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00:00:00 Mayor Wellington: Okay, thank you folks. We'll call the meeting to order. The special meeting today is to deal with two matters. We begin with attendance. We don't have any apologies, although Councillor Stockwell is yet to appear. Here he is. Here you go. In the nick of time. So, however, Councillor Jurisevic is attending by conference call, so we need a motion. There's a suggested one on screen. Move Councillor Jackson. Seconded Councillor Pardon. The motion is that we provide approval for Councillor Jurisevic to attend the council special meeting by teleconference. Anyone wish to discuss that? I'll put the motion. All those in favour? Thank you. That's carried. Thank you. Unanimously. Welcome, Jarrod. Hi. I mean, a few words, sometimes. So, we head to this first item, which is the development application to reconfigure a lot, one lot into 24 lots at 28 Enie Creek Road, Noosaville.
00:01:00 I'm going to declare what I believe to be a perceived conflict of interest in the matter before us. Before being elected to the Sunshine Coast Council, I was a co-respondent with the council. I'm going to declare what I believe to be a perceived conflict of interest in the matter before us. Before being elected to the Sunshine Coast Council, in an appeal against a refusal to expand the Noosaville Civic Shopping Centre, and that, as you know, resides as part of the Shire Business Centre site. The applicant appealing the decision was then the property owner, WA Stockwell Pty Ltd. The appeal began in 2009. That appeal was for a very different development application than that which we're being asked to consider today, so I make this declaration in the interest of transparency. And I now relinquish the chair while it matters to Durban. Speaker 4: So, councillors, the process that Councillor Williams has declared a conflict of interest, if that requires someone else to assume the chair for that consideration,
00:02:00 do I call for nominations for anyone? Yeah, I'll move. Councillor Pardon: Councillor Wilkie chairs the meeting on the absence. I'll second. Speaker 4: Moved by Councillor Pardon, seconded by Councillor Glasgow that Councillor Wilkie chairs the meeting for the purpose of consideration of conflict of interest. All those in favour? Yes. Again, aye. I carry unanimously that I hand over the chairperson to Councillor Wilkie. Councillor Wilkie: Okay, councillors, so we need to determine whether Councillor Wellington has a real or perceived conflict of interest and whether he may remain in the room for the debate. I, for the purpose of moving this along, I'll move. Speaker 4: Can I suggest you also check whether there's any other conflict of interest? It's probably a good thing to do as well. Certainly. Councillor Jackson: Well, Councillor Wellington reminded me that I too would have a perceived conflict of interest because in 2015 I was secretary of the Noosa Parks Association
00:03:00 and as a secretary I sent in a submission about the then version of Noosa Civic, which was always... We're still talking about retail. So, I would similarly have a perceived conflict of interest. I believe I can stay in the room to make that decision in an objective manner. Councillor Wilkie: Okay. Thank you. Councillor Jackson. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Councillor Stockwell. Sir Tom Lucky. For the same application that Councillor Jackson just mentioned, I was then the President of the Noosa Residents and Ratepayers. I believe I was the signatory on a submission and also made public media comments in regard to that development, which was... I believe by the QIC and a similar to the one that Councillor Wellington mentioned is I've asked a different development proposal. I believe I can stay in the room and treat the matter impartially and in the public interest and seek councillors.
00:04:00 Councillor Wilkie: I have a question for the CEO. Do we have enough councillors left in the room to vote on these matters? Speaker 4: You do. In a quorum for a council is four for the council. So you have Councillor Pardon, Councillor Wilkie, Councillor Glasgow and Councillor Jurisevic who can make a determination in relation to those matters. Just to be clear that none of the councillors who have declared a conflict of interest can make a determination or participate in a vote on any of the other councillors who have declared a conflict of interest. So Councillor Wellington, Councillor Jackson and Councillor Stockwell, difficult as they may be, would have to remain mute for the consideration of this matter unless anyone has a question in relation to it. Thank you. Speaker 3: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Mr Chairman. Yes, Councillor Jurisevic. Could you stand please? Speaker 3: I stand. I may too also declare a perceived conflict of interest on my past position as Treasurer of the Noosa Residence and Rate Pays Association. I'm not 100 per cent certain of the timing but certainly I was a Treasurer for a number of years while Councillor Stockwell was the President.
00:05:00 Now I'm not 100 per cent certain of the timing but certainly I was a Treasurer for a number of years while Councillor Stockwell was the President. Speaker 4: That application I think that was being talked about from QIC was while you were a councillor. Speaker 3: I wasn't sure about the pre-dating that when the remainder of the or the earlier appellate which is one I thought Councillor Wellington was alluding to when he was a councillor. I wasn't the treasurer of the residents of Raythorne Association and I think we had an objection to it at the time as well. Mayor Wellington: Just to clarify, my perceived conflict doesn't relate to the application by QIC but rather to an earlier application by Stockwell Pty Ltd. I don't believe anyone else has mentioned a similar perceived conflict in relation to that appeal.
00:06:00 The case that councillors were talking about was the one that was being talked about by Councillor Jackson and Stockwell and yourself Councillor Jurisevic are referring to as a later appeal which was an appeal under the QIC ownership and development application. Speaker 4: My recollection is that Councillor Jurisevic was a councillor at the time that the council considered the QIC application. Speaker 3: It's not the QIC application I'm considering it's the earlier application that Councillor Wellington was on at the time and Councillor I would have been the treasurer of the residents of Raythorne. Councillor Jackson, Councillor Stockwell and maybe after helping you, whether or not the residents of both parties of the Zones of Gaping had objection to that application at that time. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And I'll have to be honest and say, I know the matter was considered. I know Councillor Wellington from the Sunshine Coast Council approached us and talked to us about it. Mayor Wellington: No, hang on, we're talking about the earlier one. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, the earlier one. Mayor Wellington: So I wasn't on the Sunshine Coast Council at the time. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh no. Well, the one that I can think of that the ratepayers dealt with while Councillor Jurisevic was a treasurer was the Masters. No, it's a different side.
00:07:00 Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you for clarifying that. It was on the side, but yes, it was the Masters application. I do stand corrected. Thank you. Speaker 4: So, as I understand it, Councillor Jurisevic is not declaring a fatigued conflict of interest. Speaker 3: My understanding is that as a result of the information, as well, that yes, I would not have a perceived conflict of interest due to a timing matter as to which application was brought down at the time. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Jurisevic. I'd like to move in relation to the Councillor Wellington's perceived conflict of interest, that it represents a perceived conflict of interest, and that Councillor Wellington may remain in the room to participate in the debate and vote on this matter. May I have a seconder, please?
00:08:00 Yeah, I'll second that, Mr Chair. The reasons for my moving this, Councillors, is that, as stated, the application was, it was a totally different application. We have a separate application before us. On this occasion, and I don't believe the two have any bearing on each other. And I believe that Councillor Wellington, it is a perceived conflict of interest because of the separation of the years and the nature of the application, and that he's able to assess this application on its merits. Any other Councillors wish to speak to this motion? Put the motion. Those in favour? Speaker 3: Aye. Councillor Wilkie: Note that Councillor Jurisevic, Glasgow, Wilkie and Pardon in favour, those against? There are none against, so that motion is carried.
00:09:00 Mr. CEO, does that allow Mr. Councillor Wellington to take the chair? Speaker 4: No, absolutely, you can't deal with, even as OP's have been dealt with, you can't deal with any of the others that are there, you can only deal with... Councillor Jackson: Is that because of the similar? Speaker 4: Correct. Councillor Wilkie: Okay. All right. Councillors, we now move on to Councillor Stockwell's declared... Speaker 4: Councillor Jackson will be next. Councillor Wilkie: Oh, sorry, Councillor Jackson's declared conflict of interest. I'd also like to move that Councillor Jackson has a perceived conflict of interest in this matter, and that she may remain in the room to debate this matter, and I believe that she could handle this matter impartially. Do we have a seconder, please? I'll second that. Yes, Councillors. Thank you. For the same reasons as articulated for Councillor Wellington, I believe the same situation applies to Councillor Jackson, and I ask that you support this motion, that Councillor Jackson remain in the room and take part in discussions on this matter, please. Any other Councillors wish to speak on this matter? I'll put the motion, those in favour?
00:10:00 Councillor Pardon? Aye. Wilkie, Glasgow and Jurisevic? There are no against? There are no against, so that's carried. We now move on to Councillor Stockwell's declared conflict of interest, and again, I'd like to move the motion that this be considered a perceived conflict of interest, and that Councillor Stockwell may remain in the meeting room to participate in the debate and vote on this matter for the same reasons as articulated previously for the last two Councillors. May I have a seconder, please? I'll second, Mr Chair. Seconded. Councillor Pardon? All those in favour? Councillor Pardon? Wilkie, Glasgow and Jurisevic? Aye. No against? So the motion is carried. We now need a motion that... No, that the motion was that you would tune the Chair for consideration of that conflict Speaker 4: of interest, now that that's been run, the Chair will automatically revert back to the
00:11:00 Mayor Wellington: meeting room. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Mr CEO. Mayor Wellington: Okay. We go back to consideration of item one, of course, and this is a somewhat convoluted situation we're in, so I'm going to begin by asking Kim Rawlings to explain why it is we got to this position to hold a special meeting rather than dealing with this matter in the course of an ordinary round of meetings. And secondly, could you please outline what has transpired in the last 24 hours? Speaker 1: Yes, sure, through the Chair. Councillors, today you have in front of you a report on a reconfiguration of a lot application for what we locally know as the Shire Business Centre at 28 Eany Creek Road, Noosaville. The proposal is to essentially subdivide the one lot into 24 lots. The officers have been working with the applicant for a number of months. The application was made late last year, and we've been working with the applicant to try and resolve a whole range of matters around this application and proposal.
00:12:00 The applicant has extended the decision-making period previously to allow council officers to work with them to try and resolve the matters. We've had a series of meetings over the last couple of months, six or seven meetings at least. However, in the last couple of weeks, the applicant has advised that they are no longer willing to extend the decision-making period, which is due on the 31st of October. Now, given that this application is code assessable, councillors will know that decisions need to be made before the decision-making period. Otherwise, the application goes to what's known as deemed approval. Hence, we've set up a special meeting to get council to make that decision prior to the decision-making period, finishing on the 31st of October.
00:13:00 Around a week ago, I spoke to the applicant before we got to this point and set up a special meeting. I offered them an opportunity to continue to work with council to resolve a number of matters. At that point, they advised no. They weren't willing to extend the decision-making period any further. So, a special meeting was set up and we are here now. At that point, we also advised the applicant that officers' recommendation would be a refutal because of the nature and quantum of issues that were unresolved at that point. Since the agenda coming out and the report last week, the applicant has now written to council advising that they are agreeable to a number of the outstanding matters. And just last night and in this morning, formal confirmation that the applicant is now willing and has formally requested to extend the decision period until the 22nd of November.
00:14:00 Mayor Wellington: Just a question on that. If the decision period is extended to the 22nd of November, that brings us into the next round of meetings to make a determination without a deemed approval at the next ordinary meeting? Yes, that's correct. Any other questions, folks? I understand that staff prepared a possible deferral motion. Is that considered on the screen? There it is. I'll read that out. That council note the report by the coordinator of planning for the special meeting, blah, blah, blah. And at the request of the applicant, defer consideration of the application to the November round of council. Council meetings to allow Council staff on to take further discussions with the applicant. Speaker 4: I move, Mr Chair. Just before you get to that, can I suggest that we defer consideration of the application to 22 November?
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00:15:00 Is that correct? You need to have the dates. Yeah. Councillor Jackson: So may I just ask about that date? Because we've all received information that the applicant would like that to be the extension date. But you've just mentioned that it is not in line with the round of Council meetings. No, it is. Speaker 4: The Council meeting, the official ordinary meeting is on the 23rd of November. The date before the 22nd. Councillor Jackson: So it could potentially be already there if the negotiations were completed by then. Mayor Wellington: I heard you move that. Is that correct, Councillor Jurisevic? Yes, please. I'll second that. Seconded, Councillor Glasgow. Do you wish to speak to it, Councillor Jurisevic? Speaker 3: Only in the lane that... I believe that staff and the applicant have been negotiating quite clearly towards a final resolution of this. Both are, I believe in my mind, fairly close to coming to terms.
00:16:00 A little bit more time is what's required to potentially alleviate the challenges that are being met. And I'm quite happy with the applicant's request to extend that time period to allow that to happen. Mayor Wellington: Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak? Councillor Jackson: Yeah, I would like to speak. And first of all, I'd like to say that I'm very grateful to the applicant for their flexibility and the letter that we've all now received showing their responsiveness to what staff wrote in the staff report about the issues. There's quite a significant number of requests to meet the staff about these things. And I think because, of course, these things are complex. It's a good idea. I think it's important to work that through. And now we have an opportunity to do that over the next month. Also, I'd like to say, and I think it's important, given all those conflicts of interest we talked about, that are perceived, is that previously there had been a move to have a retail centre, bigger shopping centre.
00:17:00 And then staff, I mean, council actually won an appeal against that. And in fact, this current application is totally in line with what council desires to see in this area around Noosa Civic, which is an activated multi-use centre, which is a much more useful and diverse opportunity for economic development for council. And so, you know, I'm really very excited about this opportunity. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And we'll be going to the next question. It'll be to our director. In terms of when I read the letters we received last night from the applicant and our own report, there appears to be one substantive area where there still may be a difference of opinion about the appropriate legal interpretation around the Koala, the impact of the old infrastructure agreement with the current requirements around Koala conservation.
00:18:00 So, is there a need to get... In this motion, or to foreshadow any further legal advice, or is there a mechanism that we can find, you know, I asked yesterday about the new planning scheme has this concept of a net gain, which we didn't go to offsets, we said where adverse impacts have been minimised, any residual impacts on ecological values are compensated for through suitable habitat replacement and replanting on site, which it might be in this case, in the first instance, or in a way that results in a net gain and enhancement of the overall habitat values of Noosa Shire. Is there something we need to look into there in terms to resolve that, or is it just, I suppose it's just foreshadowing the need to think a little bit more? I'm sure to answer yourself, there are a range of issues I think need to be addressed as we go through that, but that'll be one of them. If we need to get advice, we can. I actually have a question related to Councillor Stockwell's question. The Noosa plan intends this area around Noosa
00:19:00 Councillor Jackson: Civic to be the Noosa Business Centre, and so does the draft new Noosa plan, the Shire Business Centre, the Noosa Business Centre. And as I understand it, the SEQ, the South East Queensland Regional Plan also names this as a major centre. Could it be that any applicant for developing this intended site would encounter the same, similar issues around the koala habitat matters relating to the state planning policies and other state matters, and perhaps the overlay about, which has implications for koala habitat?
00:20:00 Speaker 1: Yes, those provisions apply to the land. So yes, the current owner applicant and future applicant the issue would remain. The infrastructure agreement developed in 2003 does clearly state that future offsets and land cannot be required for environmental purposes. So there is no ability for Council to condition or require that. It doesn't state that future development that environmental matters would not be considered as part of future development. And there, as the report outlines the, since 2003, there's been changes in the state regulations, specifically around koala. And so the state policy requires an assessment against the state planning policy
00:21:00 and the relevant benchmarks, which is what the report does to advise Council on what that is an issue. And ultimately, the discretion about how Council assesses any application against those benchmarks is Council's discretion. Mayor Wellington: What you're suggesting is there will be a case-by-case basis once the lots are divested from the current owner and we get a new application? Speaker 1: The infrastructure agreement actually runs with the land. So future landowners will also have the benefit of the infrastructure agreement. So again, it depends on the state. It depends Mayor Wellington: You've got what you needed out of that, Councillor Jackson. Councillor Jackson: Yes, I think so. So just to clarify, perhaps, there are some areas of land in Noosa which
00:22:00 are National Park or where we've, as a council, just purchased Ringtail Ural for specifically to manage habitat for koalas. This one is set aside especially for a major centre, and we are, as a council, have been supporting that through the Noosa planning plan. So would that not make, it couldn't be that this would therefore be always refused, could it? Councillor Pardon: It could be. Speaker 1: It's the short answer, and not to pre-empt any future councillor decisions. No, that's right. The strategic intent for this site is Shire Business. The strategic intent for this site is not National Park or Environmental Park. It's Shire Business Centre. But within the Shire Business Centre is a range of uses in a landscape
00:23:00 park setting, and that environmental and vegetation considerations are still important as they Mayor Wellington: are across the whole of the Shire. Okay. Councillors Jurisevic and Jackson have spoken. Anyone else wish to speak? Yes. I will, Mr Chair. Yes, Councillor Pardon. Councillor Pardon: Yes, I will, Mr Chair. And having not declared any conflict of interest, if I go back to 1996, you'll find somewhere in the library a front page that a bloke called Pardon owned a fruit shop, and he was very adamant that this particular site shouldn't go in the strategic plan, the 1997 strategic plan. And my colleague up there was very adamant that this particular Stockwell will be well aware of the issues back then and basically talked about, and it's in this report, with regards to impacts on the junction, Tewantin, Cooroy, Pomona, all our shopping precincts.
00:24:00 If we're going to keep our village shopping precincts, they're going to build this great shopping centre over there in the middle of the bush and thus direct the dollars that way. So I was opposed. The old council, we pulled it back in size, reduced the size of the original of something like 60,000 square metres of shopping centre, etc. Going to be constructed over there with virtually a regional shopping centre in a place like... We didn't have the population and weren't unlikely in the near term anyway, given our population, our planning scheme that says we'll fit carrying capacity about 63,000 people in the Shire, why would we need such a monolith over there? So I objected to that and thus we have what we have today, a reduction in its size.
00:25:00 Having said that, the good part... of that plan, in that precinct, was the job creation, there's 1,100 jobs there at the moment, and thus if we get to an approval down the track, I believe we will, yes there's some issues, but I think they can be overcome, and Councillor Jackson's question was interesting with regards to the koala offsets and Councillor Stockwell as well. Thank you. What does that negate it ever being built? If you take that into allowance, you could say, you know, do nothing there. This Council has a policy going forward to actually protect up to 50% of its Shire, either National Park or Conservation Zone, so when we're talking about koalas, we've already purchased, you know, you can talk about Fran's Lands, John's Landing, Euro, and many more blocks, more than I can remember now, that we've purchased for koala offset, and we continue to do that.
00:26:00 So I think... I think with regards to some of them issues, I think they can be overcome. You won't make an omelette without breaking an egg, and thus, you know, when you're knocking in roads and stuff like that, and infrastructure, you are going to do some damage to the trees, et cetera. It would be ideal to keep it, but that's idealism. And the human being, part of the environment too, probably the worst part of the environment is the human being, the destruction we do, but that's the way it is. So if we want the jobs, and we do, and we want the environment, it's about that balance of trying to get both, and develop it the best way we can, doesn't mean flatten everything. So it's about that negotiations, how we go about doing the development.
00:27:00 So it's about that negotiation, how we go about doing the development. So having said all that, I support the deferral. I think... I've got to believe we can get there, I don't want to go down other paths, I think, and the intent of that job creation, and I think some of that part where we're putting some of that high-density living, I think that'll activate, I shouldn't use that word, can you, Councillor Plath? If it's not here, I can use that word. So... So... So you put people in a civic area, it comes alive, I mean that's, you know, after 8 o'clock over there, you know, through the week, what is it, hardly anyone moving, it's a pretty dead area. So we call it the civic, well you need people, you need people to be moving around, you need the transit centre, we need that there, it's part of our traffic and transport. So if we condition that and get those particular things, developers don't like transit centres,
00:28:00 they shove them in. And we need them to be in there, what value to them? We can say, well, it brings people to your cedar. Yeah, but then you have to argue that people take all the parking up, and thus I'll lose my customers. So, but I think down the track we can get there on this development. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Glasgow: Councillor Jackson? Councillor Jackson: I do have another question. It's still relating to the state planning requirements around koala habitat and environmental vegetation. It's actually not for Connor. It's actually for Patrick and Kim. Previously, I mean, we have been discussing, I have spoken with both of you about this matter, and I think one of the things I was told was that due to the state planning policy and other state planning regulations, staff would have to recommend refusal, but then councillors, as a councillor, would have to recommend refusal. And I'm just wondering, are we still in this quandary where staff are going to be obligated in some way to recommend refusal due to the state planning rules?
00:29:00 Speaker 1: What staff are obligated to do is assess the application against the planning scheme, the planning regulations, and the state planning policy. That's what we're obligated to do. That's what we've done. Staff are not obligated on that basis to recommend a refusal. No, staff are obligated to do the appropriate assessment, considering all factors, and come to a recommendation that all factors have been considered appropriately and the appropriate recommendation. Councillor Wilkie: It's the most significant parcel of undeveloped land in the Noosa Shire, and it's worth taking the time to work with the applicant to get it right. The intention to reconfigure lots here is generally consistent with the future direction highlighted in the draft planning scheme, although the application in its current form fails to meet key aims of the Noosa Planning Scheme's Noosaville Locality Code and the state planning policy protections for biodiversity and natural hazards, for a range of reasons, including the extent of the proposed clearing of koala habitat vegetation and identified feed trees and the size of the locks.
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00:30:00 It would be better to await a revised application, which also addresses traffic safety. I support the motion to defer the application to allow the opportunity for more constructive dialogue between the applicant and the council and hopefully reach an outcome that is more of a win-win for the community and the property owner. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We're actually debating a deferral motion and I think it's really important for council to think that we wouldn't be deferring this unless we're hopeful of a different outcome.
00:31:00 We wouldn't be deferring it if we didn't think the only possible outcome is a refusal and for me that's important to have up front because when we look at what this subdivision application does is it actually reflects our new planning scheme. It actually reflects a lot layout that will allow for the diversification and flexibility in business and community so being able to have that extra time to see if there's some ability to resolve the outstanding matters whether it be through the state planning policy around the koalas, one that hasn't been mentioned which is also a significant one for this community is the bushfire hazard management going down the community titles direction which the applicant has indicated they're prepared to do at this stage may be an opportunity to resolve some of those concerns so I think it's really important to understand that the issues that are requiring us to defer are ones that are about not the overarching desirability of the Shire Business Centre but meeting required standards to ensure that subsequent development not only meets state planning policy but is safe and useful.
00:32:00 Councillor Glasgow: Yeah I'll support the deferral motion as well because there's been some very interesting comments made around, Brian just made a good one then, about flexibility of business and community and we've always agreed that this is our very last shot at one of the most pivotal developments in the Shire, being the Shire Business Centre aka the old Noosa Civic. It is a deferral motion that we can engage more and better dialogue. We can engage more dialogue with the applicant and I fully support it and like I said this is the first step of many. It is only a subdivision approval but this is not, this is still a lot of steps to go down in the future, you know.
00:33:00 Speaker 3: The role of the Shire Business Centre in accordance with the list of plans for future generations is likely the most significant and it's important to remember this by all the councillors. I'd like to thank the developers for their willingness to continue to negotiate for mutually effective development. To defer for another, for a few more weeks to try and reach a mutually agreeable outcome is a sensible approach from Council. Mayor Wellington: Thank you. I'll put the motion. All those in favour? Aye. The motion is carried unanimously. Thank you very much. We move on to the second item for today's consideration, and that is the procurement and fleet branch restructure and position establishing.
00:34:00 Councillor Jackson: I'm happy to move on to that motion. Mayor Wellington: Oh, already? I'll second it, Mr Chair. Moved by Councillor Jackson, seconded by Councillor Wilkie. We have Phil Parkin and Michael Shave here. Are there any questions anywhere? I'll be finished before you get to the table. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I move we second the fact. Councillor Wilkie: Any questions anywhere? I do, Mr Chairman. Question. On page 41 of the report under finance, in terms of getting a full understanding of the cost implications of this restructure, you've mentioned that the new procurement officer role can be funded via the capital budget through procurement costing their time to capital projects. Could you just talk a bit about what that actually means, please, Michael? Speaker 2: Sure. Look, we've identified a bit of a gap there where our procurement team aren't appropriately capturing their time against capital projects they're involved with,
00:35:00 so any tenders and quotes and so on. So we've done a bit of analysis there. Obviously, we think there's between $50,000 and $100,000 there of funds that should be costed against capital projects. Currently, that's costed against the operating budget. So just by changing some of our work practice, we'll actually free those funds up in our operating budget, which will offset the cost of that additional position. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Speaker 4: Any other questions? Just before we get to the vote, I'd also acknowledge the reason we're here today is because Phil has announced his retirement. Yeah. In December, and he brought some unique skills. We were really getting a two-for-one deal with Phil over the last six years, and he did really well to come back after we de-invalidated and help us out in that period. So we owe him a great debt for what he's done over that last six years. And as I said, it's really restructured because we were getting two jobs for the price of one with what Phil was doing. So thank you, Phil.
00:36:00 Nice one. Yes, sir. Thanks, Rob. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mayor Wellington: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thanks, John. So, Councillor Jackson, you care to speak? Councillor Jackson: Sure, I will. Yes, I'm very supportive of this recommendation of separating into two different sections, the procurement and the fleet branch. I appreciate that Phil had the skills to manage both. And I think going forward, it's a good idea to have them separate because they are actually quite separate tasks. Fleet branch management has a kind of largely operational element to it. Procurement is very much about policy and ethics and process to ensure that all of council adheres correctly to procurement processes. I consider that an extraordinary achievement. It's an extremely important role. The people that have worked there and Phil, of course, working there are really making sure that council operates in an ethical way and also in a way of getting best value for money for council.
00:37:00 So the idea of having an additional staff member there and also a manager dedicated to making sure all our processes are not only up to date but followed is really important. So I'm supporting this structure. Councillor Wilkie: Councillor Pardon? Councillor Pardon: Yes. I'd just like to thank Phil for all his work. Over all the years, as the CEO said, he's a bit of a unique animal where he can... I think that's a compliment. ...procurement and fleet. He can cross-pollinate across the lot. And not a lot of people have that particular skill. He's worked that out over time. I think that's fine. And it's hard to replace that. So I think this is a good move forward. And look, if we look at it, the amount of tenders that we've got on the go at the moment and continue to roll out, that job's becoming bigger and bigger on the capital work side, et cetera.
00:38:00 So I think that we definitely need more resources and that skill set. So good work, Phil. Thank you. And yes, support the management. Mayor Wellington: Mr Speaker, motion? Yes, please. Yes, certainly, Joe. Councillor Juris. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Didn't you see me standing up? Mayor Wellington: No, I'm happy to wait. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, go on. Speaker 3: You have the floor, Joe. I've got the bench and the floor and all of it here. Look, I'm equally in support of the comments made by Councillor Pardon there. I'm staggered to believe that someone as young as Phil is contemplating retirement and the fact that he's retired from council, given his years of dedication and devotion to the process. I see that this is a restructuring necessary.
00:39:00 He has carried his hand for council since we DML'd later. The challenge of the council going forward could be well met with this new restructuring to provide a little bit more clarity amongst the two lands that I support there. Although, Phil, I just hope that this is a good thing. I hope that when you do retire that you're enjoying it as much as I am at the moment. I'm about to go and fill up the fish, so I hope that's on your agenda for the future as well. Mayor Wellington: Thanks, Joe. Anyone else wish to speak? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I will. It's always very nice to thank staff. It's also good to roast them. And I'd just like to suggest there's no truth in the rumour that the reason Phil decided to retire was he was asked to do a cost management analysis whether the fleet should go to hydrogen or electric vehicles. Speaker 3: Thanks, Brian. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: But I do say it's all seriousness that breaking up the position does mean that there can be someone in our organisation that does look at those decisions, which will be right on
00:40:00 top of this for the next decade. So wish Phil well. I will be looking at the budget to ensure that the capital works. There's at least 50 to something thousand dollars in there for next year. It's always interesting to see how the manager of finance is doing. I should say he finds these innovative ways to find budgets for the start, and I fully support innovation when looking for new money, and I'm sure he'll help me with all my requests next year. Councillor Wilkie: Mr Chairman, I'll take the opportunity to pay my respects to Phil. As a gentleman I have the utmost respect for, it brings a great deal of intelligence and integrity to the role of procurement. And it is, he has ensured that the processes have been ethical, open and transparent. That's very important. But also importantly, he has saved ratepayers countless millions over the years in terms
00:41:00 of his capacity to seek out the best value for ratepayers and this council. And I'm sure the decision to break the roll up into two parts will enable that those decisions to be, have integrity. And also be doing the best value for ratepayers. Councillor Glasgow: Thank you, Mr Glasgow. I'll say the same, Phil. Thanks for your time and all the best for your future endeavours, mate. You have been a vital key in the organisation, I realise, and you'll be very sorely missed. All the best. Thanks, Jess. Here to close, Councillor Jackson. Mayor Wellington: I'll put the motion all those in favour. Thank you, Joe. Can we hear your vote? Councillor Wilkie: Aye. He's gone. Mayor Wellington: Are you filleting? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We've lost him. Mayor Wellington: So we can't record his vote. So it's everyone with the exception of Councillor Jurisdiction who has inadvertently left the meeting. Thank you, everyone. That concludes today's special meeting.