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00:00:00 Councillor Wegener: I'd like to bring a motion for refusal on this action. I feel as though I should stand up because, is that okay with you guys? Well, this is an enormously important matter and we have an application which has been supported for acceptance.
00:01:00 But it doesn't comply first of all with the Visitor Accommodation Code which is AO 2.3 which states that the property has to be a minimum of 4 acres to be a short stay accommodation and this property is only 1.9 hectares which is less than half of what the Visitor Accommodation Code states should be the minimum size. And there's a reason for this and it's amenity. Amenity is, look, you want that large size land to guarantee or give the best chance for amenity from a short stay, short term stay. And we can look at the Visitor Accommodation Code and it says the purpose of the Visitor Accommodation Code is to ensure Visitor Accommodation dot dot dot protects the amenity of certain surrounding premises and avoids conflicts with surrounding uses.
00:02:00 And so, hence, 4 hectare minimum. And then you go to the Business Activities Code because an STS is a business. It's a business on a property. And again, it spills it out in deeper, more detail. The Business Activities Code 9.3.7. H, business activities manage potential negative impacts such as noise, privacy, lighting, and outreach. In 2 hours operation on residential land uses. And that's another word for amenity or another way of describing amenity. Ok. And despite or to support the problem of amenity here is we have two submissions against this application already among the residents surrounding residents and they include problems with the driveway. And so, despite the conditions in the approval, the average eight or 9 hoisting in the area, We know that there will be a very good probability of STS guests there coming to that palatial property, that pool, lots of, you know, it's a place where people go to vacation and there's a long skinny driveway and already there's been questions from the residents about amenity about that.
00:03:00 And so on a higher order, if we do not refuse this, are we just transplanting our STS problems from the coast to the hinterland? The applicant says that this property, he's applying for the STS with this property just so that when he's not holidaying there himself, others can use it as a holiday. And so you think, oh, well, you know, that's reasonable, but at the same time, the property's on the market. You go on the internet and there it is for sale. It's a beautiful, beautiful home. And I think we can generally assume that he's applying for the STS so that he can get a better price on his property because it's a full land use change, basically.
00:04:00 And so it's a rational business maneuver move for everybody with rural residential out there. Councillor Lorentson: Point of order, Chief. Councillor Wegener: I'm speaking to the motion. Councillor Lorentson: I'm sorry, what is the motion? I think that Councillor Wegener is now getting into matters that are opinion and not fact. Councillor Wilkie: I'll rule on that. This is the opportunity for councillors to express opinion. It's exactly for that purpose. Continue, Councillor Wegener. Councillor Wegener: So, you know, it's a rational business maneuver to get an STS approval over your hinterland property, your rural residential property. And if we don't refuse, a precedent is clearly set where STS approvals will be given, and when the hinterland economy heats up, which it's going to with our walking and biking strategies, our agritourism, and the Olympic tourism boom, which is inevitable, these many STS approved properties will push out the permanent residents and go to short-term accommodation.
00:05:00 In so doing, we will have created the same crisis that we've had. We will have the same crisis that we have on the coast in the hinterland, where we will have our accommodation crisis, we'll have our workers crisis, because we didn't stick to the strict rules of our own planning scheme today. Four hectares versus 1.9 hectares. Less than half of the space required in order to ensure amenity. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So then, so it's clear. Councillor Wegener: But then we also look at the other side of the equation. We look at the Rural Residential Code. And the Rural Residential Code is about home-based businesses. And you may remember that I became quite animated about home-based businesses a few months ago, because I'm of the opinion that our rural residential rules are a little bit too restrictive for our home-based businesses.
00:06:00 So the Rural Residential Code focuses on home-based businesses. And a woodworker, where you have a person living in the home. And they start their woodworking business there. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And it's a home-based business. Councillor Wegener: In this application, it is very different, because there's nobody home. And can I pull up the Rural Residential Code? And sorry, I sent photos. I meant to have the actual code up, but it's okay. You can go through my chicken scratch. The Rural Residential, the purpose overall outcome is high level of amenity for permanent residents. Non-residential activities are limited to small-scale activities that are compatible and do not impact on the rural residential character and amenity of the zone.
00:07:00 Then it says home-based businesses are facilitated. And so we're talking, this is about home-based businesses. And then E, small-scale home-hosted guest accommodation does not impact on the amenity or lifestyle of nearby residents. Home-hosted, that's the key. Let's go to the next page. And so to back this up, P01, development provides for low-density semi-rural living as well as compatible work from home opportunities. Primary production and small-scale visitor accommodation. On large atollments with varying levels of services. Large atollments, home-based businesses, this is exactly why we should refuse it. Because it's, an STS is not a home-based business. Ain't nobody home.
00:08:00 It's, there's no, with a woodworking business, if there's a problem, the neighbors call them up. Call up the, who's there at home and say, it's too noisy, too dusty, whatever. Oh, okay. They try to fix it. Hey, they don't fix it. They go to council. Council comes out and says, oh, you've got to, you could limit it. Or, you know, move to Haney Street. You know, it moves. You have amenity. You have a community that's working with each other. With an STS, as we know, you don't have that home, that person that actually lives there, a home-based business. And AO3, AO, AO 1.3 states, any business operated onsite, including accommodation, is subordinate to the use of the premises for a domestic residence. So, it's a domestic residence and it's subordinate to it. So, again, it absolutely locks away and proves that the Rural Residential Code is about home-based businesses. And this, this doesn't even comply, it does not comply with the Rural Residential Code
00:09:00 because it's not a home-based business. There's nobody at home. You have, it's a business where people are coming in, going out, and you don't have that, that home-based amenity. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So, we, we're just opening up really quite a can of worms here. Councillor Wegener: And it all happens today. We really, really, really want to think about whether we want to go against our own planning scheme, go against our, with the clear meaning of our own resident, Rural Residential Code, and let this, let this, I recommend we just, we just, we have to refuse this because it is, it's such a, it's, the precedent's being set. It's too big to, it's just too big and it doesn't comply with our Rural Residential Code. Thank you, Councillor Wickham. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Any questions? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, I've seriously got a procedural question. I have concerns about the nature of the wording of the recommendation. Firstly, because the Act requires us to provide the reasons why we would vary from a staff
00:10:00 recommendation, and that's not inherent within that application. Secondly, the way it's worded, it suggests that staff should put forward the reasons for refusal. That's contrary to the Planner's Code of Ethics. The staff have recommended approval on the grounds that they believe it is consistent with the planning scheme. I therefore think that there's a grounds that the motion is actually ultra-virus. Councillor Wilkie: But it does include, it does request staff included reasons for refusal. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It basically instructs staff to prepare a report with reasons for refusal. He, the Councillor has not listed any of the grounds of which he talked about in his motion. And therefore, and he hasn't given any reasons why he seeks to vary from the staff recommendation. Councillor Wilkie: I've got a question to the staff. This seems, this motion, we've seen motions similar to this before. Is this, what's your opinion on the question?
00:11:00 Speaker 2: Sorry, staff drafted this motion for the Councillor, and it is a long-term practice to request a further report when Councillors wish to have an alternative motion. Yes, I'm obviously listening to the motion. I'm listening in to the reasons of debate around here, why Councillors may wish to refuse it. And we would reflect that in the report. Yes, officers don't have any reasons for refusal. But if the majority of Councillors wish to go with this motion, I would take those reasons from the discussion today and put them in the report. Speaker 5: And Chair, it doesn't necessarily mean that Council officers would be able to find reasons for refusal. So that, that report may still reflect what the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Actual Recommendation of Officers currently is. But that report would then detail those areas. So Kerry, as Manager of Development Assessment, has said it is taking that on board at the moment. But while it's requesting a report, we may find no reasons.
00:12:00 But we will listen to what the Councillors are debating. Councillor Jurisevic: So just to clarify, the reasons given by Councillor Wegener and any further discussion around the table would be included in the report as the, as part of the proposal? Speaker 2: Yes, yes, that's right. And, and so far to date, the Councillor has indicated, in his opinion, the proposal does not comply with the scheme. And he's pointed out a number of provisions where he thinks it does not comply. Councillor Wilkie: I have a question. The Councillor made reference to the acceptable outcome. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Sorry. I would like, I still believe the motion is ultra-virus. The only way that staff can reflect a, a intent of Council for ordinary use is to make it a temporary meeting, is the wording. It's not what is said. And I therefore want a ruling on whether that motion is ultra-virus or not. Councillor Wilkie: Oh, sorry. Given that the staff have drafted this motion on the project at the request of the Councillor, I'm satisfied that it reflects standard practice.
00:13:00 And I'm, I'm happy with it to stay. And in this case, is the Councillor stopping or is there a respect? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, I disagree with staff the last time they did with it too. I still larked the CEO on Thursday night to check that it is, it consisted with the legislation because my view it isn't. Speaker 5: No, the, no, the Councillor's stopping. Chair, there may be the ability to, to amend that somewhat and not be as prescriptive. I'm requesting a further report. And reflecting the, the debate and discussion with the Councillor, I would need to think a little bit further about those words. But it's, it's not something that I agree with. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, yeah. There's an easy way to amend it. I just think as far as standard practice is concerned, I just have real concerns about Councillor Jurisevic: I refuse if it's an amendment wording to, to, to better reflect the. Councillor Wilkie: Well, to, to investigate that further, what, what is the wording that you would suggest? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Request a further report based on the concerns of non-compliance raised by Councillor, Councillors
00:14:00 within today's debate. Councillor Wilkie: So you're wishing to move an amendment? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I don't because I don't agree with the motion. No. But if someone wished to. Councillor Wilkie: Well, unless anyone's prepared to move an amendment, I will let it stand because it was drafted by the staff and staff are satisfied. And there's opportunity. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I've got some follow on questions if, if I'm. Yeah, of course. First one is the visitor accommodation minimum size. Is Councillor Wegener correct in suggesting that that does suggest a larger size? Speaker 2: He is correct in that the acceptable outcome of the scheme for the rural residence zone short term is four hectares. But when it does not comply with the acceptable outcome, Councillor is required to give consideration to the performance outcome, which is on page 21 of the report. And that talks to developments located on site with an area sufficient to accommodate the use without detracting homes. And the character and amenity of the local area.
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00:15:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Councillor Wegener also raised a interpretation of performance outcome one in staff professional opinion. Was that interpretation correct? Speaker 2: No. We did not agree with that interpretation. Councillor Wilkie: Which one was it? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: If you can bring in Councillor Wegener's. So that's it. This one? Yeah. Councillor Finzel: PO1, correct? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: PO1. So it says the PO1. The performance outcome development provides for low density semi-rural living as well as compatible work from home opportunities, primary production and small scale visit accommodation on large allotments with varying levels of service. And you're saying in staff's opinion it meets that criteria? Speaker 2: It does. The scheme does envisage short term accommodation. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's signed. And in Council, Wegner raised concerns about compliance with PO3 with the exception of one dwelling house or a community's residence. Any accommodation is limited to use by short term guests. In your opinion, does it meet that criteria?
00:16:00 Speaker 2: Yes, it does. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Okay. So then the... It is subordinate to the use of the premises for domestic residents. There's only an acceptable outcome. So that's not a compulsory requirement. Is that correct? Speaker 2: That's correct. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And if we go down, it does... Then would come to a value judgment about PO4, whether it affects residential character. Okay. And then there's the amenity of adjoining properties. Is that the heart of the issue? Speaker 2: Yes. That's right. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: That's all the questions. Councillor Jurisevic: Yes, I'll follow up with a couple of questions there. I mean, given the point that Councillor Wegener raises and in the report, four hectares versus 1.9 hectares when it comes to residential amenity, how have staff seen that residential amenity isn't going to be impacted when the minimum area of four hectares is what's in the planning scheme? And the consideration here is a property on 1.9 hectares, which is less than half the
00:17:00 minimum requirement. So the amenity considerations need to be considered, given the constraints of the site being less than half the minimum in the planning scheme. Why have staff decided that there is no amenity? Why are there no amenity issues when such a discrepancy between the minimum lot size and this lot size is being considered? Speaker 2: Officers are satisfied it meets the performance outcome because this house is approximately 50 metres from the nearest neighbour. So already it gives quite a bit of separation from the nearest neighbour. There's vegetation in between that offers some visual screening. And the outdoor areas, the living areas, are orientated away from the neighbours. They're orientated towards the rear end. So that's why staff have reached that conclusion. Councillor Jurisevic: So if we look at the drawing on page, the attachment one, we look at page 23 of 103.
00:18:00 The lot that's being considered is the rear lot here off the road. And you're saying from the property at the front along the road, and I'm assuming that road is Sunrise Road. But that property is situated more than 50 metres from the property that is on the Sunrise Road. Speaker 2: Yes, that's right. Okay. Councillor Jurisevic: Just wanted to clarify, that's the measurement between A and A considered. Councillor Wilkie: Yes. Kerry, there often seems to be some confusion about interpreting... Oh, sorry. Confusion in the general public and people who are not planners in an understanding of what's going on. The non-prescriptive nature of a planning scheme, especially when it comes to acceptable outcomes versus performance outcomes. And acceptable outcomes, in this case, are not prescriptive. So can you perhaps explain to help us understand why the weight was given to the performance
00:19:00 outcomes in interpreting the planning scheme results? Why the greater weight was given to that in this instance? Speaker 2: Yeah. So planning in Queensland... Yeah. ...is performance-based under the planning legislation, and it has been for some time since 1998. And essentially, performance-based means that people have the option to either meet the acceptable outcome, or they can demonstrate compliance with the performance outcome. So it's not a matter of meeting both, they can just choose to meet one or the other. And that's how performance-based works in Queensland. So I agree, it can be confusing for residents. But the applicant has the option to demonstrate compliance with either one. Councillor Wilkie: Okay. And that's why this application has been recommended for approval. Speaker 2: That's right. Councillor Wilkie: Because it is... It does comply with the Municipal Planning Scheme. Speaker 2: That's right. Yes. Officers consider it meets PO2.
00:20:00 Councillor Wilkie: If this was to be refused, would the applicant be within their rights to lodge an appeal on the planning environment court and use the Municipal Planning Scheme against this council? To justify the... Speaker 2: Yes. The applicant does have the option to appeal any decision, approval or refusal. And they would be looking to... They would need to demonstrate to the court that they met PO2. And I would suspect they would see it similar to council offices. Councillor Wilkie: And if this council decided that the visitor... The hinterland economy no longer needed any more visitor accommodation, and wanted to change the planning scheme to reflect that, what would be the appropriate process in the time of that? Speaker 2: Yes. Yeah. So the appropriate process would be a planning scheme amendment. And look, currently council have a housing strategy out on exhibition to the community. We've been inviting comments. I think it closed on the 7th of August. So we've been inviting comments. One of the issues that the housing strategy raised was the impact of short-term accommodation
00:21:00 on our housing supply. So that's been specifically one of the comments around the strategy. So I encourage residents to make comments around that, whether council should change the requirements for the rural residential, the medium, and the high across the Shire around that. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Do you have a council to speak to this motion? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm still... Councillor Jurisevic: So we can... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So I can debate it, I will move an amendment. And that is to say, request a further report from staff that provides advice as to the potential grounds of refusal based on...
00:22:00 Councillor Wilkie: Further report from staff? Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: That provides advice as to the potential grounds of refusal based on debate in the general committee. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I still might not be supportive at all. Councillor Lorentson: I'm happy to second that. Seconded by Councillor Lonergan. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It just takes out that issue of my concerns in regard to the absence of reasons for varying from staff would then come up if that wasn't included in a motion on Thursday. Councillor Wilkie: Okay, Councillor Stockwell, you have the report.
00:23:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yep, I can do it. Councillor Wilkie: Okay, anyone else wish to speak to this amendment? Are you happy with this amendment, Councillor Wegener? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yep. Councillor Finzel: So I'm just going to have a question then. Councillor Jurisevic: Councillor Wegener doesn't have to be happy with the amendment. Councillor Wilkie: I'm asking that of Kirsty. Councillor Jurisevic: That I'll appreciate, but he doesn't have to be happy with it. Councillor Wilkie: You have a question, Councillor Fincher? Councillor Finzel: About the process, if we... Does that mean it starts... I'm just going to bring us a report and then we'll debate whatever the further report is, do I need to give a chance? Councillor Wilkie: I mean, if I can answer it on the afternoon, it means that the further report Council will bring to the ordinary meeting, including the reasons for refusal, will be based on the issues raised in the debate in the general committee today.
00:24:00 Oh. The issues that perhaps Councillor Wegener raised earlier today. Mayor Stewart: It does. So that means that it will potentially still be for approval, but it will contain within that report reasons for the potential for refusal on what's being discussed today. I think that's a question for the CDI, but I couldn't answer that one there. Speaker 5: Thank you, Chair. Yes, it will just ultimately be for the consideration of Council. So the points that have been raised today, as Councillor Stockwell in his questions to staff demonstrated, where Council officers stand by their decision for approval, we will go through those one by one, provide that within the report for further consideration of the Council at the ordinary meeting to help you in your decision-making process. Mayor Stewart: So it could still be, then, we recommend approval, but for reasons noted in the general, here's a page full of why you could refuse it. Speaker 2: May I suggest that if councillors are happy with the current recommendation to Council, the majority of councillors, they vote on that.
00:25:00 If the majority of councillors wish to refuse this application, then we go with this motion, because it obviously requires more work from staff to prepare. So if the majority are wishing to refuse it, then that's quite appropriate, but if the majority are thinking of agreeing with the recommendation, I encourage you to go with that recommendation. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: Thank you. So should the recommendation succeed, can I ask the staff to bring forward a map that actually shows the distances between the properties, because properties 393 and 399 appear to be a lot closer than 403, so I'd just like to get some idea of the distances between the properties that are immediately adjoining 401 and Sunrise Road. Councillor Lorentson: Sure. So Kerry, can I repeat, and this is what I was going to ask, are we better to debate the original motion and wait for an outcome on that to proceed with the motion that's been, or amendment that's been put in front of us, is that your recommendation?
00:26:00 Well, there is a... Councillor Wilkie: It's a procedural question there, Councillor Morrison, that we have to... Councillor Lorentson: Debate this one first. Councillor Wilkie: This is the motion that's before us, or the amendment that's before us currently, and the motion that's before us currently. Councillor Lorentson: Okay. Councillor Wilkie: So I suspect it would be difficult to do that in the order that you're suggesting. That would have been preferable. Yeah. Okay, Councillor Stockwell has spoken to the amendment. Any other councillors wish to speak to the amendment? I will. I have... I'm going to support the amendment, because I'm keeping an open mind on what any legitimate potential grounds for refusal might be. Okay. I have, underpinning that, I do have concerns that if this council wants to, feels that the hinterland economy no longer needs
00:27:00 physical accommodation out there, then the appropriate process for that would be to amend the plan scheme, through amendments, and just allow it through that process, rather than... rather than refusing it. So I'm going to support this amendment, because I'm going to keep an open mind, to see if there are any legitimate reasons for a refusal. And I do acknowledge that Councillor Wegener may be pioneering the course of action here, but I'm concerned that we need to do it through the appropriate process.
00:28:00 So I'll support the amendment. Councillor Jurisevic: Alright. On that grounds, I'll support the amendment. But I take Councillor Wegener's point that the planning scheme actually states four hectares is the minimum lot size. For short-stay accommodation in hinterland. And this lot is well below that. So it's not out of keeping with the planning scheme. It's just that the performance-based outcomes are the opportunities here for approving it. So I'll accept the amendment and the intent of the motion here, at least to further investigate and have a good look at the distances, the criteria being brought forward by staff, for consideration of this approval, in regards to the planning scheme. Speaker 6: That'll do. Go ahead.
00:29:00 Councillor Jurisevic: That's right. Councillor Lorentson: I'll speak to the motion. And I'm happy to support this. And my reasons are consistent in decision making. And I want to make reference to the deer facility case that we had before Council, that was less than one hectare. And I think I was the only one that made consideration that that was below the four hectares required under the AO 2.3 of the Noosa Plan. So I agree with all the comments made around the table. Also, the proposal is not consistent with the strategic intent and outcomes of the Shire. We have drawn a line in the sand. And increasingly, this visitor accommodation, whether it's coastal or hinterland, as it stands, will erode permanent housing in the area. Noosa and the country and the world, we're amidst a housing crisis.
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00:30:00 And short-term accommodation is one of the many factors impacting our supply of housing. And at this time in history, I just don't think it's right for us to approve this application. So I'm happy to support this amendment and seek proper process. But my reasons are the same as my reasons for the deer facility factory. The flow-on effects, if this is approved, we're going to have areas within the rural zone that have less than one hectare. Forget 1.9. The area where the deer facility factory was on a space less than one hectare. So amenity, the character of an area, will be impacted. And I think that's grounds enough to refuse. Councillor Wilkie: Councilor Whittington, you indicated you wish to speak. We'll ask a question. Councillor Wegener: Is a question for staff.
00:31:00 Brian's read right in there. Request for further report from staff that provides advice on the potential grounds of refusal based on the debate in general committee. Is that a limiting factor for you? Because above it says report from council for reasons for refusal. But this is a limiting to root reasons based on the debate in general. Do you feel that might be a limiting factor for staff? Speaker 2: No, I don't feel it's limiting. We will make comments about whether we think there are the grounds for refusal based on the scheme requirements. But then prepare an alternative motion as part of that. Report. Councilor. Councillor Finzel: I just had a question about the procedure around it. Because in the past I think we've debated at the table and then we've asked the report, the staff to prepare the report for refusal.
00:32:00 Like in the meeting. Is this, are we, you've raised the procedural. Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: The last time there was a motion like this I raised the same force. Yeah. And made it very clear what my view was. I think it's unfair on staff to give a direction to write a report on grounds of refusal if you aren't giving them the guidance. You can do it by email, but if you want to do it in a public meeting I think there is a necessity within a motion to provide that instruction with some qualifications about why. Councillor Wilkie: And as a staff I've indicated you're happy to take the issue raised in the papers. That's right. Okay. We've had Brian, myself and Amelia speak to the amendment. Any other councillors to speak to the amendment? Joe, you've spoken to it as well. I've spoken to it as well. Before Brian, you're closed. Brian, would you like to close? Oh, can I just? Councillor Finzel: I'll just, well, I would support it in terms of the debate.
00:33:00 And to believe that the report is coming back to me. Okay. Councillor Wegener: We're going to vote on this and then we go back to the original. Councillor Wilkie: You're entitled to speak to this amendment if you want. No, that's okay. Okay. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm putting this one to make the process clear. I think that's important. I do think we need to listen to the advice of staff where they said, and I'm not sure where the majority of councillors sit on the issue, I think it is important that when it becomes a motion, then we do debate the merits of the, of asking for grounds of refusal because we have got a very busy planning and development control area. And if the majority of councillors believe there isn't grounds for refusal, then I think we should vote that way accordingly when this becomes a substantive motion.
00:34:00 Councillor Wilkie: Okay. I'll put the amendment. Those in favour? That's unanimous. The amendment now becomes the motion to which only Tom has spoken. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll speak. I think, Mr Chair, you've identified the core components of this argument as well as Councillor Lorentson in bringing up the further matter. The core components of this argument is of the issues raised in the opening presentation by Councillor Wegener. He identified one area of non-compliance in my mind with respect to an acceptable outcome which the staff report tells us they believe it meets the performance outcome. He's then raised valid reasons in terms of what his perception of what the overall purpose of the zone is in terms of amenity and that is a consideration that needs to be taken into account. You'd
00:35:00 have to have that taken into consideration with the broader scheme and it's, I suppose, the broader scheme does actually encourage more tourist accommodation in our rural hinterland areas. There's no doubt about that. But the intent of the scheme is to provide more accommodation and in this area it's very close, say, for example, to the Wooroi Trails which attracts people from all over the world. So in terms of supporting other aspects of the planning scheme, it's clearly, in my view, consistent with it. We then come back to the issue of what has become a determinant factor in the medium density and high density residential zone and with respect to whether every house lost from a permanent rental or from a dwelling house is one step away from what we're trying to achieve with the housing strategy. And that is a real consideration. We do have to balance that. But I think you pointed out
00:36:00 clearly if we take that into consideration, we do have to balance that. But I think you've Thank you. I think it's important for us to look at the planning scheme and whether we do want to be a more prohibitive in terms of short-stay accommodation more generally across the Shire rather than tie up a lot of staff resources that could be put towards something positive, defending an appeal or the other way around. Councillor Jurisevic: Question for staff, with regards to short stay accommodation in this area of the hinterland, is there much in the way of short stay accommodation that's been approved or been applied for? Speaker 2: There's nowhere near the extent of visitor accommodation in this area that we've been seeing along our coastal strip.
00:37:00 Our coastal area has a very high percentage of properties being used for short term accommodation, not so in this area. They're certainly found in the area but it's not high. Councillor Jurisevic: But they're the exception rather than the rule? Speaker 2: Absolutely. Councillor Jurisevic: Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Can I ask, home hosted accommodation, is that supported under the scheme in the hinterland and do we have numbers on home hosted properties in the hinterland? Speaker 2: It is supported in our hinterland areas and we have some numbers from the work done in April 2020 looking at the visitor carrying capacity. And I think it does give us a breakdown of hinterland areas, so that's something that could provide councillors. Councillor Jurisevic: That would be good for Thursdays, Thursday night's waiting. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Yeah. Oh, that would be good. Yeah. Thanks. That's good. Councillor Wilkie: All right. Any Alley councillors wish to speak to this motion before Councillor Wegener closes?
00:38:00 Councillor Wegener, you have the floor. Councillor Wegener: Okay. You know, speaking of busy, you know, as Brian mentioned, that the staff's going to be busy. Well, I'm sure they're going to be much busier. It's clear that the size of the area goes from four acres to half that, less than half that, and so I think that they're going to get a whole lot of new applications based on this decision today. I want to talk just about the Rural Residential Code. Again, it's about home-hosted accommodation, and with the woodworker, if you had a woodworker, then they'd have to have these tests, the Rural Residential Code. It says, okay, well, you're having a business on your property, there's these tests, and they'd go out there and they'd have the sound engineers out there, and you'd have to put walls up and make sure that you're not going to disrupt the amenity of all the other people. Where, under the same logic, if you have a home-hosted accommodation, you'd probably have tests as well, because it's a business, the same thing.
00:39:00 Where all of a sudden, you take away and say, well, okay, it's not just a home-hosted, it's the entire property and the house. We'll just give it the tick, where I think that because what Rural Residential says is, in a Rural Residential neighborhood, you have to test it, make sure that it's okay, and that it's home-hosted. But it's like the woodworker says, well, I'm going to just take away the house, nobody's going to live there, we're going to have a big woodworking business there. All of a sudden, it gets the tick under the same rationale. So I don't think that the Rural Residential code is applicable to, or I think it completely derails or eliminates the possibility of short-term accommodation in Rural Residential. That's the way I feel it, because it's home-hosted. It doesn't recognize a whole house being a business in that area, because they know that it's going to disrupt amenity.
00:40:00 Um... Disruption. We're looking, again, we're looking at the big picture of disruption, and just think of the unintended consequences, and think of our friends who own resorts. It just seems we're doing exactly what we did on the coast in the hinterland. I think that, you know, we should be looking at accommodation areas, visitor accommodation areas in the hinterland, and be focusing on those near, in Pomona, in Cooroy, wherever, but near centers as a place where we organize. This sort of thing. But just letting STS run the way we did over the last few years in the lower, in low-density areas near the coast is just wrong. It's just, it's not supported by the plan. It's not supported by common sense. I think that the public are not going to understand what we've done. And the question is, have we learned nothing?
00:41:00 Yeah, I'll leave it there. Thank you. Excellent. Councillor Wilkie: I'll put them in my closing favour. So, that's Councillor Jurisevic, Councillor Stewart, Councillor Wegener, Councillor Lorentson, Councillor Finzel, Councillor Wilkie. Against? Councillor Stockwell. We now, thank you, Diana. We now move on to the next item, which is the Planning and Environment Court Appeal Number D100 of 2022, Enforcement Notice for Operation of Airstrip Without Development Approval at Lake Wyther Drive, Noosaville. Referred from the Planning and Environment Committee. I call for further consideration. Ms. Stewart. Mayor Stewart: Thank you, Eleanor. I, Councillor Stewart, have called for the meeting that I have prescribed in relation to this matter as Kirstie Melody Peck's wife, Ms. Bob Link, Director of Link and Link Surveys, PTY Ltd, the applicant, donated $5,000 in the 12th through the 2nd of 2020, $5,000 in the 6th to the 3rd of 2020, $1,900 on the 27th of the 2nd of 2020, and $1,900 on the 27th of the 2nd of 2020
00:42:00 to my 2020 election campaign. As a result of my conflict of interest, I will now leave the meeting room on the matter as considered by Sean. Thank you, Ms. Stewart. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Ms. Stewart. Okay, Councillors, this is a recommended motion. The motion is to agree to continue enforcement action against Noosa Airfield to address the current breach of the Noosa Plan 2020 and the Planning Act 2016 if they don't have current planning approval. Any other questions for staff? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Question to Kerry. We've all received a detailed email from one of the local residents here talking about the drastic increase in noisy aircraft using that facility. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? And they've advised that CASA said it's a Council matter.
00:43:00 But can you clarify, has Council got any head of power to enforce noise limits, or is that another entity that has the noise requirements? Is it under the EP Act that Council has the head of power or not? Speaker 2: Yeah, so the noise for aircraft is not delegated to Council under the EP Act. That is looked after by Air Services Australia. Yeah, so Council doesn't have a head of power to act under the EP Act. We will be raising noise as an issue as part of this appeal, and one of the reasons we'll be asking the court to provide the directions in the case of noise impacts for residents. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And question to the CEO, in your experience, is there other opportunities within the planning scheme, potential amendments, et cetera, that could be put in place to provide a better regulatory structure around aircraft noise? Speaker 5: To the Chair, thanks for your question, Councillor Stockwell. I absolutely recommend that an ANEF contour map is added to our planning scheme.
00:44:00 Given that that particular area is zoned for aviation purposes under the planning scheme, it would absolutely be a step that Council could take that would then help have a regulatory framework that Air Services Australia can work to in managing aircraft noise. And should there be complaints that arise with the operation of aircraft noise, we will be looking at that. A little bit of work to be done on that, but definitely a way forward and utilised across airports in the country. Councillor Jurisevic: Sorry, Mr CEO. Wouldn't Air Services Australia have that capacity anyway, seeing as it's their jurisdiction? Speaker 5: Through the Chair, Councillor Jurisevic, it really does come back to the Council and the airport to be able to work together around ANEF and the adding of the contour maps. Air Services is the regulator that sits above. They would sign off on the contour maps, but that is very much left to those that are either
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00:45:00 owning the facility and operating the facility, working hand in hand with the Council, and generally would then also be part of a community master plan. This is quite a small, localised landing area, and these are more common for your larger airports, and those airports under the Airports Act of 1996 must have this as part of their regulatory framework. This, though, I think would protect the Noosa community, and to be able to understand aircraft noise and movements better, be that aircraft take-off or rotary aircraft helicopters and the way they're moving. Their approach, their take-off, it would provide a framework. Councillor Jurisevic: Excuse my naivety, but one would think any approval for an airfield would have noise considerations in its neighbours as part of the approval process, given that that's part of an issue here, that that would come forward if an approval, if a current approval was
00:46:00 Speaker 5: in place. We would, and as per this report request, is that we can take action because a current approval doesn't exist. So we're asking Council's authorisation to take action on this matter, work through an approval process, and part of that may include those elements. And then the noise restrictions would be part of that. That would be later as such. But we would put conditions as part of an approval process on the land. Councillor Jurisevic: So that's what I was alluding to, as part of the approval process, that the noise limits could be, or the noise mapping could be incorporated. Speaker 5: Operation of aircraft hours, aircraft start-up, curfews, et cetera. We may want to impose a range of conditions that make it suitable for residents and outside of emergencies, have the airfield managed in a way that's going to work with the airfield Councillor Lorentson: as well.
00:47:00 Just out of curiosity, Kerry, so the Noosa airfield has been operating for 40 years and it's the only airfield servicing the Noosa region. In terms of emergencies, how many times has it actually been used for emergency evacuations, firefighting, flood events? Does it get used? Most often it's really the question that I'm asking. And will this being held up in court proceedings, will that impact any potential need if there is an emergency? Speaker 2: I'm not aware of how often it's being used for emergency. It's not the only private airstrip in Noosa. That's the question. It's certainly the one probably closest to the urban areas. There's a private airstrip at Lake Macdonald. There is a few around the Shire. Thank you. But certainly this is the closest to the urban area. At this stage, we'll need to consider our process with the appeal, whether we ask for
00:48:00 an interim order to shut it completely. But we're just going to have to wait until the matter can be decided by court. But we'll just monitor it at this stage and see, have a look at the impacts it's having on residents. Because as I understand it from residents, it has peak times and then we won't hear it from a while. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Thank you. I think we've got some advice on the question. There is an emergency helicopter landing spot that's near the Unitywater Sewage Treatment Plant, just to the west of Girraween that is used. And not the last was sized with the ones before. Girraween football fields were used in terms of the emergency helicopters as a base. So it's probably not going to be a constraint. Councillor Wilkie: Okay. On a motion to call it, is there a motion to move it? I'll move it. Seconded by Councillor Stockwell. Seconded by Councillor Lorentson. I do so.
00:49:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: On last Tuesday, I thought we'd dealt with this before on this term of Council. So I do apologise. I was wrong. The last time this was reported was 2019. And initially the problems were reported in 2018. So we've had a landholder for four years who have had fairly clear guidance that Council thought they were breaching the planning scheme and creating a nuisance. So it is time to act. The email we got brought issues to our notice that I wasn't aware of. I had no idea that in recent years, noise created by ultralights using the airfield has increased drastically. It often occurs very early in the morning, before the wind gets up, and most commonly on a Sunday morning. In summer, they are often up in the air before 6am and have many occasions where my sleep has been broken. Noise created by them is extremely likely to occur in the morning. If you ever have an ultralight hovering over your house, you will understand what this means. So it is time for enforcement action.
00:50:00 I was looking over the weekend at other measures. We could be introduced more quickly. I found out this morning that we don't have the delegation under the Environment Protection Regulation for noise, and nor do we have a local law in place. But it is clear that it is time to act and that compliance is necessary. If this isn't the Wild West, we don't have cowboys in the sky, it's Noosa. We have had previous staff reports identifying the difficulty in trying to negotiate an outcome outside of a strict enforcement regime, and since the last meeting, I've had a member of the public very diligently found it. It's a past court case where the person in question was referred to by the judge as evasive, and I think that's what we've experienced. And so it's time to put our foot down, it's time to say, enough's enough, it should stop
00:51:00 now, and I would hope that the court hears this matter as a matter akin to seeking a stop-work order. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Stockwell. I have a question for the CEO and Kerry. Given this is before the courts, what would be your advice in terms of comments made by councillors around the table here today? Speaker 2: We do need to be careful about our comments because it is a legal matter, so some matters should be held in confidence, particularly around our prospects in this appeal. We do have the owner in the room, and obviously this is published online, so I think we do need to be careful because it is a legal matter. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Okay, I'll speak to the motion, if councillors are free to ask questions after I've spoken. Councillors, this is a legal matter, I'm going to suggest it will be supported and move to voting on it as quickly as possible and limiting debate as much as possible given that it is
00:52:00 a legal matter. Questions? Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah, I've got one. Sure. Have staff looked into the report with Adelaide? Speaker 2: I'm aware of the report. I can't think of the detail of the report right now, but I'm certainly aware of the report. I'm not sure where you're sitting in that report. Yeah, I think that's probably more relevant when council perhaps looks at a future application for the site. At this point in time, there's no development approval, but I think it's something we can consider in the future. Hopefully another application is launched. Councillor Jurisevic: Given that this has been an airport in the past, how frequently is a development application required for an activity that's been ongoing for many, many years?
00:53:00 Speaker 2: This certainly stands out there as a little bit unique. It's not something that I've experienced in my time here where we've had a matter that was approved and then it lapsed and remained in operation for such a long period of time. Councillor Jurisevic: So that's the issue at stake here? We've had, whilst it may have been approved as an airport and a commercial airport in the past, the airfield as it currently stands, the approval lapsed and hasn't been followed up. So those approvals are not in perpetuity? They have a time schedule to them? Speaker 2: Well, the approval for this airfield did. So it did have an initial period of 10 years, which was able to be extended, which was never extended. There then was a rezoning approval. There was conditions attached to that rezoning approval. Those conditions were never met. And so the application was never made to the state to amend our planning scheme at that time.
00:54:00 Councillor Jurisevic: The only other time that I can recall this matter coming before council was with regard to some dumping on the site. Has that matter been resolved? Speaker 2: Yes, the matter has been resolved. Councillor Finzel: I just have a question for the CEO to just clarify. The meeting process, given that, you know, we didn't make the decision to be in court by the P&E meeting the other day and we asked the staff to further clarify our line, there was some feedback through community that, like, around that process. We've had a good outcome because we've received emails over the weekend with regards to them going back to staff to provide further information. Would you be able to just explain on camera for people listening how the meeting process works, given that councillors do have opportunity to, you know, go back to staff and ask and we've got, you know, we've got three meeting spaces that we can make these decisions, just to clarify for people, because I think this has been a good outcome in terms of how this proceeded forward using the meeting process.
00:55:00 So are you able to just clarify how that works? Mm-hmm. Speaker 5: Through the chair. Thank you, councillor. Thank you, Mr. Finzel. This is, again, with Noosa, different by nature. The ability to have our committee system that leads to an ordinary meeting with the final decision being made allows councillors time to be able to work with staff in between individual more targeted committee meetings leading to a general committee like we're having now and that ultimate decision being made at the ordinary meeting on Thursday evening. Deferring any matter to the general committee like we're having now and that ultimate decision being made at the ordinary meeting on Thursday evening. It is a great opportunity for the councillors and staff to be able to have conversations, focus with each other and to be able to distill all the information that they need to make a fully informed decision.
00:56:00 In many councils, you'll have a number of ordinary meetings where once that decision is made, it's made, and generally post that meeting, the CEO will enact that resolution of council almost immediately. The process that we find is a very considerate approach. There are mechanisms that we can undertake and my experience is more so in the ordinary meetings. Still working through and understanding that the Noosa process better, but it is a great process and then having a very considerate approach, getting all of the information and finally making that decision. So the P&E committee and for those community members that some were saying, well, why a decision wasn't made? Why was that decision made? Why was that referred? Or why did we talk about maybe tabling the report for further information? This is all about making sure that councillors have as much information as you possibly can to be able to make the very best decision.
00:57:00 And this process, as you've seen today, is robust and stands up. Final decision will be made at Thursday evening's ordinary. But the decision made today will very much go through a much quicker process than an ordinary meeting. I don't see much debate around this moving forward. I hope that helps. Councillor Finzel: It does. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Any other service you can talk? We'll be having a break shortly afterwards. That's okay. I just thought I could give a point of order. Point of order. Thank you, sir. If I can. No, it's not permitted by standing orders, but councillors may wish to meet with you during the break. Speaker 5: Okay. Councillor Wilkie: We have a motion before us. Any other councillors wish to speak? Otherwise, it's up to Councillor Stockwell to close. Do you wish to close, Councillor Stockwell? No. Put the motion those in favour. Councillor Jurisevic. That's unanimous. And meeting those, Councillor Stewart cannot vote. I think we'll do one more item before the break.
00:58:00 That is . And now, welcome back, Mayor. Thank you. MCU 22038, Application for a Material Change of Use, Commercial Business Type 1, Office and Commercial Business Type 2, Medical, 28 Eney Creek Road, Noosaville. This is a report from the Director General of Community, Patrick Murphy, here, who is the Coordinator of Plane, as well as Penny and Leo. Councillor's question, oh, please give us an overview of this application. Speaker 3: This is obviously a site within the Shire Business Centre. It relates to Future Lock 22, which was part of the recent reconfiguration of the site. This is at the western end of the showrooms, this site. Some time ago in September 2021, Council resolved at its ordinary meeting to accept a request for an application for office and medical.
00:59:00 Facility on the site to be assessed under the superseded planning scheme. So this is that application, which we're now currently assessing. The development, I think, generally complies with the planning scheme. And just a little bit on the development. It is a two-level basement with two storeys above to accommodate 2,170 square metres of floor space. There is car parking within the basement. Just as a point of clarity, in the executive summary, it has some figures that need to be corrected. The figures in the table in the report are correct, insofar as a total of 109 car space has been provided, 103 in the basement and six at the ground level, and also one ambulance and one SRV space at the ground level. As I said, it generally complies with the scheme, with except to the front setback, the building height, wall length and landscaped setback.
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01:00:00 This building, the built form, is something that the applicant has put forward in response to some work that we've done with them on other sites within the Noosa Civic. You'll be aware that we recently approved a residential development on Hofmann Drive. We're currently working through an application for a showroom and office development at the other end of the showroom. That's the eastern end. And the design of this development is quite reflective of the design of the showroom. We're really looking at the conversations and the advice that we've received through that process. This site being on the corner lot, we're really seeking a signature statement building, and we feel that this design that's been put forward certainly reflects that. Those elements are generally quite minor in the scale of the overall development. And accordingly, it's recommended for approval.
01:01:00 Councillor Jurisevic: I've got a question. Not often we have a two basement level construction for car parks in our provincial district. And in my experience, most buildings that have basements have basement pumps in the event of inundation of water in any way, shape or form in there. Why is there no requirement within this building for a basement pump? I understand that water may not flow. But I mean, water could collect in it, and seepage is a potential problem. If there are no pumps within the structure, how would any inundation be dealt with? Speaker 3: Well, in short, we don't believe inundation is going to be an issue. I know that we had a development on Mary Street where we had a pump system required for a basement car park. That site was in Noosaville, and the constraint of flooding was quite significant there.
01:02:00 There was a barrier. That was also required on that site, which would raise in the event of some flooding. And the risk of inundation was quite significant on that site. So therefore, a pump was required. In this instance, we don't consider that there is that risk. You're going to have an access point, which will rise before it goes down into the basement. And then the building also overhangs the ramp in that area. So as I said, the issue of inundation is not... Councillor Jurisevic: So in the likelihood of any water getting in there, do you think a portable pump or something like that would be a surprise? Speaker 2: Well, that's really for the applicant to address. The planning scheme looks at basements in flood areas, but not applicant. Councillor Jurisevic: It's really for the applicant to address. Sorry, I just wanted to clarify the difference between the one that we have dealt with, which was in a flood area, and this one, and why there was a difference. Councillor Wilkie: Did the applicant indicate what type of medical services would be going on? Speaker 3: No, not at this stage.
01:03:00 Councillor Lorentson: The applicant generally complies. Can I ask if you can just explain the non-compliant parts, in particular the bicycle spaces? There seems to be a massive reduction, 44 spaces required, and what's been agreed is eight bicycle spaces. Speaker 3: So there's a number of elements of non-compliance, the first being the front setback. Yeah. And you'll see there's a diagram within the report which identifies, that's on page 22 of the report, and it identifies in yellow where the six metre setback is, and therefore the parts of the building that encroach within that yellow area are non-compliant. It's primarily the most significant in the south-west corner of the site where the road and the shape of the site, not uniform, and there's a minor encroachment there.
01:04:00 There's also an arbour situated at the front boundary, which will provide a good visual breakup of the building and provide some landscaping up the arbour. So I consider that the front setback variations are quite minor, and just to put a figure on them, the building itself, the front of the building itself is 5.4 metres setback at that south-west corner in lieu of the six metre requirement, but the balcony and the façade extend to 2.9 metres from the front boundary at that point. The other element of non-compliance... Speaker 2: Sorry, just to clarify again, just following our discussion about short-term accommodation and acceptable outcomes and performance outcome, the setback is an acceptable outcome, and we are happy that this development complies with the performance outcome of the scheme, and that's about appearance of the street. Councillor Lorentson: So clearly it meets the street criteria... Yeah. That's right. ...has been met, yeah. That's right. Speaker 3: Yeah.
01:05:00 And it's also noted that the Noosa Plan 2020 has reduced that front setback requirement to four metres. In terms of building height, there's an eight metre height limit for the development. A significant portion of the development is at eight metres, but it does extend through its route form, which was in negotiation with the applicant to get a significant route form to really enhance that statement, entry statement. It goes up to 10.2 metres in height, again, in that sort of south-western corner of the site, it's at its highest point. It is, you know, it's a significant variation, but from the design outcome and the general compliance across the remainder of the building, we consider it suitable. Again, the Noosa Plan 2020 would allow building up to 12 metres in height in that location, so it's significantly lower than that. The scheme has a requirement for what? A wall length of no more than 15 metres.
01:06:00 When you look at the actual facade of the building, it is on a plane, so it would exceed that 15 metres in length for each of those elevations, but that's really broken up by the skirting that's provided in terms of the screening and the balcony around the building, particularly to the road network. The elevation to the rear of the site is probably the most non-conforming element, but that's got a 10 metre landscape buffer. That sits behind that, and I don't believe that'll be visible. Councillor Jurisevic: So what you're saying there is that the false length of the wall is longer than 15 metres. It is not one stark, straight wall. That's correct. It is a wall with insets and... Well, it's got balconies and recesses. ... to break up that facade, isn't it? Yep. Councillor Wilkie: And just to spell that out a bit further, what's the reason why the main scheme applies to the gates along the wall? Speaker 3: Well, it's an architectural aesthetic outcome, and this design achieves a good aesthetic.
01:07:00 Councillor Wilkie: And as Joe said, instead of it being shorter segments of wall offset and broken up, it's broken up by other... Speaker 3: That's correct. You know, roof overhangs, the balcony, and treatment to the balcony, that's correct. Councillor Lorentson: So in terms of gateway entry, you mentioned or referenced architectural. It's... My understanding is that our council architect, Noel Robinson, has had a look at these... Look at the building, and has given his ticket of approval, is that correct? Speaker 3: Not... He hasn't been involved in the review of this one. Okay. He was involved in the review of the building on Hofmann Drive, and he's also involved in the review of the building at the other end of these showrooms, the eastern end, and... But not this one. Not this one. But the design elements within this one are consistent with those design elements that we've achieved. Councillor Lorentson: So in terms of landscaping, I note that there's not a lot of trees, and that concerned me a little bit, because I thought it was inconsistent with a lot of the design elements that we've achieved.
01:08:00 But I think it's important to note that there are a number of decisions that we've made with commercial sites where we've got to start thinking of sustainable infrastructure. My question is, why are signature trees, as opposed to walls of trees, being approved for such a big site? Speaker 3: Well, the signature trees were really to be a feature statement, to make that entry statement as you come into the Sydney. And to be of such a significant importance. In terms of the large building, to have, with a six-metre setback, and then to have, you know, part encroachment into that setback, I don't think that the opportunity for meaningful planning of screening trees along that side.
01:09:00 I mean, there'll be certainly plenty of landscaping that'll exist in that area, and it won't all be lower level. There'll be a mix of some lower level and medium height shrubs. So I think that you'll get that visual break-up through the landscaping. Speaker 2: I think the scheme also, you know, if you go to the business centre, it's surrounded by landscaping, you know, it's very internal, and this site is meant to be sort of a key statement. So the building is actually meant to be seen and create an entry statement, you know, you've arrived, a sense of arrival at the business centre. You know, screening of commercial doesn't work in a business sense, is what I'm told every day, so we don't want to provide a wall of trees either to commercial development. So I think the signature trees are appropriate. Councillor Lorentson: Yeah, I think my question is more geared towards what we as a council have been discussing for some time, sustainable infrastructure and how it meets climate change, you know, needs for climate change in the future. So again, you know, with temperatures increasing, again, I needed just some understanding why signature trees, not a lot of trees, would be a good idea.
01:10:00 So I think the scheme was approved, and I think you've answered that question really well. It's a statement piece. Speaker 3: Sorry, you did ask about the bike spaces. Oh, bike spaces. Councillor Jurisevic: I was just hitting you with my question, sorry. Speaker 3: Yes, thank you. Yeah, so the scheme requires 44 bike spaces, which is, I mean, a requirement for 109 car spaces plus the SRV, the small rigid vehicle space and ambulance. It's quite a high ratio of bike spaces to car parking spaces. So they were originally proposing eight spaces, which I considered to be not enough. And there is some opportunities for people to park bikes within proximity of the site, but really not close proximity of the site. So I considered that more spaces would be required. I had discussions with the applicant, and we thought 16 was a suitable number, noting that the new planning scheme would require only 14.
01:11:00 So in that regard, the rate in the space would be higher. Councillor Lorentson: I'm curious as to why we didn't increase the number of bike space and potentially decrease the number of car spaces, given there's a transit centre literally around the corner. You know, it seems to me, in a commercial space, we would be encouraging people to be using public transport or walking or riding their bikes, not driving their vehicles. And I think on page, where did I read, on page, oh, I can't remember the page, but there was a reference to the tandem car parks that they were to be used by staff. And again, it confused me a little bit, contrary to what I've thought, which is we're trying to encourage people to walk, catch public transport, not use private vehicles.
01:12:00 Can you explain your reason? Speaker 3: Well, I think 16 bike spaces still gives me a little bit of a sense of what's going on. It gives people the opportunity, in other people, to ride a bike to the site. The transit hub gets developed and also give people the opportunity to use that facility and to walk from the transit hub to the location. But I think it's also important to recognise the nature of the use that is approved here, being a medical centre, and that there would be a strong need for both staff, some of the staff, and people who are needing care to drive there, and not to ride a bike, and maybe not be able to do that. So we're trying to get people to ride a bike or take other forms of transport. Councillor Jurisevic: Speaking of other forms of transport, no requirement for motorcycle parking at all? Only car parking spaces? Could a car parking space be devoted to, at least one car parking space, be devoted to a series of motorbike spaces? Speaker 3: It is possible if Council would like to replace some of the car parking spaces with motorbike spaces.
01:13:00 I mean, that could be done. The scheme obviously hasn't required any motorcycle spaces for this type of use. Councillor Jurisevic: So if one motorbike turns up, it takes up an entire car parking space as opposed to having dedicated parking? I notice you've addressed the other issue with regard to lockers and change rooms and that within the conditions. Eight lockers, two female showers and change rooms in the development? Speaker 3: That's correct. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just one? Just a question. Am I right that the closest motorbike scooter parking is right down close to the retail section? There's none in that showroom precinct from memory? Not at all. Speaker 3: Don't ride a motorbike or scooter, so I couldn't tell you from experience. Speaker 2: I think they are. I think the philosophy is when you go to a showroom, bigger goods, you're not necessarily going to ride a motorbike.
01:14:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Put the fridge on the back. Speaker 2: That's it. Councillor Jurisevic: Still doesn't provide provision for people that work there that may motor scooter or ride a motorbike. Speaker 2: As Patrick indicated, the councillor would like some of the spaces converted to motorcycle. That would probably be a reasonable condition. Councillor Jurisevic: I think I'd like to see that. I'm just trying to work out what would be the ratio of motorcycle spaces that would be appropriate and the number of car parking spaces that may be lost as a result. Can I take that question on notice and give us a bit of an answer, maybe an update for Thursday night? Speaker 2: Yeah, how about we prepare an amendment with some conditions that we think is appropriate. Councillor Jurisevic: I'm happy to move an amendment if that's what it requires to make that, undertake that. Yep. An amendment that staff provide a further report to Thursday night's meeting with regard to... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Do you need a report or just a condition? Councillor Jurisevic: Oh, well, a condition, yeah, sorry, just a condition.
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01:15:00 A further condition. With regard to appropriate motorcycle, motor scooter, car parking spaces and identify the loss of car parking spaces as a result. That's it. Speaker 5: That staff provide a condition advising of the appropriate ratio of motorcycle and or motor scooter. Passing at the side. Councillor Jurisevic: And potential loss of car parking spaces if it was up. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Distressed at all, believe me. Councillor Wegener: Thousands of people are watching online. . Speaker 5: Yes. .
01:16:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just an appropriate, rather than the appropriate, I think might be a good word. Councillor Jurisevic: An appropriate ratio of motorcycle parking and identifying any loss of car parking spaces as a result. . Councillor Lorentson: Sorry about the caps lock. Anybody happy with the wording of that? Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah. Councillor Wilkie: So, is there any? Second. Second, Councillor Stockwell. Councillor Jurisevic: I think given the proximity of scooter and car parking spaces, the use of scooter and motor bikes, and that it's appropriate that the development at least considers the opportunity for the use of motor bikes. I don't think we'd lose too many car parking spaces and we gain a number of alternate transport means that are utilised within the Shire for people that use motor scooters and motor bikes.
01:17:00 Councillor Wilkie: Yes. Any further comment or questions on this amendment? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Sorry, just a query. Councillor Wilkie: Sorry, a procedural thing. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's actually the motion that we haven't moved. Councillor Wilkie: It's a motion, yeah. Because we don't have a motion before us except the one that Joe's made. Oh, sorry. So it's an initial motion. It's a motion. And seconded by Councillor Stockwell. Councillor Jurisevic: Ah, that's a good point. I thought we'd already moved the... No, it doesn't matter. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We still have to do it again on Thursday. We just saved ourselves time debating. Councillor Wilkie: It'll be... Councillor Jurisevic: Sorry, we should have moved the entire thing and added this as an amendment. Councillor Wilkie: Does that then mean that the entire recommendation will have to be an amendment to the original motion?
01:18:00 Speaker 5: Yes. Councillor Jurisevic: Yes, so I'll withdraw the motion. I'll move the original motion and add this as an additional clause within the motion. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And just on standing orders, Councillor Jurisevic can't do that. Only the whole council can agree to it. Councillor Wilkie: If everyone agrees with... Sorry. Councillor Jurisevic: I was under the assumption that we'd moved the original. This is an amendment to the original. So apologies. So I'll move the original with that addition. How's that? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: That'll be item XYZ or whatever it is. Yeah. Speaker 2: Okay, so just so you know... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And I'll second that. Speaker 2: This recommendation's about $200 million. That's right. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So just go down to... I just have it as a last item. Councillor Jurisevic: Last item, I would suggest. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Have a seat.
01:19:00 Councillor Jurisevic: A seat, yes. Mayor goes point C. You can't knock me. You second this. Not an amendment. It's just part C. It won't be an amendment. It won't be an amendment. It's just part C. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just C. Just add a C. Add item C. Councillor Jurisevic: While you're doing that, I had one more question for staff with regard to waste. Being a medical facility, it'll be medical waste. How is medical waste dealt with in a medical facility and do we need to make any additional provisions for medical waste in the waste considerations for this project? This development? Are the conditions there associated sufficient to deal with medical waste? Councillor Lorentson: I can answer that because I actually spoke to the applicant. Councillor Jurisevic: I'm asking staff their professional opinion with the conditions that they've put in.
01:20:00 Speaker 2: So at the moment, condition 70 calls for an operational waste management plan. Councillor Jurisevic: And that will incorporate... Speaker 2: To reflect all waste collection. Councillor Jurisevic: So that will suffice. They'll come up with how they'll deal with medical waste in their waste management plan. Thank you. That's all I wanted to clarify. Mayor Stewart: I have a question. Look, this is a large building, 2,170 metres square, close floor area. Is there any opportunity that, A, will this be a medical facility that there'll be beds that the overnight stays? And secondly, irrespective of that, is there the opportunity in this building to have potential accommodation? Or sleeping arrangements for staff? Based on the fact that we all know we're in absolute housing crisis and that can there be rooms allocated? Or is it possible that that could entail some sleeping arrangements or quarters for their staff? Speaker 2: Yeah. So the applicant's applied for a medical centre. Yeah. So it's not hospital.
01:21:00 So where there has been accommodation for overnight stays after a procedure, that would be a hospital under both planning schemes. They haven't applied for that. They haven't made application for staff accommodation. Okay. So just a form part of their application. Okay. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Just work through this motion. Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Once you finish, you could just copy the paragraph. Councillor Jurisevic: No, it's just the word potential accommodation. Any potential loss of campaigners or as a consequence or whatever? Councillor Wilkie: Should that go above the voting record?
01:22:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, it's on a separate motion. Councillor Jurisevic: It's on a separate motion, that's the entire motion, and that's CV added. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So you put it above the for and against. Mayor Stewart: Yeah, I'll just get rid of that first. Yeah, that's it. Councillor Jurisevic: Well, it actually doesn't need to say that item CV added, it just has to add C. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Well, you typed it initially with a title, title styling, which is what your problem is. Mayor Stewart: Okay, so I'm going to get rid of that, put it in my entire segment, I guess. Beautiful. Councillor Jurisevic: And appropriate, not and appropriate.
01:23:00 Advising an appropriate ratio, not and. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Okay, it's right at the top, Alinda. Councillor Wilkie: C goes above the voting. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's all moved, there's one motion, there's no amendment. Councillor Jurisevic: There's nothing, nothing. You've already got that at the top, you already have that at the top. Councillor Finzel: Okay. Councillor Jurisevic: Okay. I'm sorry for the confusion in the way we dealt with it. Councillor Wilkie: There's no motion, can be removed from up there. Yes. Councillor Jurisevic: All that, that's right.
01:24:00 Done. Councillor Wilkie: Lovely. I think we've got it right now. Yeah, you have to pull it. Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah, look, significant development for medical services in the Shire Council. It's been put before us, I'm supportive of it, I see the staff have dealt with all of the challenges towards the planning scheme, and in fact, the current planning scheme actually allows a greater scope than was in the previous planning scheme, so I see no reason to argue on that. I think the addition of some motorcycle and motor scooter parking is appropriate, I believe that the waste issues will be dealt with in the waste management plan with regard to any medical waste that may come forward. And I see this as a great benefit for the community as a facility for medical services going into the future. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, just on car parking, driveways and access and killing of vehicles, I may have missed it, but I can't see anywhere where it's mentioned for like a drop down to bring a patient in that's not necessarily coming in an ambulance.
01:25:00 You know, they've been dropped in by a vehicle, they're not wanting to park the car, and sometimes, you know, they may need to get a wheelchair or move them in and out. Where's the provision on the site to allow for that? Councillor Jurisevic: Would that be the SRV loading base? Speaker 3: I'm sorry, having a bit of a close look at the plans, I haven't considered that. There's certainly a person with difficulty space. There's two of those at the entrance. There is quite a bit of car parking at the ground level that's available near the entrance. Councillor Finzel: I'm talking about, just a close look. Councillor Jurisevic: No drop off bay, no drop off bay. Councillor Finzel: For not necessarily a commercial vehicle, I might be on my way to work, I've got a drop mum off who's in a wheelchair, to the doctors, I'm not necessarily wanting to park a car.
01:26:00 Councillor Jurisevic: A loading sink, it's a loading sink. Speaker 3: I would have thought there's sufficient car parking at the front already. I mean, I also would have thought that if I was dropping someone off that was in a wheelchair, they would be able to use the disabled spaces that are actually located at the front of the site, as well, to drop that person off, so. Speaker 2: Perhaps just have a look at page 15, figure 6. It shows you the parking space. Councillor Finzel: I'm not necessarily talking about parking the car. I'm talking about, like, you can drive in and drop the person off, and then I want to keep going. I don't necessarily want to park the vehicle, nor does the patient. I'm just asking, is there provision for that? I didn't see it. Speaker 2: No. Well, I think the answer's no.
01:27:00 There is no drop off, but I would suggest that the parking that's provided at the front of the building, there's no drop off. It's a reasonable option for patrons to the development. Speaker 3: And I'd suggest if you're dropping someone off in a wheelchair, you're not pulling over the side of the road, you're going to park and help them get out of the car. You might pull up in front of it. In one of the allocated spaces, yeah. Councillor Finzel: And given you're talking about the queuing, I've seen the queuing of vehicles with the gate and things like that, just for expediency, is there somewhere where if I go there, I can just call in and drop the patient off, whether they've got mobility or not, and I can just keep going without causing... Like at the airport. Mayor Stewart: Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: Without having to park. Mayor Stewart: Could it be that one of those car parks are already there, and it's a drop off, there's a sign that says drop off zone, to already establish one or two car parks? Because it's not just drop off, it's actually pick up as well. You're standing there with your x-rays, someone's swinging by, and someone's jumping in a taxi, jumping in an Uber.
01:28:00 So potentially one of those car parks, if you're saying there's sufficient car parks, they could have a sign that says, instead of say a handicap sign, it says drop off pick up zone, five minutes or two minutes. Yeah, something like that. Yeah. Speaker 3: Well, if we're providing an amended condition... Speaker 2: I'm just not seeing the need as to why we should be providing a drop off, or assisting the developer to provide a drop off centre. I think it's got sufficient parking, it's very conveniently located at the front entrance, there's disabled parking, there's an ambulance bay, I'm just not sure, seeing the need for a drop off. Councillor Wilkie: It's only like a five minute. Yeah. It only needs to be just like two minutes. It's fine. Just what you're asking. Councillor Jurisevic: You're talking about something like at the front of the Noosa Hospital currently, where you can drive in under the alcove, drop people off, and then just drive off. Speaker 2: Yeah. This is not a hospital. You're going there for a medical appointment. So I'm just not sure there's a need for the, given the nature of the use. I mean... Mayor Stewart: So St Vincent's Clinic in Sydney, which is not the hospital, the hospital's next door,
01:29:00 it is full of just specialists, hundreds of specialists. It has a circular thing where cabs pull up, have people get out, and off they go. I don't know if it's dedicated, but I do know that it's frequented all the time, with people being dropped off and picked up. Speaker 2: Yeah. I can see for uses, you know, if the use doesn't have sufficient car parking on site for staff and patrons, you might have a drop off area for cabs or people's loved ones dropping them off for the appointment, because they just can't find a car park. But there's actually sufficient car parking proposed for this development. Councillor Jurisevic: And you've got two basement levels that you could drive into with a lift down there, and you could drop them off... That's right. ...within proximity of a lift. Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, my experience with the ones in Brisbane is, there is just no car parking available. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm sure the applicant will be listening, and they'll let us know if they agree. Think about how they can incorporate that. Speaker 2: You know, we can ask the applicant if, you know, if they wish to do that, if they intend
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01:30:00 to sign some of the parking, five minute parking only. But I'm just not sure... Or drop off by hand or something. Or load their drop off sign. ...if we need to assist on it. Councillor Wilkie: Could you ask them for an hour or two? Yeah. Mayor Stewart: I think it's a good question. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. Mayor Stewart: It might help. Councillor Jurisevic: The necessity when you've got a wheelchair or people on crutches or something like that that might be going for medical services is that trying to get out of a car in a car park means you really need to be dropped off so you can get out in comfort and a bit more space than a normal car parking space. Having been on crutches several times, I can attest to the difficulty in getting out of a car park. And the difficulty in the distance. Or a wheelchair. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I think the design is really quite a responsive design to sort of look and feel that we would
01:31:00 like to establish on this site so I think that's that's good on you know I suppose the effort we went to down behind the shopping complex there and getting you know collaborating with it with our advisor we call him specialist architect advisor and theirs to come up has paid rewards and that this does sort of appeal even though it's a large building you feel that sort of a subtropical type feel lots of overhang and and the slats which I can't remember what they're called battening that's it that's good is it was interesting to see the areas of non-compliance and most of them then complied with the 2020 scheme because I particularly was looking in terms of the the bicycle I put here that does the entire the end of trips facilities will get conditioned which
01:32:00 is good interestingly I read the other day that it's now a big thing with the CBD buildings to create really nice into trip facilities it's trying to get people to come back to work in the central business districts and to do that that you get your you know you arrive at work and you have a not just like our little thing down the bottom there as the dingy little chair you have a really nice facility where you can park your bike and or you know how to store your e-mobility there'll be in the life of this there'll probably be lots of staff using e-mobility of some form so yeah I think it sets a good standard in terms of design for other developments in those signature Mayor Stewart: three areas thank you yes thank you I wholly support staff recommendation this is significant conditions around the approval the form and appearance provided for as councilor Stockwell said it is a very nice looking building there's retention of existing vegetation with certain trees protected it required offset planning undertaken environmental measures are controlled
01:33:00 such as prohibition of releasing contaminated waters erosion and sediment control measures implemented there's car parking we've talked about the potential for some concerns and hopefully Kerry will bring those more information to us on Thursday water quality by stormwater quality treatment devices the height is consistent with the intended development pattern for the site and Patrick as you said the non-compliance of this will go to the front setback variations are very minor in nature so I'm happy to support this thank you Councillor Jurisevic: councillor only to add that um I'm pleased to see development finally coming in with some basement car parking within the Noosa region that puts the focus on the building and not on the vehicles Councillor Wilkie: that's a call I'll put the motion hasn't paid that's unanimous
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01:45:00 Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Okay, welcome back, we're now at item 2, budget review 1, VR1 for the 2022-23 financial year, and we have the acting financial services manager, Pauline Coles, and the acting director for services to Trent Larkin here with us.
01:46:00 Pauline, can Trent introduce us with an overview, please? What are we doing? Well first off the purpose of the budget review. This is the annual budget and what we're doing this year. Speaker 4: Sounds good and for those listening online this is the first budget review of the 22-23 financial year. The Local Government Act does provide for us to adopt revised or amended budgets during the financial year and this is the first of those budget reviews. Now whilst at face value it seems very early to be only six weeks into the financial year in reviewing budget. I know probably most of the officers and elected members are looking for a break after what is a long investment process to get our adopted budget. This is the standard process for us to come to you in August each year with the first budget review and it's pretty well standard across the entire sector.
01:47:00 The idea here is to capture what we call capital gains. Which are those projects or initiatives that were underway last financial year that are progressing and carrying over into this financial year. So what you'll find is the guidelines that we operate under for the budget review generally minimise the provision for new emergent matters at this stage. We try to focus on that part way through the year at what we call BR2 or Budget Review 2. But there are some exceptions and you'll see some of those in the report. So that's a background on the process. Now in terms of the submissions you see in front of you here. We go through a process where we initially ensure that the funds have been allocated or committed. That we have sufficient funds to provide for these carryovers. So we look at do we have enough cash?
01:48:00 Is our surplus from last financial year sufficient? Have we received the grants? To ensure that we don't negatively impact Council's bottom line position so early in the financial year with those carryovers. And it's one of our critical checks as part of the budget review process. And the summary of that evaluation is included in the report. Now there are three elements to the budget review. There are operating initiatives, capital projects and some fees and charges amendments. So in terms of the operating initiatives there are 865,000 of operating initiatives. Carrying over between financial years. They're contained in Attachment 1. It does reduce operating surplus from 147,000 in surplus. Down to a $718,000 deficit. Now whilst it's a deficit, main thing to consider is that it's a timing issue. So in most cases, if you look at the grants for example. There are $700,000 of grant related carriers.
01:49:00 So we've received the money last year and we're expending the rest of it this financial year. So it's purely an accounting issue in terms of when we are recognising the money in versus the money out. So it doesn't impact Council's financial sustainability. Councillor Jurisevic: So the corresponding side of that is whilst it impacts on this year's budget. It also impacts on last year's budget with the corresponding change. So where we may have been in deficit last year, it may impact our surplus. Correct. Speaker 4: So we either have two instances. We've got the money in the bank early last year and it's inflated our surplus. And then we spend it this year. Or vice versa. But what we find with most of our operating grants is the money comes in advance. They pay us up front and then we just need to spend it and acquit it. And that's particularly the case for any kind of disaster, community service, arts and culture type grants. Councillor Jurisevic: So this isn't necessarily any additional expenditure. It's really an accounting balance of the books from which year the money is being spent.
01:50:00 Correct, Councillor. Thank you. Speaker 4: Now in terms of capital projects, which is the big one, Councillors. We have what is our largest carryover of capital projects to date compared to previous financial years. We've got $15 million of carryovers. What we have is $11 million of projects that are underway carrying over multiple financial years. An example would be Beckmans Road or Noosa Parade. One of these large projects that are underway. The contracts are committed. The work is happening. We're just expanding that over two years. And we do during the year spread the budget over two years. But simply all it can take is a week delay due to wet weather, disaster, or timing of invoicing of payment for a couple of million dollars to sway between financial years. There's also $4 million of emergent work. All variations to projects. So these are either one of two things.
01:51:00 These are grant-funded works that we're bringing in. We have a three-year program called the SEQ CSP program. The money is provided. There's $4 million. And we're bringing those in as and when we start the work. We've been successful in a few other smaller grants for Black Summer bushfire resilience. So the good news is of that $4 million, there's approximately about three-quarters of a million dollars that requires council cash funding, which is quite small. And as you'll note in the report, we do have a sufficient surplus from last financial year that is backed into reserves. So the total cash balance isn't going to get negatively impacted from those this time around. Councillor Finzel: Is that 20%? Speaker 4: Yes. Note that it does not include any disaster recovery works yet. We're still going through the planning and tendering process and submission process with Queensland Reconstruction Authority. You will see that come through on BR2. What it does bring us to is it increases our capital program from an already ambitious $42 million
01:52:00 to a very ambitious and robust $57 million, councillors. Last but not least in the report, you will also see some minor amendments to fees and charges. We adopt our fees and charges annually. They are part of the budget adoption in June. There's just some minor amendments. New fees were amended where the changes were not included and should have been included through the process of the budget. So that's the brief summary of Budget Review 1, councillors. Any questions? Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. My first question was explaining the change from surplus to deficit. Because I know that's a question that when you ran through, we all wanted to know. So I think that explanation is great. So thank you for that. The other one was talking about carryovers. Now, increased costs. We have 19 variations for some of our projects. Could you talk through some of the increased costs associated and why we've incurred those
01:53:00 costs, like in the other business? Speaker 4: Sure. As I've mentioned, some of those are related to bringing in projects that we've identified under the SCQ CSP, South East Queensland Community Stimulus Package. I think I got that right. Yes. It's a massive package. It's a mouthful. Where we had identified to do those works in 2023, 2024. We're ready to start the work now. So we're bringing that back in. There's been a couple of variations for the tender price on the project was higher. There hasn't been too many of those. I think there's at least a, scrolling through the list, and I can take it on notice, one of the bridges. It's probably one of the main ones. Speaker 6: And... The others tend to be emergent works that have come out of the rain events, like Sabroan, Boring Point, and some shed works, those sorts of things. So... And there's some additional blackfire, black summer bushfire grants.
01:54:00 Speaker 4: So with the Sabroan one, and Ross Crescent, obviously coming out of the February 22 disaster event, we needed to do some additional remediation works as part of the damages there. So that was probably the key one. That had an impact to everyone. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: And just the short stay letting and home hosting local law, can you talk us through that one on page 39, please? Speaker 4: Sure, councillors. So there is a fee proposed for short stay. It is not an application fee. I changed the application fee. And it is not to clarify any change or late revision to bring in a renewal fee, as we committed to as part of the... As part of the budget process, the renewal fees were abated or deferred pending the 12-month review of the short stay and home hosted local law. What this is, is this is a fee similar to the way that you pay a fee for change of ownership.
01:55:00 When we have a change of ownership or a transfer or a change to a short stay approval, there is an amount of process to go through to... To revise and reassess contacts, level of home hosting, et cetera, et cetera. This fee only applies to those instances where there has been the change to reflect the administrative cost in doing so. Mayor Stewart: Okay. Speaker 1: Thank you. Speaker 4: And the likelihood or the frequency of rate payers having to pay that fee will only depend on whether there's been a change of ownership or a change. So this is... Sales property. That's right. So there may not be many of those, councillor. Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. I have a question. $57 million capital works, you call it ambitious. So do I. And my question pertains to our ambitious program.
01:56:00 Should we be adjusting the workload so as not to risk employee burnout? And are we giving our managers and their teams the necessary resources? Sure, councillor. Speaker 1: I can... We have Larry here. Speaker 4: Before Larry starts, I just wanted to put some context behind it. And Larry can talk about the resource and constraints. And it does impact more than just our project officers. But recalling back to the budget adoption and the same as with BR1 is the vast majority of our capital works program, and I'd have to confirm the amount, but it would be over $50 million of that capital program, is work that is committed and already underway or is grant funded. So the challenge with... If you like being a... One of the challenges of being very successful in our grant applications and also obviously with funding for disaster recovery is we are committed to undertake those works once we've
01:57:00 committed to undertake the grant program. So there is limited discretion in terms of a lot of the projects because we are under a grant committed commission... Speaker 1: So that essentially answers the question. It's... We're committed to it. So what we have to do then is look at efficient ways to provide that resource to deliver it. And as we say, it is ambitious, but there is a lot that's carried forward. So there's a lot of projects already in play that have got resource and contracts already allocated. So, you know, whilst we keep saying that, that is a fair chunk of it. We've got a lot of work to do. But it is no doubt that it's a very ambitious undertaking and we just have to work with it. The environment out there is really, really tough in terms of getting contractors and getting people to do the work. But we're not on our own there.
01:58:00 So we just have to do the best we can, get the right people in place and deliver it as best we can. And in some cases, we really have to make things go over the period, over a longer period. Then we work with our partners. We work with our funding bodies to help us through that. But again, we're not on our own. So the funding bodies support that. Councillor Jurisevic: The other element of that though is also that some of those projects are fairly large and substantial projects in their own right, such as Beckmans Road, for example, which is the better part of $10 million. Whilst a substantial amount has been completed, there's still elements of that to be either accounted for or completed in this financial year that are part of that larger project. And that will take a large chunk of that capital work budget off once that project is complete. Speaker 4: Yes. And to add to that, Councillor, we're looking at the end of July. We have $24 million in contracts currently underway with that $57 million of program, which is significant.
01:59:00 It means that we're not starting the process from scratch. That's where the contractors are on site. They're doing the work and the invoices are flowing through. And the project managers are managing it. So that's only half of the program. Councillor Jurisevic: It also means a substantial economic benefit to the local region for those people that are involved in those projects. Speaker 1: That's right. Yes. We want to keep the money flowing. That's the other side of the coin. That's it. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Does someone like to move the recommendation? Mayor Stewart, Councillor Finzel. Mayor Stewart? Mayor Stewart: No. Look, I think this is – thank you, Trent, for all your hard work. There is so much in this. But look, I think that what I took from it, and you said it, Trent, is there's no long-term cash flow implications for council. And any deficit is reflective of timing of spend revenue and expenditure between financial years. So that is the big takeaway for me on this. We have a lot of projects on the go. As you said, we've already committed to it. But look, I think if anyone can achieve it, our team can, and Larry can, and I feel
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02:00:00 confidence in all of them. So I want to thank all of you for your hard work, and Larry too. Thank you. Okay. Councillor Jurisevic: Anyone else wish to speak to it? Yeah, I understand the point that was raised earlier. I mean, it isn't a significant impost on the budget. It's really a financial accounting measurement in balancing the books from one year to the next. And that's what the BR1 process is reflective of, projects that have still got some work to go, that carry over for two years, and the like. So thank you for all of it, and thank you for bringing the current state of affairs to our attention. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. All right. Before Clare closes, anyone else wish to speak? Okay. Put the motion over in favour? Carried unanimously. We'll move on to the next item. The next item is the financial performance report.
02:01:00 And Pauline, or Trang? Pauline, do you want to give us an overview? Yeah. Speaker 6: So the financial performance for the month of July is about operating is half a million dollars above budget. So what did you say? Councillor Wilkie: Operating? Speaker 6: Surplus. So operating result is half a million dollars above budget for the date. So July aligns quite closely to budget at this early stage of the financial year. And so does capital revenue and expenditure. So operating expenditure is 198,000 underspent, with 108 of this relating to employee costs, and 131,000 relating to materials and services. Over the coming months, we'll work closely with the different business areas to make sure that the profiling of our budget reflects what we expect to happen, so that as we go through the year, we'll have a better and more accurate reflection of what's going on. But at this stage, it is on track. I'd also like just to bring to your attention, in terms of the cash holdings for Council, we have 96 million dollars in cash holdings at the present time. With the Reserve Bank lifting interest rates, we have moved to invest 30 million dollars
02:02:00 in term deposits, and have been able to achieve a return over 4% at this stage. That ensures that we maximise returns on the cash holdings to our rate pays. And we will continue to look at those and look for opportunities to invest some funds so that we can maximise those returns. I'd also like to note that the budget review one that you just considered has not been reflected in these numbers, but will be reflected in the August reports as well. Thank you. Speaker 4: Okay, so you'll see there's a, the trends are on page 64. We have a 12 month trend, which shows the cash balances, where the cash is held. And then as you also mentioned, Speaker 6: Page 96 is where the cash is held. It will be the 95, 779. 95, yeah. So 96.
02:03:00 Councillor Wilkie: That's what we're at now. Speaker 6: Yeah, correct. Speaker 4: Yeah. Now it's important to consider, Councillors, that that is, whilst at face value, there's a high cash holding, and if you compare it to prior years, it is higher. We have received a lot of funding in advance coming through June. We received what is four years worth of subsidies related to the State's waste levy in advance, which is cash that is not free cash. We hold that and we let flows through the books over the next four years. Councillor Wilkie: How many years has that been? Speaker 4: 12 million. 12 million. Yeah. We received the financial assistance grant, 75% in advance in June, which again is a few million dollars there, a few million dollars that we could normally receive during the financial year that's been received up front. And that's made us substantial. And then you add to that that we have 15 million dollars of carryover for capital works that would have otherwise occurred last year. Yes. It means that that's unspent cash that we would have, we had allowed to spend that's
02:04:00 sitting there. There's 15 million dollars still available for those works. Councillor Wilkie: So would it be fair to say that even though the cash holdings at this stage of the year are probably at record levels for this stage of the year, most of that money is going on projects that could be spent out in the community? Speaker 3: Correct. Councillor Wilkie: Correct. It's not just cash for its own sake. Correct. It represents work that's been committed to and that you've delivered out in the community. Speaker 4: Correct. Correct, Councillor. And that forms part of Budget Review 1, which we just deliberated on, where you'll see in there in the attachments, we do our long-term financial planning. We do our 10-year plan, so we ensure that our cash balances remain stable, sufficient and efficient over the 10-year period, so we're not accumulating unnecessary cash or degrading cash so that future generations are impacted. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Just to follow on Mr Chair's comments, so on page 65, our target is growth in three months. Our results are 11.8 months of cash at hand, and that goes to the ends that you just provided
02:05:00 that we do have some expenses coming out. Correct. Just on the $96 million that we have, sorry, the $30 million we have that we've requested, we had an interest, just for the people at home, we had a 1% interest rate, is that right? Speaker 4: Yes, we factored at the time of the Budget, before obviously the recent change of Government and the change in policy with Reserve Bank. We had thought that at the time, four or five months ago, that that 1% on a term deposit was ambitious and best practice that we could achieve as a stretch target this year. Obviously the economy has changed significantly in the last few months, and we're seeing that we'll generate what is likely quite sufficient upside in our interest revenue this year. What you'll see is when we come back in November and December with Budget Review 2, BR2, one of the key revenue upsides that we'll be looking at facing during the year will be with that additional revenue coming through from interest.
02:06:00 Mayor Stewart: And just so, and we're now at 4%, we were at 1%, 1% of 30 million is $300,000, so an additional 3% will hit a $900,000 win for our community and our bottom line. Correct, correct. Speaker 4: So that's the two-edged sword, I guess, if you like. The lack of a better term when we start talking about interest rates is it has a challenge in terms of cost of living, and it has a challenge in terms of our debt rates when we borrow next year. But what it does mean is obviously for the cash that we are holding, we will get better return, and that will help us both this year and next financial year when we get to the budget in that we'll have more interest revenue back to what we saw in earlier de-amalgamation years in terms of better interest revenue to balance out our total cash funding. Mayor Stewart: Just two more questions, Jeff, thank you. Page 66, I think it comes back to what we've just talked about, our net financial liabilities ratio. Our target is less than 60% and we're at negative 148.
02:07:00 That represents what we've just been talking about. Councillor Finzel: Yep. Mayor Stewart: And then our rate arrears, it's interesting to note that they're in line with performance of previous years in regard to... It's just the cycles of the ratings. Yeah. Speaker 4: What we will do in the future improvement with EMAP to bring forward with the report is to try to break up that cash cover for you between what is free cash and restricted cash, because obviously we talk about how much cash cover we have as a sustainability indicator. If a lot of that cash is held as restricted, like the $12 million in advance for the state waste levy subsidy, then it is overstating what is our liquidity that we should be targeting because... Thank you. I was going to hit you. Thank you. Thank you. I think what we will see in future reports is what is our real liquidity after that cash held for purposes put aside. Thank you. Thanks. Councillor Wegener: Could you give us a little overview of the state waste subsidy and the $12 million?
02:08:00 And should we be spending, if that's for four years, should we be budgeting $3 million per year for that money? Speaker 4: Sure. Pauline will correct me if I get this wrong. So the waste levy is a levy that is applied at a set rate per tonne of collection and disposal of waste going to landfill. At present, for those of you that go over the landfill and go over the gate at the tip, commercial waste is charged a waste levy. Domestic is not. It is subsidised. And so this is one of those cash in, cash out exercises where if you'd like to take charges for domestic waste and then they reimburse us through a levy. Over the next four years, that subsidy on domestic waste going to landfill will decline as they
02:09:00 embark on a process over the next five years that all waste going to landfill will be charged a waste levy. So what they've done is the state have paid us in advance what is the next four years of that subsidy for domestic waste. So we will over the next four years, as you say Tom, $3 million will come through progressively. So by the end of the year that reserve balance will be $9 million, $6 million, $3 million accordingly as we pay that back essentially to state. And that's all based on the volumes that we have estimated now on how much waste is going to landfill. Councillor Wegener: So if we reduce, we're able to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, can we shave off a bit of that $12 million for ourselves or is that set? Speaker 6: It will still unwind annually at the same rate because of the way it's being paid but the funds can be sort of moved towards I suppose projects that might reduce the landfill or like the waste that's going into the landfill because then we pay less our waste subsidy. So that would be an opportunity for Kyrone to come up with some ideas around what they
02:10:00 could use those funds for. But we also need to be mindful that we would need those I suppose targets to be realised in order to do that. That's right. Councillor Jurisevic: The indicator there is the fact that they've paid it four years in advance is that from four years from now we won't be getting that money again. Correct. And that what we should be doing with that $12 million over the next four years is trying to find ways and means of reducing residential waste to landfill so that the impact isn't suddenly an impost on the community in four years' time. You're suddenly paying $145 to God knows what per tonne to go into a landfill space. So the more we divert and find alternate means of dealing with waste coming into landfill, the less likelihood there will be an impost or an impact on residential roads. As far as waste charges go in the future. Speaker 4: Correct. Councillor, it's a very small but clear message from State that the responsibility is now
02:11:00 on local government to work in this space over the next four years. Councillor Jurisevic: And it's an issue of when we get to the operational plan progress report, Mr CEO, what we're bringing up about the waste strategy going forward. Speaker 6: Can I just flag with the $12 million? The $12 million is not there to fund the capital projects that waste. The savings that we do can go towards those projects. So we still have to pay the waste levy bill, which is what those funds are for. Councillor Jurisevic: Only if that waste is going, only if that is going into landfill. If we can reduce the amount going into landfill, it becomes a potential windfall for us. So the sooner we move and act on that, the better off the community is and that what is left over could be used for those opportunities. Councillor Wilkie: Just to clarify, that money goes back to the State? Yes. Speaker 4: I think the important message here, Council, is that in four years to five years' time,
02:12:00 in the fifth budget, we will be facing a situation where across the entire State, our domestic waste generators across the entire State will be paying a waste levy. So the more we can do to minimise waste generation... No. ...in our domestic ratepayers, the better, the lower the cost will be for them. Councillor Wilkie: As you clarify again, this money is to compensate us for the domestic waste down the line. Correct. Correct. But as Joe indicated, four years down the track, it's not going to be there. No. Councillor Jurisevic: Domestic waste will be contributing to anything that goes into the landfill. Correct. And so you... More than likely. More than likely. This will be the last of the money being provided. Councillor Finzel: So given that, can we share a question then to the CEO? We don't want to get caught basically with our hands down at the end of four years.
02:13:00 What have we got in the line, or do we need workshops through Council? I don't want to get to the table and then we go at a crisis point. Let's be proactive in the space, especially given our response required back to the State. What have we got in the pipeline that can give us a good timeline as we work towards that with outcomes? And what's that looking like? Speaker 5: Yeah. Through the Chair, Councillor Finzel, and as Councillor Jurisevic alluded to, the waste strategy is going to be one of the most important guiding documents that we have. We'll have that dovetailed into our corporate plan. So that work's being done. But ultimately, that waste strategy is taking all of these issues into account while it is not exactly assured that the State Government sent the signal by the forward payment of those levy funds. It is one, though, where it is a very clear signal to local government that are subject
02:14:00 to the levy that there will be an end point. That money will be paid. It's off the State books now. And it is very much for not just our Council, but then where we can start to partner with other local governments to be able to achieve a better outcome. Compliance is also increasingly important around our landfills as well, too. So we're working very closely with the EPA around that and, you know, very much being an open book here at Noosa Council as to how we can continue to improve our landfill and the outcomes that we're achieving. Waste is complex, though. You know, it's part of the three R's for local government. But it is a really complex part of what we do. You know, how can we ensure that we maximise the life of our landfill? Finding suitable landfill areas for the future are going to be more and more difficult. So we need to ensure we reduce as much as we possibly can. We then start to look at what waste and energy can achieve for us. There's a whole range of factors that we can turn what is a really complex problem into
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02:15:00 potentially a very, very good outcome. And our Council is of the same size and scale to be able to do that. We need to be agile in this space and to test new opportunities that come. What is our Achilles heel around this is that agility in size and scale is a problem in that we don't have enough waste to deliver commerciality in some respects. And that's where we would look to partner with other parts of local government. The LGAQ do a fantastic job on this. Our city deal, there's $105 million that's been put in the city deal purely to be able to look at South East Queensland waste as well. When we look at the size and scope of SEQ though, 105 sounds like a lot. It's literally just a drop in the bucket. It really is a big beast that we will need to work through. But our waste strategy is very much the cornerstone or the foundation stone to be able to build
02:16:00 our way forward. But this is a clear signal from the state. We've picked it up and one that will be drawn down on over time. But yeah, we don't want to get to four years down the track. And we've still got the same amount of waste that we're moving through. But we're very advanced. Our yellow top bins, our green top bins, they are all the signals to the community. It's now how we start to really get the ball rolling. And Noosa is very engaged in wanting to be able to have a clean and pristine environment. Our community wants that. It's for us to do the policy settings as a council. That helps achieve that as well. Always a little bit of pain in policy, but we'll get there. Councillor Jurisevic: The elephant in the room on that, of course, is that we continue to generate more and more waste year in, year out. And we've got to get back to a waste minimisation. And get the community to understand, the commercial operators to understand this type to minimise waste and look at ways of reducing the amount of waste, particularly in the community. Councillor Lorentson: In terms of our waste strategy, we've commenced work on that.
02:17:00 And we've all partaked in the workshops. Where were we up to with our waste strategy? Speaker 5: To the Chair, I understand that the consultancy that's been engaged is to come back to council. There's been the initial brief of the scope that's been provided. There was more information. There may have been a workshop that I might have missed. I may have been . No, no. We've . Councillor Jurisevic: We actually had one postponed because the person we were going to consult with wasn't available. Speaker 5: But it is moving. This is, and looking at waste as well. So, it depends on how we want to be able to umbrella the waste strategy. So, the most previous waste strategy I worked on also encompassed the Green Union and the climate change strategy. And they're also working together. So, we've got a great opportunity here in Wiltshire. There's so much work going on. There's so much work to be done there. We have our play school work. We know what our community wants and what our community expects. It's really getting that moving.
02:18:00 So, it's still, we've just passed scope and into those steps of formative change. But it's got to move more quickly is where we're at at the moment. Councillor Jurisevic: Great. I suggest we start to talk about our operational plan progress report at the moment. Councillor Wilkie: That's right. Councillor Lorentson: I have a question to Trinta or Pauline. In terms of rates, have we received any complaints from households that have incurred more than a 5% or more than a CPI increase? Speaker 4: I'd have to take on notice how many complaints we've received and the nature of those. Obviously each rating cycle you do receive an update from myself and the rating manager will come
02:19:00 back through with an update. There's obviously been a range of different queries coming through but we'll be able to give you a more definitive list as to how many of those are but there have been some come through counselling. Councillor Jurisevic: Can we also get an update on how many requests for hardship assistance have been received and whether it differs from previous? Speaker 4: Sure, we'll make a note, I'm quite sure. Councillor Jurisevic: Because we've had discussions with Blackmount residents and the like and it would be interesting to see if that is filtering through with the knowledge and understanding that if they are suffering financial hardship that there are ways and means of addressing that by approaching council and looking at payment schemes. Speaker 4: Sure, it's probably worth noting that Friday is the end of discount day for our discount for our rates and obviously we're just putting out a little bit of information about what's happening. We've had some reminder media today that is due but also to note more importantly about the hardship policy that it is available for any rate payers that are struggling and
02:20:00 what mechanisms we can put in place to support them and beyond that obviously just targeting some of the other rate payers in areas that have been impacted from recent disaster events as well. Councillor Wilkie: And of course Stockwell's application going. Speaker 4: Which Stockwell? Councillor Wilkie: I'll just check. Speaker 4: I'll just check. I'll just check. Councillor Wilkie: And the other element of that. Councillor Lorentson: Trance, just following on from that question. Sure. Will we as a council have an opportunity to investigate or review current rating, whether our differential rating structure has delivered what we considered as a council very equitable sort of outcomes and whether alternate rating systems and models are going to be able to be explored. So my question is, will we have that opportunity as a council to discuss?
02:21:00 Speaker 4: Through the Chair, yes, definitely, Councillors. We do a review each year depending on the size and the scale or the type of queries or investigations you would like us to do through the budget process will determine how detailed that investigation is. It goes without saying that obviously the focus of us engaging and reviewing the budget rating charges this year was in regards to the significant impact of valuations. So we had an independent consultant come in. A lot of the work was around how we mitigate it, not just phase across the impacts of the valuation increases. Now, bearing in mind that there's a lot of work going on and lots of discussion across the state about how we best manage an environment where we've got large fluctuations in valuation. One of the challenges that we've had over the last couple of years is that there's been some challenges for us coming through the next valuation, whether that's this coming financial year or the next, and the Department of Resources will let us know, will be that the valuation
02:22:00 that we applied last year was actually based on, I do believe, approximately October 2021 valuations. So whilst obviously we've seen a market change in the market over the last few months, we definitely weren't at the peak of the cycle with what the market had moved in valuation. So it'll be interesting to see what happens. We'll see what comes out of that. But in particular, in terms of rating structures, the differential categories in terms of valuation thresholds, land use types, et cetera, that'll come through as part of our budget process for next financial year. Councillor Jurisevic: The other thing for ratepayers to remember if they think their valuations have been excessive, they have the means of applying to the state to get that, a review of their land valuation if they don't think it's a fair assessment, particularly those that have been impacted by floods or disasters. Speaker 4: That's a really good point to mention, councillor, yes. So that is the work of state partner resources.
02:23:00 The council's website does have information on that, and we can help direct any ratepayer to how they lodge that query with the partner resources to get the valuation reviewed. Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Just for information, a very interesting article was sent to me by a resident in terms of what's happening down in Victoria. And it's a very interesting article. And the council's down there have been lobbying the state to review rating fluctuations, because there's a lot of inequities, is what we're experiencing down south. But what I liked about what they're doing down there is that their argument is a property that's worth $1 million, say in an affluent city in Brisbane, for example, a $1 million property down there pays rates often less than regional councils.
02:24:00 So regional Victoria, backed by, I think, the Farmers Association, sorry, the Victorian Farmers Federation, are all lobbying state for a state average. So it's... So equal homes average. And the question is, does the information across the whole of state play the same rate in the dollar for their rates? And there's some logic and equity and fairness in that system, so I hope as part of our discussion when we review alternative rating structures or we consider or have a look outside of Queensland and see how other states are sort of broaching this idea of rate reform. Councillor Jurisevic: That might work in a state the size of Victoria, but a state the size of Western Australia or Queensland or even New South Wales, there's some challenges to that side of thinking.
02:25:00 But New South Wales have also set limits to the amount that councils can set the rates at. Councillor Lorentson: And Brisbane City Council are capping rates at 7.5%. So there's lots happening outside of Noosa that I think is worthy of a discussion because, you know, as a council, we have to advocate fairness for all the rate payers. And I think there has been a little bit of inequity with our rates this term. So I, for one, would love to have that discussion. Councillor Wilkie: And the good thing about the rating review that we did prior to instigating the rates using the consultant was there was a consideration of how we could reduce the rates, which I found very useful and helped give a sense of the state that we're in. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: That's right. Councillor Wilkie: Brian. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll have to talk. There's terms of equity, fairness and equality. The concept of equal rates for across the state would suggest councils like ours would have to drastically reduce the services we provide.
02:26:00 That's not equity. Equity is about getting a position where the community is a position where you can provide the required services that benefit the public in a way that doesn't overly burden those who are least able to afford it and does have a progressive taxation system based on land value, which is one of the most equitable forms of taxation ever invented. And I'd be very loathed to suggest we'd be going down something that was trying to get equality. Which would, as I said in this Shire, result in significant reduction in service delivery. Councillor Wilkie: Okay. So everyone except for Tom, Clare and Karen have spoken to this motion. Anyone want to speak to the motion? Jodie, would you close? No.
02:27:00 Councillor Jurisevic: No. Councillor Wilkie: Put the motion out of favour. That's carried unanimously. The next item. Thank you, Paul. Thank you, Trent. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 5: Chair, thank you. And thank you, councillors. This is the first opportunity I've had to present the quarterly performance to the council. This report deals with the last quarter of the last financial year for us. So that's from the April through to June period. We're asking in the recommendation for you to note the program. We're asking you to note the progress of the report. And then also note the status of council key performance indicators or goals that we have that align to our corporate plan in attachment number two. As you'll note, the performance at the end of the fourth quarter was that three projects were not started.
02:28:00 I'll touch on those in a moment. Sixteen were behind schedule. Forty-one on track. And sixteen had been completed. The three that weren't started, two were in relation to the corporate plan of which we worked through a process the other day. And I'm happy to say the invitation to quote documents have been finalised for that. And the Director of Environment and Sustainable Development will be putting those out for me very shortly. And the third is in relation to the land that we're looking at developing as well, too, given the strategic planning team that still had a lot of work that they needed to work through at the end. And the fourth is in relation to the plan scheme. That will come through in the pipeline of work that we're delivering over the next 12 months as well, too. What we deliver to you as far as our operational plan is concerned is, you know, very, very simple themes. We're running through with the projects that are being delivered that align to our budget. As you'll see that they are all very important projects that we're working extremely hard
02:29:00 on as a council. Add the capital program on top of that and you start to see delays in the amount of work and also the reason why we're here on a day-to-day basis to engage with our community. From looking at the report and having this as my first report, and then the first quarter that I can report on overall, is that the team are operating well. That they, like all councils, are doing more with less. And we're working towards making sure that we're doing more with less. That we're making Noosa, and all parts of Noosa Shire, a better place. Would we like to do more? Absolutely. But it does come back to that discussion as to how many funds can we have from our community on a basis that ensures that our community is comfortable with the revenue that they're putting towards the council. Overall, for me, I'm happy to take any questions on any of the specific projects that we have
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02:30:00 on there. Two that aren't started. They're the real red dots for me. On that real... Sorry, the three that aren't started are the red dots for me. There are two that are in their own pipeline. They're on their way to be delivered. And the third one, once we have the plans for independence worked through, then the strategic planning team, and then also our strategic property team, have the ability to start to work on those passes of land and look at what benefit that they can provide to the Shire overall. The next report is a yearly wrap up. So I'll spend more time going through that yearly wrap up for you. But I'm happy to take any questions in relation to the operational plan. Yeah. Go ahead. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Thanks, Scott. It was great. So I think my question mark was three in the question mark. But you've explained that. Yes. I wanted to ask about the behind the schedule. Just the ones that I wanted to ask about were the Noosa Bushland Management Reserves Strategic Management Plan and Fire Management Plan. Yes. Page 78.
02:31:00 Yep. And the continuation implementation of Council's Fire Management Plans and Bushland Reserves on page 80. Both say behind schedule. Yes. I'm just wondering, because we are coming into bushfire season in the next couple of months. Are we looking to have that on track within the next few months? Do you know where we're at with that? Speaker 5: Look, I'll take that on notice. From what I can see and the update that's been provided in there is that while the planning is in place, some elements in delay in purchasing vehicles has slowed this down. Our high priority burns have been slowed as well, Sue. But those burns, there was one that occurred last week. It's been delayed. And it's just purely in that the moisture that's within our ground content and then also with the amount of rain that we've had, burning at the moment is just not going to deliver the outcome that we needed. Also, some of the prescribed burnings are about to occur, either extremely high winds or rains forecast, which is why they had been pulled back.
02:32:00 But from an emergency service perspective, the team are very much ready to go. There's just those elements that need to fall into place. Vehicles are going to be in the chipper for a longer and extended period of time, looking at some particular vehicles six to 12 months later. Mayor Stewart: So I notice in the next one coming in the year in review, the implementation of the Noosa Bushland Research and Treatment Management Plan and Fire Management Plan, we've significantly increased staff training, skilling for fire management for the dedicated fire management officer. And I believe that, as you said, it says council successfully having completed high priority burns over the cooler months. So we certainly have done a lot in that space. That's why I was just asking those questions here. Maybe that makes sense. Thank you, Scott. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Questions from the CEO? Ed Wadey. Sorry, John. Councillor Jurisevic: Yes, CEO. I notice it says develop a new Noosa Waste Strategy is on track for quarter four. Right, Auggie, we are behind schedule. The urgency, we've discussed it from a financial perspective.
02:33:00 We need to be moving towards making changes sooner rather than later. And I'd like to know what the timeframe for completion of that Noosa Waste Strategy is and what staff have in mind, given that we've had some preliminary meetings, but we haven't developed a strategy yet or a draft strategy for consultation with the community. The other, and no need to answer that now, but if you can give us a date of when we're likely to do that. And the other one, the review of the Noosa Local Disaster Management Plan being behind schedule, given the flooding that we've had this year and the concerns of residents, some flood studies that need to be further implemented, some works that need to be further reviewed based on particularly the Pomona flood study that seems to have, seems to not be progressing there. And the concerns of the Boeregg Point community with regard to their, you know, what they're doing with their emergency management, SES and rural fire sheds and facilitation of those
02:34:00 have got to be, got to be part and parcel of that going forward. The concerns and priorities of the community that we need to, need to be addressing in those two areas. Speaker 5: Chair, thank you, Councillor Joe. I've taken notes. I know that there is an update coming in relation to the flood studies to Council. LDMG and Boeregg Point work, I'll liaise with the team in relation to that. Councillor Jurisevic: We have, we have sent an email for the, for an update for the next LDMG meeting, so. Councillor Lorentson: Question. Noosa Heads Main Beach Sink Program, the shoreline erosion. Can you just give us some details on what's happening? It's behind schedule and I've been down there and it's, you know, high priority in, in my opinion. Yeah. Speaker 5: Thanks, Councillor Lorentson. With Director of Infrastructure in the room, I might, I might defer to, to Larry on that
02:35:00 one. That's a nice handball. Mayor Stewart: Yeah. Speaker 5: I can help answer, but Larry will have the most up-to-date information. Speaker 1: Yeah. So, as you know, we've got a, we've got a short window of time. Yes. To actually go in there and do the work and do the dredging work. We've been able to tender the, the dredges that we were able to get, weren't able to do it in that, in that window of time between now and September. So, September was the end. So, what we've done is we've looked to defer it until April next year, because that's when we can hit it right at the start of the, of the window. So, we'll do it in April next year with a bigger dredge or a bigger, bigger way of doing it. So, we're reviewing the way that we actually deliver this. It is a very expensive exercise. Yeah. And it's more expensive than what we've allocated for it. So, we need to just re-engineer it a little bit. So, that's why we've given ourselves a bit more time. And, you know, we're, we're confident that unless we have some, you know, really, really, really bad weather event, we're, the place is, is safe and, and can withhold it until,
02:36:00 until April next year. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Another one while I've got you, Larry. The bridge renewal program says it's behind schedule, but the notes regarding Kin Kin Wa Punga Lane bridge saying as a result contract completion is recourse, recourse, forecast to August. As we know, we were out there the other day. The bridge is officially out there. Is there a bit of a lag in here? Yes. Speaker 1: Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's, it's just the time, timing of doing this report would have been done a week or, a week or so ago. Yeah. That's right. And it wasn't open at that point in time. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. So, the bridge, bridge renewal program is, is pretty well on, on track. Yeah. Is that? Yeah. Mayor Stewart: Thank you all for coming up and they opened up for each of you last week. Speaker 5: As you'll see councillors, the compiling of this report is a manual process. So each of the departments are providing their input. That then goes through governance, then is reviewed by the directors, then myself.
02:37:00 But to then meet the different agenda deadlines, there will be a bit of a lag in between. We are working on, for our corporate plan though, what an electronic system would be for us to be able to manage the reforms for corporate plans, subsequent operational plans, and then the corporate reporting. That will provide much quicker, much richer data and information that we may even dynamically publish to the community as those works are getting done. So real-time performance in this budget is what we'd like to work with. Sorry, Brian and Tom, you have questions? Councillor Wegener: You go first. You know, a couple of weeks ago we had the climate change response meeting and Kiron wasn't in the room. And I feel as though, you know, our waste strategy, our zero-emission strategy, our climate change response strategy, our economic strategy, and even our land care strategy are all so intertwined. And there's a common vision out there that we have.
02:38:00 And I think that hopefully through the corporate plan we'll really crystallize this vision. But for now, we clearly need to get all those people talking with each other and working on this. Because Kiron has all the resources. He's already created anaerobic digestive plants that create electricity. Which, you know, we have our zero emissions going down the track of solar panels and so forth, which is great, but there's also this whole other realm that we're just starting to go down. But so it's inspiring, it's exciting where we're going, but we just need our own people to be talking with each other to try to get this, get the vision happening. And so, like when it says on track, I'm with Joe, like, you know, it's not on track. It's being completely reformulated instead of being on track. We need to adjust the vision of what's going to happen here. Because our zero, our emissions strategy is far from on track.
02:39:00 You know, according to Kiron, you know, according to some people it is on track. According to Kiron and who's in charge of the TIP, which is 62% of our emissions, it's not on track. The Resource Recovery Centre. Thank you, John. Thanks. Speaker 5: Thanks, Councillor Wiegand. I absolutely agree with what you're saying there. And it's the great work that the Municipal Council has done over an extended period of time and having many plans and strategies, frameworks. We've got a lot. What we need to do is to consolidate to get that single approach. Each one of those plans and strategies will generally have one or two staff members attached. And they're working through and delivering those strategies. But what we need is now to be able to see across the organisation that integration occurred. So where we can consolidate without losing what we wanted to achieve to start with within the strategy. That's what we'll do as part of the corporate plan process. Bring that through Councillor.
02:40:00 Because these are resolved plans and strategies of the Council. But where we can consolidate, bring those teams together. Get them working more as a team as opposed to delivering a single focus. That will work very well for us. And you start to see a different style of reporting coming out through the Council. But one where, yeah, we're working from more of a hub focus as opposed to those traditional silos. Then you get a local government. And that happens across all councils. You know. But how can we consolidate our approach? Get better bang for our buck. Better focus. Better vision. That's what we're working towards. Councillor Jurisevic: So that everybody with a common element has the knowledge of what the others are doing in that space at the same time. And working collaboratively and cooperatively towards that, the ultimate goal. Brian. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah. I've got a few questions similar to others that have been asked. But I'm foreshadowing that I might move a different recommendation. That is the CEO review the comments by councils at this meeting and make sure that the report is accurate by Thursday.
02:41:00 Because I think there is a few things there that need to, I might be wrong. And I think it may relate to both timing but also optimism. And I'll go through them. Implement the Council's zero emission strategy. It says it's on track. But we just had a report that said $257,000, a $400,000 budget wasn't spent. That's not on track. That's way behind schedule. And it's like a number of the ones I'm going to raise. I think it was two years ago we agreed we're going to have a step ways process how we're going to get to 2026. And that hasn't come before us. So we're well behind track. And it's not the individual officer that needs to be answering this question. Because when we did our governance review for this particular one, each executive manager had it in their performance that they should be looking at these things. So to me that's one to look at. The next one is probably a timing issue. I think it's a destination management plan. There's comments there that were probably correct at the time of writing.
02:42:00 But we've taken a step back. So have a look at the last comment there about initial tourism research under analysis community survey completed and going live. This is page 86, 3.2. We've taken a step back. I wouldn't, once again, I don't think the destination management plan for a year's worth of budget is on track. So I'd like that to be reviewed. I'm not saying I'm right. I also think continue to implement priority activities in this transport strategy. And I think this raises one. It may be when the staff are looking at it, they're looking at it as being on track for the particular task they thought they were to do this year. Councillor Wilkie: Just a point of order. I'm thinking we're getting into the realm where we're... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Not asking questions. Okay, I'll move the motion I foreshadow. And you can speak freely to these issues now. Yeah, sure. Yeah, I agree.
02:43:00 Moves Council Stockwell. I'll move that the Council... Councillor Jurisevic: I'll wait to see which point he moves. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm going to move that the Council note the report by the Chief Executive is offered to the General Committee meeting, the meeting date of 22, regarding the 2021 operational plan. Councillor Jurisevic: Note the progress report. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Note the progress, A. And then instead of that, B, and request that the matters raised at General Committee be reviewed for further discussion at the ordinary... Yeah. I don't necessarily need a report. I just want... If staff think that that's still accurate, I just want to make sure it's... They are accurate. Ordinary meeting. Councillor Wilkie: So I have a question for you, Brian. Are you suggesting that the request at the matters raised at the General Committee be updated in the report for further discussion?
02:44:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Well, I'm just saying at this moment... Well, I'm just saying at this moment... I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just saying if we can get that information, then maybe then the motion on Thursday would be to update, or maybe staff will come back with an updated report. Mayor Stewart: Is there something that, Mr Chair, that the Councillor can do without us having to put a motion in, do separately via email? Like, is that information able to be provided? I mean, because there's various staff members involved. That's a possible matter. Yeah, but I think the Councillor would like this to be discussed at the ordinary meeting, and it's within his right. Yeah, but we can still discuss it irrespective of how he obtains the information. Yes. Councillor Jurisevic: And I'd argue that the points that we've raised here is that while staff might think things are on schedule and that we've... Well, it's a comment going around the table. Councillors don't feel that we're at a point where we believe we should be, based on the discussions and workshops that we've had today for this financial year, or for the previous
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02:45:00 financial year today, particularly into that last quarter. Councillor Wilkie: So finalise this. Second B will then be a C? Councillor Jurisevic: Yep. Yes. And I'll second that. I'll second that. Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll second that. Councillor Jurisevic: I'll second that. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll second that. Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll second that. Yeah. So the next thing is... Yeah, because I was quick last week, I didn't get a chance to read it in detail, but just going through it, I think for this report to be effective, it has to be warts and all. And it's not that what I'm saying is critical of staff, because it was a... We've had disaster after disaster, but I do think if it's going to reflect my views about performance, I think some of these key strategies, because we've been in disaster mode and reactive I'd like it acknowledged in that year report and so as I said the transport strategy is a good one. I'm not saying what we haven't what staff have done is wrong. I'm just saying if I look at the second priority in 2017 that hasn't started, that tends to insist to me that the strategy isn't on track.
02:46:00 I'll just go through another one which is the finalised review of the community engagement strategy and framework. Once again sit on track. I think it's two years behind schedule and you know the fact that we had one workshop and then we're still waiting. It did say here for example draft will be reviewed in July. Well we haven't seen it in July. So I know that's a timing issue. So to me they're the key ones. They're the strategic initiatives that just progressively incrementally because of the era we're in get put behind. I think an annual report should reflect that. You know that we're not making the strategic steps towards our key outputs and outcomes as much as we'd like to and this is what we're going to do to fix it.
02:47:00 Councillor Jurisevic: And within that review CEO and Brian alluded to it there. I mean it may pay true. We need to have a financial summary of each of the elements to see that they are on track, that the spend for the year that was allocated or what level of the spend for the year has actually been attributed which particularly things that are supposedly on schedule or behind schedule. Whether it's from a financial element that it's on schedule or whether it's from a progress level that it's on schedule. Yeah. Councillor Wilkie: Is there anything else you'd like to say in your form to both of you? Councillor Jurisevic: Actually just raising the element of what was. Councillor Wilkie: Now that we are informed of both. Councillor Jurisevic: Well okay. Yeah. That'll do. Yeah. That'll do. That's all I need. Councillor Wilkie: The CEO or the organisation is still a resolution. Well. Well further. Councillor Jurisevic: I mean we've raised the matters that we think are behind schedule Mr. CEO and I don't think there isn't a council around here that hasn't raised a different element of that report as to where we think progress is.
02:48:00 Like Councilor Stockwell I appreciate that we've had a difficult year. We've had COVID and we've had floods and all the rest of it. So I think some of the on schedules are possibly a little bit ambitious with regards to we've got given the delays we've had through the year. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. And bearing just a question bearing in mind the question of accuracy. This is the operational plan report for quarter 21 and 22. So it's progress up to June 13. That's correct. This year. Speaker 5: That's right. Yeah. Okay. And look Councilors without entering your debate absolutely taken on board there. What we need to be able to do to ensure that we do get that real time performance in this budget is to be able to update our systems and our processes. That this manual process that we have of a spreadsheet that goes into departments that seems filled out and then makes its way all the way up the line.
02:49:00 It's clunky. It's slow. It's not real time. And we can see where Councilor. Well we opened that bridge last week. Yes. Yes you absolutely did. However in putting these reports together they take time. So taking out that manual process you'll see the same even with the staff statistics in there. That's manipulated data. That's not pulled directly from our system. So how we can get our systems working better and to take out the human influence at the back end. Definitely input has to be the human input. But the output should be that press of the button so you can see that real time. Definitely working towards that four year plan. And absolutely the amendment that's been put absolutely accepts that and discussions amongst the directorship and exec team over the next 24 to 48 hours to hit some of those areas. Provides some further detail and explanation thereof. Okay. Councillor Wilkie: So we're in formal debate.
02:50:00 Does anyone have any questions? Councillor Jurisevic: Yes. I'll raise a question based on what the CEO said there. So an example of what you're saying there is the Waupunga Lane Bridge. Whilst it was open in August it was actually behind schedule in June. Because it wasn't open the previous year when it was expected to be open. And hence is behind schedule. Is that sort of correct? That's correct. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Any questions or comments anyone else wishes to talk? Councillor Wegener: Just perhaps on page 94 review of refinement of request system in this SNAP solve serve. Send. Send. It's behind schedule and obviously we talk about that quite a bit and we're all very concerned about. That getting our ICT out. I guess. So yeah. Just wanted to point that out. Because it is. Maybe. Can I speak to the motion? Speaker 4: Of course you can. Councillor Wegener: Okay. As. I think our jobs as counselors are one to take complaints from people and two to worry about the future. And I excel in worrying about the future.
02:51:00 And so when I look at you know quite a few of these things they're on track or even the ICT which says it's behind schedule. I worry that you know we have had catastrophes you know and pull this over back the whole everybody has. But I think that you know being honest and then say yeah you know this isn't on track. We are behind on this. This is okay. Because it's being honest. And so but and we need to worry about the future. We have to know that we have to keep raising our game constantly. You know. Because it's not smooth sailing. It's we're going into troubled waters. Yeah. So that's you know good work. And the last thing is we have an Olympic sized bridge renewal program and luckily we have an Olympian on board. Taking us through and taking us to gold. Problem is he was a basketballer not a hurdler. Councillor Jurisevic: He can't get over that. Or a high jumper.
02:52:00 Long come back. Mayor Stewart: He can jump in. Yeah. Councillor Finzel: Just one issue I do want to raise is on page 93 with the Carpenters Lane land extension. Yes. Not yet started. I just want to raise that one simply because of the housing and you know it's significant communities. You know I'm constantly talking about it. But I would like to say to councillors with the corporate plan and initiation and scope that we've talked about and I myself have been told you know it's not going to happen. It's all good that we brought this up today and I value what you have to say. But you know we do. We're moving into that corporate plan and I think some of the issues discussed around the table will be addressed in that given that we understand the COVID pandemic could not have been foreseen. We understand all those impacts. And you know I think we are.
02:53:00 We've got the staff under pressure. We've got big you know projects on the go as we've discussed that. I think that just to allay people's fears and I know you want like immediate answers on this and I respect that. But I think moving forward I just want to you know show that we're engendering trust with our community and this organisation to move forward. I think a lot of these issues are going to be raised and looked at with the development of the corporate plan. Is that very long of your vision? Speaker 5: Through the Chair absolutely. Councillor Finzel. It is. It's a gap that we've seen. And as I said the reporting that we have in place is very manual. What we need to be able to do is these multiple strategies and plans that we have that are slipping where it makes sense to be able to have those consolidated and have a team of staff that are focused on that rather than siloed and focused on a individual strategy
02:54:00 of plans is important. I agree though with absolutely everything that you've said. Absolutely everything that Councillor Stockwell has said there though and that there is slippage in some of these key projects. And yes there's been pandemics, there's been floods, there's been you name it. But to be a little bit more clear in where we sit with the reporting, you know noting that this is a reporting period that concluded on the 30th of June. So when we're presenting that to you now here in Council for August meetings, you'll have that lag. So that's a 30 June conclusion. That's a 30 June completion date for this particular report. That was the status as to where we were at that time. But yeah, Council has noted that there is so much out there for us to be able to dynamically report our performance to our community. And that's for me as an incoming CEO that I see what we can do now. I understand our processes that we have.
02:55:00 Consolidation of key strategies and plans is important so that we can be more focused. The reporting to be enhanced. And then to be really clear with our Council and our community, you know, how can we get this reporting to more quickly, more timely and I'm big believer in dynamic publishing against the performance of budget. That's real time. It keeps our staff sharp. It also allows us to be able to demonstrate where the pressure points are in the business to see it more quickly and easily. So there's a bit to work through. But that's what the next four months will be about. Thank you. With the corporate plan and the scope that we've put together. Part of that is to be able to look at systems that will provide us a reporting framework electronically. That takes all of this manual handling that we currently have around our corporate and operational plans. Take that out and to be able to plug that straight in. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: May I ask a question about the KPIs?
02:56:00 On page 97. The KPIs. The average time lost to injury duration since exceptionally high in June. What sort of injuries are included in that? We're not just talking about flu and COVID there, are we? No, we're not. Page 97. Page 97. 122. Speaker 5: So there's a comment there that there are two psychological claims from December 2021. Yeah. That's skewing those results somewhat. Councillor Wilkie: I mean, they're also affecting the quality of life. They're affecting the results. I'm sorry, from December. So they're affecting the results in January through March, April, May, June. There's still a bit of a bump up there through March, April, May, and June. Do we know what's going on there? Speaker 5: There is that. There is that. There's soft tissue injuries that will occur. But that cumulative days, let's say, for particular employees in question, they haven't been
02:57:00 with the KPIs. They haven't been in the workforce since December. So you'll see that day-to-days continue to accumulate within that graph. Councillor Wilkie: It's sort of compounded. Speaker 5: Yes, yes. Councillor Wilkie: So in those two individuals, this isn't measuring individuals. It's measuring compounding. Speaker 5: It's whole of organisation that, yeah, that moves over time there. But there is a little spike between May and June of LTIs. But, yeah, I think we'll get through it. Yeah. We'll get Workplace Health and Safety Team there. But there's a little bump to 20 days that we have there throughout the entire 500 workforce. Councillor Wilkie: And the staff turnover rate, is it traditionally higher in June than any other month of the year? Because people retire or... Speaker 5: No. Look, again, that's... At the end of the pandemic. Again, that's a cumulative figure. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah.
02:58:00 Speaker 5: So as you've seen, that's building over time there. So, yeah. So when we look at the true figures, it's sitting much higher. But you'll see there's a trend line that's running through. Councillor Jurisevic: Joe. Mr Chief, can I just correct something that was... Councillor Finzel just alluded to there. And maybe use the Acting Director of Transport Services to clarify the Carpenters Lane land extension of time for development approval. What that's about. Speaker 4: Through the Chair. Thank you. Through the Chair. We had a DA in place that was need lapsing to ensure there was ability to progress the project when we're ready. But we're unable to extend that approval any further. So... Councillor Jurisevic: But we're talking about industrial land, are we not? Speaker 4: Yes. That Carpenters Lane? Yes. It's not what you're thinking. Councillor Jurisevic: But we're talking about Council's industrial land at Carpenters Lane, not residential.
02:59:00 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's a private development on the other side. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's for our new zero emissions industrial estate like WA Development built. Councillor Finzel: Thanks for doing that. Councillor Jurisevic: That's all right. Just wanted to say, when you alluded to Carpenters Lane and you mentioned housing, I went on the wrong track. Mayor Stewart: Yeah. Thank you. No. Look, I think great operational plan. I think the... Thank you very much. And thank you to the CEO. This is only four months of... So a lot of this has preceded your time. So thank you for the report and to all our staff. I think, Councillor Stockwell, if I don't... I wasn't concerned. I'll reiterate what Councillor Finzel said. I think I have a huge amount of faith and trust in this organisation and want to relay that to the community. But look, there is... It is McConkie, the systems. So that can be improved upon and additional information can, forthcoming, will be helpful.
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03:00:00 But I think when I look at this and when we look at the next year in review, there is a huge, just a tremendous amount of work that this organisation, the small council, it has undertaken and continues to undertake. And I think despite the floods, major, major impacts for our community, COVID, I think that the staff are working at such a high level. And I just want to congratulate them and support them going forward. Because they make our job a lot easier and they make us look good. So I want to thank them because there is an inordinate amount of work being undertaken by a small team. Councillor Wegener: Yeah. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: I'll speak. Councillor Lorentson: Just to add one more to your list of what our job is, Tom, I would add number three, which is our job is actually to question absolutely everything. But the purpose, simply, in our quest or purpose, is to question absolutely everything. And we have a purpose to strive for continuous improvement and strive for excellence.
03:01:00 So I'm happy with the B. And I think where Councillor Stockwell is sort of alluding to is more accuracy of the information with respect to the staff and acknowledging what the Mayor has said that they do a tremendous job. So more accuracy. And perhaps even maybe a workshop before this meeting. And we perhaps as a Council can provide feedback whether or not we agree whether they're on track or not. But no, our job is to absolutely question everything because that's the only way that we're going to move forward and be better at what we do. So I'm happy to support that. Thank you. Brian, would you wish to close? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, I will. I think it's really important for us to do this. Well, exercise. I reiterate that nothing I was saying is critical to staff. And the Mayor's quite right.
03:02:00 There's an exceptional body of work that's being done. But if we look at this particular report in the light of it being part of the monitoring, evaluation, review, report, improvement, innovation cycle, it's really important in this review and report that we put our minds to reviewing what is the story coming out of all the detail. And when I looked at all the detail, I thought the story isn't quite coming out about where there is opportunity for improvement and innovation. And Councillor Finzel pointed out that the place to address this is in the corporate plan and so the CEO. It's also in about the systems of monitoring and that allow us to evaluate how well we're doing and where the problems are because that's what good organisations do. They're continually reviewing, continually updating and looking where to improve. So when I express the fact that I have a difference of opinion on some of these, it may be that what's there is accurate and it's based on the systems that are in place. That they said, this is what we said we were doing this year and this is where we got to.
03:03:00 But that just means that the way we report therefore has to have another level of saying, however, this strategy had this outcome and if we track to that outcome, we're not showing the progress we'd like to see. And that's the bigger picture, you know, getting to your key performance indicators, your long term targets and your pathway to get to that longer term target. So to me, that's what I'm looking at is, A, we want to make sure it's accurate and B, we want to say, well, this is the opportunity to say, well, where is it we can do better next four months or next year. Councillor Wilkie: I'll put the motion on the table. That's unanimous. And next item is the Year in Review 2021-22. Again, report from Mr Scott Waters, the CEO you'd like to share. Thank you. Give us an overview. Speaker 5: Thank you very much. So the Year in Review and the Queensland Local Government Act actually requires the Chief Executive Officer to report an annual report to the Council of this nature. That then gets formalised in a more corporate annual report, which is extremely in depth
03:04:00 and has our financial support. So we've got all the financial statements and all of the requirements that you'd expect on any other corporate plan that's delivered from an annual basis. But what we have before you, I think, is a story of a magnificent year for this Council. A year that saw tremendous change. I want to acknowledge former CEO Brett de Chastel, eight years here at Noosa Council, part of the DM Melbourne Nation team. And I'd also like to acknowledge Larry, who sat in the Acting CEO seat. Thank you, Larry. You made that transition for me fantastic when I came in. On the 22nd of February, I don't know how many more times I've told this story, but I'll say it again. That I arrived. It was a day not as similar to this, quite sunny, a little bit tired. I'd only finished in Darwin a day or two earlier.
03:05:00 And all of a sudden, the heavens opened up at five in the afternoon and didn't stop for three days. And at the end of it, I got to sit in the magnificent building that we have here over the river and see those floodwaters come up. And that really shaped, for me, a very quick introduction to the organisation. I would say to anybody that coming in, in a disaster scenario, lets you know very quickly as to what's the teamwork going to look like. How are we responding to the community? How are we communicating? And I'd have to say it was a sharp response. We stood up really well. Even on that Tuesday night, there was about a metre of rain up in the hinterland. We had, unfortunately, a fatality that not only the QPS but our team had to deal with. Those then next few nights, though, were continual thunderstorms and rain. And the Friday and Saturday saw extremely heavy rain. I went to the disaster centre on the Sunday to be able to get the most recent update.
03:06:00 And it's one of those ones where you sit in that room and you don't need to be an extra person there. That everybody's then saying, oh, the CEO's here. Should I double check with the CEO as to what's being done? No, you let your team get about what they need to do. And that's exactly what our team did. They delivered a fantastic, immediate response to the disaster. Fantastic recovery. And one where, I think, Lucis did very, very well when other parts of the state and, unfortunately, in northern New South Wales saw significant damage. It doesn't allow us to rest on our laurels, though, that we know that disasters will become more frequent and why our strategies and our plans need to be able to be adaptive, to be agile, to be able to have the right systems to be able to monitor and work through that. In compiling the report, it follows our current Noosa corporate plan, which is all about
03:07:00 the Noosa environment, the Noosa community, the Noosa economy, long-term planning for Noosa Shire and excellence as a council. So that's what we will put forward within our corporate plan. And as we just spoke about, our budget then aligns to the operational plan that we deliver 12 months and projects and the progress thereof. I've developed a top 10. It was a difficult one. And that was only four months of this financial year. But for me, what stood out most was that flood response that I spoke about. The COVID pandemic. I always am looking at everything through the lens of COVID. Work from home. You know, that scene, this weird luxury a couple of years ago is now normal. And it's where disruption is hitting us from every single corner. And it's from short-term accommodation to e-mobility to, you know, the fact that we can't afford to, you know, potentially, you know, small aerial vehicles moving people around in the future. And how do we respond to this disruption? The workplace is no different.
03:08:00 How do we adapt? How do we make our workforce and workplace perform to their very best in a changing world and environment from there? But the pandemic is the epitome, I think, for us of change that occurred very quickly. I know in my previous role on my council, I was very much coming to work one day. Prime Minister made an announcement. ICT running laptops and screens and monitors and all names of IT equipment out the door to respond to have a work-from-home environment. And I know that happened here in Noosa as well too. That had to be done very, very quickly. Our community-first approach. I think the work that has been done for the community-first approach. Hinterland and the fight that we've taken up on behalf of the people of Kin Kin and Cooroy. Extremely important that this council has stood up and said that we think that this should be done in a better way. And we don't agree with what's occurring at the moment.
03:09:00 We're working with our community around that. Our infrastructure achievements of which we've spoken about through our financial reports that we've had today. But it is the largest capital program that the council has ever delivered. Being the largest capital program comes with changes in our asset valuations, our renewal ratios. But it's all very, very positive. Through the lens of COVID, this council has delivered infrastructure. What did delivering infrastructure do for this council? Well, it updated what we had, but it gave cash flow to our communities that otherwise would not have been there. If we stayed at a $20 million a year corporate capital program, then it would have been much better. And what council does, and not dissimilar to the tourism industry, we're a multiplier. The money that we put out multiplies. It's not just a one-shot sitting within, say, a particular part of the economy.
03:10:00 We spray our tentacles everywhere, and that gives uplift to our community. So those rate power funds that come in, we make sure they go back out the door, and they go back out the door to our community as well, too. Ongoing climate change and resilience and emission targets. Look, we note there that we've got a strong commitment to net zero. And we've put more solar panels. We've got some electric vehicles. But we can do so much more better. So this is going to be a huge focus for us. I want to start to talk about the consolidation of some of our plans. Let's pull these out of the silos. Let's get the teams working together in a hub and really run at this and show what Noosa can achieve, different by nature. That's going to be important for us. I've put in there what our change management project is, 2.0. What it is, it's about trying to reset the mind of our staff to be able to say, we're now moving in a direction that is going to be more innovative than what we ever have
03:11:00 been before. That we acknowledge all of the hard work that has been delivered to de-amalgamate this council, to get it lined up and build the strong foundations that we have that take us to the future. So that will mean new corporate plans. That will mean having a look at our structure as to where we currently sit, where's the most appropriate place to put our resources. And for this council to provide a strategic direction on what we can deliver upon from there. But internal change management, make this a great place to work. That's one of the key things that we want to achieve. Make it a great place to work. We'll get great delivery out of our team and our staff. Social housing, affordable housing, tiny homes, the focus that we've had on that and what will come forward in our future strategies is a big achievement for this council. Once again, we're leading the way. The Eural Ringtail Conservation Project, look, great collaboration across state, private sector, our traditional owners. That is really a benchmark project for us.
03:12:00 That Mayor and I received an email on on the weekend that's already been replicated in other areas by Greenfleet. So we led the way. Now that's being adopted and picked up elsewhere. The Hinterland Playground, how fantastic. You know, that spend, well and truly worth every single dollar when we see and hear the smiles and screams and all the things that we've done in the past. You know, we've got a lot of things that come out of the playground that, you know, happy screams as always. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, not when Councillor Frank was up the top, he was scared, yeah. Speaker 5: But, and look, yeah, the week that I walked in, that was underwater. That's a capital project. That was underwater. And, you know, then to see a number of months later to be at the official opening, I thought that was amazing. And to wrap up at the top ten, our Smart Buyers Fair economic development strategy. It's, you know, we're not going out actively chasing investment.
03:13:00 So, so many different councils will say, oh, we need our investment attraction scheme to go and get money to come into the Shire. What we've done is said, how can we create wealth within our Shire already with what we have? That will then start to be able to breed its own economic growth and development, but it will be more sustainable. It will be about what we're bringing in future investment. But it will be about the environment we create through the Smart Buyers Fair as opposed to what we're going out and chasing and getting. It recognises where we sit with our carrying capacity as well too. We then start to go through each of the elements of the corporate plan and the departments and very much what their take has been on everything that we've achieved through the pillars of the environment, the community. You know, at the community team, they were pretty good. They got some great images into this report for me to show what we've achieved. The economy and the work that's been done there. I think the team needs a really good pat on the back for what they've been able to achieve
03:14:00 for the economy. Then, long term planning for the Shire. As we can see, the team there is absolutely flat out and it can't be unstated with what we're trying to do. We're trying to achieve the planning scheme amendments and how much work that's taking up at the moment. Excellent as a council, so our governance team. Again, the council as well. Absolutely. Your role at this table is to question, question, question. Our officers, you know, don't take that personally at all because that's your role on behalf of the community to ask us the questions, to get the information, to then provide the strategic direction for us as council officers to deliver the best outcome. You're the closest to the people. We're here to deliver what the council wants to achieve. But a huge amount of work there in governance. We'll just quickly have a quick moment in relation to the future focus. Item 3.0 of the report, which is page 121 of the agenda there.
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03:15:00 Look, the top five immediate challenges facing Moose for Shire Council for us in the future. And I spoke with the LGAQ the other day on their performance and I gave a bit of an overview of some feedback to the LGAQ around that. But in no particular order, the property valuation and fluctuations around those and also dealing with exponential growth across south east Queensland is going to be a pressure point that we will need to work through. I don't think that the property valuation is going to go away for us. So that's something that we as a council need to be cognisant of and need to be able to work towards. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Item 4.0 of the report, which is page 121 of the agenda there. Speaker 5: Increasing cost of material services and labour. That's just a given. In a high CPI environment, we're going to continue to see those pressure points. Our challenge is how do we get value for money for the rate payer and how can we make agile decisions around that. Councillor Wilkie: Staff attraction and retention.
03:16:00 Speaker 5: And as I spoke about before, the changing nature of the workplace. For us, we've got a great team of people. We need to ensure that they're motivated to be able to deliver. And they have the equipment, they have the environment to let them succeed. And that we start to move away from the performance management of the past to the success profile of the future. That is very much how we want to be able to set our staff base moving forward. Values as to how they work and interact with each other. Our external values as to how we work with our community and our relationship with you as the council. To be able to provide strategic direction to us overall. Climate change action, mitigation and resilience. I've put in brackets around there, natural disasters. This will continue to come at us. This will continue to affect our ability to deliver. We need to ensure that we have resilient infrastructure. That as much as we possibly can is out of flood, out of danger.
03:17:00 That we can continue to operate as a community in a way that is resilient and resilient Increasing rainfall. Increasing major weather events. And we've seen what's happened in Europe in this summer. We will see more of this. And we will need to adapt. And our council, we're at the point of government around it. So policies on emissions, et cetera, will happen much higher up. But when it comes to the effects on the ground, it will be for us to deal with. And then finally, as I spoke about before as well, disruption. It is everywhere. And there is disruption that we don't even know that's going to happen to us is coming. So we've got to be able to change that mindset. Local government can sometimes be a slow ship to turn around. No. That's something that we need to work on as a sector. Because our business community expects it. Our overall community expects it.
03:18:00 That's, you know, if you can pay all of your bills and do everything on your phone, but you still need to come to the front counter of the council and get some basic things done, we need to be able to change that. The economic and geopolitical headwinds that we see as well. So there's a lot of unknown out there. And it's just for us to be able to pick a path, deliver services for our community, guide our community, ensure that we're delivering services that are relevant, that are valued for money, and that make our community the best that it is to live in. And it already is. If not the best, one of the best in the absolute country there already. We're planning ahead as a council, council officers as well too. You'll see, and you've seen this before, but we have a few horizons that we're working towards. So between now and the end of the year, new corporate planning. Ensuring that we have a system there to be able to measure our performance and have that lined up that's well consulted with our community.
03:19:00 2023 is about improving systems, processes, procedures, getting those into a space where it is as modern as we can possibly make it. So that we can then start to set for the next step around agility of the workplace. But before we get to an agile workforce, we need to have a values-based culture and know why we're here, what we're working towards, and how we're going to achieve it together. Only four months, so I won't take any credit for this. This is all the team that's been before me, and the team that we currently have that's delivered a great 2021-22 financial year. Looking forward for 23. Our planning is well advanced. And council, thank you for the opportunity to be part of the organisation that gets to deliver this for NISA. Thank you. Thank you. I'm happy to move it. Councillor Wilkie: Moved by Mayor Stewart, seconded by Councillor Finzel. Mayor Stewart: Mayor Stewart. Oh, thank you. And thank you, Scott, for all your hard work. We appreciate it. And we had, you know, we may have had a disaster that week, but we had a triumph when you arrived.
03:20:00 So we will welcome you. I can run from fire in this one. Councillor Jurisevic: You can tell they work close together. Mayor Stewart: I'm just going to highlight a few things. Scott came in to talk to Frank and I before the meeting. He said this has gone from 12 to 14 to 18 pages, this report. So it shows the depth and body of work that this organisation, as I said before, is actually undertaking. The corporate plan was certainly alluded to in this, and we've spoken about it. And that will be a big focus, and a lot of these things will stem from that. But the year in review, the flood response was significant. The COVID pandemic, especially around Christmas in our communities and our environmental health officers and Kerry and all her staff, you know, they managed to pivot and really help the community. I think above and beyond what any other council is doing. We had the roundtables very quickly, we engaged Dr Norton very quickly, we got the supply
03:21:00 of rat testing very quickly, we had an environmental health team and officers on the ground helping our business community when that unexpected influx really happened. So that was a huge, over Christmas, January, a huge thing for this council. And Kerry and all her team and all the senior staff should really be congratulated on that one. The community first approach, Scott said, standing with the hinterlander community to launch legal action against our quarry operators, continued business roundtables, CHAP roundtables, more recently a roundtable with the environmental groups regarding a polystyrene disaster on our big eastern beaches. This is the second year we've engaged and sought community feedback on our budget. We had the Christmas convoy for the second year and will continue because that's much loved with our community. Infrastructure achievements, opening of the hinterland adventure playground, completion of Peregian Community House, significant works and near completion of the Tewantin Bypass, upgrade of Noosa Parade and all in all the delivery of 35 million worth of capital projects to our Shire and this is a record in a 12 month cycle.
03:22:00 Climate change commitment through installation of more solar panels on council facilities and the purchase of two fully electric vehicles. Social housing, affordable housing, tiny homes, our draft housing strategy, our largest body of work in this area. The provision of the two tiny homes in partnership with U-Turn to help our most vulnerable and at risk. Our social services roadshow, again, such great work from our staff. The Ural ringtail conservation project which the former CEO was so heavily involved in to see that come to life and sign the MOU with the various stakeholders was exciting. The Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Group and I see Scott we have a meeting with them tonight in partnership with MSQ to better manage Noosa River including anchoring, mooring and liverboards. Implementation of the Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan and Fire Management Plan. Increase in significant staff training and skilling for fire management. Dedicated fire management officer within council and council successfully having completed some high priority burns, no doubt more to come. Our climate change response plan was completed with a community reference group established
03:23:00 to help guide the implementation of it. The Noosa Biosphere Tracks and Trails, specifically Trail 5 upgrade, which is very close to Council Stockwell's heart. Waste strategy, one of our most significant pieces of work, 60% of our emissions come from our waste, so it's incredibly important that we turn the tables on waste and not just see it as a must do, but as also an opportunity to reduce emissions and divert materials to landfill through strategies and change in behaviours. The waste strategy as we've talked about is currently in development and we have a lot of work or more work to do on that, but it's certainly in play. Our DMP, well underway and our economic development strategy adopted in November 21. This focuses on a more diverse and resilient economy that delivers higher value, higher skilled and employment opportunities. Working on things with the business groups such as the Doctor Working Campaign and our economic development team very successfully secured $50,000 in match funding from the state government to develop an industry and employment action plan for Noosa. So this plan will focus on economic diversification, resilience and employment action plan for
03:24:00 Noosa. So I'm looking forward to that and the body of work that comes from that. Adoption of our short-term local leading laws, planning scheme amendments still to come and housing strategy. Internally at Council there's been an independent review of Council governance undertaken, review of Council's enterprise risk management framework and policy, review of Council's community engagement framework and policy, a new workplace health and safety system, safe plan policy has been developed and approved by the CEO, internal review of Council's workplace health and safety system, an employee survey, community satisfaction survey and now the all important Noosa 2.0, a clear roadmap implemented for the future of our organisation developed by our current CEO and executive team. This will provide a clear and continued focus on delivering a sustainable customer centric agile organisation to serve the community. Scott you've alluded to the challenges, property evaluation fluctuations, increasing cost of materials, service and labour, staff attraction and retention, climate change action, mitigation and resilience and unforeseen disruption in our economic and geopolitical headwinds.
03:25:00 I think also the delivery infrastructure we've seen from the state government through the Works for Queensland and the Building Better Regions from the federal government, the best way to stimulate an economy is to put infrastructure into it so the massive infrastructure projects are not only grassroots spending for our community but they're also really an injection and a stimulus into our economic development for our community and it's a great way to do it. Every level of government, as I've said, this is why we had all these grants and all these works across all levels of government because it's the best way to get people working into stimulate an economy. So I think that's been so important from so many aspects so again, thank you Scott and thank you all the team. I said it before but a huge amount of body for a small council and I think we have a highly skilled, highly trained, really great group of people and I think we're very lucky with the staff we have and we've got a lot of work to do but as I said before, I'm confident
03:26:00 we can all deliver it. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Is there anyone, anything left to say after that? Councillor Lorentson: Mine's going to be short and sweet. We're happy you're still here after four months. Mayor Stewart: You've still got that one-way ticket, Megan. Councillor Lorentson: I'm sorry, I'm sorry but just two things that sort of stood out in your report and I just really want to highlight it and the first one is focus, focus on the community, put the community first. And I think that if we talk about mantras, different by nature, community first. And secondly, long-term planning. And it's something that I am constantly reminded with every decision we make, short-term, medium-term, long-term, consequences of every decision we make. But also we need to always forget the political cycle.
03:27:00 Long-term planning means 10 years. 20 years. Legacy stuff. That, you know, 20 years time we're not going to look back and regret any decisions that we've made as a council. And this whole thing about political cycles, just kicking goals just so that we make it to the next term, I'm glad that our focus is not that. So welcome on board and you're exactly what we need. Thanks. John? Councillor Jurisevic: Mr. CEO, I'm surprised it wasn't a Bex and a good lie down after that extensive list. I know I need one. Yeah, look, an incredible year and I'm glad people have acknowledged the work on the Ural and Wingtail Forest project by our previous CEO, Brett de Chastel. It wouldn't have taken, wouldn't have been achieved I don't believe if it wasn't for the commitment of Brett and the legacy that I believe he has left for everyone.
03:28:00 I think one of the things you missed in the five immediate challenges facing Noosa Shire Council operations whilst it may be there in part in growth and disruption, economic and geopolitical headwinds is the 2032 Olympic Games and the impact it will have on not only the southeast but as a consequence of that on our region. All those sort of things, short stays and all the rest of it to be mentioned there. No need to go into all the rest. I mean, a fantastic year. A fantastic effort by all of our team with regard to an unbelievably challenging year for 2021-22 following on from bushfires to going to floods and in my heart, Mr CA, you'll always be affectionately known as flood mortars. Thank you. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Not murky? Troubled. Troubled floods. Councillor Jurisevic: No, not troubled floods. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Floody. Councillor Lorentson: Clear. Yeah.
03:29:00 De-sealed. De-sealed. Primal. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah. I'll talk. It is good to acknowledge the length of time it takes to get to a report like this and so Councillor Jo just mentioned the critical role of the past CEO in Ringtail Uroll. That was many years of quite complex and there probably wouldn't be more than two or three or four people in Queensland local government who could have got to that outcome that Brett did. But it wasn't just Brett and there was a whole body of long-term investment. So if we look at number 10, I think it was, or nine, the Cooroy Adventure Playground. That was conceived by two councillors and others around this table and Brett in the 14 to 16 term. The concept grew and developed and got the funding and is now a great asset. It takes eight years to get there. If we look at the, you know, the first really strategic initiative this term, which was
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03:30:00 the economic strategy, it was built based on the thinking of the 214, 216 council to establish the Bridgin Digital Hub. And because it's grown and six and all the brains that have been attracted to that hub gave us the confidence to say, no, this is the future. We can make Noosa different by nature by doing things digitally. And there is a lot of really good work that's happened in the last year, but Brett's not the only one to leave. And one that I think we've probably, that's not well understood is when we looked at the last report about, you know, some of the things that aren't going on track, we've also been the victim of the housing crisis. We've had a lot of people, if you're on a temporary job or a casual job and your rental came up and you could have a more secure job and a cheaper rent further to ourselves, you're likely to take it. And so we've got issues there and delivering is, you know, we, we, we, we, we, you know, that's happened in the last year more than it's ever happened before is staff having
03:31:00 to make the decision. Does it make sense to work for Noosa Shire Council considering so much cost in actually living here? And then it also is good to acknowledge the new. And so even though this report is only for the first few months of the new CEO's employment, I think his report also reflects what he brings. And his focus on the future is one of the key things that I think he has done. And so I always talk about before you change lanes, you look in the rear vision mirror. So we've looked in the rear vision mirror and where are we going to head to now? The elements of the future, I'm guessing that Scott was, read the CSIRO Megatrend report mid July, because if he didn't, he's picked up on about four or five of the Megatrends that they're saying will guide us in the next 10 years. So that, you know, this is a once in 10 year exercise that CSIRO Futures do. And they say the Megatrends are adapting to climate change, leaner, cleaner, and greener. So the global push to reach net zero and beyond protecting biodiversity.
03:32:00 The escalating health impairment, we know why that's important. Geopolitical shifts, it's one thing, it's an unknown. Diving into digital, and a lot of what Scott brings to us is this enthusiasm to provide digital solutions. The couple that probably haven't risen to our thinking, which, well, they have. The first one is increasing autonomous. And to me, that's one of the areas that this council will have to look at in the future. I think it is probably a big part of our solution to things like congestion and destination management is the digital systems that may help solve those complex problems. And the last one in the CSIRO is unlocking the human dimension. That's elevating the importance of diversity, equity, transparency in business, policy, and community decision making. And I think the talk that we've had in this report about perhaps a hub around the Futures team or the policy team that looks at things in an integrated fashion, I see that also being important, that that's about unlocking the human dimension. Unlocking those people in our community that help us achieve these things.
03:33:00 Because there's a lot in there that we didn't do just as an organisation. We did it in partnership with community, with community groups, and with not-for-profits. And I think they should be acknowledged as well. Councillor Finzel: I think it's all been said. I think we've encapsulated a lot today. But thank you, Scott. Yeah, I think it's great to have you on board. And it is great to reflect on where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. I really love the future focus. And that success of what our future's going to look like is going to be determined by our application of that knowledge, how we engage with the online things, how we engage with technology innovation. And I think one of the important things that we engage with is our community. And looking at citizenship, leadership, and sustainability. Like, they also have a big say at the table. And it's just great engaging with them, doing surveys, and then trying to implement what
03:34:00 our community says back to us. So yeah, I think we're in good hands. I think moving forward is going to be a challenge. But I think we're up for it. And if we continue to, you know, have transparency, be outward facing, and deliver good organisation, and meet community expectations, I think we're in good hands. Thank you. Mr Tom? Councillor Wegener: No, it's all been said. Thank you. Thank you, Scott. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. Look, it's, I concur with comments of my fellow councillors. It has been, the last eight years, in fact, have been, there's been nothing but constant and ever-accelerating changes and challenges. Many that we've not foreseen. And Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, about being more that survival of the fittest, referring to how organisms adapt to changing circumstances, applies to organisations as well. And it's not the survival of the fittest. It's those with the greatest capacity to adapt.
03:35:00 And I think because we're a small organisation, we've been able to do that, to the point where we've been the first council in Queensland to introduce a few things like, be the first to introduce a zero-emissions policy, to tackle the challenge of proliferation of short-term accommodation. To be one of the first to tackle the housing strategy, with a comprehensive strategy. And also, to employ the use of preventative, innovative fire detection technology. That's an indication of how we're going to adapt. I think it's because we're small and responsive, we've been able to do that. But I'm really, as for other councillors, in our hope that the work you do will help us to do that. I think we've created that sense of pride in working with the Noosa Council, and reinforced that. And I'd be interested in exploring more ways in which we can help our employees feel valued,
03:36:00 and that they are part of a very special team, part of a very special council that's always aspiring to punch by this weight, and be at the leading edge in many respects, as we adapt to all the challenges that come our way. And thank you for the work you've done so far. And as has been alluded to, you're engendering respect by respecting where the councils come from. Because there's a lot of value there. But it will help guide where we're going in the future. So, thank you Scott. Thank you very much. Mayor Stewart? No, no, all good. Thank you. Put the motion those in favour? That's unanimous. And there's no confidential sessions. We declare the meeting closed at 1.38. Thank you.