In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup,
Glenelg Shire finally fills one of two councillor vacancies;
A new CEO announced for Greater Shepparton;
Mayoral election results from Nillumbik and Darebin as election season nears its conclusion;
Councils mobilise to deal with flooding from the week’s wild weather;
A Sydney council stops work on a demerger proposal;
Councils court controversy with decisions on citizenship ceremonies and acknowledgements of country;
Social media activity gets more councillors in hot water;
and a US council to clear up confusion on how to correctly spell ‘councillor’.
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:
The first of two vacancies at Glenelg Shire has been filled after four countback attempts.
Alistair McDonald has been declared elected to the position vacated by former deputy mayor Jayden smith.
A further countback is due to be conducted next week to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Chrissy Hawker.
Greater Shepparton City Council has announced the appointment of Fiona Le Gassick as its new CEO.
Ms Le Gassick previously worked at the council in various management roles before taking up a director position at TasTafe two years ago.
She will take up the role at Greater Shepparton in mid-January.
Current CEO Peter Harriott will finish with the council on the 4th January.
Top rating television show The Block has received the go-ahead to record its next season on Phillip Island.
Bass Coast Shire Council has approved a planning permit, and Mayor Michael Whelan says the council is looking forward to hosting the program and showcasing the region.
The program has purchased a property at Cowes, 90 minutes south-east of Melbourne, to film its 20th anniversary series next year.
Peak body MAV says all levels of government still need to work together to urgently address the shortage of qualified building surveyors.
It’s one of its key takeaways after the release of a stage two report from an expert panel review of Victoria’s building system.
It said the report is a reminder of the need for effective regulation, that risks aren’t limited to high rises; and that the report’s recommendations would reduce the occurrence of building defects and help ensure consumers are better protected when they do emerge.
In the next stage of the review, the expert panel will look at the development of a new building act that is technology-neutral and responsive to a modern construction sector.
Ben Ramcharan has been re-elected as the Mayor of Nillumbik Shire Council for a second consecutive term, in a two-way contest with former mayor Peter Perkins.
Cr Ramcharan became the Shire’s youngest mayor when he was first elected to the role at the age of 24 last year.
Karen Egan was elected as deputy mayor for the third time since 2016. Cr Egan has also served as mayor on two previous occasions.
At Darebin, Susanne Newton has stepped up from the deputy mayor position last year to become the city’s new mayor.
Cr Newton received an absolute majority of votes in a two-way contest with Cr Gaetano Greco.
Cr Tim Laurence and outgoing major Cr Julie Williams were nominated for the deputy mayor position, with Cr Laurence successful in that vote.
The list of mayoral results for this year is almost complete, with just Strathbogie and Wodonga yet to be determined.
After a second attempt to conduct a mayoral election was not successful this week, Strathbogie Mayor Laura Binks has called on the Local Government Minister Melissa Horne to make a decision on the council’s future.
She has implored Minister Horne to provide clarity on the next steps for the council, and to immediately release a municipal monitor’s report which was finalised more than three months ago.
Nillumbik Shire Council has backed a proposal to remove the Shire from the Victorian Kangaroo Harvesting Program, following a local community campaign.
The campaign produced a petition of about 14,000 signatures submitted to the Council in September calling for an end to the commercial killing of kangaroos in Nillumbik.
A Victorian Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan 2024-2028 was released for feedback last week and will see 10 Melbourne area councils removed from the harvesting program by January 2025.
Nillumbik wants to see that change brought forward to take effect from this coming January.
The council will also advocate for improvements to the program in the rest of Victoria, including more transparent reporting from harvesters about the damage by kangaroos; collection of publicly available data about the number of kangaroos culled by local government area; and State Government investment into environmental monitoring to understand where kangaroo control to protect biodiversity is needed.
A housing project in Corio has been labelled a “significant over-development” by Greater Geelong council, with the fate of the $50m project to now be decided at VCAT.
The project, which is being backed by a consortium that includes former casino mogul James Packer and investment guru Joe Gersh, would see 108 dwellings built on the former site of Rosewall Primary School.
According to a Geelong Advertiser report, a council committee decided to oppose the project, arguing that it is too dense and not in keeping with the character of the area, but a decision was not made within the required statutory time frame.
The developer, the Edenville group, has criticised the council, claiming its position sends a message that would discourage investment and delay much-needed housing.
The hearing for the project will be held in May next year.
Victorian Briefs:
Swan Hill Rural City Council moved to reassure residents this week that its drainage system had not malfunctioned as some had reported.
The city was hit by a one-in-fifty-year rainfall event, and CEO Scott Barber said the systems had been overwhelmed with temporary inundation in some areas.
Flooding caused emergency road closures in East Gippsland Shire, with as many as 29 closures listed on the shire’s website as of Friday evening, affecting localities including Mallacoota, Buchan and Lindenow.
Meanwhile, Wellington Shire is advising residents of the correct disposal of used sandbags after recent flooding.
Sandbags are not collected as part of hard waste, and residents are advised to stack them on the nature strips while the incident control centre works on collection arrangements.
Greater Geelong is the latest council to make changes to cat trapping services due to a nationwide shortage of cat vaccines.
No cat trapping services will be offered for the foreseeable future, to reduce the number of cats needing to be taken to shelters.
National Roundup:
NSW:
Canterbury Bankstown Council has voted to cease work on a demerger plan until it can get a firm guarantee that the state government will pay for it.
The motion put forward by former mayor Khal Asfour was passed but not without debate and opposition from some councillors who felt there was a strong desire from some residents to break away.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig said he is not interested in interfering in local government, and that the council should present a business case and prove that deamalgamated councils would be financially sustainable on their own.
The City of Ryde is disputing the reporting on its financial situation by the Sydney Morning Herald.
In a statement, CEO Wayne Rylands said the Herald had been selective in its coverage of the matter, quoting “Council” sources other than quotes from the Mayor, a Council spokesperson, or the CEO.
The City of Ryde has provided detailed financial and other substantive information to the Public Accounts Committee of the NSW Parliament and is awaiting feedback from them on whether any further Council assistance is required on these matters.
The inquiries by the OLG and the ICAC are ongoing.
Cessnock City Council has opened a dialogue on the potential of hosting a Wine Country 500 Supercars event, following the announcement that the Newcastle 500 would not be returning in 2024.
The decision to open discussions follows the adoption of a Mayoral Minutedirecting the Council to engage with key stakeholders including Supercars and the NSW Government.
Cessnock City Mayor Jay Suvaal said now is the time to begin a serious dialogue on how we can retain a Supercars event in the Hunter.
“Motorsports are part of our culture here in the Hunter. News that the Supercars would not be returning to Newcastle in 2024 was a devastating blow to our community,” said Clr Suvaal.
Albury City Council will move citizenship ceremonies away from January 26.
Council CEO Frank Zaknich said the decision was made due to dwindling engagement and interest in Australia Day, and a desire for the activities to be more inclusive.
ABC News has reported that some residents and the MP for Farrer, Sussan Ley, are critical of the decision, saying it is disrespectful to Australian history and culture.
Ms Ley has launched a petition calling for its immediate reversal.
QLD:
Councillor Brett Moller is the new Deputy Mayor of Cairns.
Councillors voted to elect Cr Moller into the deputy position at a special meeting on Wednesday.
Cr Moller was first elected as Division 1 Councillor at the 2016 local government election and was returned at the 2020 election.
Sunshine Coast Deputy Mayor Rick Baberowski has announced he will not be contesting the March elections, and step away from politics after 12 years.
The Courier Mail reported that the surprise announcement means there will be two new figures leading the council next year, with Mayor Mark Jamieson also stepping away at the same time.
Noosa Council is exploring the possibility of establishing a Safe Night Precinct at Noosa Heads.
The council is collaborating with state government agencies to determine the process and necessary steps for implementing such an initiative.
Mayor Clare Stewart has noted widespread support for the proposal from businesses, community members, and senior police. She has also reached out to Police Minister Mark Ryan to request additional police resources during peak holiday periods.
Safe Night Precincts, a Queensland Government initiative, were established to curb alcohol-related violence in key entertainment areas.
Cr Stewart said a Safe Night Precinct would complement existing efforts to address antisocial behaviour.
SA:
South Australia’s Northern Areas Council will remove an acknowledgment of country from correspondence, in a decision that has greatly disappointed Aboriginal elders.
ABC News reported that the move by Cr Hank Langes came without notice at a recent council meeting, and was supported by councillors.
The Mayor Sue Scarman has declined to comment about the reasons for the decision, and it is unclear whether it will impact acknowledgements at in-person Council events.
The move by Northern Areas Council was followed this week by a City of Playford decision to stop reading an acknowledgement of country at council meetings.
The practice will be replaced with an inclusive acknowledgement on the council’s website.
According to ABC News, the councillor who moved the motion said he thought acknowledgements had gone overboard.
The vote was not unanimous, and followed a lot of debate and discussion, according to Mayor Glen Docherty.
WA:
At Western Australia’s Shire of Harvey, a councillor’s move to scrap acknowledgements has not been supported by colleagues.
Cr Craig Carbone proposed the removal of the practice as they were in his view “tokenistic virtue signalling”.
ABC News reported that the Council opted instead to review its policy on the protocols, and will consult Indigenous groups as part of a process to commence next year.
At the City of Stirling, a councillor’s Facebook activity has been condemned by the Mayor Mark Irwin.
PerthNow reported that Cr Elizabeth Re had shared two posts that Mayor Irwin said had racist undertones and inferred that migrants aren’t welcome.
He said he had written to Cr Re requesting she reconsider and apologise, and/or remove the posts while the city follows any due process.
In the City of Perth, a women’s shelter has now closed despite attempts from the state government to convince the city to allow it to continue operating.
AAP reported that a war of words between Premier Roger Cook and Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas had escalated, with the Premier taking a swipe at the Lord Mayor for attending a water conference in South Africa while “a homelessness and support service crisis is happening”.
Lord Mayor Zempilas said the shelter was a two-year trial that had been extended by six months, and that the state government had been advised multiple times that it would be closing.
National Briefs:
WA’s City of Kalamunda has invited applications for the position of CEO.
The vacancy arose with the recent resignation for health reasons of Rhonda Hardy after ten years in the position.
Executive search firm Lester Blades is handling the process, with applications due by 18th December.
A City of Busselton councillor has resigned after little more than a month in office.
Cherise Woodhams said she had intended to contribute positively to the council but had to acknowledge her limitations due to health reasons.
The vacant position has been automatically filled by the first unelected candidate, Val Kaigg, who has accepted the position and will be sworn in at a future council meeting.
A prestigious annual local government IT conference was held in Coffs Harbour this week.
The city welcomed 134 delegates from across the country to share knowledge and network with peers.
Hot topics included cyber security and data protection, and the impact of new and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
International Spotlight:
Here are some of the latest stories of interest from around the globe.
NZ:
There are calls for the mayor of the City of Wellington Tory Whanau to resign after she revealed she is seeking professional help for a drinking problem.
Mayor Whanau issued a statement admitting to having a problem, but stating that she wants to continue to represent the hopes and aspirations of her local community.
She refers to a recent incident at a Wellington bar that was recorded to her great embarrassment and shame.
The NZ Herald and Stuff are among those reporting calls from some councillors for Mayor Whanau to resign, and concerns from another that the issue only came to light through media reports.
Other councillors have rallied around her, expressing personal support and praise for her leadership over the past year.
CANADA:
A Prince Edward Island councillor has learned his fate after being investigated over the use of a sign denying the existence of residential school graves.
There have been calls for Cr John Robertson to resign over the incident, which he has not done.
According to CTV News, the Murray Harbour Council found the councillor had breached its code of conduct and imposed sanctions including a six-month suspension, a $500 fine, and an order to write a letter of apology.
It does not have to power to dismiss one of its members.
Cr Robertson had until of the end of the week to comply with the council’s orders, and it is not known at the time of recording whether he has or will do so.
UK:
In the UK, Warrington Borough Council has lost a bid to stop industrial action which has affected bin services in recent weeks, and now looks set to continue through Christmas Eve.
The council confirmed with deep regret that the High Court had ruled against its request for an interim injunction, a ruling it says may lead to significant future implications for councils who continue to abide by national pay agreements for local government.
It has repeated its call for the union and its members to end the strike and return to work and says it is continuing to consider legal options including a potential appeal.
The council said the ruling its not an acceptable outcome for residents, whose bins desperately need emptying.
A West London councillor has faced a conduct hearing over social media posts that made disparaging remarks about Egyptian and Chinese people.
Cr Eva Jedut from the Kensington and Chelsea Council has since deleted the tweets, and says they have been misconstrued and taken out of context, according to My London News.
The Council launched two separate investigations into the councillor’s conduct dating back to 2022 and says her actions have brought the council into disrepute.
USA:
A council in Kentucky has voted its mayor out of office.
A unanimous vote of the Raceland City Council means the city has 30 days to find a new mayor, according to a report from WSAZ3 News.
The now-former mayor Eddie Cumpton lost the confidence of the council over the violation of state statutes relating to the use of government money and abuse of public trust.
In Indianapolis, the City-County Council has moved to clear up what has been described as a maddening spelling matter.
This Monday, it is expected to officially resolve to refer to individual council members as a councilor – with one L – not two, as per the British spelling of the word.
Inconsistent use of both spellings is said to have created discrepancies and confusion.
Axios reporter James Briggs said he generally avoids using the term due to the confusion, preferring to use council member, councilman or councilwoman.
But he can now use councilor with one L as the undisputed correct spelling.