Council Meeting

 1 July 2020

Minutes of the Council Meeting 1 July 2020

Meeting commenced at 6:30pm

Present:

Steve Christou (Mayor)

Councillor

Eddy Sarkis (Deputy Mayor)

Councillor

Ned Attie

Councillor

George Campbell

Councillor (via web conferencing)

Greg Cummings

Councillor

Glenn Elmore

Councillor

Paul Garrard

Councillor

Ola Hamed

Councillor (via web conferencing)

Kun Huang

Councillor

Lisa Lake

Councillor

Joseph Rahme

Councillor

Suman Saha

Councillor

Michael Zaiter

Councillor

Tom Zreika

Councillor

Hamish McNulty

General Manager

Melissa Attia

Director Community and Organisation Development

Daniel Cavallo

Director Environment & Planning

Peter Fitzgerald

Director Works & Infrastructure

Richard Sheridan

Director Finance & Governance

 

Also Present:

Charlie Ayoub

Executive Manager Corporate Services

Colin McFadzean

General Counsel

Carol Karaki

Governance Coordinator

Laith Jammal

Governance Officer

Opening Prayer 

The opening prayer was read by the Mayor, Councillor Christou.

Acknowledgement of Country

The Mayor, Councillor Christou opened the Meeting with the following Acknowledgement of Country:

 

“I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land – the Darug People, and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.”

 

National Anthem

At this point in the meeting the Mayor, Councillor Christou asked all of those in attendance to stand for the playing of the Australian National Anthem.

Notice of Live Streaming of Council Meeting

The Mayor, Councillor Christou advised that the Council meeting was being streamed live on Council's website and members of the public must ensure their speech to the Council is respectful and use appropriate language.

Apologies/Leave of Absence

Nil

Declarations of Pecuniary & Non Pecuniary Conflicts of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

Confirmation of Minutes

Min.739

C07/20-479 Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council - 17 June 2020

Resolved  (Cummings/Sarkis)

That Council confirm the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 17 June 2020.

  

Min.740

MM07/20-34 Mayoral Minute – Service NSW Centre at Granville

 

Motion (Christou)

That Council:

1.    Approve in principle the provision of office space for the potential location of a Service NSW Centre within the new Council Administration Building proposed at Granville.

2.    Write to the Premier of NSW and Minister for Customer Service requesting their strong support for this proposal.

 

Motion of Dissent

Councillor Lake advised that the Mayoral Minute is not urgent and raised a point of order accordingly. The Mayor, Councillor Christou ruled against her point of order. Councillor Lake moved a motion of dissent.

 

The Motion of Dissent on being put was declared LOST.

 

A division was called, the result of the division required in accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice is as follows:

Councillor(s) For the Motion:                     Attie, Christou, Cummings, Garrard, Rahme, Sarkis, Zaiter and Zreika.

 

Councillor(s) Against the Motion:             Campbell, Elmore, Hamed, Huang, Lake and                                                                         Saha.

 

Council then resumed debate on the Motion.

 

The Mayoral Minute on being put was declared CARRIED.

 

A division was called, the result of the division required in accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice is as follows:

 

Councillor(s) For the Motion:                     Attie, Christou, Cummings, Garrard, Rahme, Sarkis, Zaiter and Zreika.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion:             Campbell, Elmore, Hamed, Huang, Lake and Saha.

 

Min.741

MM07/20-35 Mayoral Minute – Mayoral Minute - Energy Savings for Businesses in the LGA

 

Resolved (Christou)

That Council:

1.    Promote the use of green energy throughout the LGA via our usual media means such as, however not limited to, the Council website, Facebook page, Mayoral column, quarterly newsletter and business rate notice mail out.

2.    Provide support and advice, with the assistance of experienced green energy consultants to businesses in the LGA, in an attempt to reduce their energy costs and promote clean, green, renewable energy sources for electricity supply.

3.    The above is to be done with no additional cost to council's budget utilising the media resources mentioned above.

Carried Unanimously

Councillor Campbell left the Meeting at 7:08pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:11pm during the consideration of this item.

 

Min.742

Items by Exception

Resolved  (Sarkis/Cummings)

That Council adopt items C07/20-481, C07/20-485 and C07/20-493 on the Council Agenda in bulk as per the recommendations in the reports.

 

 

 

 

Min.743

C07/20-481 Mayor and Councillor Remuneration 2020/21

Resolved  (Sarkis/Cummings)

That Council:

1.   Set the annual Councillor Fee for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 at $30,410 in accordance with the provisions of section 248 of the Local Government Act 1993; and

2.   Set the annual Mayoral Fee for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 at $88,600 in accordance with the provisions of section 249 of the Local Government Act 1993.

 

Min.744

C07/20-485 Cumberland City Council - Future Companion Animal Management Requirements

Resolved  (Sarkis/Cummings)

That Council:

1.      Enter into a contract with Hawkesbury City Council to utilise their Companion Animal Shelter, in accordance with Section 55(3)(c) of the Local Government Act 1993; and

2.      Delegate authority to the General Manager for the purpose of executing the contract and any associated documents.

 

Min.745

C07/20-493 Tender for the Receipt & Processing of Recyclable Material - T-2020-006

Resolved  (Sarkis/Cummings)

That Council:

 

1.   Decline all tenders in accordance with Clause 178(1)(b) of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005.

 

2.   Enter into negotiations with Visy Recycling Pty Ltd and Polytrade Recycling Pty Ltd for the receival and processing of recyclable material in accordance with Clause 178 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005, as the number of capable and available tenderers are limited, and calling fresh tenders would not yield an optimal financial outcome for this contract.

 

3.   Receive a report on the outcome of negotiations for determination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Min.746 

C07/20-480 Monthly Management Accounts April 2020

Resolved  (Saha/Elmore)

That Council receive the information contained in this report.

Carried Unanimously

 

 

C07/20-481 Mayor and Councillor Remuneration 2020/21

This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting.

 

 

C07/20-482 Cumberland Local Environmental Plan – Post Exhibition Report on New Planning Controls for Cumberland City

This item was withdrawn by the General Manager.

 

 

C07/20-483 Cumberland Local Environmental Plan – Post Exhibition Report on Proposed Amendments to Planning Controls

This item was withdrawn by the General Manager.

 

 

C07/20-484 Cumberland Local Environmental Plan – Post Exhibition Report on Site Specific Requests and Council’s Strategic Planning Work Program

This item was withdrawn by the General Manager.

 

 

C07/20-485 Cumberland City Council - Future Companion Animal Management Requirements

This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting.

 

Min.747

C07/20-486 Cumberland Traffic Committee - Minutes of the Electronic Meeting held on 3 June 2020

Resolved  (Rahme/Garrard)

That:

1.      The minutes of Part 1 Items of the Cumberland Traffic Committee electronic meeting of 3 June 2020, be received and noted; and

2.      The minutes of Part 2 Items of the Cumberland Traffic Committee electronic meeting on 3 June 2020, be received and recommendations contained therein be approved.

Carried Unanimously

 

Min.748

C07/20-487 Notice of Motion - Skate Park in Greystanes

 

Resolved (Sarkis/Garrard)

That Council advise on previous reports with respect to a skate park in the Greystanes area as this has been ongoing for some years, identifying appropriate locations for the same and seek State and Federal funding to build the skate park.

Carried Unanimously

 

Min.749

C07/20-488 Notice of Motion - Outdoor Gyms

Resolved (Sarkis/Garrard)

That Council receive a report to introduce more outdoor gyms/fitness stations in the Cumberland LGA.

Carried Unanimously

 

Min.750

C07/20-489 Notice of Motion - Signage

Resolved (Sarkis/Garrard)

That Council receive a report on the cost of updating all the signs on the Lower Prospect Canal cycle track to reflect Cumberland City Council.

A division was called, the result of the division required in accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice is as follows:

Councillor(s) For the Motion:                     Attie, Christou, Cummings, Elmore                                                                                  Garrard, Hamed, Huang, Lake, Rahme, Saha,                                                                         Sarkis, Zaiter and Zreika.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion:                         Campbell.

 

Min.751

C07/20-490 Notice of Motion - Animal Defecation

Resolved (Sarkis/Garrard)

That council receive a report on implementing and installing signs in the Cumberland LGA around recognised walking, biking and other routes regularly used by constituents as a means of exercise to remind pet owners of their responsibilities with respect to cleaning up animal defecation, as there has been a marked increase of this recently.

 

Carried Unanimously

 

Councillor Hamed left the Meeting at 7:47pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:48pm during the consideration of this item.

 

Min.752

C07/20-491 Notice of Motion - Community Service Centre

Resolved (Zaiter/Attie)

That Council be provided with a report regarding the feasibility of establishing a community service centre within an existing facility or otherwise, located in Wentworthville and any other local Centre that Council may deem appropriate.

 

Carried Unanimously

 

Councillors Cummings and Rahme left the Meeting at 7:56pm during the consideration of this item.

 

Councillors Cummings and Rahme returned to the Meeting at 7:59pm during the consideration of this item.

 

Min.753

C07/20-492 Notice of Motion - Council Overheads

Resolved (Attie/Zaiter)

That:

1.      Council be provided with a report by the next ordinary meeting of Council regarding the cost rationale associated with the overheads for the 12 service areas of Council. 

 

2.      The report outline why the costs associated with children’s services was stated at the ordinary meeting of 17 June 2020 as approximately 15% of corporate expenses. 

 

Carried Unanimously

 

Councillor Sarkis left the Meeting at 8:21pm and returned to the Meeting at 8:23pm during the consideration of this item.

 

 

Other/General Matters

Councillor Lake requested that the General Manager organise a workshop in relation to the Code of Meeting Practice, as this will allow various issues or questions to be raised and discussed by the Councillors regarding the interpretation of the Code. The Chamber concurred and the Mayor, Councillor Christou confirmed that the Workshop will be arranged. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mayor, Councillor Christou closed the meeting at 8:35pm.