Minutes of Governance Committee Meeting

Minutes (Open Portion)

Governance Committee Meeting

Page 3

28/2/2017

Minutes of the Governance Committee Meeting (Open Portion) held on Tuesday, 28 February 2017 at 5.02 pm in the Lady Osborne Room, Town Hall.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Ruzicka (Chairman)

Deputy Lord Mayor Christie

Cocker

Thomas

Reynolds

PRESENT: Alderman E R Ruzicka (Chairman), Aldermen P S Cocker, D C Thomas, A M Reynolds and the Lord Mayor Alderman S L Hickey.

APOLOGIES: Nil.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE:

The Deputy Lord Mayor Alderman R G Christie

ALDERMEN

Lord Mayor Hickey

Zucco

Briscoe

Sexton

Burnet

Denison

Alderman Cocker arrived at the meeting at 5.08 pm and was not present for items 1 to 5.

1. Co-Option of a Committee Member in the event of a vacancy

THOMAS

That the Lord Mayor be co-opted to the committee.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka
Thomas
Reynolds

2. Confirmation of Minutes

REYNOLDS

That the minutes of the Open Portion of the Governance Committee meeting held on Tuesday, 31 January 2017, be confirmed as an accurate record.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka
Thomas
Reynolds
Lord Mayor Hickey

The minutes were signed.

3. Consideration of Supplementary Items

Ref: Part 2, Regulation 8(6) of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

REYNOLDS

That the Committee resolve to deal with any supplementary items not appearing on the agenda, as reported by the General Manager.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka
Thomas
Reynolds
Lord Mayor Hickey

4. Indications of Pecuniary and Conflicts of Interest

Ref: Part 2, Regulation 8(7) of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

Aldermen are requested to indicate where they may have any pecuniary or conflicts of interest in respect to any matter appearing on the agenda, or any supplementary item to the agenda, which the committee has resolved to deal with.

No interest was indicated.

5. Transfer of Agenda Items

Regulation 15 of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

A committee may close a part of a meeting to the public where a matter to be discussed falls within 15(2) of the above regulations.

In the event that the committee transfer an item to the closed portion, the reasons for doing so should be stated.

Are there any items which should be transferred from this agenda to the closed portion of the agenda, or from the closed to the open portion of the agenda?

REYNOLDS

That Supplementary Item 7 – TasWater Ownership and Governance Issues be transferred from the closed portion of the meeting to the open portion for the reason that the subject matter is now under public discussion.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka
Thomas
Reynolds
Lord Mayor Hickey

6 Reports

Tim Short, Group Manager Executive and Economic Development and Marissa McArthur Project and Research Officer - Executive and Economic Development addressed the meeting in relation to item 6.1.

6.1 Hobart 2025: Next Steps

File Ref: F17/15137

THOMAS

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Project and Research Officer - Executive and Economic Development and the Group Manager Executive & Economic Development of 23 February 2017, be adopted, as amended by the addition of the following clause 3 (iv):

3 (iv) wherever practicable, entering into direct dialogue with leading cities in relation to the development and measurement of individual and aspirational visions, to assist the process.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka
Cocker
Thomas
Reynolds
Lord Mayor Hickey

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That: 1. The Council reaffirm its commitment to creating a new vision or long-range strategy for the City of Hobart.

2. The process to create the new vision commence in early 2017.

3. The process to create the new vision involve broad-scale community engagement, including:

(i) Both online and offline methods, including web and social media presence and a range of in-person interactions.

(ii) Incorporating techniques of relevance to long-range strategy, such as strategic foresight, systems thinking and participatory democracy.

(iii) Building vision-specific partnerships with key stakeholders, such as the University of Tasmania and metropolitan local government entities.

(iv) Wherever practicable, entering into direct dialogue with leading cities in relation to the development and measurement of individual and aspirational visions, to assist the process.

4. The process to create the new vision involve comprehensive pre-engagement planning, including:

(i) A dedicated communications strategy, including provisions for project branding, marketing and messaging

(ii) A dedicated research and evaluation strategy, including provisions for data collection and analysis.

5. Regular updates on progress be provided to ELT and the Council.

Delegation: Council

Item 6.2 was transferred from the closed portion at item 7 to the open portion of the meeting.

6.2 TasWater Ownership and Governance Issues

File Ref: F17/19232

THOMAS

That the Council:

1. Seek to work in partnership with the State Government to ensure that the water and sewerage systems and services in this state meet the needs of all our communities.

2. Write to the Treasurer to obtain more details about the government’s model for TasWater in order for the Council to develop a considered response.

3. Support the LGAT bringing the Council owners together at such time as there is a fulsome proposal from the Treasurer, which details concretely how the capital program can be accelerated as well as the long-term outcomes for communities.

4. Issue a media release stating its position on this issue.

5. Reaffirm the importance of the financial asset represented by the water and sewerage assets and the need to preserve these assets in any developing agenda.

MOTION LOST

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka	Cocker
	Thomas
	Reynolds
	Lord Mayor Hickey

COCKER

That the Council:

1. Reject the State Government taking over water and sewerage systems across the State.

2. Write to the Treasurer to obtain more details about the government’s model for TasWater.

3. Seek to engage with the Upper House, other political parties and its communities to explore the value of these assets in the long term.

4. Issue a media release stating its position on this issue.

5. Reaffirm the importance of the financial asset represented by the water and sewerage assets and the need to preserve these assets in any developing agenda.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka	Lord Mayor Hickey
Cocker
Thomas
Reynolds

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the Council:

1. Reject the State Government taking over water and sewerage systems across the State.

2. Write to the Treasurer to obtain more details about the government’s model for TasWater.

3. Seek to engage with the Upper House, other political parties and its communities to explore the potential value of these assets in the long term.

4. Issue a media release stating its position on this issue.

5. Reaffirm the importance of the financial asset represented by the water and sewerage assets and the need to preserve these assets in any developing agenda.

Delegation: Council

7 Committee Action Status Report

7.1 Committee Actions - Status Report

File Ref: F17/18015

THOMAS

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Acting Director Corporate Services of 23 February 2017, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka
Cocker
Thomas
Reynolds
Lord Mayor Hickey

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the information be received and noted.

8. Questions without Notice

Section 29 of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

File Ref: 13-1-10

8.1 Capital City Acts

File Ref: 13-1-10

RUZICKA

Question: Can the General Manager provide a synopsis of the contents of Capital City Acts in other Australian capital cities and advise if there has been any peer-reviewed research and analysis into the success or otherwise of such Acts?

Answer: The General Manager took the question on notice.

8.2 Local Government Reform

File Ref: 13-1-10

RUZICKA

Question: In the event that the State Minister for Local Government publicly releases the SGS Economics and Planning report into local government reform, can the General Manager:

(a) Provide an urgent report on any media or public relations strategies the Council should take in response to the report; and

(b) Generally advise whether the said report needs to be reviewed such that a view can be formed by Council as to whether it is a prudent, appropriate document on which Council can form a policy opinion for reform?

Answer: The General Manager indicated that he will provide the information requested.

8.3 Local Government Reform

File Ref: 13-1-10

LORD MAYOR HICKEY

Question: In respect to the potential reform model known as the greater south east council merger option, can the General Manager provide details of the conclusions arising from the peer review as engaged by the Clarence City Council?

Answer: The General Manager took the question on notice.

8.4 Local Government Reform

File Ref: 13-1-10

LORD MAYOR HICKEY

Question: Can the General Manager confirm that the peer review undertaken in relation to the greater south east council merger option was conducted by the same organisation that reviewed the SGS Economics report.

Answer: The General Manager confirmed that the University of Technology Sydney undertook both peer reviews.

9. Closed Portion of the Meeting

The following items were discussed: -

Item No. 1 Minutes of the last meeting of the Closed Portion of the Council Meeting

Item No. 2 Consideration of supplementary items to the agenda

Item No. 3 Indications of pecuniary and conflicts of interest

Item No. 4 Reports

Item No. 4.1 Review of Council Policies - Aldermen and Staff

LG(MP)R 15(2)(a) and e(i)

Item No. 5 Questions Without Notice

Supplementary Items

Item No. 6. Security Audit

LG(MP)R 15(2)e(i) and e(ii)

Item No. 7. TasWater Ownership and Governance Issues

LG(MP)R 15(2)c(ii)

THOMAS That the items be noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Ruzicka
Cocker
Thomas
Reynolds
Lord Mayor Hickey

The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 6:02 pm to conduct the closed portion of the meeting.

The meeting reconvened at 6:16 pm.

Item 9 was then taken.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 6:17 pm.

TAKEN AS READ AND SIGNED AS A CORRECT RECORD THIS
28^th DAY OF MARCH 2017.

CHAIRMAN