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City of hobart

MINUTES

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

 

Open Portion

 

Tuesday, 18 February 2020 at 4:30 pm

 


 

Minutes (Open Portion)

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Page 2

 

18/2/2020

 

 

 ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE

1.        Co-Option of a Committee Member in the event of a vacancy  3

2.        Confirmation of Minutes. 3

3.        Consideration of Supplementary Items. 4

4.        Indications of Pecuniary and Conflicts of Interest. 4

5.        Transfer of Agenda Items. 4

6.        Reports. 5

6.1     2019-20 Annual Plan - Progress Report  Period Ended 31 December 2019  5

7.        Committee Action Status Report. 5

7.1     Committee Actions – Status Report 5

8.        Responses to Questions without Notice. 6

9.        Questions without Notice. 6

10.     Closed Portion of the Meeting.. 11

 


 

Minutes (Open Portion)

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Page 12

 

18/02/2020

 

 

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting (Open Portion) held on Tuesday, 18 February 2020 at 4:30 pm in the Lady Osborne Room, Town Hall.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Zucco (Chairman)

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

Sexton

Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

PRESENT: Alderman Zucco (Chairman), the Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor H Burnet, Aldermen Dr P T Sexton, D C Thomas, the Lord Mayor Councillor A M Reynolds and Alderman Behrakis.

 

APOLOGIES: Nil.

 

LEAVE OF ABSENCE: Nil.

 

NON-MEMBERS

Lord Mayor Reynolds

Briscoe

Harvey

Behrakis

Dutta

Ewin

Sherlock

Coats

 

The Lord Mayor was co-opted to the Committee.

 

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

Zucco

 

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

 

Sexton

 

Thomas

 

 

2.       Confirmation of Minutes

 

THOMAS

 

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Finance and Governance Committee meeting held on Tuesday, 10 December 2019, be confirmed as an accurate record.

MOTION CARRIED

 

VOTING RECORD

AYES

NOES

Zucco

 

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

 

Sexton

 

Thomas

 

Lord Mayor Reynolds

 

 

The minutes were signed.

 

 

 

 

3.       Consideration of Supplementary Items

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

Recommendation

 

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

 

No supplementary items were received.

 

 

 

 

 

4.       Indications of Pecuniary and Conflicts of Interest

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

 

Members of the Committee 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.

 

OR

 

 

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?

 

No items were transferred.

6.       Reports

 

6.1      2019-20 Annual Plan - Progress Report
Period Ended 31 December 2019

            File Ref: F20/13106

SEXTON

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Manager Economic Development Engagement & Strategy and the Director Community Life of 7 February 2020, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES

NOES

Zucco

 

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

 

Sexton

 

Thomas

 

Lord Mayor Reynolds

 

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the Council endorse the Annual Plan 2019-20 summary report for the period ending 31 December 2019, marked as Attachment A to item 6.1 of the Open Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 18 February 2020.

 

Delegation:     Council

 

 

7.       Committee Action Status Report

 

7.1      Committee Actions – Status Report

            File Ref: F20/16585

LORD MAYOR REYNOLDS

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES

NOES

Zucco

 

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

 

Sexton

 

Thomas

 

Lord Mayor Reynolds

 

  

Delegation:     Committee

8.       Responses to Questions without Notice

Regulation 29(3) Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.
File Ref: 13-1-10

 

8.1    Council Delegations

          File Ref: F19/132878

Memorandum of the Acting Director City Governance of 13 February 2020.

8.2    Council Meeting Costs

          File Ref: F19/161334; 13-1-10

Memorandum of the Manager Legal and Governance of 13 February 2020.

 

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR BURNET

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES

NOES

Zucco

 

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

 

Sexton

 

Thomas

 

Lord Mayor Reynolds

 

 

 Delegation:    Committee

 

9.       Questions without Notice

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

File Ref: 13-1-10

 

9.1      Alderman Sexton - TASCORP Loan Re-Negotiations

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    In 2019, the Council resolved to write to TASCORP to re-negotiate interest on our current loans.  Could the General Manger please advise if this has transpired, and if so, could the General Manager please circulate to Elected Members copies of the correspondence from the City of Hobart and TASCORP’s response?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice, however indicated TASCORP were keen to brief the Council, thus a briefing will be organised as soon as practical.

 

9.2      Alderman Behrakis - Rate Charges for Council Sporting Facilities

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:  (a)  Does the Council have a consistent rate charged to each sport to use Council facilities?

                          In answering this question, could the General Manager please also inform the Council on:

(i)      Council capital expenditure towards each sport played in the municipality over the past five years;

(ii)     An estimate of recurrent annual Council expenditure towards each sport (including in-kind); and

(iii)    An estimate of Council expenditure per player by sport.

(b)  Does Hobart City Council provide any funding to organisations for the delivery of school sporting programs?

       If so, could the General Manager please provide a breakdown by sport of the funding Hobart City Council has given to organisations to deliver school sporting programs over the past five years, and outline the method in which sports can access such funding?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.  Therefore a response will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

 

 

9.3      Alderman Behrakis - Media Release of 28 January 2020

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Is it true that after the meeting of full Council on 28 January 2020, a media release was drafted, as is usual practice?

                     If so, is it true that the media release was re-written after being drafted to remove mention of one of the Elected Members?

                     If so, is it true that the Lord Mayor requested the media release be amended to remove the name of other Elected Members?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice.

 

9.4      Alderman Behrakis - Lord Mayor Travel Expenses

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    What is the total number of official engagements or events (including interstate and overseas) that the Lord Mayor has attended since the last election for the year (November 2018 to October 2019) and what was the full cost?

As per the Council’s website:

(a)     For the period November 2018 to October 2019, Lord Mayor Reynolds undertook the following travel:

May 2019:               Future Cities Summit, Sydney - $909.82;

May 2019:               LGAT Meeting, Launceston -$379.08;

June 2019:             CCCLM, Brisbane – No Cost to Council;

July 2019:               CCCLM Asia Pacific Summit, Brisbane - $801.31;

September 2019:   CCCLM, Canberra - $1,469.09;

October 2019:        CCCLM, Melbourne - $974.09;

October 2019:        CCCLM, Seoul – No Cost to Council.

(b)     The cost of transport to and from those events (including airfares) for the current Lord Mayor and the mode (Uber, taxi, plane, personal transport or otherwise) was $2,102.00;

          The cost of transport (Uber/Taxi) claimed as an elected member as per the budget was $885.09;

          The cost of airfares for the period November 2018 to October 2019 was $2,365.45.

          The Lord mayor claimed a total of $354.00 in fuel expenses.

(i)      Do these figures represent the full cost as for example the May 2019 event in Sydney where the registration cost was over $800.00?

(ii)     Have these figures been audited as these figures do not show the cost of any local events except the LGAT meeting?

 

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.  Therefore a response will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

9.5      Alderman Behrakis - Carbon Offset Credits

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Can the General Manager advise if any carbon offset credits purchased to cover the carbon pollution from the Lord Mayor’s air travel?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.  Therefore a response will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

 

 

9.6      Alderman Behrakis - Event Attendance by The Lord Mayor and/or Delegate

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Could the General Manger please advise how may events, functions or openings the Lord Mayor has received an invitation to for the period from November 2018 to October 2019?

                     How many of these events were accepted and attended by the Lord Mayor?

                     How many of these events were delegated and to whom were they delegated to?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.  Therefore a response will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

 

 

9.7      Alderman Behrakis - Elected Members Deputised to Cover a Lord Mayor Invitation or Event

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Could the General Manager please advise the number and costs associated for Elected Members who were deputised to cover a Lord Mayoral invitation and/or event?

Could the General Manager also please provide details where no claim for transport was made?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.  Therefore a response will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

 

9.8      Alderman Behrakis - Lord Mayoral Vehicle Savings

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Could the General Manager please advise, in the absence of a driver and a car being made available to the Lord Mayor, has there been a full audit (to quantify the savings, if any) and has there been a risk analysis undertaken for the safety of the Lord Mayor travelling to multiple events in own, taxi or Uber transport?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.

                     The Lord Mayor did advise that she would work in consultation with the General Manager in relation to the response which will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

 

 

9.9      Alderman Behrakis - Uber Drivers

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Does the Lord Mayor believe in the low wage economy where Uber drivers average $5.00 per hour?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and would provide a response in consultation with the Lord Mayor.

 

 

 

9.10    Lord Mayor Reynolds - Questions Without Notice Responses - Staff Time Estimates

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Could the General Manager please advise of the approximate cost incurred for staff to provide answers to the questions without notice asked at this evening’s Finance and Governance Committee meeting?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.  Therefore a response will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

 

 

 

9.11    Alderman Zucco - Question Without Notice Responses - Staff Time Estimates - November 2018 to February 2020

            File Ref: 13-1-10

 

Question:    Could the General Manager please advise of the approximate cost incurred for staff to provide answers to all questions without notice asked from November 2018 to February 2020?

Answer:       The General Manager took the question on notice and advised that due to the complexity of the question, the response would take time to compile.  Therefore a response will be provided to Elected Members as soon as practicable.

 

10.     Closed Portion of the Meeting

 

SEXTON

 

That the Committee resolve by majority that the meeting be closed to the public pursuant to regulation 15(1) of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015 because the items included on the closed agenda contain the following matters:  

 

·         Contract, and tenders, for the supply of goods and services and their terms, conditions, approval and renewal;

·         Expression of interest involving Council land; and

·         Information provided to the Council on the condition it is kept confidential.

 

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       Contract Extension – Contract No. 5856 – Commercial Tenancy Management

LG(MP)R 15(2)(d)

Item No. 4.2       Civic Square – Expression of Interest Process

LG(MP)R 15(2)(f)

Item No. 4.3       Derwent Estuary Program Lease – Part of Level 4, Council Centre

LG(MP)R 15(2)(g)

Item No. 4.4       Service Tasmania – Proposed Temporary Co-Location – Customer Service Centre

LG(MP)R 15(2)(d)

 

 

 

 

Item No. 5          Committee Action Status Report

Item No. 5.1       Committee Actions – Status Report

LG(MP)R 15(2)(b), (c)(i), (c)(ii), (d), (f), (g), (i) and  (j)

Item No. 6          Responses to Questions Without Notice

Item No. 6.1       Lord Mayoral Receptions

LG(MP)R 15(2)(g)

Item No. 6.2       Installation of Parking Sensors

LG(MP)R 15(2)I(i)

Item No. 6.3       Property Council Luncheon

LG(MP)R 15(2)(g)

Item No. 7          Questions Without Notice

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES

NOES

Zucco

 

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

 

Sexton

 

Thomas

 

Lord Mayor Reynolds

 

 

Delegation:     Committee

 

  

There being no further business the meeting closed at 4:45 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

TAKEN AS READ AND SIGNED AS A CORRECT RECORD THIS
16th DAY OF june 2020.

CHAIRMAN