Minutes

Annual General Meeting

Page 2

19/11/2018

Mr Geoff Lucas, President, Royal Hobart Regatta Association

Mr Albert Hannemann

Ms Jen Newman, Regional Development Australia - Tasmania

Mr Alec Young, Vice President, Royal Hobart Regatta Association

Ms Lynda Vertigan, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Ms Galia Bastoni

Ms Grace Nguyen, Young Citizen of the Year

Mr Chris Merridrew

Ms Aloysiane Misumba

Mr David Hudson, Risk and Audit Panel  Chairman

Mr Karl Beckett, Sandy Bay Residents Group

Ms Rosemary Kellaway, Community Volunteer Access Advisory Committee

Ms Yi Yang,  Australian Chinese Association of Biomedical Sciences Tasmania Branch

Ms Bernarda Spitzer, Sandy Bay Residents Group

Mr Nicholas Sawyer

Mr Richard Allanby, State Manager, Reclink

Ms Reshma Dutta

Mr Justin Clifford, Home Affairs

Mr Chris Palmer, Wooden Boat Festival

Ms Louisa Gordon

Ms Chelsea Emery

Mr Russell Cairns, President, Lions Club of Hobart Town Inc

Mr Harrison Tunks, Youth Advisory Group

Mr Simon Wise, Colony 47

Mr Roland Browne

Ms Jenny Tymms

Ms Janith Damboragama

Mr Ted Cutlan

Mr Dieter Nikolai

Mr Kevin Wilson, South Hobart Progress Association

Ms Catharine Errey

Ms Vicki Campbell

Mr Charles Morgan, Battery Point Community Association Inc

Ms Maighn Johnson

Mr Daniel Chang

Ms Ursula Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Derwent Estuary Program

Ms Lily Chan, Chinese Community Association of Tasmania Inc

Ms Louise Sales

Ms Sajini Sumar, Multicultural Women’s Council of Tasmania

Ms Joy Stones

Mr Eric Pinkard

Ms Tammy Chung

Mr Philip Stigant

Ms Rosemary Farrell, Secretary, University of the Third Age – Hobart Inc

Mr Cliff Iles

Ms Aera Cho

Ms Fiona Perrin

Mr Owen Park, Korean Community Volunteer Association of Tasmania

Mr Shane Fenner, Tasmanians with Disabilities

Mr Rachel Andrew

Ms Jennifer Woodward

Ms Jenny Fenner, Tasmanians with Disabilities

Ms Magali Rakotondrabe, Youth Advisory Group

Ms Jodi De Cesare, Secretary, Abruzzese Association of Hobart

Mr Stephan Bennett

Mr Dean Barker

Mr Tony De Cesare, President, Abruzzese Association of Hobart

Mr David Emmett, Rotary Club of North Hobart

Mrs Heather Emmett, Rotary Club of North Hobart

Ms Siyuan Gu

Mr Raymond Wang

Ms Ana Pike, Community Volunteer Access Advisory Committee

Ms Xinyi Jing, International Student Ambassador

Mr Michael Crellin, Manx Community in Tasmania

Ms Rosemary Sandford

Mr Paul Daniels

Ms Zdravka Milutinovic

Mr Richard Grueber

Mr Ben Lohberger

Mr Cliff Coles

The Lord Mayor noted the minutes of the 2017 Annual General Meeting held on 20 November 2017, which were endorsed by the Council at its meeting held on 22 January 2018.

The Lord Mayor addressed the meeting in relation to the City’s achievements for the 2017/2018 year in review and the Annual Report.

The Lord Mayor’s full address is noted in the minutes of the meeting.

Attachments

a    Lord Mayor's Address  ⇨  

There were no written submissions received in relation to the 2017/2018 Annual Report.

Question 1

Mr Eric Pinkard

Can Council please advise whether the parking meters which have been installed around the city were trialled?  If not, why not?  If so, why weren’t the problems which have become evident remedied?  What is the Council doing to ensure that users of its metered parking spaces do not have difficulties with the meters?  I do not think that posting a full-page advertisement in the Mercury will resolve the issues?

Answer provided by Peter Carr, Director City innovation & Technology:

Council’s new parking meters were inspected in an operational environment within a number of Australian and New Zealand cities including Melbourne and Wellington as part of the procurement process.  Following best practice recommendations they were subsequently installed and trialled in the Dunn Street carpark for a period of 2-months ahead of general installation and release across the CBD and Salamanca. The current communications issues being experienced during the rollout and commissioning phases were not experienced during the testing phase.

Question 2

Mr Eric Pinkard

Does Council consider that the penalties are adequate for the protection of local heritage-listed properties?  Does it believe that there should be other deterrents such as offending developers being subject to Court or Tribunal control in respect of the subject land?  Does it believe that the subject land should be confiscated in extreme circumstances?

Answer provided by Neil Noye, Director City Planning:

Question 3

Mr Kevin Wilson

Council is to be congratulated for developing a comprehensive Community Engagement program although there is some work to be done to fully meet my needs.  Will Council consider allowing the general public to participate in its Aldermanic Workshop program?

Answer provided by Heather Salisbury, Deputy General Manager:

Aldermanic workshops are held from time to time as a means of providing the opportunity for Aldermen to meet collectively to receive information, and discuss matters in an informal environment.  An Aldermanic workshop is not a meeting of a Council committee or the full Council and accordingly no decisions are made.  These forums are generally not open to the public.

Question 4

Mr Chris Merridew

A 424 room apartment building in Melville Street was approved without car parking. I was advised by Council that you can put accommodation in the city without a car park. Is Council considering introducing provisions requiring car parking in the CBD?

Answer provided by Neil Noye, Director City Planning:

Council policy is not to require provision for car parking for a range of reasons: capacity of the streets to handle the extra traffic, interruption to pedestrian movements that car park crossovers create. The City of Hobart Parking Strategy is to be reviewed in 2019.

Question 5

Rachel Andrew

Are there any plans for traffic management projects to control traffic in Molle Street. It is a black spot where numerous accident occur. It is not in the capital works program and I have been raising this issue for the past 2 years?

Answer provided by Mark Painter, Director City Infrastructure:

Question 6

Mr Eric Pinkard

Is it possible for Council to publish its annual report at least four weeks prior to the AGM date?  This would give ratepayers and community organisations a reasonable time to consider the report and formulate questions.  I do not consider that having three days to submit written questions is an appropriate time under the Council’s Engagement Policy.  And it is not fair that Council Officers and Aldermen may only have two business days to provide answers?

Answer provided by Heather Salisbury, Deputy General Manager:

Question 7

Mr Chris Morgan

As a result of applications from cafes and bars in Sullivans Cove and the Salamanca Place precinct  if they apply to extend hours to 5.00am has Council given consideration to a plan that ensures the residents’ and visitors’ experience is not adversely affected. They are zoned mixed use, objectives recognise there are residents and visitor accommodation, is there a plan to provide balance for residents and pedestrian amenity and safety?

Answer provided by Neil Noye, Director City Planning:

The precinct is recognised as an entertainment hot spot and the challenge is to balance competing interests. The new Statewide Planning Scheme will provide the opportunity for feedback and comment.

Question 8

Mr Kevin Wilson

Council has an active committee to encourage and improve the amenity of cyclists in Hobart.  Will Council consider forming a similar committee to improve the amenity for pedestrians, particularly in the suburbs?

Answer provided by Mark Painter, Director City Infrastructure:

The City of Hobart has recently endorsed a new Community Engagement Framework which aims to achieve the community’s meaningful and tangible input into the City’s decision-making.  Specifically, the Framework includes commitments to Local Community Conversations that provide an opportunity to interact with City of Hobart staff and Aldermen and Listening Posts that provide an opportunity to speak with staff face-to-face to learn about projects and log issues for action by the City.

Question 9

Mr David Emmett

Battery Point Resident

What is the next step in relation to the Battery Point foreshore walkway project?

Answer provided by Alderman Briscoe:

The Council agreed to transfer funding from the project to complete the 2 bridges. However funds have been put aside for the design work. As Chairman of the Battery Point Walkway Committee I will be continuing to pursue this project. Local Government has a limited budget with many worthwhile projects to consider.

Question 10

Mr Chris Merridew

Congratulations Lord Mayor on your report and I want to commend the Council officers who look after the 188 parks. I raise congestion in West Hobart, coming from Hill Street and Bathurst Street into Barrack Street. Many People want to cross Macquarie Street and get into Davey however many people from West Hobart are only wishing to get into the City. Can Council consider re-opening Molle Street between Hill Street and Collins Street to two-way traffic enabling people easy access to the CBD and through to the Brooker Highway?

Answer provided by Nick Heath, General Manager:

The General Manager acknowledged the area as problematic and given the many issues raised, undertook to have Council officers contact Mr Merridew directly to discuss.

Question 11

Grace Nguyen

The international migrant population is growing fast - Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian and others. What activities and projects can these communities access to find out about the City of Hobart and also participate in with the Council?

Answer provided by Kimbra Parker, Acting Associate Director Community and Culture:

There are numerous activities and programs including the International Student Ambassador Program, Multicultural Networking for Harmony and Community Grants Programs where organisations can apply for grant monies to assist with programs and activities. Also there is  information available around the city that has been translated into other languages.

Question 12

Mr Eric Pinkard

I note that there were contributions of $63,000 to the Provision of Public Open Space reserve during last financial year, but $250,000 was transferred out of the reserve. Were any new parks established?  If so, where? 

What is Council doing to ensure that parks are available to occupants of high-density housing in the City of Hobart as developers do not appear to be required to provide suitable areas?  Are developers required to make contributions in lieu of providing suitable areas?

Answer provided by Glenn Doyle, Director Parks & City Amenity:

The $250k transferred out of the Public Open Space Account in 2017/18 was used as a part payment for the purchase of 9 hectares of land at 66 Summerhill Road, West Hobart for incorporation into Knocklofty Reserve.

In accordance with legislation, Council is entitled to 5% of the value/area of land proposed for subdivision.  Beyond that, the Council has no power to compel developers to contribute to the provision of Public Open Space (POS).  Officers work with developers to obtain the best outcome for the provision of POS.  At times this results in the gifting of areas greater than 5% or Council purchasing additional land.

In terms of providing for occupants of high density housing, the Council has undertaken the following:

·            Improving connections to and within parks. Recent examples include the construction of the Tasman and Brooker Highway Bridges to provide access to the Queens Domain, Salvator Road extension to Knocklofty Reserve and improvements to the Hobart Rivulet Park (purchase of 18 Mackellar St and former Boags site above Anglesea St and Elliotts transport depot at Tara Street) purchase of land along Sandy Bay Rivulet off Romilly Street for the future construction of a Sandy Bay Rivulet Park ).

·            Establishment of new parks. Eg. Tolmans Hill Playground and Garrington Park

Question 13

Mr Cliff Isles

Has the Council sought representation on the Macquarie Point Development Corporation Board. If not should we, what procedures are in place to keep the City of Hobart informed of plans?

Answer provided by Nick Heath, General Manager:

The Council made the decision not to seek membership however we do enjoy a very good relationship with the Board.

Question 14

Mr Kevin Wilson

The Mount Wellington Cableway Company has again stated that it will lodge a Development Application for a cable car to kunanyi/Mt Wellington.  A detailed Traffic Impact Assessment will be required to be part of that Application.  Will Council ask the Company to lodge that assessment as soon as possible for release to the general public to allow adequate time for study?

Is there any legal constraint on Council making such a request and making the assessment available to the public before the submission of the Development Application?

Answer provided by Neil Noye, Director City Planning:

Any traffic impact assessment should be considered in context of a complete planning application and therefore it would not be appropriate to either request an early submission nor release it to the public without a complete application.

Question 15

Mr Harrison Tunks

I wish to commend the Council on making great strides in involving youth, but still feel a disconnect between decision makers and youth. What are council doing to meet their needs?

Answer provided by Kimbra Parker, Acting Associate Director Community and Culture:

There is work progressing in this area that includes a review of the Youth Programs Strategy in 2019. YouthArc was damaged in the May floods and redevelopment of this space is starting soon. We will also be working with youth advisory squad to further the art program.

Question 16

Mr Eric Pinkard

We are all aware that the floods in May this year caused considerable damage.  How much did it cost Council last financial year?  How much has been spent this financial year?  What is the anticipated net effect on the Council’s financial position when all insurance and grants have been received?

Answer provided by David Spinks, Director Financial Services:

In the 2017/2018 year, the Council incurred costs of $1.319M.

In the 2018/2019 year, to date, the Council have incurred costs of $0.668M.

Question 17

Mr Chris Merridew

Re the Hobart Bicycle Advisory Committee. Pedestrians are concerned the Council is spending considerable money on cycle paths but what about pedestrians as they feel they are in a dangerous situation?

Answer provided by Mark Painter, Director City Infrastructure:

Cyclist are permitted to use footpaths unless specifically prohibited. Will have the matter listed on the Hobart Bicycle Advisory Committee agenda.

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR

DUTTA

That the City of Hobart Annual Report for 2017/2018 be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

VOTING RECORD