Minutes of Council Meeting - Wednesday, 21 February 2024

Council Meeting

Minutes of the Council Meeting 21 February 2024

Councillors

Lisa Lake (Mayor)	Councillor
Ola Hamed (Deputy Mayor)	Councillor
Steve Christou	Councillor
Diane Colman	Councillor
Greg Cummings	Councillor
Glenn Elmore	Councillor
Sabrin Farooqui	Councillor
Paul Garrard	Councillor
Helen Hughes	Councillor
Mohamad Hussein	Councillor (arrived 6:35pm)
Joseph Rahme	Councillor (arrived 6:35pm)
Suman Saha	Councillor
Eddy Sarkis	Councillor (arrived 6:35pm)
Michael Zaiter	Councillor

Officers

Peter Fitzgerald	General Manager
Melissa Attia	Director Corporate Performance (Deputy General Manager)
Daniel Cavallo	Director Environment & Planning
Brendan Govers	Director City Services
Nicole Byrn	Director Community & Culture
Charlie Ayoub	Director Governance & Risk
Colin McFadzean	General Counsel
Carol Karaki	Manager Governance
Bianca Mourched	Coordinator Governance

The Mayor, Councillor Lake declared the meeting open at 6.30pm.

Opening Prayer

The opening prayer was read by Yousef Al-Zoubi from the Auburn Islamic Community Centre.

Acknowledgement of Country

The Mayor, Councillor Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake advised that the Council meeting was being streamed live on Council's website and all in attendance must ensure their speech to the Council is respectful and use appropriate language.

Apologies / Requests for Leave of Absence/ Requests for Attendance by Audio-Visual Link

Note: Councillor Farooqui tendered an apology on behalf of Councillor Huang for this meeting.

Confirmation of Minutes

Min.653

C02/24-464 Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council - 07 February 2024

Note: The Mayor, Councillor Lake advised that the voting on the resolution on page 14 of the Draft Minutes for Item AR02/24-1 (Page 22 of the business paper) had been recorded incorrectly. Councillors voting for and against the resolution had been recorded wrongly in reverse and that had now been corrected on the website. A hard copy of the corrected Minutes was provided to Councillors for the purpose of confirmation.

ADJOURNMENT

6:44pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake adjourned the meeting in accordance with Clause 15.13 of the Code of Meeting Practice.

6:57pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake upon reassembling, asked for a Motion to proceed with the business.

Min.654

Motion to Proceed with Business

Motion (Sarkis/Hussein)

That Council continue with the business of the meeting.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Garrard, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

Debate on the Item subsequently continued.

Motion (Sarkis/Colman)

That Council confirm the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 07 February 2024 subject to the following change:

Min 648 - Omit the words “he subsequently did not return to the meeting”.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Garrard, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 7:01pm during the consideration of this item and returned at 7:03pm following the consideration of this item.

Declarations of Pecuniary & Non Pecuniary Conflicts of Interest

Councillor Elmore declared a Significant, Non-Pecuniary interest in relation to Item C02/24-469 Draft Submission on Development Application DA2023/0130 - 109A Church Street, Lidcombe as he is on the Sydney Central Planning Panel which will determine this matter in future, and as such, he will leave the Chamber prior to any discussion in relation to the matter.

Councillor Hamed declared a Significant, Non-Pecuniary interest in relation to Item C02/24-469 Draft Submission on Development Application DA2023/0130 - 109A Church Street, Lidcombe as she is on the Sydney Central Planning Panel which will determine this matter in future, and as such, she will leave the Chamber prior to any discussion in relation to the matter.

Councillor Garrard declared a Less than Significant, Non-Pecuniary interest in relation to Item C02/24-468 Community Grants - Round 2 2023/2024 Funding Recommendations, as an organisation he is associated with is applying for a grant, and as such, he will leave the Chamber prior to any discussion in relation to the matter.

Request for Adjournment – Prayer Break

The Mayor, Councillor Lake advised that she was in receipt of a request for a prayer break adjournment at 7:45pm. In accordance with clause 5.8 of the Code of Meeting Practice, the Mayor ruled that she will adjourn the Meeting for a period of 10 minutes after the first item that concludes around 7.45pm to allow Councillors to pray.

Min.655

MM02/24-47 Mayoral Minute - Inquiry into the current and future public transport needs in Western Sydney

Motion (Lake)

That Council receive the update and receive a further update in 3 months.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Garrard, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

Public Forum:

Note: Councillors Elmore and Hamed exited the Chamber at 7:15pm prior to the public forum address on item C02/24-469, as they had declared a Significant, Non-Pecuniary interest in this item previously. They returned to the Meeting following the address on this item at 7:20pm.

Speakers on Items on the Council Meeting Agenda

Speaker	Item #	Suburb
Mr Tony Oldfield	C02/24-469 Draft Submission on Development Application DA2023/0130 – 109A Church Street, Lidcombe	Auburn
Ms Jessica Duffy	C02/24-472 Notice of Motion – Opposition to Drag Storytime Events and Material	Regents Park

Min.656

Alteration of Order of Business

Motion (Hughes/Colman)

That in accordance with Clause 8.2 of the Code of Meeting Practice, Council alter the order of business to allow Items C02/24-469 - Draft Submission on Development Application DA2023/0130 – 109A Church Street, Lidcombe and C02/24-472 - Notice of Motion – Opposition to Drag Storytime Events and Material to be brought forward for consideration at this time of the Meeting.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Garrard, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

Min.657

C02/24-469 Draft Submission on Development Application DA2023/0130 - 109A Church Street, Lidcombe

Note: Councillors Elmore and Hamed exited the Chamber at 7:27pm prior to the consideration of this item as they had declared a Significant, Non-Pecuniary interest in this item. They returned to the Meeting following the consideration of this item at 7:46pm.

Motion (Farooqui/Hughes)

That Council:

1. Adopt the submission as attached to this report, opposing the proposed development.

2. Ensure a copy is forwarded to the Sydney Central City Planning Panel prior to this matter being determined.

3. Requests the Planning Panel to hold an in person meeting rather than a virtual meeting.

4. Request that the planning panel reschedule the in person meeting to a time outside of normal business hours.

5. Request understanding that a very multi-cultural community would be attending and that appropriate interpreting services be provided.

6. Strongly objects to proposed development in its entirety. The proposed development represents an inappropriate development of the land that would negatively impact the local community. The development application has made inadequate provision to address its impact. We respectfully submit that the proposed development fails to meet the merit assessment considerations pertaining to the land, is not in the public interest and therefore should be refused.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED Unanimously.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Farooqui, Garrard, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 7:30pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:31pm during the consideration of this item.

Min.658

C02/24-472 Notice of Motion - Opposition to Drag Storytime Events and Material

Motion (Christou /Rahme)

That:

1. Cumberland City Council does not support and will reject any encouragement or facilitation from LGNSW or any other Group, for the Council to host drag or sexualised material designed to target children.

2. Cumberland City Council supports the rights of every individual who is eligible to participate in Council events and programs.

3. Cumberland City Council does not support Motion 58 of the Business paper passed at the 2023 LGNSW Annual Conference; and

4. The General Manager write to LGNSW expressing concern that this motion was permitted on the agenda.

ADJOURNMENT

7:47pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake adjourned the meeting in accordance with Clause 5.8 of the Code of Meeting Practice.

7:57pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake resumed the meeting.

Debate on the Item subsequently continued.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Zaiter raised a point of order, citing an alleged breach of Clause 15.11(d) of the Code of Meeting Practice by Councillor Elmore, stating that Councillor Elmore made an unfavourable personal remark toward Councillor Christou. The Mayor, Councillor Lake requested that Councillor Elmore withdraw his remark. Councillor Elmore subsequently withdrew his remark and apologised.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Hamed foreshadowed the following Motion:

That Council note that Cumberland City Council has never hosted drag story time and has not received any requests to do so by LGNSW or any other internal or external bodies.

The Mayor, Councillor Lake upheld the Point of Order, and asked Councillor Hamed to clarify her comments, and subsequently withdraw the inferences made in relation to Councillor Rahme. Councillor Hamed subsequently withdrew the inferences made during her speech.

During the consideration of this item the Mayor, Councillor Lake vacated the Chair to address the Council on this matter. The Deputy Mayor acted in the role of Chairperson until the conclusion of the Mayors speech, prior to the Motion being Put to the vote.

The Motion on being Put was declared LOST on the casting vote of the Mayor.

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

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Colman, Elmore, Farooqui, Hamed, Hussein,

Lake and Saha.

Motion (Hamed/Colman) - as previously foreshadowed

That Council note that Cumberland City Council has never hosted drag story time and has not received any requests to do so by LGNSW or any other internal or external bodies.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Christou raised a point of order, citing an alleged breach of Clause 15.11(d) & 15.11(e) of the Code of Meeting Practice by Councillor Hamed, stating that Councillor Hamed made an assertion about him that was not true. The Mayor, Councillor Lake ruled that the issue was a matter for debate.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Rahme raised a point of order, citing an alleged breach of Clause 15.11(d) of the Code of Meeting Practice by Councillor Hamed, stating that Councillor Hamed misrepresented him during her speech. Councillor Hamed subsequently withdrew her reference to Councillor Rahme in her speech.

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 8:34pm and returned to the Meeting at 8:36pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Sarkis left the Meeting at 8:48pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Cummings left the Meeting at 8:49pm during the consideration of this item.

ADJOURNMENT

8:54pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake adjourned the meeting in accordance with Clause 15.13 of the Code of Meeting Practice.

9:05pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake upon reassembling, asked for a Motion to proceed with the business.

Min.659

Motion to Proceed with Business

Motion (Hamed/Sarkis)

That Council continue with the business of the meeting.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Elmore, Farooqui, Garrard, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

Councillor Sarkis returned to the Meeting at 9:05pm following the adjournment.

Councillor Cummings returned to the Meeting at 9:07pm following the adjournment.

Debate on the Item subsequently continued.

Amendment (Garrard/ Christou)

That Cumberland City Council will not host drag story time in this Council term or accept any request from LGNSW or any other external body.

At this point of the meeting being 9:13pm, the General Manager advised that the meeting would be adjourned for disorder and resumed at a later date.

Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 28 February 2024

(As resumed from the Council Meeting adjourned on 21 February 2024)

PRESENT

Councillors

Lisa Lake (Mayor)	Councillor
Ola Hamed (Deputy Mayor)	Councillor
Steve Christou	Councillor
Diane Colman	Councillor
Greg Cummings	Councillor
Glenn Elmore	Councillor
Sabrin Farooqui	Councillor
Paul Garrard	Councillor
Helen Hughes	Councillor
Mohamad Hussein	Councillor
Joseph Rahme	Councillor
Suman Saha	Councillor
Eddy Sarkis	Councillor
Michael Zaiter	Councillor

Officers

Peter Fitzgerald	General Manager
Melissa Attia	Director Corporate Performance (Deputy General Manager)
Daniel Cavallo	Director Environment & Planning
Brendan Govers	Director City Services
Nicole Byrn	Director Community & Culture
Charlie Ayoub	Director Governance & Risk
Colin McFadzean	General Counsel
Carol Karaki	Manager Governance
Bianca Mourched	Coordinator Governance
Lyndall Thompson	Senior Governance & Civic Events Officer

The Mayor, Councillor Lake opened the Meeting on Wednesday 28 February 2024 at 5:35pm.

Note: The Mayor, Councillor Lake advised the public that the individual livestreaming or recording of the Council Meeting by audio/visual device including mobile phones, cameras or any other device was not allowed without the prior authorisation of Council.

The Mayor also advised that the meeting was being livestreamed on Council’s website, and that a recording of the meeting would be put up on Council’s website following the meeting.

She further advised that the Council meeting was being streamed live on Council's website and all in attendance must ensure their speech to the Council is respectful and use appropriate language.

Min.660

Apologies / Requests for Leave of Absence/ Requests for Attendance by Audio-Visual Link

Motion (Sarkis/Hussein)

That in accordance with Clause 5.24 of the Code of Meeting Practice, Council approve the attendance of Councillor Huang at this meeting via Audio/Visual Link due to work commitments.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Garrard, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

Min.658

C02/24-472 Notice of Motion - Opposition to Drag Storytime Events and Material

Motion (Hamed/Colman)

That Council note that Cumberland City Council has never hosted drag story time and has not received any requests to do so by LGNSW or any other internal or external bodies.

Amendment (Garrard/Christou)

Add the below as an additional point to the Motion:

That Cumberland City Council will not host drag story time in this Council term or accept any request from LGNSW or any other external body.

The proposed Amendment was accepted by the Mover and Seconder of the Motion, and was incorporated to become the substantive Motion as follows:

Motion (Hamed/Colman)

That Council

1. Note that Cumberland City Council has never hosted drag story time and has not received any requests to do so by LGNSW or any other internal or external bodies.

2. Will not host drag story time in this Council term or accept any request from LGNSW or any other external body.

Amendment (Sarkis/Rahme)

That the word “term” be removed from point 2.

The Mayor, Councillor Lake ruled that the Amendment was not permissible stating that the Amendment if allowed would result in a Motion that was in substance, the same as Point 1 of the previous Motion that was debated in the previous week and lost. Councillor Christou indicated that he wished to move dissent in the Chairpersons ruling. Councillor Sarkis subsequently moved a Motion of Dissent. The Mayor, Councillor Lake put the Motion of Dissent to the vote.

Min.661 Motion of Dissent

The Motion of Dissent on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Cummings, Farooqui, Garrard, Hughes, Hussein, Rahme, Sarkis and Zaiter.

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

The Amendment was subsequently accepted by the Mover and Seconder, and incorporated into the Motion as follows:

Motion (Hamed/Colman)

That Council

1. Note that Cumberland City Council has never hosted drag story time and has not received any requests to do so by LGNSW or any other internal or external bodies.

2. Will not host drag story time in this Council or accept any request from LGNSW or any other external body.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Rahme raised a point of order, citing an alleged breach of Clause 15.11(d) of the Code of Meeting Practice by Councillor Hamed, stating that Councillor Hamed misrepresented him and Councillor Christou during her speech. The Mayor, Councillor Lake did not uphold the Point of Order, however asked Councillor Hamed to modify her comment, and clarify her speech.

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 6:04pm and returned to the Meeting at 6:05pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 6:06pm and returned to the Meeting at 6:07pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 6:15pm and returned to the Meeting at 6:18pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Sarkis left the Meeting at 6:36pm and returned to the Meeting at 6:38pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 6:36pm and returned to the Meeting at 6:40pm during the consideration of this item.

ADJOURNMENT

6:44pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake adjourned the meeting.

6:55pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake resumed the meeting.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Christou raised a point of order, citing an alleged breach of Clause 15.11(d) of the Code of Meeting Practice by Councillor Hamed, stating that Councillor Hamed made an unfavourable personal remark about him and other Councillors during her speech. The Mayor, Councillor Lake did not uphold the Point of Order, however asked Councillor Hamed to modify her remarks.

At this point of the meeting, the Mayor Councillor Lake asked the public gallery to remain silent during the matter, to allow Councillors to be heard.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Rahme raised a point of order, citing an alleged breach of clause 15.11(d) of the Code of Meeting Practice by Councillor Hamed. The Mayor, Councillor Lake ruled that he did not raise a valid point of order.

During the consideration of this item, Councillor Elmore raised a point of order, citing an alleged breach of Clause 15.11(d) of the Code of Meeting Practice by Councillors Christou and Rahme stating that Councillor Christou insulted Councillor Hamed, and that Councillor Rahme was showing excessive aggression. The Mayor, Councillor Lake did not uphold the Point of Order, however asked all Councillors to show leadership as public officials whilst conducting the debate, and remain silent whilst Councillor Hamed completed her speech.

At this point of the meeting, Councillor Cummings moved a Procedural Motion that the Motion be Put, in accordance with Clause 10.25(a) of the adopted Code of Meeting Practice. The Mayor, Councillor Lake immediately put the Motion to the vote as required under Clause 10.26 of the Code of Meeting Practice.

Min.662 Procedural Motion

The Motion on being Put was declared Lost.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Cummings, Farooqui, Elmore, Saha, Colman, Lake

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Christou, Garrard, Hughes, Hussein, Hamed Zaiter, Sarkis, Rahme

Debate subsequently resumed on the Motion.

At this point of the meeting, Councillor Sarkis indicated that he would like to move an Amendment indicating that the record of the vote on the defeated Motion, the original Motion, Amendment and Motion of Dissent on this matter be included in the Minutes.

The Mayor, Councillor Lake did not allow the Amendment, stating that this was already a requirement in the adopted Code of Meeting Practice. She further advised that in the event that a Councillor was of the view that the Draft Minutes did not accurately reflect the decisions and debate of the meeting, that a Councillor could move a Motion to correct the Minutes at the next Ordinary Council meeting when the proposed adoption of the Minutes are before the Council.

Councillor Christou moved dissent in the Chairpersons ruling. The Mayor, Councillor Lake put the dissent Motion to the vote.

At this point of the meeting, the Mayor Councillor Lake asked the public gallery to remain silent during the matter, to allow the vote to be heard and recorded accurately.

Min.663 Motion of Dissent

The Motion of Dissent on being Put was declared LOST.

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

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Hamed, Hussein, Lake and Saha.

Debate then resumed on the Motion.

At this point of the meeting, the Mayor Councillor Lake asked the public gallery to remain silent during the matter, to allow the vote to be heard and recorded accurately.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Farooqui, Garrard, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Rahme, Saha, Sarkis and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Elmore and Lake.

Councillor Hussein left the Meeting at 6:59pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:00pm during the consideration of this item.

ADJOURNMENT

7:23pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake adjourned the meeting.

7:38pm The Mayor, Councillor Lake resumed the meeting.

Min.664

Items Resolved by Exception

Motion (Cummings/Saha)

That Council adopt items C02/24-465, C02/24-466 and C02/24-468 on the Council Agenda as per the recommendations in the reports.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

C02/24-465 Legal Report

Resolved by Exception

That the report be received.

C02/24-466 Investment Report - January 2024

Resolved by Exception

That Council receive the January 2024 Investment Report.

C02/24-468 Community Grants - Round 2 2023/2024 Funding Recommendations

Resolved by Exception

That Council:

1. Adopt the 18 applications recommended for funding in Attachment 1 and allocate the $174,318 from the 2023/2024 Community Grants Program budget.

2. Delegate to the General Manager the authority to execute the grant dispersions and any associated documents.

3. Advise all successful applications of the funding allocations from the Community Grants Program 2023/2024 and provide feedback and assistance to applicants that were unsuccessful.

4. Attach a table of the successful applicants to the Minutes.

Min.665	C02/24-467 Quarter 2 2023/24 Budget Review Statement
Note: Clr Sarkis returned to the meeting at 7.40pm after the adjournment. Motion (Saha/Colman) That Council approve the revised estimates of income and expenditure for 2023/24 contained in the Quarterly Budget Review Statement. The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED. Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Hamed, Hughes, Lake, Rahme, Saha and Zaiter. Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil. Councillor Farooqui left the Meeting at 7:41pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:46pm following the consideration of this item. Councillor Hussein left the Meeting at 7:42pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:44pm following the consideration of this item.
Min.666	C02/24-470 Cumberland Local Planning Panel - Reappointment of Chairs, Expert Members and Community Representatives
Motion (Hamed/Elmore) That Council: 1. Reappoint Mr Michael Leavey and Ms Elizabeth Kincade as Chairs of the Cumberland Local Planning Panel, as previously selected by the Minister for Planning, for a term up to 30 June 2024; 2. Reappoint the Expert Members of the Cumberland Local Planning Panel, as previously selected by Council and outlined in Attachment 3, for a term up to 30 June 2024; 3. Reappoint the Community Representatives of the Cumberland Local Planning Panel, as previously selected by Council and outlined in Attachment 3, for a term up to 30 June 2024; 4. Note that a further report will be provided to Council on the appointment of the Chair, Alternate Chairs and Expert Members for the new term commencing 1 July 2024, following the refresh of the chair and expert pools from which Councils make appointments to their Local Planning Panels; and 5. Endorse that the process to select Community Representatives on the Cumberland Local Planning Panel for the new term commencing 1 July 2024 be undertaken, and that a further report be provided to Council. The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED. Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha and Zaiter. Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Sarkis.

Min.667

C02/24-471 Notice of Motion - Granville Express Train Line

Motion (Rahme/Christou)

That Council:

1. Advocate to the State Government to reinstall the Express Train Services running from Granville Train Station.

2. Write to the State Member for Granville, Ms Julia Finn MP and Transport Minister Jo Haylen MP asking for their support and commitment in advocating for the immediate return of Express Train Services to the Granville Line.

3. Ask the State Member for Granville Ms Julia Finn MP to update Council on representations made since being elected to Government.

4. Ask for a definitive timeline from the State Member for Granville Ms Julia Finn MP and Transport Minister Jo Haylen MP on when express train services will be reinstated to Granville Station.

5. Acknowledge the frustration and inconvenience this matter has caused our residents over many years and gives a firm commitment to continue advocacy on this matter until we have a definitive outcome.

The Motion on being Put was declared CARRIED Unanimously.

Councillor(s) For the Motion: Christou, Colman, Cummings, Elmore, Farooqui, Hamed, Hughes, Hussein, Lake, Rahme, Saha and Zaiter.

Councillor(s) Against the Motion: Nil.

Councillor Colman left the Meeting at 7:49pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:52pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Hussein left the Meeting at 7:52pm and returned to the Meeting at 7:54pm during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Rahme left the Meeting at 8:01pm and returned to the Meeting at 8:02pm during the consideration of this item.

The Mayor, Councillor Lake closed the meeting at 8:05pm.

Appendix 1 – C02/24-467 Community Grants - Round 2 2023 / 2024 Funding Recommendations – Successful Applicants

Funding Stream/App No.	Organisation	Project Name	Project Description	Amount recommended	Assessment Panel Comments
Community Participation #CP0003	Turbans 4 Australia	Cumberland Community Food Relief	The "Cumberland Community Food Relief" is a pivotal initiative, extending our current food relief program from January to March. Committed to supporting over 7,200 Cumberland residents during this crucial period, the project also aims to create over 100 volunteer opportunities for residents. We will also organise a volunteer appreciation event, acknowledging the invaluable contributions of those who selflessly dedicate their time. Our project fosters community engagement and addresses the area's diverse needs. T4A is committed to ensuring that no one in our community goes without the sustenance and assistance they require and extending gratitude to our dedicated volunteers.	$15,000	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Community Participation #CP0004	Rotary Club of Granville Inc	Recognition of High Achiever Local Women	The event identifies and honours exceptional women leaders in our local community. These exceptional leaders act as role models for young women growing up in Australia. The event is important to identify future women leaders and to inspire emerging women leaders in our community. The award consists of a commendation letter and will be awarded in multiple categories. Cumberland Council being a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural LGA shows the way and encourages equal participation from women. This event recommends, supports and encourages women of all ethnicities, religions, diversity and background to recognise their achievement.	$4,630	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Community Participation #CP0005	JAFFNA Hindu Old Boys Association of Australia New South Wales Branch Inc	Thaipongal Festival 2024	Thai Pongal event is one of the main cultural events in Tamil calendar and is celebrated on the first day of Tamil calendar month “Thai” (January) of every year. Over the last 11 years, we have accessed a steady audience, representing an elite cross section of people living in and around Pendle Hill area. Members of Local Council, State and Federal Parliaments also attend the event. The event will include cultural events such as traditional music, dance, traditional games, and children’s activities. Food stalls and displays by local businesses also form part of the event.	$10,000	Recommended for partial funding to reflect the quotes provided by the applicant, otherwise all criteria and outcomes were met
Community Participation #CP0008	Stride Mental Health Limited	Head to Health Empowerment Project	In partnership with One Door Mental Health, Head to Health Empowerment project will provide free educational and wellbeing workshops to culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) women to improve mental health literacy, reduce stigma and promote help seeking and build social connection. The project will be delivered to 3 groups, in 3 different languages (Dari, Arabic and Mandarin). Each group will have 4 workshops in total. The main aim of providing the workshops in these languages, is to bridge language barriers faced by many CALD women. Furthermore, the project endeavours to promote physical activity for improved overall health and well-being	$11,710	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, had a detailed budget and demonstrated clear project aims and outcomes.
Community Participation #CP0009	Parramatta Women's Shelter Inc	Rise Above	Project Rise Above is aimed at helping children to move beyond their recent experiences, stabilise, and look forward to a brighter future. PWS provides a temporary safe haven for children before they move to longer term housing, which meets their basic physical needs. Additionally, this project will be able to support referral to counselling and therapeutic services to help children cope with the challenges they will be facing.	$7,500	Partial funding recommended as application was unclear how the activities mentioned would be funded as all funds were going to the educator, clearer in-kind budget was needed. Applicant was able to demonstrate the need for such a project
Community Participation #CP0010	Mentoring Men Ltd.	Supporting Men’s Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Cumberland Local Government Area	Our project aims to address men's mental health in the Cumberland LGA. Mentoring Men project helps adult men who are experiencing distress or a sense of helplessness by providing free one-to-one life mentoring with a trained volunteer mentor. Through non-judgmental support, our program focuses on proactive prevention by engaging with men who need help before they spiral into crisis. Our program also includes facilitated events which reduce social isolation and improve help-seeking behaviour.	$14,788	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Community Participation #CP0012	Saints Care Ltd	Love Bites Facilitator Training	This project is delivered through the Western Sydney Love Bites Committee to help fund the delivery of Love Bites facilitator training within the Cumberland LGA. The aim is to increase facilitators so that we have further capacity to deliver the Love Bites program in schools. Love Bites is a healthy relationships program that aims to decrease the risk of domestic and family violence and to increase young people knowledge of where they can access support.	$15,000	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Community Participation #CP0014	Hindu Council of Australia Ltd.	Holi - Festival of Colours	Holi - Festival of Colours is the second largest Indian Festival and marks the start of Hindu New Year. This event was initiated and coordinated by the Hindu Council of Australia and Cumberland City Council in 2018 to provide the ever-growing Hindu Community a platform to celebrate their festival away from the home country and continue its tradition in Australia. It was celebrated in other parts of Sydney for many years but in 2018 it was started in Pendle Hill and covered other areas also such as Toongabbie, Girraween, Merrylands, Wentworthville, Wentworthville South.	$15,000	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Community Participation #CP0018	Sydney Kachin Community Incorporated	Wellbeing Awareness and Cyber Safety	The project’s goal is to address the urgent need for Sydney Kachin’s Community members to obtain information and support on how to access services and resources regarding mental health issues and cybersecurity. (Minimum 2 rounds between March 2024 to November 2024).	$7,190	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes. Partial funding recommended based on unrealistic allocation of venue hire fees in the budget provided.
Community Participation #CP0023	Toongabbie Legal Centre Incorporated	Know the Laws – Keep Families Safe	To develop a proactive engagement program to bring awareness to community workers and community leaders in the Cumberland LGA and beyond, about the new domestic violence (DV) law, commencing in early 2024 regarding the consequences of offences and improving relationships. The program will be open to all community workers but specifically targeting the ethnic community leaders in Cumberland and other Local Government Areas. It is observed at Toongabbie Legal Centre that people, (including new arrivals), do not grasp the legal system regarding Domestic and Family Violence and the consequences of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders and coercive control and financial abuse.	$14,500	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes. However, panel wish to include a special recommendation into the funding agreement with the submission of a more detailed budget.
Community Participation #CP0026	The Greater Cumberland Chamber of Commerce Incorporated	Supporting Multiculturalism in Local Businesses	Our project, 'Supporting Multiculturalism in Local Businesses', encourages businesses from diverse cultures to effectively conduct business across cultures through workshops. The workshops will highlight the values of various communities and directly help create positive connections between residents of Cumberland and encourage collaboration and partnerships. The workshops will also support strategies to drive cultural diversity in the workplace and familiarise migrants and asylum seekers with Australian systems which enable them to start businesses and become self-employed.	$14,000	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes. However, panel wish to include a special recommendation into the funding agreement with the submission of a more detailed budget.
Community Participation #CP0030	Parramatta Young Christian Workers	Young Migrants Peer Mentoring Program	To recruit, train, support and match young people as volunteer peer mentors with other young people who have recently migrated to Australia (within the last 5 years) or who may be living/working/studying in Australia on a fixed-term visa. The project will recruit young adults (18-30 years old) from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, including those who have migrated and now settled in Australia, to mentor young migrants, including those in high school, university and/or in the workforce. The project will partner with TAFE to deliver the Nationally Accredited Unit - Prepare to Mentor in a Community Setting.	$3,000	Project has clear objectives and outcomes however more work is required with the budget to ensure costs are reflective of the support required. Partial funding is recommended to cover the only quote provided with this application
Community Participation #CP0033	Gallipoli Turkish Cultural Foundation Ltd	Bridging Peace: Cultivating Unity in Cumberland	"Bridging Peace: Cultivating Unity in Cumberland" is a proactive initiative aimed at engaging young Muslim men in Cumberland, particularly those impacted by global tensions. It provides a supportive space for them to connect, share experiences, and develop a sense of community. The project offers educational workshops, cultural events, and mentorship, focusing on fostering understanding, resilience, and active participation in society amidst global challenges.	$14,962	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Employment & Education Pathways #EEP0001	Granville Multicultural Community Centre Incorporated	New Laptops for better learning outcomes	New Laptops for better learning outcomes, will provide Cumberland students at-risk of dropping out of school with the tools needed to support their learning. Six new laptops will be purchased for this project. Laptops will be used in three CMCS programs – the Homework Help, School Support and Job Club programs. Laptops will be used by students with their schoolwork for research and completing assessments. Used for personal development workshops in our school Support program. As well as writing resumes and looking for employment.	$3,538	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes. Partial funding was decided due to the ambiguity surrounding "Administration" costs in the budget
Employment & Education Pathways #EEP0003	Hilltop Road School Parents & Citizens Association	The Resilience Project	A project aimed at encouraging resilience building in both students and adults in our community through a series of confidence building workshops. This will include an 8-week, 2 hour weekly program run at Hilltop Road Public School in the community room to a group of 8 students (girls and boys alternating each term) from Years 5 & 6, plus their parents or carers if and when required. Workshops will focus on deep dive conversations using videos, music, guest speakers from empowered leaders in our community as well creative outlets like podcasting.	$4,500	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes. Partial funding was recommended, catering and stationary costs were removed as panel questioned their value for money.
Employment & Education Pathways #EEP0006	Zen Tea Lounge Foundation Ltd	Design for Success Project “Empowering People with Disability Through Employable Skills Development in a Safe Space"	The "Design for Success" project in the Cumberland LGA is a community-driven initiative dedicated to empowering vulnerable young adults with special needs. Over an 8-week program, we provide vocational training and essential employment skills in a safe and inclusive environment. Our goal is to equip participants with the tools and experience they need to pursue future employment opportunities or even entrepreneurship. Beyond job skills, we focus on educating participants about safety, boundaries, sexuality, and domestic violence exit strategies. By fostering a sense of community and promoting a growth mindset, our program not only benefits participants but also raises awareness and eliminates stigmatization through interaction with the broader public.	$15,000	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Small Grants #SG0004	Jim Newell	Accessibility for golfcarts for seniors - Wombats Guildford	The wombats social golf club at Guildford to accommodate the golfing seniors with hire of golf carts for accessibility and access. Guildford Leagues Wombats Social Golf club caters for Cumberland Seniors over the age of 55 to provide a social and physical activity weekly game of golf. The project would contribute to the hire of golf carts over the year for these participants.	$2,000	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.
Small Grants #SG0005	Ann Newell	Social activities seniors at St Patricks Seniors Citizens Club	St Patricks Seniors Citizens Club provides a social and support group to assist with social inclusion in the local LGA, where we contribute to the community by volunteering and working with local causes. Then project is to provide access to a social outing and recreational activities for the group that has been unbale to be achieved due to rising costs.	$ 2,000	Applicant has met all eligibility criteria, has a detailed budget and demonstrates clear project aims and outcomes.