9 LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL NOTICE OF MOTION ORDINARY MEETING 06/02/2013 ITEM NO: NOMO 04 FILE NO: 2013/0335 SUBJECT: EVENTS TEAM AUTHOR: CLR TONY HADCHITI COMMUNITY THE COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTED BY A WELL STRATEGIC MANAGED AND RESPONSIVE COUNCIL PLAN REFERENCE: BACKGROUND: Council recently held two major community events, being namely New Years Eve and Australia Day. The New Years Eve event held at Chipping Norton Lakes was, I believe, the first time Council has this event. The event was attended by thousands of families who enjoyed a great evening of entertainment followed by fireworks. The Australia Day event held at Woodward Park was extraordinary with exceptional entertainment and was enjoyed by over 10,000 people. As Councillors, we have the simple task of allocating funds for these events but it was the hard work of the events team and other council officers that ensured they were a success. The Events Team who coordinated both events, were assisted by a number of Council officers who ensured that every moment was enjoyed by those who attended. It is important that the hard work of these Council officers does not go unrecognised. NOTICE OF MOTION: That Council: 1. Congratulate the Events Team on the coordination of the New Years and Australia Day events and acknowledge the efforts of all Council officers in making the events a success. 2. Recommend that the General Manager consider introducing a staff rewards and recognition program. 10 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost of the rewards and recognition program could be financial from the salaries budget and reported to councillors every quarter. A budget allocation will be sought on an annual basis. GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENT: Council recognises that there are many dedicated and hardworking staff employed in a variety of roles within Council. In order to allow those staff to be appropriately recognised and rewarded the General Manager is currently reviewing a draft policy that addresses rewards and recognition. The draft policy is titled “Shining Stars Rewards and Recognition Policy”. The objective of the Policy is to provide employees with a rewards program which recognises employees who have made a significant contribution. The program provides for nominations in a number of categories to ensure equity amongst all job types. The Program will consist of Quarterly Rewards and Annual Rewards including Shining Star of the Year or Team of the Year. Quarterly rewards will recognise the achievement of individual employees or team(s) within the quarter. In accordance with the policy each of the quarterly and annual winners will be presented with their reward and a certificate of acknowledgement. It is recommended that Councillor Hadchiti’s acknowledgement of the Events Team and other council officers be submitted as a nomination for the first round of rewards. 11 LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL NOTICE OF MOTION ORDINARY MEETING 06/02/2013 ITEM NO: NOMO 05 FILE NO: 2013/0335 SUBJECT: MOOREBANK VOLUNTARY ACQUISITION SCHEME AUTHOR: MAYOR MANNOUN COMMUNITY THE COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTED BY A WELL STRATEGIC MANAGED AND RESPONSIVE COUNCIL PLAN REFERENCE: NOTICE OF MOTION: Council moves that the General Manager: 1. Provide a report to Council on the Moorebank Voluntary Acquisition Scheme (MVAS) that contains: a. The total amount of Council funds used for the scheme and number of properties acquired to date (total dollar amount and in today's dollar amount compounded). b. Total amount of properties left to acquire and their projected cost and the cost to ratepayers to do this. c. An estimated time period of when all properties will be acquired. d. When was the scheme initiated, by whom, what studies/reports were relied on to initiate the scheme, and were there or are there any current similar schemes in the country. e. Conduct an audit of all properties within MVAS against their original conditions of consent and report the findings back to Council prior to any action being taken. f. There are many properties within the MVAS that have significant amounts of rubbish, cars, and items stored on their properties. Are these complaint with the zoning/DA's and how will these affect the safety of people within the area in the case of a flood? 12 g. Temporally halt any enforcement/legal action which relate to the building of any unauthorised structures or alterations to properties within the MVAS area until point E is completed. h. What have councils in Queensland who were affected by the major flooding there a few years ago have done with properties who share a similar risk profile as those in the MVAS? i. What is Councils current policy with regards to assessing all minor and major DA's within the MVAS? j. What would Council do if the following was to occur: Flood occurred and numerous properties were damaged. New DA's were required to be lodged and were lodged to rebuild the homes of those residents who were affected? k. If a resident would like to make safety improvements to their homes to protect them from a flood that required more than a 10% variation to their property would Council be liable for not allowing those safety improvements to take place (subject to them being compliant with the LEP, DCP, and BCA). l. Is there anything that forces or requires any owner to sell their property to Council in the MVAS? m. Can Council compulsory acquire all properties within the MVAS? n. Are there any evacuation plans for people within the MVAS in the case of a flood? o. If the answer to point N is no, please prepare evacuation plans and procedures for this. p. Provide a map of the MVAS area. q. When the last time a flood study was conducted in that area? r. What effect has the creation of Chipping Norton Lakes has had on properties within the MVAS? FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: It is anticipated that the financial implications for undertaking an audit on all remaining dwellings within the Moorebank Voluntary Acquisition Scheme is in the order of $50,000. The requirements for preparation for an Evacuation Plan would need to be quoted from suitably qualified consultants. 13 GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENT: The information sought regarding the previous and future cost estimates for property acquisitions, including Councils contribution, is readily available and can be presented to a future Councillor briefing session. The requirements to undertake an audit of the remaining properties within the Moorebank Voluntary Acquisition Scheme, to determine their compliance with current approvals, would require the engagement of external consultants. There is currently no spare capacity within the Building Unit to undertake the audit process. It is anticipated that the process would take several months to undertake, given the age of the dwellings and the requirement to gain access to each property to undertake the audit. There are currently two legal proceedings underway regarding the Moorebank Voluntary Acquisition Scheme. Both matters relate to the same landowner. The first matter was referred to the Environmental Protection Authority by Council’s Parking and Enforcement team regarding the dumping of illegal materials. The second matter involves the development of a property without proper consent. Council engaged one of their panel lawyers to provide advice and draft a letter to the owners on their behalf. On 4 December 2012 a letter was sent to the owners requesting that they sign an undertaking by 20 December 2012 to remove all “unlawful works” within two months. The date of the undertaking was subsequently extended to 31 January 2013. Council’s lawyers also drafted an “Order 27” (demolition notice) in anticipation that no such undertaking was received. As no response has been received from the property owners, it is Council’s intention to proceed with enforcement action. 14 LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL GENERAL MANAGERS REPORT ORDINARY MEETING 06/02/2013 ITEM NO: GMRR 01 FILE NO: 2012/0369 SUBJECT: USE OF DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY OVER THE CHRISTMAS / NEW YEAR RECESS COMMUNITY THE COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTED BY A WELL STRATEGIC MANAGED AND RESPONSIVE COUNCIL PLAN REFERENCE: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Council at its meeting of 28 November 2012, resolved to grant the Mayor and General Manager authority to determine matters reserved for Council during the Christmas / New Year recess. This report notes that the Mayor and General Manager did not exercise delegated authority during the recess period. DETAILED REPORT: Councils customarily delegate authority to their Mayor and General Manager to make decisions for the organisation during periods in which Council meetings are impractical or impossible. Accordingly, Council resolved at its meeting on 28 November 2012 to delegate to the Mayor and General Manager the powers of Council for the purpose of carrying out business of Council during the period of 19 December 2012 to 6 February 2013 inclusive, subject to the limitations under Section 377 of the Local Government Act 1993. It was also resolved that a list of matters determined under delegated authority be reported at the first meeting of Council in the New Year. This report notes that the Mayor and General Manager did not exercise delegated authority during the recess period. It is recommended that Council receives the report and notes that the Mayor and General Manager did not exercise delegated authority during the 2012-2013 Christmas / New Year recess period. 15 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no financial implications as a result of this report. RECOMMENDATION: That Council receives the report and notes that the Mayor and General Manager did not exercise delegated authority during the 2012-2013 Christmas / New Year recess period. SIGNED BY: Farooq Portelli General Manager 16 LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL GENERAL MANAGERS REPORT ORDINARY MEETING 06/02/2013 ITEM NO: GMRR 02 FILE NO: 2012/0369 SUBJECT: CONSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY STRATEGIC THE COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTED BY A WELL PLAN MANAGED AND RESPONSIVE COUNCIL REFERENCE: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has initiated a campaign for recognition of local government in the Australian Constitution.