On the January 19 edition of the Local Government News Roundup,
Frankston’s mayor takes leave of absence, as a former mayor makes a return;
A major landfill to close in northern Melbourne;
Concerns raised about threats to the world heritage status of the Blue Mountains;
A resident’s call for council compensation over a road detour;
Drones deployed to tackle mosquito populations;
A new councillor finally appointed at Cairns Regional Council;
and from overseas, councils take on parking enforcement, homelessness and autonomous vehicles.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Davidson, the nationally recognised executive recruitment service and business advisory practice.
Listen to this episode here, and find the link for your podcast player here.
Transcript for episode 295:
Frankston Mayor Nathan Conroy has taken a leave of absence to contest the upcoming by-election for the Federal seat of Dunkley.
The by-election is required following the recent death of Labor MP Peta Murphy.
In a statement, Acting CEO Kim Jaensch advised that Mayor Conroy had ceased his council allowance from last Sunday, with his leave effective from 5 pm on Tuesday.
Ms Jaensch said Mr Conroy would not be using any Council resources during the by-election period.
Deputy Mayor Cr Liam Hughes has taken on the mayoral duties.
In a big week at the council, a countback after the resignation of Stephen Hughes saw the election of former mayor and councillor of 16 years, Glenn Aitken, who is expected to be sworn in today, Friday 19th January.
Hume City Council has decided to permanently close the Sunbury Landfill, a decision that will not affect local residents since the site was used solely by commercial account holders.
The closure follows a period of evaluation and aligns with the State Government’s goal to divert 80% of waste from landfills.
The Sunbury Resource Recovery Centre will continue to operate, and there will be no changes to residential kerbside garbage collection services.
The landfill had already stopped accepting waste in July 2023, and the closure process is expected to take up to three years, adhering to Environment Protection Authority guidelines.
Bass Coast Shire Council has received approval for the expansion of Wonthaggi North-East, a project that will provide new homes for over 12,000 people and double the size of Wonthaggi.
The Wonthaggi North-East Precinct Structure Plan, which was gazetted by the State Government, will unlock 444 hectares of residential land for development and is expected to establish over 5000 homes in the next 30-50 years.
The project will also expand the business and industry precinct, leading to major investment and job creation in the region.
The development will include community facilities, a primary school, local parks, over 90 hectares of open space, trails, and a new sports reserve.
The project is part of the Victorian Planning Authority’s Fast Track Program and is expected to cater to the rising population of the Bass Coast.
Southern Grampians Shire Council is seeking public feedback on its draft Plan for Nature 2023-2033.
The 10-year plan, developed with input from the local community, Traditional Owners, and relevant agency stakeholders, aims to protect and enhance local biodiversity and natural values across the Southern Grampians Shire.
The plan includes actions to increase habitat quality at council-managed nature reserves and significant roadside vegetation sites, and improve habitat connectivity.
The draft plan is available on the council’s website, and submissions are open until February 9.
The cost and value to ratepayers of council-provided car parks have been called into question by the author of a new book, Rethinking Parking.
The Age has reported on the concerns raised by urban planner David Mepham, using Stonnington City Council’s Prahran Square car park development as an example.
Mr Mepham claims the current approach to car parking wastes public money, locks up valuable land, and potentially contributes to the housing crisis.
Today’s Age carries a story on community opposition to consideration by Whitehorse City Council of an alternative management model for two pools.
A majority of metropolitan Melbourne councils have outsourced the operation of pools to private providers to deliver financial efficiencies.
But some are concerned that privatisation leads to poorer working conditions and higher user costs.
Whitehorse Mayor Denise Massoud said the council is considering whether an external management model may provide an enhanced level of service and financial benefits, but that outsourcing was not a ‘fait accompli’.
Concerns about threats to the iconic landscapes of the Blue Mountains and its world heritage status are being raised by the Blue Mountains City Council after the release of proposed flight paths for the Western Sydney Airport.
The council is raising its concerns with local members and seeking to ensure that UNESCO is aware of what it describes as an unprecedented threat to the integrity of the world heritage area.
Mayor Mark Greenhill said the concerns were being raised ahead of making an official submission to the Government as part of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement process.
Georges River Council is seeking an extension to clear its backlog of development applications.
The council entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Planning in September 2023 to reduce its development application (DA) time-frames and backlog.
The Department agreed to provide temporary DA assessment support until February 29, 2024. Now, the council is requesting a six-month extension on the program to further address the backlog.
Mayor Sam Elmir has expressed appreciation for the Department’s support and said the council’s planning assessment team is carrying vacancies despite ongoing recruitment efforts.
The council’s average DA determination time was 158 days, and it approved 368 development applications in the 2022-23 financial year.
More from the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.
The Daily Telegraph reports today on calls from residents for reimbursement of costs due to a giant sinkhole in a waterfront street.
Penrith City Council cordoned off the area in November 2022, forcing drivers to use a 2km detour.
A resident is planning to present letters of demand for compensation at the rate of 68c per kilometre to the next council meeting.
The council and Sydney Water have reportedly reached an agreement recently on remediation work, which is due to be completed by May.
Tweed Shire Council is using drone technology to treat mosquito populations in the area, as the insect’s breeding season peaks after heavy rain.
The drones can access hard-to-reach places and spray environmentally friendly larvicides to prevent mosquito larvae from developing into adults.
The Council is also urging residents to take simple measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites and reduce potential breeding sites around their homes.
In Orange County, California, health officials are also using drones to control the mosquito population, especially in sensitive habitats like wetlands and during bird nesting season.
The method is considered more efficient and less invasive than traditional techniques, such as manual application of treatments or using trucks, airplanes, and helicopters.
The Northern Rivers Joint Organisation is spearheading a comprehensive advocacy effort to address the detrimental impact of roaming domestic cats on wildlife and enhance the health and welfare of companion animals in New South Wales.
The group has proposed various reforms and initiatives to achieve effective control of roaming pet cats, including legislative amendments and state-wide funding.
Chair Sharon Cadwallader, who is also the Mayor of Ballina Shire, called on other councils, welfare organisations and concerned citizens to support the initiatives.
The NRJO is an alliance of 7 local councils in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
Jeremy Neal has been appointed as the new Division 4 Councillor for Cairns Regional Council.
Neal was elected at a Special Council Meeting to fill the vacancy created when Councillor Terry James was appointed Mayor of Cairns following the resignation of former Mayor Bob Manning.
Mayor Terry James congratulated Neal on his appointment and said that Neal will attend his first official Council meeting on January 24.
The vacant Councillor position was filled through an appointment process as there was no requirement to hold an election as the next elections are scheduled in March.
The Brisbane Greens have pledged to abolish all 2,000 poker machines operating in buildings owned by the Brisbane City Council, such as sports clubs, if they win the upcoming local government election on March 16, 2024.
The Greens plan to directly fund clubs and aim to revitalise the live music scene.
However, Labor’s lord mayoral candidate, Tracey Price, argues that this move would harm businesses and merely drive problem gamblers to other locations.
She has criticized the Greens’ proposal as damaging to community clubs with no positive benefit.
Noosa Shire Council has selected a preferred contractor to address severe erosion along the dog beach section of Noosa Spit.
The erosion has necessitated urgent action to replenish and bolster the shoreline to protect the Spit.
The project will involve sand nourishment, reprofiling of the beach, and the creation of two sand plugs to redirect flowing water away from the shore.
It is estimated that the project will use around 16,600 cubic meters of dredged sand to create the sand plugs and approximately 62,650 cubic meters of dredged sand to renourish the eroded beach.
South Australia’s Local Government Association is seeking council feedback to inform a submission on proposed single-use and other plastic product amendment regulations, which will see some items banned late this year and others in 2025.
The LGA intends to make a submission on behalf of the sector after draft regulations were released in December.
And registrations are opening soon for this year’s National General Assembly in Canberra to be held from the 2nd to the 4th of July.
The theme for this year’s gathering is “Building Community Trust”, centering on the critical importance of trust in governments, and between governments, institutions and citizens.
With new powers under national transport legislation, Edinburgh is about to become the first Scottish city to enforce a ban on pavement parking.
Drivers face fines of 100 pounds if found in breach of the rules, which are designed to protect pavement users, particularly those in wheelchairs.
The city says it has prepared for its new powers by assessing 5,217 roads and footpaths.
There’s been an awareness campaign over the festive season, with enforcement of the rules set to commence on 29th January.
BBC News reported that Edinburgh is leading the way on banning pavement parking, which is permitted across England with some exceptions – such as in Greater London.
The financially troubled Birmingham City Council has informed staff this week of a potential wave of redundancies.
Reports suggest as many as 600 jobs could go, but the council is stressing that no decision has yet been made on the number of cuts or the timing.
A spokesperson told the Guardian that the cuts would be in addition to those positions already removed through organisational redesign.
Airbnb has established a Housing Council in response to increasing regulations and concerns from communities regarding short-term rentals.
The council’s goal is to help Airbnb strike a balance between its own interests and the needs of cities and communities.
One of the primary motivations for forming the council is to avoid regulations similar to New York City’s strict ban on short-term rentals.
According to Jay Carney, Airbnb’s global head of policy and communications, New York City’s regulations have not solved the housing affordability issue and have resulted in soaring hotel prices.
The council, chaired by former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, will advise Airbnb on policies to expand long-term housing and find solutions to affordable housing challenges.
You can read more on that story at Skift dot com.
In Edmonton, Canada, the city council has passed a motion this week declaring a homelessness and housing emergency.
The vote was not unanimous, with some council members objecting to the ‘emergency’ label, saying it sends the wrong message, according to the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
The province’s Municipal Affairs Minister Rick Mciver dismissed the motion as ‘performative’, saying that it implied a lack of response from the provincial government and that it had no legal implications, authority or binding force.
Forest Lake City Council in Minnesota has terminated its city administrator Patrick Casey ‘effective immediately’.
The unanimous council decision without discussion followed a closed-door annual review of his performance on Tuesday, and no reasons for the termination have been provided.
Former Lake Elmo city administrator Kristina Handt has been appointed to fill the position on an interim basis.
City officials in the US are calling for increased involvement in the deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs), as highlighted in a report from Route Fifty dot com.
Currently, many state laws preempt local regulations, allowing AV companies to bypass city transportation agencies.
Authorities in cities like Washington DC and Nashville are stressing the need for better communication and collaboration between AV companies and local governments.
They cite some instances where cities were only informed about AV operations after they had been implemented.