On the Local Government News Roundup for 13th December 2024:
- Monitors extended at Brimbank
- A new Secretary of DTP announced
- A council demerger called off
- Councils unite on a Metro fast track call
- Cairns Council says NO to flouride
- A walkout brings a Tasmanian council meeting to an abrupt end
- The end is nigh for Launceston’s popular macaque monkeys, and
- Councillors call for Scotland’s largest council to be broken up
and more news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, with support from Davidson recruitment and business advisory services.
Listen to this episode here, and find the link for your podcast player here.
Transcript for episode 411:
Victorian Roundup:
Local Government Minister Melissa Horne has extended the appointment of Janet Dore and Penelope Holloway as municipal monitors at Brimbank City Council until June to help improve governance practices.
It follows receipt of their interim report noting a need for the newly elected councillors to develop a stronger understanding of good governance and their statutory roles to prevent negative behaviours and conflict.
Ms Dore and Ms Holloway were initially appointed in February until the end of this year.
Brimbank City Council Municipal Monitors Extended
Brimbank is one of ten councils with municipal monitors in place, with some of those due to conclude at the end of this month or next.
The City of Ballarat has extended its partnership with the Western Bulldogs AFL club until 2027.
The new agreement will see two AFL games and one AFLW match played at Mars Stadium each season, along with continued community programs.
The $1.425 million partnership builds on a relationship that began in 2017 and includes community initiatives such as Bulldogs Read, a Youth Leadership program, and the Sons and Daughters of the West health programs.
Western Bulldogs partnership extended to 2027 | City of Ballarat
Jeroen Weimar has been appointed as Secretary of the Department of Transport and Planning, effective from late January.
Mr Weimar, a former head of VicRoads and PTV, has held major roles that interact with local government in recent years, including leading the state’s operational response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He takes over from Paul Younis, former Brimbank City Council CEO, who led DTP for six years and steps down this month.
In the media this week:
Bayside News reported that Frankston City Council is considering a proposal to purchase bicycles for Victoria Police officers to patrol the CBD and foreshore areas.
It follows concerns about safety in locations that are difficult to access by police vehicles.
The Dandenong Star Journal reported that Greater Dandenong Council is continuing its appeal to strike out I Cook Foods’ lawsuit, despite losing a bid to subpoena ICF’s privileged legal advice.
CEO Jacqui Weatherill said that the subpoena decision was a discrete issue that that doesn’t impact the Council’s appeal.
Campaspe Shire Council has opposed a planning application for a solar farm at Colbinabbin, according to the Kyabram Free Press.
The decision is based on concerns about the impact on agricultural land and the environment.
VCAT has overturned Cardinia Shire’s rejection of a Sikh Temple, proposed in Nar Nar Goon, according to the Pakenham Star News.
The council went against an officer recommendation last year and refused a permit, and later rejected a motion to rescind the decision.
It will now proceed after VCAT issued a permit with 49 conditions.
Yarra Ranges Shire will maintain security arrangements at its council meetings, including the use of a security barrier, as reported by the Ferntree Gully Star Mail.
A question was asked at the council’s December meeting about whether the arrangements could be removed to save costs.
And the Herald Sun has reported on the donors who helped fund the re-election campaign of Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece.
His $950,000 campaign fund is believed to be the largest for a Victorian council election ever, around three times more than Sally Capp’s campaign in 2020.
National Roundup:
NSW:
A community survey on a potential de-amalgamation of Bayside Council has found the vast majority do not wish to proceed, seeing it as a large unnecessary cost for little benefit.
At an extraordinary meeting this week, the council decided not to pursue de-amalgamation any further unless it is funded by the state government.
ABC News reported that the vote was not unanimous, with opposition from some Labour councillors.
Sydney council to stop pursuing demerger due to ‘unnecessary costs’
The City of Ryde has joined forces with Blacktown, The Hills Shire, and Penrith City Councils to advocate for fast-tracking the completion of north-south Metro rail connections.
The collaboration, which represents councils serving nearly 1 million residents, is highlighting the critical need for Metro extensions to reduce commute times, support economic growth, and better connect western Sydney’s growing population with key employment hubs like Macquarie Park Innovation District.
City of Ryde supported in Metro ‘missing links’ push
NBN News has reported on a marathon final meeting for the year of Newcastle City Council, clocking in at 7 hours and 45 minutes.
A social media and communications policy and council culture were among the items taking up significant time, with the meeting eventually wrapping up at 2am.
Newcastle Council’s 8 hour meeting dragged on until 2AM – NBN News
Willoughby City Council has announced the Chatswood Year of the Snake Festival, a Lunar New Year celebration to take place from January 23 to February 16.
The month-long celebration, highlighted by Celebration Day on February 1st, will showcase cultural diversity through various activities including lion dances, lantern parades, and the Golden Market operating Thursday through Saturday.
Mayor Tanya Taylor said the festival will showcase Willoughby’s vibrant night-time economy and the diversity and cultural delights of Chatswood.
Maitland City Council says its partnership with a local data consultancy has helped its senior leadership team make more informed decisions based on accurate real-time information.
The council is one of only two in the region to have built its own datamart, and through a collaboration with Data Inseyets, it can take that data and find new applications for it.
It is using tools like Microsoft PowerBI for real-time dashboards and reporting – and executive manager of Customer and Digital Services Mark Margin said more applications are on the way to further improve and automate the council’s internal workflows and improve efficiency.
He said the council is planning to use the system to streamline processes in areas like waste services and asset investment in the future.
QLD:
Cairns Regional Council says it will forge ahead with more than $24M in infrastructure repairs as it deals with damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper twelve months ago.
The council will apply for $38M in disaster recovery funding for various remediation works, and that work will commence as soon as possible.
Council to progress repairs to infrastructure damaged by last year’s flooding
In the media:
Cairns Regional Council has voted to stop flouride from entering the city’s water supply.
The Cairns Post reported that the decision was made at a “rowdy” council meeting where anti-flouride councillors were met with strong resistance.
The council supported a recommendation to keep the mineral out of the water supply by a vote of 6 to 3, with one councillor absent.
TAS:
Launceston City Council has voted to sterilise its male macaque monkeys to prevent inbreeding issues in the captive population, which currently consists of 26 monkeys living in an enclosure built for nine.
ABC News reported that as a result of the decision, the monkey population is expected to naturally die out within the next 25 years.
The monkeys have been a feature of City Park since 1981 when ten macaques were gifted from Japanese sister-city Ikeda.
Tasmanian council decides to let beloved City Park monkeys die out
The Mercury reports that a tense annual general meeting of Waratah-Wynyard Council
came to an abrupt end this week, when Acting Mayor Celisa Edwards walked out following debate over a recently revealed 2013 report about staffing and workplace culture issues.
The controversial report, mostly redacted and obtained through a right-to-information request, led to a successful motion for assessment of its recommendations and development of a transparency policy.
The meeting ending suddenly after a question from a member of the public.
SA:
Murray Bridge Council is inviting community feedback on whether its current rating structure should be reviewed.
A review would examine how rates are distributed, focusing on property values, capacity to pay and other socio-economic considerations.
Four broad options are being presented for feedback including no change, an adjustment to the differential rate in the dollar percentage, and the introduction of fixed charges instead of a minimum rate.
WA:
Fremantle Council has unanimously approved a Masterplan for the redevelopment of Fremantle Oval precinct, which will upgrade sporting facilities, improve spectator experience, and create opportunities for affordable housing while preserving the historic Victoria Pavilion.
The council aims to transform the venue into a state-significant destination capable of hosting sporting events, concerts, and medium-sized crowds, with the City having already applied for Commonwealth funding under the Housing Support Program.
Unanimous approval for Fremantle Oval Masterplan
Global Roundup:
UK:
Derby City Council has lifted restrictions on access to its reception areas, after the arrest of a man who is alleged to have made threatening phone calls to its staff.
The council moved to appointment based measures earlier in the week when the threat emerged.
BBC News reported that a 32 year old man had been detained in relation to the matter.
Update on Council House access – Derby City Council
Nine councillors at Scotland’s largest council have signed a motion calling for it to be broken up into smaller councils.
The councillors say the Highland Council area is geographically too large, and that it cannot realistically deliver the best for such a diverse population.
They have blamed the council’s issues on an experiment forced upon the area 30 years ago, and calling for the council leader to write to the Scottish Government to initiate discussions about a potential restructure.
Manchester City Council expects to generate £375,000 in profit from Oasis’s five sold-out homecoming shows at Heaton Park in 2025, alongside other events like the annual Parklife Festival.
The one-off financial boost will be welcomed as the Council addresses its £29m budget gap.
BBC News reported that the concert organisers are required to bear all costs related to policing and other expenses.
Manchester: Oasis homecoming windfall for city leaders
Basildon Council has announced plans to reinstate weekly bin collections in next year, after a survey revealed 73.2% of residents favour a change from the current fortnightly service.
The decision was confirmed at a Cabinet meeting this week, where councillors approved the necessary steps to implement the change, subject to final budget approval in February’s Full Council meeting.
USA:
A Californian council known for its resistance to covid-era mandates and making it harder to fly the pride flag in the city, has sworn in three new members this week.
SFGate.com reports that Huntington Beach council is now entirely Republican, after the group of three defeated an incumbent group of three Democrats at the recent elections.
All seven members of the council posed in Make America Great Again caps at aswearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.
CANADA:
A postal worker strike in Canada is proving problematic for councils needing to deliver mandatory public notices.
Whitehorse City Council in the Yukon has called a special meeting this week to explore alternative ways of getting the notices out.
According to CBC News, postal worker union members have accused the council of using scab labour to deliver notices.
The city says its planning staff after delivering flyers voluntarily.
The strike by postal workers has been going for four weeks as of yesterday.
NZ:
Two new fixed bus lane cameras in the City of Wellington have netted the council nearly $10,000 on the first day of operation, according to Radio New Zealand.
66 infringements were issued from two new cameras, at $55 each. The bus lane cameras are the latest in a series to be installed across the city this year.
Wellington Council earns $10,000 on first day of new bus lane cameras
Nelson City Council has approved new cat rules to apply across the Nelson Tasman region.
Radio New Zealand reported that the new cat bylaw comes into effect next week, requiring all new cats over four months of age to be microchipped, desexed and registered.