1 February 2008
Dear Councillor,
In pursuance of the provisions of the Local Government
Act, 1993 and the Regulations thereunder, notice is hereby given that an ORDINARY MEETING of Penrith City
Council is to be held in the Council Chambers, Civic Centre,
Attention is directed to the statement accompanying
this notice of the business proposed to be transacted at the meeting.
Yours
Faithfully
Alan Travers
General Manager
BUSINESS
1. APOLOGIES
2. LEAVE OF ABSENCE
3. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES
Ordinary Meeting - 17
December 2007.
4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Pecuniary Interest (The Act requires Councillors who
declare a pecuniary interest in an item to leave the meeting during discussion
of that item)
Non-Pecuniary Interest
5. ADDRESSING THE MEETING
6. MAYORAL MINUTES
2008
Locals Recognised in 2008
7. NOTICES OF MOTION
8. ADOPTION OF REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATION OF COMMITTEES
9. MASTER PROGRAM REPORTS
10. URGENT REPORTS (to be dealt with in the master program to which the
item relates)
11. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
12. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Monday 4 February 2008
table of contents
seating arrangements
meeting calendar
confirmation of minutes
report and recommendations of committees
master program reports
Statement of Recognition of
Aboriginal and
Cultural Heritage
Council values the unique status of
Aboriginal people as the original owners and custodians of lands and waters,
including the land and waters of
Council values the unique status of Torres
Strait Islander people as the original owners and custodians of the
We work together for a united
PRAYER
“Sovereign God, tonight as we gather together as a Council we affirm
that you are the giver and sustainer of life.
We come together as representatives of our community to make decisions
that will benefit this city and the people within it.
We come not in a spirit of competition, not as adversaries, but as
colleagues. Help us to treat each other
with respect, with dignity, with interest and with honesty. Help us not just to hear the words we say,
but also to hear each others hearts. We
seek to be wise in all that we say and do.
As we meet, our concern is for this city. Grant us wisdom, courage and strength.
Lord, help us. We pray this in
the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”
Council
Chambers Seating Arrangements
Managers
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEETING CALENDAR
February 2008 - December 2008
|
TIME |
FEB |
MAR |
APRIL |
MAY |
JUNE |
JULY |
AUG |
SEPT |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
Mon |
||
Ordinary
Meetings |
7.30 pm |
4 |
10 |
7 |
5v |
2 |
14 |
4 |
1ü |
13^ |
10 |
1 |
25 |
|
21 |
|
23* |
|
|
22 |
20 |
|
15 |
||
Policy
Review Committee |
7.30 pm |
18#+ |
3 |
28 |
19# |
16 |
7 |
18#+ |
15@ |
|
17# |
8 |
|
31@ |
|
|
|
28 |
|
|
|
|
|
# Meetings
at which the Management Plan ¼ly
reviews are presented. |
^ Election
of Mayor/Deputy Mayor [only business] |
#+ General
Manager’s presentation – half year and end of year review |
@ Strategic
Program progress reports [only business] |
v Meeting at which the Draft Management Plan
is adopted for exhibition |
ü Meeting at which the 2007/2008 Annual
Statements are presented |
*
Meeting at which the
Management Plan for 2008/2009 is adopted |
|
-
Council’s Ordinary
Meetings are held on a three-week cycle where practicable.
-
Extraordinary Meetings
are held as required.
-
Policy Review Meetings
are held on a three-week cycle where practicable.
-
Members of the public
are invited to observe meetings of the Council (Ordinary and Policy Review
Committee). All meetings start at
7:30pm.
-
Should you wish to
address Council, please contact the Public Officer, Glenn McCarthy on 47327649
OF
THE ORDINARY MEETING OF
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
ON MONDAY 17 DECEMBER 2007 AT 7:07PM
NATIONAL ANTHEM
The meeting opened with the National Anthem.
STATEMENT OF RECOGNITION
His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Greg Davies read a
statement of recognition of
PRAYER
The Council
Prayer was read by the Rev Neil Checkley.
PRESENT
His Worship the Mayor Councillor Greg Davies, Councillors Jim Aitken OAM, Kaylene Allison, David Bradbury, Lexie Cettolin, Kevin Crameri OAM, Mark Davies, Ross Fowler, Jackie Greenow, Karen McKeown, Garry Rumble, Pat Sheehy AM, Steve Simat and John Thain.
APOLOGIES |
There were no apologies. |
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Leave of Absence was previously granted to Councillor Susan Page for the period 5 November 2007 to 17 December 2007 inclusive.
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES - Ordinary Meeting - 3 December 2007 |
490 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Pat Sheehy AM seconded Councillor Garry Rumble that the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of 3 December 2007 be confirmed. |
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS |
491 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jackie Greenow seconded Councillor Ross Fowler that Standing Orders be suspended to allow members of the public to address the meeting, the time being 7:11 pm. |
Mr Alan Devine
Item 1 - Development
Application 07/1281 Concept Plan for a "Seniors' Living"
Speaking AGAINST the Recommendation
Mr Devine, an affected neighbour, spoke in opposition to the
development, citing disadvantages such as loss of open space to the university
and neighbours, the proximity of potentially noisy student hostels to the
proposed development, and an increased traffic hazard, particularly in relation
to pedestrians and the absence of footpaths on
Mr Tim Vollmer
Item 1 – Development
Application 07/1281 Concept Plan for a "Seniors' Living"
Speaking AGAINST the
Recommendation
Mr Vollmer, an affected neighbour, spoke against the development. Mr Vollmer’s issues of concern were the long term negative impacts on traffic and amenity to the residential neighbourhood in the locality, caused by the density of the development and the traffic emanating from the development via residents, visitors and staff, in particular to Manning Street.
Mr Vollmer stated his concerns regarding traffic on
Ms Meg Levy
Item 1 – Development
Application 07/1281 Concept Plan for a "Seniors' Living"
Speaking FOR the Recommendation
Ms Levy, representing the applicant, spoke in support of the
development, noting that at this stage the plans for the development were at
concept stage only and that a detailed development application was yet to be
submitted. Ms Levy stated that the
applicant has demonstrated a willingness to work with Council in an effort to
ensure the development will make a positive contribution to the local
community. Ms Levy suggested that many
jobs would be generated by the development, and that it would increase ongoing
work opportunities for a range of local practitioners, as well as providing an injection
of more income to local shopping areas.
Ms Levy concluded by stating that the development would be a relatively
low impact
RESUMPTION OF STANDING ORDERS |
492 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jackie Greenow seconded Councillor Jim Aitken OAM that Standing Orders be resumed, the time being 7:39 pm. |
Mayoral Minutes
1 Recognition for Werrington Creek
restoration |
493 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Greg Davies seconded Councillor Karen McKeown that the Mayoral Minute on Recognition for Werrington Creek restoration be received. |
Reports of
Committees
1 Report and Recommendations of the
Local Traffic Committee Meeting held on
3 December 2007 |
494 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Pat Sheehy AM seconded Councillor Garry Rumble that the recommendations contained in the Report and Recommendations of the Local Traffic Committee meeting held on 3 December, 2007 be adopted. |
2 Report and Recommendations of the
Disability Access Committee Meeting held on 5 December 2007 |
495 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jackie Greenow seconded Councillor Steve Simat that the recommendations contained in the Report and Recommendations of the Disability Access Committee meeting held on 5 December, 2007 be adopted. |
3 Report and Recommendations of the |
496 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Garry Rumble seconded Councillor Ross Fowler that the recommendations contained in the Report and Recommendations of the Penrith Valley Community Safety Partnership meeting held on 5 December, 2007 be adopted. |
4 Report and Recommendations of the
Policy Review Committee Meeting held on 10 December 2007 |
497 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Ross Fowler seconded Councillor Mark Davies that the recommendations contained in the Report and Recommendations of the Policy Review Committee meeting held on 10 December, 2007 be adopted. |
MASTER PROGRAM REPORTS
The
1 Development Application 07/1281
Concept Plan for a "Seniors' Living" |
498 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Pat
Sheehy AM seconded Councillor Ross Fowler That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Development Application
07/1281 Concept Plan for a "Seniors' Living" 2. DA07/1281 for
a concept plan for a retirement village on Standard Conditions 2.1 A001 (Approved Plans) 2.2 A006 (Concept Plan only – development subject to future development applications) 2.3 K008 (ROW from
Special Conditions 2.4 All access roads, parking and manoeuvring areas are to comply with AS2890.1 and Council’s relevant Engineering Standards. Access roads, parking and manoeuvring areas for emergency vehicles, service vehicles and heavy vehicles are to comply with AS2890.2 and Council’s relevant Engineering Standards. Full details shall be provided for any future development applications for the site 2.5 Penrith City Council is the Roads Authority under the Roads Act 1993 and is responsible for approving connection to public roads or any works on or over a road reserve. In this regard, all works are to be designed and constructed in accordance with Penrith Development Control Plan 2006 Part 2.3 Engineering Works and the Guidelines for Engineering Works for Subdivision and Developments Part 1 – Design and Part 2 – Construction. Full details shall be provided for any future development applications for the site 2.6 Each development application is to satisfy the assumptions made in the Traffic Report and the addendum to the Traffic Report, prepared by Transport and Traffic Planning Associates. Based on the traffic reports, 65 of the Independent Living Units shall obtain vehicular access from the south 2.7 Each development application is to strictly comply with the requirements of State Environmental Planning Policy (Seniors Living) 2004 2.8 On site stormwater detention (OSD) and water quality controls will be required for the development. Engineering details of the OSD and water quality systems shall be provided for any future development applications for the site 2.9 The site is affected by local overland flows from the adjoining property. An overland flow food study, which addresses all storm events and up to and including the 1 in 100 year storm event for the local catchment, shall be provided for any future development applications for the site 2.10 The intersection of the ARV access road and the University internal road shall have controlled access by way of an electronic sliding gate or the like. This access is to be restricted to service and emergency vehicles only, with residential or University traffic being denied. Details of the control access shall be submitted to Council for approval through future development applications for the site 2.11 Through access
between 2.12 All staff of the Residential Aged Care Facility shall access the site via the University access road. 2.13 To enable staff
of the Residential Aged Care Facility to access the site, the necessary legal
arrangements are to be put in place in favour of the 3. Persons who have made submissions be notified of Council’s decision. 4. Council note
Mr Michael McHugh’s undertaking, given to the meeting on behalf of applicant,
that there will be no attempt to open up unfettered access between |
2 Subdivision Application 07/0121 at |
499 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Pat
Sheehy AM seconded Councillor Jim Aitken OAM That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Subdivision Application
07/0121 at 2. DA07/0121 for Torrens
title Subdivision x 2 Lots,
Standard
Conditions 2.1 A001 Approved Plans (Add: The right of carriageway shall be deleted and the 20 metre wide strip shall only be for Right of Footway and easement of services.) 2.2 G001 Services 2.3 M008 Linen Plan 2.4 To enable staff of the Residential Aged
Care Facility, emergency services and service vehicles to access to the site,
the necessary legal arrangements are to be put in place in favour of the 2.5 Q008 Subdivision Certificate Special Conditions 2.6 The Right of
Carriageway between 3. Persons who have made submissions be notified of Council’s decision. |
The City as an
Economy
3 Council Property - |
500 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Steve
Simat seconded Councillor Karen McKeown that the information contained in the report on Council Property - |
Leadership and
Organisation
4 2007 National General Assembly of
Local Government |
501 RESOLVED
on the MOTION of Councillor Kevin Crameri OAM seconded Councillor John Thain
that the information contained
in the report on 2007 National
General Assembly of Local Government be received. |
6 Decision Making Arrangements During
the Council Recess |
502 RESOLVED
on the MOTION of Councillor Kevin Crameri OAM seconded Councillor John Thain that
the information contained in the
report on Decision Making
Arrangements During the Council Recess be received. |
7 Summary of Investments & Banking
for the period 1 November to 30 November 2007 |
503 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Kevin
Crameri OAM seconded Councillor John Thain That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Summary of Investments
& Banking for the period 1 November to 30 November 2007 be received. 2. The Certificate of the
Responsible Accounting Officer and Summaries of Investments and Performance
for the period 1 November 2007 to 30 November 2007 be noted and accepted. 3. The
graphical investment analysis as at 30 November 2007 be noted. |
5 Urban Development Institute of |
504 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Pat
Sheehy AM seconded Councillor Ross Fowler That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Urban Development Institute
of Australia National Congress 2008 be received. 2. Councillors
Greg Davies, Steve Simat, Jim Aitken OAM and Ross Fowler attend the National
Congress of the Urban Development Institute of |
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
QWN 1 |
Councillor Jackie Greenow requested a
report to Council concerning the possibility of providing funding for
essential works to be carried out to the Jamison Park Netball Complex. |
QWN 2 Panthers on the Prowl |
Councillor Jackie Greenow congratulated
Panthers on their Panthers on the Prowl schools program and noted its success
in local schools. |
QWN 3 Footpath Construction
in |
Councillor Jim Aitken OAM requested that an
amount of $14,400 from South Ward voted works be allocated to the
construction of a footpath on the north side of |
505
RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jim Aitken OAM seconded
Councillor Karen McKeown that the matter be brought forward and dealt with as
a matter of urgency. His Worship the
Mayor, Councillor Greg Davies, ruled that the matter was urgent and should be
dealt with at the meeting. |
506
RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jim Aitken OAM seconded
Councillor Karen McKeown that an amount of $14,400 from South Ward voted
works be allocated to the construction of a footpath on the north side of |
QWN 4 Footpath Construction
in |
Councillor Jim Aitken OAM requested that an
amount of $13,700 from South Ward voted works be allocated to the
construction of a footpath on the north side of |
507
RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jim Aitken OAM seconded
Councillor Karen McKeown that the matter be brought forward and dealt with as
a matter of urgency. His Worship the
Mayor, Councillor Greg Davies, ruled that the matter was urgent and should be
dealt with at the meeting. |
508
RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jim Aitken OAM seconded
Councillor Karen McKeown that an amount of $13,700 from South Ward voted
works be allocated to the construction of a footpath on the north side of |
QWN 5 Upgrade of
Electricity in Tench Reserve |
Councillor Jim Aitken OAM requested a memo
reply to all Councillors regarding the provision of funding for the upgrading
of electricity in Tench Reserve for public use. |
QWN 6 Intersection of |
Councillor Jim Aitken OAM requested that the
matter of the dangerous intersection at |
Committee
of the Whole
509 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillors Jackie Greenow seconded Councillor Pat Sheehy AM that the meeting adjourn to the Committee of the Whole to deal with the following matters, the time being 8:08 pm.
1 Presence of the Public
CW1 RESOLVED on the motion of Councillor Jackie Greenow seconded Councillor Pat Sheehy AM that the press and public be excluded from Committee of the Whole to deal with the following matters:
Leadership and Organisation
2 Commercial Matter - Lease of Former Part
of
This item has been referred to Committee of
the Whole as the report refers to information that would, if disclosed, confer
a commercial advantage on a person with whom the Council is conducting (or
proposes to conduct) business and discussion of the matter in open meeting
would be, on balance, contrary to the public interest.
Leadership
and Organisation
3 Legal Matter - Committee of the Whole
Procedures
This item has been referred to Committee of
the Whole as the report refers to advice concerning litigation, or advice that
would otherwise be privileged from production in legal proceedings on the
ground of legal professional privilege and discussion of the matter in open
meeting would be, on balance, contrary to the public interest.
4 Senior Staff Matter
This item has been referred to Committee of
the Whole as the report refers to personnel matters concerning particular
individuals and discussion of the matter in open meeting would be, on balance,
contrary to the public interest.
The
meeting resumed at 8:13 pm and the General Manager reported that the Committee
of the Whole met at 8:08 pm on 17 December 2007, the following being present
His Worship the Mayor Councillor Greg Davies, Councillors Jim Aitken OAM, Kaylene Allison, David Bradbury, Lexie Cettolin, Kevin Crameri OAM, Mark Davies, Ross Fowler, Jackie Greenow, Karen McKeown, Garry Rumble, Pat Sheehy AM, Steve Simat, and John Thain
and the
Committee of the Whole excluded the press and public from the meeting for the
reasons set out in CW1 and that the Committee of the Whole submitted the
following recommendations to Council.
CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS
2 Commercial Matter - Lease of Former
Part of |
RECOMMENDED on the MOTION of Councillor Pat
Sheehy AM seconded Councillor Mark Davies CW2 That: 1.
The
information contained in the report on Commercial
Matter - Lease of Former Part of Castlereagh Road, Penrith to National Foods
Limited be received. 2.
Council
grant a new 5 year Licence Agreement to National Foods Limited in accordance
with the terms and conditions as outlined in the report. 3.
The Common Seal of the Council of the City of |
3 Legal Matter - Committee of the Whole Procedures |
RECOMMENDED on the MOTION of Councillor Jim
Aitken OAM seconded Councillor Kaylene Allison CW3 That the information contained in the report on Legal Matter - Committee of the Whole Procedures be received. |
4 Senior Staff Matter |
RECOMMENDED on the MOTION of Councillor Jim
Aitken OAM seconded Councillor Lexie Cettolin CW4 That: 1. The information contained in the report on Senior Staff Matter be received. 2. The recommendations of the Senior Staff Recruitment / Review Committee be endorsed. |
ADOPTION
OF Committee of the Whole
510 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Pat Sheehy AM seconded Councillor Jackie Greenow that the recommendations contained in the Committee of the Whole and shown as CW1, CW2, CW3 and CW4 be adopted.
There being no further business the Chairperson declared the meeting closed the time being 8:14 pm.
PENRITH
CITY COUNCIL
Procedure
for Addressing Meetings
Anyone can request permission to address a meeting,
providing that the number of speakers is limited to three in support of any
proposal and three against.
Any request about an issue or matter on the Agenda for
the meeting can be lodged with the General Manager or Public Officer up until
12 noon on the day of the meeting.
Prior to the meeting the person who has requested
permission to address the meeting will need to provide the Public Officer with
a written statement of the points to be covered during the address in
sufficient detail so as to inform the Councillors of the substance of the
address and a written copy of any questions to be asked of the Council in order
that responses to those questions can be provided in due course.
In addition, prior to addressing the meeting a person
addressing Council or Committee will be informed that they do not enjoy any
privilege and that permission to speak may be withdrawn should they make
inappropriate comments.
It should be noted that speakers at meetings of the
Council or Committee do not have absolute privilege (parliamentary
privilege). A speaker who makes any
potentially offensive or defamatory remarks about any other person may render
themselves open to legal action.
Prior to addressing the meeting the person will be
required to sign the following statement:
“I (name) understand that the meeting I intend
to address on (date) is a public meeting.
I also understand that should I say or present any material that is
inappropriate, I may be subject to legal action. I also acknowledge that I have been informed
to obtain my own legal advice about the appropriateness of the material that I
intend to present at the above mentioned meeting”.
Should a person fail to sign the above statement then
permission to address either the Council or Committee will not be granted.
The Public Officer or Minute Clerk will speak to those
people who have requested permission to address the meeting, prior to the
meeting at 7.15pm.
It is up to the Council or Committee to decide if the
request to address the meeting will be granted.
Where permission is to be granted the Council or
Committee, at the appropriate time, will suspend only so much of the Standing
Orders to allow the address to occur.
The Chairperson will then call the person up to the
lectern or speaking area.
The person addressing the meeting needs to clearly
indicate:
·
Their name;
·
Organisation or group they are representing (if applicable);
·
Details of the issue to be addressed and the item number of the
report in the Business Paper;
·
Whether they are opposing or supporting the issue or matter (if
applicable) and the action they would like the meeting to take;
·
The interest of the speaker
(e.g. affected person, neighbour, applicant, applicants
spokesperson, interested citizen etc).
Each person then has five minutes to make their
address. Those addressing Council will
be required to speak to the written statement they have submitted. Permission to address Council is not to be
taken as an opportunity to refute or otherwise the points made by previous
speakers on the same issue.
The Council or Committee can extend this time if they
consider if appropriate, however, everyone needs to work on the basis that the
address will be for five minutes only.
Councillors may have questions about the address so
people are asked to remain at the lectern or in the speaking area until the
Chairperson has thanked them.
When this occurs, they should then return to their
seat.
Glenn McCarthy
Public
Officer
02 4732 7649
Mayoral Minutes
Item Page
1
2 2008
3 Locals
Recognised in 2008
4
February 2008 |
|
The City in its Broader Context |
|
Mayoral Minute
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Penrith
City Centre provides a comprehensive range of economic and human and lifestyle
services to Outer Western Sydney and Central
I am pleased to advise that the Penrith Local
Environmental Plan 2008 (Penrith City Centre), developed by the Department of
Planning together with Council, was gazetted by the NSW Minister of Planning on
Friday 1st February 2008.
The plan provides a strategic framework for improving the quality and sustainability of development across the City. Council can now move forward with a range of civic improvement and development initiatives which will boost job, business, housing and lifestyle opportunities.
This plan, together with
the Penrith City Centre Vision, Development Control Plan and Civic Improvements
Plan, is part of the NSW Government’s vision to create a strong network of
vibrant regional cities outside the Sydney CBD. Plans have also been finalised
for Gosford, Liverpool,
The draft plans were placed on public exhibition
between 28 November 2006 and 15 February 2007. Following the exhibition, the
documents were reviewed by Council and the Department of Planning’s
Regional Cities Taskforce and the revised Vision, Local Environmental Plan and
Development Control Plan were endorsed by Council at the Ordinary
Meeting of 15 October 2007.
I would like to thank the Council staff who had a key role in the preparation of the Penrith City Centre Plan. The quality of the Plan is due to the hard work and ongoing commitment of these staff who will continue their involvement in its implementation.
Greg Davies
Mayor
That the Mayoral Minute on Penrith City Centre Local Environmental Plan Gazettal be received. |
4
February 2008 |
|
The City as a Social Place |
|
Mayoral Minute
2008
Strategic Program Term Achievement: The
City is widely recognised as a centre of cultural diversity, excellence and
access.
Council’s Australia Day celebrations at the Sydney International Regatta Centre were a great success again this year. An estimated 40,000 people attended the event on Saturday 26th January 2008 and enjoyed an impressive program of high quality entertainment and activities.
We were honoured to be chosen once again as one of four NSW sites to host an Australia Day Premier’s Reception. This recognises the calibre of our facilities and our commitment to celebrating this important day.
Our celebrations received an unprecedented level of television coverage on both mainstream and Foxtel channels, as well as newspaper and radio attention, reflecting the impressive scale and quality of our program on the day.
Our Australia Day Ambassadors, Sydney 2000 Paralympic silver medallist Paul Nunnari and media personality Mike Bailey made a great contribution to the day and I thank them both.
I would also like to
express Council’s gratitude to our many generous sponsors and supporters,
including major corporate partners Integral Energy; the Penrith Lakes
Development Corporation; the Department of Art, Sport and Recreation; and
Woolworths and gold sponsors Richard Eastmead The Good Guys; Petbarn; Penrith Press; JK Williams; Blue
Mountains Bus Company; Blue Scope Steel; SITA Environmental Solutions; Mulgoa
Quarries and Kick FM.
Thank you to management and staff of the Sydney International Regatta Centre for again providing an excellent venue and outstanding service. Thank you to the many volunteers and to all the Council staff involved in the organisation and smooth running of this major event – congratulations to all on a job well done.
Greg Davies
Mayor
That the Mayoral Minute on 2008 Australia Day Celebrations be received. |
4
February 2008 |
|
The City as a Social Place |
|
Mayoral Minute
Locals
Recognised in 2008
Strategic Program Term Achievement: The
City is widely recognised as a centre of cultural diversity, excellence and
access.
Three people from the City of
Congratulations to Cr Ross
Fowler, Mrs Janet Marchant and Dr Frederick Cunliffe who received Order of Australia Medals (OAM) on
Australia Day for their outstanding service to the community.
The Queen approved the institution of the Order of
Cr Ross Fowler OAM was recognised for his service to local government
and to the community. Ross has worked tirelessly for our local community for
many years, giving his time and effort generously and tirelessly in numerous
capacities without expectation of reward. He has been a
Ross is an active member of many Council boards, committees and working
parties and his experience and sage advice, particularly in relation to
financial matters, has been greatly appreciated. Our City’s strong financial
state is no doubt in part thanks to Ross’s steady influence and foresight over
the years.
His many achievements as a councillor include his instrumental role in
setting up Westpool, allowing Western Sydney Councils to pool resources and
save the community hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance premiums. He
has been Westpool’s Chairman for over 10 years. Ross can also take much credit
for securing the whitewater canoe and slalom venue and Olympic event for
Ross has been a volunteer Director of the Australian Foundation for
Disability (AFFORD) charity since 2004. AFFORD provides employment,
accommodation and training for more than 900 people with a disability. He has
also been an active St Marys Rotary Club member for 30 years and is a past
president, board member, club service director, community service director,
international service director, secretary and treasurer. Ross has also been
Secretary of the Penrith Valley Co-operative Housing Society for more than 20
years. The Society offers low cost finance to low income buyers, often helping
people to move out of social housing and become home owners. Ross has
been the Chairman of the Blaxlands Crossing Recreation and Rest Ground Trust
for 30 years.
Mrs Janet Marchant OAM of St Marys has been recognised for
many services to the community, particularly her work for people with a visual
impairment. She was the Station Manager of Radio 2RPH, which provides reading
services for the visually impaired, from 1982 to1993 and was a Board Member for
20 years, including several as Vice-Chair.
Dr Frederick Cunliffe OAM of Penrith, our 2007 Community Achievement Award
recipient, has been recognised for his
work as a local general practitioner and
obstetrician since the 1960s. He was the Panthers Rugby League team’s doctor
for more than 20 years and was also involved in establishing Riding for the
Disabled.
Four local
residents were also honoured in the 2008
Winner of the Sports Achievement Award is Bill
Borg, who has worked tirelessly for over 20 years to build up junior rugby
league in St Clair and across the City.
Diane Walczak and Sister Mary-Louise Petro received the Community Achievement Award.
Diane was recognised for her volunteer work with the local
State Emergency Service, the Red Cross and St Vincent de Paul. Sister
Mary-Louise has been a beacon of
hope for disadvantaged and unemployed people across the City for many years,
particularly through the Mamre Project.
Penrith’s Citizen
of the Year Award was received
by John Bateman. John has been
passionately involved in Penrith community life for many years including as a
businessman and City Councillor. He was a board member of Penrith Rugby League
and Football Clubs and the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, and is an
Executive Member of the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation which he founded as
Mayor in 2000. John has also been a board member and is currently Chairman of
the Penrith Valley Economic Development Corporation. Most recently, John
founded the Nepean Philanthropists, a group dedicated to raising funds for the
Nepean Medical Research Foundation.
Two long-term NSW Rural Fire Service
volunteers were awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal for
distinguished service. Congratulations to Group Captains Stephen Weyman and
On behalf of Council I will forward congratulatory letters to each of these Australian Honours recipients, and I am arranging to meet with them to congratulate them personally in the near future.
Greg Davies
Mayor
That the Mayoral Minute on Locals Recognised in 2008 Australia Day Awards be received. |
Item Page
The City in its Broader Context
1
2 Submission
to the Department of Planning on the Planning Reforms Discussion Paper
The
3 Extension
of Agreement with Hawkesbury City Council for Animal Pound Services
4 Youth
Week 2008
5 Seniors
Week 2008
6 Variation
of Subdivision Control currently applying to Lot 1 DP 20420 (No. 208)
The City In Its Environment
7 Olive
Trees - Soling Crescent, Cranebrook
8 Floodplain
Management Program 2007/2008 - Grant Offer
The City Supported by Infrastructure
9 Severe
Storm on 9 December 2007
Leadership and Organisation
10 Pecuniary
Interest Returns
11 Local
Government Friend of Australian Red Cross
12 2008
Australian Local Government Women's Association NSW Annual Conference
13 Local
Government Sessions, United Nations Climate Change Conference,
14 Council
Property - Electricity Easement for Padmount Substation on Open Space, Lot 10
DP 832179, The
15 Property
Matter - Proposed Road Closing -
16 Summary
of Investments & Banking for the period 1 December to 31 December 2007 and
an Agency Collection Method
URGENT
17 Review
of National Framework for Women in Local Government
The City in its Broader Context
Item Page
1
2 Submission
to the Department of Planning on the Planning Reforms Discussion Paper
4
February 2008 |
|
The City in its Broader Context |
|
The City in its Broader
Context
1 |
|
|
Compiled by: Karin Schicht, Landscape Architecture Supervisor
Authorised by: Craig Ross, Design
and Technical Advice Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Penrith
Lakes is developing and being used in a way that establishes it as a principal
Critical Action: Participate in the planning process for
Purpose:
To advise Council of grant
offers for Stages 4 and 5 of the Great River Walk under the Metropolitan
Greenspace Program 2007/2008 and to seek Council's endorsement for the
acceptance of the grants. The report
also seeks Council's endorsement to lodge an application in this year's
Metropolitan Greenspace Program for Stage 6.
The report recommends that the grants be accepted and that letters of
thanks be sent. The report also recommends
lodgement of the Stage 6 grant application
Background
The Great River Walk is a significant initiative that Council has been pursuing for many years, through a range of funding sources including Council, State and Federal Government grants and private contributions. The project is part of Council’s Major Projects model, through which the funding and expenditure of significant multi-year projects are managed.
A major source of
funding for the Great River Walk has been the Metropolitan Greenspace
Program. The Department of Planning
provides over $2 million per annum to Councils in the
The 2007-08 Metropolitan
Greenspace Program – Building Sydney’s
Recreation Trails, focused on partnerships with local Councils to deliver
projects that will add to
Current Situation
The NSW Department of Planning has approved funding for two grant applications submitted in July 2007 for the Great River Walk.
Stage 4
A grant of $63,250 has been
approved for the Great River Walk Stage 4 West Bank Design, for the area
between the M4 motorway and
Stage
5
At its Ordinary meeting of 23 July 2007, Council endorsed the lodgement of a grant application for Stage 5 – The Missing Links. A grant of $131,500 has now been approved for this stage.
Designs will be undertaken in-house and, in the case of signage, by consultants, with the scope of the project comprising the following:
· River’s Edge – path from the weir to the rowing platform in Weir Reserve;
·
·
· Supplementary Signage (informed by the Signage Branding and Promotions Plan which will commence soon). Opportunities for signage are at: Cassola Place; along streets from Cassola Pl to Old Castlereagh Rd/Regatta Centre; natural interpretive signage at Peachtree Creek; historic interpretive sign for Victoria Bridge; historic interpretative sign for the Weir; Aboriginal cultural heritage interpretive sign (JK Williams area); interpretive signage at the top of the Log Cabin Steps for the punt crossing.
The west bank river’s
edge works will virtually complete the path from Cassola Place through to the
Log Cabin steps, other than a section of the path near the weir that was
deferred as a result of the proposed construction of a water supply pipeline
for Penrith Lakes at this location. This
section of path is approximately 85m in length and was anticipated to be
constructed as part of the pipeline works.
The deferment of the
JK Williams has been selected as the contractor for the civil works component of the river edge component of Stage 5. The deferred section of the path has been discussed with Leigh Hartog of JK Williams, who was also a project partner for the Great River Walk’s earlier sections, and he has indicated a preparedness to construct the deferred section as part of the Stage 5 works as an in kind contribution to the project. The estimated cost of the deferred section is approximately $25,000. This is considered to be a very generous offer.
Project Resource Bids have been submitted for Stages 4 and 5 of the Great River Walk for the 2008-09 Management Plan. The bid for Stage 4 is $63,250 and the bid for Stage 5 is $131,500.
Stage
6
In 2008, the Department
of Planning requires the submission of grant applications for the 2008
Metropolitan Greenspace Program in April, earlier than has previously been the
case. It is proposed to lodge an
application for Stage 6 of the Walk. Stage
6 will initiate delivery of the Great River Walk on the western side of the
river, already popular with locals and in need of improvement, as well as build
upon the momentum of the Walk established through Stages 1 through 5 on the
eastern side of the river. Stage 6 will
be based on the designs and documentation developed in Stage 4 (
The value of the first section of Stage 6 is $170,000, comprising construction costs of $150,000 and associated approvals and co-ordination costs ($20,000). This will negate the need for a formal tending process. It is anticipated announcements of successful grants will be made around September/October 2008. Construction would occur in 2009-10. In the grant application, Council would be seeking funding of $85,000. Council’s matching funds, would be required in 2009-10 and will be the subject of the Project Resource Bid for that year.
Financial Services Manager’s Comments
The Great River Walk has previously been recognised by Council and the Department of Planning as a high priority project. The approval of the above grants for Stages 4 and 5 provides additional evidence of the significance of the project.
It had been proposed that Council’s contribution to match the grant funding would be sourced from the Penrith District Open Space 94 plan. Given the uncertainty that now surrounds the future of this plan, it would be prudent to identify an alternate funding source. To this end, Project Resource Bids totalling $194,750 ($63,250 for Stage 4 and $131,500 for Stage 5) have been lodged for consideration as part of the 2008-09 Management Plan process.
It should be acknowledged that acceptance of the grant, and commencement of works that expend that grant, will commit Council to sourcing the matching funding. If the grant application for Stage 6 is successful then matching funding of $85,000 will be required in 2009-10.
Conclusion
Once Council formally accepts the grants, by way of forms signed by the General Manager, it commits itself to the project. The projects are required to be completed within 24 months.
To date, Penrith City Council has received a total of $726,280 for the
Great River Walk, under the Department of Planning’s Metropolitan Greenspace
Program.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Great River Walk - Stages 4
and 5 Grant Offer be received. 2. Council endorse the acceptance of funding for the Great River Walk, Penrith Stage 4 (West Bank Design) and Stage 5 (The Missing Links) offered under the Metropolitan Greenspace Program 2007/08. 3. Council send letters of thanks to the
Minister for Planning and the Local Member, and to the Great River Walk Inc,
Hawkesbury City Council, 4. Council endorse the lodgement of the application for the 2008 Metropolitan Greenspace Program grant for the Great River Walk Stage 6. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
The City in its Broader Context |
|
The City in its Broader
Context
2 |
Submission
to the Department of Planning on the Planning Reforms Discussion Paper |
|
Compiled by:
Liza Cordoba, Senior Environmental
Planner
Authorised by: Ruth Goldsmith,
Local Planning Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Council’s
preferred positions and priorities relevant to
Critical Action: Engage with
Purpose:
To advise Council of the key
issues arising from the Department of Planning's discussion paper on planning
reforms, particularly their potential impact on Penrith. The report recommends that the submission be
endorsed and forwarded to the Department of Planning.
Summary
In November 2007, the State Government released a discussion paper entitled “Improving the Planning System in NSW” which outlines the latest reforms in an ongoing reform agenda. It is intended that the measures outlined in the paper will complement previous reforms and will lead to significantly reduced processing times for Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) and Development Applications (DAs), particularly small scale applications. The Government has stated that it intends to finalise the reforms early this year, and enact the legislation to implement them by mid 2008.
The discussion paper outlines a number of key changes. These include the introduction of an up front assessment process for LEPs that would see the Department of Planning and other relevant state agencies assess a rezoning proposal prior to a decision being taken to prepare a plan. It also proposes different assessment and consultation processes for LEPs, based on the scale and complexity of the plan, and standard compliance criteria developed by state agencies to reduce the need for referrals. The legal drafting of plans is to be done by Parliamentary Counsel, in accordance with a ‘statement of intent’ developed by Council. State planning instruments are to be rationalised to reduce their number, and mandatory timeframes set for some parts of the process.
The reforms around development assessment propose to introduce a multi layered system of assessment, whereby major applications are determined by the State Government, and regional applications by a Joint Regional Planning Panel or the Planning Assessment Commission. Local development will be generally assessed by Council, but the State Government will have the authority to direct that particular applications will be assessed by an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel. Minor development (under $1m) will continue to be assessed by Council. Another large part of the reforms is to increase the number of applications being assessed as complying development, with proposals for State-wide complying development criteria and changes to the certification process to facilitate this. These proposals include the certification of Council officers by the Building Professionals Board in the same manner as private certifiers.
The paper also makes recommendations relating to increasing the use of ePlanning for lodging and tracking applications; proposes some amendments to the strata management system, primarily to reduce the influence of developers in the early stages of strata occupation; and a number of other miscellaneous changes.
Overall, the general intent of improving the planning system is supported. There are, however, concerns about the wide ranging nature of the proposed reforms, which have the potential to see a decrease in the role of all local councils in both plan making and development assessment. By applying standardised reforms across the state, even well performing councils will be subject to a reduction in planning powers, and therefore the community’s involvement in planning and development matters in their area.
A key issue of concern is the determination of regionally significant applications by planning panels, where the majority of members are appointed by the state government, and the potential for the reforms to remove all planning decisions from Council for developments over $1million. This is a very low threshold, which could see Council unable to determine applications for some large, single dwellings.
The paper also does not reference a role for local government in the initial determination of whether a rezoning proposal should go ahead, creating a situation where the State Government determines all rezoning applications, and directs Council to manage the preparation and consultation process. Mandatory certification of all Council officers under the Building Professionals Board is also a concern, as it does not recognise the circumstances within which Council officers work, and has the potential to further exacerbate the current difficulties with attracting and retaining qualified staff.
A submission to the Department of Planning on the discussion paper is being prepared, and must be submitted by Friday, 8 February 2008. It is recommended that the submission, prepared along the lines of the issues raised in this report, be endorsed.
Background
The State Government has been pursuing a planning reform agenda for a number of years, addressing individual key areas of concern and introducing amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (the Act) and related legislation. The reform process has been far reaching, and has had a number of implications for the way local government operates.
In August 2005, Part 3A was added to the Act, which dealt with the procedures for assessing and determining applications which have been designated as state significant. These reforms introduced a new assessment regime which is overseen by the Department and determined by the Minister, thus moving the consideration of major developments away from Local Government.
On 12 October 2007, the Premier also announced a comprehensive overhaul to the way that contributions from development in NSW are administered for State and local infrastructure. The intent of the changes was to reduce development costs and thereby increase housing affordability. These changes significantly reduce the range of services for which councils can levy, including district facilities, open space, libraries and community facilities. A further report will be presented to Council as information emerges on the new legislation, and the impacts are assessed.
The impetus for the current reform relates to the length of time taken to:
1. determine development applications, particularly minor proposals of a residential nature typically submitted by ‘mom and dad’ applicants; and
2. to prepare Local Environmental Plans.
A number of other, more minor issues have also been included in this round of reforms.
Consultation
process
The discussion paper was released in November 2007, and comments must be submitted to the Department by Friday, 8 February 2008. The release of the discussion paper was preceded by the ‘New Ideas for Planning’ Forum in August 2007, which was attended by relevant stakeholders, including local government and the development industry. This forum provided a limited opportunity to discuss key issues of concern with the Department. A reference group was established to assist in the preparation of the discussion paper and included local government representation.
Once the discussion paper was released, a working group was formed comprising Council officers with expertise and experience in each of these areas. The key issues arising from that group’s analysis of the paper are outlined in this report. The submission has been somewhat hampered by the timing of the release of the discussion paper over Christmas / New Year, but will be prepared on the basis of the information in this report.
Key Issues
The discussion paper is divided into an introduction and nine chapters, which cover the overall need for reform and the key reform areas of plan making (LEPs); development assessment; exempt and complying development; ePlanning initiatives; building and subdivision certification; strata management; paper subdivisions and other miscellaneous amendments.
Each chapter follows a similar format, outlining the current situation and the need for reform, examining relevant key issues, including ePlanning and community involvement and proposing options aimed at addressing the main areas of concern. Where relevant, case studies or additional detail on aspects of the proposed reform are also included. Each chapter concludes with a series of recommendations which summarise the proposed reform initiatives. Comments on each chapter, including the recommendations, are presented below.
Overall need for reform
The discussion paper indicates a need to reduce processing times for minor Development Applications (DAs) and a need for quicker release of residential land to improve housing affordability as the key drivers for reform. Both of these aims are laudable, provided they do not come at the cost of balanced assessment and local democracy. The majority of DAs received relate to residential development, with many applicants being property owners as opposed to major developers. These applications are probably the most significant way in which the planning system directly serves the local community, and it is important that they are handled efficiently and equitably.
The discussion paper draws on a number of regular reports into the performance of local government to justify the need for planning reform. Average DA processing times, number of DAs assessed, number of complying development certificates issued, and time taken to prepare and gazette Local Environmental Plans are all quoted as areas in which some councils are not performing well. The figures quoted, however, are often extreme examples, and there is no discussion of councils at the other end of the spectrum. For example, 12 councils across NSW are quoted as taking an average of over 100 days to assess DAs with a value of less than $100,000. This represents less than 10% of all the councils across NSW. No figures are given for the top performing 10% of councils.
Penrith
City Council, however, is performing well.
In 2006/07, over 98% of applications were determined under delegation
(2,061 of a total of 2,103 applications).
87% of those applications determined were DAs, totalling 1,913
(excluding applications for review under Section 82A). The remaining 13% of applications determined
were Complying Development Certificates (148 of 148 applications).
Council’s net mean determination time for DAs, for the 2006/07 period, was 42 days.
Whilst it is acknowledged that the percentage of applications for Complying Development Certificates (CDCs) can be increased, the discussion paper incorrectly attributes the low uptake of CDCs state-wide to councils’ reluctance to use them. This is certainly not the case in Penrith where experience suggests that applicants are reluctant to lodge an application for a Complying Development Certificate. This may be due to the extent of self assessment required or preferring the certainty of a development application and Council-issued development consent.
A number of other issues are not recognised in the discussion paper. These include the option to prepare a new Act, rather than making further revisions to the current EPA Act. The need to prepare a new Act (rather than continually amend the 1979 Act) has been raised both in professional planning forums and in the media. The current Act is almost 20 years old and has been subject to numerous amendments in an attempt to reflect changes in planning issues as well as to implement the State Government’s reform agenda. Although preparation of a new Act would be a much larger task than amending the current one, it should be discussed as an option.
It is difficult to deny that the planning system can be overly complex, and that these complexities can result in delays in processing development applications and in preparing Local Environmental Plans. The discussion paper does not, however, present a balanced view, and does not recognise that other factors also play a role in delaying applications and LEPs. In recent months the Department has been instrumental in delaying the processing of draft LEPs. For example, draft Penrith LEP 2008 (the Local Plan) was forwarded to the Department in October 2007, with a request that the section 65 certificate be issued to allow exhibition of the plan. This certificate has not yet been issued, almost 4 months later.
The principles upon which reform would be based – responsible resource management, community involvement and shared decision making – are supported. It is not considered, however, that the paper makes a compelling argument for the broad nature of the reforms proposed. By applying the reforms across the state, instead of just those areas demonstrating difficulties, even well performing councils will be subject to a substantial reduction in planning powers, removing the community’s ability to have a say in the detail of development occurring in their area.
Plan making
The reforms around plan making are focussed on reducing the timeframe for the Local Environmental Plan process, from the initial resolution to prepare the plan until it is gazetted. The State Government sees the delays in this process arising primarily from inappropriate initial submissions and a lack of clear direction on what the plan is to achieve when the resolution is first made to prepare it. There is also the view that all plans should not have to go through the same process, and that simple plans (minor spot rezonings, minor changes to the land use table, reclassifications etc) should be able to go through a simpler and faster process than major citywide LEPs, release area plans or major spot rezonings.
It is acknowledged that a plan making system tailored to the scale and complexity of the specific land use changes will assist in the timely delivery of local environmental plans. However, a review focused solely on procedural improvements, without consideration of planning outcomes, may not deliver the sustainable and equitable planning system sought by this reform agenda. There are opportunities in this reform process to also focus on achieving quality outcomes.
Plan Gateways
The paper proposes the introduction of gateway screening for all LEPs, involving the early assessment of the broad suitability of a proposed ‘plan change’ against a set of consistently applied criteria. Different criteria would be set for different types of LEP (LEP ‘streaming’) with proposals which are not consistent with adopted strategic plans undergoing a more detailed scrutiny. Criteria are to include issues such as environmental constraints, infrastructure availability, public benefit, investment certainty / financial viability and consistency with strategic objectives. A justification report would be required for each proposal, to address the criteria and outline the proposed level of community consultation.
The justification report would be considered by the Department and the Minister, who would then make a decision as to whether the proposal should proceed and an LEP be drafted. The timeframe outlined in the discussion paper for this assessment process is 3 – 4 months. It is noted that the Minister will rely on advice from several sources, including the LEP Review Panel and the CEO’s Land Supply Group in making gateway decisions.
Having the initial assessment and consideration occur before the plan making process has officially started should be reflected in an overall reduction in the time required to undertake the formal process. The gateway system would also provide State Government commitment at the outset of the process, particularly where government agencies are consulted prior to a ‘gateway’ decision. Knowing that a proposal has progressed past the gateway stage will provide additional certainty which should assist in financial commitment.
It is critical, however, that the gateway is not used as a mechanism to bypass local government in the LEP process. All relevant stakeholders, including local government, need to be consulted in the preparation of the gateway guidelines/criteria, development of the streaming pathways and determination of the type and level of community consultation. The guidelines should require proponents to submit their proposals to the relevant local authority prior to, or at least at the same time as, the Department of Planning. It is also critical that the Minister be guided by the opinion of the relevant local authority when making the gateway decision.
Plan Streaming
A key component of the gateway process is the associated streaming of LEPs. This relates to placing LEPs into different streams based on their complexity. It is aimed at enabling the level of assessment, processing and consultation to reflect the type, sensitivity and complexity of the proposal. Generally, this concept is supported, as it will operate in a similar way to the different levels of assessment for development applications. Of particular interest is the proposal that minor LEPs be made by Council without the need for sign-off by the Minister, provided they are consistent with the ‘gateway’ proposal. This has the potential to significantly speed up the process for minor LEPs.
Although the concept is supported, the discussion paper does not provide any detail on how the streaming pathways are to be developed. It is vital that all relevant stakeholders, including Local Government and Government Agencies, are consulted. If the pathways and criteria are to be state wide, there may also be a need for some flexibility in the application of the pathways to cater for local circumstances.
The plan making process should retain community consultation as a fundamental and inalienable part of the system and the level of consultation should reflect the type and complexity of an LEP. As the discussion paper makes no recommendations with respect to this issue, the submission to the Department will request that, when the streaming criteria for different types of LEP are developed, the appropriate level of community consultation also be considered and addressed. There should, however, be no restriction on exceeding the set minimums, to cater for circumstances where an LEP may be technically minor, but the subject of significant community interest.
Agency referrals
Consultation with government agencies can be a time consuming part of the LEP process, particularly with more complex or larger proposals, or proposals which require the acquisition of land. Use of the gateway system will facilitate early identification of agency issues and enable them to determine whether they support or object to the proposal at the beginning of the process. It will also enable applicants to determine if there are any key issues which need to be addressed, allowing this information to be prepared, submitted and assessed prior to a decision being made on whether the draft plan should proceed.
Referral procedures during the LEP process should reflect this early work, with no need for further specific referral if the proposal has passed the gateway stage and complies with published agency requirements.
Timeframes
The discussion paper proposes mandating timeframes for various steps in the plan-making process. Mandating timeframes focuses attention, hence effort, on delivering the plan rather than resolving issues and delivering the outcomes desired by the process. It is not clear exactly what penalty would be imposed if timeframes are not met, however it is stated that plans where there is an unresolved issue or that are not meeting timeframes will be referred to an independent body for finalisation. Although the opportunity to refer unresolved objections or issues to an independent body may assist in finalising LEPs in a timely manner, this referral should not be compulsory simply because arbitrary timeframes have not been met.
Efficiency and related improvements in timeframes are best achieved through simplifying and streamlining the plan-making process. The proposed gateway system, streaming of LEPs, codifying agency requirements, delegations to councils to make ‘minor’ LEPs and the opportunity (or requirement) to refer unresolved agency and/or community objections to a Planning Assessment Commission will enhance the efficiency of the plan-making process. Such measures streamline the process without impacting on the quality of the outcome. Mandatory timeframes should not be imposed.
The discussion paper also proposed an amendment to the Act which would enable the Minister for Planning to prepare, make and amend LEPs where there are issues of State or regional significance. The EP&A Act provides the legislative basis for the NSW planning system and has ‘shared decision making’ between State and Local Government as a fundamental principle. The Act establishes a 3 tiered plan-making system whereby State issues are addressed through SEPPs, regional issues through REPs and local issues through LEPs. The Act requires LEPs to be consistent with SEPPs and REPs and the more recently prepared metropolitan and regional strategies. Provisions within LEPs which are not consistent with state or regional plans are automatically overridden. The current legislative regime underpins the collaborative decision making principles of the planning system. Amending the Act to enable the Minister to make or amend LEPs, as well, is unnecessary.
Accountability in Plan-Making
The current LEP process is sequential, encouraging an iterative approach to the resolution of issues raised in processing the plan. This can be time consuming and the Department is seeking to separate policy formulation from plan drafting and enable issues to be dealt with concurrently. Councils would develop and exhibit the policy context of a plan via a ‘statement of intent’, resolve issues arising from consultation, then submit the proposal to the Department for drafting of the legal document (the LEP). The Department proposes a ‘one stop shop’ to work with stakeholders and co-ordinate the resolution of issues arising from drafting the legal plan, and to ensure that the legal document accurately reflects the statement of intent.
Overall, this proposal is supported. The legal text of LEPs can be difficult for the community to understand, and manipulating the legal language to draft an LEP can be difficult. In many cases, councils exhibit a ‘plain English version’ or other form of explanatory document anyway, which performs the same function as a statement of intent by providing the community with a more easily understood description of what the draft LEP will achieve. In addition, checking of a council’s legal drafting of an LEP by Parliamentary Counsel is one of the most consistent sources of delays in plan making. Recognising the actual text of a plan as the legal means of implementing policy will be a step forward in making the plan making process both more efficient and more transparent.
Rationalising SEPPs and REPs
State Environmental
Planning Policies and Regional Environmental Plans are the tools the State
Government has used to address matters of state and regional significance. The preparation of regional and subregional
strategies under the Metropolitan Strategy should provide some meaningful
regional planning. These strategies are
proposed to be implemented by SEPPs and, where appropriate, through LEPs. For example, Sydney REP 25 (Orchard Hills)
and Sydney REP 13 (
The discussion paper raises the option of removing REPs from the planning system, and dealing with regional issues through state and local plans. This initiative is supported, as it will remove a largely superfluous layer from the planning system. The paper also discusses a 50% reduction in the overall number of SEPPs. Again, the idea of reducing the number of SEPPs is supported, however the proportion of the reduction should be based on sound planning grounds, including the assessment of the function of each SEPP, rather than an arbitrary figure.
Content of DCPs
The discussion paper proposes the preparation of guidelines for different levels LEPs and DCPs to identify appropriate content and timeframes for these plans. Although the time taken to prepare DCPs is not raised as an issue of concern elsewhere in the document, the concern with the content of DCPs echoes the concern expressed in relation to LEPs that all local plans and policies should be consistent with state plans and policies.
The issue regarding the introduction of timeframes for the preparation of LEPs is discussed above. These arguments are equally valid with respect to DCPs. DCPs provide greater detail about local planning controls. The proposal to dictate the content of DCPs is contrary to the collaborative decision making principles underpinning the planning system. DCPs must be able to accurately reflect local issues and include local content which cannot, under the standard template, be included in the principle LEP. As with an LEP, any provision within a DCP which is contradictory to a state policy is already automatically invalid. Further amendment to the Act to regulate content is unnecessary.
It is, however, considered useful to standardise the structure of DCPs to assist the community’s understanding of the document. In preparing draft DCP 2008, Council has already discussed the option assisting in the development of a standard format with individual Department officers.
Performance Criteria
The paper expresses an aim of reducing the time taken to prepare LEPs by 50%. Improving the efficiency of the plan making process ensures the economic use of resources and time and as such should be the driving reason for reform. However, measuring the performance of the plan-making system solely on the basis of time taken to prepare the plan, without consideration of planning outcomes, will not deliver the sustainable and equitable planning system sought by this reform agenda. Poor instruments which do not provide a clear, comprehensive outline for development, but which are prepared 50% faster, will not represent an improvement in the plan making process. This concern is accentuated by the lack of empirical evidence to substantiate that the measures proposed in this review can reduce LEP processing times by 50%. There are a number of issues delaying plan making which are not addressed by the options discussed in this paper, and as such it does not represent a comprehensive evaluation of the efficiency of the plan making system.
It is recognised, however, that having a set, measurable goal can be useful in a reform process. It may be appropriate to set a quantitative goal once all councils have had the opportunity to prepare principle LEPs in accordance with the standard template. Attempting to set a goal before these template based principle plans are in place will be meaningless, as the unprecedented level of work being generated for both local government and the Department, particularly the regional teams and Legal Branch, will almost guarantee failure. In the meantime, the Department should undertake a comparison with previous average processing times to measure the success of their previous and current reform agenda.
Development
Assessment
The discussion paper identifies “delays in development assessment” as a key area for reform. Related to this are the issues of inconsistency across the state, the complexity of the system, inefficient use of planning resources and a focus on the process, rather than the outcome.
Although it is agreed that all these issues need to be addressed to improve the operation of the planning system, the discussion paper does not recognise that a number of the complexities and inconsistencies arise from legislative changes and State Planning Policies introduced over the last decade including integrated development approvals, Part 3A – Major Projects, and new State Environmental Planning Policies for residential flat buildings, seniors living, BASIX, exempt and complying development, and more recently for places of public entertainment. These changes have established a complex statutory framework which demands a high level of procedural administration, documentation, technical resourcing and determination of application type. This has the effect of drawing resources away from outcome focused assessment, and fragments decision making.
The overall principles of sustainability, transparency, accountability, efficiency, simplicity, objectivity, consistency and equity which the reforms aim to achieve are supported. A planning system which achieves all of these things will work well for both the community and government. Whilst some of the recommendations proposed in the paper would enhance these principles, others may well exacerbate existing problems by adding additional administrative layers.
Determination and review of applications
The discussion paper proposes a five tier process for determination and review of development applications, based on the complexity and value of the development. The first tier, to remain primarily unchanged, relates to state significant development or any development currently subject to Part 3A of the EPA Act. These would remain within the control of the Minister for Planning. The second tier relates to regionally significant projects, which includes applications by state agencies exceeding $5 million, and other projects exceeding $50 million (eg most retail and commercial developments in the Penrith and St Marys Centres). It is proposed that these be determined by a Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP), if this can be resourced by the local council, or the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC). The JRPP would comprise 3 State appointees and 2 council appointees. A PAC would consist of up to 8 members, all appointed by the State Government.
The third tier is local development, which is proposed to be determined by councils and / or an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (IHAP). Local applications are anything that is not classified as state or regionally significant development, minor development or complying development. The state may direct councils to appoint an IHAP to deal with certain development, including proposals which involve a major variation of existing LEP controls. Minor development (excluding complying development) is classified as development with a value of less than $1 million, and is to be assessed and determined by councils as the fourth tier, and complying development is the fifth tier. It is proposed that all reviews of decisions relating to minor development be referred to a planning arbitrator appointed by council from a register approved by either the PAC or the State Government.
These proposals significantly reduce the role of Local Government as a decision making body. Under these reforms, Council is only responsible for the assessment of development with a value of less than $1m, a large proportion of which will fall within the complying development provisions. Council currently has a number of applications for single dwellings in rural areas which are valued at over $1million which, under the proposed changes, would have to be referred to an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel. Larger development (over $50 million), including shopping centres, industrial complexes and development by State agencies exceeding $5m will be determined by either a Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) or the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC). Council has no voice on the PAC, and will have only two appointees of the 5 members of a JRPP. If the categories of State significant development are expanded the role of the PAC would correspondingly increase.
For all development proposals over $50 million, and potentially some below that amount, State Government appointed / approved boards will replace the decision making roles of democratically elected local representatives, and Council staff. Although it is expected that Council staff will continue to write assessment reports for the consideration of the JRPP, the decision itself will be made by the Panel, rather than by elected councillors. While councils will still develop policies, there is a clear need for a powerful local voice in the implementation of these policies through the assessment process, as it is the local councillors and staff who have the best knowledge of local issues and the best understanding of the expectations of residents who are most affected by the impact of such decisions.
There is also concern
that the proposed hierarchy of decision making would lead to much more complex
administrative and enforcement roles, as well as confusion within the community
as to who is making decisions about development. This may in fact result in additional delays
in determining development proposals. As
demonstrated by our statistical data, the current decision making processes are
not an impediment to efficiency in
Development assessment process
The areas targeted by
the discussion paper in the assessment process are DA requirements, integrated
development and concurrences, development consents and modifications and
fees. Inadequate supporting information
is a major source of delays in the development assessment process. The paper advocates tailoring information
requirements to suit the type of development in order to reduce the number of
applications received where additional information is required. The paper offers either the option of Council
preparing simple guidelines for applicants outlining the minimum requirement
for plans, report and studies to reflect the type of development under
assessment, or that these requirements be standardised across the state. It also recommends that ePlanning be used as
a tool to speed up lodgement and minimise the number of incomplete applications
lodged, and expanding the time to refuse an inadequate application from
This proposal has significant potential to improve assessment times through improving the quality of applications and giving Council more time to reject inadequate proposals. Consistency across the State would be a good thing in this instance. Council is already developing a set of consistent submission requirements for different development types as a part of drafting Penrith DCP 2008. The use of ePlanning in this area is also supported, though more detailed comments on the implications of ePlanning are provided later in this report.
Council’s pre-DA Advisory Panel provides another opportunity for reducing assessment times, and has been very effective. It will be suggested that this approach could be required more broadly across the state.
The discussion paper proposes to look at reducing referrals to government agencies in favour of clearer guidelines and the potential accreditation of Council assessment processes. This means that in cases where a proposal complies with set guidelines from government agencies (such as the RTA, RFS, DECC etc.) a formal referral as part of the assessment process will not be required. This also has the potential to significantly reduce processing times, as in many cases the responses received in response to referrals simply reflects known best practice, which has already been considered in either the preparation of the application, the Council assessment or both.
The paper proposes that a series of state wide standard conditions be developed, to cover the areas of approved plans and contributions, requirements prior to issue of a construction certificate, requirements prior to works, requirements during works; requirements prior to occupation / subdivision certificate and operational requirements. This again could have significant benefits across the state, provided there is still the flexibility for councils to develop specialised conditions to deal with local circumstances or features of individual development proposals.
The paper also looks at modifications to development consents under section 96. Modifications can have a significant impact on assessment processes, as they too require resources to assess and determine. Limiting the overall number of modifications that can be made to a consent is one option, while providing councils greater flexibility to issue modified consents to correct errors in the original consent is another. Generally these proposals are supported, though they should be implemented in conjunction with greater flexibility to include detail in the construction certificate application.
Deemed refusals are another issue looked at by the paper, as an area that could be modified to better reflect the different types and scales of application. The recommendations outline a series of ‘deemed to comply’ periods, after which time consent is assumed to have been granted (rather than refusal, as is currently the case). These time periods are:-
- Ten days for complying development
- Twenty days for DAs not requiring exhibition
- Forty days for small scale development
- Sixty days for medium scale development
- Ninety days for development equivalent to designated development
The extension of the 40 day time limit for more significant development is welcomed, however the number of categories outlined seems excessive and there is no provision for extension of these timeframes where proposals include significant non compliance with adopted plans and policies. Council currently addresses this situation by aiming to have a percentage of determinations made within a set time period. This provides greater flexibility than setting a single figure for all applications.
The final area discussed by the paper is fees. It is recognised that DA fees sometimes do not reflect the overall cost of the service provided to assess them. It is proposed to make changes to enable councils to match fees to service for both DAs and section 96 modification. This would include being able to charge additional fees if proposals are changed substantially during assessment, and extend the ability to charge for operational and compliance matters.
These proposals are supported. Councils fund the development of policy, and providing applicants comply with these policies costs and delays are minimised. Allowing full fee recovery for Development Applications will enable councils to vary charges where there is non compliance and additional assessment is needed. The shortage of qualified planning professionals in local government has been well documented in recent years and experienced first hand by Penrith City Council. There must be a nexus between fee-structure (regulated by the State) and resourcing to address customer expectations.
Exempt and Complying development
Exempt and complying
development aims to enable small scale, minor or routine development proposals
to occur either without consent (exempt development) or with only a limited
assessment (complying development) to ensure they comply with set
standards. Applicants with complying
developments can choose to have their proposal assessed either by council or by
a private certifier. The paper states
that councils’ reluctance to use exempt and complying development provisions is
significantly increasing the number of DAs requiring assessment across the
state, and it therefore sets a target of 40% to 50% of all proposals to be
dealt with as complying development. The
paper does not recognise that the initial choice regarding use of exempt and
complying development provisions rests with the applicant. Experience in
There are currently 115 different sets of complying development standards across the state. The discussion paper outlines the preparation of a mandatory default code, which would provide state wide standards for a range of development including housing, residential alterations, industrial development within industrial estates, and fit outs and small scale modifications for commercial and retail development. The code is proposed to be developed in a manner that would provide flexibility to cater for different development circumstances (infill, new release, coastal, rural etc) and different land characteristics (slope, lot sizes etc.).
The proposal to provide greater uniformity of requirements for exempt and complying development is supported. There is some concern that state wide mandatory guidelines may be either too general to be of any benefit or too restrictive in accommodating local concerns, however the paper does provide the option for Council to develop their own codes, which must be generally consistent with the state code but which can include additional standards to respond to local development issues.
Council developed codes would have to be accredited by the State Government and would have to be consistent with a predetermined template. There would be no option to exclude categories of complying development outlined in the template, though there would be the opportunity to include additional categories. This again causes some level of concern, as there may be categories of complying development which may be appropriate in some areas but not in others. This could require the exercise of discretion normally outside the responsibility of private certifiers. The timeframe proposed for this initiative is also of significant concern – the paper recommends that the mandatory default code to be applicable to all councils across the state by July of this year.
An alternative is to develop regional guidelines that will provide some level of consistency across a region but also have the flexibility to respond to local issues. Councils could develop regional controls through their respective Regional Organisation of Councils (ROCs). This would ensure that the developed standards are relevant for the physical characteristics of particular areas (eg coastal, rural, mixed uses area etc) and also provide some opportunity to reflect the standards for development expected by the community. The opportunity to develop some local standards would need to be retained.
The discussion paper also recognises the inflexibility of the complying development system, which currently means that even the smallest non compliance with the standards result in the refusal of a complying development application and a requirement for a DA. The paper proposes that the legislation be modified to allow conditions to be attached to complying development certificate to either comply with the standard, if the variation is not justified, or agree to the variation if it is considered to be justified. In the latter case, the certificate would be referred to Council to confirm that the variation was minor and justifiable, giving Council seven days to assess the proposal and either agree with the private certifier’s approach or call the application in for further assessment.
This system would, however, generate a significant demand on Council resources. Although the paper allows for Council to recover a fee for applications referred, this fee is unlikely to cover the cost of having staff on “stand by” to assess and determine non-compliance within 7 days. Further, the administrative arrangements are likely to lead to additional red tape with resultant delays or significant issues not being adequately assessed. Conditions of approval should only be used to clarify uncertainty, and not to make a non-complying proposal compliant.
A preferable system would be to require that development involving variations can be assessed only by Council certifiers, but specify that the supporting information submitted with the application address only that area in which the proposal is non compliant. This system would be far simpler, and clearly identifies respective responsibilities. The suggested timeframe for minor DAs which do not require exhibition is 20 days, while the timeframe suggested for complying development is 10 days. When the requirement for a 7 day referral for non compliance is added to the 10 day complying development processing time, the difference is only 3 days. Given that in many cases the non compliance could be assessed at the same time as the remainder of the development, requiring that all the assessment be done by Council would actually result in a quicker processing time.
The paper recognises that one of the key issues with complying development is concern within the community that, once complying development standards are adopted, dwellings could be erected without any mandatory consultation with neighbouring land owners. The paper proposes that a non-mandatory consultation could be encouraged, or that a mandatory requirement for a ‘courtesy notice’ outlining the development proposed could be introduced. The courtesy notice would have to clearly state that if a development complies with the standards, it would receive automatic approval. The paper also suggests that a summary of exempt and complying development could be attached to 149 certificates, to provide purchasers with information as to what is permissible in their area either without consent or as complying development.
Although more information may address community concerns with complying development and increase its use, the proposal to summarise all exempt and complying development provisions for attachment to a section 149 certificate has the potential to be a significant task. Schedules 2 and 3 of draft Penrith LEP 2008 are 29 and 15 pages long respectively. This would undoubtedly increase as the State Government pushes for more types of development to be included and, as the current rules for drafting LEPs does not allow these schedules to reference other documents, including DCPs, all relevant standards must be replicated in the schedules. It may not be possible to summarise these standards to the point where they are both short enough to be able to be attached to every section 149 certificate, but include enough detail to be meaningful.
ePlanning
ePlanning refers to the use of computers, particularly the internet, to lodge and track development applications, check statistics relating to development in an area and research relevant rules and regulations. ePlanning is a tool that can be used to substantially improve access to information both within council and between Council and the community.
There is a need for individual councils to develop systems that cater for the scale of local demand. These systems, however, can be a customised version of an overall approach, and there is a significant advantage for users if councils use a consistent ePlanning approach, rather than each individual Council having its own system. The State Government’s proposed reforms for ePlanning now appear to impose the full cost of developing and implementing ePlanning systems on local government by using a decentralised approach. An earlier proposal saw the Department of Planning being responsible for a State-wide system to support local councils. Abandoning a state funded approach is explained in the discussion paper by stating that “… the State-wide portal is expensive and takes many years to develop.”
The decentralised model proposed by the reforms is also expensive, particularly as costs would be duplicated for each council. A complete planning system (DA tracking, assessment and LEP tracking) involves multiple modules. Each module must be individually purchased and maintained, with up front costs per module of $40,000 to $60,000, and similar per annum costs for each module for maintenance. As well as the ePlanning software costs, establishing online systems is time consuming and diverts resources away from other areas. There are hidden costs of business process review, project management and staff training costs. Individual council operations will also need to adjust to doing business in a more public arena. A conservative cost estimate is outlined below:
Sample Item |
Quantity |
Estimated Cost |
Purchase Modules (2008) |
$60,000 x 3 |
$180,000 |
Maintenance (2008-2011) |
$60,000 x 3 |
$180,000 |
Staff Costs x 5 (2008 – 2011) |
$60,000 x 5 |
$300,000 |
Cost to one Council |
TOTAL |
$660,000 |
In addition to directly related software and staff costs, there are also more general software costs that relate to handling electronic data and ensuring that staff can make best use of the ePlanning systems. Specific software is required to view CAD files for DAs, make onscreen measurements and “stamp” and annotate plans. Additional hardware is also required, such as larger screens to view plans and faster PCs to process data and higher resolution maps. These will add to the above estimate of ePlanning costs.
Given the magnitude of the task, and the cost to local government as a whole (the costs discussed above will be replicated for every council across the state) the current decentralised option is a false economy, and directs the costs of a State Government required reform to local councils. There are a number of options to make the implementation of ePlanning more efficient and affordable, including:-
1. The State Government provide funding to encourage development of a co-ordinated approach across regions (eg all WSROC councils to be online by 2009). These programs could then deliver flow-on benefits to smaller and regional councils (and ROCs) that don’t have the resources individually.
2. State Government and Local Government (with their substantial combined purchasing power) work together to negotiate flexible contracts for software and hardware supply. A discounted rate or agreed price schedule should be provided for taking up the offer within a specified time.
The one major disadvantage to ePlanning is that it only makes information more accessible to those that have computer access, and who are also comfortable with the language. Council will still need to provide targeted consultation opportunities, particularly to those that cannot access information on line, or are from non-English speaking backgrounds.
It also needs to be recognised that ePlanning systems operate within the context of broader council functions. Areas such as finance, mapping, property, legal, risk management, records and governance will also be impacted by the introduction of ePlanning. Councils will need to address issues such as the security of electronic signatures, online payments, IT architecture and corporate approaches to data integration.
There is no doubt that there will be advantages when ePlanning systems
are up and running and many routine enquiries can be handled on line. Whilst these advantages will flow to both
Council staff and the community, the benefits will not be apparent until the
ePlanning systems are built, tested, and settled in This will realistically take several years,
during which time the stress of building and learning new systems at the same
time as managing existing workloads and maintaining a level of service to the
community, needs to be recognised.
Building and subdivision certification
As discussed above, a key part of the planning reforms proposed is an
increase in the type and number of applications that can be handled as exempt
or complying development. Exempt
development does not require any form of assessment or certification. Complying development requires the issue of a
complying development certificate by either Council or a private certifier.
If there is to be a significant increase in the amount of development
certified as complying (the target over 4 years is up to 50% of all
applications being complying development) there must be confidence in the
systems under which that certification takes place. Currently, approximately 30% of complying
development certificates are issued by private certifiers, with the remainder
issued by councils. The discussion paper
indicates not only that the number of complying development certificates should
increase, but also the proportion issued by private certifiers, to free up
Council resources. The reforms therefore
also need to address the currently expressed concerns with the private certifier
system, to encourage more people to choose private certifiers. Key issues of concern include the perceived
conflict of interest arising from close relationships between certifiers and
developers; management of the accreditation process; and the enforcement issues
which arise when assessment or inspections are not done correctly.
Conflict of interest
Concerns have arisen that the volume of work processed by private
certifiers for particular developers has resulted in the certifier effectively
operating as an employee of the developer.
Questions then arise over the willingness of that certifier to make an
independent assessment of proposals from that developer. In response, the paper proposes that a limit
be placed on the overall number of certificates for minor development that can
be issued by any one certifier to any one developer in a calendar year. For certification of construction
certificates for larger developments, it is proposed that the Building
Professionals Board (BPB) be able to allocate a certifier, with the developer
having the right to reject the first two nominations.
Reforms to limit close relationships between developers and certifiers
will go some way to combating perceived conflicts of interest. It is suggested, however, that for major
developments the BPB should nominate three certifiers to the landowner, who
must select one. This removes the
developer from the formal process and provides a further level of
separation.
Accreditation process
At present, private certifiers must be accredited by the Building Professionals
Board (BPB), and their level of accreditation reflects experience and
qualifications. Ongoing accreditation is
dependent on the individual undertaking continual professional development and
holding the relevant insurance cover.
Councils and Council employees do not currently need to be certified,
and there is no option for private corporations to be certified, only
individuals.
Additionally, technical experts and building designers do not need to
be accredited. This can result in a
situation where an accredited certifier is relying on advice from a
non-accredited person to determine whether or not critical building elements
(eg fire safety systems) have been properly installed. This situation is not acceptable, and reforms
aimed at increasing accountability for the crucial role of designers and
technical experts are supported.
The paper presents a number of options for reform. Potentially the most controversial is the
proposal to require corporate accreditation of councils, and individual accreditation
of Council officers. This has been
proposed as a way of ensuring that all certifiers, regardless of their
employer, have the same standard of qualification and experience; however it
does not recognise that certifiers working for a Council are operating under a
totally different and more regimented system than those in private
practice.
Councils have a hierarchy and a system of delegations that matches the
skills and knowledge of staff to the importance and input of decisions. There is automatic supervision of junior
staff by those with more experience.
Councils are also accountable to ICAC, the Ombudsmen and the community
for the proper discharge of their responsibilities. This is a system of controls that has, in
past experience, generally been effective.
Council certifiers are solely responsible for
undertaking enforcement action in relation to projects certified by Council or
private certifiers. This enforcement
role will automatically expose Council certifiers to more complaints to the
BPB. It is not reasonable to implement a
system that is likely to increase the exposure of Council officers to
complaints that arise from dissatisfied developers or residents due solely to a
proper discharge of their duties. The
cost to Council of defending such complaints is also unable to be
recovered. Additionally, councils cannot
refuse to accept an appointment as a certifier, resulting in Council being
responsible for a higher proportion of difficult, complex and problematic
development. Such developments have a
far greater potential for complaints to the BPB.
The paper recommends that Council staff would
be granted automatic certification to A3 level, which would permit issue of
certificates for Class 1 and Class 10 buildings only (primarily dwellings and
carports). Staff wishing to obtain a
higher level of certification would need to undergo the same process as private
certifiers.
There is no compelling case for accreditation
of individual Council certifiers. The
proposal appears to be the result of claims of inequality between the
requirements that apply to Council and private certifiers. As Council staff and private certifiers
operate under different conditions it is reasonable to apply different requirements. In addition to the enforcement issues raised
above, Councils are also seen as the major training ground for young building
professionals who later move into the private sector. Local Government is shouldering the bulk of
the training obligations of the certification industry. Councils are also struggling to recruit and
retain professional staff. This problem
will be exacerbated if the obligations and responsibilities that are associated
with being an accredited certifier are transferred personally to Council
officers.
A preferred approach is to accredit Councils
and stipulate the competencies that must be attained and maintained by their
staff. The continued accreditation of
the Council would be based on the Council employing staff who meet the required
competencies. The Council would also be
responsible for ensuring that the complaints about the performance of their
staff are appropriately investigated and suitable action taken.
If Council staff are to be accredited, the
majority should be accredited at the A2 level rather than the proposed A3
level, subject to the support of their Council.
The current proposal of accrediting at A3 level will limit the supply of
suitable Council certifiers, will increase the costs to applicants, and restrict
Council’s ability to resource certification functions given that Councils are
unable to refuse such work (for example, Council being asked to act as a
replacement principal certifying authority).
In addition, the proposed accreditation
process for Council officers does not address the subdivision certificate
process or construction certificates for subdivision works. It is unclear if this is an omission, or the
intent of the reforms is to prevent Councils issuing construction certificates
for subdivision works or other engineering works.
Implementation of the reforms as outlined in
the paper is likely to result in many unexpected and undesirable
consequences. There is an urgent need
for further consultation and consideration as the reforms may well result in a
wide range impediments to the delivery of efficient and effective building
certification service. If the reforms
are to proceed as indicated then, as a minimum, some basic deemed accreditation
should be granted for subdivision works and certification in line with the
proposal for building works. There
should also be a reasonable timeframe for the implementation of this aspect of
the reforms to allow Council officers to gain the appropriate levels of
accreditation.
Enforcement
The discussion paper makes it very clear that the State Government
believes councils should be the sole enforcement authority for issues arising
from both poor performance of certifiers and non compliance with conditions of
consent. This means that Council will
continue to be responsible for the problems caused by the certification system,
with certifiers themselves not required to shoulder any responsibility for poor
performance. The paper states that any
concern about making Council the sole enforcement authority will be off set by
providing more powers and additional fees / fines to make the process cost
neutral.
Penrith Council takes an active role in enforcing development consent
conditions regardless of the certifier.
There are however, problems with the current system for which councils
should not be accountable. Where private
certifiers are appointed as the principal certifying authority (PCA), Council
not only is not adequately recompensed if they are required to undertake
enforcement action, but is often unaware of problems until it is too late to
gather evidence that can be used in court proceedings.
A preferred system would stipulate that Council takes any necessary
enforcement action where it is appointed as the PCA and that private certifiers
report non compliance with the development consent to the BPB. The Board would be better informed about the
activities of the certifiers it accredits, and could undertake any necessary
enforcement action using the evidence gathered by the private certifier. This reduces the likelihood of councils being
criticised for reporting ‘competitors’ to the BPB, and encourages private
certifiers to be more vigilant and take greater ownership of development
consent conditions. Councils and
accredited certifiers should have the power to issue ‘stop work’ and ‘cease
occupation’ orders for non compliant buildings or developments.
It is suggested in the discussion paper that builders and developers
who comply with conditions would be unfairly treated by a levy system. An effective enforcement system that identifies
and imposes appropriate penalties on repeat offenders, and improves confidence
and trust in the development industry, delivers benefits to all parties. Levy systems have operated successfully for a
number of years for builders insurance and plan making. This is a similar proposal that provides a
vast improvement over the current arrangements.
It is unlikely that the cost of enforcement activities will be
recovered by fines or court imposed cost orders. This requires further examination and
development of a better approach to cost recovery.
The discussion paper does not clarify who is responsible for
enforcement of development conditions when the consent is issued by the PAC or
JRPP. This should not be a role that
Council is forced to undertake.
Another related issue is the practice of using building certificates as
retrospective approvals for unauthorised building works. An increase in fees is proposed to combat
this. The proposed increase in fees
should provide full cost recovery.
Penrith Council has adopted, as part of its Management Plan, a fee for
the provision of professional services.
It is recommended that all councils be encouraged to adopt similar fees
and that these be used to determine new fees for building certificate
applications for unauthorised work.
Certification of subdivisions
The discussion paper also covers private certification of subdivisions. Generally, the need for reform in this area is questioned, as the issue of a subdivision certificate is usually completed in a matter of a few weeks, sometimes less for simple applications. This usually occurs at the end of a lengthy rezoning, DA assessment and construction process that potentially can last several years. A few additional weeks at this stage is unlikely to have a significant impact on the overall timeframe for land release.
The certification
process for
The bulk of the work in the subdivision certificate process involves the final inspection of the works, review of Works as Executed plans and assessment and refund of bonds, review of the draft Deposited Plan and review of section 88B and 88E instruments. There appears to be little to gain from involving private certifiers in this process as the majority of work must be done in conjunction with Council. The discussion paper presents a recommendation which would enable a developer to select a private certifier from a list identified by Council. Although this appears to be a reasonable approach, it may leave Council open to accusations of favouritism or restriction of trade. The method of this procedure would need to be carefully documented in the Act and/or Regulations to ensure an appropriate process is in place.
In addition, the issue of subdivision certificates by private certifiers should be restricted to circumstances where:
- No more than three lots are involved
- All lots are greater than the minimum area specified in the relevant
planning instrument
- There are no works on existing public infrastructure involved
- No new public infrastructure is to be constructed
- No easements, restrictions as to user, positive covenants etc involving
the Council or Council assets are involved.
Penrith City Council currently includes strata subdivision as complying development. However, it is not commonly used by developers, which is partly due to the relatively efficient service provided by Council in processing these types of applications.
Miscellaneous amendments
The discussion paper talks about a number of other miscellaneous amendments intended to improve the certification system. Generally these are supported. In particular, the review of occupation certificates is welcomed, as a number of issues have arisen with occupation certificates for some classes of buildings. Additionally, the proposal to enable conditions to be imposed on a construction certificates is strongly supported. The current system is cumbersome, complex and does not provide any significant benefit to developers or the community.
Strata management
The chapter on reform of strata management focuses on issues relating
to the ongoing involvement of developers in strata schemes, even when the
majority of units have been sold to private owners. There is concern that developers are using
ongoing involvement to improperly restrict owner’s rights, and that owners are
in some cases ill-informed of their rights and obligations.
The issues of concern over strata management do not relate to areas
which are normally part of Council’s operations. As a general principle, introducing measures
that will facilitate redevelopment of strata sites is supported. Similarly, preventing developers from
allocating community areas to individuals is also supported, though with the
understanding that if the owners’ corporations have the right to determine the
usage of common areas, that usage must still be consistent with the approved
plans and conditions of consent. Other
recommendations relate to disputes between residents and developers, and have
little relevance to Council.
Paper subdivisions
Paper subdivisions refer to subdivisions which exist on paper only –
the lots each have separate title but have never been supplied with the
required infrastructure to enable them to be developed. In some cases the subdivisions were designed
with no reference to topography, or other environmental constraints, and the
lots will never be able to be developed.
In other cases there are no significant environmental constraints, but
fragmented ownership has been a major prohibiting factor in funding the
required infrastructure.
The issue of paper subdivisions is not a significant one for
The discussion paper proposes that the State Government intervene to
facilitate paper subdivisions where there are no significant environmental
constraints, but fragmented land ownership has prevented redevelopment. Intervention schemes would only be introduced
where at least 60% of landowners owning at least 60% of the affected land
agree. Whilst there are no objections to
the approach in general, any proposals in the City would have to be considered
on their individual merits.
Miscellaneous amendments
The reforms are also proposed to cover a number of issues that do not
neatly fall within any of the broader areas already discussed. Those most relevant to Penrith are outlined
below:
Lapsing of development consents
Currently a development consent lapses after 5 years unless work has
commenced. The courts have, however,
held that ‘commencement’ may include such minor works as placing survey pegs in
the ground. It is proposed to modify the
legislation to clarify ‘commencement’ and ensure that it is a reasonably
significant part of the development.
This proposal is supported.
Standard Instrument
The discussion paper proposes an amendment to section 65(1A) of the EPA
Act to enable exhibition of plans that are substantially in accordance with the
standard instrument. This will provide
greater flexibility in preparing and exhibiting plans, and is supported.
The paper also proposes a provision be added to the Act to remove the
requirement for re-exhibition of a plan, if the amendments proposed after
exhibition are only necessary to bring the plan into compliance with the
standard instrument. At present, if an
LEP is likely to be significantly different as a result of changes following
exhibition, councils are required to readvertise. This provision creates some conflict, in that
changes to the template may well constitute substantial changes that would
normally have to be exhibited, but as it will be compulsory for councils to
adopt them, the process of exhibiting to gain community input on the proposals
is redundant. It may be appropriate, if
this proposal is introduced, for Council to coordinate an information process
to advise the community of the changes, without inviting comment. Alternatively, a provision should be
introduced requiring major changes to the Standard Template to be exhibited by
the Department of Planning prior to adoption.
Exhibition of planning
agreements
The paper proposes to clarify the circumstances under which planning
agreements must be re-exhibited.
Generally this is supported, provided the amendments do not fetter
Council’s discretion to re-exhibit if it feels it is necessary.
Land and
Two amendments are proposed to the operation of the Land and
The second relates to the modification of applications once the appeal
process has started. Currently
applicants have significant freedom to modify applications, resulting in a
situation where the final application determined by the Court can be substantially
different to the original and, had the final application been presented to the
Council in the first place, it may well have been approved. Two options are discussed, either to limit
the extent to which an application can be modified, or to allow the court to
assess the new proposal, but only after a refusal of the original proposal has
been formally recorded and costs awarded.
In both cases the modified application would require reconsideration and
re-exhibition.
Requirements for compulsory mediation in the Land and
Statement of Environmental
Effects
A recent decision of the Court has found that a Development Application
can still be valid even if no Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) has been
submitted. It is proposed to amend the
legislation to address this, and ensure that an SEE must be submitted with
every DA.
Although it is critical that some level of assessment be submitted with
a DA., the requirement for a Statement of Environmental Effects should follow
the principles of the other reforms, and be tailored to the complexity of the
application. For example, in the case of
an ‘almost complying’ application, where the proposal would be complying
development but for minor inconsistencies, the SEE should only address the
inconsistencies. It is also critical
that for more significant applications, the SEE be prepared by a qualified, certified
professional. In some cases there are
inaccuracies in the information submitted to support a DA, and there is no
indication of the qualifications of the person writing the statement. A requirement that the statement be prepared
by a certified, qualified and identified person, would help encourage those
preparing the statements to take responsibility for the information contained
within them.
Trial operating periods
It is proposed to modify the Act to enable a condition to apply to a
consent that requires a trial operation period for a development, before final
consent is granted. This is intended to
allow councils to assess the impact of a proposal once it is operating, in
situations where that impact is impossible to tell prior to operation (such as
with licensed premises) or to check that the operating procedures proposed will
in fact mitigate impacts (such as with industrial premises). Generally, this idea is supported, however
the legislation should specify the maximum duration of a trial period, and
whether or not consecutive trial periods can be required.
Planning panels
Currently the Minister can appoint a planning panel to make or amend
LEPs, or if a Council has unsatisfactory performance in all of the areas listed
under section 118(9) of the EPA Act. It
is proposed to extend the power of these panels to be able to make DCPs and
contributions plans as well, and to allow their appointment if a Council has
unsatisfactory performance in only some of the areas listed under section
118(9).
Extension of the powers of the Minister, directly or indirectly, is a
major focus of these reforms. Enabling
Minister-appointed planning panels to prepare DCPs and contributions plans will
extend these powers further into local policy making. The paper does not provide any significant
detail on the circumstances under which these powers will be used. Similarly, regarding panels appointed to deal
with matters under section 118(9), the paper does not specify whether a panel
appointed due to poor performance in some areas will only have the authority to
deal with those areas, or whether they will have full authority. It seems unreasonable to appoint a panel in
response to a particular problem which then has the authority to deal with
other areas, which were being adequately handled by the Council. The current focus of these proposals is not
supported.
Urban renewal schemes
It is proposed to allow compulsory acquisition of land in circumstances
where land is necessary for urban renewal schemes that have been adopted by the
Council and endorsed by the State Government, and where all other mechanisms to
acquire that land have failed. It is
also proposed to allow easements to be granted by the Court.
These amendments appear reasonable, as they will prevent situations
where urban renewal schemes are halted due to one owner’s inability to come to
terms with the relevant acquiring agency.
Modifications to part 3A
It is proposed to amend part 3A of the Act to allow tailoring of the
assessment of major projects depending on their nature and scale. It is also proposed to allow the Minister to
delegate all of his functions under part 3A except project applications and
concept plan approvals.
Part 3A came into force in August 2005 and has already been amended on
a number of occasions. Objections are
not raised to the proposed delegation of some of the Minister’s functions, and
tailoring major project assessment is also considered reasonable, does
demonstrate the consequences of hastily prepared legislation. If it is proposed to reduce the required
assessment for more minor projects under part 3A, the Department should give
some thought to whether or not these projects should remain within part 3A at
all, or be removed from the operation of this part all together.
Section 96
It is proposed to modify the Act to allow time periods in deferred
commencement consents to be modified under section 96, and to allow applicants
to request a review of a determination in relation to a section 96 application. These are both reasonable proposals, and are
supported.
Timetable and
program for reform
The State Government is
planning on moving quickly through the reform program. The Discussion Paper was released for comment
in November 2007, with comments due on
Although the Discussion Paper is formally out for comment, the timetable proposed must bring into question the sincerity of the consultation process, as it does not provide much opportunity for comments received to be incorporated into the draft legislation. Accordingly, Council’s submission is being prepared with the suggested changes clearly outlined, to make it as simple as possible to incorporate them into the legislation. Additionally, those areas which are lacking in detail or which require further consideration are to be highlighted, and it is to be recommended that they be removed from this reform process and reconsidered at a later date.
Despite this, it must be
recognised that there is a significant likelihood that the reforms will proceed
generally as outlined in the discussion paper, with little or no
amendment. This could have significant
impact on the way in which Council operates, and the influence Council can have
over development in the City of
Conclusion
The principles behind the reforms outlined in the Department’s discussion paper are generally supported. There can be no doubt that a simpler planning system, with the flexibility to reflect the complexity of the proposal, will provide a better service to the community and represent a much more efficient use of increasingly scare planning resources. Development approvals and assessments are a key feature of the planning system, and the area most likely to impact on the community. An efficient rezoning process can facilitate development of all types, and may go some way to increasing housing affordability.
The scope of the reforms, however, are far reaching and have the potential to significantly impact on each Council’s involvement in planning for its area. Key concerns include the multitude of layers for development assessment, the potential for local government to lose its input as to whether a rezoning application should proceed, and the requirement for individual Council officers to be certified by the Building Professionals Board. In a number of areas the imposition of the reforms on all councils, instead of just those experiencing difficulties in the timely processing of applications or draft LEPs, cannot be justified.
There is also significant doubt that the reforms proposed will, in fact, streamline the system. In some cases the reforms appear to add levels of complexity, and in many cases they increase the level of State Government involvement in local issues. Given the difficulties the State Government is having with resourcing its current planning obligations, it seems unlikely that increasing its role will reduce delays within the system.
Constant, numerous amendments to the Act must be questioned, and the Government is encouraged to consider if the development of a new Act for the future, in collaboration with Local Government and the development industry, would deliver an integrated and improved system and good quality outcomes.
Council has until
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Submission to the
Department of Planning on the Planning Reforms Discussion Paper be received. 2. Council endorse the presentation of a submission to the Department of Planning, based on the matters outlined in this report, in response to its Planning Reforms Discussion Paper. |
There are no attachments for this report.
The
Item Page
3 Extension
of Agreement with Hawkesbury City Council for Animal Pound Services
4 Youth
Week 2008
5 Seniors
Week 2008
6 Variation
of Subdivision Control currently applying to Lot 1 DP 20420 (No. 208)
4
February 2008 |
|
The City as a Social Place |
|
The City as a
3 |
Extension
of Agreement with Hawkesbury City Council for Animal Pound Services |
|
Compiled by: Noel Fuller, Coordinator Ranger and Animal Services
Authorised by: Barry Ryan, Waste and
Community Protection Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Strategies
are in place to respond to the social and health needs of the community.
Critical Action: Implement strategies that promote
responsible ownership of Companion Animals.
Purpose:
To inform Council of the
option to extend the services of Hawkesbury Animal Shelter for a further three,
one year periods. The report recommends
that Council approve the extension of services with Hawkesbury Animal Shelter
for a further three, one year periods, and that the Waste and Community
Protection Manager be authorised to enter into an agreement with Hawkesbury
City Council to operate animal pound services for the extended three, one year
periods.
Background
On 1 October 2002, Penrith City Council commenced an agreement with Hawkesbury City Council which terminated on 30 September 2007. The agreement with Hawkesbury City Council is to provide an impounding service for a period of five (5) years with a three (3) by one (1) year extension option performing the services listed, as follows:
· Microchip companion animals - companion animals are to be microchipped and registered in accordance with the Companion Animal Act;
· Register companion animals on behalf of Council and forward the registration fee to Council at the end of each calendar month;
· Operate a stock pound for the impounding of large animals;
· Lawfully euthanase and dispose of companion animals;
· Provide the necessary administration services to maintain the pound;
· Actively seek new homes for impounded animals;
· Provide veterinary treatment for animals; and
· Provide progress and status outlining statistics of housed animals.
Current Situation
A review of the contract between Penrith and Hawkesbury Councils for animal pound services indicates that the impounding service was operating within the terms of the agreement and has provided an essential function for Penrith City Council. During the contract period, an enhanced service has been provided by the Shelter.
During the term of the contract, the Animal Shelter has increased availability to the public by extending their trading hours, and has implemented a vaccination program to vaccinate all dogs entering the animal shelter that has proven to reduce the incidence of disease, particularly Parvo Virus, which caused many dogs to be euthanased.
The Animal Shelter has networked with many rescue organisations during this time and, as a result, this has helped to reduce the number of animals being euthanased. An average of 85% of dogs are returned home or re-homed.
The Animal Shelter has built a rapport with Penrith City Council officers and understands the Council’s requirements when fulfilling the impounding function.
The cost of services charged by Hawkesbury Council to provide an impounding service is increased by CPI annually. This charge is comparable with other animal shelters providing this service.
This report will recommend that the Manager, Waste and Community Protection, be authorised to extend the current agreement for a further three (3) by one (1) year periods with Hawkesbury City Council to operate animal pound services on behalf of Penrith City Council.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Extension of Agreement with
Hawkesbury City Council for Animal Pound Services be received. 2. Council authorises the Waste and Community Protection Manager to enter into an agreement with Hawkesbury City Council to operate animal pound services for a further three, one year periods. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
The City as a Social Place |
|
The City as a
4 |
Youth
Week 2008 |
|
Compiled by: Tracy Leahy, Community Program Coordinator
Authorised by: Erich Weller,
Community and Cultural Development Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Strategies
are in place to respond to the social and health needs of the community.
Critical Action: Support community organisations to address
the differing needs and issues of the various age groups through Council's
policy responses, program initiatives and advocacy.
Purpose:
To inform Council of the
proposed funding allocation for the 2008 Youth Week program. The report recommends that the information be
received and the proposed program of
activities and allocation of $5,000 funding be approved.
Background
Youth Week is to be celebrated nationally from Saturday 5 to Sunday 13 April 2008. The theme for Youth Week this year is “Shout. Share. Live. Unite.” and the aim is to provide young people with an opportunity to express their views and act on issues that impact on their lives. Youth Week is an opportunity to celebrate young people in our community, and to highlight their participation and achievements.
This year, Council received $2,500 (excluding GST) from the Department of Community Services, Communities Division. As a requirement of receiving these funds, Council matches the amount on a dollar for dollar basis. The total budget for 2008 Youth Week activities is $5,000.
Youth Week Grants Program
Council allocates funds each year, through the Youth Week Grants Program, to community-based groups (including youth and community groups, churches, social/interest groups, training and employment agencies) to assist with organising activities, events and programs in conjunction with young people across the LGA.
The Youth Week aims will be achieved through young people’s active involvement in activities which:
· Raise issues, ideas and concerns of young people;
· Develop strategies to address the issues important to young people;
· Increase the community’s awareness of young people and the issues which are important to them;
· Promote young people’s contribution to the community;
· Demonstrate the involvement of young people in the planning of activities;
· Demonstrate access to activities from a broad range of young people.
For Youth Week 2008, organisations are required to demonstrate what strategies they will employ to address any transport issues, and how the proposed activity will be advertised and promoted to a diverse range of young people including young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, non-English speaking backgrounds and young people with disabilities. Organisations are also asked to demonstrate how young people will be involved in planning and implementing the activities.
Organisations have again been asked this year to be aware of the Penrith Youth Services Code of Practice. Local youth services and Penrith City Council developed the Code in 2002 and it outlines best practice for organisations that work with young people.
The opportunity to apply
for Youth Week funds in 2008 was widely advertised, including through Penrith
Youth Interagency, the Mayoral column, Council’s website and through extensive
email networks.
Funding Applications for 2008
This year, a number of services have combined to hold a city centre event with a focus on youth health. There are also a broad range of planned local events and activities.
Seven applications have been received totalling $7,281.30. As there is only $5,000 available Council officers have contacted all the applicants to discuss the availability of funds and the viability of their proposed projects. All the applicants have agreed to a reduced amount of funding and are confident they can still proceed with their project.
Applications Recommended for Funding
1. Project
name to be decided by the young people involved – Skate event
This event has been organised by Menace Enterprise & Blue Mountains Skate Club. This is a Skate Club that also has members in Penrith.
The event will consist of skate coaching clinics with an accredited coach. There will be a group of 10 young people per day over 3 days. The Clinic will consist of a 1.5 hour lesson with a sausage sizzle. The event will develop skateboarding safety skills leading up to a competition to showcase the participant’s new talent.
The skate competition, with events for 12-24 year olds, will be run by the young people, with the help of coaches, and they will decide on the categories and details of the competition.
The coaching will be
held on 8, 9 and 10 April between approximately 4pm and 5.30pm. The competition will be held all day on
Saturday 12 April. The activity will be
held at the newly developed
Funding amount requested - $1,150
Proposed funding allocation - $600 excluding GST
2. Come and Join Our Circus-
Pulse Youth Group - auspiced by Neighbourhood Development Team Erskine Park Inc
The proposed event is a celebration of youth from all backgrounds. To highlight this, the Pulse Youth Group have developed a concept event filled with the colour and adventure of a carnival/circus to promote the “Shout. Share. Live. Unite.” theme.
Shout: out loud
Share: the skills of the circus
Live: and enjoy the excitement of the circus
Unite: each and every one of us
It is proposed that, in the weeks leading up to the Youth Week event, Pulse members will invite the young people to come along to the Centre to learn and share entertaining fun circus skills. These skills will be performed at the Youth Week event with the idea of encouraging a broad youth participation and interaction at the event with something for everyone to try.
The proposed activity will be held on Friday 11 April at Erskine Park Community Centre, from 6pm-10pm.
Funding amount requested - $990
Proposed funding allocation - $650 excluding GST
3. Blogfest
2008, South Creek Mobile Youth Service, auspiced by North St Marys Neighbourhood
Centre Inc
The proposed event will involve young people setting up a studio with the service owned video recorder. The young people will take turns to voice their opinions on their local community, their school and what they value. They can speak freely or answer questions set out by other young people. The video blogs (minimum 20) will then be edited by young people and put on DVDs. They will be put on a ‘you tube’ webpage devoted to the blogs, and put in a format so they can be kept on mobile phones. Some of the DVDs will be sent to local leaders so they can hear what young people have to say about their community and what they value.
The proposed activity will be held on Tuesday 8 April from 2pm at North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre.
Funding amount requested - $199
Proposed funding allocation - $199 excluding GST
4. Development
of a Website for African Young people, auspiced by TEYAD Incorporated (Twich
East Youth Association for Development)
The proposed activity will develop a website for African young people. This will provide accessible information regarding education, employment, areas of interest, how to participate in community life and community events. There will also be a discussion board for young people to contribute their ideas, share information and make connections. Young people will be involved in designing the website with TAFE students. They will also be involved in promoting and launching the website.
The proposed activity launch will be held on Sunday 6 April at Nepean Migrant Access in
St Marys Community Centre.
Funding amount requested - $800
Proposed funding allocation - $550
5. Community
soccer competition and exhibition match, auspiced by Marist Youth Care Inc
The proposed activity is a soccer competition with young people living in Out of Home Care. Marist Youth Care will form a young persons’ soccer team which will play on a regular basis to encourage active participation and physical activity. Coaching will be provided by St Marys Band Club Rangers Football Club and will culminate in an exhibition match during Youth Week.
The exhibition match is
planned for Tuesday 8 April from 2.30pm at
Funding amount requested - $1,026.30
Proposed funding allocation - $550
6. Uniting
the “Riff”, auspiced by The Warehouse Youth Health Centre
The proposed activity initially involves the design of a tattoo promoting good health, designed by young people across the Penrith LGA. This tattoo will then be distributed at an interactive health focused activity to be held at a Panthers Football Club home game. There will be a stall to raise awareness of health issues concerning young people and promote local facilities. Young people will be able to talk to local youth workers to ask questions and raise issues of concerns. The event will consist of fun activities including rides. Young people will co-facilitate the health stall activities.
The event is supported
by “Now What” Young Dads Program, The Junction Youth Medical Service, Panthers
Football Club, Mission
The proposed activity will take place on Saturday 12 April from 7pm at Penrith Panthers Stadium.
Funding amount requested - $2,500
Proposed funding allocation - $2,101 excluding GST
7. Launch
of Penrith Filipino Youth Action Group, auspiced by the Philippine Language and
Cultural Association of Australia Inc ( PLCAA)
The proposed event involves holding a youth forum. This youth forum will cover various areas of interest including the role of the youth in community services and the preservation of Filipino culture and tradition. The forum will also discuss cultural influences on health and social issues, for example safe partying, and fellowship and entertainment.
There will also be a launch of the Penrith Filipino Youth Action Group.
The proposed activity will be held on Saturday 12 April, 3pm-11pm. Venue to be arranged.
Funding amount requested - $600
Proposed funding allocation - $350
Summary
Youth Week is a national event that provides opportunities for young people to get involved in activities and events in their local communities. Youth Week is also an opportunity to celebrate young people in our community and to highlight their participation and achievements.
Council has matched funding received from the Department of Community Services of $2,500, for a total of $5,000 for Youth Week activities in the Penrith LGA.
Council has received applications to hold 7 events in the LGA. The proposed activities will provide opportunities for young people from across the LGA to get involved in Youth Week. A Youth Week 2008 program will be developed and distributed to young people and services across the LGA to promote the activities.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Youth Week 2008 be
received. 2. Council approve the proposed funding allocations for providing Youth Week activities to those organisations as outlined in this report. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
The City as a Social Place |
|
The City as a
5 |
Seniors
Week 2008 |
|
Compiled by: Joe Ibbitson, Community Program Coordinator
Authorised by: Erich Weller,
Community and Cultural Development Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Strategies
are in place to respond to the social and health needs of the community.
Critical Action: Support community organisations to address
the differing needs and issues of the various age groups through Council's
policy responses, program initiatives and advocacy.
Purpose:
To provide information about
Council's Seniors Week 2008 function and make recommendations on funding for
Seniors Week grants. The report
recommends that Council approve Seniors Week grants to ten (10) local community
organisations for activities to celebrate Seniors Week 2008.
Background
Seniors Week in 2008 is one month later than in previous years and will be celebrated from Sunday 6 April up to and including Sunday 13 April. Seniors Week celebrations encourage the involvement of older people in community life and support their continued participation in local activities. The theme for 2008 is ‘Live Life’, with an emphasis on thanking seniors and acknowledging their valuable contribution to their local community. Seniors Week is also a great opportunity for all generations to join and celebrate with older people.
Council allocates funds each year, through the Seniors Week Grants Program, to community-based groups to assist with organising activities for older residents across the LGA. The budget for Seniors Week 2008 allocations to community organisations is $6,500.
Council also received $1,000 from the Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care for the major Council event. This event is detailed below.
Council Event
– ‘Laugh at the Lighter Side of Life’
Council’s event to celebrate Seniors Week 2008 – ‘Laugh at the Lighter Side of Life’ – will be a showcase of musical and dance activities with a 1920’s theme. The celebration will extend across generations and cultures, highlighting the contribution that involvement in music and dance activities can make to the well-being of older people. The performers will be local residents or groups, who will either play a musical instrument, sing in a group or participate in a musical or dance group. The performers will be from diverse cultural backgrounds and ages, including school groups, the well aged and some frail older people. The event will be held on Thursday 10 April 2008 at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. Planned performances for the day include:
· Penrith Seniors Choir
· Penrith Seniors Dance Group
· Indigenous performance group
· Silent Movie accompanied by local pianist
· Silverfox Barbershop Quartet
·
· Sing-a-Long
Morning tea will be served on arrival, followed by the performance between 11.00am and 1.00pm. The celebration will conclude with a light lunch.
There will be musical interludes during morning tea and lunch.
This is a partnership event and planning commenced mid-way through 2007, with a leading role taken by a number of local community organisations. Representatives on the Working Group are from:
· Penrith Older Women’s Network
·
·
· Lemongrove Governor Phillip Campus Day Centre
· Penrith Senior Citizens
· Penrith Seniors and Pensioners Club
· Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre
· Penrith Police Community Safety
· Combined Pensioners Superannuants – St Mary’s branch
· St Marys Historical Society
· Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy
Council has been successful in obtaining a $1,000 grant from the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care towards the cost of the event.
Seniors Week
Grants – Applications from Community Organisations
The availability of Council funds to assist non-profit groups in the provision of Seniors Week activities in 2008 was advertised in the local media and extensively through community networks and on Council’s website. Grant applications were to consider the aims of Seniors Week 2008:
· Promote, amongst people of all ages, a more positive understanding of ageing;
· Enhance recognition of the contributions of older people to the broader community;
· Provide information and activities that will assist older people to continue to lead independent lives.
The following table (Table 1) identifies that Council received applications from community groups and organisations for eleven (11) separate activities totalling $7,220.
Table 1: Seniors Week Grant
Applications 2008
No |
Organisation |
Proposed Activity |
Estimated Attendance |
Requested Amount |
1 |
Werrington Elderly Care |
Live Life Today Indoor games, gentle exercises, lunch and entertainment for the elderly and disabled |
65 |
$350 |
2 |
St Mary’s Branch CPSA |
An Ecumenical church service followed by an afternoon tea |
50 |
$400 |
3 |
SPYNS Inc (organised and promoted by 7 community organisations in Penrith LGA) |
Celebrating 50 Years 1950’s celebration with dress and music and a ‘name that tune’ segment. Refreshments and Entertainment from local schools. |
180 |
$750 |
4 |
Enosis Greek Senior’s Group and Greek Orthodox Parish of ‘St
Demetrius’ Church Seniors Group |
The Greek Community Seniors Week Celebration Celebration with food and entertainment from local community for elderly Greek residents with a disability. Guest speakers on gardening and water conservation from UWS and speaker from SWAHS on Falls Prevention for older persons and the role of the Aged Care Assessment Team. |
80 |
$950 |
5 |
St Clair Youth and Neighbourhood Team |
Celebrating what’s good about getting older Launch of booklet (produced in consultation with community members). |
55 |
$340 |
6 |
National Seniors Day Branch Association Penrith/Nepean |
Coach trip to Picton Cottage with morning tea and lunch |
40 |
$650 |
7 |
North St Mary’s Neighbourhood Centre Inc |
A Laugh with Lunch Luncheon for 40
seniors in North St Marys, |
40 |
$880 |
8 |
St Marys Branch CPSA and |
Live Life in Harmony Demonstration of tai chi and heart moves to seniors from non-English speaking and English speaking backgrounds to promote healthy and active lifestyles. Morning tea and entertainment. |
325 |
$900 |
9 |
Catholic Parish of the Holy Spirit St Clair, |
Tour of Mamre Homestead, morning tea, lunch and entertainment – a celebration of recognition of contributions made by older people |
60 |
$1,000 |
10 |
|
Grandparents Day Assembly with grandparents/carers and students. Gifts will be presented to grandparents. A display of current work and activities followed by morning tea. |
150 |
$500 |
11 |
|
Seniors’ Arts and Crafts Expo 2008 Annual event featuring art and craft exhibitions, craft stalls and other activities for seniors over 55 yrs old. Expo runs over 2 days. |
350 |
$500 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
$7,220 |
The amount of funds available for Seniors Week 2008 grants is $6,500.
The 2008 Seniors Week guidelines identify that to be eligible for funding, project activities must be held in the Penrith Local Government Area. An application (Project No 6) has been received from the National Seniors Day Branch Association Penrith/Nepean which involves a coach trip to Picton Cottage with morning tea and lunch included. It is proposed that this project not be supported through the 2008 Seniors Week grants program as the activity is being held outside the Penrith Local Government Area.
Project Assessment
Project selection criteria identified in the 2008 Seniors Week grant guidelines includes the following:
· Involve the wider community or have the potential to reach the wider community;
· Promotes positive images of being older;
· Are innovative and creative;
· Encourages active participation of older people;
· Showcase the skills of older people and their continuing contribution to the general community.
Council officers have discussed activities and project budgets with the applicants and sponsors of the remaining ten (10) projects. Some opportunities to reduce the amount of funds required have been identified either through additional donations, additional use of applicant organisational resources, charging of a nominal fee or through alterations to the scope of the proposed activities.
Table 2 identifies revised funding budgets for two projects which have been able to reduce the amount of funds required without disadvantage to the groups or members.
Table 2: Revised Project
Budgets
No |
Organisation |
Proposed Activity |
Original Amount Requested |
Revised Amount Requested |
4 |
Enosis Greek Senior’s Group and Greek Orthodox Paris of ‘St
Demetrius’ Church Seniors Group |
The Greek Community Seniors Week Celebration |
$950 |
$800 |
9 |
Catholic Parish of the Holy Spirit St Clair, |
Tour of Mamre Homestead |
$1000 |
$800 |
With the revised budgets identified in Table 2, and the proposal not to support the National Seniors Day Branch Association Penrith/Nepean application (Project 6), the recommended allocation is $6,220. The remaining funds ($280) will be used to assist in the promotion and advertising of the 2008 Seniors Week activities.
The projects recommended for funding and the proposed allocations are as follows:
Table 3: Seniors Week Grants
2008 – Recommended Projects and Allocations
No |
Organisation |
Proposed Activity |
Requested Amount |
1 |
Werrington Elderly Care |
Live Life Today |
$350 |
2 |
St Mary’s Branch CPSA |
|
$400 |
3 |
SPYNS Inc (organised and promoted by 7 community organisations in Penrith LGA) |
Celebrating 50 Years |
$750 |
4 |
Enosis Greek Senior’s Group and Greek Orthodox Paris of ‘St
Demetrius’ Church Seniors Group |
The Greek Community Seniors Week Celebration |
$800 |
5 |
St Clair Youth and Neighbourhood Team |
Celebrating what’s good about getting older |
$340 |
6 |
North St Mary’s Neighbourhood Centre Inc |
A Laugh with Lunch |
$880 |
7 |
St Marys Branch CPSA and |
Live Life in Harmony |
$900 |
8 |
Catholic Parish of the Holy Spirit St Clair, |
Tour of Mamre Homestead |
$800 |
9 |
|
Grandparents Day |
$500 |
10 |
|
Seniors’ Arts and Crafts Expo 2008 |
$500 |
|
|
TOTAL |
$6,220 |
Summary
Council has received a grant of $1,000 from the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, to assist with organising a local community event, ‘Laugh at the Lighter Side of Life’, to celebrate Seniors Week 2008. This event will be held at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre on Thursday 10 April 2008.
The amount available for the Seniors Week 2008 Grants Program is $6,500. Community organisations have applied for contributions totalling $7,220 to assist in the delivery of eleven (11) projects for Seniors Week 2008.
It is proposed that the application, ‘Coach Trip to Picton Cottage’ from the National Seniors Day Branch Association Penrith/Nepean, not be supported as the activity is to be held outside the Penrith LGA.
It is recommended that Council provide grants to the value of $6,220 to fund ten (10) local community organisations for the activities detailed in Table 3 in this report to celebrate Seniors Week 2008. This includes reduced amounts for two projects as detailed in the report. The balance of the budget ($280) will be used to assist in the promotion of the 2008 Seniors Week activities.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Seniors Week 2008 be
received. 2. Council provide Seniors Week grants to the value of $6,220 to ten local community organisations to celebrate Seniors Week 2008, as outlined in the report. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
The City as a Social Place |
|
The City as a
6 |
Variation
of Subdivision Control currently applying to |
DA07/1280 |
Compiled by: Vanessa Muscat, Environmental Health and Building
Surveyor
Authorised by: Peter Wood, Acting
Development Services Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Redevelopment
of existing areas contributes to safe, sustainable, affordable and satisfying
living environments and cohesive communities.
Critical Action: Formulate and implement social and cultural
strategies for redeveloping established areas that support cohesive
communities.
Purpose:
To seek endorsement from
Council to vary a restrictive covenant associated with a residential property
and imposed on the original subdivision. The report recommends that the
restriction be varied, with the common seal of
Background
A restrictive covenant, pursuant to Section 88B of the Conveyancing Act,
was imposed on the above property on 19 May 1955. The 88B restriction subject
to Deposited Plan DP 20420 item “c” states “That
no roof of any such building shall be of material other than tiles”. Penrith
City Council was nominated as the consent authority with the power to release,
vary or modify the covenant.
Site
and Surrounds
The subject land is located in an established residential area within
the Penrith locality characterised by single detached cottages. Situated to the
rear of the property boundary is a laneway for pedestrian access. The site has
a slight fall from the kerb to the rear boundary and has an established single
storey dwelling and detached garage located on the site. (See locality map in
Appendix No. 1).
The
Proposal
The proposal includes the following aspects:
· Variation to the restriction on the use of land referred to as (c) in
the subject deposited plan, requesting an amendment to the allowable roofing
material.
· Approval for the future use of a small addition that was constructed as
a verandah. Alterations were carried out involving renewing the existing metal
roof and enclosing the walls to create additional floor area. These alterations
were undertaken at least 15 years ago by the previous owners of the property.
The current owner intends to sell the property and seeks this variation to
legitimise the works.
Site and elevation plans of the development are outlined in Appendix 2
& 3.
The restriction no longer reflects today’s range of roofing materials
available and is therefore considered to be onerous for the addition. Other
similar examples of this type of construction exist in the immediate vicinity.
The existing addition as constructed demonstrates consistency with surrounding
development and compliance with Council’s planning controls.
It is considered that the proposed modification to the roofing material
would have minimal impacts visually, or on the amenity of the streetscape of
the locality. It therefore represents only a minor variation to the 88b
restriction.
Assessment
of Development Application
Planning
Assessment
The development has been assessed in accordance with the matters for
consideration, under Section 79C of the Environmental Planning and Assessment
Act 1979 and, having regard to those matters, the following issues have been
identified for further consideration.
1. Section 79C(1)(a)(i) – Any Environmental
Planning Instrument
Sydney Regional Environmental Plan No. 20 –
The provisions of SREP 20 apply to the property as it falls within the
Hawkesbury-Nepean River Catchment. SREP 20 aims to protect the environment of
the
The compliance of the proposal with the general planning considerations,
specific planning policies, and recommended strategies specified in Section 4,
5, and 6 of Part 2 of SREP 20, has been assessed. It is considered that the
development application for the approval for the dwelling addition meets these
requirements.
The proposal is not expected to have an adverse cumulative impact on the
Penrith Local Environmental Plan 1998 Urban
Land
Under the terms of the Penrith Local Environmental Plan 1998 Urban land,
the subject lot is zoned 2(c) Residential low-medium Density. The proposed
development is defined as a dwelling addition, which is permissible with the
consent of Council.
The proposed development meets the objectives for the Penrith Local
Environmental Plan 1998
The design of the dwelling addition is sympathetic to its setting and in
keeping with the existing residential development in the locality. It will not
increase the density of the development and will not generate a requirement for
the provision of any additional services or infrastructure.
The dwelling addition complies with the development standards as
outlined in Clause12.
2. Section 79C (1)(a)(iii) – Any Development
Control Plan (DCP)
Penrith Development Control Plan 2006
The development is consistent with the objective of the DCP and in
accordance with the definition for a dwelling addition.
3. Section 79C (1) (b) – The Likely Impacts
of the Development
The likely impacts of the proposed dwelling addition are considered, as
follows:
· The development has been designed to be responsive to the site;
· The dwelling is single storey only;
· No vegetation removal is proposed;
· The existing addition is of a contemporary style, yet is compatible with
the existing character of the locality;
· The proposed development will have minimal impact on the amenity of the
area and is in keeping with the surrounding and adjacent land uses.
4. Section 79C (1) (c) – The suitability of
the Site for the Development
The proposed development fits the locality and will compliment the
established character of the area. The addition is at the rear of the dwelling
so it does not create an adverse impact to the established streetscape and
amenity. The addition does not have an adverse impact on solar access to adjoining
properties.
The addition has a corrugated iron roof. The development of roofing
materials has dramatically changed since the restriction was placed in 1955.
Council has recently approved variations to this restriction for neighbouring
properties.
Conclusion
Assessment of the application to vary the roofing material as restricted
on the 88B instrument has demonstrated that the proposal is unlikely to have
any significant impacts on the achievement of outcomes intended by the planning
and subdivision controls for the property.
The necessary documentation has been referred to Council’s Legal Officer
who has raised no objection to the form of agreement. The document requires
that the Common Seal of Penrith City Council be affixed so that the applicant
can file the variation with the Land and Property Information of New South
Wales (LPINSW).
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Variation of Subdivision
Control currently applying to Lot 1 DP 20420 (No. 208) 2. The Common Seal of Penrith City Council be affixed to all necessary documentation to vary the covenant. 3. The
Development Application DA 07/1280 for the existing dwelling addition on Standard Conditions 3.1 A001 – Approved Plans 3.2 A020 – Use of Building 3.3 E001 – BCA Compliance 3.4 H01F – Stamped Plans 3.5 K016 – Stormwater Special Conditions 3.6 The variation of the registration of the use of land as referred to as (c); in the Section 88B instrument attached to the Deposited Plan 20420 shall be registered with The Land and Property Information of New South Wales within six(6) months of issue of the development consent 3.7 The variation of the covenant shall be in terms approved by Penrith City Council in the documentation submitted in support of the development application. |
1. View |
Locality Plan |
1 Page |
Appendix |
2. View |
Site Plan |
1 Page |
Appendix |
3. View |
Elevations |
1 Page |
Appendix |
The City In Its Environment
Item Page
7 Olive
Trees - Soling Crescent, Cranebrook
8 Floodplain
Management Program 2007/2008 - Grant Offer
4
February 2008 |
|
The City in its Environment |
|
The City in its Environment
7 |
Olive
Trees - Soling Crescent, Cranebrook |
|
Compiled by: Lindsay Clarke, Parks Coordinator
Authorised by: Raphael Collins,
Parks Construction & Maintenance Manager
Requested
By: Councillor Garry Rumble
Strategic Program Term Achievement: The
City’s biological diversity is being protected and conserved through the
implementation of a biodiversity conservation and bushland management strategy.
Critical Action: Undertake biodiversity conservation and
protection and pursue the effective management of natural areas.
Purpose:
To provide an update of the removal and
replacement of the olive trees in
Background
Councillor Garry Rumble
asked for a report on the status of the olive trees on
Approximately 30 years
ago, the demise of the olive trees started when
Several subsequent events further affected the health of the trees. A severe bushfire in the reserve in 2003 caused irreparable damage to the trees. Despite implementing the recommendation of a consulting arborist, the health of the trees declined irreversibly.
Sucker growth from the base of the trees indicated that some life remains in the trees but it would have been highly unlikely these trees could have been restored to healthy and safe condition. The sucker growth was used, however, to collect cuttings to propagate replacement trees.
The cuttings were collected in 2005 and were “grown on” in Council’s nursery. Further cuttings were also collected in 2006 so the backup replacement stock would be available. Subsequently, a total of 57 trees were grown on. The success of this process is a tribute to Council’s nursery staff.
When the propagated trees were a sufficient size, the existing trees were removed and the 24 replacement trees planted. This occurred in July 2007, following a letterbox drop advising surrounding residents of plans to remove the trees. There were no major objections to the tree removal proposal.
The replacement trees
were planted approximately 2m to the west, away from the excavation of
An examination of the wood mulch produced from the old trees showed that it was free of moisture, indicating that the trunk and main branches were indeed dead.
Current
Situation
The new olive trees planted in July 2007 have all established successfully. A recent inspection revealed that the trees are in excellent condition. Several have even produced a small quantity of fruit. This is in contrast to the old trees which had not borne fruit for many many years.
|
|
Above: Replacement Tree with fruit |
Above: Hearty Replacement Tree |
The backup stock is
still available in Council’s nursery but, hopefully, will not be required at
this location. A decision can be made in a year or so as to where the backup
stock can be planted if they are not required for the
Conclusion
In this case, the trees
were nearly dead. The trees were not removed until the replacement trees were
suitable for planting and this was a two year process. The replacement trees
were propagated from the original trees to ensure the replacement species were
identical to the original species. The new trees have a much greater potential
of succeeding, considering they are a further distance (2 metres) from the road
embankment.
That the information contained in the report on Olive Trees - Soling Crescent, Cranebrook
be received. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
The City in its Environment |
|
The City in its Environment
8 |
Floodplain
Management Program 2007/2008 - Grant Offer
|
|
Compiled by: Maruf Hossain, Engineering Stormwater Supervisor
Authorised by: Craig Ross, Design
and Technical Advice Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: A
floodplain management policy to protect the built environment is being
implemented by Council consistent with Government guidelines.
Critical Action: Council’s Floodplain Management Policy is
contemporary and is being implemented.
Purpose:
To notify Council of a grant
offer under the NSW Government Financial Assistance Program for the Penrith
Overland Flow Flood Study under the Floodplain Management Program
2007/2008. The report recommends that
the offer be accepted.
Background
The NSW Government’s
Flood Policy is directed at providing solutions to existing flooding problems
in developed areas, and ensuring that new developments are compatible with the
flood hazard and do not create additional flooding problems in other
areas. Under the Policy, the management
of flood prone land remains the responsibility of Local Government. To facilitate this, the Government has
published the NSW Floodplain Development Manual, to provide guidance to
councils in the implementation of the Policy, and provides funding in support
of floodplain management programs.
Council is currently
undertaking major flood studies under the “Penrith Overland Flow Flood
Study”. The studies include:
·
· Review of South Creek Flood Study
· Detailed
These studies, together with the aerial photographs and contour information for the whole LGA, have been funded through an initial grant offer under the Floodplain Management Program. Under this program, these studies, and any subsequent studies for the Overland Flow sub-catchments, are classed as “continuing projects”, giving them funding priority.
The initial project cost was estimated to be in the order of $600,000, and the Department of Natural Resources made a notional allocation of $400,000, which was complemented by a Council allocation of $200,000 for the project. Funding was being made available on a 2:1 (Government:Council) basis. The Department has made payments based on actual expenditure for the studies, allocated in each financial year, through separate grant allocations.
Current Situation
The Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water, the Hon Nathan Rees MP, has offered Council funding for the Floodplain Management Program 2007-2008. This is to cover the costs of the current round of studies under this year’s program. The amount of the grant offer is $40,000 with a funding ratio of 2:1 (State:Council). A funding allocation of $20,000 is required to match Council’s contribution to this grant offer.
Financial
Services Manager’s Comments
Matching funding for the grant application was included in a successful project evaluation bid during the development of the 2007-08 Management Plan and is therefore available within the current budget. There are no financial impediments to acceptance of the grant.
That: 1. The information contained in the report on Floodplain Management Program 2007/2008 -
Grant Offer be received. 2. The State Assisted Floodplain
Management Grant offer of $40,000 from the Minister for Climate Change,
Environment and Water for the Floodplain Management Program be accepted. 3. The Minister be thanked for the grant offer. |
There are no attachments for this report.
The City as an
Economy
There were no
reports under this Master Program when the Business Paper was compiled
THIS PAGE HAS BEEN LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY
The City Supported by Infrastructure
Item Page
9 Severe
Storm on 9 December 2007
4
February 2008 |
|
The City Supported by
Infrastructure |
|
The City Supported by
Infrastructure
9 |
Severe
Storm on 9 December 2007 |
|
Compiled by: Barry Ryan, Waste and Community Protection Manager
Authorised by: Barry Ryan, Waste
and Community Protection Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Plans
are developed and implemented in partnership with emergency service agencies to
provide emergency services and facilities to the City.
Critical Action: Protocols for the City’s response to fire,
flood and other emergency conditions are established in partnership with the
relevant agencies.
Purpose:
To inform Council on the
response provided by both Council staff and emergency services following a
storm that affected
Background
On the afternoon of 9
December 2007, a significant storm passed through Western and North-Western
Sydney causing considerable damage in areas of
The storm caused minor
damage in the eastern edge of the Penrith Local Government Area; in particular,
Current Situation
On the afternoon of 9 December 2007, a large storm swept through sections of Western and North-Western Sydney causing considerable damage in several suburbs.
In the Penrith LGA, the State Emergency Service (SES) responded to some 30 calls for assistance, and Council’s Parks Construction and Maintenance staff also responded to issues related to street trees and branches that had fallen onto roads and footpaths. Whilst the damage was not extensive, the response by both the SES and Council staff took several days.
On Monday, 10 December
2007, the Minister for Emergency Services, the Hon Nathan Rees, MP, declared
the areas of Penrith,
The damage in
Given the damage in Blacktown LGA mainly occurred to houses and buildings, which was being addressed by members of the SES, NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) and NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), Council’s support was not required.
However, in the Baulkham Hills Shire Council area, given the extensive damage to trees, that Council took up Council’s offer of support and ten Parks Construction and Maintenance staff commenced work in the Baulkham Hills LGA on the Thursday (13 December 2007). The staff continued to work in the Baulkham Hills Shire until the afternoon of 19 December 2007 (including that weekend). The crews assisted Baulkham Hills Shire Council in making considerable inroads into the damage caused by the fallen trees prior to the upcoming Christmas period.
The Mayor of Baulkham Hills Shire Council has sent a letter to Penrith Council (see appendix) thanking Council for its support and emphasising the importance of “local” in local government.
A letter from the Mayor, Councillor Greg Davies, has been provided to each of the ten staff members who worked in Baulkham Hills, recognising their efforts in assisting a neighbouring Council in such a situation.
On completion of their response to emergencies in the Penrith LGA, volunteers from the Penrith SES worked a considerable number of hours in the Blacktown City LGA, responding to the needs of the residents. The SES support mainly related to repairing/tarping damaged roofs and totalled 1,334 man-hours.
Volunteers of NSW RFS Brigades in the Penrith LGA also provided support in the emergency, particularly in the Blacktown LGA. The RFS volunteers supported the SES and NSWFB crews in the repair of roofing and removal of debris from properties. Approximately four crews from the Cumberland Zone RFS assisted in the operation each day, together with support staff and Group Captains for co-ordination. Staff of the Cumberland Zone RFS co-ordinated the NSW RFS state-wide response to assist in the emergency.
Given the amount of damage caused by the storm, the effort provided to respond to the event significantly reduced its impact, particularly with respect to the then upcoming festive season.
That the information contained in the report on the Severe Storm on 9 December 2007 be received. |
1. View |
Letter of Thanks from Mayor of Baulkham
Hills Shire Council |
2 Pages |
Appendix |
4 February 2008 |
|
Appendix
1 - Letter of Thanks from Mayor of Baulkham Hills Shire Council |
|
|
|
Leadership and Organisation
Item Page
10 Pecuniary
Interest Returns
11 Local
Government Friend of Australian Red Cross
12 2008
Australian Local Government Women's Association NSW Annual Conference
13 Local
Government Sessions, United Nations Climate Change Conference,
14 Council
Property - Electricity Easement for Padmount Substation on Open Space, Lot 10
DP 832179, The
15 Property
Matter - Proposed Road Closing -
16 Summary
of Investments & Banking for the period 1 December to 31 December 2007 and
an Agency Collection Method
URGENT
17 Review
of National Framework for Women in Local Government
4
February 2008 |
|
Leadership and Organisation |
|
Leadership and Organisation
10 |
Pecuniary
Interest Returns |
|
Compiled by: Cristy Stevens, Administration Officer - Policy and
Council Support
Authorised by: Glenn McCarthy,
Executive Officer
Strategic Program Term Achievement: The
organisation is managing its statutory requirements and the needs of a
participatory community in a transparent and balanced way.
Critical Action: Develop, review and monitor policies and
procedures to enable the organisation to engage more effectively with the
community while meeting its statutory and public interest obligations.
Purpose:
To advise Council that
Pecuniary Interest Returns have been lodged in accordance with statutory
requirements. The report recommends that
the information be received.
Background
Chapter 14 of the Local Government Act, 1993
(the Act) concerns “Honesty and Disclosure of Interests” and requires all
elected members and designated persons to complete an initial Pecuniary
Interest Return, and every year thereafter, an Annual return.
Designated persons include the General
Manager, other senior staff and staff holding a position identified by the
Council as a position of a designated person because it involves the exercise
of certain functions such as regulatory or contractual functions.
First returns have to be completed within
three months of becoming a Councillor or designated person.
Current
Situation
Section 450A of the Act deals with the registration and tabling of
returns lodged by Councillors and designated persons.
A register of all returns lodged by Councillors and designated persons
in accordance with the Act is currently kept by Council as required by this
part of the Act.
A list of the pecuniary interest returns lodged by Councillors and
designated persons must be tabled at a Council Meeting.
With regard to Section 450A(2)(a) the following first pecuniary
interest return has been lodged:
Name |
Position |
Due Date |
Date Lodged |
Ashlee Cutter |
Trainee Environmental Planner |
1 February 2008 |
19 November 2007 |
The return has been lodged prior to the due date for the receipt of the
returns, and is kept in a register held by the Executive Officer.
That the information contained in the report on Pecuniary Interest Returns be received. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
Leadership and Organisation |
|
Leadership and Organisation
11 |
Local
Government Friend of Australian Red Cross
|
|
Compiled by: Stephen Pearson, Executive Services Officer
Authorised by: Glenn McCarthy,
Executive Officer
Strategic Program Term Achievement: A
targeted program of advocacy and policy discussion is being conducted with the
support of the community and City organisations around social, environmental,
economic and infrastructure priorities.
Critical Action: Partnerships are in place and coordinated by
Council to collaboratively advance nominated projects or programs of benefit to
the City.
Purpose:
To inform Council of a
proposal for a more formal partnership with Australian Red Cross. The report also outlines Council's current
partnership activities with Red Cross.
The report recommends that Council accept the invitation of the
Australian Red Cross to become a Local Government Friend of Australian Red
Cross.
Background
An
invitation has been extended to Council to become a “Local Government Friend of
Australian Red Cross” after the adoption of the following resolution at the
2006 Local Government Association Conference:
“That the Local
Government Association become ‘Local Government Friends of Red Cross’ and ipso
facto all NSW Local Governments if they choose to be, and thus engage in
shaping the future of our organisations in the context of community building
and governance.”
The
Red Cross, in its correspondence has stated:
“For over 92 years Red Cross has enjoyed a close working
relationship with Local Government in NSW and we would now like to formalise a
relationship with
Recently we established Parliamentary Friends of Red Cross
groups in the national Parliament and in a number of State Parliaments around
We believe that the need to build formal links at the local
government level is perhaps even more important, because whilst Red Cross is
known for our international emergency and development work, we are equally
recognised for the work of our branches and our community services programs at
the local level. Australian Red Cross has always seen our work in the local
community as one of our highest priorities.
Should
· Partnering
with Australian Red Cross to undertake local community programs in common areas
of interest, for example, in youth programs; aged care programs or disaster
management programs; thereby potentially increasing the number or quality of
programs available in your local community.
· Taking
up opportunities for local council staff to be seconded to Red Cross for short
term placements in International or Domestic Disaster Response, or Disaster
Preparedness Programs. Australian Red Cross is specifically interested to
utilise Environmental Health Engineers and Public Health professionals in its
international emergencies work. Council staff would receive training and
international experience that may increase their ability to contribute locally.
· Developing
closer links to communities in our region. Australian Red Cross currently has
programs in humanitarian relief or community development in our immediate
region including with East Timor,
Other opportunities for mutual benefits arising from
Penrith City Council
becoming a Local Government Friend of Australian Red Cross
may include:
· Demonstration
to local residents that Council formally recognises the important work of Red
Cross in the community.
· Australian
Red Cross will forward a copy of our Humanitarian magazine to elected members
and senior staff, three (3) times a year. This publication will keep Council
representatives up to date with important areas of our work in
· Opportunities
for Council to participate in and support the Australian Red Cross Calling
annual appeal.
· Pathways
to volunteering will be opened up for Council staff, offering opportunities for
participation in Australian Red Cross community programs.
On behalf of Australian Red Cross we are pleased to invite
There is no cost to
become a ‘Local Government Friend of Australian Red Cross’. The following section summarises current Red
Cross activities in
Current Red Cross Activities in
Some of the current services which Red Cross provides, and which also have a presence in Penrith are:
· Tele-Cross – phone calls made to elderly and disabled people who live alone;
· First Aid training;
· Volunteers in hospitals and local nursing homes;
· Breakfast clubs - currently running at Penrith Primary School by Red Cross volunteers and Penrith High School students (they would like to extend this service to other local primary schools);
· 52 volunteers who do fundraising;
· Blood bank;
· Hospital library – books and magazines to patients in hospitals;
· Birthday and Christmas cards to tele-cross clients who don’t have family;
· Trauma teddies – elderly volunteers, who are unable to get out, knit the teddies which are then handed out to hospitals, ambulances, doctors’ surgeries, schools, police etc;
· Support to the NSW Department of Community Services in the event of a local or regional disaster;
· Work with local Aboriginal communities.
Existing Council Support
Council currently assists Red Cross in a number of ways. This includes:
· Penrith City Council’s Mayor is patron of Red Cross, and every year he/she launches Red Cross Calling. This year Council will host the launch and donate $3,000 to the appeal;
· Promotion of the Red Cross Blood Bank and encouraging Council staff to give blood;
· The Blood Bank bus takes Council employees that donate blood to the hospital approximately every 4-5 weeks (with each individual not donating blood more than once every 12 weeks);
· Special blood donation drives for urgent donations or in exceptional circumstances;
· Free accommodation for the Voluntary Aid Detachment Red Cross in a Council building in Castlereagh Street (the VAD provides first aid training at these premises, as well as first aid support for a range of events in the City);
· Red Cross is involved in the Penrith Aged Care Forum to provide co-ordination to aged services in the City.
The Australian Red Cross is also on Council mailing lists for information on the Community Development Support Expenditure Scheme and Council’s Community Assistance Program grants.
In the 2007 CDSE Scheme funding round, the Australian Red Cross, Greater Western Sydney Region was successful in receiving two grants. They are:
· $5,000 for the Hands on Program that provides hand massages and nail care through a volunteer outreach service to palliative and hospital care patients as well as frail aged people in nursing homes;
· $7,000 for the Good Start Breakfast Club, a nutrition and health education program targeting Penrith Public School and Penrith High School.
Further Support to Red Cross
Additional ways that Council can assist Red Cross in Penrith, within existing resources, include:
· promotion of what Red Cross does in the Penrith LGA through the Mayor’s column and a joint press release;
· article in staff newsletter on the roles of Red Cross and how staff may be able to assist;
· community information on Library noticeboards.
Other suggestions from Red Cross for assistance include further financial support and staff secondments to work in international or domestic disasters.
Financial Services Manager’s Comment
While there is no initial cost to become a ‘Local Government Friend of Australian Red Cross’, additional involvement in local activities or programs has the potential to impact on Council resources, both financial and human.
In particular, any requests for staff secondments to work on international or domestic disasters could impact on Council’s ability to maintain its own service levels and would need to be considered on a case by case basis.
Conclusion
By becoming a Local Government Friend of Australian Red Cross, the arrangement would provide further opportunities for Council to work in partnership with the Red Cross to provide tangible benefits to staff as well as the local community.
Council has in place existing service partnerships which provide a basis for further joint work. By becoming a Local Government Friend of Australian Red Cross, Council will build on and formalise these existing partnerships.
If Council’s partnership work with Red Cross is likely to involve any significant use of Council human or financial resources, then the proposal/s will be considered on merit, on a case by case basis, and reported to Council as necessary.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Local Government Friend of
Australian Red Cross be received. 2. Council accept the invitation of the Australian Red Cross to become a Local Government Friend of Australian Red Cross. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
Leadership and Organisation |
|
Leadership and Organisation
12 |
2008
Australian Local Government Women's Association NSW Annual Conference |
|
Compiled by: Stephen Pearson, Executive Services Officer
Authorised by: Glenn McCarthy,
Executive Officer
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Council
has reviewed its own role and operations and has adopted contemporary practices
to best discharge its charter.
Critical Action: Review current structures and procedures
supporting Council and Councillors responsibilities.
Purpose:
To advise Council of the
Australian Local Government Women's Association NSW Annual Conference to be
held in Rockdale 3 - 5 April 2008. The report recommends that Council nominate
delegates to attend ALGWA's 55th
Background
The Australian Local Government’s Women’s Association (ALGWA) NSW Branch was founded in 1951, with the principal objectives being:
· to assist in furthering women’s knowledge and understanding of the functions of local government;
· to protect and enhance the interests and rights of women in local government;
· to take action in relation to any subject or activity of particular interest to women affecting local governing bodies and/or local government legislation;
· to act in an advisory capacity to intending women candidates for local government elections; and
· to encourage women into professional careers in local government.
Penrith City Council has five Councillors who are members of the ALGWA (Councillors Allison, Cettolin, Greenow, McKeown & Page, two of whom are currently serving on the ALGWA Executive being:
Cr Susan Page: President, Chairperson of Executive, Chairperson of Governance Committee and Executive Member
Cr Jackie Greenow: Executive Member
Current
Situation
The ALGWA 2008 NSW Annual Conference will be hosted by Rockdale City Council, and is being held in Rockdale from 3 April to 5 April 2008. The theme of the Conference is ‘Rock to Success’.
The Conference program is currently being prepared, with presentations being sought from key people involved in the community, local government and business.
The ALGWA NSW Annual Conference is open to all Councillors, Council staff and interested citizens. Council usually sends delegates to the Conference, and it would be appropriate for delegates to be nominated at this meeting.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on 2008 Australian Local
Government Women's Association NSW Annual Conference be received. 2. Council nominate its delegates to attend ALGWA’s 55th Annual NSW State Conference, to be held in Rockdale from 3 to 5 April 2008, and grant leave of absence as appropriate. |
There are no attachments for this report.
4
February 2008 |
|
Leadership and Organisation |
|
Leadership and Organisation
13 |
Local
Government Sessions, United Nations Climate Change Conference, |
|
Compiled by: Louise Petchell, Sustainability Unit Co-ordinator
Authorised by: Ross Kingsley,
Corporate Development Manager
Requested
By: Councillor Karen McKeown
Strategic Program Term Achievement: The
principles of sustainability are central to Council's decision-making systems
and processes and its operations
Critical Action: Implement a program to mainstream
sustainability within the organisation consistent with the recommendations of
the Sustainable Penrith Action Plan and leading practice.
Purpose:
To provide information
regarding Council's attendance at the Local Government Climate Change Sessions,
which were held as parallel events to the United Nations Climate Change (UNFCC)
Conference in December 2007. The report
recommends that the information be received and that the 'World Mayors and
Local Governments Climate Protection Agreement' launched at the conference be
considered by Council's Climate Change Working Party.
Background
The United Nations
Climate Change Conference 2007 was held in
ICLEI invited representation of its member councils at this prestigious event from 10-11 December 2007.
ICLEI is an international association of local governments, as well as national and regional local government organisations, that have made a commitment to sustainable development. ICLEI works with these organisations through international performance-based campaigns and programs.
Penrith City Council first joined ICLEI in February 2000, and since this time
has actively participated in a number of programs to target greenhouse gas and
water management for both Council’s own operations and the wider community.
These programs have included the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) program,
CCP Plus and the Water Campaign.
Council was represented
by its Sustainability Champion, Councillor Karen McKeown and Sustainability
Unit Coordinator, Louise Petchell, at the Climate Change Sessions and side
events associated with the UNFCC Conference. Over 200 representatives of local
governments and their associations from 40 countries around the world were part
of this special local government delegation. It is notable that Council was one
of five Australian and
Framework
Convention on Climate Change
The international political response to climate change began with the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. The UNFCCC sets out a framework for action, aimed at stabilising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases to avoid “dangerous anthropogenic interference” with the climate system. Controlled gases include methane, nitrous oxide and, in particular, carbon dioxide. The UNFCCC came into force on 21 March 1994 and now has 192 parties.
Local
Government Climate Sessions
Local Government
representatives from around the world showed a strong presence at the United
Nations Climate Change Conference in
The Local Government
Climate Sessions were held under the patronage of Mr Rachmat Witoelar, Minister
of Environment of the
The purpose of this gathering was to form a visible Local Government delegation, and to share with the international community how local governments are contributing to global efforts which address climate change, and that they are willing to contribute to the debate on a post-Kyoto global climate regime.
Around 250 representatives of local governments and their associations from 40 countries attended the event. This made the Local Government group the second largest delegation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2007.
The sessions were held under the auspices of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change, in cooperation with the Secretariat of the UNFCCC. It was convened by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability in cooperation with, and with support from, partner organisations.
Overview of
the Climate Change Sessions
The ICLEI Climate Change Sessions provided a strong local government setting for the Conference of the Parties, as well as providing insights into the work of cities on climate change.
The issues of Mitigation, Adaptation, Clean Development Mechanism, Local Renewables,
Climate Risk for Cities, EcoMobility and many other topics were discussed and debated.
The ICLEI Oceania, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) and Indonesian Cities Program attracted attention with Minister Peter Garrett’s, together with the Indonesian Deputy Minister for Environment’s attendance. Minister Garrett’s address provided an auspicious opening to the sessions on Day Two, and contained sentiments of strong support for CCP Australia and to re-establish CCP Indonesia.
The UNFCC Conference and Local Government Climate Change Sessions reflected the importance placed on the role of cities in responding to climate change, reinforcing that local action can make a difference, although much more is needed than is currently being done, and the value of partnerships in making things happen.
International Partnership Opportunities
Local
Action in
The 'Local Climate Action
in
Steve Gawler, CEO of Frankston City Council (Victoria), representatives of Denpasar and Bogor, Mike Allen of REEEP and Stephen Kenihan of ICLEI Oceania reported on the Australia – Indonesia Sustainable Cities Program from an Australian Local Government perspective, to develop capacity within Indonesian cities to reduce the impacts of climate change through increased investment in greenhouse gas abatement, whilst improving social and economic conditions.
Ten cities were involved
in the
A workshop in
The next steps involve:
· Planning and working closely with a select group of Indonesian cities to identify the key actions that could be supported by this program;
· Develop a MOU with the Ministry of Environment and ICLEI as requested by Deputy Minister Masnellyarti Hilman;
· Further consult Indonesian NGOs and local government organisations;
· Confirm the details of the COP 13 event following the decision of the Indonesian Ministry;
· Confirm the interest and commitment of Australian cities in this program.
Penrith City Council’s possible involvement in this program will be explored once further information has been received from ICLEI. A further report will be provided on this matter.
World
Mayors and Local Governments Climate Protection Agreement
The “World Mayors and
Local Governments Climate Protection Agreement” (WMLGCPA) was launched, through
which mayors and local governments worldwide can accept the responsibility to
lead and take action to combat the dangerous effects of climate change and to
prevent further warming of the planet. The agreement was launched by
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, the World Mayors Council on Climate
Change (WMCCC),
A copy of the proposed Agreement is provided as an Appendix to this report. It is anticipated that hundreds of cities and local governments world-wide will sign the Agreement over the course of the next two years. The commitments called for are as follows:
1. REDUCE greenhouse
gas emissions immediately and significantly. Measure and report on annual
reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and constantly work to increase
reductions such that by 2050 greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced worldwide
by 60% from 1990 levels and by 80% from 1990 levels in industrialised
countries.
2. IMPLEMENT
sub-national, national and international frameworks that are complementary and
enable local governments by providing resources, authority and sufficient
mandate to carry forward these roles and responsibilities.
3. BUILD a
sustainable energy economy through energy savings and the application of new
and existing renewable and high efficiency technologies, to reduce dependence
on fossil and nuclear fuels and aim for lowest-carbon options.
4. EXECUTE climate
change adaptation and preparedness measures through local government planning,
development and operational mechanisms, prioritising the most vulnerable
cities.
5. ADVOCATE that
every national delegation participating in the UNFCCC negotiations include
local government designated representation to ensure that local climate
priorities and actions are included in future negotiations.
6. PERSISTENTLY CALL for national governments to join the international
community in undertaking binding carbon limits to rapidly and significantly
reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the short-term and by at least 60% worldwide
below 1990 levels by 2050.
It is appropriate that Council carefully consider its response to, and possible adoption of, the Agreement in the context of its existing commitments to greenhouse strategy and its strategic direction of sustainability leadership. It is intended that this matter be referred to the Climate Change Working Party for detailed examination and recommendation, as discussed below.
Proposed
Climate Change Leadership Working Party
In response to the major report on the carbon neutral status of Council, which was presented to Council’s Policy Review Committee in 2007, it was resolved that:
· Council
continue to advance and accelerate where practicable the implementation of its
adopted plans to reduce energy use and greenhouse emissions, according to the
priority directions discussed in the report
· A
Working Party comprising Councillors Karen McKeown, Mark Davies, Ross Fowler
and all interested and available Councillors be established to address the
further development of Council’s Sustainability strategies including Carbon
Neutral and its leadership role
It is intended to arrange an initial meeting of the Working Party at an early date. Part of the business of that meeting will be to confirm its Terms of Reference. It is suggested that focussing the Working Party’s role on Council’s response to Climate Change (including the Carbon Neutral Plan and greenhouse strategy as well as broader factors affecting the City) would best enable it to play an effective leadership role, both in the present Strategic Program and particularly in the development of this critical area of the next Strategic Plan.
Consideration of major new climate change initiatives and potential commitments in NSW, nationally and internationally, would be part of this role, including assessment and recommendation to Council on the WMLGCPA, as noted above.
Conclusion
The Conference provided a unique opportunity for Council to access and be represented at the local government focussed sessions of the world’s foremost conference on climate change, now recognised as the most critical issue of the age.
The United Nations Conference, with its numerous side events, exhibits and parallel events, provided opportunities to observe statements of national representatives and the future of the Kyoto Protocol.
The ICLEI Local Government parallel sessions covered a range of aspects of the work of cities on climate change across the ICLEI regions around the world.
There are many important directions and programs associated with the Conference that can be drawn upon and reflected in Council’s approach to addressing climate change. Many of these will build on the strategic directions in Council’s Sustainable Penrith program and provide a platform for Council, with advice from the Climate Change Working Party, to take effective action.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on the Local Government
Sessions, United Nations Climate Change Conference, 2. Consideration of the World Mayors and Local Governments Climate Protection Agreement be referred to the Climate Change Leadership Working Party. |
1. View |
The World Mayors and Local Governments
Climate Protection Agreement |
1 Page |
Appendix |
4 February 2008 |
|
Appendix
1 - The World Mayors and Local Governments Climate Protection Agreement |
|
|
|
4
February 2008 |
|
Leadership and Organisation |
|
Leadership and Organisation
14 |
Council
Property - Electricity Easement for Padmount Substation on Open Space, Lot 10
DP 832179, The |
|
Compiled by: Bob Anderson, Property Officer - Valuation
Authorised by: Brian Griffiths,
Property Development Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Council
provides adequate resources to deliver its program and has introduced measures
to increase its capacity.
Critical Action: Implement a property development program
that maximises the potential for sustainable additional revenue to support
major projects and programs.
Purpose:
To obtain Council's
concurrence to the granting of easements for electricity purposes to Integral
Energy in conjunction with the provision of upgraded services within
Background
Council is the owner of
Lot 10 DP 832179 at The Glenmore Parkway,
Due to increased pressure on the network, Integral Energy needed to upgrade electricity supplies within the area to mitigate voltage problems with the installation of an additional padmount substation.
Current Situation
Integral Energy proposes
to install a padmount substation within the Open Space land next to Glenmore
Loch near The Glenmore Parkway/Kenneth Slessor roundabout with connecting
underground cables under The Glenmore Parkway to
To protect the works, an easement is required for the padmount substation 5.5 x 2.75 metres and one metre wide for connecting underground cables to The Glenmore Parkway as indicated on the attached plan.
The location of the
padmount substation had been determined by Integral Energy in conjunction with
Council’s Parks Construction and Maintenance Overseer. Environmental considerations were addressed
in determining the location, particularly with respect to the residential
dwellings opposite the site. The site is
over 9 metres into Council’s land and over 45 metres from the
Notification to adjoining residents of the upgrade to the electrical network and proposed installation of the padmount substation in the Council Reserve was carried out by Integral Energy in September 2005. No responses were advised.
Council letters have also recently been sent to the owners of the three properties opposite the site with only one telephone reply requesting that the proposed location be moved slightly to the north where it will be hidden from direct view from their living areas. This request was forwarded to Integral Energy and the proposed substation site has been moved as far as possible out of any direct view. The view to the site is also generally hidden by a fence, trees and landscaping, however additional landscaping can be planted if necessary.
Council’s land is classified as “Community” land under the Local Government Act 1993 and the easements will have little detrimental effect on the use as Open Space.
Compensation has been offered by Integral Energy in the amount of $5,500, based on an independent registered real estate valuer who assessed the site for the easement for the pad-mounted substation. He also undertakes other valuations of similar sites in other Local Government Areas.
Integral Energy will be responsible for all reasonable costs associated with the creation of the easement, such as survey and legal expenses.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Council Property -
Electricity Easement for Padmount Substation on Open Space, Lot 10 DP 832179,
The Glenmore Parkway, Glenmore Park.
Owner: Penrith City Council. Applicant:
Integral Energy be received. 2. Council grant
Integral Energy an Easement for Padmount Substation 5.5 x 2.75 metres and an
easement one metre wide for connecting cables over Lot 10 DP 832179 at The
Glenmore Parkway, 3. Integral Energy bear all reasonable costs associated with the granting of the easements. 4. Compensation in the amount of $5,500 be accepted from Integral Energy. 5. Integral Energy be responsible for the timely removal of any graffiti upon the padmount substation. 6. The Common
Seal of the Council of the City of |
1. View |
Property Matter - Electricity Easement for
Padmount Substation on Open Space, Lot 10 DP 832179, The |
1 Page |
Appendix |
4 February 2008 |
|
Appendix
1 - Property Matter - Electricity Easement for Padmount Substation on Open
Space, Lot 10 DP 832179, The |
|
|
|
4
February 2008 |
|
Leadership and Organisation |
|
Leadership and Organisation
15 |
Property
Matter - Proposed Road Closing - |
|
Compiled by: Bob Anderson, Property Officer - Valuation
Authorised by: Brian Griffiths,
Property Development Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Council
provides adequate resources to deliver its program and has introduced measures
to increase its capacity.
Critical Action: Implement a property development program
that maximises the potential for sustainable additional revenue to support
major projects and programs.
Purpose:
To obtain Council's agreement
to the closing of a small section of
Background
CSR Ltd is the owner of
Lot 29, DP 1119748 that adjoins
In 1960, the Roads &
Traffic Authority (RTA) widened
As well as approximately 20 metres of road widening, a small indent section approximately 6 metres in depth and 20 metres long that formed the entry to the private road to the quarry, was also included and vested in Council as public road. The land is vacant and not being used as road.
Current Situation
With the development of
the CSR Ltd land within the Erskine Park Employment Area, including the
construction of new roads, the entrance to the private road off
An application has been received, on behalf of CSR Ltd, from Pyramid Pacific Pty Limited to close the indent as road and transfer the land back to CSR Ltd.
The indent subject to closure contains an area of approximately 140.9 square metres.
The RTA has no objection to the indent section of road being closed and transferred back to CSR Ltd and has not requested any payment. As the section of road had vested in Council in the first place upon the realignment by the RTA, the application to the Department of Lands needs to be submitted by Council as a procedural matter only.
Council’s agreement to
lodging the application is required. It
is proposed that an application be made by Council with the land becoming
The street lighting
along
CSR Ltd is in the process of marketing the adjoining land, Lot 29 DP 1119748, for sale and it is appropriate that the indent, once closed, is consolidated with the adjoining land.
It is proposed that the indent be closed as public road, subject to the creation of the easement for padmount substation, and transferred to CSR Ltd or the purchaser of the CSR Ltd land.
That: 1. The information contained in the report
on Property Matter - Proposed
Road Closing - 2. Council lodge
an application with the Department of Lands for the closing of the indent
section of 3. CSR Ltd be responsible for all application, survey and associated costs involved in the closing. 4. The Common
Seal of the Council of the City of |
1. View |
Property Matter - Proposed Road Closing - |
1 Page |
Appendix |
4 February 2008 |
|
Appendix
1 - Property Matter - Proposed Road Closing - |
|
|
|
4
February 2008 |
|
Leadership and Organisation |
|
Leadership and Organisation
16 |
Summary
of Investments & Banking for the period 1 December to 31 December 2007
and an Agency Collection Method |
|
Compiled by: Pauline Johnston, Expenditure Accountant
Authorised by: Vicki O’Kelly,
Financial Services Manager
Strategic Program Term Achievement: Council
provides adequate resources to deliver its program and has introduced measures
to increase its capacity.
Critical Action: Maximise funding opportunities to deliver
Council’s program.
Purpose:
To provide a summary of
investments for the period 1 December 2007 to 31 December 2007 and Agency
collection Fees as at 31 December. The
report recommends that the information be noted.
Background