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SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA 1R |
Council Meeting
TUESDAY 5 MARCH 2024
6:30 PM
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Council Meeting 5 March 2024 |
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MEETING AGENDA – PRECIS SUPPLEMENTARY ITEMS |
The following reports appear as late items as information required for the preparation of the reports was not available at the time of distribution of the Business Paper.
1 Mayoral Minutes
ITEM Page
C0324(1) Item 53 Mayoral Minute: Rozelle Parklands 3
C0324(1) Item 54 Mayoral Minute: Support for Inner West Brewing Sector 5
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Council Meeting 5 March 2024 |
Subject: Mayoral Minute: Rozelle Parklands
From: The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne
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MOTION
That Council make use of the power available to it under the Local Government Act to enforce and expedite the clean-up of asbestos contamination in the Rozelle Parklands and surrounding areas.
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Background
On 15 January 2024, the Environment Protection Authority issued a section 91 Clean Up Notice to Transport for NSW under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act in respect of the Rozelle Parklands after asbestos was discovered in landscape mulch.
The Clean Up Notice required TfNSW to remove the mulch by 29 January 2024.
Subsequently, Council made repeated representations to the TfNSW and their contractors about the need to properly resource and staff the clean-up works and expressed ongoing concerns that insufficient resources were being dedicated to meeting the EPA deadline.
Since that time and due to the slowness in the removal of the mulch by Transport, the EPA, on 28 February 2024, varied the Notice to extend the period of compliance to 28 March 2024 giving reasons in respect of traffic management concerns near road corridors and the implementation of risk and control measures concerning the clean-up action.
Council, last week, issued John Holland Pty Limited and CPB Contractors Pty Limited contracted to build the M4-M8 Motorway, Rozelle Interchange and Rozelle Parklands with Notices of Intention to Issue a Clean Up Notice to also undertake clean-up action as occupiers of the Parklands.
The Council draft Notices required both Joint Venture companies to provided representations as to why the Council should not proceed and issue the final section 91 Clean Up Notices to remove the mulch. On 1 March 2024 John Holland and CPB provided representations that the EPA is the appropriate regulatory authority to enforce the clean-up action rather than Council.
Council has assessed these submissions and agreed that they are technically correct.
Council has also meet with the EPA to discuss the slowness in the clean-up of the Rozelle Parklands by TfNSW and has now scheduled weekly update meetings with the EPA in respect of the progress of the clean-up action.
Council has asked the EPA for information and clarification as to the amount tonnage of contaminated mulch which has been removed from the Parklands, what remains and, of that, how much will be removed each week to meet the new 28 March deadline.
In addition, Council is also seeking clarification from the EPA as to how many workers are currently removing the contaminated mulch at the Parklands.
To date, the slowness by TfNSW together with the Joint Venture contractors in removing the contaminated mulch has been unacceptable.
The Inner West community has endured massive impacts during the construction of the Rozelle Interchange and now continues to be impacted significantly with the closure of the Parklands.
The Parklands are an important recreational open space which should be publicly accessible to the Inner West community. The ongoing closure appears to be indefinite with no timeline for the reopening of the Parklands confirmed to Council.
The Council considers that the EPA has not been proactive as an environmental regulator. As such it is open to the Council to continue to act in the best interests of its community and initiate further regulatory action through the orders regimen in the Local Government Act in respect of public health and safety.
Nil.
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Council Meeting 5 March 2024 |
Subject: Mayoral Minute: Support for Inner West Brewing Sector
From: The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne
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MOTION
That Council, in partnership with the Inner West Brewers Association, hold a forum to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the craft beer sector in the Inner West. The forum is to be held at a local craft brewery with a summary of the discussion to be reported to an Ordinary Council meeting.
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Background
The Inner West craft brewing sector has grown over the past decade to become one of the defining elements of our local night time economy.
Craft breweries provide hundreds of local jobs, space for community events and cultural activity as well attracting tourists to come to the Inner West.
Marrickville and neighbouring suburbs are now rightly recognised as the craft brewing capital of Australia.
Recently, because of the cost of living crisis, debt overhang from the pandemic period and other economic factors, many of our local craft brewers have faced financial difficulties.
It’s important to the Inner West that this sector remains viable and strong into the future.
