Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Greater Geelong City Council held at the Council Conference and Reception Centre in City Hall, 57 Little Malop Street, Geelong on 27 June 2017, commencing at 6:30pm.
Caleb Ryan
Beverley Phelan
Nicole Ahmed
Barry Courte
Mukhles Habash
Hilary Hoevenaars
Pati Seiler
Tracey Stone
Jan Laidlaw
Phil Joyce
Lynne Dowling
Jennifer Bantow
Dr K Alexander (Chair), L Gardner, P Dorling.
K Spiller (Chief Executive Officer)
P Bettess (Director Planning and Development)
B Luxford (Director Investment & Attraction)
W Tieppo (Director City Services)
L Quinn (Director Community Life)
J Molony (Director Finance & Strategy)
R Leonard (Senior Manager Legal Services & Governance)
The Chair declared the meeting open at 6:30pm.
Council acknowledged Wadawurrung Traditional Owners of this land and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People who are part of the Greater Geelong community today.
Nil.
L Gardner moved, P Dorlingseconded -
That the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 23 May 2017, be confirmed.
Carried.
Nil.
On behalf of Council, Dr Kathy Alexander (Chair), acknowledged the resignation of William Tieppo (Director City Services) for his significant contribution to Council and thanked him for the assistance he provided to the Administrators during their term of office.
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.
Caleb Ryan, Beverley Phelan, Nicole Ahmed, Barry Courte and Mukhles Habash submitted questions prior to the Council Meeting but were not present at the meeting. A written response will be forwarded.
The following questions were asked in relation to Agenda Item 1 – Library Branch Closure – Community Feedback. All questions were provided with a detailed response from the Chair, Dr Kathy Alexander.
View further information in relation to the Chilwell, Highton and Barwon Heads Libraries.
Hilary Hoevenaars –
We contend that the oft quoted “vision for 21st century, highly sophisticated libraries, at a district level, run from state of the art facilities” is unsound, invalid, and the underlying issue in the rationale of social inequity and financial imperatives which led to the recommendation and decision to close Chilwell Library. This vision certainly does not appear to be supported by any of the evidence based documents used in the GRLC planning strategy over the past decade, such as People Places (A Guide for Public Library Buildings in NSW) 2012, or the Public Library Buildings Development Strategy 2009, which states as a principle that “Geelong Libraries will be tailored to local community need” and quotes from a U.K. report (CABE's Better Public Libraries Report) which describes the concept of libraries developing their own “bespoke program and service priorities and shifting from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to starting with an understanding of service needs of the local communities, for which libraries are being developed. Libraries in urban areas…may include “third place” or “living room” characteristics. Establishing the appropriate ethos in response to community need, is very important and will inform the design of the library facility…” Nor does it align with the ALIA 2016 Guidelines, Standards and Outcome Measures for Australian Public Libraries.
Can you tell us please where did this vision originate and where is the evidence for it?
Kathy Alexander responded that the words you have used are ours and used in response to the Community Social Infrastructure Plan that was developed in 2014. The CoGG document, as we explained last week, was never actually made public. The need for engagement and consideration of what type of library service is actually provided at the district regional level is not clear and needs to be decided. The vision came from us in consideration of the Social Infrastructure Plan.
Pati Seiler –
With respect to closing libraries: As Council has published their realisation that "The impacts of the closures have raised the need to more deeply understand how different communities are supported and engaged through community facilities.
Will Council please formalise the role, responsibility and rights of an official group to bring together representatives of library users across our region; to ensure that our needs are incorporated into any proposed changes to the Library operations and properties?
Kathy Alexander responded that we have a proposal before us that outlines the need for community engagement in the Social Infrastructure Plan review which should include libraries. Further, it should be consistent with a full community engagement strategy and policy. The Chief Executive Officer has had this on the upcoming agenda for some time for presentation to a Council meeting. What we have asked for is a review of the document.
The Chief Executive Officer added that the document will be presented to the Administrators at the scheduled meeting of Council in July. The review itself will take some months, but the framework will be considered next month.
Tracey Stone –
It has been stated the long-term vision for libraries is "21 century district-level libraries, run from state of the art facilities". It is clear from the community response to the closing of the 3 libraries, this is not what these communities want.
Considering the amount of community feedback and outrage about the possibility of closing the Chilwell library, what community engagement has been done to form this vision?
Kathy Alexander again responded the Social Infrastructure Plan 2014-2031 did not contain any community engagement. The decision of the previous Council was that the community would not be provided with a copy of the Strategy, but did receive a copy of the Executive Statement.
Will the highlighted concerns from the recent library stakeholder report feed into a review of this long term strategy?
Kathy Alexander responded the concerns of the recent library stakeholders report will definitely be a consideration.
Jan Laidlaw –
Council's Community Engagement Policy states that it will facilitate the exchange of views and ideas, and that it will be responsive to local concerns and priorities. The Policy also includes the promise that the public's contribution will influence the decision. The Policy states that Council will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected by a decision. Why didn't Council follow its own Policy, before deciding to close Chilwell, Highton and Barwon Heads libraries at its April Council meeting?
The current Community Engagement Policy runs for three years, and will finish on July 8, 2017. What is Council's intention with the Community Engagement Policy going forward?
Will the current Community Engagement Policy be continued?
What assurances can Council give that it will abide by the Community Engagement Policy in the future, given its failure to do so in the matter of the libraries?
Kathy Alexander responded the Administrators are about to review a revised Community Engagement Policy and Framework which will be presented to the July meeting of Council.
We would hope that the new Council will abide by the new Policy, and going forward we can work with the community in a more effective way.
Phil Joyce –
The role of a local library within the community is to provide young kids with access to a world of possibilities and education that will be with them for their lives. At the heart of the library education is the role schools play in the promotion of education and learning both individually and as class groups, indeed, the role that the City of Greater Geelong libraries play with primary schools is clearly promoted by the City of Greater Geelong. As highlighted on the City of Greater Geelong GRLC website, the Chilwell Library has a long and close history with Chilwell Primary School and other local primary schools. Chilwell library provides support for class visits and events including book week events, library tours, study and free reading and access to an excellent collection focused on the educational need of primary school students. Chilwell Primary School students use the library space for presentations, art exhibitions and club meetings.
In the letter dated 1 June 2017 Ref D17-90581 SUB-16-1219 in response to question time letter submitted for the Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday 23 May 2017 by myself, Brett Luxford indicated that the City of Greater Geelong do not provide a library service to the schools. Clearly, this is not accurate based on the reality of the relationship between City of Greater Geelong, Chilwell Library and Chilwell Primary School, Therefore can:
Can the City of Greater Geelong define the relationship between Chilwell Primary School and Chilwell Library?
Will the City of Greater Geelong provide assurance that Chilwell Primary School and other schools will input concerns and needs into the proposed Social Infrastructure Plan Review?
Kathy Alexander responded certainly the involvement of schools and other key stakeholders, including Maternal Child Health should definitely be part of that consultation in the development of the Social Infrastructure Plan Review.
Lynne Dowling –
The GRLC recommended closure of Chilwell library on grounds of "social equity and financial imperatives" The COGG has now recommended that "the broader role that library branches play in health and well-being is assessed as part of the Social Infrastructure Plan review. I note that on the GOGG website under Planning and Development Guidelines - Social and Community Facilities "the City encourages the joint use/co-location of services" these are described as "Community Hubs" which "may include all or some of the following - a library, MCHC, computers and IT facilities" Under the Benchmarking statement, such facilities " encourage single destination, multi-purpose trips and walkability of services". Can you explain why Chilwell Library did not meet these guidelines?
Under the headings of Hierarchy, Description, Expected Population Catchment and Relevant Activity Centres, a Local Level Catchment is, like the Newtown/Chilwell Catchment, 10,000 people. Facilities for these are "usually planned in partnership between community organisations and local government".
We, the Save Chilwell Library Group, seek assurance from Council that the Social Infrastructure Plan Review due by March 2018, will not be conducted without representation from our group, as well as representatives from the local schools and maternal health centre in the consultation, planning and implementation phases. Can you please give us this assurance?
Kathy Alexander provided assurance that all key stakeholder groups and others will have the opportunity to take part and be involved in the process.
Jennifer Bantow asked questions regarding Amendment C331 and the Draft Moolap Coastal Strategic Framework Plan:
Item 4 – Amendment C331:
Does Amendment C331 safeguard the Heritage values of Brownhill Lookout and Drewan Park?
Item 8 – Draft Moolap Coastal Strategic Framework Plan:
The Geelong and Regional Branch National Trust has made a submission to DELWP supportive of the general concepts of the key precincts of this plan, a balance of residential, industrial and wetlands wildlife environments, and the public accessibility and ownership of the coastal reserve. The Trust has suggested that heritage has been overlooked as this area is possibly the most historic of any in the municipality. We have suggested that an interpretation centre be established to tell the stories of Point Henry as the first disembarkation spot of the first settlers and have two archaeological digs to locate the home of James Harrison, Geelong’s most famous pioneer, and the boyhood home Belle Vue homestead of Thomas Wentworth Wills, found of Australian Rules Football.
Could Council endorse these ideas?
Peter Bettess responded, yes. Part of the delivery contribution for that area is going towards the enhancement of the park.
AND on Page 96 of the report, under Saltwater Precinct – Zoning, could what is allowed in Public Conservation and Resource zone please be explained?
Peter Bettess took the question on notice and will provide a written response.
Kathy Alexander said it is important to preserve the heritage aspects of Geelong.
The Chair presented a petition from Lisa Neville MP on behalf of residents objecting to the installation of an intersection on the Geelong Portarlington Road 800 metres west of Jetty Road/Grubb Road intersection.
The Chair presented a petition from Mandy Bridges containing approximately 480 signatures which is in addition to a recent petition containing 1340 signatures in relation to the Barwon Heads Community Library and respectfully asking Council to reverse its decision to close their community library and ask that the existing library services be improved.
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