For more information and appendices for each item, view the Council Meeting Agenda above.
The below summary is unconfirmed until the Minutes of the July Meeting are accepted by Council.
1. Opening Prayer & Original Custodians Statement
2. Apologies
None
3. Confirmation of Minutes
That the Minutes of the Scheduled Meeting of Council held on 5 June 2023 and Additional Council Meeting held on 26 June 2023, be confirmed. (7-0).
4. Declaration by Councillors and Officers of any Conflict of Interest in any Item on the Agenda
None
5. Mayoral Presentation
6. Public Question Time
7.1. NEWS & SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
Council has a News and Social Media Policy to provide a consistent, coordinated approach to interacting with news and social media, ensuring Council’s communications are accurate and professional.
Online and traditional news services, along with social media, provide opportunities for Council to engage with and inform the community about Council activities, programs, events, services and initiatives. Collectively they play a critical role in facilitating transparency, accountability and public trust.
Councillors and staff of Warrnambool City Council are expected to demonstrate standards of conduct and behaviour that are consistent with relevant legislation, regulations and policies. The revised News and Social Media Policy provides guidance for Councillors, staff, contractors and volunteers on the use of news and social media for the purposes of informing and engaging with the community about Council activities, responding to media inquiries and the personal use of social media where Warrnambool City Council is a topic of online discussion.
Council supported the following recommendations (7-0):
That Council released the revised News & Social Media Policy for public exhibition for a period of not less than 14 days.
7.2. COMMUNITY SATISFACTION SURVEY 2023
Sixty-six of 79 Victorian municipalities participated in the 2023 Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey undertaken by JWS Research on behalf of Local Government Victoria.
The annual survey is a measure of the community’s perceptions of Council’s performance. The survey outcomes are influenced not only by Council performance but frequently by political, planning and/or infrastructure issues topical at the time of the survey.
The survey covers a comprehensive range of Council services but focuses on eight key performances measures which are: overall performance, value for money, community consultation, making community decisions, sealed local roads, waste management, customer service and overall council direction.
This year’s results saw satisfaction levels fall several points in each core measure. While the declines from the unusually high scores of 2022 were significant, the results were in most cases within about 10 per cent of regional and state averages.
Typically, survey results are strongly influenced by issues that are topical at around the time the survey is being conducted (January to March). Over that period this year Council was in the process of closing the South-West Victorian Livestock Exchange and investigating the viability of constructing a new art gallery building at Cannon Hill. Both of these issues were complex, emotive and attracted considerable media attention and generated significant debate on social media.
Council supported the following recommendation (7-0):
That Council notes the results of the 2023 Community Satisfaction Survey and makes the survey results available on Council’s website.
7.3. S11 INSTRUMENT OF APPOINTMENT & AUTHORISATION (ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS)
This report seeks Council’s endorsement for appointment of authorised officers under s 224 of the Local Government Act 1989 through the attached updated Instrument of Authorisation and Appointment (‘the instrument’).
This request comes from recent staff changes in the Environmental Health team. By authorising the relevant officers to perform their duties under all applicable legislation, Council will ensure these new officers have the required authority to properly carry out their roles within Council’s legislative requirements.
Council supported the following recommendation (7-0):
In the exercise of the powers conferred by s 224 of the Local Government Act 1989 and the other legislation referred to in the attached instrument of appointment and authorisation (the instrument), Warrnambool City Council RESOLVES THAT -
1. The members of Council staff referred to in the instrument be appointed and authorised as set out in the instrument.
2. The instrument comes into force immediately when the common seal of Council is affixed to the instrument, and remains in force until Council determines to vary or revoke it.
3. The instrument be sealed.
4. Any previous S11 Instrument of Appointment and Authorisation (Environmental Health Officers) be revoked.
7.4. GYMNASTICS PROGRAM - TRANSFER OF BUSINESS
Warrnambool Gymnastics is currently owned, operated and managed by Warrnambool City Council at a site in the showgrounds. The Springers Gymnastics Club is responsible for the competition arm of gymnastics. While these two bodies are technically separate, the operational reality is they are intertwined due to the heavy reliance on Council.
The ownership and management of a gymnastics service is not core business of local government.
While the program has provided some revenue to Council in the past, this has not taken into account the real cost of administering the service and the return on investment. To grow the business would require significant additional Council investment, expertise and staff resources.
Springers Gymnastics have indicated in the past that they would prefer that Council was less involved in the operation of their sport and so Council officers have been consulting with the
Warrnambool Springers Gymnastics Club to identify possible alternate models for the management and provision of gymnastics in Warrnambool.
As a result of this, the Warrnambool Springers Gymnastics Club wish to develop an alternate model of management and provision of gymnastics in Warrnambool and are requesting that Council transfer the Gymnastics business including the Centre (facility is leased from Showgrounds Committee of Management), equipment and gymnastics employees to the Club at the end of 2023.
Council supported the following recommendation (7-0):
That Council support the transition of business management and operations of the Gymnastic Program and the associated gymnastics assets, to the Warrnambool Springers Gymnastics Association from 1 January 2024, for a peppercorn fee of $1.00 payable on invoice.
7.5. JOINT RESEAL CONTRACT 2023/24 & 2024/25
Both Corangamite Shire Council (CSC) and Warrnambool City Council (Council) have programs to undertake bitumen sealing works each year, as part of our road asset management plans and annual road maintenance activities.
Both CSC and Council’s programs contain very similar scopes and are typically undertaken by specialist contractors. Accordingly, a collaborative approach to the procurement of these works provides a greater opportunity to achieve efficiencies through economies of scale.
Council resolved on 6 September 2021 to enter into its sixth Infrastructure Contributions Agreement for 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 Bitumen sealing works with CSC.
CSC entered into a contract with Boral Pty Ltd on behalf of Council to deliver sealing works for the 2021/22 and 2022/2023 financial years.
It is proposed that a Bitumen Sealing Works Agreement is made with CSC, for the management and delivery of the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 Bitumen Sealing Programs. The total value of a two-year resealing contract is estimated at $1.5m.
Council supported the following recommendations (7-0):
1. That Warrnambool City Council enters into a Joint infrastructure Contributions
Agreement with Corangamite Shire Council for the 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 bitumen sealing works.
2. That Corangamite Shire Council is appointed as an agent of Warrnambool City Council for the purpose of procuring the works under the 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 agreement.
3. That the Chief Executive Officer is delegated authority to sign and seal (execute) documents for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 bitumen sealing Joint infrastructure Agreement.
4. That the Chief Executive Officer is delegated authority to accept or reject the tender recommendations from Corangamite Shire Council for bitumen sealing works, following advice from the relevant officers.
7.6. DP2023-0001 AMENDED DEVELOPMENT PLAN APPLICATION: 119 BRIDGE ROAD BUSHFIELD
Council has received an amended Development Plan (DP) prepared by Myers Planning & Associates for land at 119 Bridge Road, Bushfield (LOT 1 PS829725T).
The plan changes some aspects of the existing Woodford Heights Estate Northern Development Plan that was approved at the October 2021 ordinary council meeting.
Previously, the subject land identified on the plan with an area of 19.79 hectares only showed immediate development of 9.64 hectares within the Low Density Residential zone. The balance of the land (within both LDRZ and Rural Living Zone) was greyed out and designated as an ‘area excluded from the development plan’ with an example lot layout shown.
The amended plan now under consideration now shifts the area excluded from the plan to only be land within the RLZ, and continues to show future open space assets and wetland drainage areas.
The Development Plan as approved comprised twenty (20) lots with areas of no less than 4000m²; the amended plan now shows thirty (30) lots in a similar layout, serviced by a similar looping road, but with the re-positioning of some drainage assets.
The amended Development Plan was subject to internal and external referrals as required, and was placed on exhibition from 24 April 2023 for a non-statutory period of two (2) weeks where no submissions have been received.
The amended Development Plan meets the requirements of the Development Plan overlay and relevant provisions of the Warrnambool Planning Scheme.
Council supported the following recommendations (6-1):
That having considered all the matters normally required under Section 60 of the Act for planning applications, Council approve the amended development plan under the relevant provisions of the Warrnambool Planning Scheme in respect of the land known and described as Lot 1 on Title Plan 829725T at 119 Bridge Road, BUSHFIELD VIC 3280, which seeks to facilitate future low density residential development on the site.
7.7. ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS
This report contains the record of one Advisory Committee meeting:
- Warrnambool Airport Reference Group – 22 May 2023.
Council received the report (7-0).
7.8. INFORMAL MEETINGS OF COUNCIL REPORTS
Section 80A(2) of the Local Government Act 1989 required the record of an Assembly of Councillors to be reported at an ordinary Council meeting.
Assembly of Councillor Records are no longer a requirement in the Local Government Act 2020 as of 24 October 2020. However, under Council’s Governance Rules, a summary of the matters discussed at the meeting are required to be tabled at the next convenient Council meeting and recorded in the minutes of that Council meeting.
The record of the following Informal Meetings of Council are enclosed:-
- Monday 19 June 2023.
- Monday 26 June 2023.
Council received the report (7-0).
7.9. MAYORAL & CHIEF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ACTIVITIES – SUMMARY REPORT
Council received the report (7-0).
8. Notice of Motion
9. General Business
10. Urgent Business
11. Close of Meeting