Minutes of Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Minutes (Open Portion)

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Page 11

15/09/2020

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting (Open Portion) held on Tuesday, 15 September 2020 at 4:30 pm.

This meeting of the Finance and Governance Committee is held in accordance with a Notice issued by the Premier on 3 April 2020 under section 18 of the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Zucco (Chairman)

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

Sexton

Thomas

Coats

PRESENT: Alderman Dr P T Sexton (Acting Chairman), the Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor H Burnet, Alderman, D C Thomas, Councillor W Coats, Alderman S Behrakis and Councillor M Dutta.

APOLOGIES: Alderman M Zucco (Chairman).

LEAVE OF ABSENCE: Nil.

NON-MEMBERS

Lord Mayor Reynolds

Briscoe

Harvey

Behrakis

Dutta

Sherlock

Ewin

Alderman Sexton chaired the meeting in the absence of the Chairman.

Alderman Behrakis was co-opted to the Committee for items 2 to 6.1 and from item 7.1.

Councillor Dutta was co-opted to the Committee for items 2 to 6.4.

Alderman Thomas joined the meeting at 4:35 pm, during the discussion of item 6.1 and was not present for items 1 to 5.

Alderman Thomas left the meeting at 4:47 pm, returning at 4:49 pm, left the meeting at 5:09 pm and was not present for items 7 to 10.

The Deputy Lord Mayor left the meeting at 4:48 pm, returning at 4:51 pm, left the meeting at 5:03 pm, returning at 5:03 pm, left the meeting at 5:06 pm and was not present for items 6.4 to 10.

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR BURNET

That Alderman Sexton Chair the meeting.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES

NOES

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

Sexton

Coats

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

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR BURNET

That Alderman Behrakis be co-opted to the Committee for items 2 to 6.1 and from item 7.1 and Councillor Dutta be co-opted to the Committee for items 2 to 6.4.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet
Coats

2. Confirmation of Minutes

COATS

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Finance and Governance Committee meeting held on Tuesday, 18 August 2020 and the Special Finance and Governance Committee meeting held on Monday, 24 August 2020, be confirmed as an accurate record.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet
Coats
Behrakis
Dutta

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.

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 Annual Elected Member Representation on External Bodies & Membership of the Tasmanian Polar Network

File Ref: F20/70759

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR BURNET

That the recommendation contained in the memorandum of the General Manager of 10 September 2020, be adopted, as amended by a revised Clause 1 to read as follows:

1. The information contained in the report marked as item 6.1 of the Open Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 15 September 2020, and the verbal reports provided by the Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Burnet, Councillor Coats and Alderman Behrakis, be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet
Coats
Behrakis
Dutta

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That: 1. The information contained in the report marked as item 6.1 of the Open Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 15 September 2020, and the verbal reports provided by the Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Burnet, Councillor Coats and Alderman Behrakis, be received and noted.

2. The Council continue its annual membership of the Tasmanian Polar Network to be funded from the Economic Development Function of the 2020/2021 Annual Plan.

Attachment

a. Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet - Annual Elected Member Representations on External Bodies - Summary of Verbal Presentation ⇨

Delegation: Council

6.2 Grants and Benefits Listing as at 30 June 2020

File Ref: F20/83176; 25-2-1

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR BURNET

That the recommendation contained in the memorandum of the Manager Rates, Procurement and Finance Operations of 10 September 2020, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet
Thomas
Coats
Dutta

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the Finance and Governance Committee receive and note the information contained in the report titled ‘Grants and Benefits Listing as at 30 June 2020’.

Delegation: Committee

6.3 Lease of Part of the First Floor, 5 Morrison Street

File Ref: F20/99099

PROCEDURAL MOTION

THOMAS

That the item be deferred to allow time for Council Officers to undertake further probity checks in regards to the application as per the request of the Committee.

PROCEDURAL MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton	Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet
Thomas
Coats
Dutta

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the item be deferred to allow time for Council Officers to undertake further probity checks in regards to the application as per the request of the Committee.

Delegation: Committee

6.4 Lease of Part of Level 4, Council Centre

File Ref: F20/99110

THOMAS

That the recommendation contained in the memorandum of the Manager Legal and Governance of 10 September 2020, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Coats
Dutta

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That: 1. TasWriters Inc be granted a twelve (12) month lease at the nominal rent of fifty dollars ($50.00) per annum for that part of the fourth floor of the Council Centre enclosed in red on the plan (marked as Attachment A to item 6.4 of the Open Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 15 September 2020);

2. The General Manager be authorised to finalise the terms of the lease; and

3. The reduction in rent be recorded in the Council’s Annual Report in accordance with the Council’s Policy for Leases to Non-Profit Organisations.

Delegation: Committee

7. Committee Action Status Report

7.1 Committee Actions - Status Report

File Ref: F20/98830

BEHRAKIS

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Coats
Behrakis

Delegation: Committee

8. Responses to Questions without Notice

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

8.1 Grant Funding for Infrastructure Projects

File Ref: F20/92758; 13-1-10

Memorandum of the (Acting) Director City Amenity and the Deputy General Manager of 10 September 2020 and attachment.

BEHRAKIS

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Coats
Behrakis

Delegation: Committee

9. Questions without Notice

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

File Ref: 13-1-10

9.1 Alderman Behrakis - Housing Affordability and Appropriate Policy

File Ref: 13-1-10

Question: Could the General Manager please advise if the Council has considered and/or adopted policies in relation to homelessness and/or housing affordability prior to 2019?

Answer: The General Manager took the question on notice.

10. Closed Portion of the Meeting

BEHRAKIS

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:

· Financial Hardship;

· Lease Agreement; and

· Contract Extension.

The following items were discussed: -

Item No. 1 Minutes of the last meeting of the Closed Portion of the Committee 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 Financial Hardship - Rates Remission Request

LG(MP)R 15(2)(j)

Item No. 4.2 20 Creek Road, Lenah Valley - Lease Agreement

LG(MP)R 15(2)(c)(i) and (g)

Item No. 4.3 Write-Off of Debts

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

Item No. 4.4 Contract Extension - Provision of Website Publishing and Hosting Services

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 Granted Rates Remissions

LG(MP)R 15(2)(j)

Item No. 7 Questions Without Notice

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Sexton
Coats
Behrakis

Delegation: Committee

There being no further business the open portion of the meeting closed at 5:12 pm.

TAKEN AS READ AND SIGNED AS A CORRECT RECORD THIS
20^th DAY OF OCTOBER 2020.

CHAIRMAN