Ordinary Meeting - April 2024 Transcript

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00:00:00 Councillor Lorentson: I'm just going to say, did everyone get the message that the result has been issued today as well? Councillor Finzel: The result of the issue is... Councillor Lorentson: Pages are loading slow, so I'm assuming it hasn't started yet. I told them we've got a council meeting. Mayor Wilkie: Alright, council's got to go ahead. Welcome everybody to the ordinary meeting, Thursday the 18th of April 2024, our first of the term. I'd like to acknowledge we're meeting on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi people and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

00:01:00 I note that all councillors are in attendance and Councillor Lorentson is attending via Microsoft Teams. Can you hear us, Amelia? I can hear everyone loud and clear, thank you. Thank you. I'd like to move that in accordance with section 254K of the local government regulation, Councillor Lorentson is approved to attend the meeting dated 18th of April 2024 by Microsoft Teams. May I have a seconder for that please? Seconder, Councillor Finzel. All in favour? That's carried unanimously. Item two is the confirmation of the minutes. We have two sets of minutes for ratification today. Moved that the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 15th February be received and confirmed. May I have a seconder? Councillor Finzel is quick off the mark again. Seconded by Councillor Finzel. All in favour? That's unanimous. I move that the minutes of the post-election meeting dated 8th of April be received and confirmed. May I have a seconder please? Councillor Tom Wegener. All in favour?

00:02:00 That's carried. We have no general minutes. Do we have any petitions? Councillor Lorentson: No. Mayor Wilkie: We have no notified motions, we have no presentations, we have no deputations. That brings us to item eight, consideration of committee reports. The first is the audit and risk committee report and the committee recommendations relate to the Queensland Audit Office 2024 external audit plan, the QAO update, internal audit actions update and internal audit plan, risk management and BCP update and the end of financial year timetable. We have a mover and a seconder for the recommendation be adopted, except if, yes, Tom. Move. Move. Seconder please? I think she's second. Thank you. Seconder, Councillor Lorentson. All in favour? That's carried. Ordinary meeting reports. We have four reports directed the ordinary meeting. The first is the financial performance report from March 2024. We have Pauline Coles.

00:03:00 Pauline, can you please give us a summary of the report? Sure. Welcome. Thank you. Speaker 4: And I need to stand here. Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Speaker 4: Morning, councillors. Financial performance year to date to March, operating revenues continue to outperform the forecast and operating expenditure continues to fall under forecast year to date. Operating revenue is $1.8 million above budget and that's driven by the fact that we are spending $1.2 million worth of interest revenue, $1.2 million worth of sales of goods and services and $400,000 from other revenue derived from recharges. This has been offset by some lower than expected fees and charges from development assessments and various other areas of council. So that has brought some of that revenue down. Operating expenditure is $1.5 million underspent with the majority of that relating to employee costs, resulting from vacancies and timing of recruitment for positions. Materials and services was also slightly underspent by $55,000.

00:04:00 The report also includes the quarterly update on the tourism and economic development expenditure, as well as the legal cost summary, which we provide each quarter. Overall council's operating position at March is $3.3 million above budget. Year to date, excluding capital disaster projects, council has spent 48% of its four-year capital program, which equates to $22 million of the $45 million. Council's cash holdings at the end of March were $139 million, with $30 million of these invested in high yielding term deposits. In respect to the high level of cash holdings at this point in the year, that's due to the cycle of rates. So rates came in in February, and as the year progresses, it will come down to a lower level through to June. We also received a further advance of funding relating to the disaster projects of $17.6

00:05:00 million, so that's also contributed to the higher levels of cash. This month's report also includes the quarterly dissection of cash holdings, so it shows you the breakdown of our restricted, internally and externally, our working capital, our capital commitments and our surplus cash. At present, we are showing $4 million in unrestricted cash. That's in addition to our three-month cash cover that we retain to ensure that we're financially sustainable. Overall, Council's financial performance continues to be strong through to the end of the year. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you Pauline. I have a question. On the first page of the report, in terms of general business operating position, you refer to unconstrained funds, being about $17.4 million. And then on figure 10 of the report, you refer to unrestricted funds, available for future plans. Could you please describe the difference?

00:06:00 Absolutely, I can. Speaker 4: Thank you. So in terms of the first table that you're referring to, that's just a breakdown of our current operating surplus, which will move through to the end of the year. And we break that into three separate sections. The first section, which we're referring to as unconstrained, is general operations. So it can be spent across the remit of all the services that Council's providing. That's why we call it unconstrained. The second one is our commercial business activities, which is waste and holiday parks. So we treat them as business activities for national competition purposes. And our last one is our unspent levies and funds. So they are restricted and have to be spent on specific purposes, like the environment or fire or transport. So that's why we break them down. So that's kind of just the breakdown in terms of the operational surplus that we're showing. In the other table that you're referring to, the $4 million that you're referring to, that's our cash that we have available to spend on emergent works or to co-contribute to capital programs that may be eligible for grants. So it's that extra money that we can actually spend on things that we haven't already planned for. Mayor Wilkie: So is that more in keeping with the understanding of surplus and that sense of the word?

00:07:00 Speaker 4: They're probably two different things. One's an operating surplus, one's just extra cash or available cash that we have to invest in other activities that we haven't currently funded. Mayor Wilkie: By the end of the year, it may make up part of the surplus. Speaker 4: The reason the cash surplus is growing is actually derived from the operating surplus. So as we make more, if we make a profit on operating surplus, it will actually increase the cash. So that's why we have that extra cash. Mayor Wilkie: Good to understand the difference between unconstrained and unrestricted. Unrestricted. Okay. Thank you. That's it. Councillor's question. Tom. Councillor Wegener: Yeah. The last term when we started four years ago, there was $20 million in that cash. We... Speaker 4: So just prior to the, sorry, through the chair, just prior to the new, the old term, we had about $20 million. We paid down $10 million in debt funding. It was actually slightly higher than $20 million. And through the term through to now, as we've invested in co-funding of grant programs, emergent works and variations due to cost escalations through COVID and beyond, that has come down to $4 million at the present time.

00:08:00 Mayor Wilkie: We have questions, councillors. Councillor Lorentson: I have a question, Pauline, hello, Pauline, it's councillor Amelia Horse in the sky. On the report, referring to paid... Councillor Lorentson: On page one of the financial performance report, capital, it's, sorry, not page one, asset sustainability ratio, its status is behind. I was just hoping that you could provide some context and firstly for the new councillors in particular, how is the ratio calculated? Can you provide some context? And are we adequately maintaining our assets? Are there any deficiencies in maintaining the asset base and why is it behind schedule? Sure. Speaker 4: Through the chair, so the asset sustainability ratio is essentially representative of how

00:09:00 much money the council's reinvesting in its existing assets. So the target is to spend 90% of our depreciation expenditure. In terms of why we flagged that as behind, obviously we've already, we have a multi-year program and some of that's already pushed into next year, there's about 10 million of that. And with where we are in this point in the year, we're, in terms of our renewal spend, so not our new spend but our renewal spend, it is slightly behind where we thought it would be. This number doesn't include any of the Queensland QRA projects and there is an element of renewal within those but we haven't captured it so we're clear that what we had planned to spend on renewal is slightly behind but it may catch up when we do the final calculations on QRA depending on what's been on those. In terms of are we not reinvesting enough adequately, our program actually when we develop it is based on achieving that 90%. So we actually, prior ratios of those projects are over new to make sure that we meet that target.

00:10:00 So even though if we come under slightly then those projects actually will roll into next year and we'll actually probably bump over, which if you've seen in, if any of you have seen the prior years asset sustainability ratios, many of them are actually over time and that's partly due to some of the carryovers that we've had and that may be the case as well this year. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. A follow up question. Excuse me, ma'am. Yeah. Just a follow up question and we just noted the audit and risk external committee report just previously. Yes. In 2023 there were recommendations from the QAO in relation to asset management related recommendations and that was aimed at improving local government sustainability. Were those recommendations a requirement or mandatory and how had those recommendations changed our ANP practices?

00:11:00 Speaker 4: I'm not exactly sure of what exactly. That you're looking at in the report, but I assume you're talking about asset management plans and that would make sure that we're. Yeah. So council does have existing asset management plans that inform what we spend on assets and what their renewal lives are. And we do look at that and some of the new state sustainability ratios that are coming in actually kind of make them more involved in that calculation. We do report on the asset sustainability, which is partly that asset management part, which is we've complied with every year except I think one in the last six years, we've met that ratio. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you, Pauline. Thank you. Speaker 4: Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Any further questions, Councillor Lorentson? Councillor Lorentson: Oh, I do, but I'll let everyone else have a chance to speak. Thank you. Meg? Mayor Wilkie: Looks like you've got the floor. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Pauline, in terms of the legal cost, firstly, I've got a couple of questions in relation

00:12:00 to that. I remember four years ago, raising the opportunity to have an asset management plan. We had the opportunity of having an in-house council with the then CEO and lawyer, Brett de Chastel. Councillor Lorentson: And we talked about benefits that, you know, it's going to provide immediate access, availability, et cetera. But most importantly, I think one of the reasons that we investigated this was the opportunity to, for cost savings. So my question is, has it, has our impact, I think, on the cost savings? Has it delivered this expectation? Have we, in fact, had any cost savings? Or do we have an idea of returning in investment, even if it's in terms of just social investment support from governance and procurement staff? Speaker 4: Okay. So in terms of, so the new legal council started in December, as I noted in the report.

00:13:00 To date, we haven't seen a major reduction in any of the legal costs. Obviously, that legal cost is going to be reduced. But the legal council doesn't deal with development assessments. So that obviously will, if you exclude, then it's obviously included those numbers. So that's quite understood. But it also depends on what other legal matters are going on at the time. And there's certainly been some matters that have happened that we do need outsourcing and specialised legal advice. I do, I am aware that the legal council is achieving a track and logging the work that they are working on. And a lot of the time that has occurred since December has been spent on probably upskilling some of the internal staff in around, you know, managing contracts and what they should be looking at and just reviewing what they're doing to make sure that we are compliant and managing some of those risks, and also working with, you know, helping them get contracts as well. But I think as it progresses, we should hopefully see some of that reduction, but it's certainly managing some of the risks of things that may not have been occurring previously that we're exposing council to some level of risk.

00:14:00 Councillor Lorentson: And it's hard to quantify that, isn't it, Pauline, like, you know, risk, how much is it negating risk? Speaker 4: Yeah, so you can turn to the log that's been kept. I think it's been about 50 hours that's basically core legal work that's currently happening that didn't happen before. Yeah. Councillor Lorentson: I have another question in this. Yeah, go ahead. In the last one. So my last question. Materials and services. Something I raise pretty much most, every couple of months, in terms of consultancy services. Given that we're now looking, we've now appointed an in-house legal consult, is there an opportunity to explore in-house consultants? We spend heavily and rely heavily on external consultants and contractors. And my question is, have we ever had an opportunity to explore in-house consultants and contractors? Have we ever had a deep dive or report to council to understand whether there is an over-reliance

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00:15:00 on consultants and whether there's opportunities to introduce efficiencies or streamlining? Speaker 4: I'm not aware that we have brought a report to council around a consultancy spent or having addressed or looked at an internal opportunity for that. I think in respect to the consultancy that council does use, a lot of it is very specialised and very diverse. It's not sort of a main kind of theme and that's probably why you'll see that utilisation because we have very generalist staff and we can't be across everything and so some of it's made to actually help with vacancies. So when we don't have vacancies, we might use a consultant, but it also requires reports for different and various meetings. It might be modelling, it could be a report that underpins the housing strategy or informs the river plan. So there's a lot of different activities that go on across council that are very specialised. So it's hard to say whether or not an in-house consulting person would be able to actually

00:16:00 reduce that cost. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Pauline. While we've got our Director of Regulation and Compliance here, I've got questions about the revenue, the development assessment, 493 below budget, building and plumbing, 257 below budget. Local laws, 197 below budget. Can we just get a sense of the reasons why we're trending below budget for those in those three areas, please? Speaker 3: Yes, through the Chair. So in the development assessment space, we have received some large development application fees late last year and those are currently being worked on. Some of that money has been put into what we call unearned revenue and will be released at the end of the financial year and will be released at the end of the fiscal year. So there's a lot of work happening in that space at the moment. There has been a slight downturn based on interest rates, obviously, at their peak debt

00:17:00 at the moment. So a slight slowing in the market and that's caused a slight reduction from the forecasted budget to be slightly higher than last year. So a slight undershooting, I guess, of those revenue targets based on interest rates peaking at the moment. In terms of the local law revenue, we've gone through quite a big system upgrade three quarters of the way through last year and that's caused some impacts in terms of the efficiencies of processing infringements and prosecutions. We're working our way through that and have largely addressed some of those deficiencies. So that's caused a bit of a reduction in that forecasted revenue for the year. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Councillor Wegener: I'll move. Oh, sorry. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just one. Yeah, go. In operating revenue, sales and goods and services, waste management fees, does that include payment for taking stuff to the landfill and recycle sales or what does it do? Speaker 4: Yes, it does. Yes. So yes. So through the Chair, yes. The sales in relation to waste, other disposal fees at the gates and the sale of recyclables.

00:18:00 Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Yeah, thank you. I'd like to move the report. Can we have a second, please? I'll second. I'll second it, Councillor Stockwell. Thank you, Pauline, for the report. The financial report's always extremely comprehensive and just a note for all Councillors. This report has become more and more added onto and reflects Councillors' requests for simplified information in terms of the graphics it's provided. So if you feel that where anything's missing in future, please feel free to let staff know and they're more than accommodating. It provides a very open and accountable review of Council's finances on a monthly basis. And please, thank you, Pauline, and to your staff as well. Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes. I thought it would be interesting to have a look and see how the game's changed since the beginning of the last two.

00:19:00 So I went back and looked at the first similar report in 2020 and compared some things. And you, Councillor Stockwell, you've done a good job. You're very fortunate because we're a lot busier, so you've got a lot more to do. So operating revenue in 2020, $93 million. In this report in 2024, $122.7 million, a 31% increase in operating revenue. Capital revenue 2020, $6.9 million. 2024, $30.4 million, a 340% increase. Capital expenditure in 2020, $18.4 million. In this particular report, $44.4 million, so a 140% increase in expenditure. Planning and building. And we just heard we're in a bit of a downturn at the moment, but in 2020, $1.73 million. In this report, $3.9 million, so a 125% increase.

00:20:00 Holiday caravan parks. Now, bear in mind, this first report in 2020 was in May, so there might have been one month of COVID in this. But not a huge difference. Holiday park revenue, $2 million in 2020, $3.7 million. So I think that's about an 85% increase. And what I just asked about, waste disposal and recyclables. In 2020, $3.5 million. In this report, $5.5 million. So a 51% increase. And that will be both because of increased charges related to, I'm presuming, the $5.5 million. The tax burden of the state in terms of the wage tax, but also the increased revenue from recyclables. So while we're at the beginning of this term, it really is important to understand long-term the business of this organisation is on, has been for the last four years, a really steep increase.

00:21:00 So when you compare the budgets of yesteryear, it really is a new ballgame. Speaker 1: Yep. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And the big thing we're going to have to do over the next couple of months is work out, do we fund that through increased rates, or do we find new ways to fund it, or do we cut back in what we provide in wage services? And that's a difficult decision to see what we're going to have to make in the next couple of months. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Stockwell. Any other councillors wish to speak to the motion? I'll waive my right to close. All in favour? Thank you. Next item is the Noosa Botanic Garden Master Plan Stakeholder Reference Group. Speaker 1: Sure. Mayor Wilkie: And we have Shaun Walsh. You can give us a summary of the report, please. Speaker 2: Good morning, councillors. The preparation of a fresh master plan for the Noosa Botanic Gardens is a committed budget item, for the 24-25 budget.

00:22:00 And we've put an invitation to quote out to the community that we're going to have to go back to the market and engage the consultant to start preparing that process. The first part of the sort of formal community engagement is preparation of calling a stakeholder reference group, which is made up of appointed councillors and also appointed community representatives. That will be used as a valuable sounding board for the consultants and the preparation material. And it's a good initial step or stage before broader community consultation. Because, of course, a plan like this requires broader community consultation as part of this preparation process. So you'll see the report recommendations. Appointment of three councillors, including one to be chair, and also appointment of delegates from various community and stakeholder groups in and around Lake McDonald and Cooroy. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Care to put some names in there? Yes. Yes.

00:23:00 Who are you recommending? Speaker 3: Myself. Mayor Wilkie: Yes? Yeah? Okay. We've got a... Yes. Jess, the names we've got set aside. Jess Phillips. Yes. Councillor Lorentson: Councillor Lorentson. Amelia Lawrenson. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Lorentson. Councillor Finzel. And Councillor Finzel. Was it? Yes. Yes. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So I'm happy to move the recommendation with B reading appoint Councillor Jess Phillips as chair and Councillors Lorentson and Finzel to the Noosa Patagonia Gardens Master Plan Stakeholder Reference Group. I'll second that. Mayor Wilkie: Who wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No. I think there will be no happier group than the Noosa Patagonia Friends of the Noosa Patagonia Gardens that this is progressing. It's something that they've been asking for for a number of years and it is a great asset and it is one that has considerable potential for improvement as part of the master planning

00:24:00 process. And it's also a great asset for the local community having lived there for many years around that area. And it's good to see that we've got that mix on the Stakeholder Reference Group because there'll be different users with different aspirations and different needs in terms of the way they use the botanic gardens. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Any other speakers? I have a question. Yes. To Shaun. Councillor Lorentson: Hi, Shaun. Just in terms of staffing. So my understanding, Emma, could be incorrect that the level of staffing at the botanical gardens hasn't increased much for a long period. Will the master plan and the operational plan, will that be the determining factor in informing the level of resourcing and so does that patch happen first? Speaker 2: The master plan gives a future design direction for the site. And if you think about the way Council planned resources for the Hinterland Adventure Playground,

00:25:00 you know, there was a design done at the Hinterland Adventure Playground, a budget set and then delivered. And then as part of those budget decisions for construction of the new asset, Council also appointed new resources to actually manage the Hinterland Adventure Playground. That resource is actually split between the Hinterland Adventure Playground and the Noosa Botanic Gardens. So there actually has been some deployment of new resources. Interesting. I think it's really important that as we plan new initiatives and we want to improve the standard of their space, the need for more resources to, you know, fulfil that vision and maintain it is going to be critical in our discussions. And part of the terms of reference for the actual master plan is funding streams about, you know, so it's embedded that, you know, that unfortunately Council doesn't have unlimited funds and how we tap into supplementary, you know, funds to actually achieve this outcome. One of the things I am interested in exploring, and this is a result of my background with Ramah Street Parkland, we had a memorandum of understanding with the Groverley Horticultural

00:26:00 staff, which actually supplied horticultural students for long-term placements free of charge to our gardens. And I'm interested to see what other, you know, learning and traineeship opportunities might exist on the Sunshine Coast, because that would be also a wonderful supplement to our volunteer program as well. So I think we have to think really laterally and creatively about how we deploy resources to achieve the standard of uplift that we're after. Councillor Lorentson: And just one last, sorry, sorry, just one last question, Sean, in terms of residents that live in close proximity to the Botanical Gardens, I'm just assuming that they need to be also advised and be welcomed as part of this journey. I note that they're not included in the Stakeholder Reference Group, but I assume there will

00:27:00 be constant communication through Project NEWS and opportunities for them to make submissions. Speaker 2: There's no clear identifiable Lake MacDonald Residence Group that we could find. The closest we could find was the Noosa Hinterland Great Plays Association. That's right. And we asked them for a representative, but the representative had to be in close proximity to the lake, either on Timbeawah or Lake MacDonald side. And I also note that the representative appointed by the Cooroy Area Residence Association is also a resident of Lake MacDonald, and they live actually directly opposite the Botanic Gardens. So firstly, we do have indirectly local resident representation on the Stakeholder Reference Group. But secondly, when we undertake the broader community consultation engagement, we do need to engage with all the residents through the Your Say program. And also, we're planning workshops and activities on site. So we can actually choreograph at the same time as the popular plant side sales, as well

00:28:00 as the music in the park. So that as well as our formal channels, we'll engage the local community through those more informal channels on site. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Wegener. Councillor Wegener: I'd just like to say congratulations to this council for engaging the local community through doing this. Getting the Botanic Gardens Master Plan up and running, because it's been a long time coming. Hasn't been, from what I understand, many, many, many years. So when people say that nothing ever happens, well, this is happening. And it's going to happen now. It's going to be a lot of fun. Thank you. Thanks, Shaun. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Wegener. Councillor Finzel. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, just to reiterate what Councillor Tom has said, it's great. And the community is really engaged and excited about seeing this move forward. They've waited a long time. So that's wonderful. I notice on the stakeholders group, we've got SEQ Water, one representative. Can you tell us a little bit about the value that they'll bring to the table during that conversation? Speaker 2: Just so the councillors understand, SEQ Water retain an easement, which is in title

00:29:00 over the Noosa Botanic Gardens. So whilst the land is owned by Noosa Council, they have an easement over the site. Now those easement rights give them the ability to, well, they basically need to endorse any sort of site improvements and building works on the site. And that's written into the title of documentation. So they're a critical stakeholder, and they'll be primarily concerned for retention of the quality of Lake MacDonald, because it is our primary water supply for the Shire. And those concerns are legitimate and well-founded. So by having them formally on the stakeholder reference group, we'll be able to have really good collaborative discussions, and also realistic outcomes that meet both the needs of the water with the community in terms of quality of water supply, as well as botanical enrichment on the site. And also, I note that from a funding perspective, SEQ Water has also funded improvements in the past on the Noosa Botanic Gardens, such as the Shade House. So, you know, possibly there might be an avenue there, but I can't speak on behalf of them.

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00:30:00 But certainly keeping them at the table in a really positive and collaborative manner, I think will be to the project's benefit. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Stockwell, do you wish to close? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I will. I think there are some interesting points brought out there. I thought the lateral thinking in terms of how do we get an educational element and bring in... Like in Robesbury Parklands, they had access to horticulture students. I'm not sure we have that course locally, but we do certainly have a lot of people going through the conservation and land management, which may be linked to elements of that, particularly if we increase, for example, the level of rare and endangered native plants. Like at the moment, the Botanical Gardens has part of the macadamia recovery plan being cited on it, because we've got a range of local endangered plants. We've got a range of local endangered macadamia species in the wild. So to me, getting this master plan will be a recipe for going out and looking at what

00:31:00 are the new sources of support, partnership and funding to drive this to be a really enhanced asset for our locals, but also it will attract people who are interested in gardens and interested in the natural environment to our Shire, and once again, that idea of dispersing our visitation to reduce the congestion and the pollution. The main focus is one element of it. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. All in favour? That's unanimous. Thank you, Shaun. Thank you. Yes. Congratulations, Councillors. I'm sure you'll do a great job. Next is the Councillor representation on various committees, working groups, boards and external groups. To see how this is critical about the way we engage with scaffolding and other work Speaker 1: There are a number of committees and boards and working groups that councillors either represent

00:32:00 the council or represent various parties on and we need to formalise those appointments where necessary, where they are representing and the councillors are representing the council and the community. So we've got a list there that we can go through individually I think is probably the most appropriate to ensure that we're all comfortable with those appointments and then at the end of it we can, if we're all comfortable, we can do it in one group in terms of endorsing those appointments. Are you comfortable with that? Yes. Councillor Lorentson: They'll just have to change the recommendation head councillor Finzel as chair so someone will have to move it differently. Okay. We'll do that as we go through. Forge. Speaker 1: Okay. I'll get to that one. I'll change it as we go. All right. If that's okay. Mayor Wilkie: You want to leave that, Larry?

00:33:00 Speaker 1: Yes. Okay. So if we go through the appointment of councillor Lorentson as deputy chair to the local disaster recovery committee. Note that all councillors are invited to attend as observers to the LDMG and the LDRG which is the recovery group, the management group, the local disaster management group, the local disaster recovery group. Appoint councillor Wilkie, the mayor and councillor Phillips and Wegener to the case management working group. Appoint councillor Finzel as chair of the regional arts development fund committee, the RATF. Appoint councillor Finzel as chair of the Noosa heritage reference group. Appoint councillor Lorentson as chair, councillor Wilson and Wilkie, mayor to the capital works executive. Appoint councillor Wilkie as chair and councillor Stockwell to the CEO performance review committee. Appoint councillor Wilkie and councillor Lorentson to the Tiwakalula working group.

00:34:00 Again that's available to observers as well as councillors. Appoint councillor Stockwell as chair and councillor Finzel and councillor Wegener to the Noosa biosphere trails reference group. Appoint councillor Wilkie. Appoint councillor Willkie as the chair of the business round table. Appoint councillor Wilkie as chair and councillor Wegener and councillor Wilson to the climate change response planning steering group. Appoint councillors Phillips as chair and councillor Wilson to the climate change response plan community reference group. Appoint councillor Wilson to the management committee for the memorandum of understanding MOU with the Sunshine Coast University. Appoint Councillor Wegener and Councillor Wilson to the Audit and Risk Committee. Appoint Councillor Phillips as Chair and Councillor Stockwell to the Noosa Drive Pathway Project Reference Group.

00:35:00 Appoint Councillor Wilkie, Councillor Finzel and Councillor Wilson to the Housing Stakeholder Reference Group. Appoint Councillor Wilkie as Chair and Councillor Stockwell and Councillor Lorentson to the Destination Management Project Control Group. Appoint Councillor Wilkie to the Regional Resource Recovery Steering Group as part of the MOU with Gympie Council. And this is the one we need to change because we've just put that in. So it's... We've just approved that in the previous agenda item where it's Councillor Phillips as Chair. With Councillor Lorentson and Councillor Finzel as members of that Noosa Botanic Gardens Master Plan Stakeholder Reference Group.

00:36:00 And then the... Councillor Lorentson: Do you want me to go back to the screen? The screen's made bigger. Speaker 1: External groups. Not established by Council, so these are the ones we appoint. Our councillors too. Appoint Councillor Stockwell as Council Observer on the Tourism Noosa Board. Appoint Councillor Wegener as Council's Representative on the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation Board. Appoint Councillor Finzel to the Northern SEQ Regional Roads and Transport Group. And appoint Councillor Stockwell to the Climate Emergency Australia National Executive Committee. Appoint Councillor Wilkie as Council's Representative and Councillor Stockwell. As proxy to the Council of Mayors SEQ, so ComSec. Appoint Councillor Lorentson as Council's Representative and Councillor Wegener as proxy to the Council of Mayors Waste Working Group. Appoint Councillor Wilkie to the Council of Mayors SEQ Legacy or SEQ 2032 Legacy Working Group.

00:37:00 So for the Olympic Legacy Working Group. And appoint Councillor Phillips on the Noosa World Surfing Reserve Committee. I think that's it. We've got no more letters, so that must be it. Yes. That worked out well. Can we have a mover please? That's, yeah, so I'm comfortable with that. Yep. Any questions? Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. Councillor Finzel. Moved by Councillor Finzel. Seconded by Councillor Wegener. Councillor Finzel. Councillor Finzel: Yeah. I think this is a really exciting part of first term and how we all come together and work out who's going to sit where in our community in a formal capacity and observers as chairs and collaborate with our community. So I think it's fantastic. I congratulate all the councillors on their positions on their committees and wish them every success in their new roles and really take this opportunity to thank the community for the trust that's been placed in us to have a strong relationship with our community.

00:38:00 And I think it's a very important thing that the community has to sit around their tables and be part of that collaborative process and listening to what community has to say, working with key stakeholders across the Shire on a broad range of interests and decision making groups. So thank you everybody for your contribution. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Any other councillors wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Lorentson: Can I ask a question through the Chair please? Of course. To Larry, the CEO, just in terms of clarity, every two years, is there the intention of Council to revisit the committees and change appointments? Speaker 1: That's the intention, Councillor Lorentson. At the end of two years, we do review. There's no obligation to change, but there is the opportunity to change. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Councillor Finzel. Just a question through the Chair. Just to reiterate, it can be at any time, not just two years, is that correct?

00:39:00 Speaker 1: Yeah, if the opportunity or there's reasons for doing that. Yes, we can change at any time, but as a rule, if you like, at the two year mark, we'd like to review it and make sure that it's still appropriate. Mayor Wilkie: Yep, thank you. Any more questions? Councillor Finzel, you're urged to close. Councillor Finzel: No, thank you, Mr Chair. That's been said. Mayor Wilkie: Alright, well said. I'll put the motion to those in favour. That's carried unanimously. And now move to the next item, Council Expenses Reimbursement and Provision of Facilities Policy. We'll have the CEO to give us an overview of this. Speaker 1: Certainly. So this again is really just the council's expenses and reimbursement. The policy has been revised in April 2024 and needs the endorsement of the full council.

00:40:00 Essentially, there's no real change except for the fact that you'll see and people watching will see that all councils have got a new laptop in front of them. So we've been changing our process to use a system called Resolve, which we've been using for the last 12 months or so. And it just makes it far more streamlined that we're now from a security and safety point of view that we did have desktop computers. But now it's having the laptop so that they're from a security point of view. It's much, much safer for us as a group, as a council and as an organisation. So and it's much more streamlined so that we're reducing our paper needs. So we're that's that that is provided. They're provided as we do to all staff members in terms of the ability to have computers. Mostly not staff members, but we're providing those as part of this.

00:41:00 So there's still property of council. So in doing that, there's there's no real change. There are allowances that have not been not been changed for many years. And by providing this computer, then we're not seeking that. We're seeking to change the amount of the allowances from previous years. So that basically that balance out now going forward is how we'd like to like to have it represented. I think there's not much more in there that I'd like to say other than it's up for recommendation in terms of the new policy endorsing. There's still provision for home. Home administration. So we provide an allowance for that. We provide an allowance for vehicles. That is your choice. And there's different ways that you can you can use that. But there's an allowance for your your vehicles to do your your work and your business.

00:42:00 Mayor Wilkie: I think that's pretty much it. Yeah. So just a question, Mr. CEO. The principal expense is two thousand eight hundred and eighty per annum for each council to purchase communications devices and plans as well as printed consumables for their residences. That includes phones, phone and phone bills. And there's a five thousand dollar allowance for a vehicle. That's correct. Speaker 1: That's correct. That's correct. And that two thousand eight hundred and eighty dollars is what I'm referring to as has not changed for a number of years. So rather than increase that, we're providing new laptops and council as council property. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. Speaker 1: The laptops remain council property. That's right. Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Questions for the CEO. Anyone? We have a mover. Moved. Councillor Wegener. Seconded. Seconded.

00:43:00 Councillor Phillips. Councillor Wegener. Your speed. Councillor Wegener: Well, I'm very happy about the home expenses because I'm going to buy a new printer and I just want to cover my printer. Perfect. Thank you very much. It obviously, it really, really helps the home and the car. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Any other councillors wish to speak to the motion? All those in favour? Carried unanimously. Now I have no confidential items. We have public question time. We have submission of two questions to public question time from Andrew McCarthy. Mr McCarthy is not here today, so I see Larry will read out the questions on his behalf. The answers have been provided by our Director of Strategy and Environment, to be read by our Acting CEO, Larry Sengstock. Thank you, Larry. Thank you, Mr Mayor. Speaker 1: Just before starting, I just want to make the point that there's, because these are questions and answers and we're not making any decisions, so there's no need for any conflict of interest declarations prior to me addressing these questions.

45 minutes in ¶

00:45:00

00:45:00 The answer provided is council will consider all appropriate methods for consultation with all stakeholders as part of any further engagement on the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you. That brings us to the end of the agenda. The next ordinary meeting will be 5pm on Thursday 16th of May 2024. Congratulations councillors on the first ordinary formal meeting of the term. Normally this would have gone through the Planning and Environment Committee, the Services and Organisation Committee, the General Committee with the items of the planning and environment of significance or contention are discussed more fully before coming to this formal meeting where the decisions of the local government are made. So I declare the meeting closed at 10.46. Thank you for those in attendance and thank you councillors.