Minutes of Special Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Minutes (Open Portion)

Special Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Page 5

31/03/2021

Special Finance and Governance Committee Meeting (Open Portion) held on Wednesday, 31 March 2021 at 4:45 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall.

This special 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 M Zucco (Chairman), the Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor H Burnet, Aldermen Dr P T Sexton, D C Thomas, Councillor W F Harvey, Alderman S Behrakis and Councillor M Dutta.

APOLOGIES: Councillor W Coats.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE: Nil.

NON-MEMBERS

Lord Mayor Reynolds

Briscoe

Harvey

Behrakis

Dutta

Sherlock

Ewin

Councillor Harvey was co-opted to the Committee.

Alderman Behrakis and Councillor Dutta arrived at the meeting at 4:45 pm.

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

THOMAS

That Councillor Harvey be co-opted to the Committee.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES

NOES

Zucco

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

Sexton

Thomas

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Report

4.1 Review of City of Hobart Financial Hardship Assistance Policy

File Ref: F21/26943

SEXTON

That the recommendation contained in the memorandum of the Manager Rates, Procurement and Finance Operations and the Deputy General Manager of 29 March 2021, be adopted, as amended by the value of $3,000 after the words amended to in Clause 2 be replaced with the value of $2,000.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

AYES	NOES
Zucco
Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet
Sexton
Thomas
Harvey

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That: 1. The Council adopt the amended City of Hobart Financial Hardship Assistance Policy marked as Attachment A to item 4.2 of the Closed Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 16 March 2021.

2. The General Manager’s delegation pursuant to section 22 of the Local Government Act 1993, delegating the power to approve rates remissions up to a limit of $4,000 per property per application, with remissions above that limit being approved by absolute majority of the Council, be amended to $2,000.

(i) The change to the General Manager’s delegation limit to approve rate remissions be reflected in the City of Hobart Rates and Charges Policy.

3. The support by way of rates remissions cease as at 30 June 2021. Applications received from 1 July 2021 that are related to financial hardship due to COVID-19 are offered negotiated payment plans, waiving of penalties and interest and formal postponement, in accordance with the City’s revised Financial Hardship Assistance Policy.

4. A media release and media alerts be released as soon as practicable to advise of the cessation of the COVID-19 financial hardship rates remissions and financial support to be offered after 1 July 2021.

Delegation: Council

There being no further business the meeting closed at 4:52 pm.

TAKEN AS READ AND SIGNED AS A CORRECT RECORD THIS
20^th DAY OF APRIL 2021.

CHAIRMAN