Before the first item ¶
00:00:00 Speaker 9: So, we've been on a long journey with this one. We've done several council workshops and we've talked about this one a lot. So, the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan is implementing elements of the Coastal Hazards Adaption Plan, primarily where we're looking at managing these foreshore areas as natural areas. So, we've developed a scope and a framework that focused on that, alongside making sure that our public accesses worked really well for our community as well. So, providing access to our gorgeous beaches, but also improving how that sits in the landscape. So, we've gone through the consultation process based on this document and we've put together some information around what we did. So, what we did for our consultation process, but also the results that we got and how we adapted the plan after we got that input.
1 ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES ¶
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2 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES ¶
00:01:00 So, primarily we conducted three community roundtables and a couple of focused roundtables. We ran a survey that had, I think it was something like 204 respondents. And the roundtables had... We had about 42 actual active participants and we also had 92 written submissions as well. So, we got a really deep base of information based on a broad range of the population. So, I really do feel that we got a great range of information to inform that review. Some of the main points of the input was a desire to change the scope, focus and objectives of the plan. Some community members felt that all programs and activities and planning for the Eastern Beaches should all be in one document.
3 PRESENTATIONS ¶
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4 DEPUTATIONS ¶
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5 REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE COMMITTEE ¶
00:02:00 We felt that might be a bit unwieldy. A desire for consultation earlier in the process of the plan, misdirected priorities, overemphasis and exaggeration of the issues of inclusion. A desire for action on encroachments. Actions tied to objectives, so making it much clearer how the management actions were achieving the objectives of the plan. And the need for more on-ground works and greater efforts to control weeds. So, in response to that, the primary changes, and I mean there's been lots of little changes as well, but the primary changes were the scope of the plan has been better described. To describe how it sits in conjunction with say the Coastal Hazards Adaption Plan, Implementation Plan, the Coastal Monitoring Plan, the works that are being done by infrastructure services, say around, say realigning creek mounds and that kind of thing. Statements about the environmental values and climate change have been better referenced.
5.1 EASTERN BEACHES FORESHORE RESERVES MANAGEMENT PLAN - COMMUNITY CONSULTATION OVERVIEW AND PROPOSED CHANGES ¶
00:03:00 So, just showing exactly where we got those points from. Condition mapping, restoration targets, ecological restoration plans and all the on-ground works. So, this is how all of this strategic stuff gets to on-ground outcomes are better described. Objectives in each theme section have been better linked to the management outcomes and we did that by including outcomes under each theme. That sort of gave more detail to the primary objective that was being implemented under that theme. And I guess one of the biggest changes is that the encroachments policy has come entirely out of the Eastern Ventures portion. It's now Shire wide. It now covers all council managed bushland, all council managed land. So, that's probably the biggest thing from where we started. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Mr Chairman. Yes. I didn't do a lift. I have a declaration.
00:04:00 So, I have a well-known confidence. Are we doing that? No, it's, did I not tell you about the normal one with Eastern Beaches and the. Councillor Lorentson: Am I on the wrong one? Yeah. Sorry. Is that the. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: The donation to my campaign. Councillor Lorentson: No, you didn't do it. It's a secret. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's a secret. So, I'm, you can write this down because I'll, I'll. Councillor Lorentson: So, you're not making that the question then? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Not on this one. I don't believe. It's the economic garden plan that's related to it. Councillor Lorentson: Oh, sorry. I thought that was on the Eastern Beaches. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So. Councillor Lorentson: Can you just give me one moment then? Sure. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I don't want to be out taking chances. Mayor Stewart: It's just a declaration. It was to study. She didn't get any degree yesterday. They're way over here.
00:05:00 Sorry. I didn't. Councillor Lorentson: It's cool. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. I'll just. So. This is due to. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh. Due to a, a donation. From Susan. I can get. Councillor Lorentson: I can get the previous one. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: You can just get the previous one. Yeah. Councillor Lorentson: Yes. I'll just put some basic wording in there. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah. Received from Susan Francis, who is the partner of. Councillor Lorentson: Because you've made that before, haven't you? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes. Partner of. Barry Cottrell. Barry Cottrell. Thank you. Famous moment. Who is the President of the Bridging Beaches Community Association.
00:06:00 And I declare as per my previous written declaration. Councillor Lorentson: Are you choosing to stay? I'm asking to stay. Are you asking to stay or leave? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes. I agree. Okay. So. Councillor Lorentson: I've been trying to find that previous one. Speaker 9: That's it? Councillor Lorentson: No. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: More detail. You're supposed to say how much. Yeah. It's 500. Councillor Lorentson: It's 500. Yeah. Mayor Stewart: Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And. It's fine. Mayor Stewart: You are not. It's fine. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's fine. But otherwise, stay in your room.
00:07:00 Councillor Lorentson: Do you want me to try and find that before you make a decision? Tom? Oh. Yeah. Councillor Wegener: I'm not happy with that. Are you happy with that? Yeah. Okay. Well. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: As identified last, there is no requirement under the Act to read it all out again. You just have to make sure that you've made a written declaration and that under the outstanding orders that you also make that known at the meeting. So by referring to that declaration, I believe I'm complying with that going into all the detail. Hold on. Councillor Wegener: Yeah. Larry, are you following this? Ryan has said that he's made this declaration numerous times, which he has. Yes. It's been a written declaration numerous times in this meeting. Is that okay for him to do that? To not bring it up on the screen here? Speaker 1: I think so.
00:08:00 Yeah. It's a standing one. So I'm of the opinion that that's okay. You still need to vote on whether he stays in. Stays in the room or not. Councillor Wegener: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Okay. With that, I'll move the recommendation. I'll move that Brian stays in the room. Thanks. Mayor Stewart: I'll second that. Councillor Wegener: And probably need to read that Council note that incredible conflict of interest by Councilor Stockwell determined that it's in the public interest that Councilor Stockwell participates in votes in this matter because Councilor believed that that and therefore a reasonable person would trust that. Councillor Lorentson: Oh, that's that, where you've got to add in what you believe, the wording, or you've got to tell me why you want him to stay in the room. Councillor Wegener: That a reasonable person would not consider this a conflict of interest. And trust that the final decision is made in the public interest.
00:09:00 You want me to not before consider. Councillor Lorentson: Very well. Yes. Would consider this not a conflict of interest. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Would not consider this a conflict of interest. Sorry. Sorry. Speaker 1: Small word. Councillor Wegener: All right. Okay. I don't need to speak in the motion. Do you have any questions? No. Okay. All in favor? Okay. Councilor Stewart-Wagner. And Councilor Stewart-Wagner. All in favor? Yeah. And carried. Okay. Gary, do you mind restating? Mayor Stewart: And Councilor Stovall didn't vote on yet, but . Councillor Wegener: Okay. I've done the next. All right. Ms. Coyle, please continue. Speaker 3: . Yeah. I mean sort of. Speaker 1: I know Joe's asked for this to be- Councillor Wegener: Yeah, I know, I know, I know.
00:10:00 Joe has asked this to be referred to the general, but, well, we've gone through the procedure We're hearing you on the general and there's going to be a bonus on that. Speaker 9: Yes, that's right. I've probably outlined the main push of what we've got here and I guess if there's any questions or any points that you'd like to discuss a bit further, really over to you. Councillor Wegener: Any questions? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: The only one that I and I think you've done is we took out section 16 that describes the various tenures. That's probably more important for the enforcement in those areas than it is for the actual plan. Is that your argument why it was taken out that it became less important when the encroachment policy was taken out? Speaker 9: Yeah, it just felt that it wasn't adding anything to the plan at that point. I guess with the changing focus.
00:11:00 Yeah, I feel it's still something that we do need to look at, but it's not necessarily something that just sits in this plan. It's probably something that sits more in the reserve management strategy, so the overarching... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, that's right. That's not what it was in the next... Just to prove I read it, I think you find you've spelt livability in two different ways. Speaker 9: Yeah, and it comes up in two different ways. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: That's because it's an American spell check. Speaker 9: Depending on which computer I've got it in, so it's really... Speaker 3: We've got a general C. Disclaimer. Recommendation C will allow us to fix those things. Yeah. That's right. Mayor Stewart: I've got a few questions before I'm finished. Yeah. We were down there yesterday with some of our residents talking about the importance of education and potential signage and things like that. Yeah. Some of them had some great ideas about working with Tourism Noosa as an education sort of process and almost of interest and getting children involved with signs.
00:12:00 We love our dunes. That's their state. Don't build cubby houses or whatever in them or tunnels. Is that something that... That's low hanging fruit. Is that something that this will be able to target pretty quickly or working potentially in conjunction with Tourism Noosa in regard to sort of nice information? Like when you're going on walks and nice signs or knowledgeable sort of areas? Speaker 9: Public education and communication with our community has been identified as a priority. There was a... I think there was a budget item for natural areas putting together a communications package. I'm not 100% sure if that got approved or not, but that's something that we're definitely working towards really quickly. So making sure that we've got a range of tools to use signage, letter drops, public social media and that kind of thing.
00:13:00 That's definitely something that we're working on. We've identified as probably the first cap off the rank. Mayor Stewart: And obviously Noosa, we've got strict signage policies. But some of the ideas put forward with engagement and ideas were fantastic. Yeah, fantastic. And getting people involved. And what entrance were we at yesterday? Entrance in Peregian? Yeah. Speaker 9: The 49th. Mayor Stewart: With that great, beautiful artwork. Speaker 9: Yeah. So we're talking about the one just on Peregian Park. So the southernmost entrance where we've got a Norfolk Iron Pine stump that's been carved. Mayor Stewart: And there's a standalone information sort of piece there. Yeah. So things like that. Can we... And I know that a lot of it is about education because people... I mean, if I was a visitor, I wouldn't know that my kids playing in the dunes or building cubby houses or tunnels is disrupting the environment. So making our residents but also our visitors well aware. Speaker 9: Yeah. We've really identified talking to our visitors as a priority because we do have such a high
00:14:00 percentage of properties that share the boundaries that are short term links. We are planning on speaking with Theresa Noosa. We've already started that conversation and that's... So we're looking at ways to actually get that information to our visitors but also making it part of their day, part of their visits and things like that and seeing how we can actually work in with social media in particular to get it all happening. Yeah. Mayor Stewart: There's just some great ideas out there. Speaker 9: Yeah, there really is. Ben? Speaker 2: Can I just make a point? Councillor as well, with the discussion yesterday, it was around the community having ownership of input into what those signs are and so very specifically where the community is using those local beach accesses to be able to nuance the signs and the ownership of them to that as well. And so there'll be a consistency if we're implementing signs, there'll be a consistency
00:15:00 of sign information that we need to relay to guests but also just the social stewardship of the local communities to be able to embody what those signs contain. Yeah. And so that was a really strong point that came through yesterday as we were discussing on different... Speaker 9: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we're aiming at having templates that it doesn't matter who's doing the communication that there's frameworks that provides that consistency but also we're not reinventing the wheel every time we put in, somebody puts in a new sign and that kind of thing, that we've actually got that background already there. Thanks. Councillor Wegener: I noticed that in... In the non-residential owners were taken out of the... talking about the consultation process and they said that short... this is what's taken out, short-term let properties, holiday houses, resort style accommodation and so forth were taken out and it seemed more focused on residents' input and I know then that's what we're talking about is the residents
00:16:00 that are there that are very important. But does... Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes I wonder if we're moving too far from excluding the visitors that come here because they actually support the biosphere as we know that the visitors come here because of the natural environment and I would think that they would be equally as a... wanting to maintain the natural environment as much as we do as well. Yeah. It's just kind of a theoretical question but, you know, how much do we look at the Brisbaneites that... That come here and holiday here and really consider Noosav as a part of their own home, although they don't vote and they're not residents and they don't own property, but they still have an incredible affiliation with Noosav. Speaker 9: I guess... Yeah. So the consultation focus was on those property owners rather than the visitors but the communication focus should still include those visitors because as you're saying, we do have a lot of repeat
00:17:00 people. I guess the other opportunity that we've got is talking to Tourism Noosav, they're saying that something like 85% plus of the people who come to visit Noosav consider the environment when they're booking accommodation, all those other bits and pieces. And I guess I see a real opportunity to give them more information about, say, the conservation values or the community... The climate change protection values of portals, for instance, and they can take that back to their community. So it might be that Noosav can have a real opportunity to be the instrument for border change. Councillor Wegener: Yeah. That's what we're looking for because the concept of the biosphere, an important element to that is education... Yeah. ...and making, you know, further enhancing the environment, making change, environment
00:18:00 of awareness, education, all that sort of thing. Speaker 9: Yeah. And I guess also working in a little bit more with, say, the... Yeah. ...environment education hub and things like that to make sure that we've got some supporting material for their curriculum stuff and that kind of thing, so to our local kids as well. Councillor Wegener: Yeah. And... Oh, well, okay. I mean, the eHub, you know, that's obviously a problem part of it under their remit as well. Councillor Lorentson: Yeah, that's right. Okay. Mm. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Well... I'm happy to refer to the general committee... Mayor Stewart: I'll second that. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: ...because of the significance of the matter. Mayor Stewart: I'll second it, councillor. Councillor Wegener: Okay. Does that speak to that, Brian? Yeah. Okay. All in favor? Mayor Stewart: I'm sure they're all in favor. Councillor Wegener: You're the best. Mayor Stewart: Thanks so much. Thank you. Thanks, Kim. Thanks, Ben. Okay.
00:19:00 Councillor Wegener: Now we are to 5.2, applications for material change, abuse-free, locatable home, park, community and affordable housing with 32 dwellings and 55 to 70 Carpenters Road, Cooroy. And joining us is Nidhi Venkatrik and Richard. Thank you very much for coming out. Nidhi, will you walk us through this? Speaker 7: Yes, I can. Good morning, everyone. This is an application for a material change of use for a relocatable home park for community and affordable housing located at 55 and 70 Carpenters Road. The proposed dwellings, 32 of them are proposed to be located on 55 Carpenters Road, and they range with a mix of one and two bedroom units, and they're proposed to be used for a range of accommodation for essential key workers, domestic violence, single women, etc.
00:20:00 Lot number 70 Carpenters Road is also part of the application, and it's an irregular shape located to the north. And it's been referenced as part of the application, as it's the access handle to this site with an easement over it. The proposal has significantly conflicts with the Noosa Plan 2020 and some basic planning principles. It's not well connected to the urban township of Cooroy. Councillor Wegener: Thank you. Frank's entered the room again, and then Amelia Lawrence has entered the room. Speaker 7: Okay. So it has significant conflicts with the Noosa Plan and planning principles, and is not well located in terms of the existing services found within the Cooroy township. The site is actually located outside the Noosa Plan urban footprint, urban boundaries, and whilst it is included in the SEQ urban footprint, this doesn't mean it's necessarily has been considered for future development.
5.2 MCU22/0039 – APPLICATION FOR MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE - RELOCATABLE HOME PARK (COMMUNITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING - 32 DWELLINGS) AT 55 AND 70 CARPENTERS RD, COOROY ¶
00:21:00 And there are implications in terms of future development. The site is currently zoned or residential, and we see that there are significant conflicts in terms of character and amenity, in terms of existing zoning and surrounding zoning. There are significant concerns about the location of the site and its remoteness, and its access to, again, the walking capacity of residents going down Carpenters Road and back into town. The site has a range of constraints in terms of bushfire, vegetation removal, and, of course, the fact that the site is located in a remote area. And we've also, again, as I've mentioned, got concerns about some of that access back into town. There were a number, quite a large number of submissions lodged with the application. Many of them are pro forma. And in the back of the report, you can see a spread of where those submissions came from, and many of those submissions were lodged from people outside the Shire.
00:22:00 As a result, the planning report is recommending refusal of the application. Thank you. Councillor Wegener: Thank you, Dean. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Is there any request to discuss a general committee? Councillor Wegener: Yes, yes, it's been requested for general. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So just then I'll just go on to the points of clarification. There is a misnomer throughout the report, council's reports, and mapping, and there is no such thing as Carpenters Road. Carpenters Road, the name, is afforded to a block of council land that is not a dedicated roadway, which makes sense. There is a significant difference in terms of things like the fact that access handle has matters of state and borrower significance on it, as well as within the rock carrying area buffer. To their credit, you'll see in the advice from the engineering section that they call it Carpenters Lane, which is the appropriate way.
00:23:00 It's actually the proper street address. It's 70 Mary Valley Road, Mary River Valley, Mary River Road. That makes, as I said, a significant difference in terms of not just the vegetation and how, you know, what triggers in terms of control of those matters of state and borrower significance, but also if we look at our reconfiguration of a lot code, we have a performance solution there that says no more than three lots over Bent Bend, but from an access candidate, you know, we've got to make sure that there's no more than three lots over Bent Bend. So, I just think before, for general committee, we might need a little bit of clarification and get that on the record as well. Speaker 7: I have asked property about the naming of Carpenters Road. That's what was in our system, Carpenters Road. I note that.
00:24:00 Their comment was that it was named after the original, the people who originally subdivided the site. And that's been the naming protocol that has been used on it. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's been wrong for all that name, Jim. Yeah. So, it can't be eroded because erosion has a full meaning . Yeah. Speaker 7: Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I suppose that's what's been on our system. Different controls on vegetation clearing, things like that? Speaker 7: Absolutely. And we've indicated in there that . Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm not saying the substance of the assessment is wrong. I just think just for clarity and purpose, and if it does go to a field, it'll be important to have that on the record. Speaker 7: So, sorry. What would you like me to clarify? Just that it is . The official address and the fact that it's not actually a road. Speaker 6: And look, we'll do some further investigations. And that is obviously a bit of history too. And I take your point that you're right. It is freehold land. It's not actually a road as generally defined. And we need to sort of unpack that a little bit further and understand the background to that and make the necessary changes to our mapping and so on and so forth from there. Mayor Stewart: I've got a couple of questions. Have you finished Brian?
00:25:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah. That was the only clarification I think I needed. Mayor Stewart: Nadine, there are some compelling arguments on page five put forward by the submitter as to why this should be approved. Applicant. Applicant. Yes. Yes. Sorry. Beg your pardon. The applicant. And we have undergone a draft housing strategy that's been ratified by old council and we're acutely aware that we are in a housing crisis. Can you tell me or because this will be these questions that they are, you know, the questions are compelling and the report is very extensive as to why it's recommended for refusal. Can you elaborate a little bit further on some of the reasons put forward and the justification of why we're not approving this? And then looking at Lake MacDonald and the development we're potentially looking at then and some of the differences of why that is deemed potentially acceptable and something
00:26:00 like this isn't. Speaker 7: I suppose the first one is the zoning of the Lake MacDonald site. So it is in the open footprint. Yep. This is outside the open footprint. Yep. This is in, that's in a residential area. Yep. This is in a rural residential area. My understanding to the connectivity is you can go over the top of it. Yep. The Lake MacDonald site was also identified as part of our housing strategy. Yep. As well. Whereas this site wasn't and it was specifically referenced I think in our housing strategy that relocatable home parks, I think they're supposed to be included in the community zone if I remember. Mayor Stewart: Yeah. Speaker 7: And it does talk about, in our housing strategy as well, about maintaining the rural residential land. It wasn't saying that the rural residential land should be converted for smaller housing as well. So that's actually in the strategy.
00:27:00 Our housing strategy talks about location and proximity as well. Yep. This doesn't meet those requirements. This site is also in very close proximity. It's opposite industrial land. Whereas the Lake MacDonald site isn't. So there's potential for reverse amenity impacts on this site. So just really briefly, they're some of the ones that automatically come out. Mayor Stewart: I think that's important to add for people to know or be aware of the differences. There is quite a difference, yeah. And do you know, this isn't just, there are justifications there. Yes. And reasoning behind the decision. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Thanks, Tom. Councillor Wegener: Amelia, Frank, any questions? Councillor Lorentson: I'd just like a move to General for a proper debate. Yes. Thank you. Yeah, that's good. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Okay. I'm happy to move it to General. I'll second. Because of the significance of the matter. Oh, no. For further information.
00:28:00 Okay. Councillor Lorentson: Joe asked if there's significance of the issue. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Either or. Yes. Councillor Wegener: Ready to speak to that? No. All in favor? Move to General. Mayor Stewart: Thank you very much. Thanks, Patrick. Thank you, Lieutenant. Thanks, Richard. Thank you. Okay. Councillor Wegener: We're up to 5.3 in the economics. Okay. Speaker 5: We're moving on to the next item. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I've got a question on this. I've got a declaration I'll do first this time, just for something different. I wish to declare, in accordance with my previous written notification that I'm confident that the matter, due to my longstanding connection with Noosan District Land Care, is outlined
00:29:00 above and that Noosan District Land Care is identified. Councillor Lorentson: Is there an identified individual? No. Mayor Stewart: No, I was just wondering why Councillor Stockwell was declaring on this that these nurses district land care were engaged in the consulting, that's why. Speaker 8: Yeah, they were just there for feedback, yes, as was a couple of other organisations. Councillor Wegener: Okay, well I'll move that Councillor Stockwell, in the global interest of Councillor Stockwell
00:30:00 and determine that it's in the public interest that Councillor Stockwell participates in votes on this matter because Councillor believes. That he does not have, that he will not receive a personal benefit or loss in relation to this matter, don't have a close personal relationship, well not in public, will not personally benefit or loss in relation to this matter and therefore a reasonable person to trust that the final decision is made in the public interest. Councillor Lorentson: I'll second that. Councillor Wegener: Thank you. Thank you Councillor Wood. Any questions for Brian? Mm-hmm. To vote on it? All in favour? Unanimous? Thanks. Councillor Stockwell did not vote.
5.3 THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS POLICY REVIEW ¶
00:31:00 We have Lyn and Vicky. Hi. Hi. Tewantin can walk us through this, thank you very much. Speaker 5: So you remember councillors, we brought this to you late last year where we were actually conducting a review as part of our business planning on why we weren't getting the uptake on our grant program. It's a small grant program comparative to our community grant program so our program has $40,000 which is about 13% of the community grant program. That said, there was no less rigour in how we reviewed and however we were never really fully expended in the previous years and we wanted to really talk about why that was. So we engaged a consultant to do the work. We worked independent of any of our officers who were involved in the reviews and the issues that came back were, not surprisingly, the application was deemed quite arduous.
00:32:00 We were looking for strategic intent and a lot of these voluntary organisations really weren't in that space and so they were trying to make the case fit and then it would all get too hard. The fact that we don't have a long list of people that we spoke to is reflective of just how little input there was to the grant program. So we went to those who had either applied for a grant or who had considered and then discounted applying for a grant. And we really went for qualitative information from them around just what could we do to improve the grant program. We consolidated all of that and brought it to you as counsellors around late last year.
00:33:00 And then we went back and wrote what we thought would be the changes that would make the difference. We also took the opportunity to try a couple of them out, just like road test them to see if that helped. And we've more than doubled the applications into the grant program and fully expended the grant in the last financial year. So we feel that what we're proposing to you is going to get the desired outcome. So the review identified that the process of application was too arduous for voluntary organisations who just don't have the time to expand. The strategic projects that we were hoping for to help deliver the programs, again, too arduous. And especially considering the amounts. So we're hoping that we can get the right amount available for grants. So aside from one larger grant, most of them were in the 2,000 to 5,000 sort of space.
00:34:00 And we weren't really flexible in the needs of who were applying. So we've looked at that and we are suggesting a few changes. One is that we reduce the grant amounts, minimum grant amount of 1,000 and a maximum of 5. So that, you know, first of all points in the direction of the amount of rigour that we are expecting in terms of the application. So we simplified the process from, or we're suggesting a simplification from three different levels to one. We will remain open throughout the year. And once it's fully expended, it's fully expended. And unlike the community grants program, you know, we will have them coming through throughout the year at various times. All applications will continue to be assessed by a panel of council officers.
00:35:00 We're also looking for, you know, more rigour around how we do that. But it removes the potential conflict of interest and adds rigour and fairness. And then I think the biggest one in terms of having the volunteers having to think about how they're going to apply is the strategic criteria. We've moved into more tactical activations. Still being able to have a pathway and a connection into a strategy, but at the tactical end rather than the strategic end. And that's where we think we've made quite a difference. So these are the changes that we've written into the policy. We've made a few small changes to the policy. And we can talk about three with you if you need to have those highlighted. But essentially everything that we're doing is consistent with our commitment to the small business friendly charter.
00:36:00 And again, we think we've proven that we're on to a... ...better placed criteria for our small businesses given the fact that we were able to expend our grant for the first time. Fully expend it. And we more than doubled the number of applications. And we've actually even had some thank yous. Which has been wonderful. Wow. Wow. Thanks. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: There's a couple of questions. One is the governance. And I know we did talk about it. When we workshopped it. And I don't know where we got to. But I thought there may have been a view that like other grants for governance purposes, all decisions on grants should be made by councilors. I can't think of anywhere else where there is that situation where staff actually directly give out grants. But yeah, I'm wondering whether you may have recollection of knowing that that wasn't...
00:37:00 Yeah. I just recall the conversation around it. Speaker 5: We did discuss that, Councillor. Our recommendation was that the size of the grant and the complexity of we're open for the whole year would mean quite a process to bring each one for a small amount to you for consideration. Speaker 8: So most of our grants are $2,000. The last few grants have been $2,000, Brian. So the process of bringing each one for a small amount to you for consideration. And then bringing a $2,000 grant application to council. On a one-off basis. On a one-off basis. Speaker 3: The other... The grant program has been running for about three years and majority of the grants have been done under delegation. There's a threshold for when it comes to council. So I think in the three years, I think we've reported one to council.
00:38:00 The others have all been done under delegation to the CEO. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So does the policy outline the reporting requirements? No. So you've got the report and you've got the information about how it does get into the public domain. Speaker 3: Yes. It's an annual report. Yes. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And then my second one is if we do have not-for-profit larger entities, say your education and training lines, your food and agribusiness network, your... So it's one of the groups that are part of the Digital Hub ecosystem that do want to do something strategic. Does this include... Speaker 5: Not through that particular... Well, they could, so long as it's $5,000. Yeah. No, I'm saying for the... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Like for me, we've got a local economic strategy that has a very particular direction of this part of what we do in building the capability, capacity and networking of business more generally
00:39:00 is what these grants. But then does that mean we don't have a bucket of money set aside for more strategic projects? Speaker 5: No, we do. That would be part of our normal business planning where we set out what we're wanting to do in any given year and we work alongside... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Part of the budget process rather than anything that happened during the year? Yes. Mayor Stewart: Okay. I've got a question. It's more of a comment. Thank you for doing this work. I think it's great. And I think the take-up is fantastic. And I think having an under-delegated authority, one of the big negatives was it was too arduous. So we don't want to create more red tape and a more arduous process for amounts of money that can be and able to be decided under delegated authority. So I think that's... I think the process as it is now is good. Yeah. I'm happy to move the recommendation. Councillor Lorentson: Do you have a question? Mayor Stewart: Sorry, Amanda. Councillor Lorentson: Sorry. Just two questions. First, in terms of the Small Business Friendly Charter, how are we going, how have we reduced
00:40:00 red tape for small businesses? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Point of order. It's not relevant to the item and sitting in the gallery. Councillor Lorentson: Can I request the Chair make a ruling on that, please? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Excuse me. I'm some point of order, a person in the gallery council. So I move the point of order, but that's not in line with what the item on the agenda is. Okay. The agenda being discussed is a grants policy, it's not about a small business friendly charter. Councillor Wegener: Lynne mentioned the small business friendly charter. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It was definitely mentioned in part but then asked for a statement about how the council is going is actually out of order because that would require a different conversation. We're dealing with the policy and the grant system, we're not dealing with what council
00:41:00 has done more broadly around small business. Councillor Wegener: Kim should come to the table but would you like to? Point of order is it? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's your choice. I just think it's important to keep some semblance of normality into the standing orders and to me that was taking us on a red herring. Okay well thank you Brian. Councillor Wegener: I think that there's a little bit. There's an informality that comes to the community meetings and I don't, I see what you're saying but I actually want to hear the question and it may lead, it may go nowhere but I would like to hear. It's really cool. Yeah I'd like Councillor Amelia to continue. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you very much Councillor Wegener. On page 295 of the report there's half a page on the small business friendly charter and that the grants are helped supporting the commitments and obligations. Of that charter which we signed earlier this year and my question goes to that.
00:42:00 This is a really good step towards us adhering to those commitments and my question is how they're going. Speaker 5: Is it being measured is really where I'm going with that. Yes so Councillor, yes this was our first attempt towards that. So you know that's at the forefront of what we're trying to do with this whole program. In the wider sense of the small business friendly charter we have a report that we're drafting to bring to you to let you see what we're doing in that space but it's a long game. You know we're talking to different parts of the organisation and trying to get that commitment sort of forefront and Vicky's been doing a great job with customer services as a starting point, lower hanging fruit. But we all as a whole of Council have a role to play in that and that's part of what our
00:43:00 plan this year was to come up with a plan for you. So yes we're making small movements. Councillor Lorentson: And on the road just for your information there is really positive strides in Council's interaction with small business so good job. Thank you. Thank you. Can I have this referred to General please? Speaker 3: I think it's worse. Councillor Lorentson: It's already been moved. Speaker 6: We'll move it yeah. Councillor Lorentson: But no seconder. I'll second that. The recommendation's already been moved by Councillor Stewart. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So it goes to General because of the significance of that? Councillor Lorentson: No Councillor Stewart already moved it. Oh moved the recommendation. But there was no seconder yet. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh okay. So I'll move it. So if you all. Mayor Stewart: Okay that's fine. Doesn't bother me. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: You've seconded it. I thought I was seconding the one to go to General. Mayor Stewart: But I'd like to say, I just want to say something to Lynne. Yeah. Lynne I just want to. I think that's my question. Yeah. I just want to say Lynne your work, your after hours work is significant and noticeable.
00:44:00 We were at a breakfast together last Friday morning at 6.45 or something, something ungodly hour. But it's really noticed and appreciated by, as Councillor Lorentson said, by our business community. So I want to thank you and Vicki too. I want to thank you both for that engagement because you really do, a lot of people talk the talk but you guys walk the walk and it is really greatly valued and appreciated the collaboration between you guys and our business community. So thank you. Thanks. Speaker 5: Thank you very much. Councillor Wegener: And we hear you're at the tours of Noosa early morning breakfast I remember as well. Mayor Stewart: Yeah. Councillor Wegener: Which is another early morning one. Yeah. Mayor Stewart: You must be getting sick of bacon and eggs. Councillor Wegener: And vegetarian. Lynne could you talk, talk me through the difference between tactical and strategic? Speaker 5: Okay. Strategic, if you look at our Noosa smart buyers fear strategy, there's some big, big buckets like bold leadership and, you know, enabling and empowerment, those types of things. And the best illustration that I can give you of that is that the Noosa Chamber came
00:45:00 in with their own business plan that completely reflected what we were doing in that strategic space. They wanted to be enabled. They wanted to be empowered to act as eyes and ears for us at the coalface. So that's why we went with the bigger amount. Last year, last financial year with them. But at the other end of the scale, we have the Sunshine Business Association, who their only industry is their hospitality industry, and they wanted to try and become competitive with other parts of Noosa to try and get more visitors to come to them for a dining experience. But they're streetlights. They could only afford to do one part. And so they put in a tactical application to say that we funded this amount. Would you consider that?
00:46:00 Because there are still business outcomes for us. It's just we don't have the expansive sector of all the other parts. So we said yes to that following, you know, we went through quite a rigorous testing out some of our thoughts. But we felt that given that is their only business sector that they've got right there, that this would be a good use of the money on that tactic, which was make the trees look really pretty to try and be competitive, as opposed to we're going to put on a whole range of workshops and row membership and, you know, which is very, very longer term. Councillor Wegener: Yes. The tactical is putting, making the trees look nice with lights and decorations. Speaker 5: Yeah. Yeah. Now, you know, let me qualify that by saying we wouldn't want that to be the only things that they're putting in. And maybe, you know, for another part of Noosa Shire, we wouldn't have come down in the same way. But this is their only business sector that they have in that part.
00:47:00 So. Councillor Wegener: Do you think that that the economic boom, which ironically sat inside of or next to the economic situation, I mean, it's really been a challenging time for this. And you think that may have had an effect on people not or businesses not applying for the economic grants in the past? Those factors? Speaker 5: I'm relatively new in the seat. What I would say I have found is that businesses, when they're under pressure, will come to us. When they're not, when things are okay, they're out doing the do. And we can see that in our newsletters and our social media engagement. When we talk anecdotally to businesses, they're basically saying, just get out of our way and know that we'll come to you if we need you. So it could be reflective of that what our grant program is, is for associations and
00:48:00 things like that, who feel that they're okay at the moment. Speaker 8: We've had low applications since 2018, since the inception of the program. Councillor Wegener: It's interesting. But my research, now that I was at university, was that you don't have to apply for grants. When times are hard, that's when innovation happens. When times are good, that's when innovation doesn't happen. And the status quo just maintains itself. Just exactly what you just said. We've been in a, despite COVID, a boom time, in my opinion, for a long time. But that's not going to last forever. I'd also like to thank you, because I think that making tighter friendships with the business community, especially with small businesses, because the vast majority of our businesses are small businesses. And any positive communication we can have with the small businesses is good. Mayor Stewart: Thank you for this report. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. Councillor Wegener: Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, we've... I'll move to see if it goes to be based on . Mayor Stewart: I'll second it. I'll second it. Councillor Wegener: Would you like to speak to that?
00:49:00 No. All in favor? Any opposed? Mayor Stewart: Thank you, ladies. Thank you for your hard work. Councillor Wegener: Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Councillor Wegener: And now we are coming to the next, which is our delegated authority. 6.1. 6.1. Applications to the side of our delegated authority. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And I have a conflict of interest to declare as per my written declaration, which is on the screen. And I choose to leave the meeting room. And the conflict is a result of the Suncoast building improvements currently undertaking. Private certification is required. We love that Councillor Stockwell has left the room. Mayor Stewart: I'm happy to move to Delegated Authorities. Councillor Wegener: I just have one question. You know how much I love the committee meetings. Mayor Stewart: I won't rain on your parade then Councillor Tom.
00:50:00 Councillor Wegener: On number 16, building works accessible against the planning scheme code. So that's North Shield building approval additions to a dwelling house within 200 metres of agriculture land. What does that mean, building works against the planning scheme? Speaker 4: It means the building works, which was additions to the dwelling were required to be assessed against the planning scheme and the reason for that trigger in this instance was the fact that those works were occurring within 200 metres of agricultural land. Councillor Wegener: Right, so it wasn't that it was inconsistent with the planning scheme too, it just had to be measured against the planning scheme. That's correct. And then number 21.
6 REPORTS FOR NOTING BY THE COMMITTEE ¶
Nothing was transcribed under this heading — a stretch of the recording with no speech the model could make out.
6.1 PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED BY DELEGATED AUTHORITY JUNE 2023 ¶
00:51:00 One of the three lots on 73 Southern Cross Parade, Sunshine Beach. That seems like it would be coming to Council. Seeing the one lot and the three lots at Sunshine Beach. Speaker 4: No, that's a kind of application that can be decided under Delegated Authority. Notably, it is a code accessible application and therefore it has the capacity to go to deemed approval. Alright. Okay. Councillor Wegener: Those who don't want to jump out at me. Okay. Councillor Stewart has Mayor Stewart: I don't have any questions. Councillor Wegener: has moved and I'll second the recommendation. I don't need to talk to a councillor. All in favour? Councillor Stewart and Wegener. Thank you. Thanks Richard, thanks Patrick. Okay.
00:52:00 Well that brings us to the end. There's no confidential session. I'd like to note the meeting is closed at 10.20.
7 CONFIDENTIAL SESSION ¶
Council's recording ends before this item. Where a meeting resolved to close its doors, that is what the end of the recording means — see what council discussed in private.
8 MEETING CLOSURE ¶
Council's recording ends before this item. Where a meeting resolved to close its doors, that is what the end of the recording means — see what council discussed in private.