Minutes of the Council Meeting of the Greater Geelong City Council held at the Council Conference and Reception Centre in City Hall, 57 Little Malop Street, Geelong, commencing at 6:00pm.
Asmir
Sarah Roberts
Julia Ryabova
Bill Votsaris
Jennifer Bantow
Tom O'Connor
Cam O'Keefe
Councillors:
S Asher (Mayor)
A Aitken
K Grzybek
B Harwood
E Kontelj
S Mansfield
J Mason
B Moloney
P Murrihy
R Nelson
T Sullivan
M Cutter (Chief Executive Officer)
G Smith (Director Planning, Design and Development)
G Wilson-Browne (Director City Services)
M Dugina (Director Customer and Corporate Services)
R Stevens (Director Community Life)
S McKew (Manager Governance)
J Lane (Manager Healthy Communities)
J Daly (Manager Urban Design and Heritage)
E Nicholas (Junior Mayor)
The Mayor declared the meeting open at 6:00pm.
Council acknowledges Wadawurrung Traditional Owners of this land and pays its respects to all Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People who are part of the Greater Geelong community today.
Nil.
Nil.
Councillor Sullivan moved, Councillor Grzybek seconded -
That the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 25 May 2021 be confirmed.
Carried.
Councillor Harwood declared a Conflict of Interest in Agenda Item 11, T2100048 Sports Lighting Program, in that Councillor Harwood is the Director of Women’s Football at Geelong Amateurs Football and Netball Club.
The following questions were submitted prior to the Council Meeting. A written response will be provided via email:
Asmir – CBD Free Parking;
Sarah Roberts – Coolabah Drive, Grovedale;
Julia Ryabova – CBD Free Parking; and
Bill Votsaris – CBD Free Parking.
Julia Ryabova asked the following in relation to Free CBD Parking:
Do Councillors understand the importance Free CBD Parking to bringing people into the CBD, revitalising Geelong and helping small businesses get back on their feet after the extremely bad time?
Can Councillors please support the Free CBD Parking program the make sure it's a part of this budget and every budget from now on?
Gareth Smith responded Council is aware of the importance of accessible parking for the community in central Geelong, including parking fees.
Council is considering the draft budget for 2021-22 to 2024-25 this evening which includes a second hour free parking initiative that will be implemented on 5 July, if endorsed by Council tonight.
Bill Votsaris addressed Council regarding Free CBD Parking.
The Mayor thanked Mr Votsaris for his comments.
Jennifer Bantow - Vice President/Secretary Marshall Bluestone Cottage Community Group, thanked Councillor Murrihy for bringing the Notice of Motion to Council this evening and advised the group strongly supports the motion, in principle, and suggested that some words change to make the intention of the motion clearer, for example:
“That Council request the Chief Executive Officer write to Major Roads Victoria to seek agreement to relocate the Cottage to the opposite park for future community and public use”.
The Mayor thanked Ms Bantow for attending the meeting and advised the Notice of Motion was coming up for discussion later in the evening.
Tom O’Connor provided Council with comments in relation to Item 7, Clever and Creative – 30 Year Vision Refresh (Draft).
The Mayor thanked Mr O’Connor for his positive feedback.
Cam O’Keefe asked the following regarding the marketing levy refund:
Is there any further plans for Council to refund to businesses the marketing levy expenses from last year during COVID-19?
Gareth Smith responded on 28 April 2020 the Council at that time, as part of its COVID-19 support package valued at $16.9 million, provided a one quarter of the year refund (at that time valued at around $284,000), but there is no other additional refund decision made by Council regarding the levy.
Have the signatures I collected last year re free parking been kept and noted?
Councillor Kontelj thanked Mr O’Keefe for putting the petition forward and added it was tabled here in the public chamber late last year. Council has noted and retained the document.
Councillor Nelson presented a petition containing 551 signature seeking recognition of the Barwon Heads Village Park as a Significant Landscape for their community. The Barwon Heads Association is asking the City of Greater Geelong to include an action for a Planning Overlay and Building Design Principles in the new Barwon Heads Village Park Master Plan.
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