Minutes of Council Meeting

Council Meeting

25 August 2020

Minutes of Ordinary Council Meeting remotely and livestreamed on Council’s website on 25 August 2020

Meeting commenced at 6.31pm

Present:
Darcy Byrne Vittoria Raciti Marghanita Da Cruz Lucille McKenna OAM Colin Hesse Sam Iskandar Tom Kiat Pauline Lockie Victor Macri Julie Passas John Stamolis Louise Steer Anna York Michael Deegan Elizabeth Richardson	Mayor Deputy Mayor (6.43pm) Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor (6.33pm) Councillor Chief Executive Officer Chief Operating Officer, Director Development and Recreation
Cathy Edwards-Davis Daryl Jackson	Director Infrastructure Chief Financial Officer
Ian Naylor	Manager Governance
Katherine Paixao	Governance Coordinator

APOLOGIES:

Motion: (Hesse/Byrne)

THAT apologies from Councillor Drury be accepted.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Stamolis and York

Against Motion: Nil

Councillor Steer entered the Meeting at 6:33 pm.

DISCLOSURES OF INTERESTS: Nil

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

Motion: (Stamolis/Hesse)

THAT the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday, 11 August 2020 be confirmed as a correct record.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Nil

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 Raciti entered the Meeting at 6:43 pm.

C0820(2) Item 12 Mayoral Minute: Rozelle Parklands

Motion: (Byrne)

THAT Council:

1. Notes the correspondence from Transport for NSW’s Deputy Secretary Greater Sydney regarding Rozelle Parklands; and

2. Prepares a draft submission on Rozelle Parklands, incorporating the priorities of local sporting clubs, to be circulated to Councillors for feedback in advance of the August 31 deadline.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Nil

C0820(2) Item 13 Mayoral Minute: Funding for Infrastructure Stimulus

Motion: (Byrne)

THAT Council:

1. Notes the NSW Government’s media release on the new $250 million funding program funding for parklands, town squares and main streets of Councils across the State; and

2. Notes the already adopted Stimulus Priority Projects motion passed at the 23 June 2020 meeting, which prioritised a list of projects that would be accelerated, and that a report be tabled at an Ordinary Council meeting on which projects would be eligible for funding under this new NSW Government program.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Nil

C0820(2) Item 1 Kirkbride Precinct (Callan Park) Expression of Interest

Motion: (Byrne/Stamolis)

THAT Council:

1. Not submit a proposal for the Kirkbride Precinct Expression of Interest; and

2. Writes to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing, expressing concern regarding reports in the Sydney Morning Herald that the for-profit business Doltone House, represented by ex-Planning Minister Frank Sartor, was provided a tour of the site, and requesting confirmation that there will be no changes to the law protecting Callan Park and the Kirkbride Precinct from commercialisation.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Cr Passas

C0820(2) Item 2 Local Traffic Committee Meeting - August 2020

Motion: (McKenna OAM/Da Cruz)

THAT the Minutes of the Local Traffic Committee Meeting held in August 2020 be received and the recommendations be adopted subject to the following amendments:

1. Not adopting LTC0820 Item 4 Chandos Street, Haberfield - Proposed Intersection Modification;

2. Note the safety concerns of residents on Chandos Street;

3. Note that the IWC Local Area Improvement Strategy (LAIS), relied in the report to the Traffic Committee, was written prior to the opening of the M4 East tunnel. As such it does not contain current traffic data, and needs to be updated and reviewed prior to any local road closures being implemented;

4. Note that Transport for NSW has advised it has received over 3,000 submissions to their proposed changes to local roads in the area and will provide a further consultation report in September 2020;

5. Write to Transport NSW to provide an updated traffic study for the area as required by a condition of the opening of the M4 East; fund council to review and implement the IWC LAIS in the light of the traffic study;

6. LTC0820 Item 5 Tempe South Draft Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) Study - A further LATM Study be undertaken of the impact of traffic on
students at Tempe Public and Tempe High School, and associated streets
including Edwin Street and Tramway Street Tempe and the treatments be reviewed in the light of the additional study; and

7. LTC0820 Item 10 Traffic in Alt Street, Ashfield - Council note that staff will be arranging a pedestrian/traffic volume count to determine if the site meets the warrants for a crossing. The Ashfield Traffic Management Study (ATMS) also recommended the need to calm traffic in Alt Street at this location.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Cr Passas

Amendment (Passas/Macri)

THAT LTC0820 Item 4 Chandos Street, Haberfield - Proposed Intersection Modification be adopted to close the street to no left turn.

Motion Lost

For Motion: Crs Macri, Passas and Raciti

Against Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, McKenna OAM, Stamolis, Steer and York

C0820(2) Item 3 Changes to the Code of Conduct, Procedures for the Administration of the Code of Conduct and Code of Meeting Practice

Motion: (Da Cruz/Steer)

THAT Council adopt the amended Code of Conduct, Procedures for the Administration of the Code of Conduct and Code of Meeting Practice with the following amendments:

1. Retain:

a) The $50 gift limit;

b) The token cap on the value of meals and refreshments that may be accepted by Council officials in conjunction with the performance of their official duties; and

c) The appointment of Reviewers is by Council resolution.

2. The Code of Meeting practice to be amended to incorporate the amendments to the ACT as set out in the OLG 20-09 Circular Compliance with social distancing requirements to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus at Council and committee meetings to permit Council and committee meetings to be held remotely, and individual councillors can participate in meetings remotely.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Steer and York

Against Motion: Crs Passas, Raciti and Stamolis

Foreshadowed Motion (Passas/Stamolis)

THAT this item be deferred for a briefing with a legal representative present.

This Foreshadowed Motion lapsed.

C0820(2) Item 4 Investment Report as at 31 July 2020

Motion: (Stamolis/Kiat)

THAT the report be received and noted.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Nil

C0820(2) Item 5 Notice of Motion to Rescind: C0419(1) Item 5 Local Traffic Committee Meeting: Ltc0419 Item 6 - Gannon Lane, Tempe - 30 April 2019

Motion: (Byrne/Hesse)

THAT Council rescind C0419(1) Item 5 Local Traffic Committee Meeting: LTC0419 Item 6 - Gannon Lane, Tempe - 30 April 2019.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Nil

Motion: (Byrne/Hesse)

THAT Council:

Removes the existing signage on the eastern side of Gannon Lane, Tempe, between the rear access of property Nos.767 & 769 Princes Highway;
Installs a ‘No Parking’ sign on the eastern side of Gannon Lane, Tempe, between the rear access of property Nos.767 & 769 Princes Highway; and

3. Consult with affected residents about installing a plant blister in the 10m zone of Gannon Lane, and an appropriate shrub or tree be planted that both prevents illegal parking and provides some small amount of shade. The funds be allocated from the Street Tree Renewal Planting Budget.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Nil

C0820(2) Item 6 Notice of Motion: Support for elected local government officials in Turkey

Motion: (Hesse/Passas)

THAT Council:

1. Notes that twenty three popularly elected Mayors in Turkey have been stripped of office and put on trial for alleged ‘terrorist offences’;

2. Notes that Humans Rights Watch has stated:

“Removing, detaining, and putting on trial local Kurdish politicians as armed militants with no compelling evidence of criminal activity seems to be the Turkish government’s preferred way to wipe out political opposition,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “These cases are not linked to any legitimate counterterrorism effort but trample the rights of the mayors and the 1.8 million voters who elected them.”

3. Recognises that local government is an important layer of democracy in all countries;

4. Adopts part of the motion passed by the European Parliament in September 2019 that states:

a) Condemns the decision made by the Turkish authorities to remove democratically elected mayors from office on the basis of questionable evidence; stresses that these actions continue to undermine the ability of the political opposition to exercise their rights and fulfil their democratic roles; and

b) Calls on the Turkish authorities to reinstate all mayors and other elected officials who won local elections on 31 March 2019 and were prevented from assuming office or were dismissed or replaced with unelected trustees on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations.

5. Forwards a copy of this resolution to the Turkish Ambassador, the Turkish Consul General, the Australian Foreign Minister The Hon. Marise Payne MP, the local Federal Member and local Kurdish community organisations;

6. Provides for community references the following links to the European Parliament resolution: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2019-0017_EN.pdf and the Human Rights Watch article: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/07/turkey-kurdish-mayors-removal-violates-voters-rights

7. Refers the above motion to Local Government NSW for discussion at the forthcoming Local Government NSW Conference.

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, McKenna OAM, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Cr Macri

C0820(2) Item 7 Notice of Motion: Tree DCP data: analysis

Motion: (Stamolis/Passas)

THAT Council:

1. Receive and note this analysis and continue monitoring tree applications and approvals data; and

2. Prepare a media release detailing that the tree data has been reissued by Council and that the original data for 2020 were not comparable with 2018 and 2019.

Motion Lost

For Motion: Crs Macri, Passas, Raciti and Stamolis

Against Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, McKenna OAM, Steer and York

Foreshadowed Motion (Kiat/Hesse)

THAT Council notes that the statistical analysis presented in the background to this Notice of Motion is inconsistent with the analysis of Council officers, who intend to bring a six month review of the new Tree DCP to a Council meeting in September.

Motion Lost

For Motion: Crs Hesse, Kiat and Lockie

Against Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Iskandar, Macri, McKenna OAM, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Foreshadowed Motion (York/Da Cruz)

THAT Council:

1. Note a review on the relevant data has been requested at 12 months from the adopted amendments to the DCP, and that Council officers have advised that review will be provided as requested; and

2. No further action be taken until this review is received

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Byrne, Da Cruz, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Macri, McKenna OAM, Raciti, Stamolis, Steer and York

Against Motion: Crs Lockie and Passas

C0820(2) Item 8 Notice of Motion: RBA statements: problematic for Sydney communities

Motion: (Stamolis/Passas)

THAT Council:

1. Expresses its concern with recent comments RBA staff made such as:

a) “… Sydney apartment prices are $355,000 higher than they should be due to planning restrictions, and a way to lower them would be to allow developers to raise building heights by 20 storeys or more in inner-city suburbs”; and

b) “… doubling the construction of high-density units every year would reduce housing costs by 2.5 per cent per annum.”

2. Write to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing, encouraging the NSW Government adopt a job-creating stimulus package around investment in public and social housing, and invite partnership with the Inner West for investment in our LGA.

3. Note that Council officers are currently preparing a submission on Housing Diversity SEPP Explanation of Intended Effect

Motion Carried

For Motion: Crs Da Cruz, Hesse, Kiat, Lockie, Macri, Passas, Raciti, Stamolis and Steer

Against Motion: Crs Byrne, Iskandar, McKenna OAM and York

C0820(2) Item 9 Notice of Motion: Council Meeting - Rooms

Motion: (Passas/Da Cruz)

THAT Councillors to be allowed to attend Council Chambers or other Council facilities for Council meetings as they choose.

Motion Lost

For Motion: Crs Da Cruz, Macri, Passas, Raciti and Stamolis

Against Motion: Crs Byrne, Hesse, Iskandar, Kiat, Lockie, McKenna OAM, Steer and York

Councillor Passas left the Meeting at 9:52 pm.

C0820(2) Item 10 Notice of Motion: Garbage cancellations

Motion: (Passas/Da Cruz)

THAT:

1. The booked garbage service in the old Ashfield area be reinstated immediately; and

2. Council to provide information about mattress collections and why there have been long delays.

Amendment (Da Cruz)

THAT Council:

1. Note the booked garbage service in the old Ashfield area has been reinstated; and

2. Note advice provided regarding information about mattress collections and why there have been long delays.

As the mover of the motion lost audio connection to the meeting, the Mayor closed the meeting.

Meeting closed at 9.54pm.

Public Speakers:

Item #

Speaker

Suburb

Item 2:

Graeme McKay

Sharon Laura

Paul Rupil

Gerard Turrisi

Daniela Crisci

Frank Criniti

Haberfield

Item 5:

Geoff Corbett

Tempe

The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on the 25^th day of August, 2020 were confirmed as a correct record on this 8^th day of September, 2020.

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CHAIRPERSON