Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Greater Geelong City Council held at the Council Conference and Reception Centre - City Hall on 16 February 2016, commencing at 7:00pm.
Alena Kralova
Bec McHenry
Bill Votsaris
Brian Donovan
Joyce Schroeter
Ingrid Hindell
Crs:
T Ansett
L Ellis
J Farrell
K Fisher
B Harwood
M Heagney
J Irvine
E Kontelj
R Macdonald
P Murrihy
R Nelson
A Richards
K Spiller (Chief Executive Officer)
D Frost (General Manager Strategy & Performance)
P Bettess (General Manager Planning and Tourism)
W Tieppo (General Manager City Services)
L Quinn (General Manager Community Life)
B Luxford (General Manager Investment and Attraction)
R Bourke (Co ordinator Governance and Legal Services)
J Merlo (Senior Media Officer)
The Mayor declared the meeting open at 7:00pm.
Council acknowledges Wadawurrung Traditional Owners of this land and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People who are part of the Greater Geelong community today.
Cr D Lyone (Mayor)
Cr Ansett moved, Cr Ellis seconded -
That the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 27 January 2016 be confirmed and signed.
Carried.
Cr Heagney declared an Indirect Interest in Agenda Item 1 – Amendment C262 – Public Acquisition Overlay to 28 Malop Street, Geelong – Consideration of Submissions in that she received a campaign donation from a person who lives/owns property abutting the laneway.
Cr Heagney declared an Indirect Interest in Agenda Item 5 – McLarty Place: Investigation into Laneway Extension in that she received a campaign donation from a person owning property abutting the laneway.
Cr Heagney declared an Indirect Interest in Agenda Item 13 – Submission in Response to the Preliminary Report 2015-2016 – Electoral Representation Review in that she made an initial personal submission.
Cr Farrell declared an Indirect Interest in Agenda Item 13 - Submission in Response to the Preliminary Report 2015-2016 – Electoral Representation Review in that she made an initial personal submission to the electoral review, not supporting Options A, B, C or D.
Cr Macdonald declared an Indirect Interest in Agenda Item 13 – Submission in Response to the Preliminary Report 2015-2016 – Electoral Representation Review in that he has previously submitted a response to the submission.
Cr Ansett declared an Indirect Interest in Agenda Item 13 – Submission in Response to the Preliminary Report 2015-2016 – Electoral Representation Review in that he made an initial personal submission.
Cr E Kontelj declared an Indirect Financial Interest in Agenda Item 4 – Transfer (Sale) of Land by Expressions of Interest – Draper Street, Ocean Grove in that Karingal has recently become a significant tenant of a building he has a major ownership interest in.
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.
Alena Kralova asked if Council had an opportunity to look into the desperate situation with Bus No 24? In three weeks I am in Geelong I found the situation much worse than I indicated at the last meeting. Is there anything Council can do to help?
William Tieppo responded he will be addressing the concerns regarding the bus drivers driving past patrons at bus stops directly with Public Transport Victoria, and noticed that there have been some minor timetabling changes in the last 3 weeks, however this should not impact the service in the future. He also indicated he was happy to facilitate this issue on Ms Kralova’s behalf.
Bec McHenry submitted a question prior to the Council Meeting, but as she was not present a written response will be forwarded.
Bill Votsaris asked his question in relation to the Central Geelong – Declaration of Special Rate:
Who gets the benefit and who pays this levy, the landlord or the tenant?
Brett Luxford responded that it is considered on a case by case basis between the landlord and the tenant and what has been written into the lease arrangements. Both parties receive benefit and both are responsible.
The following residents of Townsend Road, Whittington expressed their deep concerns regarding the traffic volume and speed in Townsend Road and the Roundabout at Boundary Road intersection:
Colleen Lukey;
Romy Ducusin;
Cliff Grinter;
Jacqueline Grinter;
Joan Mellords;
Jennifer Terrington;
Rosemary Jones;
Alfred Jones;
William Tieppo, General Manager City Services, will provide a written response to all the above.
Brian Donovan asked if Council was aware of the impact of making sale of land at Ocean Grove on lifelong carers of people with disability in that community?
Cr Harwood responded, ‘yes – Council is aware’.
Joyce Schroeter asked if Councillors were aware –
that the funding Sarah Henderson referred to in today’s paper is not available to NDIS trial sites?
of the strong support for this project in the community, particularly in Ocean Grove?
Cr Harwood responded Councillors are aware and further discussion and debate around this item will be heard later this evening.
Ingrid Hindell asked that young people with disabilities should be housed in better facilities?
Cr Fisher added that young people need more food in nursing homes and also their therapies are different from the requirements of the elderly.
Cr Harwood agreed with the need for better facilities for the young disabled.
Nathan Oakes asked questions in relation to Amendment C262 –
Is Council aware of any support for this proposal beyond those with direct financial interest in the project?
Cr Harwood responded that Councillors have a very open mind to the options and will be discussing during debate of the item later this evening.
Peter Bettess responded that in 2011/12 there was a lot of work done on Vision 2 – one of the principles being to open laneways and linkages. That was then put into the planning scheme and has been there since 2013.
Is Council aware of the extreme irony of both the timing of the strategy given that McLarty Place as being blocked at this time and that this proposal is in the National Year of Digital Inclusion given the effect on such an inclusive digital business?
Cr Harwood thanked Mr Oakes for his comment.
Nil.
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