Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Greater Geelong City Council held at the Geelong Arena, 110 Victoria Street, North Geelong on 15 March 2016, commencing at 7:00pm.
Alena Kralova
Laurie Muscat
Lex Gugger
Janet Danielak
Reece Booth
Cassandra McQueen
Colin Wallace
Ian Kelly
Jennifer Bantow
Councillors:
Cr D Lyons (Mayor)
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 (Interim Chief Executive Officer)
D Frost (General Manager Strategy and Performance)
T Hellsten (Acting General Manager Planning and Tourism)
W Tieppo (General Manager City Services)
M Kuhn (Acting General Manager Community Life)
B Luxford (General Manager Investment and Attraction)
T McDonald Manager Customer Services & Council Business)
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.
A one minute’s silence was observed on behalf of Council and the Community in remembrance of Paul Couch who passed away on 5 March 2016. Paul played 259 games for the Geelong Football Club between 1985 and 1997, and won the coveted Brownlow Medal in 1989.
Nil.
Cr Irvine moved, Cr Macdonald seconded -
That Leave of Absence be granted to Cr Michelle Heagney from 25 to 29 March and 4 – 8 April 2016, inclusive.
Carried.
Cr Macdonald moved, Cr Farrell seconded -
That the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 16 February 2016 and the Special Meeting of Council on 7 March 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 Lyons declared an Indirect Interest in Agenda Item 1 – Amendment C262 – Public Acquisition Overlay to 28 Malop Street, Geelong – Consideration of Submissions in that he owns property near the overlay.
Cr Richards declared an Indirect Financial Interest in Agenda Item 4, Additional Bin Service in that he is contracting into the waste and recycling industry.
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 there was any further information in relation to the No 24 Bus line?
The Mayor responded that it was a State Government issue and Council can only pass information on.
William Tieppo advised he had received communication from PTU in relation to this issue. It was suggested they will personally make contact with Ms Kralova in an effort to follow up on the matter.
Cr E Kontelj indicated he would be happy to meet with Kralova and would also be pleased to present her petition to Council this evening in relation to the issue.
Laurie Muscat asked the following:
Recently, on the 13th January 2016, The Honourable Minister for Local Government, Natalie Hutchens, along with the Honourable Member for Bellarine – Lisa Neville, attended a community meeting at Point Lonsdale Primary School to discuss with residents and others interested, the Boundary Re-alignment of the City of Greater Geelong and Borough of Queenscliffe in Point Lonsdale.
At this meeting, Minister Hutchens encouraged meeting participants and any other interested in this issue to provide submissions directly to her.
Furthermore, a recent Borough of Queenscliffe Council meeting (24 February 2016) resolved:
Request the Chief Executive Officer to write to the Minister for Local Government formally requesting that she establish a local government panel, pursuant to Section 220A of the Local Government Act 1989, to conduct a review of the municipal boundary between Borough Of Queenscliffe and Greater Geelong City Council, with a view to making a restructuring order so that the boundary is altered and the entire postcode area of 3225, Point Lonsdale, is included with the Borough of Queenscliffe’s municipal district.
Requests the Chief Executive Officer write to Greater Geelong City Council’s Chief Executive Officer advising of this resolution.
That the Chief Executive Officer present a research paper to Council (and community) on the likely impacts, present and future, to the Borough Council, such as, but limited to, net-financial costs, infrastructure and capital works, planning, staffing, and other likely consequences of successful boundary realignment.
Has the CoGG received the communication about this matter from the CEO of the Borough?
What is the CoGG Council position on Boundary re-alignment to make all of Point Lonsdale part of the Borough of Queenscliffe?
As this directly involves the CoGG and the Borough of Queenscliffe; why has there been no communication between the CoGG Council and residents affected on this matter?
What action does the CoGG propose to take to ensure its position is represented in any process which results from the the BoQ resolution?
What initiatives could be taken by the CoGG in planning matters, to ensure all of the community of Point Lonsdale's needs are taken into account?
The Chief Executive Officer responded that he had not received any correspondence regarding this matter.
Cr Farrell added the City of Greater Geelong has nothing on their books regarding their formal position and suggested the matter be taken to the next Councillor Briefing for further discussion.
Lex Gugger asked questions in relation to the Geelong Saleyards:
If the Saleyards were to be closed, what arrangements does the Council have for small hobby farmers who want to sell their 5 or 6 animals?
What is the Council’s view of the economic and community value of the Saleyards to Geelong?
The Geelong Advertiser reported on Monday 14 March 2016 that Mayor Lyons has stated that the Old Geelong Gaol and the Geelong Saleyards could be sold off – inferring that the proceeds could pay the debt owing on the floating Christmas tree? Does Council consider this good use of public monies?
William Tieppo responded that in terms of the Saleyards, officers have been requested to evaluate and look at the long term future of the Saleyards and the potential for the future. There is still more work to be done, but a report will be coming before Council by the end of June 2016 for further discussion.
Cr Ansett added there are no plans to sell or close the Saleyards.
Janet Danielak asked her question in relation to a collision between her car and a Cleanaway truck. The incident was reported to the City of Greater Geelong via the website on 6 January 2016.
William Tieppo responded he was unaware but would take the question on notice for further investigation.
Janet Danielak also asked how and who made the decision to charge the Nightjar Market organisers more to lease/rent Johnstone Park, which has resulted in a $5 entry fee, even for pensioners, to cover the cost/costs incurred to lease/use the Park?
Cr Heagney responded that she did not believe Council charged for the use of the Park, but in previous years the event has been sponsored by Council. Due to their success they are now standing on their own two legs so Council can support other initiatives. My understanding is Council is not charging, however there are significant charges associated with Johnstone Park for the organiser, i.e. power, infrastructure and staging.
Reece Booth asked if Council knew about the data that reflects negatively on the sale of certain historical assets with the community?
Cr Ansett responded in relation to the Old Geelong Goal it is important that it stays in the hands of non-for-profit.
Cr Heagney added Council has a resolution to see what options are available and are taking submissions for that which will then form part of a further report to Council.
Cassandra McQueen asked questions in relation to the Floating Christmas Tree:
Why do we have to get rid of the Christmas Tree that lights up our City and brings tourism to our City?
Why can’t we raise money for maintenance and storage of the tree by asking people to sponsor the 11,000 kinetic lights. If people donated $100 per kinetic disc per year (families, football clubs, sports clubs, etc) that would net $1,100,000 towards the maintenance of our tree. City Hall could have a register of donations.
The Mayor responded the item will be debated later in the evening.
Colin Wallace asked:
On 23rd July 2013, at what turned out to be the last Council Meeting he would chair, Mayor Keith Fagg, who had the previous meeting described proposed changes to the Council Meeting Procedures Local Law as minor, heard me say that, in so far as Public Question Time was concerned, the changes were not minor.
Curious about a particular sentence in the public notice of the consultation period, my wife Mary and I went to the Geelong West Customer Service Centre on 7th August 2013 with a copy of the City News section of the Geelong Advertiser. I showed a customer service attendant the notice and asked for a copy of what was mentioned in the sentence: ‘Copies of the Local Law can be obtained from City of Greater Geelong Customer Service Centres’. We couldn’t be provided with what was requested at the time so the attendant rang through with our request, carefully reading out the sentence: ‘Copies of the Local Law can be obtained from City of Greater Geelong Customer Service Centres’.
The next day, instead of being given what we’d asked for and what the notice said we could obtain, we were handed a copy of the officer’s report to the Council Meeting of 9th July 2013 and told it came from John Brown. John Brown, as Manager of Administration and Governance and therefore responsible for information on the Council Meeting Procedures Local Law, and Tim McDonald, as Manager of Administration and Governance and therefore responsible for information on the Council Meeting Procedures Local Law, and Tim McDonald, as Manager of Customer Service and Councillor Support and therefore responsible for the delivery of it to us, were therefore jointly responsible for us not being given any Local Law, either the still current 2009 one or the proposed 2013 one and instead being given something which, though not readily apparent, did not allow the reader to tell what the content in the section on Public Question Time in the proposed version was being changed from.
Presuming we were provided with the same service as any other members of the public would have been at that time and place, why would members of the public be thus hindered in gaining a proper understanding of the nature and extent of the change to the rules for Public Question Time unless this were part of an attempt to keep the public in the dark about how we came to have the rules for Public Question Time we have today?
The Mayor took the question on notice.
Ian Kelly stated the Geelong Saleyards are part of the Council’s infrastructure and an essential public provision for the surrounding rural community. Rural rates collected in 2014-15 were $2,538,965. The Saleyards deficit in the October 2014 study was $183,945. A small return to farmers for their rates of $2.5 million. Council are contributing $6 million towards Simonds Stadium, how is it fair to farmers to remove an essential infrastructure when their rates exceed the Council revenue received from Simonds Stadium?
Item 9 of the Council Budget does not have an allocation for rural services whereas sport and recreation has $26.7 million spent. How is this fair spending of rural ratepayer’s rates?
Cr Ansett responded the Saleyards has not been sold. Personally, I am very passionate about keeping the Saleyards open. In the interim it’s working where it is and staying where it is.
Jennifer Bantow addressed Council as follows in relation to the Sale of Assets:
Council supports and subsidises many assets used by the community that run at a loss, particularly sporting groups (the list of grants is an indication). As Osborne House currently is - can the Old Geelong Gaol be put under the Arts and Culture Department instead of Property and Procurement?
Can the same approach of support of sporting groups be applied to cultural groups? It’s not a big ask for Council to care for, maintain and develop two wonderful historic properties, perhaps in partnership with State Government, for the benefit of the cultural experience of its constituents and visitors?
Cr Heagney acknowledged the statements and agreed Council also cares very much about these two historic properties, but is also mindful of the escalating costs of maintaining the two assets.
Cr Heagney presented a petition from residents objecting to the renaming of Potter Street, Geelong West (section between Coronation and Pakington Streets), to Dog Leg Lane.
Cr Eddy Kontelj presented a petition from residents requesting a better bus service on Bus Line Number 24. The residents are asking for an earlier starting time, later finishing time and for the bus route to go directly to the Geelong station.
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