Minutes (Open Portion)

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Page 2

15/10/2019

Minutes (Open Portion)

Finance and Governance Committee Meeting

Page 14

15/10/2019

SEXTON

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Finance and Governance Committee meeting held on Tuesday, 17 September 2019, be confirmed as an accurate record.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

6.1      Southern Tasmania Netball Association - Request to Amend (Increase) Loan Guarantee

SEXTON

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Group Manager Rates & Procurement and the Deputy General Manager of 11 October 2019, be adopted, amended with a revised clause 1:

“1.   The Council guarantee a loan to Southern Tasmanian Netball Association (STNA) from Westpac Banking Corporation for $505,000, subject to the General Manager being satisfied, following further information to be provided by the STNA, in regard to:

·           Electricity usage and expected savings

·           Capacity to meet repayments in changed economic circumstances

·           Opportunities for combining the loans and refinancing”

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    The Council guarantee a loan to Southern Tasmanian Netball Association (STNA) from Westpac Banking Corporation for $505,000, subject to the General Manager being satisfied, following further information to be provided by the STNA, in regard to:

·           Electricity usage and expected savings

·           Capacity to meet repayments in changed economic circumstances

·           Opportunities for combining the loans and refinancing.

            2.    The General Manager be delegated authority to negotiate and finalise the terms of the loan guarantee. 

            3.    Council receive quarterly loan updates from STNA and/or Westpac Banking Corporation, and other financial information such as financial statements, and year to date performance information, at Council’s discretion. 

            4.    STNA immediately notify Council in the event of any default in loan payments. 

            5.    STNA notify Council of any legal actions that they enter or are joined to, and any intention to take out further borrowings. 

            6.    Any future changes to loan arrangements be subject to Council approval.

6.2      Charitable Rates Exemptions - Rates Remission Request from Uniting Agewell

SEXTON

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Group Manager Rates & Procurement and the Deputy General Manager of 11 October 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the Council approve a remission of general rates paid by Uniting Agewell for 3 Peel Street, Sandy Bay and 51 Cross Street, New Town for the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2019 pursuant to section 129 of the Local Government Act 1993 (Tas).

6.3      Proposed 2020 Council and Committee Meeting Schedule and Temporary City Planning Committee Delegation

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR BURNET

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Deputy General Manager of 9 October 2019, be adopted, as amended with a revised clause 1:

“1.    The Council adopt Option B, marked as Attachment B to item 6.3 of the Open Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 15 October 2019, for a 2020 Council and Council Committee meeting schedule with the Economic Development and Communications Committee to precede the Community Culture and Events Committee.”

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    The Council adopt Option B, marked as Attachment B to item 6.3 of the Open Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 15 October 2019, for a 2020 Council and Council Committee meeting schedule with the Economic Development and Communications Committee to precede the Community Culture and Events Committee.

            2.    In the event that any urgent matters arise which cannot be accommodated within the preferred 2020 meeting schedule option, special meetings be convened as required.

            3.    The City Planning Committee be provided with the following delegation in order to facilitate the processing of planning permit applications during the Christmas period:

(i)      To determine all planning permit applications which would otherwise be determined by the Council, between 10 December 2019 and the first ordinary scheduled Council meeting in January 2020, in circumstances where it would not otherwise be possible to determine the application within the statutory time period required under Sections 57(6), 57(6A), 58(2) or 58(2A) of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, and an extension of time cannot be obtained, unless an Elected Member has requested the convening of a special meeting or meetings to determine the application.

            4.    A calendar of workshops be developed to include the following topics:

·           Budget estimates

·           Good governance

6.4      Mawson Place - Matilda

BRISCOE

That the recommendation contained in the report of the General Manager of 10 October 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    The Council authorise the General Manager to formally approach the Port Arthur Historic Site with regard to the return of the Matilda.

            2.    If the Port Arthur Historic Site is not interested in the return, an Expression of Interest be called to identify possible options for the future of The Matilda.

6.5      Update of Customer Service Charter and Annual Complaint Report 2018/19

THOMAS

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Principal Advisor - Customer Relations and Hallkeeping and the Deputy General Manager of 10 October 2019, be adopted, as amended with the General Manager being delegated the authority to make editorial amendments to the Charter.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the Council endorse the updated Customer Service Charter marked as Attachment B to item 6.5 of the Open Finance and Governance Committee agenda of 15 October 2019, and the General Manger be delegated the authority to make editorial amendments to the Charter.

7.1      Elected Members - Random Illicit Drug and Alcohol Testing

BRISCOE

That in accordance with Council’s policy the following Notice of Motion, which was adopted by the Finance and Governance Committee, be considered by the Council.

“That a report be prepared addressing the following:

·    The Elected Members (All Aldermen, Councillors, Deputy Lord Mayor and Lord Mayor) be included in the City of Hobart staff random illicit drug and alcohol testing program.

·    The results (including nil results) of the Elected Members drug and alcohol testing be published on the City of Hobart webpage regularly as part of the monthly reporting.

·    The consequences if an Elected Member fails the drug or alcohol test, including not participating in any meetings for that day, and appropriate counselling be offered (similar to the City of Hobart staff policy)”

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

Motion:

“That a report be prepared addressing the following:

·    The Elected Members (All Aldermen, Councillors, Deputy Lord Mayor and Lord Mayor) be included in the City of Hobart staff random illicit drug and alcohol testing program.

·    The results (including nil results) of the Elected Members drug and alcohol testing be published on the City of Hobart webpage regularly as part of the monthly reporting.

·    The consequences if an Elected Member fails the drug or alcohol test, including not participating in any meetings for that day, and appropriate counselling be offered (similar to the City of Hobart staff policy)”

Rationale:

“Elected Members are held to the highest standard of behaviour, as the decisions they make involve, at times, spending high sums of money and making important strategic and planning decisions.

Impaired judgment through illicit drug or alcohol use prior to meetings would affect the quality of decisions made. Only zero tolerance is acceptable.

The absence of testing of the Elected Members of HCC is an anomaly that can be readily corrected by this motion.

It is also arguable that the Council Chamber and meeting rooms are a workplace under the Work Health and Safety legislation and that the elected members are workers under the legislation and that similar rules should apply to elected members as they do to employees. All City of Hobart employees are subject to random drug and alcohol testing.

The Unions in the past have called for the testing of Elected Members in line with the City of Hobart staff.”

The General Manager reports:

“In line with the Council’s policy in relation to Notices of Motion, I advise that the matter is considered to be within the jurisdiction of the Hobart City Council as it relates to safety in the Council workplace.”

8.1      Committee Actions - Status Report

DEPUTY LORD MAYOR BURNET

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

9.1      Alderman Briscoe - Town Hall Reception

Question:      A reception is proposed to be held for the new initiative “Night Shelter” for the Salvation Army and the Hobart City Mission. How much would this reception cost?

                        Would it be better to donate the reception costs to the Salvation Army and the Hobart City Mission?

Answer:         The General Manager took the question on notice.