps to free
up more funds for delivery of important projects and services.
Already Council has saved more than half a million dollars
through this program.
The increasing demand on asset renewal is another key challenge for this Council.
With a growing community, we have a growing asset base
with more facilities and roads needing renewal.
Council has committed to effectively double investment
in asset renewal over a 10-year period to help ensure the viability
of Surf Coast Shire Council in the future.
Essentially, we are putting aside money now
to ensure the demand for asset renewal can be met
by the Council that is sitting here in 2034.
Council has also introduced new asset renewal modelling
to gain a better understanding of how assets degrade
and the most optimal time to renew them to try to get better value for money
in this space.
Waste charges look like being another significant financial
burden for council, but we will discuss this further in the next item
on the agenda.
Despite many of the challenges I've outlined,
there are many positive projects under way for our community, some
of which have already been outlined by Councillor Allen.
One project I'd like to flag is the $70,000 allocated to planning
and design work for the Aireys Inlet top shop precinct,
which is based on recommendations made in the existing
Aireys Inlet Structure Plan.
This project would not only enhance the aesthetics
and functionality of the area, but also improve safety and comfort
for people using the top shops, whether it be to shop, eat,
wait for a bus or to enjoy informal catch-ups
with others in the community.
This money would allow detailed design work to progress, which is needed
to allow Council to apply for future funding for a project
like this.
I encourage the community to have a look at the Draft Budget
and let us know what you think.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Stapleton.
Would any other Councillors like to speak to this motion?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Thanks, Mayor.
Millions of dollars unbudgeted for landfill remediation line our future
- increased rates as we head into harder financial
times driven by inflation-inducing quantitative easing, a white elephant
of a pool that I think will be a significant financial burden,
especially so with electrified heating.
On a positive note, the open space operations has only had
a marginal increase in costs.
Well done.
There is a plethora of other individual items that I could
address, but with only 3 minutes to discuss the budget,
this means that each second needs to address over $400,000 worth
of expenditure.
I'm not going to be able to address everything, but what I can do
is talk about the driving forces that lead to budgets like this.
First, socialism.
Thinking that the needs of the many are more important than
the needs of individuals will always result in suboptimal outcomes
for both individuals and the whole community.
This doesn't work because taking people's money involuntary
is not only unjust, it could very well be described as theft.
Second, statism.
I believe that centralised control over social and economic decisions
is better than leaving decisions to individuals.
Who listening to me right now thinks that someone else knows your life
better than you and can make better decisions that affect
you on your behalf?
Third, OPM
- yes, an addiction to OPM.
When you generate wealth from your own labour and spend it
on yourself, you both seek to spend the least
and get the highest value for that spend, but that's not what this is.
When you take other people's money and spend it on other people,
you have very poor incentives to treat that spending wisely and end
up spending a high amount, not getting good value for money
for that spend.
That's exactly what this is.
We need to get people in the community taking more
responsibility back from Council, stop spending on non-essential things
like Indigenous reconciliation that triples up on federal
and state programs; climate alarmism
- the actions that I've seen us take simply shift the perceived negatives on
to other outcomes as
- on other areas as externalities; community grants that take money
from people struggling to put food on the table and redirecting those
to pet projects of those in this group or organisation.
We should not be picking winners or losers and stop spending local ratepayers' money
by interfering in state, federal or international matters.
The endorsement of this budget to go out to the public for consultation
is simply regulatory process.
Due to cost of living pressures, most near all residents will not participate in the
public consultation process as they simply don't have the time.
Those that do have the time may very well be politically apathetic.
The resulting lack of objections may be viewed by some
as an endorsement of the budget.
I challenge this notion in the strongest possible terms and
will not be supporting this motion.
If you like the non-essential topics to be paid for through this budget,
I encourage you to voluntarily spend your own money and not force them
on other people to pay for your desires.
CR PATTISON: Thanks, Councillor Barker.
Do we have any closing remarks, Councillor Allen
- you'd like to speak, Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: I would.
Thanks, Mayor.
So I'm going to address a few specific things first
and then I want to zoom in on a particular issue.
So I'm delighted to see a proposed allocation
of $1.3 million for redevelopment of the Anglesea netball courts, which
will be a great complement to the newly completed pavilion
at the Anglesea netball courts, which will have its official opening
on Saturday, a great celebration.
I also note the proposed allocation of $250,000 for further stages
of the McMillan Street precinct planning and design, which I talked about
before, and also to note the allocation of 40,000 for the Anglesea art space,
which is to essentially lease a shop which is used for the Anglesea art space,
which is essentially a community gallery, and I'd like Councillors to think
about the potential for the McMillan Street precinct
to be the future home of the Anglesea art space or a
different version of a community gallery in Anglesea where we could potentially
save the money that we spend every year on leasing a shop.
I'm sure we can do better than that.
I also note the capital allocation to high-priority,
low-cost actions from the Safer Cycling Strategy
and congratulate officers on their good work on that.
I'd like to zoom in for a moment on appendix A, which lists over 10 pages
of fees and charges, applying a user pays principle
to cover some of the cost of providing hundreds
of different facilities and services, but we provide parking free
across the entire municipality.
Appendix A lists a $161 per square metre charge to use public land
for al fresco dining, so dining out the front of cafes, for example,
while on the other side of the kerb car spaces
of 14 square metres each are available for free.
Free parking benefits individuals at all ratepayers' expense, which
is inequitable and contrary to the user pays principle that underpins
our other fees and charges and the Victorian Government ministerial
guidelines that we're discussing in the next item.
On the other hand, we charge for hundreds of different socially beneficial uses
of Council assets, like sporting, social, learning and arts activities.
The financial cost of free parking constrains Council
spending on other important facilities
and services, like items on our asset renewal backlog or
the pathway improvements communities are crying out for.
There are also land use opportunity costs.
On a site that could park 30 cars, the Nightingale Ballarat complex provides
affordable housing for 50 people plus a cafe and office.
Ample free parking, particularly in our town centres,
also entrenches driving as the transport mode of choice,
even when 50% of car trips at 2km or less, with all the social, environmental
and health consequences that brings.
Our budgets and annual reports don't but should show what free parking actually
costs Council and ratepayers and we should engage with communities
to explore the case for and against free parking in selected areas
like town centres.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thanks, Councillor Bodsworth.
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
I'd just like to say in response to Councillor Bodsworth,
I'd second the motion, Councillor Bodsworth, if you ever put
up one, about doing a consultation and investigation into charging
for parking.
I think it's a major gap that's been very much opposed by some Councillors
over the years and to me it's a major lost opportunity when
we're so short of revenue and there are so many needs for it.
I agree with quite a few
- certainly not everything that Councillor Barker said, I'm not
into the political philosophy that he puts forward,
but certainly I would agree with quite a few of what he said
about the way that we spend money in this Council and I think there are
different ways of doing things and again, those in the community looking
for community feedback, but the reality is that very few people have got
the time or the access or the energy to actually do that.
We give them four weeks.
It's not even a cycle of community organisations kind
of meeting times and we're asking volunteers
from those organisations even at that level to be putting in many,
many hours of research and trying to understand what this budget means.
So I think the consultation
- and the reality is that the feedback can only be addressed
very much on the margins anyway because the budget is being worked on
for months and is pretty much set by the time it goes out for feedback.
There's a few things that really bother me and I would encourage the rural
community to comment.
One is the increase in waste charges, the disproportionate increase
in rural areas for waste charges and I'm concerned about that.
I'm also concerned about
- I'm not sure if it's Councillor Bodsworth or Councillor
Barker mentioned the generation of
- you know, the completion of the Anglesea landfill site
and the remediation and the cost that's approaching us
with that and the gap there that we haven't got a plan for at this point.
I'm also concerned about unsealed roads.
Unfortunately, I think we've just gone for consultation on unsealed roads
and probably raised expectations and yet in this budget there
is certainly no magic solution to the unsealed roads,
the asset renewal gap and also the maintenance gap, which
is really significant and I think a few people got excited
at the idea that we were listening to them, but now we've got the budget
that really comes hot on the heels of that and is unable to address that.
So I'll be interested
- I'll be encouraging the rural community to comment and feed back
and hopefully note, but as Councillor Barker said, the reality
is it's difficult for people to do that.
I would ask
- I believe that hard copies of the budget will be available at Torquay,
but I ask that they also be made available at Winchelsea.
A lot of people find it much easier to read hard copies than
to download a document of this size and complexity over the internet and
to follow it, you know, on a computer or mobile phone or
whatever they use, so I think that we should make hard copies
available in the townships outside Torquay and I'll be interested
to see what comments the community brings back and what we can actually respond to.
I'm happy to support it going out, but I feel very pessimistic
about the budget itself and also, just to finish,
about the reliance that this follows the Council plan, I challenge the process
for the Council plan.
It was not
- it does not reflect this community's needs or aspirations, in my view.
The investment in issues
- CR PATTISON: I'll get you to finish up there.
CR WELLINGTON: (Inaudible) which is not our job, thank you, gender equity,
a lot of money.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Wellington.
CR WELLINGTON: (Inaudible) there's a lot of money there that I think
is being waited.
CR PATTISON: Thanks, Councillor Wellington.
I'll get you to finish up now.
Would any other Councillors like
- CR HODGE: Yes, very quickly.
CR PATTISON: Councillor Hodge.
CR HODGE: Thank you.
When I get a draft of anything, what do I look at?
What's in it for me and where does my money go
and this document does show that.
Councillor Allen mentioned the snapshots, that starts on page 107, and that breaks
down the wards and it breaks down the money going into the wards
for new projects and for renewal projects.
For Torquay there was roads, bikes, environmental parts, sporting pathways,
and that came up to about 2.2 million, so that's what's happening in your area.
You can see it.
It's very easily read and that's what's happening in your area.
If you go to page 16 in the draft, the $100 of rates are spent
and it breaks it down into where your money goes.
One of the biggest ones, I'm only going to mention one,
is the theme healthy connected community and I disagree,
I think the Council plan really did set it out what those people actually helped us
with that plan and of course it's the healthy connected
community, you can see the amount of expenditure that's there.
That's where the most of your $100, every $100 goes, and that goes
from child care to health development early years, it goes
to community facilities, the wonderful stadiums that we've got,
the open spaces, the advocacy, the library, the youth, the social,
the civil works and range of services, an absolute huge range of services.
So when people say rates, roads and rubbish, there's a lot more to it
and this is it.
So you can actually
- and every topic, the First Nations, the healthy connected, the environmental
and further down are all broken down into exactly where the money is going,
so it's pretty transparent.
You know, we're even putting in
- you know, they say it's from the cradle to the grave what Council does
and we're even looking at termites now, so we're even getting everything involved
in our buildings and everything.
So when people say stay in your lane or your woke, or whatever,
this is a complete document on what affects everyone in our community
and it shows where your money goes and where it is in your area.
So I recommend people do look at the draft, do feed back in
because we want to hear from people, but they're the items that I think people
most look at it, what's in it for me and where does my money go,
and it's been set out in a very easy to read manner.
Thank you to the officers for that.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Hodge.
CR SCHONFELDER: Mayor, I'd like to make some brief comments, if I may,
and I'd like to thank Gabrielle Spiller for her work in formatting
and developing the Draft Budget for consultation.
I am the fourth member or fourth-generation member of my family
to serve on council in this local area and I have to say that it's been for
over a century and we have an initiative that is responding
to the climate emergency and I have in Europe
and North America visited glaciers and met with long-term
residents who have talked about the changing climate
and the impacts it's having.
The inaugural year of the Growing Our Urban Forest Program,
which will adapt our townships to help withstand, as I just mentioned,
the climate change challenges through tree planting and canopy cover,
this is an initiative which I cannot
- I cannot express how proud I am and it is a game changer and I believe it
is an initiative that demonstrates that our Council is progressive and
is a leader in the sector and in particular I'd like to thank Chris Pike
for his work and his team's work in relation to this and also the CEO.
I'm absolutely delighted about it and it's something that so many local
people, including members of the arboretum in Winchelsea,
are advocating for.
So once again, I'd like to just reiterate that the Council Draft
Budget is open for consultation in other municipalities,
neighbouring ones in particular, such as City of Greater Geelong,
and the borough of Queenscliff.
Colac Otway Shire and Golden Plains Shire are going
through the same process.
I would just like to say that I have given the Council 9 out of 10 for the work
they do and I know how enthusiastic the staff members are and how much
they enjoy working for this organisation, but Mayor, I would just like
to say I'm happy to give 10 out of 10 if we had some Christmas decorations so
we might get some contributions in relation to that.
Thank you very much.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Schonfelder.
Do you have any closing remarks, Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
Could I also thank the staff for the preparation of the Budget.
An enormous amount of work goes into doing it.
I also agree with Councillor Wellington that hard copies should go to other parts
of the shire would be a great advantage.
It is only
- this is only going out for consultation, so I don't really think I should have
a debate with Councillor Barker about the merits of the free market
and its imperfections, but we could certainly debate that
for quite some time.
I don't know that the concentration of wealth in the form
of individuals does a lot for the common good.
I think Elon Musk would be a great example of that fallacy.
So there has to be taxes.
It's only a matter of where we draw the line.
Are they for the roads that we drive on, are they for the hospitals we go into,
are they for the Defence Force?
So we have to draw a line and there will be continuing debate about the extent
to which we have to tax to spend and the areas in which we have
to be involved in.
But thank you to the officers and I encourage people
to read the document and to provide us feedback.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And all those opposed.
And the motion is carried 8-1.
We now move on to our next item on the agenda,
Victorian Government Minister's Good Practice Guidelines
for Service Rates and Charges.
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview
of the Victorian Government Minister's Good Practice Guidelines for Service Rates
and Charges and implications for Council.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Stapleton.
Is that as per the recommendation?
CR STAPLETON: Yes, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: And seconded by Councillor Allen.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Stapleton?
CR STAPLETON: I will.
Thank you, Mayor.
Two days before Christmas last year the State Government delivered
what appeared to be an early Christmas present
for ratepayers in the form of revised Good Practice Guidelines
for Service Rates and Charges, which effectively changed the way
that local councils can charge for waste services.
However, what might look like another saving for ratepayers
on the surface actually has the potential to cost our community greatly
in the longer term and I urge residents to consider this issue closely.
Essentially, the Victorian Government's new
Good Practice Guidelines, which came into effect in March,
state that only waste services directly linked to a household can be recovered
by councils through a waste charge.
This would mean that money allocated to other waste services that provide
a general benefit to the whole community should no longer be
collected via the waste charge.
As most Surf Coast ratepayers would be aware,
Council does have a separate waste charge separated from general rates.
This ensures that waste charges are aligned with the actual cost
of delivering waste services.
Apart from the cost of obvious waste services that Council
delivers, like collecting household rubbish,
the waste service charge also funds many other services associated
with managing waste in our community, such as processing recyclable materials,
operating landfills and transfer stations, dealing with dumped rubbish on the side
of the road, providing public litter bins and cleaning our streets and drains.
We also deliver education and awareness programs and are now aiming
to transition to a more sustainable way of managing waste
through the Circular Economy Action Plan, which is currently out
with the community for feedback.
All these services would be at risk under the new Good Practice Guidelines,
which will directly impact Council's ability to divert more material
from the waste stream and maximise our resource recovery.
Whilst I support the objective of the Minister's Revised Guidelines
to ensure greater transparency of how waste charges are being spent and
to make sure that the waste service fee is actually spent on waste services,
I have grave concerns about the limitations outlined
in the guidelines and the impact this would have
on our community.
Absorbing all the extra waste costs into general rates would effectively mean
that Council has to compromise significantly
on other services we deliver.
In fact, full implementation of the new guidelines would leave Council
with a $2.4 million shortfall in the budget each year
to meet existing community needs.
And there is a plan for rehabilitation of the Anglesea landfill when it reaches
capacity in 2027, with some of the waste fees allocated
to a waste reserve to fund the estimated $16 million that
will be needed over the next 10 years for this and for delivery
of other waste projects such as a new transfer station for Torquay
to cater for a growing population.
There has been substantial advocacy from the local government sector
on this issue and fortunately, the minister has acknowledged that some
councils may need more time to align their budgets
with the revised guidelines, but that we should demonstrate a pathway
for compliance in future budgets.
As indicated in this motion, Council has attempted
to ensure the waste service charge increases
and new waste initiatives within this Draft Budget are aligned
with the minister's revised guidelines, but we know that much more work
will be needed to comply fully with the guidelines and
to investigate options for managing the financial impact
before the new guidelines can be fully introduced.
It is interesting to note that the Victorian Government
municipal waste levy has effectively doubled in the past four years, increasing
from roughly $33 per tonne in 2020 to more than $64 per tonne now.
This is an increase of 95% and while the State Government's waste
levy continues to rise each year, local councils are expected
to carry an increased burden on behalf of their communities.
It is in all our interests to support the long-term
financial sustainability of councils.
Think about the services you value as a resident and what it would mean
if Council had to cut back on some of these by $2.4 million each year.
It may mean we need to reduce maintenance on footpaths, roads,
parks and community facilities or cut back on some of our other community services.
I'm sure everyone would have different opinions
on what those things should be.
Of course, Council would develop an approach
that ensures continuity of service to the community while
maintaining financial sustainability, but more time is needed
to properly assess the options.
At the end of the day, it is vital that Council is able
to continue providing efficient and effective waste services
for the broader benefit of the community and for the environment.
These are all considerations for next year's budget and beyond,
but hopefully in the meantime, with ongoing advocacy,
the State Government may recognise some of the potential unintended consequences
of the revised Good Practice Guidelines for waste charges and take steps
to prevent negative impacts on other important services.
I look forward to receiving a report from officers later this year
with future options for Council's consideration.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Stapleton.
Councillor Allen, would you like to speak?
CR ALLEN: Thank you, Mayor.
One must always be suspicious of any government announcement
on a Friday afternoon, but particularly of one released on 23 December,
two days before Christmas.
In line with the guidelines contained in the
Good Practice for Service Charges, councils when framing future budgets
will be asked to align our service rate or charge
with the specific and tangible service provided
to the occupancy it is levied on
- for example, the kerbside collection of waste and/or recycling bins
that are provided for the exclusive use of the occupancy.
Litter and waste collection from public spaces we are told should be
funded by the Council through revenue sources
- ie, the rates.
In our case, we will need to find $2.4 million in future budgets
to provide this service, thus giving future councils a choice
to either cut back on existing service
- fewer footpaths, reducing spending on gravel roads
- or cut back on our spending for public waste removal, which will go
down a treat in Lorne, where we are under continual pressure to spend more
to remove the waste left by tourists and/or rearranged
in the township by the cockatoos.
We are told that it is not good practice for a council
to levy a service rate or charge to fund services that do not provide
a direct
- direct
- benefit to the occupancy subject to the service rate or charge.
The waste that is left in Lorne by tourists and the feeding of cockatoos
by tourists attract them.
They then attack our residents' kerbside bins, spreading rubbish in our streets,
- directly
- affecting the amenity of the resident.
Litter and waste collection from public spaces and the provision
of public bins are to be funded from rates.
At first sight, there is not a lot of dispute.
However, all of our coastal communities are overwhelmed
by the rubbish left in public streets and parks for six months of the year.
We will be expected to provide for its removal from a revenue stream that
is capped and tied to an ever increasing set
of deliverables mandated by the same State Government.
Something has to give and the State Government would rather it
be us than them.
Either way, the local resident pays, either through a broad
but properly targeted service charge or through what they will forgo as a result
of service reduction.
I support the recommendation as it is taking an advocacy position
highlighting the ambiguity and the potential adverse consequences
of the guidelines, but in doing so, I do not wish to be silent
about the State Government's big-stick approach to correct the actions
of a couple of councils that will punish the majority
and particularly those municipalities whose economies are tourist based and
in our situation have four landfill transfer stations to manage
and in the case of Anglesea to rehabilitate.
Instead of a Fair Go Rates System, how about a fair go
for local government system.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
I appreciate Councillor Stapleton and Allen's words on that
and I completely agree where that.
There is one specific issue and I'm going to just hark back
to the old user pays thing that I was talking about before on the budget
because the user pays principle is central to this guideline as well and page 6
of the guideline, which is page 153 of the agenda papers, says,
"When calculating the amount of a Service Rate or Service Charge,
it is good practice for a council to",
second dot point, "focus on either a subsidised pricing or
full-cost recovery pricing structure, including clear rationale
in cases where councils subsidise particular users at the expense of others"
and I call your minds back to the parking issue,
where we actually offer a 100% subsidy on parking at the benefit
of individual users at the expense of all ratepayers.
So I think it's interesting to look at this guideline on kind of a flip side
from what is not good practice to what is good practice
and apply that good practice principle to the issue of parking as one
of our user fees and charges.
I just thought that was noteworthy out of the guideline.
I can't agree more with the other Councillors.
Thanks.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
CR BODSWORTH: I support the recommendation
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: I welcome the critique of government by my colleagues.
It warms my heart.
Welcome to how I view most things we do here.
Having State Government force us to do things that require us to directly
- to redirect funding that could otherwise be directly benefiting our community
is something that I cannot support.
The driving policy is flawed.
If all councils said no to the State Government, they'd be forced
to rectify the issues or abandon the policy completely.
Say that we live in a society that largely submit to authority, I would like us
to push back harder, but I welcome baby steps
and I'll support this motion and get ready for us to be a wrecking ball next time
they trod on us.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you, Mayor Pattison.
I think this problem has been around for quite a while and it really started
when rate capping was introduced, so councils across the state were looking
for uncapped sources of revenue.
Because the rate capping policy was so detrimental to council's income,
they looked for uncapped sources of income and I think probably there's been
a significant amount of costs that have been shifted
into the waste charges which have led to the waste charges increasing
significantly outside the rate cap and so the consumers are starting to complain
about that and the government put in guidelines about how not to do it.
But fundamentally the problem is both the financial might
of the local government and the tendency of local government to both accept things
that State Government wants it to do without revenue and to impose
upon itself things that it wants to do without revenue and so as the mandate,
self-directed, of local government increases,
the costs increase and more and more costs have been directed,
I think, I suspect, in many cases, probably including our own, into the costs
into the waste stream and the waste revenue charges
and knowing our budget this year, we're going to be charging our rural
people significantly more for waste, which is a really big issue in my mind.
It's going to go down like a lead balloon, I suspect.
But fundamentally the problem is not just the waste revenue or
the waste levy or the guidelines.
The problem is the whole funding model for local government.
It's unsustainable and, you know, I think that the solution is twofold.
We need to contract what we do and I really object
to the characterisation of roads, rates and rubbish or
- you know, it's either roads, rates or rubbish or it's fighting wars
in Gaza, you know, there's no in between.
There is a place in between.
It's about reasonable provision to the community and within the mandate
of local government and that's not just roads, rates
and rubbish.
Planning is a huge element of that, obviously, and kindergartens and
all those things.
So it's sort of having this throwaway term that council is only about roads,
rates and rubbish.
Well, we're not.
None of us are.
I don't think any of us are about that.
So it's quite annoying to have that continually stated.
So my view is that the whole funding model of local government needs to be reviewed,
the whole efficiency of local government needs to be reviewed,
and in particular the scope of things that local government attempts
to involve itself in or accepts from State Government as part
of its responsibility, like housing, where on earth do we get extra funding
for that?
You can't put that into a basic levy.
So the system is in trouble, in my view, and this is just the minister trying
to tidy things up without any real recognition
of the unseen problems that we have.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
No.
Any closing remarks, Councillor Stapleton?
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And all those opposed.
We don't have Councillor Gazzard, but everyone voted in favour,
so the motion is carried.
We now move on to 4.3, Petition Response
- Gaza Conflict.
The purpose of this report is to respond to the petition presented
at the February 2024 Council meeting requesting that Council considers a motion
in relation to the current conflict in Gaza.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Allen, is that as per the recommendation?
CR ALLEN: As per the recommendation, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: And do we have a seconder?
Councillor Bodsworth.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
I believe that this is a carefully crafted and an appropriate response
to the petition that we received at the February meeting.
There is no denying the grief felt by both Palestinians and Israelis
in our community.
Similar to that felt by a Ukrainian person who received Australian citizenship
in this chamber last Wednesday, similar to that felt by Sudanese residents
in our community as there are now more people displaced
in the Sudan than in any conflict in recorded human history.
I can go on to talk about those affected by the additional 10 international
conflicts in the world.
However, we must devote our time to those matters
over which we do have jurisdiction and over which we do have a capacity
to make a difference.
The tragedy of the conflict in the Gaza that began in Israel is the loss
of innocent lives.
Now there are new wounds opened on centuries of scars that
will be impossible to heal in the short term.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Bodsworth, would you like to speak?
CR BODSWORTH: Only to say that I think that this is a well balanced response
to the petition.
It's compassionate, but it's restrained.
That's all.
Thanks, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Thanks, Mayor.
Before the timer starts, just one question.
CR PATTISON: Yes.
CR BARKER: How much money was spent through the administration of the petition
and the actions that have resulted from accepting the petition?
CR PATTISON: I'll pass that to our CEO.
CR BARKER: Ballpark figure.
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: It was purely staff time in preparing the response,
Councillor Barker.
I don't have an estimate of what that would have cost.
CR BARKER: Okay.
I wonder what would have happened if we got a petition
with less than 20 signatures from Surf Coast residents
to not increase rates.
Would we accept it?
Now, this motion touches on human rights as identified in the recommendation,
but it doesn't touch on the human rights of the residents of the Surf Coast,
the ones that were held up in their homes in lockdowns,
the business owners whose businesses were decimated
by the disproportionate government response.
Are we going to get our room tidy before we go picking on others elsewhere?
There's a whole range of other issues.
I'm not going to support this motion or this
recommendation because we simply shouldn't be
in this space.
I understand the concerns of the people that raised it initially,
but until we've got all our roads sorted, all our open spaces sorted, all the waste
under control and we've got a surplus, then we can start thinking about things
outside of our remit.
But I won't be supporting this motion because of that.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Wellington.
CR WELLINGTON: Thanks, Mayor Pattison.
I'd just like to say that staff time, only staff time,
is actually only ratepayer money and there's been a lot of work put
into this and it is crafted very carefully,
as Councillor Bodsworth has said.
It's a motion you have when you don't have a motion.
We don't have a motion really.
I think it's time this Council sat up and said look, I mean,
there are many things in the world that will break people's hearts and I know that
and I'm as big a softy and have greatest concern as anyone
about things like war and conflict and children being harmed and all
of those things.
They're terrible, traumatic things and as an individual,
I can do things that I think are within my choice and I do do things to try
to contribute towards a better world.
I think this Council should never have accepted this motion.
Its time this stopped trying to be everything to everybody, trying
to show solidarity with different groups in the community,
spending ratepayers' money on staff time to try to craft a motion.
I am grateful that this motion says that this is outside the scope
of our powers, duties and functions, but it's
- CR PATTISON: Councillor Wellington, you seem to be freezing.
CR WELLINGTON: (Inaudible).
CR PATTISON: Your internet connection is a little bit scratchy, but keep going,
it seems to have come good.
You just froze for a moment there.
CR WELLINGTON: I think it's time to park this motion (inaudible) policies
around (inaudible) all the things that we are supposed to be responsible
for should be directing our resources (inaudible).
CR PATTISON: Councillor Wellington, I might ask you to turn your camera off
and then we can just turn it on for the speaking and then you might be
able to speak without cutting out.
I think we
- Councillor Wellington, are you there now?
You're just completely cutting out.
I think Governance will give you a call to see what's
- oh, you seem to be coming back.
I was just thinking if you turn your camera off just
for the speaking, we might be able to hear you and then have it back on
for the voting because it was
- CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
CR PATTISON: So if you just want to
- yes, we didn't hear most of your speech, so we might just start the timer
again and you can
- or I think there was about 2 minutes left and then you can speak from there, thanks.
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you very much.
So I suppose my point is the development of this motion would have taken quite
a bit of time of our officers.
That is ratepayers' money which is spent on things that are outside our remit
and solely for the purpose of showing solidarity
with a group in the community that is sad and distressed
about a conflict that's occurring well outside our municipality.
You know, it's not unreasonable for us as individual Councillors to be sad
and distressed about what's happening in Gaza at all,
but we have our own individual ways that we can deal with that
and we should not be taking the ratepayers' authority they've given us
to run this shire and turn that into a political tool to go and talk
to the Federal Government about its foreign affairs policy.
It's nothing to do with us as a Council and we can do it individually if we wish
to, but not as a Council.
I'm not going to vote for this on behalf of the community, nor am I going
to vote against it.
The motion itself is just a non-motion.
It doesn't say anything.
It's just trying to appease some people.
We should have rejected that petition and we shouldn't have been spending
ratepayers' money to develop this response.
I'm going to abstain from this vote and that will go down as a no,
but I'm abstaining really protesting and saying come on, have a look
at ourselves as a Council, have a look at what we're here for,
let's do some grown-up governance and let's put a boundary
around what we delve into because this is inappropriate.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Wellington.
If you can put your camera back on so we can see you,
that would be great now.
But we could hear you fine for that section, so that was good.
Councillor Gazzard, would you like to speak to the motion?
CR GAZZARD: Thank you.
And I'm not feeling very well, so I might leave after this motion.
I won't go into great detail.
Obviously it's very distressing what's happening in Gaza.
I don't disagree with what Councillor Wellington has said
that it's not in our scope and there's probably not much to be gained
and there is possible harm to be caused by debate and discussion and I don't want
to cause any divisiveness in our community, but there
is also a sense of powerlessness and despair and I can see that
in community members and so I feel that
- I feel a sense of obligation to take some action however I can.
There is precedence for this.
There's been motions passed by councils in Sydney and Hobart as well
as multiple Victorian Councils, including Ballarat, Merri-bek,
Maribyrnong, Dandenong, Yarra, Kew, Darebin and Wyndham who have all called
for a ceasefire.
I believe no civilian should be the target of violence and war and I condemn the acts
of Hamas on the 27th and the war crimes committed every day
since towards Palestinians, particularly the bombing of hospitals
and children and the resulting lack of access to amenities
and basic human rights.
I think the motion as the recommendation is measured and thoughtful,
but a little lacking in any kind of action, so I would like
to foreshadow an alternate motion if this one doesn't get up.
Is it possible to just display it on the screen, it's a bit long to read,
just to show it?
CR PATTISON: Thanks, Councillor Gazzard.
Governance, if we could put that on the screen.
It's a complex motion, so it's easier for people to read it.
So we've now displayed Councillor Gazzard's foreshadowed motion
if this lapses.
We'll just give everyone a minute or so to read that.
Governance, could you just move it across so that the rest
- I think if you just slide the cursor across.
I don't know if that's
- CR BODSWORTH: I don't think it is cutting anything out.
CR PATTISON: Isn't it cutting a few words out on the edge?
No?
Okay, if everyone can read it, that's fine.
Thank you.
We've all seen that, so thank you for putting that up.
Councillor Gazzard, have you finished or have you got more
that you would like to
- CR GAZZARD: Yes, that's all, thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Schonfelder, would you like to speak?
CR SCHONFELDER: Yes, please.
I'm not sure if you're paying me a compliment or not
by saying that.
I will take it as a compliment.
Mayor, I understand the sentiments expressed by
all my colleagues tonight and I think it's very sad that conflicts
are taking place worldwide.
However, for some reason I do feel
differently about the Israeli-Gaza conflict and I feel that most people
within the Surf Coast Shire, possibly, I don't know how many,
but a large proportion would identify as Christians or they would identify
as observing Christian traditions and I feel that many believe the holiest
place in the world, apart perhaps from Bells Beach, is Bethlehem,
where Jesus was born.
So that's one part of this issue.
Another one is with point 4 saying that the "condemns all human rights violations
in wars and ongoing conflicts around the world".
That does refer to the hostages that have been taken
by Hamas and I think that's also very important to highlight that
and the fact that the hostages need to be released because I know people talk
about the chicken and the egg about the fact that with the conflict it
is really a hangover from colonialism because the Ottoman Empire ruled
over the Middle East and so did the Romans and so did many other powers
and I do think that in many respects this is a result
of colonialisation in the area.
I do thank the members of our community for raising the petition because
they are entitled to do so and I do feel that human rights
is an issue that does affect every tier of government.
Even though international relations and foreign affairs is a matter
for the Federal Government, I do once again feel that human rights
is something that we all cherish in our jurisdiction.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Do we have any closing remarks, Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Mayor, just to say that I think this recommendation
does set some boundaries and although we're not governed
by the law of precedent, I think it does set a precedent.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Just before we go to the vote, Councillor Wellington,
are you still online or have you dropped off?
CR ALLEN: She was going to abstain anyway.
CR PATTISON: She's just dropped off?
Okay.
That's alright.
We've still got quorum, so we'll progress, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn't
a tech issue and she just had her camera off.
So we'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
All those opposed.
And Councillor Gazzard, are you abstaining from this vote?
CR GAZZARD: Yes, I'll abstain.
CR PATTISON: Okay, thank you.
So the motion is carried and it is 5-3.
We will now move on
- CR GAZZARD: Mayor, can I excuse myself from the rest of the meeting?
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you for coming along when you're unwell.
We appreciate your presence tonight.
Thank you, Councillor Gazzard.
Bye.
We now move on to item 4.4, C138 Planning Scheme Amendment
Winchelsea Industrial Estate.
The purpose of this report is to consider the adoption
of Amendment C138surf following public exhibition and resolution
of agency submissions.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Schonfelder, is that as per the recommendation?
Yes.
And a seconder?
Councillor Barker.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: Yes, I'll just briefly mention that this
is referring to the rezoning of land to be industrial 1, which
will provide additional industrial land supply in Winchelsea
to support local business opportunities and investments.
If the Council do approve this recommendation,
then the amendment C138surf will be submitted to the Minister
for Planning for approval.
The expansion of the Winchelsea Industrial Estate
is consistent with the policy directions of the Growing Winchelsea Shaping Future
Growth Strategy 2015, which identifies the general area
as future employment land.
The proposal is supported by an industrial land supply
and demand assessment.
The report findings include Winchelsea has a limited supply of vacant industrial land
and the delivery of small industrial lots is both strategically
and economically justified, with Winchelsea expected to grow by 10,000
people by the year 2050.
There are other relevant issues pertaining to this and I know that when you drive
into Winchelsea from Geelong and you cross the river
and you head further westwards, it's to the northern side
of the town so it is like an industrial precinct
and I welcome the recommendations put forward to us tonight.
And I'd like to add that in relation to Venice and New York City,
both places very picturesque, very much tourist destinations,
they have industrial precincts and they have very large industrial precincts
and there is a saying that where you have industry, you have community
and once again, with our circular economy, having people work locally I imagine some
people would be able to walk to the industrial precinct, which
is even better, and I think Councillor Bodsworth would be
happy if they also cycled as well and used active transport.
So I welcome this recommendation and encourage my colleagues to support it.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Barker, would you like to speak?
CR BARKER: I'll be very brief.
I will support this motion not because I support zoning
because I think zoning is a ridiculous external control
on what people do with their land, but because I support businesses being
able to be established and grow.
I look forward to the growth and the vibrancy
of the Cressy Road precinct.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak to this motion?
Do you have any closing remarks, Councillor Schonfelder?
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
We now move on to 4.5, Final Torquay Wayfinding Signage Strategy
and Design Guidelines.
Do we have a mover of a motion.
Councillor Hodge.
And a seconder?
Oh, as per the recommendation?
And a seconder?
Councillor Bodsworth.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: Yes, thank you, Mayor.
Just quickly on this, this was from a grant that we received
which was very good, but when you go through Torquay and certainly further
down the coast, but in Torquay there's signs everywhere
and I think it's just been
- this will bring in a planned approach to it in a much more uniformed style
and that style is on page 220 when it went out for community consultation.
People fed into it about the colours and things like that, so that
will be really good.
The word wayfinding I think sort of
- it should just be signage to me, but it will be logical, it will be legible,
it will be functional, economical and easy to execute.
It's highly legible typeface, universally understood pictures,
and high contrast colours, which is very important, and where appropriate,
tactile and Braille will be as well.
But I think it will be lovely by the time this is all through and
all the locations are in the report and then to slowly take some
of the unnecessary signs down, especially along the highway,
will make it a more attractive area as you drive through, but also visually
for pedestrians and things to have a uniformed nice colours
and exactly you know where you're going, which I think will be beneficial to all.
So I thank the officers that went out and thank the 11 submitters that came in
because it certainly helped finalise this stage and hopefully we'll move on
to the next stage in the next couple of years.
So looking forward to getting rid of a lot of signs once this is up.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Oh, yes, thanks, Mayor.
I also strongly support this.
This kind of signage is kind of like greeting people who are unfamiliar
with the area and helping them understand what's there
and where to find the things that they're interested
in, so it's important that we as the sort of local community
through these signs are greeting people in a sort of highly legible, well-designed
, agreeable way that enhances their experience of this place that we're
all proud of and that they're visiting and are unfamiliar with.
So this is actually really important to people.
It's also really important
- the process of design and sign placement and planning is super important,
so I look forward to seeing how that progresses.
I'm sure, based on the work that's been done to date,
that it will be excellent.
Ongoing ownership, inspection and maintenance of signs
is incredibly important as well and that's often where signs, well,
literally fall down is that ongoing ownership and maintenance,
so I also look forward to us doing a good job of that.
And that's probably all I need to say about it.
I think bring it on.
I will note that years ago when I worked for the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee,
I did an audit of signs and a cull of signs in Aireys Inlet.
We got rid of over 100 signs in Aireys on the coast of Crown Land Reserve alone,
including signposts that had no sign left on them,
signs that were completely illegible, signs that referred
to things that were completely defunct.
So I do hope that the rollout of this new sign system is accompanied
by an appropriate level of sign culling.
CR SCHONFELDER: Mayor, can I just ask a question?
CR PATTISON: Yes.
CR SCHONFELDER: This template will be rolled out across the whole shire,
is that envisaged?
CR PATTISON: I'll pass that one to our CEO.
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: Thanks, Councillor Schonfelder.
We have a limited budget, so we will start in Torquay is the intention
and we'll see how far that gets in Torquay and then over time,
as we have budget available, we will seek to roll it out more broadly
across the shire.
CR SCHONFELDER: Thank you, Mayor.
I'd just like to briefly speak, if I may.
CR PATTISON: Sure.
CR SCHONFELDER: And say that I think the layout and the designs are excellent
and I did go to Niagara Falls about four years ago and
they have similar signs and I know that you can use Google Maps
and have other methods of looking at different signage,
but I know that when you have a sign that tells you when you're walking
along where another attraction is, it can be really helpful as well.
And I know that with the Council plan we have the local
- we have the small town feel to keep local charm
and I feel this does add to that.
And following on from what Councillor Bodsworth said
about an audit of signs, there can be an oversupply of them and
they can look cumbersome.
So this is a great initiative and congratulations to the Council.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
CR ALLEN: Mayor, could I ask a question, please?
CR PATTISON: Yes, sure.
CR ALLEN: Is there a budget and/or a plan to remove the signs that are made
redundant?
CR PATTISON: Yes.
CR ALLEN: That's budgeted for?
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: It's part of the project
- it's part of this project, Councillor Allen, so yes.
CR ALLEN: Okay.
In that case, I'll support it, even though I don't like wayfinding.
CR PATTISON: Would you like to speak, Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: No, thanks.
CR PATTISON: No.
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Yes, first one, good question, how much is it going to
- similar to these, but how much is it going to cost
to implement this strategy relative to current signage costs when compared to
like for like signs?
CR PATTISON: I'll pass that to our CEO.
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: Councillor Barker, I don't have that comparison
with me tonight and in relation to the remaining budget that we have
to roll this out, I think we have 320
- something of the order of $320,000 to do a rollout as far as we can
with that amount of money, but I can't tell you what the like for
like of our current signage system would be.
CR BARKER: Okay.
Given that and the constrained financial environment
that we're moving into, I'm concerned that while this
is a lovely idea, I don't particularly like the colour contrast, like steer away
from black where possible, but I'm concerned that if we head
down this path and it's not fully funded, not fully budgeted, we may end up
with a town that's got this mishmash of signs and that I think is going
to look far worse than what we've got at the moment even
with the degraded signs.
So yes, unless it's fully planned out and budgeted for, I can't support it.
Otherwise like you heard it here, if we end up and we can't afford it
and we've got this mismatch of signs, don't say you weren't warned.
CR PATTISON: Councillor Stapleton?
CR STAPLETON: I'll just speak very quickly to add that on page 222 of the agenda,
item number 1 under the action plan for this project is the removal of 18
to 20 outdated signs identified for rationalisation and consolidation.
So just to reassure other Councillors that that has been included in the action plan.
CR PATTISON: Thank you for clarifying that.
Do we have any closing remarks, Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: No, thank you.
CR PATTISON: We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
I think Councillor Wellington is paused again.
All those opposed.
Just to clarify, Councillor Wellington, were you in favour or opposing
because you were frozen, so it was unclear.
And you've frozen again.
And you're still frozen.
We are having
- CR WELLINGTON: I'm in favour.
CR PATTISON: In favour, okay, great.
So that is carried 7-1.
Thanks for clarifying.
We now move on to 4.6, Local Government Performance Reporting
- 1 July-31 December 2023.
The purpose of this report is to note the Local Government Performance
Reporting for the period of 1 July to 31 December 2023.
I note that officers have advised that the date headings
for the first three columns in attachment 1 currently refer
to the years 2020, 2021 and 2022.
They should refer to 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The data in the columns is accurate.
Only the headings needed to be updated and this
will be corrected in the meeting minutes.
Do I have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Barker
- is that as per the recommendation?
CR BARKER: With the amendments.
CR PATTISON: With the amendments, yes.
And do I have a seconder?
Councillor Allen, thank you.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Pretty briefly.
As you can see, our transparency is getting better, but there's still a lot
of room for improvement.
Community satisfaction is still very low.
To have 50 to 60% satisfaction as a business owner
from customers would leave that business broke.
The only way we survive is because the funds we are paid
through are involuntary means.
I'll support the motion as it simply notes the Local
Government Performance Report, but I would strongly encourage residents
to go through the report and see if it matches with your thoughts and those
in your networks.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
Councillor Allen, would you like to speak?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
The Council is required to present six-monthly report
of indicators measuring the Council's performance.
Listed in section 2.8 of the Draft Budget are nine areas where
a performance report is mandated.
They're highlighted in bold letters.
There are nine such areas and in this six-month period we are reporting
on six of them
- animal management, food safety, governance, libraries, maternal
and child health, and statutory planning.
There are several pleasing outcomes that I wish to highlight.
Animal management
- that there's a reduction in the percentage
of stray cats is excellent, a reduction in the time
to action a request made by our residents.
It's pleasing to see the introduction of food safety samples.
It's a new measure.
Therefore, there's nothing to measure it against, but it's a good inclusion.
The number of items on the agenda closed to the public has been reduced by 68%;
more procurement items with commercially sensitive elements
redacted now in the open agenda.
I see that 100% success at VCAT, but noting a decrease in the number
of matters during this reporting period.
This may be a result of longer time taken to determine applications due
to greater efforts to resolve disputes between objectors and applicants,
which is a desired outcome.
I note that library
- CR PATTISON: It's nothing to do with you, Councillor Allen.
We're just trying to work out what the buzzing is and
whether our phones have created it.
CR ALLEN: Sorry, I thought I'd made a
- CR PATTISON: Keep continuing, sorry.
Sorry to disrupt.
CR ALLEN: I note that library participation
and utilisation figures are now included in the report.
As such, there is no benchmark.
This data will be important for the future of mobile libraries for us
to understand the pattern of use.
Anecdotally, there is a difference in recent usage in Lorne compared
to Deans Marsh.
It may be one-off, but it will be interesting to see if there
is a trend.
This is a service that's highly valued in remoter communities.
The one major concern that I had was the reduced participation in maternal
and child health and this bears closer scrutiny
if this trend is reflected in annual figures,
but I have had an update and I'm grateful to Mr Waight for supplying me
with additional information from this morning's meeting.
The data collection system for MHC
- sorry, MCH
- is set up to report on financial years, so extrapolating data
for six months can present some anomalies.
The Department of Health is aware of the suboptimal data collection system
and are currently in the design phase of rolling out an improved system
and I'm delighted to see that the Surf Coast nurses are
engaged with the co-design process.
Regardless of the data limitations, we are always seeking
to maximise participation in MCH services.
That's really great and I have confidence that that wonderful team that looks
after maternal childcare health will continue to monitor the situation.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
Would anyone else like to speak to the motion?
Do you have any closing remarks, Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: No.
CR PATTISON: We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
We'll now move on to item 4.7, Proposed Discontinuance
of Wadawurrung Way Torquay.
The purpose of this report is to advise Council of the outcome
of the community engagement for the proposal to discontinue a portion
of Wadawurrung Way, Torquay and to seek Council approval
to discontinue a 2,535 square metre portion of this road.
We have a recommendation before us.
Do we have a mover of the motion?
Councillor Hodge, as per the recommendation?
And a seconder?
Councillor Schonfelder.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: Oh, just very quickly.
This was needed to be done to ensure that the area was able
to be started, hopefully very soon, on the Torquay Aquatic Centre or
the Surf Coast Aquatic Centre, so this road now will be slightly deviated
to allow that to happen.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: I just briefly would like to say that this road named
after the Wadawurrung is quite significant and when the new part of the road
is constructed, I would advocate for it to be exposed aggregate.
I think that would be a fitting tribute to the First Nations people in our area.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thanks, Councillor Schonfelder.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Though I disagree with the decision that resulted
in the discontinuance being necessary, given that's occurred,
I don't see any need to not support this motion.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Do any other Councillors wish to speak?
No?
Any closing remarks, Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: No, thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: We now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
We now move on to the Future Commitment to G21.
The purpose of this report is to confirm Council's commitment
to the G21 Geelong Region Alliance, including endorsement
of Council's financial contribution for the 2024-25
financial year.
We have a recommendation before us.
And I note that there is a typo in point 3 of the recommendation and this should read
"the draft 2024-2025 budget".
Do we have a mover of a motion
- Councillor Stapleton, as per the recommendation?
And seconded by Councillor Schonfelder.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Stapleton?
CR STAPLETON: Thanks, Mayor.
So this item relates to Council's ongoing commitment to G21,
the Geelong Regional Alliance, which has been operating for
more than 20 years as an advocacy body for the region representing five
local government areas, including Surf Coast, Geelong,
Queenscliff, Colac Otway and Golden Plains.
From my time on the G21 board, and last year as part
of the committee working on the G21 region plan for 2050,
I have seen the value of the organisation not only in the way it advocates to State
and Federal Governments, but in its ability
to bring together leaders and community representatives from
across our region to address common issues like housing and climate change and
to consider opportunities that impact our region as a whole, like transport
and planning.
G21 is not only represented by the five local councils
but more broadly by business, education, health and other important sectors
of our community who are part of the broader membership base.
More recently G21 has been bolstered by the addition of a First Nations pillar
to guide regional priorities for our Indigenous community.
From my observations, I have confidence in the role that G21
plays to represent our region and to amplify the voice of local communities
and I support the recommendation to continue our membership
and to allocate $70,000 to G21 through the Draft Budget.
Surf Coast Shire Council has been a longstanding member of G21
and an active participant in its projects and programs.
Historically, each council's funding contribution has
been based on a payment in proportion to its population, which
for Surf Coast has equated to $70,000 a year over the most recent four-year
period of the agreement, which is due to conclude on 30 June 2024.
Last year, the City of Greater Geelong resolved to exit G21,
which was to be effective from April this year,
prompting the G21 board to review its operation and model.
However, in March Geelong City Council resolved
to renew its membership for another three years, albeit
with a reduced financial contribution from $500,000
to $250,000 in the next financial year.
Given this, it is expected that the other G21 councils
will reconsider or consider their respective membership commitment
for coming years based on the reduced contribution
by the City of Geelong.
G21 has modelled various options to account for the reduced contribution
and the likely outcome is that Surf Coast, based on a pro rata payment,
would make a contribution between $42,500 to just over $55,000.
However, it is recommended that Council
retain the full $70,000 allocated in the budget for G21
to ensure we have capacity to contribute to G21-led projects
and programs over the coming years.
I'm hopeful that all five councils remain committed
to G21 so the organisation can proceed with a new memorandum of understanding
for signing by each member council and I urge my fellow Councillors
to support this motion.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: Mayor, I'd like to add that last year I had the privilege
of attending the launch of the G21 Region Plan 2050 along
with yourself and Councillor Stapleton and the CEO, Ms Seymour, also attended
and the work that G21 does is invaluable and a number
of other regions nationwide have followed suit and have formed their equivalents
and I know that at a forum that was held at Torquay,
the Deputy Premier at the time, Jacinta Allan, attended,
who is now Premier, so it's so important to be able to lobby and I know tonight,
as evidenced by Councillor Wellington and even Councillor Gazzard
having communications problems, these bodies lobby different tiers
of government to help with different issues that are region
wide, such as telecommunications and the data divide.
So I once again encourage my colleagues to support this item.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
I mean, the power of five councils combining to advocate
to State and Commonwealth Government is a fairly obvious advantage,
particularly when you include the power of the City of Greater Geelong.
So that is fairly obvious to me.
Where I'd like to take my remarks is to the importance, I believe,
in networking.
I'm on the economic development
- the culture and economic development pillar
and recently the Lorne Community Connect Committee,
because we're trying to establish Lorne Community Connect
as a centre for the arts, organised a tour to the Geelong Gallery and because
of my connection on the pillar, I had the confidence or I knew Jason Smith
as the director of the gallery.
So I could ring Jason up and he agreed to come and speak to the group of people.
Now, all of these people are volunteers and they're all
on other voluntary organisations in the town.
For Jason to come along and talk to them and gave quite an inspirational talk
about the gallery and how the gallery could support
small organisations like Lorne Community Connect gave
enthusiasm and renewed vigour to that group of volunteers
and that can't be underestimated and I know other Councillors
and I know officers would also have that networking opportunity.
So to me it's the combined power of advocacy with the networking advantages
that the G21 provide the Council, so I support the motion.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Any other Councillors?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: I'll be very quick.
While support for G21 is dropping, as noted,
and I fear that some cost fallacy is being experienced
through continuing the partnership.
While membership cost is relatively low, that $70,000, or a couple
of bucks per ratepayer, would go a long way to paying
for the repairs to Baynes Crescent at the Surf Coast Highway, Duffields Road,
or the many other issues our road network faces.
With regards to the networking, yes, there's plenty of great opportunities,
but I don't think it's fair that we force this cost on ratepayers for
if it is worthwhile, we should stump up our own money for it,
but it's just another blip on the radar in terms of budget that
will probably be supported, but every dollar counts.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: Every dollar does count too and I think you can see
with the people that have gone to G21 over the years the amount
of money coming back into the region, such as the Geelong deal, Point Grey,
that was $8 million done by a group of councils and I've been to Canberra,
luckily, two or three times with it and a member in the audience Jill Evans
was in me on one of them as a representative of Golden Plains,
I think, Jill, and out of that money came a lot of the money that we get back.
So the $70,000 and with what we put in to going
to Canberra you get a lot more bang for your buck when it comes
to a budget time and I think it's well worth it.
I think Councillor Allen was spot on when he said it's the networking
and it's the strength of five.
Usually when councils go up by themselves, they might see public servants or
they might see a junior minister.
With G21, you're sitting there with Prime Ministers, you're sitting there
with Deputy Prime Ministers, you're actually sitting there
with the ministers and their advisers.
So you're not just talking to public servants, you're talking
to the minister eyeballing them, and to me that's
- the $70,000 and the money that we spend is really well spent
and the money coming back, we couldn't do it on our own
and neither could Golden Plains, neither could Queenscliff
and neither could Colac Otway.
But all together with Geelong, and I'm really glad that they've come
back into this, now this power little group can go up
and try to get as much funds as they can to take off local ratepayers,
but the money coming back from federal outweighs the amount that
we put in.
So I recommend this.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Wellington, would you like to speak?
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you.
I think it would be nice if we had a proper evaluation
of this body, G21.
I mean, $70,000 is a modest allocation, I suppose, and I would support it,
but rather than just a report that says, you know, it's highly regarded and we go
to Canberra and we get money back, of course we do, we're entitled
to get money back.
The question really is do we get more money back
because we're a member of G21 than we would get
if we were operating in a different way.
I don't know the answer to that.
I think there is benefit in networking and partnerships
and there probably are measurable outcomes that we get from this.
I'm a bit disappointed that we don't (inaudible)
and we haven't really got a report that tells us here's what we've got
with G21 that we wouldn't have got otherwise,
or here's how we've improved our share of the whole pot that's doled out
by the Federal Government since we've been a member of G21.
(Inaudible).
I'll support it, but I don't like making decisions on the basis
of anecdotes and feel-good things, I like to think that this
is evidenced (inaudible).
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
And Councillor Stapleton, do you have any closing remarks?
CR STAPLETON: No, thanks.
CR PATTISON: No.
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And opposed.
And the motion is carried 7-1.
We now move on to 4.9, Audit and Risk Committee Charter.
The report is for Council to consider adopting the reviewed Audit
and Risk Committee Charter.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Wellington
- is that as per the recommendation?
And a seconder?
Councillor Bodsworth.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Thank you very much.
This is just a periodic review of the charter which is the sort
of foundational document for the Audit and Risk Committee.
I've been a member of this committee for several years now
and I think it functions really well and I think it really adds value
to this Council in terms of not just kind of keeping things in check,
but actually initiating conversations around areas for compliance,
so I think it's an initiative that's really good and the two Council members
on it, I think we learn a lot from being part of it,
but we also can contribute.
So it's a good committee.
The charter is just a document that sort of sets the rules around how it operates
and you can see in the redline version there's been some minor amendments.
Probably the most significant one for me is the point on page 318
of the agenda adding that "From time to time provide insight
into Council policies/procedures within areas of collective expertise".
The terms of reference focus more on legislative compliance,
so if a policy was compliant, the committee would tick it off,
but really the discussion would suggest there was insight
from the community members, who are all very experienced.
So I think it's helpful to formalise that and to say to the committee we
like what you do and when this Council gets back
a policy or a procedure or something that's gone through the Audit
and Risk Committee, we used to sort of tick it, oh, it's been done by audit,
you know, they've said it's okay.
Well, that wasn't always necessarily the case because sometimes
they were more looking at whether it was legislatively compliant,
as opposed to whether it was good or, you know, best practice in terms
of policy.
So I think it will be clearer that this is part of the terms of reference
and when we get a policy review by Audit and Risk coming back to this Council,
it really ought to be very clear whether (inaudible) legislative compliance
or whether they've given it a tick as being best practice policy.
So I'm happy with these amendments.
They're quite
- not often, but they're useful and we should adopt them.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Bodsworth, would you like to speak?
CR BODSWORTH: Nothing to add, thanks Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: A quick question.
Point 20 on page 315 briefing attendance is empty of data,
is that going to be fixed?
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: Yes, Councillor Barker, we'll fix that in the minutes.
CR BARKER: Yes, they're minor changes, but sound improvements,
especially the business day prelude to the agenda and stuff like that,
but the committee charter is improved and I support the amendments.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Any other Councillors?
Any closing remarks, Councillor Wellington?
We now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
We now move on to item 4.10, Appointment of Council Representative
- Point Grey Development Community Reference
Group.
The purpose of this report is to seek Council's appointment
of a representative to the Point Grey Redevelopment
- Lorne Reference Group.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Barker.
Is it as per the recommendation?
And a seconder?
Councillor Schonfelder.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: I'm just very happy to support Councillor Allen to this role.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: I'd like to echo the sentiments expressed
by Councillor Barker and I have said this before that at Point Grey
at the restaurant there was the last time I took my grandmother out to lunch
before she died, she was aged 91 and when I visit Lorne,
the affection the Lorne community have for Point Grey is enormous
and I would even add that throughout the whole shire people are very
fond of Lorne, in particular the pier and that precinct.
So I look forward to Councillor Allen's role in as far
as an observer, I understand.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other
- Councillor Allen, you'd like to speak?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
I think it's a very positive move and it is possible
to have a Councillor representative on this body because the value
of the revised precinct master plan is $12.59 million.
Now it bypasses this Council for planning permits, which it
will now be considered at a state level, so it's possible for a Councillor to be
on that body from the Surf Coast Shire.
The future of Point Grey has been on the drawing board for over a quarter
of a century.
There is a high level of frustration and cynicism in the community.
This revised plan has to reflect the aspirations
of the community and those in the shire who use and appreciate the space.
It cannot afford to fail this time because the result would be a loss
of the funds under the Geelong City deal.
I am pleased to be involved, albeit as an observer.
In the short time that I will have in the role,
I believe I can provide an effective link between the community, GORCAPA
and the shire and I thank my fellow Councillors
for their confidence.
CR PATTISON: Thank you, Councillor Allen.
Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
I also think it's great that Councillor Allen gets to participate in this way.
My memories of Point Grey hark back to when I was a kid and there was still
a working fishing port in Lorne and the pier was covered in couta boats
and there was a crane out there that used to crane couta boats onto the water
and back up again when they came back with their catch.
The co-opt was still a functioning fishing co-opt.
Point Grey to me is all about that era, which was completely authentic.
It was a working site and it was totally central to the life
and economy of Lorne.
I don't think those days are ever going to come back.
Point Grey is now
- well, it's a wonderful site.
I'm personally quite a big fan of the pier architecturally
as a promenading pier and as a recreational pier,
but I do fear what could happen to Point Grey
because it's such a fantastic site and I think just
because you could make something huge and impressive there doesn't mean that
you should and that the character of the site
and its natural voice should be allowed to speak and not be drowned out
by something grandiose.
So those are my personal feelings about it.
I think Councillor Allen is highly attuned to those kind of risks and is very attuned
to the heritage of Lorne and has very deep roots in Lorne,
so I can't imagine somebody better in that role.
Thanks.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Do you have any closing remarks, Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: No.
CR PATTISON: We'll put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
We now move on to 4.11, All Abilities Advisory Committee
Appointment of Members.
The purpose of this report is to appoint
- CR SCHONFELDER: Mayor, can we adjourn for a small break because it's 8 o'clock.
CR PATTISON: Sure.
CR SCHONFELDER: So suspension of standing orders.
CR PATTISON: Yes, we'll move to suspend standing orders, moved
by Councillor Schonfelder and seconded by Councillor Stapleton.
All those in favour.
All those opposed.
And the motion is carried.
And we will suspend standing orders for 15 minutes.
We'll come back at 8.15.
Thank you.
(Short break) CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Welcome back, everybody.
We'll now resume standing orders.
Can I have a mover, please?
Councillor Bodsworth.
And a seconder?
Councillor Stapleton.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
We'll now start on our first item on the agenda
- CR BODSWORTH: That was included in that vote.
CR PATTISON: Thanks, great.
So we will resume standing orders.
That's passed unanimously.
And 4.11, All Abilities Advisory Committee
Appointment of Members.
The purpose of this report is to appoint five new members
to the All Abilities Advisory Committee.
Do I have a mover of a motion?
CR HODGE: Yes, happy to move, Madam Mayor.
CR PATTISON: As per the recommendation?
CR HODGE: Yes.
CR PATTISON: And a seconder?
Councillor Bodsworth.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: Yes, thank you, and I'd like to thank the five women that have put
their hand up to join this committee.
It's a committee that meets five or six times a year and usually these people
that are picked can really advise and advocate for improving access
for people in the Surf Coast Shire.
They all live and work in the area and I know most of them and they've
all got a different ability or they've been a carer and they know
of different abilities and how to cope with them.
So these five people will be invaluable to our new look
- there will be a new look committee.
A couple of people that are leaving, Caroline Maplesden, I think she's been
- she was on it for close to two decades and Richard Porter too and they sort
of rolled over because we didn't have enough numbers
and their work on this committee has been invaluable
and there was Mark Modra, from Winchelsea, who did his term, he was terrific,
and Thomas Byrnes, a young man with autism from Deans Marsh.
So it is all different abilities themselves or
their carers and it's voluntary, which is terrific.
Tim Harte is the Chair and he's from Nullawarre and Alex Edwards
is from Anglesea.
So we're trying to get people right across the shire.
Most of these women I think are from Torquay, but their knowledge
of disabilities and how to make the world better for them,
especially in Surf Coast, will be invaluable.
So I welcome them, but also a big thank you
to the people that are leaving.
Their work has been fantastic.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
And Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: I'd just like to add that Councillor Hodge was
on this committee, a council reference committee,
for a long time, so I acknowledge her contribution
to the committee and she still contributes and I'm on the committee now,
but Councillor Hodge provides some great ideas to help out with that
and I'd encourage any other Councillors to come along.
You could always sit in and be part of it.
It's a great committee and, yeah, Tim Harte is an excellent chair.
He's done a great job since he's been on there.
Alex Edwards has been fantastic and I look forward
to meeting the new members of the committee.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Hodge, any closing remarks?
CR HODGE: No, thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: We'll put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
We now move on to item 4.12, T24-017 Construction of Intersection,
Bristol Road-Surf Coast Highway Torquay.
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval
to award Contract T24-017 Construction of the Intersection Bristol Road-Surf
Coast Highway Torquay.
Now, officers will just put on the screen for us the unredacted version so
we can see who the contract is awarded to in the public.
So if everyone can have a look at that.
It's to Fulton Hogan Industries.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Schonfelder
- as per the recommendation?
Thank you.
And a seconder?
Councillor Hodge.
Councillor Schonfelder, would you like to speak to the motion?
CR SCHONFELDER: Yes, please.
I'd like to say that I do travel along Bristol Road quite often
and I do turn left and then I have to do a uey to turn right to go back
because I live in the hinterland and to be honest, at times it is quite hairy,
like traffic comes and time of day with different light
and obviously the traffic volumes have increased there.
I do remember being a Barrabool Shire Councillor
and there were no traffic lights in Torquay at all
and there were no traffic lights in the shire
of Barrabool or the shire of Winchelsea, but our population has grown and
with traffic lights, they do break the traffic up,
so that means other people from other service roads are able to come
in on to the Surf Coast Highway.
I just also mention the fact that in Winchelsea I do believe traffic lights
are warranted east of the river because people have trouble crossing
the highway there.
So traffic lights
- I know people say they're a nuisance, but then pedestrians' safety
is very important and there are other factors that need
to be considered.
So I look forward to this being upgraded and like Coombes Road, I saw similarities
with these two intersections.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Hodge, would you like to speak?
CR HODGE: Yes, thank you, Mayor.
I think Torquay needs another set of lights like a hole in the head
at times I think.
It's just so many lights, but anyway, they do need to be done by safety and
of course I realise that there was a big call for a roundabout.
That wasn't part of this.
It would have taken up too much space around that area and with the amount
of bikes we've got now and pedestrians, I do take into account that there's a lot
of pedestrians that walk from the main town down
to the church estate, so they need a safe crossing.
So the lights will give them this and children will be able to cross there
as well to be able to go to the shops in the church estate and
to those row of shops that are there as well.
So the money is coming
- is critical infrastructure as a requirement
of the Torquay Jan Juc Development Contribution Plan,
so I'm hoping these will be done in a time where the traffic is less,
but I don't know what time of year that will be because it's nearly all year
round now.
But it is needed.
I know a lot of people didn't want the lights, but it is a necessary item
to get people to and from areas safely, so I will support this.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: Thanks.
When I first moved to Torquay, the drive in to Geelong took 20, 25 minutes.
Now we're closer to 30, 35 minutes.
Every set of traffic lights adds to this travel time.
Obviously the ones in Armstrong Creek, we don't have any impact on that,
but what we do have is an impact on what happens in the Surf Coast Shire.
Previously I had discussions behind the scenes
about making the Coombes Road-Rosser Boulevard intersection roundabout,
but I'd now like to be on the record as opposing this intersection being
controlled by lights only as it will add significant time to the commute.
The contract for this project is not yet signed.
While there may be some reputational risk and minor cost variations if we change
at this stage, I would like to propose that we move an alternate
motion to defer this project and instead build a small roundabout
at this intersection with lights that activate
in peak times similar to roundabouts in Melbourne's outer south east.
These work by performing like a roundabout traditionally and
at peak times lights can come on to allow side road traffic
to enter the main area.
Endorsing this project will be another hurdle to commuting
by cars and I won't support further hurdles
as it's already challenging enough.
I appreciate the concern about having more traffic lights
and there's no compulsion to support this.
I would love to look back at my time in Council and
at least have some contribution to preventing more traffic lights slowing
down more traffic, causing more carbon emissions
if that's a concern to individuals and having a small roundabout
with temporary lights would reduce that carbon emission
and keep everybody happy, but more than likely that's not going
to happen and I'll simply vote accordingly.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Any other Councillors want to speak to this motion?
CR SCHONFELDER: I will reserve my right of reply.
CR PATTISON: Oh, you don't want to
- okay, yes.
So there's no other speakers, so you have no closing remarks?
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And all those opposed.
And the motion is carried 7-1.
We now move on to 4.13, Project Budget Adjustments
and Cash Reserve Transfers
- April 2024.
This report contains proposed project budget adjustments
and cash reserve transfers for Council approval.
The report presents adjustments including existing projects requiring adjustment,
project closures, new projects to be initiated, CEO approved transfers
under delegation or corrections to prior reports presented to Council.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Allen
- is it as per the recommendation?
CR ALLEN: Yes, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: And a seconder?
Councillor Bodsworth.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
I'd just like to refer to table 1 in the report referring
to projects requiring adjustment and to the electric vehicle charging
infrastructure which is grant funded.
We received an additional grant funding of $273,022
from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
to install faster electric vehicle charging stations.
The initial funding of $154,000 was to support three 22 kilowatt stations
at Aireys Inlet, Winchelsea and Anglesea and a 50 station at Lorne.
That was in 2021.
The project was delayed seeking assent from the department in order
to complete an audit of all stations to see
if their installation was appropriate under the terms of the Marine
and Coastal Act.
Mind you, the one at Lorne is located at our visitors information centre.
It's 20 metres from the Great Ocean Road and the coast is well
over a kilometre away, so why there had to be an inquiry into that is
beyond my belief, but anyway, they're better minds than mine.
We received advice from the department in 2023 that the additional grant funding
was available and that all four stations would be 50 kilowatt,
which is great that that was successful and that's going to happen.
But I'd just like to explain to the members of the Lorne community
who have been frustrated by the delay that after the work to check compliance
with the act, we experienced difficulties obtaining
the stations and hence the further delay, but I'm pleased to be informed today that
they may be installed sooner than indicated in the report,
so I thank the officers for that.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
And Councillor Bodsworth?
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks, Mayor.
I just want to touch briefly on the first item in table 1, which
is park furniture renewal, funding source being the asset renewal
reserve, and it's all good the way I read it,
but it does leave aside
- it talks about renewal of park furniture and talks about how it was realised that
the park furniture that was inspected had life left in it
and the amount wasn't required yet, but it does seem
to leave aside the question of new furniture and
to my observation in a lot of neighbourhoods
around the shire there's particular lack of seating
to support people walking within townships.
So I'm not sure what
- I mean, I only thought of this this afternoon,
so I haven't had time to kind of inquire about the sort of broader background
to this issue and what work we do to scope out new furniture like seating,
but it's so important for people to have seating to break
up their walks around towns.
If we're fair dinkum about encouraging people to get
around towns without relying on cars, then we need to back them up with seating.
I also note that the Anglesea Men's Shed have aspirations to roll
out some seating that they fabricated in the Men's Shed
and I think that by
- with us not taking a lead on issues like this, it kind
of leaves a vacuum that groups like the Men's Shed want
to fill that vacuum by providing furniture for people.
We then get involved in this kind of sometimes awkward situation where
we might not approve the standard of seating that they want to deploy
and it becomes kind of a downer where we really should be
proactive on that and involving them in fabricating things
to our specifications to make sure they work.
I'm sure we do all of that, but it's not set out here,
so I just wanted to highlight that one to me.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: Mayor, I'd like to just add that members
of the community have said to me they like red gum seating and I think
if the seating is similar, it adds to a uniformity and it does contribute
to the small town feel, which is part of the Council plan.
I note the Moriac Greensfield Reserve Stage 2 and the grant is
from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
to deliver stage 2 upgrades to the Moriac Greensfield Reserve,
delivering improved drainage infrastructure and providing pathway link
to Hendy Main Road and this stage will be
- should have been completed and it included fitness equipment,
park benches and pathway, very much welcomed by the community
in Moriac and district.
And also the Mount Moriac Reserve Pavilion , the floor replacement, funds that were
to rectify damage to a portion of the hardwood timber substructure
at the Mount Moriac Pavilion, I don't know if I could ask a question, Mayor,
that with the flooring, my memory is exhausted,
was it a timber floor that was being replaced or was it concrete that was being
poured to replace the former timber flooring?
CR PATTISON: I'll pass that one to our General Manager, Chris Pike.
MR CHRIS PIKE: Through you, Mayor, yes, it's the timber floor being
replaced with concrete, yes.
CR SCHONFELDER: Well, obviously it was needed and the community
will be very happy to have that flooring replaced
and I'm very pleased to hear that.
Thank you very much, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Would any other Councillors wish to speak?
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: I won't be supporting these adjustments as they take hundreds
of thousands of dollars from taxpayers to build infrastructure
for a very small percentage of people who own electric vehicles, yes.
I can understand improving the capacity, but it's just a huge cost
and I can't support the theft of that money back to us
- well, not even us, just a small percentage of those
in our region and those travelling through.
CR PATTISON: Do you have any closing remarks, Councillor Allen?
CR ALLEN: Thanks, Mayor.
Just to Councillor Bodsworth, if he could suggest
to the Anglesea Men's Shed that they consult the Lorne Men's Shed
because the Lorne Men's Shed built four seats and very sturdy seats, I might add,
and with the cooperation of the shire, the shire installed those seats
along Mountjoy Parade up past the hospital to provide seating for people walking
up towards Point Grey, so it was a very successful program and
they might like to contact the Lorne Men's Shed.
CR BODSWORTH: Thanks.
CR PATTISON: Great.
We'll now put that motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And opposed?
And the motion is carried 7-1.
We now move on to 4.14, Councillor Expenses and Attendance
at Meetings
- January 2024 to March Quarter.
This report is to present a report of Councillor allowances, expenses
and attendance at meetings for the March 2024 quarter.
Do I have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Schonfelder
- is that as per the recommendation?
And a seconder?
Councillor Stapleton.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Schonfelder.
CR SCHONFELDER: Mayor, I'll just say that this exemplifies
transparency and just informs our community
about the undertakings that we've taken as Councillors and our roles in relation
to travel expenses, professional development expenses
and expenses to support our roles.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Stapleton?
No.
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: I'm happy to see there's one Councillor who's
providing exceptional value for money and has done for many years now.
CR HODGE: Thank you, Councillor Barker.
CR PATTISON: Would any other Councillors like to speak?
Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: I have a question.
I don't know if you can answer it here, but Councillor Stapleton's expenses
for professional development are quite elevated and I just wondered
is there a reason for that.
That the community could be provided?
CR PATTISON: Councillors are allocated professional development,
but it's whether they choose to use it, that makes up that component,
and there's a number of other aspects that make
up that component.
I can pass it to our CEO or we can take that one on notice if need be.
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: Councillor Wellington, I don't have that with me tonight,
so I'm not able to answer that question tonight.
CR PATTISON: Would you like to speak to the motion, Councillor Wellington?
CR WELLINGTON: Look, I mean, I don't have any particular issue with it,
but I do think there's not a lot of point in just putting figures up like this.
You know, this is for the quarter, so we haven't got year to date and,
you know, there's a couple of things that just jump out.
Obviously we're allocated funds, but what's the purpose of putting this up?
We might as well just put up something saying everybody is operating
within the allocated funding and there doesn't seem to me to be a lot
of point to put forward figures that we can't explain (inaudible).
Yes, it just strikes me as
- I mean, I'm sure it's legitimate, I'm not questioning that at all,
but I can't see the point of having figures
if you don't know what they're for, especially expenses to support a role.
Is that travel expenses to social and professional development or something,
is it?
CR PATTISON: Sorry, Councillor Wellington, I'll pass that to our CEO.
MS ROBYN SEYMOUR: So my understanding is that the expenses
to support performance relate predominantly to a mileage claim,
Councillor Wellington.
CR PATTISON: I think we'll take this
- CR WELLINGTON: What is the travel dollars, what are they?
OFFICER: Travel is in relation to professional development.
CR WELLINGTON: Oh, I see.
Right.
CR PATTISON: Did you want to speak to the motion and we can go through this
in further detail.
CR WELLINGTON: Well, I would like to
- I think if we're going to put it up and it's going to be meaningful
to the community, we probably need to explain it in sort of, you know,
(inaudible) expenses, and we also probably need to put year
to date figure as well.
So that's the only comment I have.
It's sort of a bit meaningless really the way it's presented,
when you see different figures jump out and there doesn't seem to be much point
in presenting them to people if we don't understand them.
That's all.
Thank you.
CR PATTISON: Would any other Councillors like to speak to the motion?
CR STAPLETON: I'll just add because it also jumped out at me
and I think it's reasonable for Councillor Wellington
to have raised it that the $1,645 under expenses to support the performance
of the role do primarily relate to mileage over that preceding three-month period,
but it appears that no other Councillors have had mileage allocated
to their expenses and I'm not sure why that would be,
or perhaps no other Councillors have claimed them.
CR PATTISON: It may be that Councillors haven't put their claims in yet.
It doesn't always happen until, you know, lump claims go through and the like.
Thank you for clarifying that.
Do you have any closing remarks, Councillor Schonfelder?
CR SCHONFELDER: No, thank you.
CR PATTISON: We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And that motion is carried unanimously.
We now move on to item 4.15, s6 Instrument of Delegation Update.
This report is to present the s6 Instrument of Delegation
from Council to members of Council staff which has been
reviewed and updated.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Hodge
- as per the recommendation?
CR HODGE: Yes, thank you.
CR PATTISON: And seconded by Councillor Barker.
Did you want to speak, Councillor Hodge?
CR HODGE: Not particularly.
This is just a way to show what staff are on that Instrument of Delegation,
so it's pretty well explained.
Thank you, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Thank you.
Councillor Barker?
CR BARKER: No, thanks.
CR PATTISON: Any other Councillors?
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
We'll just wait.
Are you in favour, Councillor Wellington?
Yes.
The motion is carried unanimously.
We'll move on to 4.16, Conflict of Interest Records.
This report is to present conflict of interest records received
since the previous Council meeting.
Do we have a mover of a motion?
Councillor Stapleton
- is that as per the recommendation?
CR STAPLETON: Yes.
CR PATTISON: And a seconder?
Councillor Schonfelder.
Would you like to speak, Councillor Stapleton?
CR STAPLETON: No, thanks, Mayor.
CR PATTISON: Councillor Schonfelder, would you like to speak?
CR SCHONFELDER: No, thank you.
CR PATTISON: Would any other Councillors like to speak?
No?
We'll now put the motion to the vote.
All those in favour.
And the motion is carried unanimously.
There is no urgent business and that moves us into the closed section.
So Councillors, we have a confidential item
to consider tonight.
We'll now turn off the live stream, so thank you and good night
to everyone who has been watching from home and thank you
to those that are here in the gallery with us.
We'll just wait a moment for our members to go from the gallery, but once again,
thank you so much and we will see you again another time.
Thank you.