A controversial sale is set to proceed in Hepburn Shire.
That development leads this edition of the Local Government News Roundup.
Also today: frustration at the City of Melbourne over poker machine developments; the search for solutions to traffic woes at the start of this year’s snow season; revelations from an ICAC investigation of former NSW councillors; and a tribute to a local government sustainability leader, gone too soon.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, your national broadcaster for all things local government.
Listen to any Roundup episode on your preferred podcast app (links here) or listen to this episode directly here.
Transcript follows with links to stories referenced (where available).
Issue 142 LG News Roundup, 20th July 2022
A controversial sale is set to proceed in Hepburn Shire.
That development leads this edition of the Local Government News Roundup.
Welcome to the bulletin for the 22nd July. I’m Chris Eddy.
Also today: frustration at the City of Melbourne over poker machine developments; the search for solutions to traffic woes at the start of this year’s snow season; revelations from an ICAC investigation of former NSW councillors; and a tribute to a local government sustainability leader, gone too soon.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, your national broadcaster for all things local government.
Hepburn Shire Council has voted to proceed with a public sale of the Rex Hotel.
Before a vocal gallery last night, the council rejected a Councillor motion to delay the process by four months before adopting an officer recommendation with revisions that require the CEO to bring back a further report before the execution of a contract of sale.
The Council will also write the Local Government Minister and the Inspectorate to express disappointment in the delay of an investigation into previous actions in relation to the Rex, and calling for that report to be finalised and published as soon as possible.
City of Melbourne councillors have spoken of their frustration at having to approve a new CBD development with poker machines because a planning scheme amendment submitted three years ago has not been approved.
The Age has reported that the council is calling on the new planning minister, Lizzie Blandthorn, to urgently approve the amendment which would enable better assessment of pokie locations and the social and economic impacts.
A government spokeswoman told the Age that the assessment of the amendment was ongoing.
The Age, 19-7-22
Mansfield Shire Council is working with resort management at Mt Buller and Mt Stirling to find solutions to traffic issues that have occurred since the commencement of this year’s snow season.
The Council called a meeting of the Traffic Liaison Committee to see what measures could be put in place to avoid a repeat of major traffic delays being experienced thus far.
Many visitors were also unable to enter the resorts over the school holiday weekends due to not having pre-booked their resort entry.
Department of Transport representatives have also accepted an invitation from the Council to visit the site and consider possible solutions, including potential infrastructure upgrades.
Council Partnering on Traffic Issues
Football Australia and Greater Shepparton City Council are celebrating a decision to host a group round of the U17 Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers in Shepparton.
It’s the first time since 2009 that qualifiers for any Asian Football Confederation Youth tournament have been held in Australia.
A four team group featuring Australia, China, Cambodia and the Northern Mariana Islands will play their qualifiers at McEwen Reserve in Shepparton from the 5th to 9th October this year.
https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news/shepparton-set-host-asias-best-emerging-football-talent
Greater Shepparton City Council is part of a partnership looking to assist overseas-trained engineers find work, and help to fill a critical skills gap in regional Victoria.
A six week pilot program is being provided online by La Trobe University. The Committee for Greater Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley Infrastructure Network are also part of the project.
Engineers Australia estimates a shortfall of around 7,000 engineering graduates each year – universities are producing around 9,000, but annual demand is put at 16,000.
The project hopes to address a situation where 47 per cent of migrants actively seeking a job as an engineer are currently underemployed.
Council supports program to prepare migrant engineers for work in Australia
A collection of community stories from the June 2021 storm has been compiled into a Storm Recovery Book and made available for free to storm impact residents in Moorabool Shire.
The book was launched at two community events recently held to acknowledge one year since the major storm.
Mayor Tom Sullivan said the impact of the storm was still being felt by communities, and the book serves as a communal diary showing how resilient the community has been.
The book and the community events were funded from the state and federal Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Council brings communities together with Storm Recovery book
There was a community celebration in Hurstbridge on the weekend when an extension to the Diamond Creek Trail was officially opened.
Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and Nillumbik Shire Mayor Frances Eyre were among those to participate in the opening of the trail extension, which was completed in two stages and delivered eight crossings in total.
Funding for the trail works included $9.1M from the State Government, and over $4M from Nillumbik Shire Council.
Briefs:
The Latrobe City Small Business Festival will return next month, with four separate events aimed at business owners and community members.
Latrobe Mayor Kellie O’Callagan said the festival is a celebration of the important role that small businesses play in the local economy and broader community.
The festival, from the 16th to 19th August, includes a visual merchandising workshop; networking events, and a keynote presentation by author and gender equality advocate Jamila Rizvi.
Latrobe City Small Business Festival
A graffiti blitz by the City of Melbourne has seen the removal of tags from 80,000 square metres of surface in the past four months.
Over 22,000 removal jobs were completed by a Rapid Response Clean Team since March.
Acting Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said the graffiti removed amounted to almost two MCGs in surface area. The Council has budgeted $1.5M to expand the rapid response team this financial year.
https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/news-and-media/pages/council-blitz-removing-graffiti-at-record-levels.aspx
Whittlesea City Council will introduce a 24 hour cat curfew and mandatory cat desexing for newly registered cats from August 2023.
Both actions were identified in the council’s new Domestic Animal Management Plan, and residents will have 12 months to transition to the new arrangements.
Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson said community consultation showed over 80% of people supported some form of cat curfew and mandatory cat desexing measures.
Taking action to keep cats and wildlife safe – Whittlesea Council
Still to come – revelations from an ICAC investigation of former NSW councillors; a call for Wingecarribee Shire elections to be brought forward; the SA ombudsman finds a Council CEO actions dishonest and unethical; and a tribute to a local government sustainability leader, gone too soon.
You’re listening to the Local Government News Roundup for 20th July 2022, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.
On the 28th July, the VLGA and LGIU will co-present another Global Executive Panel, this time on the topic of Biodiversity Planning and Green Spaces.
A stellar panel has been assembled to discuss and provide examples of how biodiversity conservation is an essential component of responsible environmental and natural resource management.
Joining us will be Helen Bailey, Chief Executive of the London Borough of Sutton; Donna Manson, Chief Executive of Highland Council in Scotland; Rachel Ollivier, Acting CEO at Darebin City Council, and Dr Gillian Sparkes, the Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability.
The panel will be live from 5.30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on Thursday 28th July, online via Zoom.
Now for some stories making news around Australia in local government this week:
An ICAC inquiry into whether former councillors accepted gifts and benefits in exchange for votes has heard one former councillor admit to not declaring an interest; and another has been found dead shortly after giving evidence.
The former Hurstville and Georges River councillors, Philip Sansom, Constantine Hindi and Vincenzo Badalati are under investigation in relation to their relationships with developers that might constitute a conflict of interest.
The ABC has reported that Mr Sansom this week conceded he should have declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to a $29M development application that was before the council.
Another former councillor, 62 year old Clifton Wong, was found dead in his office earlier this month, days after giving evidence against his former colleagues.
Police have said the death did not appear suspicious.
The NSW Opposition is calling for an election in Wingecarribee Shire to be held sooner than the government’s announced timetable of late 2024.
The council was formally dismissed last week, after a public inquiry found the councillors had failed to adequately execute their roles and responsibilities.
Interim administrator Viv May has had his term extended for more than 2 years through to the date of the next statewide elections in 2024.
Opposition spokesperson Greg Warren told the ABC that while he accepted the commissioner’s recommendation to discharge the council, the election should be held as soon as possible.
However, Local Government minister Wendy Tuckerman said it would take considerable time to rebuild the council organisation.
The dismissed councillors will be eligible to stand for re-election.
South Australia’s Northern Areas Council has received a report from the state ombudsman which has recommended it take disciplinary action against its CEO Colin Byles.
Ombudsman Wayne Lines found that Mr Byles did not act honestly, ethically or with integrity when he backdated a letter, after telling the Mayor it had been sent.
The Adelaide Advertiser reports it’s the second time in 12 months the CEO has committed misconduct by altering council documentation.
The previous investigation led to Mr Byles having to reapply for his job last October.
He told the ombudsman that he panicked after being asked at a council meeting if a letter had been sent to a medical clinic in relation to COVID 19 restrictions, and on discovering that it had not, he created one, backdated it, and provided it to the mayor.
The Council is this week due to consider what action it might take against Mr Byles, in accordance with legal advice it has received that includes the possible termination of his employment contract.
Adelaide Advertiser, 18-7-22, p.4
Controversy continues to swirl around Redland City Council in the wake of charges being brought against its Mayor Karen Williams, who recently stepped aside while legal proceedings take their course.
The Council has responded to community concerns about why a notice of motion calling for a confidence motion in the mayor will not be on the agenda for this morning’s Council meeting. In a statement released on Friday, the Council said legal advice confirmed a proposed notice of motion was not properly-made and could not be listed on the agenda.
However the agenda for today’s meeting includes two petitions in relation to the matter – one calling for Cr Williams to resign, and another calling for the Council to dismiss her.
There is also a petition requesting the state government to appoint an administrator.
Get the facts – Notices of Motion | Redland City Council News
http://redland.infocouncil.biz/Open/2022/07/CO_20220720_AGN_2296_AT.PDF
The mayor of a Tasmanian council has accused the state government of withholding funding, and wants the assessment model to be reviewed.
Cr Robert Young of Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council said the council had received less money this year than last from Federal Assistance Grants.
A report in the Launceston Examiner reveals that the council received $180,000, while neighbours Break O’Day and Sorell received $1.3M each.
Tasman Council, which has a smaller population than Glamorgan Spring Bay received around $500,000.
Cr Young said the miniscule amount meant the council must either raise rates or secure more funding to provide basic services.
Local Government Minister Nic Street responded on Friday, saying that grants were determined independently through the state Grants Commission, and that the relative need of Glamorgan-Spring Bay compared to other councils has been decreasing over recent years.
Launceston Examiner, 17-7-22, p.2
South Australia’s local government minister is calling for greater diversity in the sector in that state, ahead of elections later this year.
Geoff Brock has highlighted the figures that show that of the state’s 68 councils, 37% of mayors and 21% of CEOs are female. And just 10% of councils both a female mayor and CEO.
He says local councils can only be strengthened by greater diversity in elected officials, including a greater gender balance and representation that accurately reflects communities that councillors serve.
The electoral roll in SA for the local government elections closes on the 29th July, and nominations will open on 23rd August.
Increased diversity called for Local Government elections 2022 | Premier of South Australia
Briefs:
Sunshine Coast Council has issued a warning about bogus emails requesting payment of rates. It has reminded residents that it will never ask for rates to be paid to a BSB and account number, as a scammer has been requesting.
Wagga Wagga Council will write to the Office of Local Government seeking information on potential changes to legislation that would allow the introduction of cat curfews.
The council is looking into actions or policy changes that it can make to encourage responsible cat management and containment in the Wagga Wagga council area.
Another NSW Mayor is calling on landlords to open up vacant properties to the rental market to assist with a chronic housing shortage.
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill is planning similar action to that taken recently by Eurobodalla Mayor Mathew Hatcher, and will write to owners of empty homes to asking them to add their houses to the long term rental market.
The Blue Mountains Gazette reports that the proposal is set to go before the Council for approval on 26th July.
Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill wants holiday homes on rental market to combat housing crisis
International Spotlight:
New Zealand councils will receive a minimum $350k in additional funding to ensure they are resourced to implement the Three Waters reforms.
Associate Minister for Local Government Kieran McAnulty announced the funding this week, as part of a $44M fund to assist councils with the reforms.
He said the significant demands on staff times and resources was a consistent theme in discussions on his tour of rural and provincial councils.
So far he has met with 21 councils in two weeks, with 34 still to go.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-provides-three-waters-support-councils
In the UK, the chief executive of Liverpool City Council has resigned amid scrutiny over some of the council’s practices, and after the installation of government commissioners.
Tony Reeves said he was sad to be leaving with huge challenges remaining for the organisations.
As Liverpool World reports, the Council’s former Mayor Joe Anderson was arrested in late 2020 as part of police investigations into allegations of corruption that were denied.
The installation of commissioners came last year after a Best Value Inspection report found failures in the council organisation.
And in a big week for CEO level developments in the UK, it looks the chief executive at Bristol City Council will be heading to London to take up the top job at two London councils.
Mike Jackson has been recommended as the preferred candidate to lead Richmond and Wandsworth borough councils. Both councils are yet to formally confirm the appointment, but that is expected to occur this week.
Assuming it does, Mr Jackson will leave Bristol in the English Autumn, after four years in the job.
Over the past week or so, I’ve noticed in my social media feeds a steady stream of tributes to Stuart Nesbitt, a local government leader in the sustainability and climate change space.
Stuart passed away unexpectedly recently, and it’s been quite remarkable to see the stories celebrating his life and the outpouring of grief from people who knew him.
I wanted to know more about this man who clearly made a very strong impression on many people.
Paul Brown is the Managing Director of Ironbark Sustainability, and he agreed to provide with me some insights into the man who was Stuart Nesbitt.
(Interview)
That’s the latest from the Roundup, thanks to the Victorian Local Governance Association, your national broadcaster for all things local government. Subscribe to VLGA Connect on YouTube and podcast for regular sessions with local government identities and decision makers.
I’ll be back with more news from around the world of local government on Sunday. Until then, thanks for listening and bye for now.