On the latest update from the Roundup for 27th Sept 2023, the sector reflects on the end of an era as Premier Daniel Andrews announces his resignation;
More reaction to housing and planning reforms;
A disappointing planning outcome in Kingston;
A challenging insurance market leads a council to rethink the location a major community project;
A short stay rental cap approved for Byron Bay;
Some surprising outcomes in NSW mayoral elections;
A Hobart councillor referred to the state’s intregrity commission;
A WA mayor plans to fight code of conduct findings;
and another UK council facing a mass equal pay claim.
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Transcript for this episode (with links where available):
Intro/Headlines:
Hi, this is Chris Eddy, coming to you from the land of the Wadawurrung People with the latest from the Local Government News Roundup.
On the podcast today:
The sector reflects on the end of an era as Premier Daniel Andrews announces his resignation;
More reaction to housing and planning reforms;
A disappointing planning outcome in Kingston;
A challenging insurance market leads a council to rethink the location a major community project;
A short stay rental cap approved for Byron Bay;
Some surprising outcomes in NSW mayoral elections;
A Hobart councillor referred to the state’s intregrity commission;
A WA mayor plans to fight code of conduct findings;
and another UK council facing a mass equal pay claim.
Just some of the many local government stories getting our attention today… let’s round ‘em up!
Sponsor Acknowledge:
Thanks for joining me for today’s podcast – brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association – the national broadcaster on all things local government;
And by Snap Send Solve, in the business of keeping shared spaces safe, clean and great to be in.
Victorian Roundup:
This edition of the Roundup is recorded on the day Daniel Andrews steps down as the longest serving Victorian Labor Premier.
The MAV, the state’s peak council body, reacted to the news yesterday, saying Mr Andrews will be remembered as a leader of conviction and instrumental in social reform over his nine-year tenure.
MAV President Cr David Clark said the Premier had left his mark on the state, leading Victoria through unprecedented challenges and implementing a wide spanning program of legislative reform – particularly social reform.’’
Cr Clark wished the Premier and his family well on behalf of the local government sector, and thanked him for his years of service to Victoria.
The Premier’s news comes less than a week after his announcement of a package of widespread reforms to housing and planning processes in the state.
The local government sector is coming to terms with the impact of those reforms, and some councils are moving to manage community expectations in the short term.
Yarra Ranges Shire says that it is reviewing the changes, and seeking more information from the State on changes to planning controls for second dwellings and tiny homes.
It has reminded its community that until the changes to the planning controls come through from the State, current planning controls apply, particularly for Dependent Persons Units.
Stonnington Council, which was criticised over its planning approval timeframes by the government last week, has called on the state to work with councils on the implementation of the housing statement.
Acting Mayor Cr Melina Sehr said this week that the council supports the Government’s desire to fast-track development to ease Victoria’s housing crisis and to increase affordable housing stock, but it needs to be balanced with preserving the amenity and character of its suburbs.
The council has again defended its record, pointing out that the majority of more than 3,000 planning applications from the past two financial years were approved by Council officers under delegation, with just 3 per cent going before Councillors at Council meetings.
Kingston Council says it joins with the Dingley Village community in its disappointment at a rezoning decision from the Victorian Planning Minister that will see valuable green open space at the Kingston Golf Course used for housing.
In a statement, the council said it fully supports the need to address the housing crisis, but sees no need to sacrifice important green spaces like golf courses to achieve it.
Mayor Hadi Saab said the proposed development sparked over 8000 community objections and it was notable that the Minister has only approved the rezoning and not the development plan.
The Victorian government is being urged to scrap the Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution charge, in favour of a mechanism that applies infrastructure contribution charges to all areas where there is development.
Infrastructure Victoria CEO Jonathan Spear says the GAIC only targets developments on Melbourne’s fringe, and it should be dumped and replaced with a new charge because it doesn’t raise enough revenue.
He said while the state is required to spend around $50k on local infrastructure for every new growth area home, the current levy contributes just $6,100 per dwelling. This means the remaining 88 per cent is covered by taxpayers.
Infrastructure Victoria has estimated that the cost of growth infrastructure can be as much as four times higher than in established suburbs, and the current charge doesn’t reflect the true cost of servicing greenfield communities.
The City of Melbourne has approved Retrofit Melbourne, a plan that could impose a de facto carbon tax on landlords who do not upgrade their buildings to be environmentally sustainable.
The Herald Sun reported that building owners may have to pay extra rates or taxes if their properties are not upgraded, and there is a possibility of establishing emissions caps for city buildings.
The Property Council has said its preference would be that the city offered incentives instead of increasing rates or taxes, and some councillors have expressed concerns about the financial burden on building owners.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the retrofit plan is important for reducing emissions from existing buildings to achieve the city’s goal of becoming zero carbon by 2040. (Herald Sun, 23/9/23)
Cuts of up to 90 percent to insurance coverage have forced Mildura Rural City Council to find a new location for a planned Riverfront Adventure Park.
The original site for the park in the Nowingi Place Precinct is no longer deemed suitable following last year’s Murray River flood, and the council is now looking at an alternative site at Jaycee Park.
The council said a dramatic reduction in insurance coverage since the floods had heightened the financial risk, leading to a search for more suitable locations along the riverfront.
The council is due to consider a recommendation for the new site at its meeting this Thursday.
Mt Alexander Shire has adopted a new graffiti management policy, which includes a one year commitment of $60K to fund a dedicated graffiti officer position.
The new role will coordinate and streamline the council’s response to graffiti management.
The council hopes the new approach will help deal with an increase in graffiti incidents across the shire.
71 incidents were reported last financial year, with most during the first six months of 2023. But the council concedes graffiti is under-reported, with those figures likely representing just ten percent of actual graffiti incidents in the shire.
(Mt Alexander Shire Council Minutes, 19/9/23, p.26)
Victorian Briefs:
A by-election to fill an extraordinary vacancy in Maroondah City Council has been set for 2nd December.
The election to replace former councillor Marijke Graham will be conducted by post, with ballot packs to be dispatched from 14th November.
Hepburn Shire will introduce a weekly FOGO collection from early next year.
Mayor Brian Hood said food scraps and garden clippings will be transformed into compost in the Shire, for use locally to improve gardens, soil and farmland.
Initially, the service will be funded by Council’s Waste Reserve Fund, but ratepayers will bear additional costs from 1 July 2024.
Campaspe Shire Council has ended its Sister City relationship with Shiroi, Japan, after realizing that the visits were more of a holiday for participants rather than contributing to economic development.
The council found more practical and economical methods of communication with international cities during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from the Bendigo Advertiser.
The Shire has also ended its Sister City relationship with Shangri-La City in China.
(Source: Bendigo Advertiser, 23/9/23)
National Roundup:
NSW:
The NSW government has approved a 60-day short-term holiday rental cap in Byron Shire, in
line with advice from the state’s independent planning tribunal.
The cap is expected to apply in Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and nearby towns, according to a report from The Guardian. Some properties will have a short-stay cap of 60 days per year applied, down from a current limit of 180 days.
It’s understood there will be a 12 month transition period for the new rules.
While Planning Minister Paul Scully said the Byron situation was unique, and did not represent a change in government policy, the mayors of Kiama and Blue Mountains have said they would like to see similar arrangements for their council areas.
Byron Shire recently announced it was also refreshing its residential housing strategy, in light of last year’s floods and to comply with government housing targets.
A housing options paper is being developed as the first step in developing a new 20 year vision and framework for future housing in the shire.
Inner West Council in Sydney has deferred the adoption of a draft policy that would require dog walkers to pay a fee and obtain a permit to use parks in the area.
A proposed fee of $552.60 would be accompanied by additional requirements such as being over 16 years old, holding first aid certificates for humans and animals, and having liability insurance.
The council has voted to defer the issue to a meeting in December to allow time for more information to be gathered about impacts on parks, how the policy would be enforced and how revenue collected would be used.
The council will also consult with neighbouring councils about knock-on impacts.
If implemented, Inner West Council would be the second Sydney council to charge dog walkers for park usage after Lane Cove which introduced a permit system 10 years ago.
Another Sydney council is considering banning gas installations and appliances in new residential and commercial developments.
Canada Bay City Council last week supported a motion brought forward by Cr Charles Jago calling for a report on how a ban could be implemented, and to identify further measures to reduce the prevalence of gas installations in buildings.
If implemented, Canada Bay would join Parramatta, Canterbury-Bankstown, Waverley and the City of Sydney which are all at various stages of considering or enacting similar bans.
(Source: Canada Bay Council Minutes, 19/9/23, p.13)
Sydney’s Waverley Council plans to impose stricter parking limits on beachgoers, aiming to alleviate parking congestion near the beach area.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the plan is partly to address the concerns of frustrated residents.
The proposal includes extending resident parking schemes in parts of Bondi and implementing a two-hour time limit for non-residents parking in these zones.
The council says the move will make it easier for visitors to find parking spaces and strike a balance between the demand for parking between residents and visitors.
Armidale Mayor Sam Coupland is concerned about the short timeframe given for Council and the public to review and submit feedback on the proposed Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project.
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) consists of over 5000 pages, and the Council and community have only 28 days to review it, which Mayor Coupland considers insufficient.
The project includes a 900 megawatt underground pumped hydro-electric power station and other infrastructure.
The lord mayoral career of Parramatta councillor Sameer Pandey has lasted just four months, with councillors this week choosing to install long term councillor Pierre Esber to the position.
Cr Esber has announced he will not be contesting the next election in Sept 2024 after 23 years on council.
Cr Dr Patricia Prociv was elected deputy Lord Mayor.
Cr Pandey became Lord Mayor in May after the resignation of Cr Donna Davis, who was elected as the new Member for Parramatta but remains as a councillor until the next local government elections in September 2024.
Randwick Council last night elected Philipa Veitch as its 86th Mayor. Cr Vietch is also the city’s third Greens mayor and the fourth female mayor in Randwick’s 164 year history.
Councillor Alexandra Luxford was elected as Deputy Mayor.
Berrigan Shire Council has elected Cr Julia Cornwell McKean as its new mayor, with Carly Marriott re-elected to the deputy mayor position.
At Bland Shire, an election has resulted in the re-election of Cr Brian Monaghan as the shire’s mayor; and a new deputy mayor in Cr Tony Lord.
The mayor of Moree Plains Shire, Cr Mark Johnson has been re-elected unopposed at a meeting on 21st September, along with Deputy Mayor Cr Susannah Pearse.
Cr Vivian Slack-Smith has been re-elected unopposed for a second term as mayor at Brewarrina Shire. Cr Angelo Pippos was also returned as deputy mayor unopposed.
Lithgow Council has elected Cr Maree Statham as mayor for the next 12 months. Cr Darryl Goodwin was elected as deputy mayor.
Councillor Sam Elmir has been elected as the new Mayor of Georges River Council and Councillor Elise Borg has been elected Deputy Mayor during mayoral elections held on 25 September 2023.
At Murray River Council, there has also been a change in mayor, with Cr Frank Crawley elected unopposed, alongside Cr Neil Gorey who was elected unopposed as deputy mayor.
Cr Sue Heins has won a contested vote for mayor of Northern Beaches Council. Cr Georgia Ryburn was elected deputy mayor in a secret ballot.
At Cabonne Council, mayor Kevin Beatty and deputy mayor Jamie Jones have been re-elected to their positions unopposed.
Lake Macquarie City Council has elected Madeline Bishop as deputy mayor this week.
At that same meeting, the council also finalised the 2023 performance review of its chief executive officer, Morven Cameron, and resolved to offer Ms Cameron a new five year employment contract to commence on 1st October.
QLD:
More change is assured around the Brisbane City Council chamber next year, with yet another councillor announcing they’ll be stepping down ahead of elections in March.
Cr James Mackay said he will not contest the election due to the effects of long COVID.
Cr Mackay is reportedly the fifth councillor to bow out this term, for varying reasons, including plans to run for Lord Mayor or state government.
TAS:
Hobart City Council has voted to refer one of its councillors to the integrity commission over bullying allegations and a controversial email.
According to a report from the Mercury ($), Cr Louise Elliot used social media to criticise a council workshop on gender, calling it ‘re-education’ being imposed on her.
When Deputy Mayor Helen Burnet flagged a motion to refer the comments to the integrity commission, Cr Eliot reportedly sent an email to all elected members alleging bullying and threatening legal action.
Several council members believed the email should also be included in any investigation, and an amendment to do just that was accepted and passed by the council.
Hobart City Council has amended its policy on rates and charges to allow for increased rates remissions for vacant residential land that is under development.
Earlier this year, the council doubled the differential rate for vacant residential land with the aim of encouraging development for housing.
Following a number of ratepayer requests for remissions, the council has decided to grant part remissions where there is a genuine commitment to developing the land for residential purposes; or where the land is shown to be undevelopable for residential purposes.
Under the new policy endorsed this week, the council’s CEO can approved remissions up to $8K per property, with anything higher requiring formal council approval.
SA:
Adelaide City Council has purchased a car park on Flinders Street with the intention of constructing affordable housing.
According to indaily.com, the council is believed to have paid $8.15 million for the property, although the exact purchase price has not been publicly disclosed.
The council aims to prioritize affordable accommodation, including build-to-rent housing, and will explore partnerships with community housing providers, the State Government, or private developers.
The council plans to conduct site investigations, develop a master plan , and engage in public consultation before commencing redevelopment. The car park will remain operational until the site is redeveloped.
WA:
Keri Shannon, the mayor of Town of Cambridge, plans to fight penalties imposed on her by the Local Government Standards Panel, according to a report from PerthNow.
The panel found that Cr Shannon had breached the code of conduct for elected members on nine occasions, and has been ordered to pay monetary penalties, make public apologies, be publicly censured, and undergo training.
The complaints were lodged by former and current councillors, including seven involving Gary Mack, her main rival for the mayoral election.
Mayor Shannon said the allegations were spurious and vexatious, and that she was denied natural justice. She also believes the findings were released to damage her re-election prospects as mayor.
However, a government spokesperson said the chief executive of the Town of Cambridge has an obligation to publish the register of complaints once the panel has determined a penalty/sanction.
Mayor Shannon said she will appeal the findings and has also flagged potential Supreme Court proceedings against the panel.
Perth councils are defending their stand on homeless people sleeping in vans, but are being criticised about their actions during a nationwide rental crisis.
Rising rental prices and tight vacancy rates have left many people unable to secure affordable housing.
Caravan parks have also increased their fees, making it difficult for those living in vans to find affordable accommodation.
ABC News reports that councils including Stirling, Cambridge, Wanneroo, Cockburn and Joondalup have stepped up enforcement action
Stirling issued 64 notices to move on in August alone.
Advocacy groups are calling for more affordable and transitional housing to address the issue.
National Briefs:
A recount has been conducted to fill a vacancy on the Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council in Tasmania, due to the resignation of Councillor Greg Luck earlier this month.
Richard Parker was elected from three eligible candidates, and will take up the councillor position until the 2026 ordinary elections.
Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart has announced that properties in Noosa and Gympie won’t be re-valued this year, for the third year running.
Cr Stewart said it was the culmination of advocacy from herself and Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig to the state government, and the decision should ensure stability for next year’s rates calculations.
Adelaide Hills Council’s Towards Community Led Emergency Resilience project has been awarded the Resilient Australia Local Government award for building community resilience to disasters.
The project supports communities in preparing for bushfires and other emergencies, drawing from past experiences in the Adelaide Hills district.
Goulburn Mulwaree Shire Council is consulting its community on a proposed special rate variation which could see a rate increase of 43.5% next financial year; or 46% over two financial years.
It has launched a seven-week consultation process, seeking community views before submitting the proposal to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for approval.
A virtual fence trial in Eurobodalla, NSW, has shown promising results in reducing roadkill incidents.
The virtual fence, consisting of green posts equipped with sensors and blue lights, warns wildlife about oncoming traffic and prompts them to pause before crossing the road.
ABC News reports that since its installation in October 2022, only five roadkills have been reported at the site, compared to up to five incidents per week prior to the fence.
The success of the pilot program has led the Eurobodalla Shire Council to plan the rollout of virtual fences across the shire, starting with another roadkill hotspot at Surf Beach.
The virtual fence offers a cost-effective solution to reducing roadkill incidents and minimizing damage to vehicles.
International Spotlight:
UK:
Sheffield City Council is the latest to face a mass equal pay claim, and allegations of gender discrimination and wage disparities.
The Guardian reports that thousands of women who have been underpaid by up to £11,000 a year are set to launch equal pay claim against the council.
The GMB union claims that a job evaluation scheme discriminates against female-dominated roles and that comparable male-dominated jobs have higher pay grades.
The council says that it has an appeals process that allows staff to challenge their grades if they believe they are incorrect, and encourages staff to raise any concerns about equal pay so that they can review and address them.
The GMB union is also supporting more than 3,000 equal pay claims against Birmingham city council, and is in dispute with a number of other councils in Coventry, Westmorland, Cumberland, Glasgow, Dundee, and Fife.
The financially stricken Birmingham City Council has approved a recovery plan, against a backdrop of union protests outside its latest meeting.
In adopting the plan, the council has acknowledged its financial crisis and the spending controls to be implemented.
An emergency budget will be presented for consideration next month, taking into account its massive equal pay claim liability and serious issues with its new IT system.
BBC News reports that a union rally was held outside the council meeting this week over concerns about potential job cuts.
Meanwhile, yet another UK council has flagged major financial concerns.
Overnight, the BBC reported that Cumberland Council, in Cumbria, is forecasting an overspend of nearly £30M and flagged that it will need to dip into its reserves to the tune of £17.5M to balance its books.
It flagged the increasing number of children going into care as one of the major factors pushing up costs.
USA:
A new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team in St. Petersburg, Florida, will include 1,200 units of affordable housing as part of a $6.5 billion development project, according to a report from TampaBay.com.
Half of the units will be on-site, and the other half will be scattered across the city. While the addition of affordable housing is significant, there are fears it may not be enough to meet the growing need in the city, where median rent has increased by 36% in the past five years.
The project is expected to take nearly 20 years to complete.
Another former US mayor is expected to serve jail time after pleading guilty to a pattern of official misconduct.
Paul Kennedy, was the mayor of Ocean Gate in New Jersey for 15 years, and it was alleged he had been stealing from taxpayers from 2017 before being charged in March last year.
He resigned in May as the council was preparing to remove him from office.
The Asbury Park Press news outlet reports that after his arrest, he admitted to collecting nearly $10K of taxpayer money from a beachfront parking kiosk. He had also previously been fined for violating local government ethics laws.
He will be sentenced in December and faces a three year prison term.
A city council in Maryland is under pressure to apologize for previous lynchings of Black Americans.
Advocacy groups are waiting for apology from Salisbury City Council for three previous lynchings of Black Americans that occurred in the city dating back to the 1930s.
Advocates believe addressing these injustices is necessary to make Salisbury an inclusive community
Council Woman Michelle Gregory believes the city should apologize for its past involvement in the lynchings, and says the City wants to hear from victims’ families to ensure any apology is done right.
More on that story from local ABC network station WMDT.
NZ:
Submissions have closed on Auckland Council’s plan to establish Māori wards for the 2025 local body elections, and support for them was low, according to a report from Newshub.
The council received just under 10,000 submissions, with varied views on the establishment of Māori seats. A spokesperson told Newshub that at a high level most submitters seemed to not want Māori seats.
The governing body will consider the public’s views before making a decision, but ultimately has the power to proceed with or without majority support.
Auckland currently has three Māori councillors elected from general wards, but the establishment of dedicated Māori wards is seen as a way to bring a Māori perspective to the governing body and align with parliamentary Māori seats.
Close:
That’s the latest from the Roundup for 27th September 2023.
Brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, with support from Snap Send Solve.
You can find links to the stories referenced in this episode and a full transcript at www.lgnewsroundup.com.
The Local Government News Roundup is recorded in the city of Greater Geelong, Victoria, on the land of the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation.
More of the latest local government news coming your way next week. Until then, thanks for listening, and bye for now.