Coming up today on the Local Government News Roundup for 10th April 2024:
- Municipal monitors back at city hall in Greater Geelong
- Investigations continue into asbestos discoveries in local parks, with more sites being tested
- Boroondara criticised over a plan to restore concrete roads
- A NSW CEO announces retirement;
- A mayor advocates for councils to be stripped of more planning powers
- The appointment of a new CEO for the City of Launceston announced
- And another Queensland CEO resigns after a new council is sworn-in
Plus more Council news from across Australia and beyond on the Local Government News Roundup, 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 321:
Victorian Roundup:
Greater Geelong City Council is set to receive continued governance support with the appointment of municipal monitors, Mr Peter Dorling and Mr Mark Davies, who will be serving until the end of December 2024.
Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne, has appointed Mr Dorling and Mr Davies from this week through until the end of 2024.
The will be working with CEO Ali Wastie to ensure the full implementation of governance improvements, and to ensure stability at the council during the election of a new mayor following the October 2024 elections.
Previously, Mr Dorling and Ms Prue Digby were assigned as monitors for the council for 12 months starting from January 2023, following recommendations from Local Government Victoria and the Chief Municipal Inspector.
The final report by Mr Dorling and Ms Digby acknowledges the council’s progress, but also underlines the need for further improvements in governance policies, processes, and practices. The report is now available through the Local Government Victoria website.
In the report, dated 23rd January, the monitors say the observed issues of greatest concern related to meeting procedures, decision making and the use of Notices of Motion, the Councillor Code of Conduct and councillor behaviour.
They observed an increasing and unusually high number of complaints between councillors, both informally and via formal processes, and were concerned that tensions and division in the councillor group would escalate ahead of council elections later this year.
Investigations are continuing into the source of mulch at parks and reserves in Melbourne’s west where traces of asbestos have been found.
It its latest update, the EPA has confirmed small amounts of asbestos in material at PA Burns Reserve in Altona, the fifth site with a confirmed discovery in Hobsons Bay.
Samples were taken for testing yesterday from a sixth Hobsons Bay site – Dennis Reserve in Williamstown, as well as from Fitzgerald Square Reserve in Sunshine West, which is in Brimbank City Council.
Confirmed asbestos in the soil at Hosken Reserve, Coburg, in the Merri-bek Council area, is believed to be from historic buried material and not associated with mulch products. Test results are pending from samples taken at Shore Reserve in Pascoe Vale South.
The EPA said it is working with Hobsons Bay City Council on potential sources of the mulch at parks in Altona North, and is investigating potential sources based on intelligence received.
The City of Boroondara plans to restore several concrete roads deemed to have “heritage significance”, despite the cost being up to three times more than asphalt and posing safety concerns for drivers.
The Guardian reports that the council intends to restore about 15% of its concrete roads, constructed in the early 20th century, but critics argue it’s an overreach of heritage protections and is tone-deaf given the current housing and climate crises.
The plans are contained in a draft policy that has been out for community consultation in recent weeks.
Warrnambool City Council has joined a growing number of councils deciding to continue and expand its aged and community care services, despite the Australian Government’s reforms to the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
The Council, which is the largest provider of in-home aged care and community services in Warrnambool, serves between 1,200 and 1,400 residents.
The decision was informed by an independent review and community consultation, which revealed overwhelming satisfaction with the current services and concerns about the impact of the Commonwealth reforms.
Warrnambool joins Moyne Shire, the City of Whittlesea, Mount Alexander Shire and Greater Dandenong councils in confirming their ongoing involvement in aged and community care services, as well as committing to explore a potential expansion of their involvement.
Warrnambool City Council is continuing to advocate for the best possible outcome regarding an off-shore wind farm zone, addressing community concerns about potential impacts on whales, fishing, and tourism.
Mayor Ben Blain recently met with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen in Sydney to discuss the issues, including on-shore infrastructure and other opportunities.
The next stage of the Government’s offshore wind area initiative involves issuing feasibility licenses to interested companies, with environmental assessments and further community feedback opportunities to follow.
The Rural City of Wangaratta has reached a significant milestone for an innovative social housing project, with the Victorian Government providing financial support and removing a land title restriction.
The project, developed in partnership with Nestd Development Social Enterprise, will offer a mix of social, affordable, and key worker apartment-style living, along with amenities like childcare services and a café.
The project aligns with the Victorian Government’s plan to deliver affordable homes in the state’s North East and is expected to stimulate economic growth by generating local employment opportunities.
Victorian Briefs:
Greater Shepparton City Council has agreed to sell part of 45 Parkside Drive, Shepparton to facilitate an Early Parenting Centre and staff accommodation.
The decision was made following expressions of interest from the Department of Health and Goulburn Valley Health.
The council is currently undertaking a feasibility study for the remaining stages of Parkside Gardens Estate development.
Mildura Rural City Council is advancing the Trail of Lights project, exploring potential alternative locations due to challenges with the proposed Lake Cullulleraine site.
The challenges include site accessibility, additional funding for infrastructure, and distance from major centres.
The council is seeking community feedback and will need Victorian Government approval for any new location.
Greater Geelong’s population grew by 2.2% in the year to June 2023, making it the fourth fastest growing urban area in Australia.
The growth has brought the total population to 282,809.
The largest contributors were net overseas migration, internal migration, and natural increase.
Areas such as Barwon Heads, Armstrong Creek, and Grovedale, Mount Duneed saw significant population increases.
National Roundup:
NSW:
Manjeet Grewal, the first female CEO of Sutherland Shire Council, is set to retire after over five years in the role and 31 years of service to the community.
Manjeet, who held various leadership roles within the organization, including Engineering Operations and Director of Shire Services, has been a pioneer for women in leadership.
She expressed gratitude for her rewarding career and is looking forward to spending time with her family and friends.
Manjeet will continue in her role until early July to allow for a comprehensive recruitment process for her replacement.
Meanwhile, the Council is opposing the New South Wales government’s plan to shift the cost and responsibility of monitoring water quality at popular swimming spots to local councils.
The Daily Telegraph reported this week that the concerns have arisen from the state government’s proposed changes would require councils to self-fund water quality monitoring from July.
Sutherland Shire Council argues that the cost and responsibility should remain with the state government, and has expressed concern about the financial burden and monitoring responsibilities being shifted to local councils.
Bayside Council in south Sydney has defended its use of solid yellow line markings, which indicate a ‘No stopping’ zone, as residents face hefty fines for not understanding the rule.
Yahoo News has reported that the council chose the markings over traditional ‘No stopping’ signs to reduce visual clutter from too many signs.
Despite being introduced in 1999 and written into NSW legislation 16 years ago, many drivers are unaware of what the yellow lines mean.
Motorists stopping on the lines face a fine of $272, or $352 and two demerit points in a school zone.
Parramatta’s lord mayor, Pierre Esber, says local councils should have some planning powers removed due to the politicisation of major infrastructure decisions by elected officials.
In a report from the Sydney Morning Herald, Mayor Esber suggests reducing the number of councillors and making those remaining work full-time to professionalise local government.
He also advocates for a complete restructure of local councils, given the growing number of state-significant developments and the shifting responsibilities of councils.
Mayor Esber has made the comments ahead of his pending retirement at the upcoming council elections in September.
A routine quality check at a Shoalhaven City Council waste depot has uncovered a piece of bonded asbestos in an unused mulch stockpile.
The stockpile has been isolated and will be assessed by a licensed asbestos assessor.
Precautionary measures, including the creation of an exclusion zone and warning signage, have been implemented.
The mulch, mostly comprised of residential garden waste, had not been distributed outside the depot.
Assessment results and additional testing recommendations are expected in the coming weeks.
TAS:
Sam Johnson OAM has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer for the City of Launceston, and is set to assume his duties in July.
Mr Johnson was selected from nearly 40 candidates after a four-month national and international recruitment process.
He brings multi-sector experience, including senior roles at ANZ and as Mayor at Port Augusta City Council, and was the outgoing CEO at the District Council of Mount Remarkable.
Mr Johnsonwas awarded an OAM for services to the Local Government sector in 2021, and says will relocate from South Australia to Launceston with his family.
QLD:
Bundaberg Regional Council has accepted the resignation of CEO Steve Johnston in a unanimous vote, according to a report from the Courier Mail.
Mayor Helen Blackburn said the resignation paves the way for a more effective operation of Council, in line with her commitment for more transparency and accountablity.
Stuart Randall, the current general manager of infrastructure services, will serve as interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found, a process estimated to take about six months.
Mr Johnston is the second Queensland Council CEO to depart on the heels of recent elections, following Maranoa Regional Council CEO Edwina Marks’ resignation last week.
The Townsville Bulletin reports today that the Queensland Parliament is expected to lift a ban on Troy Thompson, the controversial mayor-elect of Townsville, to allow him to complete an induction course for his new role.
Thompson was previously banned from the parliamentary precinct due to a publicity stunt in 2020. Despite some post-election disappointments and connections to a right-wing conspiracy group, Thompson is set to be sworn in at Townsville City Council.
The Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works has mandated additional training for all newly elected mayors and councillors.
WA:
Sporting clubs in the City of Rockingham owe over $165,000 in usage charges from before the current financial year, according to a report from the Sound Telegraph.
The Council’s CEO will investigate why the clubs are struggling to pay their bills and consider whether council grants could help cover costs.
The practice of issuing invoices for utilities spanning several years will also be reviewed.
The Western Australia government is considering reforms to local council meeting procedures, including a proposal to allow mayors to silence disorderly councillors after three warnings, and to eject disruptive members of the public.
Government News has reported that the reforms aim to standardise procedures across the state, making council meetings more accessible and understandable to the public, and saving money by eliminating the need for individual local governments to develop and review local laws.
The West Australian Local Government Association supports the standardisation but notes the challenge of incorporating diverse existing local laws.
National Briefs:
Cr Paul Truscott has been appointed as the Deputy Mayor of Fraser Coast, a role he previously held from March 2022 to March 2023.
His appointment was confirmed at the Post-Election Council meeting at Maryborough City Hall.
The new Western Downs Mayor and Councillors met for the first time yesterday, to appoint the region’s Deputy Mayor and councillor Portfolios for the term ahead.
Cr Kylie Bourne was appointed to the Deputy Mayor position.
Cr Tracey McPhee has been appointed Deputy Mayor at Bundaberg Regional Council at a post-election meeting held the same day as the swearing-in of the new Mayor and councillors.
Cr Brian Stockwell, a fourth-term councillor, has been elected as the new deputy mayor of Noosa. Cr Stockwell was first elected to the council in the 1980s.
Disaster assistance is now available in 13 Local Government Areas in New South Wales following flooding from 5 April 2024.
The assistance includes funding for local councils, assistance for residents, grants for replacing lost household items and essential structural repairs, concessional loans for small businesses and non-profit organizations, and freight subsidies for primary producers.
The Local Government Association of the Northern Territory is inviting applications for its next CEO.
Davidson is handling the process, with applications due by the 24th April.
International Spotlight:
USA:
Los Angeles City Council is considering a temporary halt on dog breeding permits to address overpopulation in city-run animal shelters.
Daily News dot com reports that the moratorium would be lifted once shelters maintain a capacity of 75% or less for three consecutive months.
The city has seen a steady increase in the number of dogs, cats, and rabbits in its shelters, leading to overcrowding and strain on staff.
In 2023, the city issued approximately 1,200 breeding permits.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is defending a new AI chatbot that has been providing incorrect advice to business owners, including suggestions that would involve breaking the law.
The MyCity chatbot, which uses Microsoft’s Azure AI service, was launched as a pilot in October and was intended to provide “actionable and trusted information” to business owners.
However, it has been reported to be giving wrong answers, such as advising employers they can take a cut of their workers’ tips.
Despite the issues, the chatbot remains online, with the city and Microsoft working to fix the problems, according to a report from Reuters news agency.
A new 10-mile autonomous vehicle shuttle route is being planned between Detroit’s east riverfront and Michigan Central Station.
The City of Detroit, in partnership with Bedrock, Michigan Central, and the State Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, will pilot the route called “Connect”.
The service, set to open this summer, will be provided at no cost to riders, with $1.5 million in funding for first-year operations, according to a report from WXYZ dot com.
The Connect route aims to refine an autonomous vehicle transit service and position Detroit at the forefront of the autonomous vehicle race.
CANADA:
A councillor at Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada, says she has been subjected to racial slurs and online hate in the weeks following a council decision to sanction its mayor.
Cr Shila Sharps filed a code of conduct complaint that led to sanctions against Mayor Linnsie Clark after a third party investigation.
ChatNews Today dot com reported that Mayor Clark has filed for a judicial review of the sanctions, which included stripping her of maoral powers and cutting her pay by 50 per cent, and has called for the appointment of an independent integrity commissioner.
A group of about 50 supporters attended a council meeting this week voicing opposition to the sanctions against the mayor.
A councillor at the City of Sault Ste Marie in Canada has been found in violation of the city’s code of conduct by making inappropriate remarks about city staff at a live-streamed council meeting.
Integrity commissioner, Antoinette Blunt found that Stephan Kinach was critical of the city’s spending on consultants and accused staff of working against the council.
Cr Kinach was trained in Ukraine as a dentist, and was first elected to the council in 2022 while working to qualify to practice in Canada.
Ms Blunt has determined that Cr Kinach needs to apologise for his conduct at a meeting of the council.
Norfolk County council in southern Ontario is considering selling several county-owned green spaces for housing development to improve its financial position, despite opposition from residents.
Thirteen properties, including parts of well-used parks, are under consideration.
The proceeds from any sales would be used to enhance nearby parks and replenish Norfolk’s reserves.
The council assures that most of the green space will remain untouched.
UK:
An agreement for a major city centre regeneration scheme in York, one of the UK’s largest, has been signed by Homes England, Network Rail Property, McLaren Property, and Arlington Real Estate.
The project, supported by the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum, aims to transform one of England’s largest brownfield sites, delivering 2,500 new homes, 20% of which will be affordable, and creating up to 1 million square feet of office, retail, and hospitality space.
Local gov dot co dot uk reported that the project is expected to generate up to 6,500 jobs.
A Future Councils pilot scheme has identified systemic barriers to digital transformation in local government in the UK.
Computer Weekly reported that the barriers include organisational structures, central government regulation, market forces, limited funding, and a rapidly changing technology landscape.
Issues with procurement, lack of consistent approach to change, complex resource allocation, and skills gaps have also been identified.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) proposed solutions such as strategic alignment, problem analysis, reviewing work methods, and investing in skills and new technologies.
The department also acknowledged the need for more guidance and support from central government.