Agenda of Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 4

31/3/2022

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting (Open Portion) held Thursday, 31 March 2022 at 5.30 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall.

This meeting of the Community Culture and Events 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.

The title Chief Executive Officer is a term of reference for the General Manager as appointed by Council pursuant s.61 of the Local Government Act 1993 (Tas).

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Councillor Dr Z Sherlock (Chairman)

Alderman Dr P T Sexton

Councillor W F Harvey

Councillor M Dutta

Councillor J Fox

NON-MEMBERS

Lord Mayor Councillor A M Reynolds

Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor H Burnet

Alderman M Zucco

Alderman J R Briscoe

Alderman D C Thomas

Alderman S Behrakis

Councillor W Coats

Apologies:

Leave of Absence: Nil.

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

2. Confirmation of Minutes

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Community, Culture and Events Committee meeting held on Thursday, 3 March 2022, are submitted for confirming as an accurate record.

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 Chief Executive Officer.

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 conflict 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.

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?

Item No. 6.1

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 15

31/3/2022

REPORT TITLE: City of Hobart Grants Program - Update on Review of City Partnership Program

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Director City Futures

Head of Intergovernmental Relations and Partnerships

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. This report seeks the Council’s approval to extend the City Partnership Grant Agreements that will expire on 30 June 2022, by a further 12 months to support the events scheduled between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023.

1.2. The grant extension would only be for one year and will ensure that there is continuous support of these events during the development of the event strategy and review of the event grant stream.

1.3. The community will benefit through the guaranteed delivery of these civic and cultural events in the 2022-23 financial year, especially since several of these events have not been able to be delivered in their full capacity or at all since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

2. Report Summary

2.1. The community organisations and events currently supported through the City Partnerships program have provided significant community and cultural activation to the life of Hobart.

2.2. The events that receive a City Partnership grant include:

· Festa Italia

· Estia Greek Festival

· The Royal Hobart Regatta

· The Sandy Bay Regatta

· Hobart Anzac Day Commemorations

· City of Hobart Eisteddfod

· Tasmanian Theatre Awards

2.3. When the Tasmanian Theatre Awards were added to the original list of City Partnerships in 2018, the Council requested a review of the program including the criteria and events that are included.

2.4. In 2020, the Council endorsed a broader review of the City of Hobart event grants which include the City Partnerships, Event Partnerships and Event Medium grants, to be conducted in consultation with stakeholders in 2021.

2.5. In 2021, an events strategy was proposed to the Council and endorsed. Through desktop research of other Councils, it was identified that an events strategy would define the City’s role in delivering and supporting events. This would contribute to establishing Hobart as the best small capital city by attracting event investment.

2.6. The development of the event strategy was paused due to the effects of COVID-19 on the events industry and the Organisational Transformation Project. With phase one of the Organisational Transformation Project now complete and there is greater confidence in the events industry, work on the event strategy and subsequent review of the event grant stream can now begin.

2.7. The City Partnership grant agreements will expire in June 2022. The review of the event grant stream will not be completed before the grant agreement expires.

2.8. To ensure that City Partnership events have continued support while this work is underway, it is recommended that the agreements be extended by a further 12 months.

2.9. The draft event strategy will be provided to the Council for endorsement in late 2022 before wider community engagement.

3. Recommendation

That the Council extend the City Partnerships grant agreements for 12 months to support the events scheduled between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. This includes:

*Event*	*Organiser*
*Festa Italia*	*Australian Italian Club Inc*
*Estia Greek Festival*	*Greek Orthodox Church and Benevolent Society of St George*
*The Royal Hobart Regatta*	*Royal Hobart Regatta*
*The Sandy Bay Regatta*	*Sandy Bay Regatta Association Inc*
*Hobart Anzac Day Commemorations*	*RSL Tasmania*
*City of Hobart Eisteddfod*	*City of Hobart Eisteddfod Society Inc*
*Tasmanian Theatre Awards*	*The Theatre Council of Tasmania Inc*

4. Background

4.1. The City Partnerships program was developed in 2017-18 to support longstanding annual civic and cultural events with multiyear funding to ensure their long term viability and planning and to enable them to continue to add to the vibrancy of Hobart.

4.2. Through the adoption of this program, the City of Hobart formalised longstanding relationships it had with the following community organisations and events under a single funding program:

· Festa Italia (supported since 2008)

· Estia Greek Festival (supported since 1997)

· The Royal Hobart Regatta (active since 1834)

· The Sandy Bay Regatta (active since 1839)

· The City of Hobart Eisteddfod (supported since 1951)

· RSL Tasmania, Hobart ANZAC Day Commemorative Committee (supported since 1925).

4.3. The community organisations and events currently supported through this program have provided significant community and cultural activation to the life of Hobart. Some events - the Royal Hobart and Sandy Bay Regattas – pre-date the formation of the Hobart local government authority by more than a decade.

4.4. The City Partnerships program offers advantages for officers and recipients, creating an ongoing and assured, but fixed financial relationship with community events that help define the calendar of events for Hobart. These advantages include (but are not limited to):

· Allowing organisations to undertake ongoing planning for key events without having to apply for grants every year;

· Organisations to have surety over the amount of funds that are available;

· The City to budget and plan for events that it has an ongoing commitment to, providing better use of resources and time management.

4.5. At its inception, the program consolidated existing cash grant funding and some in-kind support into the one ‘City Partnership’ in order to provide greater transparency and accountability.

4.6. The program is governed under the aegis of the City of Hobart Grants Policy and it differs from other grant streams as recipients do not complete an application form each year but are bound by a multiyear agreement that requires them to submit details of the cash and in-kind assistance components of the grant six (6) months before the event each year and provide an acquittal report three (3) months after the event each year.

4.7. The City Partnership program has specific guidelines and criteria for eligibility as outlined in the Policy. The current criteria are:

· Events that have been delivered within the City of Hobart for at least ten (10) years and have a significant usage of City of Hobart facilities and personnel;

· City Partnership grants are for events that are determined by the Council to warrant ongoing partnership status due to them acting as a significant event for the community;

· Small to mid-sized community, cultural or commemorative events that are not eligible to apply for Event Partnerships Grant funding;

· Events that are held on or in City of Hobart property or venues and that utilise City of Hobart infrastructure, services and/or equipment;

· The program does not provide support for sporting or recreational focussed events and activities.

4.8. Organisations were invited by the City to become a City Partner, based on the above criteria, previous support and size of the event, however a process to assess events against the criteria is not clearly defined.

4.9. Support offered through the program varies in amount commensurate to the scale of the event:

· $10,000 City of Hobart Eisteddfod

· $10,000 Festa Italia

· $10,000 Estia Greek Festival

· $30,000 Royal Hobart Regatta

· $30,000 RSL Tasmania ANZAC Day Commemoration

· $30,000 Sandy Bay Regatta.

4.10. The City Partnership program amounts are adjusted annually in line with the Consumer Price Index for Hobart, and in the case of in-kind support, consistent with changes to the City’s annual Fees and Charges, ensuring that the City’s support does not diminish over the life of each agreement.

4.10.1. This is the only grant program that the city operates that is indexed in this way.

4.11. In 2018, the Council resolved to add the Tasmanian Theatre Council to the program to support their annual theatre awards.

4.12. This partnership was offered in January 2019 for four years rather than the five years of the other events, to ensure its expiry and review would align with the existing partnerships (June 2022).

4.13. The partnership was offered at $10,000 aligning it to the scale of City of Hobart Eisteddfod, Festa Italia and Estia Greek Festival.

4.14. It is noted that the support of the Tasmanian Theatre Council does not meet the following criteria of the City Partnership program:

· The Tasmanian Theatre Council annual awards event is only 4 years old when the grant was awarded;

· There is no utilisation of City facilities and services in its delivery;

· The support offered is wholly taken as ‘cash’.

Review of the City Partnership program

4.15. Coinciding with the approval of the Tasmanian Theatre Council as a City Partner, the Council resolved on 3 December 2018 that:

(ii) The Community Development Partnership Program be reviewed to determine if other partnerships should be included in future years.

4.16. Several options were considered by Officers to identify other partnerships.

4.17. However a balanced solution was not determined based on the existing criteria for the program.

4.18. On 9 November 2020, the Council resolved inter alia that:

1. The Council endorse a broader review of the City of Hobart event grants which include the City Partnerships, Event Partnerships and Event Medium grants be conducted in consultation with stakeholders to be undertaken during 2021.

2. The review to consider the realignment of these grants to offer a fairer, more streamlined and strategic event funding program that meets the needs of event organisers and the community.

4.19. In considering this review officers identified that the City would benefit from having a focussed strategic position for the support of events grants in the form of an events strategy.

4.19.1. The City funds events though grants and through sponsorship and an event strategy would consider whether both programs remain fit for purpose.

4.19.2. In order to ensure that the City’s priorities match community needs, the engagement undertaken with the events and festivals sector in preparing an event strategy would inform the Council of an appropriate strategic alignment.

4.19.3. The City’s vision outlines the aspirations of the community in this area and currently informs the prioritisation of resources. An events strategy would go further to define how we value events, our capability to support events and to put forward a position where Hobart wants to be as a capital city in attracting event investment.

4.19.4. The Creative Hobart strategy is a good example of a guiding document that states the priority areas for the City in the creative realm and it has served the City well for eight years. An events strategy would similarly provide clarity of purpose and desired outcomes.

4.20. Further to this, on 11 October 2021, Council resolved inter alia that:

5. The Council endorse the development of a City of Hobart events strategy with a draft to be provided to Council for endorsement before wider community engagement.

4.21. Due to the effects of COVID-19 on the events sector and the organisational transformation, the work to establish an event strategy, and therefore the review of the City Partnership program and event grant stream, has been put on hold.

4.22. The City Partnership grant agreements are due to expire on 30 June 2022.

4.23. In consultation with the Director City Futures and Head of Intergovernmental Relations & Partnerships, it was determined that a 12 month extension to the current grant agreements would ensure continued support for these events.

4.24. Officers are working with the Policy Lab and Community Engagement to update the project plan so internal and event sector engagement can begin before the end of financial year.

4.25. The draft event strategy will be provided to Council for endorsement in late 2022 before wider community engagement.

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. It is proposed that the City Partnership grant agreements be extended by one year from 1 July 2022 until 30 June 2023.

5.2. Council officers will work with the City’s legal officer to draft an extension of one year to the current agreements.

5.3. Council officers will liaise with the City Partnership organisations to explain the rationale for the extension of their agreement to ensure they have continued support from the City. Three organisations have enquired about the grant funding since January 2022. It is anticipated the City Partners will be supportive of this recommendation.

5.4. In endorsing the development of the events strategy for the City of Hobart, officers would engage with the sector as well as other internal and relevant external stakeholders and undertake desktop research to prepare a draft for Council for endorsement prior to wider community engagement.

6. Strategic Planning and Policy Considerations

6.1. This proposal is aligned with the following outcomes in the Capital City Strategic Plan 2019-29:

1.1 Hobart’s cityscape reflects the heritage, culture and natural environment that make it special.

2.1 Hobart is a place that recognises and celebrates Tasmanian Aboriginal people, history and culture, working together towards shared goals.

2.2 Hobart is a place where diversity is celebrated and everyone can belong, and where people have opportunities to learn about one another and participate in city life.

3.1 Hobart is a creative and cultural capital where creativity is a way of life.

3.2 Creativity serves as a platform for raising awareness and promoting understanding of diverse cultures and issues.

3.3 Everyone in Hobart can participate in a diverse and thriving creative community, as professionals and hobbyists.

4.1 Hobart’s economy reflects its unique environment, culture and identity.

6.2 Education, participation, leadership and partnerships all contribute to Hobart’s strong environmental performance and healthy ecosystems.

7. Financial Implications

7.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

7.1.1. Funds are available for the City Partnership grants within the 2021-22 grants and assistance budget.

7.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

7.2.1. Funds will be allocated for the City Partnership grant recipients within the 2022-23 grants and assistance budget as per their agreement as part of the budgeting process.

7.2.2. In accordance with the grant agreement, the funding amounts will be adjusted to factor in the Consumer Price Index for Hobart.

Event	Organiser	Grant value
Hobart Anzac Day Commemorations	RSL Tasmania	$32,454
The Royal Hobart Regatta	Royal Hobart Regatta	$32,454
The Sandy Bay Regatta	Sandy Bay Regatta Association Inc	$32,454
Hobart Anzac Day Commemorations	RSL Tasmania	$32,454
Festa Italia	Australian Italian Club Inc	$10,818
Estia Greek Festival	Greek Orthodox Church and Benevolent Society of St George	$10,818
City of Hobart Eisteddfod	City of Hobart Eisteddfod Society Inc	$10,818
Tasmanian Theatre Awards	The Theatre Council of Tasmania Inc	$10,818
	TOTAL	$140,632

7.3. Asset Related Implications

7.3.1. Not applicable

8. Legal, Risk and Legislative Considerations

8.1. The current grant agreements are due to expire on 30 June 2022, there is a risk that there might be a gap in funding if this proposal is not approved. Pending the decision of this report, a one year extension to the current agreements would be offered giving each organisation assurance of this income for their budget in the 2022-23.

8.2. All applications would be administered under the Applications for Grants – City of Hobart Grants Program Policy.

9. Environmental Considerations

9.1. The funded events are required to, wherever possible, support the objectives of the City of Hobart Waste Management Strategy 2015-30. In particular, applicants must outline their commitment to sustainable events, certified compostable food packaging and reducing waste to landfill.

10. Social and Customer Considerations

10.1. The proposal to extend the grant agreements is reflective of the Council’s position to support these events. Until the other work is complete, there is no reason to change the nature or value of the relationship.

10.2. The City Partners will be informed of this proposal and will be supported through the next steps by Council officers.

11. Marketing and Media

11.1. There are no potential marketing and media issues as part of this report.

11.2. The grants and activations and events officers will work with the communications team to draft a communication out to all external event stakeholders.

12. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

12.1. Consultation was undertaken with the Director City Futures, Head of Intergovernmental Relations & Partnerships, and Senior Advisor Activations and Events to understand how to best to proceed as a result of the delay.

13. Delegation

13.1. This matter is delegated to Council.

As signatory to this report, I certify that, pursuant to Section 55(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, I hold no interest, as referred to in Section 49 of the Local Government Act 1993, in matters contained in this report.

Katy Cooper

Director City Futures

Kat Panjari

Head of Intergovernmental Relations and Partnerships

Date: 21 March 2022

File Reference: F22/20727; 21/48

Item No. 6.2

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 18

31/3/2022

Memorandum: Community, Culture and Events Committee

Salamanca Market By-Law No. 1 of 2022

This memorandum is to provide the Council with a briefing on the most recent stage of the development of the Salamanca Market By-Law No. 1 of 2022.

On 22 June 2020, the Council resolved by absolute majority its intention to create the Salamanca Market By-Law. The Council delegated authority to the General Manager to prepare a Regulatory Impact Statement for the by-law and present it to the Director of Local Government for a certificate of approval pursuant to Section 156A of the Local Government Act 1993.

The Salamanca Market By-Law manages and controls conduct onsite on market days including buskers, stallholders, tour groups, waste disposal, noise and parking onsite. It also allows for the issuance of infringements and permits.

The current Salamanca Market By-Law No. 1 of 2010 expired on 26 May 2020 and city officers have been working closely with the Director of Local Government and Simmons Wolfhagen to renew the by-law.

The draft by-law and accompanying Regulatory Impact Statement were ready for lodgement in 2021, however regulations changed for all by-laws that required a re-drafting of the Salamanca Market By-Law to accommodate further transparency around permits and their associated fees.

The Director of Local Government has now issued a Certificate of Compliance and instructed the City to undertake a statutory consultation period of at least 30 days. The draft by-law and Regulatory Impact Statement, refer to Attachments A and B, will be made available for public comment through the City’s engagement platform ‘Your Say’. To make the public aware of the consultation period, an advertisement will be placed in the Mercury newspaper and city officers will contact relevant stakeholder organisations that may be affected by, or may wish to comment on the by-law. Copies of the by-law will be available for inspection at the Council’s Customer Service Centre during business hours and available for viewing on the City’s website.

At the conclusion of the consultation period, should the City receive any submissions, the matter would be scheduled to be considered by the Community Culture and Event Committee and then to Council for review. Should no submissions be received, the Council is requested to delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer to take the remaining necessary steps to make the by-law.

REcommendation

1. The Council delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer to give notice of the proposed Salamanca Market By-Law No. 1 of 2022 in order to advertise a further public consultation process, whereby the by-law and associated regulatory impact statement are made available for inspection and comment; and

2. If no submissions are received in response to the public consultation process, the Council authorise the Chief Executive Officer to take the remaining necessary steps to make the by-law.

Katy Cooper

Director City Futures

Iris Goetzki

Manager Activation Programs and Tourism

Taryn Townsend

Senior Commercial Advisor Salamanca Market

Date: 22 March 2022

File Reference: F22/13428; S33-060-02/38

Attachment a: Salamanca Market By-Law No.1 of 2022 Draft for Public Consultation ⇩

Attachment b: Salamanca Market RIS for public consultation ⇩

People	We care about people – our community, our customers and colleagues.
Teamwork	We collaborate both within the organisation and with external stakeholders drawing on skills and expertise for the benefit of our community.
Focus and Direction	We have clear goals and plans to achieve sustainable social, environmental and economic outcomes for the Hobart community.
Creativity and Innovation	We embrace new approaches and continuously improve to achieve better outcomes for our community.
Accountability	We are transparent, work to high ethical and professional standards and are accountable for delivering outcomes for our community.