Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Unconfirmed Minutes of Council Ordinary Meeting

16 April 2019

Held in the Council Chambers, Administration Building

45 Roderick Street, Ipswich

The meeting commenced at 9.00 am

Pursuant to section 13 of Council’s Local Law No 2 (Council Meetings) 2013, the Interim Administrator invited the Interim Management Committee members present being Simone Webbe, Jan Taylor, Stan Gallo, Steve Greenwood and Robert Jones to address the Council on any matters before it. The Interim Administrator advised that he is bound to declare Conflict of Interests and potential Conflict of Interests and that the members of the Interim Management Committee are not legally bound, however in accordance with the Interim Management Charter they will also declare Conflict of Interests and potential Conflict of Interests.
ATTENDANCE AT COMMENCEMENT	MEMBER’S ATTENDANCE: Greg Chemello (Interim Administrator) INTERIM MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE: Simone Webbe, Jan Taylor, Stan Gallo, Steve Greenwood and Robert Jones
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY	Ipswich City Council respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners as custodians of the land upon which we meet. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging, as the keepers of the traditions, cultures and stories of a proud people.
OPENING PRAYER	Let us in silence pray or reflect upon our responsibilities to the people of Ipswich. We meet today to serve our community, to use our resources wisely and well, to represent all members of our community fairly, and to make decisions that promote the common good.
APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE	Nil

Confirmation of Minutes of Ordinary Meeting

DISCUSSION

The Interim Administrator of the Ipswich City Council resolves:

That the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 19 March 2019 be confirmed.

The Interim Administrator made comment about the discussion on Cameron Park in the previous minutes and the fact that the paper was withdrawn from Council.

The Interim Administrator advised that discussions with the club are still ongoing and that the report may or may not be presented to the next Communities Committee depending on how these discussions progress.

The Interim Administrator noted that council had previously resolved to deal with the land and stated that no action has been taken by council on the resolution. The Interim Administrator stated that the decision will be held in abeyance until the discussions have taken place. The Interim Administrator advised that a comprehensive report will be submitted to council in due course and at that time a decision will be made as to whether council should rescind or amend the previous resolution.

The motion was put and carried.

Reception and Consideration of Committee Reports

Economic Development Committee

dISCUSSION

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The Interim Administrator of the Ipswich City Council resolves:

That the Economic Development Committee Report No. 2019(04) of 9 April 2019 be received and adopted.

Item 1 – City Of Ipswich Destination Management Plan 2019-2023, the Interim Administrator noted that Ipswich City’s tourism growth had been the largest percentage growth of any South East Queensland Council in the last three years. The Interim Administrator gave credit to those involved in managing, delivering and coordinating the Plan.

Item 4 – Nerima 25^th Anniversary Invitation to City of Ipswich, the Interim Administrator commented that he didn’t feel it was his position as Interim Administrator to make any comment in relation to the appropriateness or the value of the Sister City Relationship as he thought this was a matter for councillors to review.

He also advised that it was not his position to refuse an invitation to attend the event after 25 years of Sister City Relationships and that it was very appropriate that Ipswich honours its relationship with Nerima and continues to do so.

Item 7 – Ipswich Central Program Report No. 10 to 22 March 2019, the Interim Administrator made comment that the report is available on Council’s website and encouraged residents to review the report noting that a report on this matter will be presented to council every month.

The Interim Administrator informed the meeting that he has, or could reasonably be taken to have a perceived conflict of interest in Item 7 titled Ipswich Central Program Report No. 10 to 22 March 2019.

The nature of the perceived interest is that he previously worked for Ranbury Management Group who are the project managers for the Ipswich Central Redevelopment from 2008 to 2012.

The Interim Administrator confirmed that he has no current working relationship with Ranbury Management Group and that he has absolved himself from any decision making to do with contracts and financial arrangements and that this process has been delegated to the Chief Executive Officer.

The motion was put and carried.

Growth and Infrastructure Committee

DISCUSSION

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The Interim Administrator of the Ipswich City Council resolves:

That the Growth and Infrastructure Committee Report No. 2019(04) of 9 April 2019 be received and adopted.

Item 1 - Framework for Development Applications and Related Activities – the Interim Administrator made comment that the Development Assessment Framework is a very comprehensive review of the Council’s approach to development assessment.

He advised that the delegations, policies and procedures in relation to Development Assessment have been restructured and reformed.

The Interim Administrator provided his sincere appreciation to all officers involved noting that this will put council in great stead in terms of governance of development assessment and will go a long way to restoring community trust and integrity in the council.

Item 5 - Men’s Shed proposal at the Rosewood Showgrounds and Equestrian Centre, the Interim Administrator advised that the discussion on this matter was not necessarily about the Rosewood proposal but the need for a policy framework on how council deals with these applications and proposals for buildings on council land rather than an ad-hoc response to various people. He advised that a policy framework is currently being developed by officers.

The Interim Administrator informed the meeting that he has, or could reasonably be taken to have a perceived conflict of interest in Item 14 titled Road Dedication to facilitate the construction of Binnies Road and Associated Infrastructure between Grampian Drive and Daleys Road.

The nature of the perceived interest is that he was formerly the General Manager of Economic Development Queensland, the state government agency responsible for planning the Ripley Priority Development Area.

The Interim Administrator confirmed that, as there is no personal or financial benefit to the Interim Administrator, he would participate in the meeting in relation to the matter.

The motion was put and carried.

Communities Committee

The Interim Administrator of the Ipswich City Council resolves:

That the Communities Committee Report No. 2019(04) of 9 April 2019 be received and adopted.

The motion was put and carried.

Governance Committee

DISCUSSION

The Interim Administrator of the Ipswich City Council resolves:

That the Governance Committee Report No. 2019(04) of 9 April 2019 be received and adopted.

In relation to Item 2 - Regulatory Fees and Charges 2019-2020FY, the Interim Administrator advised that in essence council has gone through its obligations under the Local Government Act for these regulatory arrangements and that council’s financial model needed to be cost recovery rather than profit based. He advised that there had been a lot of work done by officers in benchmarking the actual cost of delivering the regulatory assessment, benchmarking against other local governments and then revising council’s fees and charges accordingly.

The Interim Administrator advised that there was a great detail of work behind this program and gave his appreciation to officers for this body of work stating that it was a great move towards good governance for the city.

The motion was put and carried.

Officer’s Report

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE CHANGES DISCUSSION PROPOSED AMENDMENT	That the report concerning the organisational structure of Ipswich City Council suggesting a realignment at the executive level to be followed by a further process to adjust the structure at lower levels to more effectively deliver on the strategic plan of Council, while providing enhanced value for money for the community, be received and adopted. The Interim Administrator asked the Chief Executive Officer for an overview of the report. The Chief Executive Officer stated that he had been in the role for about 10 weeks and that the current structure is unusual as it has a large number of direct reports to the Chief Executive Officer as well as a large number of Executive Staff. He advised that he has reviewed the structure and looked at benchmarks across the state and country for what sort of structure might best fit Council going forward and has therefore proposed an adjusted structure. The Chief Executive Officer stated that the proposal replaces six executive roles with four and that the new structure comes into force when the General Managers are appointed. He stated that council will commence a closed eligibility selection process which he anticipates being finalised by the end of this month or very close to this and that the structure will then come into place at the beginning of May. The Chief Executive Officer outlined that at the same time, subject to council confirming this decision, a consultation process will be commenced with staff on changes to the structure below the General Manager level. He advised that he has meetings with the unions today and a comprehensive communication and consultation process with staff on any adjustments to ensure the organisation meets its strategic needs more effectively over the next fortnight and then will have a team in place to deploy and that this will be subject to a future report to council. The Interim Administrator made comment that the drivers for this restructure were not for cutting or increasing staff but about having a structure that best meets council’s strategic roles and responsibilities. He stated that the current structure doesn’t meet that expectation and that the revised structure more adequately reflects other local government structure but more importantly reflects other key priorities that council needs to do. He also stated that there will be some flow on impacts throughout the organisation in terms of reporting alignments and that hopefully it will free up resources to focus on important issues that aren’t being given adequate attention at this time. The Chief Executive Officer proposed a slightly different structure to the proposal outlined in Attachment 2 of the Officer’s Report. Attachment 2 outlines a dotted line from Internal Audit to the Office of the Chief Executive Officer and a hard line to the General Manager Coordination and Performance. The proposal is for this to be reversed so that it is a hard line to the Office of the Chief Executive Officer and a dotted line to the General Manager Coordination and Performance purely to stress that Internal Audit have autonomy of action and that this would then feed through to the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
	The Interim Administrator of the Ipswich City Council resolves: A. That the organisational structure proposed in Attachment 2, as amended, be adopted. B. That People and Culture Branch amend the organisational structure to reflect the changes. C. That a working group be formed to commence the consultation and review process of Stage two. The motion was put and carried.

	Attachments 1. Updated Attachment 2 to Officer's Report - Proposed Organisational Changes

MEETING CLOSED

The meeting closed at 9.12 am.

“These minutes are subject to confirmation at the next scheduled Council Ordinary Meeting”

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Economic Development Committee NO. 2019(05)

14 May 2019

Report of the Economic Development Committee

for the Council

MEMBER’S ATTENDANCE: Greg Chemello (Interim Administrator)(Chairperson)

INTERIM MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE: Jan Taylor, Simone Webbe, Robert Jones and Stan Gallo

Pursuant to section 13 of Council’s Local Law No. 2 (Council Meetings), the Interim Administrator invited the Interim Management Committee being Jan Taylor, Simone Webbe, Robert Jones and Stan Gallo to address the Economic Development Committee on any matters before it.

The Interim Administrator advised that he is bound to declare Conflict of Interests and potential Conflict of Interests and that the members of the Interim Management Committee are not legally bound, however in accordance with the Interim Management Committee Charter they will also declare Conflict of Interests and potential Conflict of Interests.

1. Statutory Expression of Interest for partners of Fire Station 101

With reference to a report concerning a proposed statutory Expressions of Interest seeking to establish partners of Fire Station 101.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve that it is satisfied that the calling of Expressions of Interest under section 228(5) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, as detailed in the report by the Project Manager (Fire Station 101) dated 1 May 2019, is in the public interest for the following reason:

It will allow Council to identify potential contractors who are serious contenders for the provision of products and services that will improve or enhance knowledge and skills to build innovation capability without putting all contenders to the expense of preparing a full tender response in the initial stages.

B. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve to invite Expressions of Interest under section 228(5) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, as detailed in the report by the Project Manager (Fire Station 101) dated 1 May 2019, for products and services that will improve or enhance knowledge and skills to build innovation capability.

2. Wind-Up of Ipswich City Properties Pty Ltd

With reference to a report concerning the progress of the winding-up of Ipswich City Properties Pty Ltd (ICP), a 100% owned entity of Ipswich City Council (Council), as per the formal plan which was tabled by the Chief Operating Officer Finance and Corporate Services at the Project Steering Committee meeting held on 8 April 2019. The wind-up plan is to have current ICP assets, licences, leases, intellectual property and operations transferred and incorporated into Council by 30 June 2019. The final deregistration process is then scheduled to occur from July to December 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

The confidential papers associated with Item 3 are confidential as they contain budget expenditure figures and contractual information.

3. Ipswich Central Program Report No. 11 to 16 April 2019

With reference to a report concerning a monthly update for the Ipswich Central Program of Works.

Recommendation

That the report on the Ipswich Central Program Report No. 11 effective to 16 April 2019 be received and the contents noted.

The confidential papers associated with Item 4 are confidential as they contain budget expenditure as well as contractural information.

4. Nicholas Street and Union Place - Landscaping and Services Completion Works - Nicholas Street - Ipswich Central

With reference to a report concerning the delivery of the remaining scope (yet to be awarded) of construction works (“Remainder Works”) within Nicholas Street and Union Place, for Nicholas St – Ipswich Central, which includes the completion of all construction works above pavement level.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve it is satisfied under section 235(a) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 (Regulation) that the exemption under s235(a) of the Regulation applies and that J. MAC Constructions Pty Ltd is the only supplier reasonably available to it to provide Landscaping and Services Completion Works for Nicholas Street and Union Place for the following reason:

Allows project delivery timeframes to be achieved, provides opportunity for savings through economies of scale with the Contractor, and mitigates interface risks both on site and with design documentation.

B. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve a variation to Contract No. 13139 with J. MAC Constructions Pty Ltd for the provision of Landscaping and Services Completion Works as set out in Attachments 1 and 2.

C. That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to administer contract variations for the Design and Construction of Ipswich City Mall Upgrade Nicholas St and Union Pl, Contract No. 13139 and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3)(c) of the Local Government Act 2009.

PROCEDURAL MOTIONS AND FORMAL MATTERS

The meeting commenced at 8.30 am.

The meeting closed at 8.40 am.

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Growth and Infrastructure Committee NO. 2019(05)

14 May 2019

Report of the Growth and Infrastructure Committee

for the Council

MEMBER’S ATTENDANCE: Greg Chemello (Interim Administrator)(Chairperson)

INTERIM MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE: Jan Taylor, Simone Webbe, Robert Jones and Stan Gallo

Pursuant to section 13 of Council’s Local Law No. 2 (Council Meetings), the Interim Administrator invited the Interim Management Committee being Jan Taylor, Simone Webbe, Robert Jones and Stan Gallo to address the Growth and Infrastructure Committee on any matters before it.

1. Infrastructure delivery progress as at 24 April 2019

With reference to a report concerning the Infrastructure Services monthly activity report for April 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

2. Cooneana Heritage Centre Heads of Agreement

With reference to a report concerning the establishment of a Heads of Agreement (HOA) between the Ipswich Historical Society (IHS) and Council, as the foundation arrangement that will identify the roles and responsibilities of the parties in the planning and development of the Cooneana Heritage Centre.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a Heads of Agreement with the Ipswich Historical Society, based on the proposed Schedule of Aims and Objectives as detailed in the Cooneana Heritage Centre Heads of Agreement.

B. That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the terms of the Heads of Agreement to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

C. That in the interim, Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) investigate whether to continue the lease agreement on a month by month basis or enter into a licence agreement and that Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the preferred option.

3. North Ipswich Reserve Stadium Design Definition Report

With reference to a report concerning the North Ipswich Reserve Stadium Feasibility and Project Definition Report.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That the North Ipswich Reserve Stadium Feasibility and Project Definition Report as detailed in Attachment 1 be endorsed.

B. That Concept Design for the North Ipswich Reserve Stadium redevelopment be developed for Council’s consideration.

C. That the Strategic Business Case for the North Ipswich Reserve Stadium project be prepared and presented for Council’s consideration.

D. That Council provide an in principle commitment of $10,000,000 to the future redevelopment of North Ipswich Reserve Stadium, with any actual expenditure by council being subject to the prior achievement of all of the following prerequisites:

· The outcomes of the Strategic Business Case and Concept Design supporting development of a stadium of this scale

· A commitment of at least equivalent funding by both the state and commonwealth governments towards the first stage of the redevelopment

· An agreement that tenure of the stadium will be transferred from council to the State, with all subsequent capital and operating costs of the stadium being met by the state

· That either sports code obtains a licence or has a commitment to obtain a licence from the relevant sports administrative body to operate an “A League” or NRL competition team or equivalent.

4. Works Parks and Recreation Quarterly Activity Report January to March 2019

With reference to a report concerning the Works Parks and Recreation quarterly activity report for January to March 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

5. Quarterly Activity Report

With reference to a report by the Executive Business Support Officer dated 7 May 2019 concerning the activities of the Planning and Development Department within the March Quarter 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

6. Heritage and Monuments Advisory Committee Meeting - 11 April 2019

With reference to a report concerning the minutes of the Heritage and Monuments Advisory Committee (meeting number 208) which was held on Thursday, 11 April 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

7. Court Action Status Report

With reference to a report by the Acting Development Planning Manager dated 2 May 2019 concerning the status of outstanding court actions.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

8. Exercise of Delegation Report

With reference to a report by the Acting Development Planning Manager dated 2 May 2019 concerning applications that have been determined by delegated authority for the period 29 March 2019 to 2 May 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

9. Procurement of consultancy services to prepare components of the new Ipswich Planning Scheme

At the meeting on 13 November 2018 the Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolved to prepare a new Ipswich Planning Scheme pursuant to section 18 of the Planning Act 2016. To support the preparation of the new Ipswich Planning Scheme it was proposed that consultant support be procured to prepare the development codes and other related operational provisions of the new Ipswich Planning Scheme to enable in-house resources to focus on the preparation of the strategic framework and the zoning and overlay provisions.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve that the resolution of the meeting on 29 January 2019 to call for Expressions of Interest under section 228(5) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, as outlined in the report by the Strategic Planning Manager dated 10 January 2019, be repealed.

B. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve that it is satisfied that the calling of an open tender in accordance with section 228(4) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 is in the public interest as it will allow Council to select a supplier(s) who have the necessary capability and capacity to deliver the services as outlined in the report by the Strategic Planning Manager dated 3 May 2019.

C. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve to invite written tenders in accordance with section 228(4) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 to allow Council to select supplier(s) who have the necessary capability and capacity to deliver the services as outlined in the report by the Strategic Planning Manager dated 3 May 2019.

10. New Ipswich Planning Scheme - Adoption of the Statement of Proposals (including draft strategic framework) for the purpose of public consultation

With reference to a report by the Strategic Planning Manager recommending the proposed adoption of the New Ipswich Planning Scheme - Statement of Proposals, including the Draft Strategic Framework, for the purposes of public consultation and early state interest identification.

The preparation of, and consultation on the Statement of Proposals including Draft Strategic Framework provides an important opportunity for early engagement by the community and other stakeholders on the strategies and approaches to managing growth and development within the Ipswich Local Government Area into the future. It also provides the process for the early identification of state interests with state agencies. The input provided will be used to guide the preparation of the new Ipswich Planning Scheme including the final strategic framework and the detailed zoning, codes and other operational components.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) adopt the draft Statement of Proposals including the Draft Strategic Framework as detailed in Attachment 2 - Statement of Proposals Document and Attachment 3 - Draft Strategic Framework Tables, Figures and Maps of the Strategic Planning Manager’s report dated 3 May 2019, for the purposes of public consultation and early state interest identification.

B. That the Strategic Planning Manager be requested to attend to all relevant matters associated with the consultation of the Statement of Proposals including the Draft Strategic Framework, including:

• giving notice;

• undertaking public consultation; and

• advising the state government for the purpose of early state interest identification.

The Interim Administrator passed on his congratulations to John Adams and the planning team for their work in preparing this document in such a short period of time.

Jan Taylor from the Interim Management Committee stated that she was impressed with the process undertaken and that the engagement undertaken will assist the community to respond with information that is relevant and useful.

Simone Webbe from the Interim Management Committee also congratulated the planning team on their work.

It was moved by the Interim Administrator that in accordance with section 275(1)(h) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, the meeting move into closed session to receive a presentation from Transport and Main Roads in relation to The Ipswich Connected Vehicle Pilot (ICVP). TMR previously advised that the information to be presented had not yet been released to the public.

The meeting moved into closed session at 9.30 am.

It was moved by the Interim Administrator that the meeting move into open session.

The meeting moved into open session at 9.45 am.

PROCEDURAL MOTIONS AND FORMAL MATTERS

The meeting commenced at 8.50 am.

The meeting closed at 9.45 am

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Communities Committee NO. 2019(05)

14 May 2019

Report of the Communities Committee

for the Council

MEMBER’S ATTENDANCE: Greg Chemello (Interim Administrator)(Chairperson)

INTERIM MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE: Jan Taylor, Simone Webbe, Robert Jones and Stan Gallo

1. Sport and Recreation Grants Round Two

With reference to a report concerning the applications for round two of the Sport and Recreation Grants.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council provide funding of $69,750 (incl GST) through the Sport and Recreation Event Grant program to the applicants outlined in the report by the Sport and Recreation Officer dated 23 April 2019.

B. That Council provide funding of $4,370 (incl GST) through the Sport and Recreation Participation Grant program to the applicants outlined in the report by the Sport and Recreation Officer dated 23 April 2019.

C. That Council provide funding of $10,000 (incl GST) through the Sport and Recreation Minor Facility Improvements Grant program to the applicants outlined in the report by the Sport and Recreation Officer dated 23 April 2019.

2. Community Donations Report

With reference to a report by the Community Grants Coordinator dated 4 April 2019 providing detail about the year to date allocation of community donations, as at 31 March 2019 (Attachment 1), and providing a summary of these community donations by recipient type (Attachment 2).

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

3. Community Donation Request Exceeding $15,000.00

With reference to a report by the Community Grants Officer dated 16 April 2019 concerning a community donation request from the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway Co-Op.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve a community donation of $21,000.00 to the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway Co-op to support the Locomotive 761 Moving Home project.

4. HSRS Monthly Activity Report - April 2019

This is a joint report by the Manager, Strategic Policy and Systems and the Principal Officer (Business Operations) dated 3 May 2019 providing details on the monthly update of the activities of the Health, Security and Regulatory Services (HSRS) Department.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

PROCEDURAL MOTIONS AND FORMAL MATTERS

The meeting commenced at 9.56 am.

The meeting closed at 9.59 am.

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Environment Committee NO. 2019(05)

14 May 2019

Report of the Environment Committee

for the Council

MEMBER’S ATTENDANCE: Greg Chemello (Interim Administrator)(Chairperson)

INTERIM MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE: Jan Taylor, Simone Webbe, Robert Jones and Stan Gallo

1. Environmental Weed Control Rebate Update

With reference to a report concerning the Environmental Weed Control Rebate (EWCR). This report is proposing that Council cease providing the EWCR.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That the Environmental Weed Control Rebate be discontinued from the 1 July 2019 and that the Nature Conservation Grants program continue to provide funding support for landholders engaged in strategic conservation management in accordance with the Ipswich Enviroplan Program and Levy Policy.

2. Nature Conservation Grants Review

With reference to a report concerning the Nature Conservation Grants Program Review. The Nature Conservation Grants (NCG) is one of the on-ground delivery mechanisms under the Nature Conservation Strategy 2015, Waterway Health Strategy 2009 and Ipswich Enviroplan Program and Levy Policy.

A review of the Nature Conservation Grants program guidelines and assessment criteria has been undertaken to provide consistency with other Council grant programs and ensure applicants have access to a transparent and streamlined grant application process.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That the review and update of the Nature Conservation Grant Guidelines and assessment criteria as outlined in the report by the Program Officer (Natural Environment) dated 1 April 2019, are to take effect from 1 July 2019.

3. Environment and Sustainability Grants Round 2 2018-2019

With reference to a report concerning applications received under the Environment and Sustainability Community Grant Program, Round 2 of 2018-2019.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) provide funding of $7,811.40 (incl GST) through the Environment and Sustainability Community Grant program to the applicants outlined in the report by the Partnerships Officer for Round 2 of the 2018-2019 program.

4. Proposed 2019 Environment and Sustainability Events

With reference to a report concerning proposed community environment and sustainability events to be held during the 2019 year. The events have been held in previous years and it is proposed to host the events again in 2019. The events include:

· EnviroForum

· Youth Sustainability Summit

· Sustainable Ipswich Week

· Ipswich Enviro Awards

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That the proposed EnviroForum, Youth Sustainability Summit, Sustainable Ipswich Week and Ipswich Enviro Awards community events outlined in the report by the Partnerships Officer dated 16 April 2019 be approved to proceed in 2019.

B. That the community environment and sustainability calendar of events for 2019 be submitted to the Environment Community Reference Group for discussion and that feedback on the 2019 events be incorporated into a suggested agenda for 2020.

5. Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 Delegation

With reference to a report concerning the delegation of Council’s powers under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (the “Act”)

Recommendation

That pursuant to section 257(1) of the Local Government Act 2009, Council delegate to the Chief Executive Officer, Council's powers in its capacity as a local government under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 and any subordinate legislation under that Act.

Conditions:

This delegation is subject to the following conditions:

Whenever this power is exercised, a record of the exercise of the power shall be made in writing at the time of exercising such power, and a copy thereof shall be kept in such format as determined from time to time by the CEO.

PROCEDURAL MOTIONS AND FORMAL MATTERS

The meeting commenced at 10.09 am.

The meeting closed at 10.17 am.

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Governance Committee NO. 2019(05)

14 May 2019

Report of the Governance Committee

for the Council

MEMBER’S ATTENDANCE: Greg Chemello (Interim Administrator)(Chairperson)

INTERIM MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE: Jan Taylor, Simone Webbe, Robert Jones and Stan Gallo

1. Policy Amendment - Public Interest Disclosure

With reference to a report concerning Council’s requirement to amend its existing Public Interest Disclosure Policy in accordance with three (3) new standards as adopted by the Queensland Ombudsman. These new standards came into effect on 1 March 2019.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That the policy titled ‘Public Interest Disclosure Policy’, be amended as detailed in Attachment 2 to the report by the Acting Business Improvement Advisor (Policy) dated 16 April 2019.

2. Review of Policies - Finance and Corporate Services Department

With reference to a report concerning the review of two (2) existing policies being the Gifts Policy and the Entertainment and Hospitality Policy. It has been identified, as part of Ipswich City Council’s Transformational Project 9 – Policies, Procedures and Local Laws, that Council has a number of policies which would more appropriately sit together in a single Policy. This review has been undertaken to ensure that Council is positioned to uphold the principles of the Local Government Act 2009 in particular transparent and effective processes and decision making in the public interest.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That the policy titled ‘Gifts Policy’, as detailed in Attachment 1 to the report by the Acting Business Improvement Advisor (Policy) dated 15 April 2019, as per Item 2 of the Policy and Administration Advisory Committee No. 2018(02) of 13 March 2018 and adopted at the Council Ordinary Meeting of 27 March 2018, be repealed.

B. That the policy titled ‘Entertainment and Hospitality Policy’, as detailed in Attachment 2 to the report by the Acting Business Improvement Advisor (Policy) dated 15 April 2019, as per Item 12, Recommendation C of the Policy and Administration Board No. 2013(14) of 19 November 2013 – City Management and Finance Committee No. 2013(12) of 26 November 2013 and adopted at the Council Ordinary Meeting of 3 December 2013, be repealed.

C. That the policy titled ‘Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality Policy’, as detailed in Attachment 3 to the report by the Acting Business Improvement Advisor (Policy) dated 15 April 2019, be adopted.

3. Assessment on Ipswich City Council's Progress Towards Implementing the Annual Operational Plan 2018-2019

With reference to a report concerning an assessment of Ipswich City Council’s third quarter progress towards implementing the 2018-2019 Operational Plan.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

The Interim Administrator requested that in future reports a table or summary on projects that are at risk be included as well as an outline of the steps being taken to rectify this risk.

4. Review of Delegation to CEO relating to Council companies

With reference to a report concerning a review and the proposed repeal of two delegations to the Chief Executive Officer and one delegation to the Mayor and Chairperson of a former standing committee.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That the delegation titled Ipswich City Enterprises Pty Ltd, as detailed in Attachment 1 to the report by the Project Officer dated 14 February 2019, be repealed.

B. That the delegation titled Ipswich Motorsport Precinct, as detailed in Attachment 2 to the report by the Project Officer dated 14 February 2019, be repealed.

C. That the delegation titled Approve the Corporate Partner for the Ipswich Art Gallery Corporate/Community Volunteering Program, as detailed in Attachment 3 to the report by the Project Officer dated 14 February 2019, be repealed.

5. New Lease from Ipswich City Council for tenure over Riverview Community Centre to Ipswich YUPI Program Inc.

With reference to a report concerning a new Lease that has been awarded to Ipswich YUPI Program Inc. by Ipswich City Council for the tenure of Riverview Community Centre located at 138 Old Ipswich Road, Riverview on Lot 3 on SP139403, after its successful application to the Riverview Community Centre Partnership Opportunity expression of interest (REOI 13257).

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve pursuant to section 236(2) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 (the Regulation) that the exceptions under sections 236(1)(b)(ii) of the Regulation apply to the disposal of the leasehold interest located at 138 Old Ipswich Road, Riverview on Lot 3 on SP139403 (“the land”), by way of a leasehold arrangement between Council and Ipswich YUPI Program Inc. for a consideration sum of $1.00 pa ex GST, if demanded.

B. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a lease with Ipswich YUPI Program Inc. (“the tenant”) for a period of three (3) years with an option period of an additional three (3) years.

C. That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the terms of the Lease to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

6. Proposed New Trustee Lease Over Reserve for Recreation Purposes Australian Crawl (Goodna) Pty Ltd 19a Toongarra Road Leichhardt

With reference to a report by the Senior Property Officer concerning the proposed Trustee Lease between Ipswich City Council as Trustee and Australian Crawl (Goodna) Pty Ltd for the whole of the land described as Lot 39 on Crown Plan 902321.

Recommendation

A. That Council terminate the Swimming Pool Maintenance Agreement with Australian Crawl (Goodna) Pty Ltd located at 19a Toongarra Road Leichhardt QLD described as Lot 39 on Crown Plan 902321.

B. That Council as Trustee of the Reserve located at 19a Toongarra Road Leichhardt QLD, enter into a Trustee Lease with Australian Crawl (Goodna) Pty Ltd (pursuant to section 236 (1)(c) (iii) and (2) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 (QLD)

C. That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the terms of the Trustee Lease to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

7. Customer Service Status Report - March 2019

With reference to a report concerning customer service related activities for the period 1 March to 31 March 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

Simone Webbe from the Interim Management Committee requested that information relating to the hang-ups or those that don’t participate in the after-call survey be included in the graph within the report. It was also requested that this data not just reflect on the percentage of respondents but the quantum of how many were surveyed.

Jan Taylor from the Interim Management Committee requested that further detail on how the qualitative data is recorded be included in the report.

8. Tender consideration plan Pathway software licensing, maintenance and support

With reference to a report concerning the Tender Consideration Plan for Pathway Software Licensing, Maintenance and Support Agreement.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve to prepare a Quote or Tender Consideration Plan for Pathway Licensing, Maintenance and Support in accordance with section 230(1)(a) of the Local Government Regulation 2012.

B. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve to adopt the Quote or Tender Consideration Plan for Pathway Licensing, Maintenance and Support as outlined in the report by the Interim Information and Communications Management and Support Manager dated 23 April 2019 in accordance with section 230(1)(b) of the Local Government Regulation 2012.

C. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve to enter into a contract with Infor Global Solutions (ANZ) Pty Ltd for Pathway Licensing, Maintenance and Support on the terms described in the report by the Interim Information and Communications Management and Support Manager dated 23 April 2019.

D. That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the terms of the contract to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

9. Proposed 2019-2020 Fees and Charges

With reference to a report concerning the annual review of Council’s fees and charges and the recommended pricing to be applied for the financial year commencing 1 July 2019.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That the proposed 2019-2020 Fees and Charges, as detailed in Attachment 1 to the report by the Treasury Accounting Manager, excluding pages 60 to 83, be adopted with an effective date of 1 July 2019.

B. That the amendments to Fees and Charges for 2019-2020, as detailed in Attachment 2 to the report by the Treasury Accounting Manager, be received and noted.

Simone Webbe from the Interim Management Committee requested that in future reports a table be included in the main report outlining the top 20 changes to fees and charges and any exceptional benchmarking comment or comparison against other areas.

10. Month End Performance March 2019

With reference to a report concerning Council performance for the period ending 31 March 2019, submitted in accordance with Section 204 of the Local Government Regulation 2012.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

The confidential papers associated with Item 11 are confidential as they include individual financial arrangements of residents and businesses.

11. overdue rates and charges january to march 2019 quarter

With reference to a report by the Recoveries Manager dated 5 April 2019 concerning rate arrears and rate collection statistics for the period January-March 2019.

Recommendation

That the report be received and the contents noted.

The confidential papers associated with Item 12 are confidential as they relate to the local government’s budget.

12. Budget Amendment - March 2019

With reference to a report by the Finance Manager dated 3 May 2019 concerning amendment of the 2018‑2019 budget, submitted in accordance with Section 170(3) of the Local Government Regulation 2012.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That the proposed amended 2018‑2019 Budget and Long Term Financial Forecast, as detailed in Attachments 1, 2 and 3 to the report by the Finance Manager dated 3 May 2019, be adopted.

The confidential papers associated with Item 13 are confidential as they contain commercial in confidence information.

13. Amendment to the Participation Agreement

With reference to a report by the Strategic Client Office Manager dated 24 April 2019 concerning the proposed amendment of the Participation Agreement between Queensland Urban Utilities and its five participating local governments.

This report also considers the proposed Board Remuneration Policy and amendments to the existing Participation Return Policy.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve the amendments to the Participation Agreement between the Central SEQ Distributor-Retailer Authority (trading as Queensland Urban Utilities) and Ipswich City Council as a Participant to the Participation Agreement.

B. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve the Board Remuneration Policy.

C. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve the amended Participation Return Policy.

D. That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to sign a Variation Agreement that formalises the approved amendments to the Participation Agreement and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

The confidential papers associated with Item 14 are confidential as they contain commerical in-confidence information.

14. Request for Rate Concession and/or Exemption for Vedanta Centre of Sydney

With reference to a report concerning, firstly, a request by Vedanta Centre of Sydney (Vedanta), the owner of Lot 706 SP 179281 in Springfield Lakes (Property), for a rate concession for the period between 23 October 2014 and 14 May 2015.

Secondly, on 14 May 2015, the Property was reconfigured into two (2) smaller lots. Vedanta has also requested that as from 14 May 2015 that:

· Council determine that both of the reconfigured lots being Lot 1 SP 275460 (Lot 1) and Lot 2 SP 275460 (Lot 2) each be decided to be exempt from rates; or

· if the request for exemption is unsuccessful, that Council then grant Vedanta a rates concession for both Lot 1 and Lot 2.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That the following recommendations 25 (A-C) made by the City Management Finance and Community Engagement Committee No. 2018 (01) on 23 January 2018 and adopted at the Council Ordinary Meeting of 30 January 2018, be repealed.

A. That the property, Lot 706 SP 179281 PAR Stapylton, be considered ineligible for both a rates exemption and a rates concession for the period 23 October 2014 to 14 May 2015 resulting in rates of $70,307.20 continuing to be due and payable.

B. That exemption of rates be applied to the property described in assessment 178541, Lot 1, from 14 May 2015 resulting in a refund of rates of $24,949.00 currently due and payable for the period from 14 May 2015 to 31 December 2017.

C. That exemption of rates not be applied to the property described in assessment 178542, Lot 2, from 14 May 2015 continuing to be due and payable.

B. That the property described in assessment 168204, Lot 706 SP 179281, not be exempt from rates, for the period 23 October 2014 to 14 May 2015.

C. That the property described in assessment 168204, Lot 706 SP 179281, not be granted a concession for rates, for the period 23 October 2014 to 14 May 2015.

D. That the property described in assessment 178541, Lot 1 SP 275460, not be exempt from rates, for the period 14 May 2015 to 5 June 2015.

E. That the property described in assessment 178541, Lot 1 SP 275460, be exempt from rates from 5 June 2019.

F. That the property described in assessment 178542, Lot 2 SP 275460, not be exempt from rates, from 14 May 2015.

G. That the property described in assessment 178542, Lot 2 SP 275460, not be granted a concession for rates, from 14 May 2015.

PROPOSED CHANGE TO REPORTING TIMEFRAMES FOR DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONAL REPORTS

The Interim Management Committee discussed the departmental monthly operational reports and the requirement for these to be reported on a monthly basis.

The Interim Administrator and the Interim Management Committee determined that these departmental operational monthly reports are to be reported to committee on a quarterly basis and that the Executive Leadership Team be tasked with reviewing these reports to ensure that any matters requiring escalation be reported to committee in the first instance.

PROCEDURAL MOTIONS AND FORMAL MATTERS

The meeting commenced at 10.27 am.

The meeting closed at 11.03 am.

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Doc ID No: A5519653

ITEM: L.1

SUBJECT: Provision of Insurance Brokerage Services (inclusive of policy placement)

AUTHOR: Procurement Manager

DATE: 15 May 2019

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the appointment of a provider for Council’s Insurance Brokerage Services inclusive of insurance policy placements with the exemption of workers compensation insurance. Council is seeking approval from Council to appoint the recommended supplier, effective for one (1) year from 1 June 2019, with an option to extend for a further twelve (12) months.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That Tender No. 13074 for the Provision of Insurance Brokerage Services (inclusive of policy placement) be awarded to the recommended tenderer as detailed in the Evaluation Report.

B. That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a contract with the recommended tenderer as detailed in the Evaluation Report for the Provision of Insurance Brokerage Services (inclusive of policy placement) for an initial period of twelve (12) months and an option to extend for an additional period of twelve (12) months.

C. That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the terms of the contract to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

RELATED PARTIES

As listed in the Evaluation Report.

Advance Ipswich Theme Linkage

Listening, leading and financial management

Purpose of Report/Background

Council tendered for the services of “Insurance Brokerage Services (inclusive of policy placement). One proposal was received and an evaluation process was undertaken in accordance with the approval Evaluation Criteria and Methodology Plan. Further details of the tendering and evaluation process can be found in the Evaluation Report (Attachment 1).

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

There is no additional resourcing or budget implications outside of the Corporate Services budget allocation for Insurance Brokerage Services including insurance policy placements.

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

A number of risks and concerns have been highlighted throughout the evaluation process and discussed with the evaluation report. Should Council no approve the recommendation and appointment of the recommended supplier, Council will be left with no insurance coverage.

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

Local Government Regulation 2012

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

The contents of this report did not require any community consultation.

Conclusion

Council has undertaken the tendering and evaluation process to appoint a provider for Insurance Brokerage Services (inclusive of policy placement) for one (1) year from 1 June 2019, with the option to extend for one (1) year.

Attachments and Confidential Background Papers

	CONFIDENTIAL
1.	Procurement Plan
2.	Evaluation Criteria and Methodology Plan Approved.
3.	Evaluation Committee Consolidated Score Sheet.
4.	Departures and Letter of Engagement.
5.	Recommendation email.
6.	Evaluation Report.

Barbara Clarke

Procurement Manager

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Jeffrey Keech

Finance Manager

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Andrew Knight

General Manager - Corporate Services

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Doc ID No: A5522007

ITEM: L.2

SUBJECT: Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy

AUTHOR: Chief Executive Officer

DATE: 16 May 2019

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the adoption of a new Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy and the associated implications. The new policy has been prepared within the framework of council’s goals for transparency, good governance and the appropriate use of ratepayers’ funds whilst ensuring that Council’s elected representatives receive the proper level of support to perform their roles.

Recommendation/s

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A. That the existing Ipswich City Council Expenses Reimbursement Policy detailed in Attachment A, be repealed.

B. That the new Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy detailed in Attachment B, be adopted.

C. That the ten (10) existing electorate offices be closed permanently, prior to the end of the 2018/2019 financial year.

D. That the net operational savings from the closure of the existing electorate offices and revised councillor support, be redirected into strategic community initiatives, with the advice and views of the recently established community reference groups. Recommendations on how the funds will be used and allocated will be outlined in a report to be presented at a future meeting for consideration.

E. That an integrated customer service centre be added to the Springfield Central Library and the new ‘to be constructed’ Rosewood Library.

F. That prior to the opening of the ‘to be constructed’ Rosewood Library, the former office facility located in John Street, Rosewood be reconfigured as an interim library hub and customer service centre.

G. That property services branch undertake negotiations to terminate the leases on the nine (9) remaining offices.

RELATED PARTIES

There are no related parties associated with this report.

Advance Ipswich Theme Linkage

Listening, leading and financial management

Purpose of Report/Background

Councillors are elected representatives of the community who are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the city. It is council’s responsibility to ensure that councillors are not financially disadvantaged while carrying out the requirements of their role and are fairly and reasonably compensated for any council business costs incurred. Council is also required to provide an appropriate level of administrative support to ensure that they can fulfil their professional role within the community.

When preparing the new Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy, consideration was given to ensuring that the policy meets the standards required for the provision of effective governance, the delivery of a strong economy and the management of community expectations concerning their accessibility to the elected representatives.

The current electorate office model was developed at the beginning of the new millennium. At the time, the priority for residents was to be able to interact directly with a Councillor, in their local community, without the need to visit the main administration centre. It also provided the opportunity to seek assistance with general operational matters within the community.

Since that time there have been enormous technological advances and changes in the way that residents choose to interact with Council. In a fast paced society, Council needs to adapt to these changes to ensure that it continues to provide the highest level of service to the community. A growing number of residents are now using website self-service sites, email and mobile devices to interact with Council.

This has driven a continuing decline in the number of residents connecting with Council through the external electorate offices to a point where the level of contact across all ten offices makes up only approximately 1.2% of all interactions with Council.

With the effectiveness of existing electorate offices continuing to wane, coupled with soaring costs to staff and maintain these facilities, being $2,126,814 this financial year, it was decided that it was time to investigate a new model to allow Council to continue to provide a high level of service to the community that was relevant to its current and future needs.

Residents are now regularly seeking opportunities to interact with Council holistically i.e. one-stop service centres where they can visit a library and while there access any services currently provided by Council’s customer service centre such as paying rates and dog registration and purchasing tickets for an event at the Civic Centre.

It is considered that redeploying existing staff from the external offices into other areas of Council and using the cost savings associated with the closure of the offices to structure a model that is more reflective of the community’s needs would be a more appropriate use of public money.

To achieve this objective Council will provide:

· Integrated customer service centres based within libraries with a public meeting space available for pre-arranged appointments with councillors, including the main administration building.

· Providing councillors with the appropriate resources to be truly flexible in their engagement with the community rather than being tied to a physical location.

Residents who prefer to engage with a councillor within their own community will still be able to do so with all Councillors being provided with either a fully serviced, council supplied vehicle (including fuel) or an appropriate vehicle allowance in accordance with Australian Tax Office Standards.

This will ensure that residents have the opportunity to arrange a home visit which can be co-ordinated directly with the Councillor via their Council provided mobile phone, other electronic devices or via the administrative support arrangements.

With the return to elected representation following the 2020 local government elections, all Councillors will receive training to ensure that they have the necessary skills to engage directly with the community through the electronic platforms and other equipment provided by Council for that purpose.

Councillors will be supported by an appropriately trained administrative support team which will be located within the main council administration building adjacent to councillor specific work areas and additional meeting rooms.

The dismissal of all councillors in August 2018 provided many lessons to Council, primary of which was that Ipswich City councillors had lost sight of the true role of a councillor as a representative, elected by the people, to set the strategic direction of their city. It became normal practice for councillors to exert or attempt to exert influence (often in a non-transparent manner) into the operational arm of council which falls under the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), not elected representatives.

Prior to the 2020 elections, council will undertake a community awareness program which will educate the community regarding the role of a councillor and how that role legally fits into the structure of local government.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

The current annual cost to Council to provide external offices and administrative support to ten (10) Councillors plus an internal mayoral secretariat is:

External electorate offices x 10 $2,126,814

Mayor’s secretariat $ 652,063

$2,778,877

With the adoption of a new Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy which provides for centralised administrative support services and external Integrated Customer Service Centres within the community, there will be cost savings to the Council. It is anticipated that the new structure as proposed in the policy will have a cost impact on Council of $830,246 per annum.

As noted, the surplus funds, estimated as $1,948,631 per annum on full implementation, are anticipated to be redirected towards strategic community initiatives. Assistance will be sought from the recently established community reference groups to determine the best application of these funds moving forward for the community.

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

The existing Ipswich City Council Expenses Reimbursement Policy was adopted by former councillors in 2013 with amendments being made in December 2016 following discussion at the Policy and Administration Board in the previous month.

As the reports and discussions held between councillors at these meetings were withheld from public scrutiny under the guise of a “board meeting” rather than a formalised committee process, there was no accountability to the community and the policies became less robust than expected or desirable.

The final document was then able to be “ticked and flicked” through the committee process by the Councillors without the public having any real understanding of the increasing pressure to the public purse with each amendment to the policy.

The proposed policy has been drafted in line with local government principles of good governance, transparency and economy to create a set of clear and concise guidelines regarding council’s commitment to providing reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred during the performance of a Councillor’s duties and the level of service that Council will provide for administrative support.

In line with the Queensland Government’s mandate to the Interim Administrator to re-establish the principles of good and transparent governance to the Ipswich City Council, all board meetings were disbanded. To meet public accountability standards, all reports which require a resolution of council are made publicly available through council’s committee process with the Interim Administrator providing clear discussion points as part of the final committee report and approval process.

The change to the provision of a centrally located administrative support team and integrated customer service centres will not only have a positive impact on council’s operating budget but will also remove potential areas of poor business practices that occurred within some of the external offices with staff members being directed to undertake activities or follow direction that was not best practice.

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

Research into existing policies currently utilised by similar sized Council’s within Queensland was conducted with a number of examples of good, transparent governance policies in use. The proposed Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy was formulated following a review of these policies and a thorough cross-checking of council’s obligations under the Local Government Act 2009.

Recent community consultation opportunities, including a public information session at the North Ipswich Reserve Corporate Centre and the ensuing public consultation phase of the council’s divisional boundary review provided residents with an opportunity to engage with council and provide feedback on the level of service that they wish to see from Ipswich City Council and their representatives.

Conclusion

While the initial external electorate office model may have been appropriate to meet the community’s expectations regarding accessibility at that point in time, with major advancements in technology and increased expectations of a more holistic approach to customer service, this model no longer meets the needs of the community.

Ipswich is currently out of step with similar sized and larger local governments in operating an electorate office model. Those councils that do have electorate offices currently are Brisbane City Council and Gold Coast City Council. Both of these Councils are significantly larger than Ipswich with far high annual budgets to service external offices. It is important to note that these Councils also use Integrated Customer Service Centres to meet community expectations.

The ability for residents to access all council services, such as the paying of bills (e.g. rates, dog registrations etc.), at convenient locations across the city as well as meet with Councillors for pre-arranged meetings at the same service centres ensures that Council is meeting its obligations of accessibility within a more financially viable model.

Council has recognised that a small number of community organisations still utilise the community meeting spaces in some of the external offices for regular meetings and Council is prepared to work with these groups to ensure that they access to similar facilities in existing Council facilities.

The move away from electorate office staff operating in remote locations, without hands on support from a supervisor or from other departmental representatives into a centralised administrative support pool will remove any opportunity for future elected representatives to exert undue influence on these officers to carry out duties that are in contravention to their roles, as stated in Local Government Act 2009 or under Australian Law.

There will be no forced redundancies for the staff who currently work in the external Electorate Offices. Council values their experience and will redeploy these staff to positions within Council.

The proposed Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy sets out clear and concise guidelines which will allow Councillors to be truly mobile within the city without being tied to a physical location; will ensure that Councillors are not financially disadvantaged when carrying out the duties of their roles and most importantly will remove any ambiguity regarding the provision of support and the payment of reimbursements.

Better business practices, aligned to the legislated role of a Councillor will ensure that Ipswich City Council returns to open and transparent governance in line with the community’s expectations and the requirements of the Local Government Act 2009.

Attachments and Confidential Background Papers

1.	Ipswich City Council Expenses Reimbursement Policy Current ⇩
2.	Councillor Expenses Reimbursement and Administrative Support Policy ⇩

David Farmer

Chief Executive Officer

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Greg Chemello

Interim Administrator

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”

Council

Meeting Agenda

21 May

2019

Doc ID No: A5519472

ITEM: L.3

SUBJECT: Cameron Park - Future Use of Parkland and Facilities - Repeal

AUTHOR: Senior Property Officer

DATE: 15 May 2019

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the previous resolution of the Cameron Park - Future Use of Parkland and Facilities Committee report submitted to the Ipswich City Council (Council) Ordinary Meeting on 29 January 2019. The previous resolution declared part of 95A Brisbane Road, Booval or described as part of Lot 169 on RP24111 as being surplus to Council requirements and to dispose of the proposed lot to the current tenant, Swifts Leagues Club Ltd (Swifts). This report will repeal the previous resolutions with further research and consultation to be undertaken on the future use of the property and Cameron Park.

RECOMMENDATION

That the previous decision of Council, as per the Officer’s Report; Cameron Park - Future Use of Parkland and Facilities, adopted at the Council Ordinary Meeting of 29 January 2019, be repealed.

RELATED PARTIES

Swifts Leagues Club Ltd (Swifts) will be funded by a third party to purchase the land from Ipswich City Council (Council) and the President of the club has advised that they are in discussions with three potential suitors to fund the purchase. One of the potential third party funders is Easts Leagues Club Brisbane and the other potential funders have not been disclosed to Council.

Advance Ipswich Theme Linkage

Caring for the community

Purpose of Report/Background

Cameron Park is Council freehold land located at 95A Brisbane Road, Booval and described as Lot 169 on RP24111 (5.729 ha). Swifts have a twenty (20) year lease with two (2) x ten (10) year options for Lease A in Lot 169 on RP24111 (1.119ha), which commenced on 6 September 2001 for the occupation of the land and facility as a sports and recreation club.

Following some tenure issues with Swifts in 2017-2018, Property Services provided a briefing note (see Confidential Attachment 2) to the Acting Chief Operating Officer of Works, Parks and Recreation department on 10 October 2018. The report highlighted a number of issues with the lessee and provided potential options to resolve the issues and the future use of the property. The Works, Parks and Recreation Department provided a briefing note (see Confidential Attachment 3) to the CEO with a recommendation to dispose of the proposed land to Swifts. This was approved and negotiations for the disposal of part of Lot 169 on RP24111 began between Council and Swifts.

The Cameron Park - Future Use of Parkland and Facilities Committee Report (see Attachment 1) was submitted to the Council Ordinary Meeting on 29 January 2019. The report discussed in depth at the Council meeting the disposal of the land while preserving the community and recreation use of the property into the future. As a result it was recommended that a caveat be placed on the title and that Council obtain a second valuation from a registered valuer outside of Council’s panel of providers to confirm the current market value of the disposal land.

Following the Council meeting, Property Services reviewed the resolution and advised that a caveat was not the correct legal instrument and that a covenant is the appropriate form of constraint to register on the title in this instance. This advice was provided as an agenda item at Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 28 February 2019, and further discussion occurred about the impacts that the covenant would have on the valuation. It was requested at the Council meeting that comment be requested from both valuers about the impact that the covenant will have on the valuation.

Property Services prepared another report for Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 19 March 2019, however the report was not considered and referred to a future meeting to allow further consideration and analysis to be undertaken on the matter. In summary, the report concluded that both the valuers have advised that the implications of registering the covenant on the title would adversely impact on the marketability of the property and would therefore have a negative effect on the property value (see Confidential Attachment 4 & 5). No further reports have been submitted to Council and internal consultation on the matter has continued to date.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

expenses have formed part of the project budget.

If Council adopts the recommendation in this report, there will be no immediate expenses incurred as a result.

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

There are a number of unresolved issues regarding the future use of the property and greater Cameron Park. Council needs to ensure that actions and decision making of this matter provide results that are consistent with the local government principles of the Local Government Act 2009. Therefore it is recommended that further research and consultation be undertaken to remove all risk of Council not conforming to the local government principles.

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Land Act 1994

Planning Act 2016

Local Government Act 2009

Local Government Regulation 2012

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

There has not been any community consultation undertaken regarding the disposal of the proposed land to Swifts. The Cameron Park - Future Use of Parkland and Facilities Committee report supported the land to be disposed of to Swifts under an exemption of the Local Government Regulation 2012 (Qld). Under section 236 of the Regulation, Council has the ability to dispose of a valuable non-current asset without going through the tender and auction requirements of section 227, if the disposal is to a community organisation.

We note that Council has recently received two enquiries from the local community regarding the sale of the proposed lot to Swifts. In summary, the two enquiries reflected concerns about the sale of the land to Swifts and the future development of Cameron Park.

It is recommended that Council undertake consultation with the community about any future decisions on Cameron Park.

Conclusion

There is additional research and consultation to be undertaken regarding the future use of the property and greater Cameron Park and it is recommended that the resolution to dispose of Council land to Swifts as outlined in the Cameron Park - Future Use of Parkland and Facilities Committee report, be repealed.

Attachments and Confidential Background Papers

1.	Cameron Park - Future Use of Parkland and Facilities - Superseded ⇩

	CONFIDENTIAL
2.	Swifts - 4.4.19 Briefing Note to CEO on Background 7.8.18 to Current Situation
3.	18.09.17 - CEO Briefing Note Swifts Sports Club (A5082044)
4.	Advice on Covenant Impact on Valuation
5.	Secondary Valuation

Brett McGrath

Senior Property Officer

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Andrew Knight

General Manager - Corporate Services

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”