Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Greater Geelong City Council held at the Council Conference and Reception Centre - City Hall on 28 January 2014, commencing at 7:00pm.
Judith Brooks
Colin Wallace
Mary Wallace
Jennifer Bantow
Cr D Lyons (Mayor)
Crs:
T Ansett
L Ellis
J Farrell
K Fisher
B Harwood
M Heagney
J Irvine
E Kontelj
S Kontelj
R Macdonald
R Nelson
A Richards
S Griffin (Chief Executive Officer)
J Wall (General Manager Corporate Services)
P Bettess (General Manager Economic Development, Planning and Tourism)
G Van Driel (General Manager City Services)
J McMahon (General Manager Community Services)
D Frost (General Manager Projects, Recreation and Central Geelong)
J Brown (Manager Administration and Governance)
R Bourke (Co-ordinator Governance)
J Merlo (Senior Media Office)
The Mayor declared the meeting open at 7:00pm.
The Mayor acknowledged that we are here today on the land of the Wathaurong People and we pay our respects to Aboriginal elders past and present.
Nil.
Cr Richards moved, Cr McDonald seconded -
That Leave of Absence be granted to Cr Irvine from 20 February to 5 March 2014.
Carried.
Cr Macdonald moved, Cr Richards seconded -
That the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 10 December 2013 be confirmed and signed.
Carried.
Nil.
Question Time is an opportunity for questions to be addressed to Council and while the minutes record the general content, they do not purport to be a transcript of what was said by individuals. Likewise Councillor or Officer verbal responses are in summary form only. Views expressed may not be the views of Council.
Council's practice is to provide a separate document on its website setting out questions and responses including any more detailed written responses which may be provided subsequent to the meeting.
Judith Brooks asked the following in relation to the Draft Environment Management Strategy:
(a)Why did council release this important document for public comment during the busiest time of the year Dec 20th to January 31st?
(b)Would council allow an extension for those of us who would like to put in a detailed response?
(c) Would council consider a new policy of releasing all strategy documents at a more focused time of the year, say May June?
Cr Richards responded that in light of the feedback over recent weeks an item will be considered later this evening seeking to extend the submissions period by 4 weeks.
Re Recent Community Concepts Submissions Process
What are the normal Council processes for budgeting and allocating funds for infrastructure development and its ongoing maintenance?
Jeff Wall responded that Council has a priority ranking system. The ranking system is based on perceived need.
How does this new process influence the Capital Works Budget?
What is the role of the ward Councillor in this process?
Will all submissions with their estimated costings be publicly released?
Jeff Wall responded that submissions and estimated costings can be viewed via Council’s website under the heading “Community Concepts”.
A response in writing will be forwarded.
Colin Wallace asked:
Have you, Mr Mayor, read my 19th January email addressed to you in which I explain how you had agreed to meet with my wife and me in October last year, that in the meantime it had often been difficult to reach us and that, whatever the reason, the meeting has not yet eventuated, that we still very much wish to meet with you but, at least initially, without the presence of an officer or other councillor, though we would be happy if you were to have Alister Paterson accompany you and that, from our experience with the City of Greater Geelong, we believe you need to have Alister Paterson helping you for very much longer than three months?
The Mayor responded that the first request for a meeting was before being elected and I did offer time on the phone, but that was not suitable. The Mayor indicated that he would have his Executive Assistant make contact with a suitable time to meet.
Mary Wallace asked:
To my Question 3 at Public Question Time on 13th August 2013, the response signed by General Manager City Services Gary Van Driel was that the works at the southern end of First Street, as mentioned in the letter signed by Coordinator Asset and Traffic Management Kevin Battye to my husband dated 4th April 2011 and to do with Section 7f of the Ropeworks Planning Permit, was invoiced separately from the works on the eastern side of First Street and I am asking for a copy of the invoice for the works at the southern end of First Street to do with Section 7f of the Ropeworks Planning Permit, an invoice that I have never been given by Council, not even when responding to my Freedom of Information request of 31st March 2011 which pertained to Section 7f of the Ropeworks Planning Permit?
Stephen Griffin took the question on notice.
Jennifer Bantow addressed Council as follows:
Is the Councillors discretionary ward funding frozen until the review is completed. Could you please give some guidance, if it is likely that applications may start again after the review, and if so when may that be?
Stephen Griffin responded that there has been a review of the process. Council has received a total of 207 community concepts which will be considered as part of the 2014-15 budget deliberations.
Why is Geelong so out of step with State Government guidelines on this new zoning? If most of the objections are about heritage areas, why is the Strategic Planning Department ignoring this, why isn’t C300 changed and the objections will be resolved and we won’t need a panel? Could Council please consider reinstituting the position of Heritage Planner in the Strategic Planning Department and that person could develop a long overdue Heritage Strategy?
Peter Bettess responded that zones are not the tool for projecting heritage. Heritage overlays are unchanged through this process. A report on this issue will be coming to Council where a decision will be determined by Council.
A response in writing will be provided.
Cr S Kontelj presented a petition from approximately 357 residents asking Council to revise the C300 Zoning for the area within Newtown.
Cr Farrell presented a petition containing approximately 137 signatures asking Council for a safety barrier along Wallington Road.
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