On the latest edition of the Local Government News Roundup:
Council meetings lapse for lack of a quorum;
A countback to fill an extraordinary vacancy fails to get a result…twice;
A Council resolution on Gaza to be subject to a rescission motion;
An aribter dismisses an application for a finding of misconduct against a rural mayor;
Councils try to outsmart clever birds;
A call in state parliament for a NSW council CEO to resign;
A council website declared the most accessible in Australia;
A new mayor elected in Cairns;
and a council deals a blow to the expansion plans of a grand slam tennis tournament.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government.
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Stories in this episode (with links where available)
Victorian Roundup:
A meeting of Strathbogie Shire Council lapsed on Tuesday before the election of the mayor for the next year could be conducted.
The Euroa Gazette has reported that two councillors left the meeting before the mayoral election could be conducted, shocking the mayor Laura Binks and drawing criticism from fellow councillors.
Crs Chris Raeburn and Sally Hayes-Burke reportedly said they couldn’t support a mayoral election in the current environment.
With two extraordinary vacancies currently on the council, the departure of the two councillors meant that a quorum could not be maintained.
The council issued a statement to say that the meeting will be reconvened next Tuesday at 12.30 pm from the agenda item listed as ‘Elections to Office’.
Strathbogie was not the only council unable to maintain a quorum this week.
A meeting of Brimbank City Council on Tuesday night also lapsed and was rescheduled to the following day.
The council was due to consider the introduction of regular public forums and the adoption of an LGBTQIA+ Action Plan.
Six councillors attended the reconvened meeting on Wednesday, with five councillors submitting apologies.
It was ultimately decided not to introduce public forums at this time, while a review of the council’s community engagement policy was underway; and a four-year LGBTQIA+ Action Plan was passed unanimously.
A third attempt to fill one of two vacant positions on Glenelg Shire Council will take place on Monday.
After the first attempt last Monday to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Jayden Smith, the successful candidate failed to return a written declaration of qualification within the required 48 hours.
A second attempt on Wednesday produced the same result.
The VEC has scheduled a further countback for 10am Monday 27th November.
Another vacancy exists on the council, due to the resignation of Chrissy Hawker. A countback to fill that position is scheduled for 4th December.
A motion supporting peace in Gaza and Palestine was passed by Maribyrnong City Council this week, but it was quickly followed by a rescission motion.
The council has announced that the rescission motion will be considered at its next meeting on 12th December.
Amongst other things, the resolution called on the Australian government to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages; as well as calling for a report on the potential cancellation of any Council contracts with companies that support the Israel Defence Force or profit from the conflict.
The Age has reported that the rescission motion was submitted by former mayor Anthony Tran, who initially voted in favour of the motion.
The rescission notice was also signed by the mayor Cuc Lam and deputy mayor Michael Clarke.
It’s understood similar motions on the Israel-Gaza conflict will come before Yarra and Greater Dandenong councils next week.
An arbiter’s report will be tabled at Horsham Rural City Council’s upcoming meeting on Monday evening, after an application for a finding of misconduct against the mayor Robyn Gulline.
The complaint was brought by Cr Ian Ross and related to exchanges between Mayor Gulline and a Horsham resident, Bart Turgoose.
The arbiter Noel Harvey noted that Cr Ross had not witnessed the alleged conduct, and based his complaint on a letter he received from Mr Turgoose.
After a directions hearing in August, and a full hearing in October, Mr Harvey has determined that Cr Gulline did not breach the prescribed findings of misconduct and dismissed the application.
In February this year, Mr Turgoose became the first person to declare an intention to stand for election to the council at the next elections in October 2024.
Still a teenager, Mr Turgoose would become the youngest councillor to be elected to the Horsham council.
Mayoral elections update
Mount Alexander Shire Council has elected a new mayor in Matthew Driscoll. Last year’s mayor Rosie Annear will take on deputy mayoral duties for the next year.
At Mornington Peninsula Shire, Simon Brooks is the new mayor taking over from Steve Holland; the new deputy mayor is Antonella Celi.
South Gippsland Shire has a new mayor also. Last year’s deputy Clare Williams steps into the position, doing a swap with Nathan Hersey who will be deputy mayor.
At Yarriambiack, it will be a second consecutive term for Kylie Zanker in the mayoral position, and a fourth time as mayor for Cr Zanker since 2011. The council has chosen not to have a deputy mayor.
At Towong Shire, Andrew Whitehead retains the mayoralty, and Denise Anderson is the new deputy mayor.
And at Queenscliffe borough, the mayor Isabelle Tolhurst has been re-elected to the position, while former three time mayor Ross Ebbels will serve for a second time as deputy mayor.
Brimbank City Council and a collaboration of eight councils were named as winners at this year’s Premier’s Sustainability Awards at an event on Thursday evening in Melbourne.
The Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre, was named the Community Champion winner in the Sustainable Places category, while the My Smart Garden project came away with the Community Champion section of the Thriving Environment category.
My Smart Garden is a cross-council collaboration between Hobsons Bay, Moonee Valley, Maribyrnong, Brimbank, Wyndham, Stonnington, Merri-bek, and Yarra City councils.
Councils to be recognised as finalists in other categories were Darebin, Yarra, Yarra Ranges, Merri-bek, Knox and Maroondah.
Victorian Briefs:
The first sod has been turned on a new Aboriginal Gathering Place in Melbourne’s north.
Construction of the facility at Quarry Hills Parkland in the city of Whittlesea is expected to begin early next year, with the opening anticipated in 2025.
A redeveloped Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre has been officially opened.
Ministers Ros Spence, Lizza Blandthorn and Kat Theophanous joined Darebin mayor Julie Williams for the opening of the centre that has received $10M in state government funding.
The council says the centre is on track to receive a 6-star Green Star – Design and As-built rating.
Merri-bek Council has begun reducing speed limits in Brunswick, as part of a shift to 40 km/h limits on local roads across the council area
The council has received state government approval for the changes, which will be phased in over 6 stages between now and next June.
Collector, major, and arterial roads will be unaffected.
Some councils are waging a war on native birds, which are causing damage to Council assets and creating noise issues in parts of the state.
At West Wimmera, the council is stepping up efforts to deal with increasing numbers of corellas at Lake Wallace, while trying to strike a balance between wildlife preservation and community safety.
It is trialling the use of scare kites to deter the birds from nesting in trees and perching on structures around the lake.
A comprehensive management program will also include culling to manage bird numbers.
Meanwhile, at Surf Coast Shire the council has kicked off Operation Lockatoo in Lorne this month, with the aim of stopping increasingly clever cockatoos from opening bins and pulling out rubbish.
Locking mechanisms are being fitted to residential bins in the town after a two-year trial which tested different bin modifications and locking mechanisms on 500 kerbside bins.
The council has developed a web page with a list of dos and don’ts for residents to reduce the potential for rubbish to be strewn across the streets by the persistent parrots.
Roundup Unfiltered/roads funding
National Roundup:
NSW:
Newcastle Council chief executive Jeremy Bath has been accused by Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery of being the author of misleading and derogatory letters written under the name Scott Neylon.
The Newcastle Herald reported this week that Ms Hornery used parliamentary privilege to call for Mr Bath’s dismissal, asserting that he authored the letters and manipulated Mr Neylon to take the fall for him.
Mr Bath denies involvement in writing the letters, and an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
The letters in question have targeted various individuals and groups, including Ms Hornery, and have reportedly portrayed the City of Newcastle in a positive light.
Ms Hornery has also criticised the Newcastle lord mayor and local councillors for their handling of the situation.
The Newcastle Herald has been investigating the origins of the letters, and alleged links with Mr Bath, since earlier this year.
Ms Hornery said the council launched its own investigation into the matter 18 weeks ago but is yet to provide any update.
Councillors at the City of Ryde are expected to make a decision on Tuesday about the future of the Ryde Civic Centre site.
An officer report recommends that the council sell the site to maximise returns and fix the council’s precarious financial position, according to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald.
The council has committed to projects costing $254M which officers say can’t go ahead without cutting services and other council expenditure by as much as 50%.
22 other council sites have been considered for sale, but selling the Ryde Civic Centre is presented as the best outcome.
The site remains a hole in the ground after expenditure of more than $20M since 2019 on demolition and project management costs. It has been valued at $133M.
Narrandera Council will apply to IPART for a special rate variation to increase its ordinary rate income by 43.5% over two years.
It decided against a recommendation to seek a one-year increase of 41.5%.
The decision follows a consultation process with 187 submissions received, 145 of which objected to the proposed increases.
QLD:
Cairns Regional Council has elected a new mayor, after the recent shock resignation of former long time mayor Bob Manning.
Terry James, deputy mayor for the past 11 years, was elected to fill the position until local government elections in March, but not without some controversy in the chamber.
A challenge for the position came from Cr Brett Olds, who argued that as Cr James is a declared candidate for mayor in the March elections, he should not be given the advantage of incumbency over other councillors who intended to also run for mayor.
The Cairns Post reported that ultimately that argument was unsuccessful, with the council voting 5 – 4 to elect Cr James.
The appointment of Cr James as mayor now creates a councillor vacancy, and there will be process to fill that position by nomination instead of by-election, as it is within 12 months of a general election.
Previous candidates and others who are qualified are invited to nominate by 4th December, with the council expected to make an appointment on 13th December.
A bid to save more than $400M from its budget will see Brisbane City Council postpone more than $50M of flood recovery projects.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said this week that a decision by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority not to contribute funding was short-sighted, and meant the council would have to put off planned works for the time being.
The Brisbane Times has reported on the plans to cut 10 per cent from the budget to avoid rate increases.
The cuts will include $70M in savings from IT contracts, consultants and back-office efficiencies, with $5M to be cut from commercial business units.
While Mr Schrinner has said permanent council staff will be safe from budget cuts, the council opposition leader Jared Cassidy claims there will be jobs lost and questioned where much of the $400M in savings will come from.
WA:
The City of Cockburn has been recognised for having the most accessible website in Australia.
It has won two awards at the Australian Access Award, being named joint winner of the overall Website of the Year, as well as the Government Website of the Year.
Its competition included the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Brisbane and Melbourne city councils, ABC iView, the WA and Victorian governments and Accessibility NSW.
The City’s website has almost a million visits every year, and Mayor Logan Howlett said the well-deserved awards were the culmination of seven years’ work for the City’s web partnership comprising members of the City’s Communications and Marketing, and Business Systems teams.
National Briefs:
A former GM at Penrith City Council will be given a special award to recognise his significant contribution to the city over a number of years.
Alan Stoneham was GM for 10 years until 2018, and returned as interim GM for a period recently.
A civic reception will be held next year to make him an Honoured Citizen of the City of Penrith.
15 Tasmanian councils will share in $2.9M in the first round of an open spaces grants program.
Funded projects include community sporting facilities, playgrounds, shared pathways and skate parks.
A further round of $2M will open to all councils in the coming months.
SaaS provider TechnologyOne is expanding its government footprint, signing a new deal with the Queensland Parliamentary Service.
TechnologyOne’s enterprise resource planning software will be a key plank of a digital transformation project to replace most of the service’s legacy systems.
It is now used in more than 230 federal and state Government departments and agencies, and has a strong presence across local government.
A newly formed local government in the East Arnhem Region of the NT is looking for its inaugural CEO.
The Groote Archipelago Regional Council will serve a population of 2,000 residents, with elections to scheduled for next March.
Leading Roles is handling applications which are due by 6th December.
International Spotlight:
UK:
The expansion plans of the Wimbledon Grand Slam tennis tournament were dealt a blow this week when a local council denied it planning permission.
The planning committee of the London Borough of Wandsworth has rejected plans for 39 new grass courts and an 8,000 seat show court, despite neighbouring council Merton giving its approval.
The All England Tennis Club needs the support of both councils to move forward with the plans, which have been opposed by some local residents and environmental groups.
But it might not be the end of the matter.
ESPN reported that the split council decision means the application will now be referred to the office of the Mayor of London for consideration.
A series of thefts of e-scooter batteries across the Liverpool City Region has led to the arrest of six people this week.
Local police and Liverpool City Council have been gathering evidence since August to track more than 700 thefts, estimated to have cost over half a million pounds.
The council has previously said the thefts were making the scheme unsustainable, with losses of around 300,000 pounds each year.
The Autumn Statement by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has been labelled “hugely disappointing” after it failed to recognise the financial state of the local government sector.
Room151 reported that none of the 110 measures addressed calls for additional funding to protect local services delivered by local governments across the country.
LA Chair Shaun Davies labelled it disappointing, but did welcome an increase in local housing allowance rates, which had been called for by the sector.
In Northern Ireland, an investigation is underway into how pro-Palestinian demonstrators were able to disrupt a council meeting in Londonderry.
The group of demonstrators entered the meeting through private access areas and unfurled a large banner calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.
According to a BBC News report, the frightening experience left some councillors in tears and staff unnerved.
The mayor suspended the meeting before it was subsequently adjourned due to the incident, and police are now looking into whether any offences had been committed.
In other stories of interest this week, UK MPs have launched an inquiry into a new local government watchdog.
The Office for Local Government is tasked with helping local governments improve their performance, but there have been concerns expressed over its remit and a lack of engagement with the sector.
A Canadian councillor has escaped sanction for disrespectful comments, after fellow councillors couldn’t agree on what action to take.
CBC reported that Pembroke city’s integrity commissioner recommended a 15 day suspension in pay for Cr Troy Purcell, whose demands for more transparency in city procedures were found to have breached requirements for respectful conduct.
Councillors agreed his comments were harsh and passionate, but they were unable to reach agreement on an appropriate sanction and therefore no action was taken.
In British Columbia, there have been calls for a councillor at the city of Victoria to resign over her name appearing on an open letter calling on Canadian politicians to end their complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
CBC reports on the calls for first term councillor Susan Kim to step down and to apologise overclaims that she has denied the sexual violence experienced by victims of Hamas attacks on October 7.
A petition with over 8,500 signatures so far is calling for her official censure and removal from all official board appointments.