Reports tabled at the Community Focus Council Meeting of Council on Tuesday 9 June 2020, held at the Council Conference and Reception Centre in City Hall, 57 Little Malop Street, Geelong.
Central Geelong Marketing Committee - Terms of Reference Review
Council Meeting During COVID-19 and an Update to the Public Question and Submission Time Policy
Source: |
Community Life - Connected Communities |
Director: |
Robyn Stevens |
Portfolio: |
Leadership and Governance |
To note the second report to Council from the Youth Council Advisory Committee 2020, providing advice to Council on youth specific issues, consistent with the Terms of Reference (TOR).
Twelve local young people were elected to the City of Greater Geelong Youth Council Advisory Committee (Youth Council), and during their 12-month term will serve as the region's official 'youth voice'.
Aged between 12 and 17, the Youth Councillors represent a spread of local towns and suburbs, with three representatives from each of the four Council wards – Bellarine, Brownbill, Kardinia and Windermere.
Deputy Junior Mayor, Ashley Delaney, has written the second of the Youth Council reports for 2020 about Youth Council tasks, findings and advice for Council’s consideration (Attachment 2).
The focus of the Deputy Junior Mayor's report is to highlight Youth Council achievements since the first report was noted by Council in April 2020. This report notes recent actions undertaken including hosting the first Youth Council online meeting via Zoom, naming of the Native Vegetation Mascot, selection of the Youth Postcard Project winner and establishment of the Youth Council Instagram account.
Consistent with the TOR, Youth Council's role is to provide a platform for young people to advocate on priorities that are important to their lives and to provide a mechanism for Council to seek and receive advice and input from young people.
The report from the Youth Council Advisory Committee provides the City with a range of advice to consider including feedback on the draft Social Infrastructure Plan relating to the development of Youth Drop In facilities across the region.
Through the Junior Deputy Mayor’s report, the Youth Council has provided advice in response to a question raised by Councillor Murrihy at the 28 April 2020, Ordinary Meeting of Council with regards to Youth Mental Health and Suicide. On this matter Youth Council has provided Council with two suggestions: the training of additional Youth Development staff in Mental Health First Aid programs; and advocacy from Council to encourage all schools to take up the Mental Health First Aid programs provided by Council as a matter of urgency.
Councillor Grzybek moved, Councillor Mason seconded -
That Council note:
The second report from the Youth Council Advisory Committee 2020;
The Youth Council feedback on youth spaces in the Draft Social Infrastructure plan; and
The Youth Council suggestions in relation to mental health support for young people and refer this to the Chief Executive Officer for consideration.
Carried.
Funding for the Youth Council program and activities has been allocated as part of Council’s annual budget process.
Youth Councillors have engaged several young people in their wards to gain essential feedback and input. During COVID-19 restrictions, Youth Councillors will endeavour to continue this engagement, to the extent they are able, via online connections.
The Youth Council provides an opportunity for young people to contribute to and be included in civic life.
The activities of the Youth Council comply with the Committee's TOR.
The Youth Council TOR ensures a forum for young people that aligns with Council Plan priorities of:
Improved health and safety of our community – consult with the community on safety issues that are impacting them;
A more inclusive and diverse community – further developing programs that support young people in our community;
Effective environmental management – educating and assisting our community; and
Organisational leadership, strategy and governance – communicating and engaging with the community.
No City officers or contractors who have provided advice in relation to this report have declared a conflict of interest regarding the matter under consideration.
The Committee provides advice to Council on specific issues relating to young people in our community and do not speak on behalf of the Council or the City. The TOR for the Committee provides their framework and guidelines.
There are no environmental implications.
Source: |
Governance, Strategy & Performance - Strategy & Performance |
Director: |
Rebecca Leonard |
Portfolio: |
Leadership and Governance |
To present an updated Sustainability Framework 2020 for adoption by Council following community consultation.
The initial Sustainability Framework was developed in response to Council’s resolution of September 2019 and was adopted by Council on 25 February 2020.
A draft Action Plan was also presented to Council on 25 February 2020 and since then has been open for community consultation. Consultation on the draft Action Plan was facilitated by an online survey, and consultation was open for an extended period until the end of May 2020, to provide the community with adequate time to have their say during the COVID-19 restricted activity period.
In total, 96 responses were received via the survey during the consultation from individuals and community groups. In addition to completed surveys, several emails and letters were also received regarding the Action Plan and the Framework. A summary of the community consultation and the updated Action Plan will be provided to Council on 14 July 2020.
Whilst feedback was sought from the community on the draft Action Plan, the community also provided feedback in relation to the Sustainability Framework itself. The feedback received indicates broad support for the development of the Sustainability Framework and a summary of feedback themes is included in (Attachment 2).
In response to the feedback received in relation to the Sustainability Framework, and consistent with the City’s commitment to listening to the community, some amendments are suggested for the Framework (Attachment 3).
The amendments to the Framework:
Focus on ensuring the language is clear and is easy to understand;
Ensure that the holistic nature of sustainability is represented;
Recognise the important role of community education and involvement;
Reiterate the acknowledgement of a climate emergency by the City and Council;
Clarify the areas of focus and objectives; and
Provide a strong foundation for the role of the City and Council, and their strategies and plans.
The updated Sustainability Framework 2020 will shape decision making for both Council and the City’s operations. And now, in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of sustainability has been highlighted, particularly as it relates to the City’s ability to provide the support needed by the community now and into the future.
Councillor Asher moved, Councillor Mansfield seconded -
That the report be deferred until the end of July.
Carried.
Source: |
Customer & Corporate Services - Financial Services |
Director: |
Michael Dugina |
Portfolio: |
Finance |
To seek Council approval to rename the northern section of Manzeene Avenue to Botanical Drive, Lara (refer Attachment 2).
As part of the Urban Growth Lara West Structure Plan (2013) Manzeene Avenue has been shortened and truncated.
The middle section of Manzeene Avenue has been discontinued and made into a reserve.
The Naming Rules for Places in Victoria 2016 require all roadways which become non navigable from Point A to point B in a direct manner to be separately.
The northern section of Manzeene Avenue is being re-aligned via sub divisional plans and it is proposed to continue Botanical Drive over this section of roadway.
Botanical Drive already exists in previous development, and as it intersects with the affected section of Manzeene Avenue, it has been chosen as the appropriate name by the developer.
Letters and surveys have been sent to affected property owners advising them of the alteration to their property addressing with no responses received.
Three properties will require re-addressing - one will require a Botanical Drive address and two will be renumbered to new roadways that they are accessing from (refer Attachment 3).
One property owner has already requested that their property be readdressed to the new address based on confusion with the property location.
The Office of Geographic Names have requested that a formal proposal to rename the roadway be approved by Council prior to gazettal and registration.
Councillor Aitken moved, Councillor Grzybek seconded -
That Council approve the renaming of the northern section of Manzeene Avenue, Lara to Botanical Drive, Lara.
Carried.
The approximate cost to the City is $100. This includes notification to adjoining property owners and residents, and notification to authorities. Street signage to be altered by developer.
Letters have been sent to affected and adjoining property owners. No advertisement required due to this being completed within sub divisional development.
The City has a responsibility to the community to ensure that all properties can be identified in a clear and logical manner for emergency services and visitors to the area.
The Local Government Act 1989, the Geographic Place Names Act 1998 and the Naming Rules for Places in Victoria 2016 have been followed.
The proposed renaming is consistent with Council Plan strategic priority for Improved Health and Safety of our Community by enabling emergency services to locate properties on this roadway in a timely manner with minimal confusion.
No Council officers or contractors who have provided advice in relation to this report have declared a conflict of interest regarding the matter under consideration.
In an emergency situation, the City’s proposal to rename this section of roadway will minimise the risk or failure to be able to access a situation in a timely manner.
Failure to rename this roadway will cause risk to public safety.
There are no environmental implications arising from the subject of this report.
Source: |
Economy, Investment & Attraction - Central Geelong Marketing |
Director: |
Brett Luxford |
Portfolio: |
Central and Civic Geelong |
To seek Council endorsement to extend the term of appointment of members to the Central Geelong Marketing Committee, whose terms are due to expire on 30 June 2020, until 30 June 2021.
In February 2016, Council resolved to continue the Central Geelong special rate for a further five-year term until 30 June 2021 after consultation with Central Geelong business and property owners.
The Committee exists to market, promote and activate Central Geelong via the special rate and Committee members are appointed for a term of 2 years.
Seven Committee members’ (four business representatives, one arts and culture representative, one commercial property representative and one accommodation provider representative) terms of appointment are due to expire on 30 June 2020. The Committee Terms of Reference require there to be an election by 30 June 2020 for Committee membership for those positions which are due to expire.
The current restrictions on businesses as a result of COVID-19 have greatly impacted Central Geelong businesses with many temporarily closed or having changed their service model to accommodate restrictions or impact of restrictions.
The Committee has requested Council to consider extending the two-year term of Committee members, whose terms would otherwise be due to end on 30 June 2020, for a further one-year period to 30 June 2021.
This extension will reduce demands on business operators during this significant disruption to trading and provide consistency of committee representation through the response and recovery phases as programs are developed to encourage people back into Central Geelong.
Councillor Murrihy moved, Councillor Kontelj seconded -
That Council, in response to the request of the Committee, approve the extension of the term of Committee members, whose term would otherwise expire on 30 June 2020, for a further one-year term.
Carried.
There are no new financial implications arising from this report.
CGMC regularly communicates and consults with business operators via newsletters, email communications, face to face meetings and feedback from event and activity participation. As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, all communications with business operators are digital.
The majority of activities delivered by Central Geelong Marketing are free and open to the public.
There are no Policy/ Legal/ Statutory implications associated with this report. The CGMC, as a S86 Committee has delegated authority and decision making within its allocated budget, Terms of Reference and agreed Strategic Plan.
The Central Geelong Marketing program is a key strategy in delivering ‘A thriving and sustainable economy’.
There are no direct or indirect conflicts of interest in matters raised in this report.
The extension of the term of appointment of existing Committee members mitigates the risk of a loss of continuity in planning for the economic recovery from COVID-19.
There are no direct environmental implications associated with this report.
Source: |
Governance, Strategy & Performance - Governance |
Director: |
Rebecca Leonard |
Portfolio: |
Leadership and Governance |
To consider the changes to the Local Government Act 2020 through the introduction of the COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Act 2020 and to adopt an amended Public Question and Submission Time Policy (the Policy).
On Thursday 23 April 2020, the Victorian Government passed the COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Act 2020 (Emergency Measures Act) which enacted temporary changes to the Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic specifically relating to the conduct of council meetings and permitting virtual meetings of council.
The Minister for Local Government also introduced the Minister’s Good Practice Guideline MGPG-1: Virtual Meetings on 29 April 2020 (Ministerial Guidelines) (Attachment 2) which apply to all Council and Special Committee meetings.
Since the announcement of the State of Emergency in March, this Council has met without members of the public present at Council meetings, but has maintained public access to meetings by livestreaming the meetings and publishing recordings of the meetings online.
Public questions and submissions to Council have been received online and responded to before the meetings, as well as being published on the website and in the Minutes of the meetings.
The Council’s Public Question and Submission Time Policy (Attachment 3) has been updated to reflect the temporary amendments introduced by the Emergency Measures Act as well as the Ministerial Guidelines. The key changes to the Policy include:
Question and submissions lodged online by 12:00pm on the day before a meeting will be responded to in writing, published with any answer on the City’s website before the meeting and recorded in the meeting minutes; and
The Chief Executive Officer will determine how questions and submissions can be read out and answered safely at a Council meeting.
The City will continue to adjust how Council meetings are conducted to comply with any Victorian Government Directions as well as to ensure the health and safety of those people attending, including community members, Councillors and City employees. Changes to how Council meetings are conducted will be communicated publicly.
Councillor Asher moved, Councillor Grzybek seconded -
That Council adopt the revised Public Question and Submission Time Policy (Attachment 3).
Carried.
There are no direct financial implications arising from the matters in this report.
Because the policy changes are implementing the legislative changes in the Emergency Measures Act, there is no proposed community consultation for these temporary changes.
The proposed changes provide the community the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions in relation to Council Business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Public Question and Submission Time Policy forms part of the Meeting Procedures Local Law 2017.
The proposed changes are in line with Part 12 COVID-19 temporary measures of the Act. Part 12 of the Emergency Measures Act is operative from 1 May 2020 until 1 November 2020 and provides for:
Councillors to participate in Council meetings by electronic means of communication; and
Council meetings no longer need to allow public attendance in person, but require meetings to be publicly accessible; and
References to the Local government Act (Vic) 1989 have been updated to reflect the provision of the new Local Government Act (Vic) 2020.
The Public Question and Submission Time Policy aligns with How We Do Business.
No Council officers involved in the preparation of this report have declared a conflict of interest.
The measures that have been implemented through the Emergency Measures Act and the Ministerial Guidelines are all aimed at preventing and reducing the risks of infection of COVID-19.
The City will continue to implement appropriate measures to ensure the health and safety of the public, Councillors and City employees.
There are no direct environmental implications related to this policy amendment.
As there was no further business the meeting closed at 8:13pm on Tuesday 9 June 2020.
Signed: _________________________________________
Councillor Stephanie Asher (Mayor)
Date of Confirmation: _____________________________
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