CONFIRMED MINUTES

 OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF PENRITH CITY COUNCIL HELD IN THE

COUNCIL CHAMBERS

ON MONDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2013 AT 7:05PM

NATIONAL ANTHEM  

The meeting opened with the National Anthem.

STATEMENT OF RECOGNITION

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Mark Davies read a statement of recognition of Penrith City’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage.

PRAYER

The Council Prayer was read by Rev Neil Checkley.

PRESENT

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Mark Davies, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ross Fowler OAM and Councillors Jim Aitken OAM, Bernard Bratusa, Prue Car, Kevin Crameri OAM, Marcus Cornish, Greg Davies, Maurice Girotto, Ben Goldfinch, Jackie Greenow OAM, Tricia Hitchen, Karen McKeown, John Thain and Michelle Tormey.

 

APOLOGIES

There were no apologies.

 

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES - Ordinary Meeting - 26 August 2013

246  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Kevin Crameri OAM seconded Councillor Jim Aitken OAM that the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of 26 August 2013 be confirmed.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

 

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS

247  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Ben Goldfinch seconded Councillor Jim Aitken OAM that Standing Orders be suspended to allow members of the public to address the meeting, the time being 7:08pm.

 

Item 1 - Draft 2012-13 Financial Statements

 

Mr Dennis Banicevic, a Director of PricewaterhouseCoopers and  Independent Auditor addressed the Council and spoke to the report indicating that Council is performing well and in excess of a number of industry benchmarks. Mr Banicevic outlined that he believes Council is currently in a sound and stable financial position and will be into the future.

 

RESUMPTION OF STANDING ORDERS

248  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Greg Davies seconded Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM that Standing Orders be resumed, the time being 7:13pm.

 

 

249  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor John Thain seconded Councillor Greg Davies that Item 1 – Draft 2012-13 Financial Statements be considered first on the agenda.

 

1        Draft 2012-13 Financial Statements                                                                                 

250  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jim Aitken OAM seconded Councillor Greg Davies

That:

1.     The information contained in the report on Draft 2012-13 Financial Statements be received.

2.     Pursuant to s413(2)(c) it is the Council's opinion that:

a.   The financial statements and schedules have been drawn up in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993 and Regulations, the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting, the Local Government Australian Infrastructure Management Guidelines, and Australian Accounting Standards. The Code requires a phasing in of the new accounting requirements

b.   The statements comply with Australian Statements of Accounting Concepts

c.   The financial statements present fairly the Council's financial position as at 30 June 2013 and the operating result for the year then ended

d.   The statements are in accord with Council's accounting and other records.

3.    Pursuant to the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting and section 215 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 it is the Council's opinion that:

a.   The accompanying Special Purpose Financial report has been drawn up in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993 and Regulations, the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting, and the requirements of National Competition Policy. The Code requires the inclusion of various charges and subsidies which are not actually paid or payable.

b.   The report is a special purpose report and is not required to comply with Australian Accounting Standards. The above legislative requirements differ from Australian Accounting Standards and hence the report does not comply with Australian Accounting Standards.

c.   The financial statements present a modelled scenario for comparative purposes. They do not report an actual result.

4.   Council confirm its endorsement of the budget in the knowledge that some of its business activities are not making commercial returns. The existence of notional subsidies represents Council’s commitment to its community service obligations.

5.   The Statements be forwarded to Council's Auditors.

6.   Abandonments for 2012-13 as detailed be written off.

7.   The balance of stores and materials be adjusted in the stores and materials registers in accordance with the various write-offs.

  

Mayoral Minute

 

1        Year in Review

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Mark Davies spoke to his Mayoral Minute.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ross Fowler OAM and Councillors John Thain, Jackie Greenow OAM, Maurice Girotto, Jim Aitken OAM, Kevin Crameri OAM, Ben Goldfinch, Greg Davies, Bernard Bratusa and Marcus Cornish spoke in support of the Mayoral Minute and congratulated the Mayor on his term.

The General Manager, Alan Stoneham spoke in support of the Mayoral Minute and congratulated the Mayor on his term.                                                                                                                        

251  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Mark Davies seconded Councillor Ross Fowler OAM that the Mayoral Minute on Year in Review be received.

 

DELIVERY PROGRAM REPORTS

 

Outcome 7 - We have confidence in our Council

 

2        Election of Mayor                                                                                                              

252  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Greg Davies seconded Councillor Jim Aitken OAM

That:

1.                 The information contained in the report on Election of Mayor be received.

                   2.       In the event of more than one Councillor being nominated, the method of                         election for the office of Mayor be open voting, by way of show of hands.

 

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Mark Davies, handed over to the Returning Officer, (General Manager) Mr Alan Stoneham, to conduct the election of the Mayor.

 

The Returning Officer indicated that he had received two (2) nominations for the position of Mayor and asked whether there were any other nominations.  No other nominations were forthcoming.

 

The Returning Officer stated that the following nominations were in order and that:

 

Councillor Ross Fowler OAM was nominated by Councillors Jim Aitken OAM and Mark Davies and that Councillor Ross Fowler OAM accepted the nomination for position of Mayor.

 

Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM was nominated by Councillors Karen McKeown, John Thain, Greg Davies and Prue Car, and that Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM accepted the nomination for position of Mayor.

 

The Returning Officer then conducted the ballot.

 

Voting for Councillor Ross Fowler OAM – Councillors Ben Goldfinch, Mark Davies, Bernard Bratusa, Tricia Hitchen, Ross Fowler OAM, Jim Aitken OAM, Maurice Girotto and Kevin Crameri OAM.

 

Voting for Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM – Councillors Prue Car, John Thain, Karen McKeown, Michelle Tormey, Jackie Greenow and Greg Davies.

 

The Returning Officer then declared the voting closed and that the result was as follows:

 

Councillor Ross Fowler OAM – 8 votes

Councillor Jackie Greenow – 6 votes.

 

The Returning Officer indicated that Councillor Marcus Cornish had abstained from voting.

 

The Returning Officer then declared Councillor Ross Fowler OAM duly elected as Mayor for the 2013/2014 Mayoral Term.

 

Former Mayor, Councillor Mark Davies, placed the Mayoral Chains on Councillor Ross Fowler OAM and Councillor Ross Fowler OAM then took the chair.

 

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Ross Fowler OAM, thanked his colleagues and family for their support and outlined his vision for Penrith in the future.

 

Councillors Mark Davies, Jim Aitken OAM, John Thain, Maurice Girotto, Bernard Bratusa, Ben Goldfinch, Greg Davies, John Thain and Jackie Greenow OAM  then congratulated the Mayor and wished him well for his Mayoral Term.

 

The General Manager, Alan Stoneham also congratulated the Mayor and wished him well for his Mayoral Term.

 

 

3        Election of Deputy Mayor                                                                                                 

253  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor John Thain seconded Councillor Jim Aitken OAM

That:

1.     The information contained in the report on Election of Deputy Mayor be received.

2.     In the event of more than one Councillor being nominated, the method of election for the office of Deputy Mayor be open voting, by way of show of hands.

3.     In accordance with Section 231 (2) of the Local Government Act 1993, the term of Office of the Deputy Mayor for the 2013/2014 period be the same as the term of Office of the Mayor (September 2014).

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Ross Fowler OAM, handed over to the Returning Officer, (General Manager) Mr Alan Stoneham, to conduct the election of the Deputy Mayor.

 

The Returning Officer indicated that he had received two (2) nominations for the position of Deputy Mayor and asked whether there were any other nominations.  No other nominations were forthcoming.

 

The Returning Officer stated that the following nominations were in order:

 

Councillor Jim Aitken OAM was nominated by Councillors Mark Davies and Ross Fowler OAM , and that Councillor Jim Aitken OAM accepted the nomination for position of Deputy Mayor.

 

Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM was nominated by Councillors John Thain, Prue Car, Karen McKeown and Greg Davies, and that Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM accepted the nomination for position of Deputy Mayor.

 

The Returning Officer then conducted the ballot.

 

Voting for Councillor Jim Aitken OAM – Councillors Kevin Crameri OAM,  Jim Aitken OAM, Ross Fowler OAM, Tricia Hitchen, Bernard Bratusa, Ben Goldfinch, Marcus Cornish and Mark Davies.

 

Voting for Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM – Councillors Prue Car, John Thain, Karen McKeown, Michelle Tormey, Jackie Greenow, Maurice Girotto and Greg Davies.

 

The Returning Officer then declared the voting closed and that the result was as follows:

 

Councillor Jim Aitken OAM – 8 votes

Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM – 7 votes.

 

The Returning Officer declared Councillor Jim Aitken OAM duly elected as Deputy Mayor for the same period as the 2013/2014 Mayoral Term.

 

Councillor Michelle Tormey left the meeting, the time being 8:16pm and did not return.

 

4        Councillor Fees                                                                                                                  

254  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Greg Davies seconded Councillor Mark Davies that the information contained in the report on Councillor Fees be received.

 

There being no further business the Chairperson declared the meeting closed the time being 8:18pm.

 

 

 

I certify that these 6 pages are the Confirmed Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Penrith City Council held on 23 September 2013.

 

 

                                       ____________________                ______________

                                                Chairperson                                     Date