Council Meeting
20 October 2021
|
Steve Christou (Mayor) |
Councillor |
|
Michael Zaiter (Deputy Mayor) |
Councillor |
|
Ned Attie |
Councillor |
|
George Campbell |
Councillor (via web conferencing) |
|
Greg Cummings |
Councillor |
|
Glenn Elmore |
Councillor |
|
Paul Garrard |
Councillor |
|
Ola Hamed |
Councillor |
|
Kun Huang |
Councillor |
|
Lisa Lake |
Councillor |
|
Joseph Rahme |
Councillor |
|
Suman Saha |
Councillor |
|
Eddy Sarkis |
Councillor |
|
Tom Zreika |
Councillor (via web conferencing) |
|
Peter Fitzgerald |
General Manager |
|
Melissa Attia |
Director Community and Organisation Development/Deputy General Manager |
|
Daniel Cavallo |
Director Environment & Planning |
|
Brendan Govers |
Acting Director City Services |
Also Present:
|
Charlie Ayoub |
Executive Manager General Manager’s Unit |
|
Colin McFadzean |
General Counsel |
|
Carol Karaki |
Senior Coordinator Governance & Civic Events |
|
Monica Shenouda |
Acting Senior Governance & Civic Events Officer |
The Mayor, Councillor Christou declared the meeting open at 6:37pm.
Opening Prayer
The opening prayer was read by the Mayor, Councillor Christou.
Acknowledgement of Country
The Mayor, Councillor Christou read 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
Apologies/Leave of Absence
Nil.
Declarations of Pecuniary & Non Pecuniary Conflicts of Interest
The General Manager declared a less than significant, non-pecuniary interest in Item C10/21-870 as his wife is employed a firm engaged by a tenderer to provide assistance with their submission. The General Manager advised he would exit the Chamber during the consideration of this item.
Confirmation of Minutes
|
C10/21-863 Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council – 30 September 2021 and 06 October 2021 |
|
|
That Council confirm the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 30 September 2021 and 6 October 2021. |
|
|
Min.1327 |
MM10/21-77 Mayoral Minute – Infrastructure Contributions Reforms |
|
Resolved (Christou) 1. Calls on the NSW Government to withdraw the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Infrastructure Contributions) Bill 2021 (the Bill) from the NSW Parliament. 2. Calls on the NSW Government to undertake further consultation with the local government sector on any proposed reforms to the infrastructure contributions system. 3. Calls on the NSW Government to de-couple the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal led review of the rate peg to include population growth from the infrastructure contributions reforms. 4. Write to the Premier the Hon Dominic Perrottet MP, Treasurer the Hon Matt Kean MP, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces the Hon Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Local Government the Hon Shelley Hancock MP, our local State Members, and any other relevant MP’s seeking them to withdraw the Bill. 5. Alerts the local media to the threat of future ratepayer funds being expended rather than developer levies for new infrastructure brought about by increased development under the proposed legislation and shares and promotes these messages via its digital and social media channels and via its networks.
6. Affirms its support to LGNSW and requests LGNSW continue advocating on our behalf to protect local government from any amendments to infrastructure contributions which leaves councils and communities worse off.
Carried Unanimously |
|
Public Forum
The Mayor, Councillor Christou advised that Council received (2) written submissions in relation to item C10/21 – 869 Outcome of Tender - Final Negotiations & Community Engagement - Proposed Sale of 13 John Street, Lidcombe, one from Mr Tony Oldfield and one from Mr Roydon Ng which the Council Officers had circulated to all Councillors prior to the meeting. The General Manager proceeded to read them out.
|
Min.1328 |
|
|
At this stage of the meeting being 6:53pm, Council suspended orders in accordance with Clause 8.2 of the Code of Meeting Practice to enter into Closed Session to consider items C10/21-869 and C10/21-870. The Mayor advised that in accordance with Section 10a of the Local Government Act 1993, the meeting would move into Closed Session, with access to the correspondence and reports relating to the items considered during the course of the closed session being withheld. This action was taken as the items listed were within the following provisions under Section 10a of the Local Government Act:-
(2) The matters and information are the following: (c) information that would, if disclosed, confer a commercial advantage on a person with whom the council is conducting (or proposes to conduct) business, (d) commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed-- (i) prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it, (ii) confer a commercial advantage on a competitor of the council. |
|
Min.1329 |
Open Session |
|
Resolved (Elmore/Zaiter) Council returned to Open Session at 7.19pm to resolve Confidential Item:
C10/21-869 Outcome of Tender - Final Negotiations & Community Engagement - Proposed Sale of 13 John Street, Lidcombe C10/21-870 Outcome of Tender Process - Lease of Wyatt Park Basketball Centre |
|
Note of Condolence
At this point in the Meeting, Councillor Lake advised the Chamber of the passing of the former Holroyd City Councillor Yvette Whitfield’s husband Les, and offered condolences to their family. Accordingly, the Mayor, Councillor Christou offered condolences to the Whitfield family on behalf of Council.
|
Min.1331 |
Items by Exception |
|
Resolved (Sarkis Cummings) That Council adopt item C10/21-864 on the Council Agenda as per the recommendation in the report. |
|
|
That the report be received. |
|
|
That Council: 1. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 413 of the Local Government Act 1993, hereby declares that it has prepared the Annual Financial Statements for the 2020/2021 financial year ending 30 June 2021, and has formed an opinion based on the advice of Council officers and reports attached, that the Annual Financial Statements for Cumberland City Council: a) Have been prepared in accordance with: • the Local Government Act 1993 (as amended) and the Regulations made there under; • the Australian Accounting Standards and other pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board; • The Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting. b) Present fairly Council’s operating results and financial position for the 2020/21 financial year. c) Accord with Council’s accounting and other records and that Council is not aware of any matters that would render these statements false or misleading in any way. 2. Pursuant with Section 413(2)(c) of the Local Government Act, authorise the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, General Manager and the responsible accounting officer to sign the ‘Statements by Councillors and Management’ for the General Purpose and Special Purpose Financial Statements which must then accompany these reports. 3. Publish a public notice as soon as practicable after Council receives a copy of the auditor's reports to advise of the Presentation by the Audit Office of the 2020/21 Financial statements at the Ordinary Council meeting to be held on 17 November 2021, as per Section 418 (3) of the Local Government Act. Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 7:24pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:32pm during the consideration of this item. |
|
|
That Council receive the September 2021 Investment Report. |
|
|
That Council readopt the Planning Proposal Notification Policy subject to the following amendment: “On page 2 of the policy add the words “and occupants” after the word “owners” each time it occurs in point b and at the top of the third column of the table.” |
|
The Mayor, Councillor Christou closed the meeting at 9:20pm.
