Council Meeting
24 August 2021 |
Minutes of Ordinary Council Meeting held remotely and livestreamed on Council’s website on 24 August 2021
Meeting commenced at 6.31 pm
Present: |
|
Darcy Byrne Victor Macri Marghanita Da Cruz Mark Drury Lucille McKenna OAM Colin Hesse Sam Iskandar Tom Kiat Pauline Lockie Julie Passas Rochelle Porteous Vittoria Raciti John Stamolis Louise Steer Graeme Palmer |
Mayor Deputy Mayor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor (6:36pm) Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor General Manager Acting Director Development and Recreation |
Cathy Edwards-Davis |
Director Infrastructure |
Caroline McLeod Peter Livanes Aaron Callaghan |
Acting Director City Living Acting Director Corporate Parks and Recreation Planning Manager |
Katherine Paixao |
Acting Manager Governance |
Carmelina Giannini |
Acting Governance Coordinator |
APOLOGIES:
Motion: (Byrne/Drury)
THAT apologies from Councillor York be accepted.
Motion Carried
For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Against Motion: Nil
DISCLOSURES OF INTERESTS:
Councillor Lockie declared a non-significant, non-pecuniary interest in Item 28 Mayoral Minute: Compliance Levies as she works at the City of Sydney in the Office of the Lord Mayor.
Motion: (Porteous/Hesse)
THAT Council note the disclosure of interest.
Motion Carried
For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Against Motion: Nil
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES
THAT the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday, 3 August 2021 be confirmed as a correct record. Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer Against Motion: Nil |
Councillor Iskandar entered the Meeting at 6:36 pm.
Councillor Byrne left the Meeting at 6:54 pm. The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Macri assumed the chair.
PUBLIC FORUM
The registered speakers were asked to address the meeting. The list of speakers is available on the last page of these minutes.
Councillor Byrne returned to the Meeting at 7:23 pm. The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Macri vacated the Chair and the Mayor, Councillor Byrne assumed the Chair.
Councillor Passas left the Meeting at 7:25 pm.
Councillor Passas returned to the Meeting at 7:34 pm.
Councillor Passas left the Meeting at 7:54 pm.
THAT Council: 1. Seeks the repeal of the NSW Government’s Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Compliance Fees) Regulation 2021 legislation; 2. Notes the estimated budgetary impact on Council of $1.2 million in the current financial year; 3. Notes that Council has been collecting levies from all development applications with a cost of works of over $100K, as per Councils fees and charges; 4. Writes to the Planning Minister and all State MPs calling on the NSW Government to reinstate Council’s ability to collect and retain compliance levies after 31 December 2021; and 5. Agrees to contribute to the open letter proposed by the City of Sydney and Local Government NSW articulating the local government sector’s opposition to the proposal to be funded from Council’s communications budget (See Attachment 2).
Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer Against Motion: Nil |
THAT Council:
1. Notes the correspondence from the Refugee Council of Australia to the Refugee Welcome Zone Councils calling on them to support urgent advocacy on Afghanistan;
2. Supports the practical steps proposed by the Refugee Council of Australia;
3. Signs the Refugee Council of Australia’s letter to federal parliamentarians about Australia's response to the crisis in Afghanistan; and
4. Forward the letter to all of our local Federal MPs and seek a response.
Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer Against Motion: Nil |
Councillor Passas returned to the Meeting at 8:03 pm.
The General Manager advised that Item 26 Marrickville Golf Course Lease has been withdrawn and replaced with Item 27 Marrickville Golf Course Lease.
Procedural motion - Suspension of Standing Orders
Motion: (Drury/Hesse)
THAT Council deal with Item 2 Marrickville Parklands and Golf Course- Adoption of Park Plan of Management and then suspend standing orders to deal with Item 27 Marrickville Golf Course Lease at this time.
Motion Carried
For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Against Motion: Nil
**Councillor Kiat left the Meeting at 9:18 pm prior to the Councillors Da Cruz/Porteous amendment on item 27. As voting for amendments occur prior to the primary motion, Councillor Kiat returned prior to the primary motion be voted on.
Councillor Kiat returned to the Meeting at 9:22 pm.
ADJOURNMENT
9.29pm - The Mayor, Clr Byrne adjourned the meeting for a short recess.
9.41pm– The Mayor, Clr Byrne resumed the meeting.
Councillor Passas left the Meeting at 9:48 pm.
Councillor Passas returned to the Meeting at 10:00 pm.
THAT Council receive and note the report.
Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer Against Motion: Nil |
THAT Council: 1. Place the cost benefit report and the resolved de-amalgamation poll question on public exhibition, in keeping with the community engagement policy, with the outcomes of the consultation to be reported to the second Ordinary Council meeting in September; and 2. Include in the de-amalgamation report consultation the following possible additional poll questions and following consultation consider whether to also put these questions to the community at the December 4 election: a) Do you support the NSW Government guaranteeing the full costs of any de-amalgamation of the Inner West Council to restore the former local government areas of Ashfield, Leichhardt and Marrickville?
b) Do you support the direct election of the position of Mayor by citizens rather than the Mayor being elected by Councillors?
Motion Lost For Motion: Crs Byrne, Drury, Iskandar and McKenna OAM Against Motion: Crs Da Cruz, Hesse, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Foreshadowed Motion (Stamolis/Steer) THAT: 1. Council place the cost benefit report and the resolved de-amalgamation poll question on public exhibition, in keeping with the community engagement policy, with the outcomes of the consultation to be reported to the second Ordinary Council meeting in September;
2.
YES and NO cases on
de-amalgamation be included on Council’s website, E-news, Flyers
and the Inner West Council Newsletter; 3. Both YES and NO cases be translated into several languages;
4.
Both the YES and NO
cases be brought back to Council for approval after endorsement from the NSW
Electoral Commission; 5. Council make clear to the community the caveats and limitations of the Morrison Low Report as they have identified in their report; and
6. The case for demerger references the statement in the legislation that State Government will fund the demerger. Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Da Cruz, Hesse, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer Against Motion: Crs Byrne, Drury, Iskandar and McKenna OAM
Amendment (McKenna OAM/Drury) THAT point 5 of the foreshadowed motion be deleted. Motion Lost For Motion: Crs Byrne, Drury, Iskandar and McKenna OAM Against Motion: Crs Da Cruz, Hesse, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer |
Procedural motion - Extension of Time
Motion: (Lockie/Hesse)
THAT the meeting be extended until 11.10pm.
Motion Carried
For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Against Motion: Nil
The Mayor issued a warning at 11.09pm to Councillor Passas for continuously interjecting.
Procedural motion - Extension of Time
Motion: (Byrne/Drury)
THAT the meeting be extended until 11.15pm.
Motion Carried
For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Against Motion: Nil
The Mayor issued a second warning at 11.15pm to Councillor Passas for continuously interjecting.
Councillor Passas retired from the Meeting at 11:16 pm.
THAT Council:
1. Endorse the redistribution of a portion of Council’s annual Community Wellbeing grant funding by allocating $25,000 to Addison Road Food Pantry and $25,000 to Bill Crews Exodus Foundation to support the increased demand for food insecurity for families in the Inner West;
2. Support the redeployment of IWC staff where appropriate, to assist the work of local agencies;
3. Support the redistribution of $20,000 from the Targeted Early Intervention funding from Department of Communities and Justice, in keeping with guidelines to key services, working with vulnerable families and young people in the outreach and early intervention areas;
4. Notes Council Officer and Office of Local Government advice that financial assistance can be provided to ratepayers under s356 of the Local Government Act 1993;
5. Note that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on Council’s budget with $13.8M in 2020/21 and the forecast impact for 2021/22 could be as high as $11.7M;
6. Council’s response be reviewed should further impacts arise;
7. Provides financial assistance, up to $400, to residential ratepayers who qualify for the Commonwealth or State COVID-19 Disaster Payments;
8. Limit the assistance to owner-occupiers, to be claimed for one dwelling only, with total expenditure to be initially capped at $250 000, to be funded from consolidated revenue and considered in the next quarterly budget review;
9. Officers develop hardship criteria to allow applicants who have suffered the greatest disadvantage to be prioritised through the application process;
10. Places the proposal on public exhibition for 28 days;
11. Provide a mechanism for ratepayers to register or apply for the program immediately while the policy is on public exhibition;
12. Reviews this financial assistance package after two months with a report to be tabled at an ordinary Council meeting; and
Motion Carried For Motion: Crs Byrne, Drury, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Raciti and Stamolis Against Motion: Crs Da Cruz, Hesse, Porteous and Steer Absent: Cr Passas
Foreshadowed Motion (Porteous/Hesse)
THAT Council:
1. Endorse the redistribution of a portion of Council’s annual Community Wellbeing grant funding by allocating $25,000 to Addison Road Food Pantry and $25,000 to Bill Crews Exodus Foundation to support the increased demand for food insecurity for families in the Inner West;
2. Support the redeployment of IWC staff where appropriate, to assist the work of local agencies;
3. Support the redistribution of $20,000 from the Targeted Early Intervention funding from Department of Communities and Justice, in keeping with guidelines to key services, working with vulnerable families and young people in the outreach and early intervention areas;
4. Note that since Council’s meeting on the 20 July, the State and Federal Government announced to expand the existing COVID-19 Support measures;
5. Note that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on Council’s budget with $13.8M in 2020/21 and the forecast impact for 2021/22 could be as high as $11.7M;
6. Council’s response be reviewed should further impacts arise.
7. Officers develop hardship criteria to allow applicants who have suffered the greatest disadvantage to be prioritised through the application process.
8. Receive a report to the next Council meeting addressing how up to $250k can be targeted to those most in need in our community eg through expanding Council’s own social programs, or via grants to community organizations such as Addison Road and Exodus Foundation.
This foreshadowed motion lapsed. |
Procedural motion - Extension of Time
Motion: (Lockie/Raciti)
THAT the meeting be extended until 11.30pm
Motion Carried
For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Against Motion: Nil
Absent: Cr Passas
Procedural motion (Macri/Raciti)
THAT items 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 be deferred to an Extraordinary Council meeting to be held on Tuesday, 31 August 2021.
Motion Lost
For Motion: Crs Macri, Raciti and Stamolis
Against Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, McKenna OAM, Porteous and Steer
Absent Cr Passas
Foreshadowed Procedural motion (Lockie/Drury)
THAT items 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 be deferred to an Extraordinary Council meeting to be held on Tuesday, 7 September 2021.
Motion Carried
For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Drury, Hesse, Iskandar, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Porteous, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer
Against Motion: Cr Kiat
Absent Cr Passas
Meeting closed at 11.30pm.
Item #
|
Speaker |
Suburb |
Item 2: |
Andrew Tighe Kylie Moulds Peter Munro Martin Puchert Nicole Huber-Smith |
Marrickville Petersham Marrickville Dulwich Hill Marrickville |
Item 7: |
Pip Hinman |
Newtown |
Item 22: |
Jack Whitney Katherine Hudson Tim Bradshaw Melinda Dimitriades |
Leichhardt Marrickville Dulwich Hill Lilyfield |
Item 27: |
Raymond Fowke Brenda Padgett |
Marrickville Marrickville |
The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on the 24th day of August, 2021 were confirmed as a correct record on this 14th day of September, 2021.
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CHAIRPERSON