CONFIRMED MINUTES

 OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF PENRITH CITY COUNCIL HELD IN THE

COUNCIL CHAMBERS

ON MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2015 AT 7:01PM

NATIONAL ANTHEM  

The meeting opened with the National Anthem.

STATEMENT OF RECOGNITION

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

PRAYER

The Council Prayer was read by the Rev Neil Checkley.

PRESENT

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Ross Fowler OAM, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Greg Davies and Councillors Jim Aitken OAM, Bernard Bratusa, Prue Car MP, Kevin Crameri OAM, Marcus Cornish, Mark 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 - 24 August 2015

263  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Greg Davies seconded Councillor Ben Goldfinch that the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of 24 August 2015 be confirmed.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

Mayoral Minutes

1        The Passing of James Bartholomew (Bart) Cummings AM

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Greg Davies spoke in support of the Mayoral Minute.

264  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Ross Fowler OAM seconded Councillor Greg Davies that the Mayoral Minute on The Passing of James Bartholomew (Bart) Cummings AM be received.

2        Year in Review

Councillors John Thain, Mark Davies, Prue Car MP, Greg Davies and Ben Goldfinch spoke in support of the Mayoral Minute.

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

265  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Ross Fowler OAM seconded Councillor John Thain that the Mayoral Minute on Year in Review be received.

Procedural Motion

266 RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor John Thain seconded Councillor Prue Car that the order of business be dealt with as Items 4,3,1,2.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS

267  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM seconded Councillor Karen McKeown that Standing Orders be suspended to allow members of the public to address the meeting, the time being 7:35pm.

Mr Gary Mottau

Mr Gary Mottau, a Director of Hill Rogers Spencer Steer (HR-SS) and Council’s Auditor, addressed Council on the Draft 2014-15 Financial Statements and advised that he would be issuing an unqualified audit report and that the Council's financial position is satisfactory.

RESUMPTION OF STANDING ORDERS

268  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM seconded Councillor John Thain that Standing Orders be resumed, the time being 7:38pm.

DELIVERY PROGRAM REPORTS

Outcome 7 - We have confidence in our Council

4        Draft 2014-15 Financial Statements                                                                                

269  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor John Thain seconded Councillor Mark Davies

That:

1.     The information contained in the report on Draft 2014-15 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 2015 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 2014-15 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.

3        Councillor Fees                                                                                                                 

270  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor John Thain seconded Councillor Mark Davies that the information contained in the report on Councillor Fees be received.

1        Election of Mayor                                                                                                              

271  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor John Thain seconded Councillor Ben Goldfinch

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, Council determine the method of election for the Office of Mayor be open voting, by way of show of hands.

His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Ross Fowler OAM, handed over to the Returning Officer, (General Manager) 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 Marcus Cornish was nominated by Councillors Kevin Crameri OAM, Jim Aitken OAM and Marcus Cornish and that Councillor Marcus Cornish accepted the nomination for position of Mayor.

Councillor Karen McKeown was nominated by Councillors John Thain, Ross Fowler OAM, Mark Davies, Ben Goldfinch, and that Councillor Karen McKeown accepted the nomination for position of Mayor.

The Returning Officer then conducted the ballot.

Voting for Councillor Marcus Cornish – Councillors Kevin Crameri OAM, Maurice Girotto, Jim Aitken OAM and Marcus Cornish.

Voting for Councillor Karen McKeown – Councillors Prue Car MP, Greg Davies, John Thain, Karen McKeown, Tricia Hitchen, Jackie Greenow OAM, Mark Davies, Ben Goldfinch, Michelle Tormey, Bernard Bratusa and Ross Fowler OAM.

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

Councillor Marcus Cornish  – 4 votes

Councillor Karen McKeown – 11 votes.

The Returning Officer then declared Councillor Karen McKeown duly elected as Mayor for the 2015/2016 Mayoral Term.

Her Worship the Mayor, Councillor Karen McKeown then took the chair and thanked her colleagues, friends and family for their support and spoke of her goals and priorities and commitment to working for the betterment of the Penrith community over the next 12 months.

A number of the Councillors then congratulated the Mayor on her election.

2        Election of Deputy Mayor                                                                                                 

272  RESOLVED on the MOTION of Councillor John Thain seconded Councillor Greg Davies

That:

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

2.     Council consider the Election of a Deputy Mayor.

3.     In the event of more than one Councillor being nominated, Council determine the method of election for the Office of Mayor be open voting, by way of show of hands.

4.     In accordance with Section 231 (2) of the Local Government Act 1993, the term of Office of the Deputy Mayor for the 2015/2016 period be the same as the term of Office of the Mayor (until September 2016).

Her Worship the Mayor, Councillor Karen McKeown, handed over to the Returning Officer, (General Manager) 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 Ross Fowler OAM was nominated by Councillors Mark Davies, John Thain, Karen McKeown and Prue Car MP and that Councillor Ross Fowler OAM accepted the nomination for position of Deputy Mayor.

Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM was nominated by Councillors Jackie Greenow OAM, Kevin Crameri OAM and Michelle Tormey and that Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM accepted the nomination for position of Deputy Mayor.

The Returning Officer then conducted the ballot.

Voting for Councillor Ross Fowler OAM – Councillors Prue Car MP, Greg Davies, John Thain, Mark Davies, Ben Goldfinch, Tricia Hitchen, Bernard Bratusa, Ross Fowler OAM, Karen McKeown.

Voting for Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM – Councillors Michelle Tormey, Jackie Greenow OAM, Maurice Girotto, Kevin Crameri OAM, Jim Aitken OAM and Marcus Cornish.

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

Councillor Ross Fowler OAM – 9 votes

Councillor Jackie Greenow OAM – 6 votes.

The Returning Officer declared Councillor Ross Fowler OAM duly elected as Deputy Mayor for the same period as the 2015/2016 Mayoral Term.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ross Fowler OAM also thanked his colleagues and spoke of his eagerness to work with the Mayor, as Deputy Mayor for the City of Penrith over the next 12 months.

There being no further business the Chairperson declared the meeting closed the time being 8:11pm.

I certify that these 5 pages are the Confirmed Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Penrith City Council held on 21 September 2015.

                                       ____________________                ______________

                                                Chairperson                                     Date