Ordinary Council Meeting
16 November 2015, 7:00pm
All minutes are subject to confirmation at a subsequent
meeting and may be amended by resolution at that meeting.
Ordinary Council Meeting
16 November 2015, 7:00pm
All minutes are subject to confirmation at a subsequent
meeting and may be amended by resolution at that meeting.
PRESENT: Councillor D. Hutchens (Chair), Councillor S. Bennison, Councillor K. Brent, Councillor D. Brooks-Horn , Councillor S. Cheong, Councillor M. Gold, Councillor D. Karpin, Councillor P. Palmer, and Councillor D. Strassberg.
ALSO PRESENT: General Manager, Executive Manager – Corporate Services, Executive Manager – Environmental Services, Executive Manager – Open Space & Urban Services, Executive Manager – Human Services, Director – Major Projects, Chief Financial Officer and Manager – Governance.
OPENING OF MEETING WITH PRAYER
The meeting was opened with a prayer by the General Manager.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
The Mayor gave an acknowledgement of Country.
WEBCASTING OF COUNCIL MEETING
The Mayor advised those present that the Meeting was being webcast.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Nil
June Morgan of Longueville requesting Council remove the E2 Environmental Conservation zone from her property.
Don Murchison of Greenwich supporting Council’s resolution in response to the IPART Assessment Report on Council Fit for the Future Proposals.
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CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING - 19 OCTOBER 2015 |
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217 |
RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Gold and Brooks-Horn that the minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting held on the 19 October 2015 be received. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0).
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218 |
RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Gold and Brooks-Horn that the minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting held on the 19 October 2015 be confirmed. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
Mr Banicevic addressed Council.
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Presentation of Annual Financial Statements - Year Ended 30 June 2015 |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Bennison and Karpin that Council:- 1. Receive the Annual Financial Reports together with the Auditors Report for the Year Ended 30 June 2015; 2. Congratulate the General Manager and staff for ensuring this Council’s continued financial sustainability; and 3. Formally note that any merger would severely affect the financial ratios and performance of this Council, impacting on the ability for community programs to continue into the future. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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Response to IPART Assessment Report on Council Fit for the Future Proposals |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Hutchens and Brooks-Horn that Council:- 1. Following community consultation and strong community support, remain an independent council that works collaboratively with neighbouring councils on regional issues and joint service delivery, not pursue a merger with any other council; 2. Reaffirms its opposition to the forced amalgamation of councils; 3. Reaffirms its detailed independent analysis that the Lane Cove Community is best served in financial, social, and environmental terms by the current Council structure; 4. Reaffirms its previously resolved commitment to and participation in a Joint Regional Authority (JRA) model whilst maintaining our independence as a Council; 5. Write to the Premier, the Minister for Local Government and all State Members of Parliament calling on the NSW Government to defer the deadline for presenting merger options to allow councils to conduct a poll / referendum on the amalgamation issue to best gauge the community’s position on the matter and the outcome be binding on Council and the Government; 6. Subject to the Government agreeing to be bound by the outcome, Council conduct a poll / referendum in February 2016 on whether or not Lane Cove should merge with another council or councils; 7. Having previously submitted the JRA model as a superior model for further improvement and given the unanimous multi-partisan endorsement of the JRA model by the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into Local Government in NSW, respond in the template due on 18 November with words that reflect Council’s position; 8. Support the "Rally for Local Democracy" at 12 noon on 18 November 2015 in Martin Place and continue an information campaign which promotes Council’s position in relation to mergers; 9. Write to the Premier and the Minister for Local Government seeking urgent clarification of the NSW Government's intentions regarding any forced merger of councils; 10. Endorses the report of the Upper House Committee on Local Government and calls on the State Government to withdraw the statement that ‘Councils are unfit’, as it was based on a flawed methodology and acknowledge recommendations number 16 and 17 in respect of Joint Regional Authorities and finding number 9 relating to projected economic outcomes and benefits being overstated; 11. Write to the Member for Lane Cove, the Hon Anthony Roberts MP seeking his support in respect of the above matters; 12. Authorise the Mayor and General Manager to instigate whatever legal / communication action is deemed necessary to support the above resolutions at the appropriate time; 13. Write to the Hon. Gladys Berejiklian (Member for Willoughby), the Hon. Jillian Skinner (Member for North Shore) and the Hon. Victor Dominello (Member for Ryde) being State Members that border Lane Cove LGA and seek confirmation that they are in support of forced amalgamations and if so request:- a) What documentary evidence they rely upon; b) If they support council rate increases for constituents of up to 30% as happened in QLD; c) If they are aware that not one professional academic has come forward to support their position of forced amalgamations; d) They provide an explanation to their respective constituents the reason why they support forced amalgamations; and e) That a copy of this letter be sent to our local Member the Hon. Anthony Roberts and media outlets including Alan Jones Breakfast Show; 14. Write to the Hon. Mike Baird, Premier and the Hon. Paul Toole, Minister for Local Government noting the continued systemic factual irregularities in all Government commissioned reports commencing with T-Corp Assessments and other than paid bureaucrats, no professional academic has come forward in support of their reform agenda and ask:- a) On what basis do they believe that they have more experience and qualifications than Professors Percy Allan and Brian Dollery to assess and pursue reform in the Local Government sector and if so what is that basis; b) Them to provide documentary evidence to the assertion that Local Government is losing $1m per day noting that the sector had a surplus in excess of $200m for the 2014-15 financial year; c) Them to confirm that $600m of the $1b offered to the Local Government sector as part of this reform related to an estimated saving of the interest rate differential between what the State and Local Governments can borrow; and d) Them to confirm if it is the case that the opinions of Professors Percy Allan and Brian Dollery have been ignored as there is no real business case for the Government’s reform agenda and the decision to proceed with this reform agenda is political; 15. Write to IPART and advise them of their error with respect to their assessment of Lane Cove and; a) Demand the significant error in respect of the JRA be corrected; and b) Given the nature of the error in their report and lack of expertise of IPART in Local Government, that they engage the services of Professor Percy Allan and/or Brian Dollery to assist them; 16. Write to all the Local Aboriginal Land Councils and advise them what the State Government is proposing and ask them to contact their local Mayor and State Member to discuss how mergers will impact on their local communities; and 17. Thank those in the Government and the broader community who have supported Council’s position of opposing forced amalgamations. |
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224 |
Extension of Time RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Gold and Brooks-Horn that Councillor Bennison be granted an extension of time. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0).
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225 |
Extension of Time RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Brooks-Horn and Gold that Councillor Palmer be granted an extension of time. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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226 |
Extension of Time RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Brooks-Horn and Gold that Councillor Karpin be granted an extension of time. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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Upon being put to the meeting the Motion was declared carried. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
The Mayor informally:-
Officer Reports for Determination
Matter Arising |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Bennison and Gold that with respect to community grants, that Council write to the 2015-16 recipient organisations and:- 1. Advise them that should the State Government appoint an Administrator as part of the current Council amalgamation process, Council cannot guarantee community grants being awarded in future financial years; and 2. Request that they write to the Hon. Anthony Roberts, the Hon. Mike Baird and the Hon. Paul Toole to express their concerns accordingly. |
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For the Motion was Nil (Total 0). Against the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). |
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Sustainability Small Grants Round 11 - Recommended Recipients |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Gold and Brooks-Horn that Council:- 1. Approve funds under Round 11 of the Sustainability Small Grants Program for the following projects:- · $ 2,000 – Greenwich Public School P&C – Frogs Legs and French Flies; and · $ 1,100 – FoodFaith – Planting Seeds Community Garden; and 2. Give Public Notice of the proposed funding under Round 11 of the Sustainability Small Grants Program and subject to no reasonable objections being received, grant the funds as outlined above. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Brooks-Horn and Gold that Council adopt the recommendation from the Tender Panel for the provision of a replacement lift at the Lane Cove Aquatic Leisure Centre. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Brooks-Horn and Gold that:- 1. Council adopt the Draft Annual Report at AT-1 for 2014/2015; 2. The adopted Annual Report be forwarded to the Minister for Local Government; 3. The Annual Report be published on Council’s website; and 4. Council thank the General Manager and his staff for the Annual Report on behalf of the community as it shows that Lane Cove Council is not only fit for the present but is also fit for the future. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
Officer Reports for Information
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A Motion was moved by Councillors Gold and Karpin that:- 1. The Draft Create Lane Cove Cultural Plan be placed on public exhibition for nine (9) weeks in accordance with the Consultation Strategy outlined in the report; 2. A Report be submitted to Council following the public exhibition period; and 3. A Cultural Plan Review Panel consisting of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, with Councillor Cheong as an alternate, and the General Manager to meet after the community consultation process to discuss the feedback from the consultation process prior to a Councillor Workshop being conducted and a report being presented to Council. |
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AMENDMENT An Amendment was moved by Councillor Palmer and Brent:- 1. The Draft Create Lane Cove Cultural Plan be placed on public exhibition for nine (9) weeks in accordance with the Consultation Strategy outlined in the report; 2. A Report be submitted to Council following the public exhibition period; and 3. A Councillor Workshop be conducted following the community consultation process prior to a report being presented to Council.
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Karpin and Palmer that the Motion be put to the meeting. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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Upon being put to the meeting the Amendment was declared lost. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Palmer, Brent and Strassberg (Total 3). Against the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Bennison, Brooks-Horn and Cheong (Total 6). |
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Upon being put to the meeting the Motion was declared carried. |
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Councillor Pam Palmer left the meeting at 8:46pm. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Bennison, Brooks-Horn and Cheong (Total 6). Against the Motion were Councillors Brent and Strassberg (Total 2). Absent was Councillor Palmer (Total 1). |
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Councillor Pam Palmer returned to the meeting at 8:46pm. |
1st Quarter Review of the 2015-16 Delivery Program and Operational Plan |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Brooks-Horn and Gold that:- 1. The 1st Quarter Review of the 2015-16 Delivery Program and Operational Plan be received and noted; and 2. Council thank the General Manager and his staff for the programs that have been delivered and planned for our local community. The extensive plan shows that Lane Cove Council is not only fit for the present but is also fit for the future. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
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RESOLVED on the motion of Councillors Gold and Brooks-Horn that the report be received and noted. |
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For the Motion were Councillors Gold, Hutchens, Karpin, Palmer, Bennison, Brent, Brooks-Horn, Strassberg and Cheong (Total 9). Against the Motion was Nil (Total 0). |
CLOSE
The meeting closed at 8:48pm.
Confirmed at the Ordinary Council Meeting of Monday 7 December 2015, at which meeting the signature herein is subscribed.
MAYOR