Council Agenda 12/06/18
7.2 Public submissions on draft Revised Council Plan (including the Strategic Resource Plan) and proposed Budget 2018-19
Abstract
Council resolved on 23 April 2018 to endorse the draft Revised Council Plan 2017- 21 (including the Strategic Resource Plan) and proposed Budget 2018-19 for public notice and exhibition in accordance with section 223 of the Local Government Act 1989 ("the Act"). Public notice was duly given and the period for submissions concluded on 23 May 2018. In total 21 submissions were received; seven of the submitters have indicated their intention to be heard in support of their submission.
This report includes details of the submissions and provides for the hearing of submissions in accordance with the Act.
Officers' recommendation
That Council resolve to:
1. Receive and note written and oral submissions in relation to the draft Revised Council Plan 2017-21 (including the Strategic Resource Plan) and proposed Budget 2018-19 as included in Attachment 1.
2. Note the officer comments provided in relation to the submissions as outlined in Attachment 2.
3. Note the final Revised Council Plan 2017-21 (including the Strategic Resource Plan) and Budget 2018-19 will be presented for consideration by Council, with or without modification, at the Council Meeting on Monday 25 June 2018 commencing at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber.
City of Boroondara 31 Council Agenda 12/06/18
Responsible director: Carolyn McClean Community Development ______
1. Purpose
This report includes details of public submissions received in relation to the draft Revised Council Plan 2017-21 (including the Strategic Resource Plan), and proposed Budget 2018-19 and provides for the hearing of submissions in accordance with Section 223 of the Local Government Act 1989 ("the Act").
2. Policy implications and relevance to community plan and council plan
The draft Revised Council Plan (the Plan) and proposed Budget has been prepared in accordance with Council policies and the Victorian Government’s rate capping legislation. The Plan is structured around the seven themes of the Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27, and describes the outcomes Council aims to achieve during its term, and the allocation of resources required to achieve those outcomes.
3. Background
Council Plan The Local Government Act 1989 - Section 125 states that: Council must prepare and approve a council plan within six months after a general election or by 30 June (whichever is later) and submit its council plan to the Minister for Local Government. The council plan must include the strategic objectives, strategies for achieving these for at least the next four years, strategic indicators for monitoring achievement of the strategic objectives and a strategic resource plan. Before adopting the plan, a council must give public notice of its intention to adopt the plan and invite public submissions, specifying the date by which submissions are to be received that is not less than 28 days after the date on which the public notice is published. A copy of the proposed plan must be made available for public inspection at the council office and internet website. Members of the public may make written submissions and, if they so desire, request to be heard in support of their submission. At least once each financial year a council must consider whether the council plan requires any adjustment in respect to the remaining period of the plan. If a council adjusts the strategic objectives, strategies or strategic indicators it must subject the revised plan to the public submission process. Council must adopt the council plan and submit a copy to the Minister by the next 30 June following a general election, or in the case of an adjusted council plan advise the Minister within 30 days of the adjustments.
The Council Plan 2017-21 was adopted on 26 June 2017. The Plan has been revised to align with the community priorities identified in the Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27, Council’s key strategic document that sets out our 10-year vision for the City’s future.
The draft Revised Council Plan 2017-21 is structured around the seven themes of the Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27, and sets the strategic objectives and strategies that will be pursued for a four year period in accordance with
City of Boroondara 32 Council Agenda 12/06/18
Section 125 of the Local Government Act 1989. It also contains the strategic indicators to monitor the achievement of these objectives.
The Strategic Resource Plan (Section 126) which is the financial and human resources required to deliver the Council Plan strategic objectives is documented in the proposed Budget. The Local Government Act Section 125 (2) (d) requires that it also appears in the Council Plan. Council must review and adopt the Strategic Resource Plan not later than 30 June each year - Section 126(3).
Budget The Local Government Act 1989 provides that a Council must: Prepare a budget for each financial year – Section 127(1); Provide a description of services and initiatives and a statement as to how these will contribute to achieving the strategic objectives specified in the Council Plan, major initiatives and any other details required by the regulations– Section 127(2 - 4); Give public notice of a proposed budget and make it available for public inspection for at least 28 days – Section 129; Adopt the budget by 30 June each year, or other date specified by the Minister, and submit a copy to the Minister within 28 days of adoption - Section 130; Review and adopt the Strategic Resource Plan not later than 30 June each year - Section 126; Set a rate cap by General Order which has been set at 2.25% for the 2018- 19 financial year - Part 8A - Section 185A through G provides for the Minister.
The proposed Budget has been prepared with a focus on responsible financial management and in accordance with the Local Government Act 1989 and the Local Government (Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2014.
It is the first budget that will deliver on the recently adopted Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27. It will ensure Council delivers those facilities and services identified through the extensive consultation undertaken to develop the Boroondara Community Plan.
Adherence to the Boroondara Planning Framework has ensured that the proposed Budget is closely aligned to the draft Revised Council Plan and is an accurate reflection of the services and initiatives that will be resourced in the next financial year in order to contribute to the strategic objectives as identified in the Council Plan.
4. Outline of key issues/options
In total 21 submissions were received, copies of all submissions are included in Attachment 1. Seven submitters have indicated their intention to speak in support of their submission at the Council Meeting on Tuesday 12 June 2018.
Submissions are summarised in Attachment 2 along with officer comments on each submission. Where extensive commentary of a general nature has been made this has not been included in officers' responses. Each of the submitters will receive a response in writing post the adoption of the Revised Council Plan 2017-21 and Budget 2018-19.
City of Boroondara 33 Council Agenda 12/06/18
5. Consultation/communication
Council endorsed the draft Revised Council Plan 2017-21 (including the Strategic Resource Plan) and proposed Budget 2018-19 for public notice and exhibition in accordance with section 223 of the Local Government Act 1989 ("the Act") on Monday 23 April 2018. Public notice commenced on 26 April and concluded on 23 May 2018.
The Communications Strategy led to a range of activities which have been underway to promote the documents as follows: Documents made available to all Council's customer services centres and libraries. Electronic versions available on the Boroondara website. The Age – statutory notice on Wednesday 25 April 2018. Progress Leader - weekly articles. Boroondara Bulletin articles. Promotion through Council’s social media.
6. Financial and resource implications
The financial and resource implications of the budget can be found in the proposed 2018-19 Budget document.
7. Governance issues
The implications of this report have been assessed in accordance with the requirements of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.
The officers responsible for this report have no direct or indirect interests requiring disclosure.
8. Social and environmental issues
The allocation of resources in the proposed Budget reflects Council’s commitment to community wellbeing. The services and initiatives proposed to be funded in the budget will deliver social and environmental benefits to the community.
9. Conclusion
The draft Revised Council Plan 2017-21 and proposed Budget 2018-19 have benefited from the significant level of involvement of the community through their engagement in the development of the Boroondara Community Plan. The Council Plan has been revised to align with the community priorities identified through extensive consultation in the Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27; Council’s key strategic document that sets out the 10-year vision for the City’s future. The revised Plan will be implemented through annual commitments set out in the annual Budget, which reflects Council’s decisions on the initiatives to be funded each year.
The public notice period has also provided an opportunity for additional information to be received from the community. Community members may also address Council in support of their submissions.
Manager: Greg Hall, Chief Financial Officer Report officer: Leanne Brain, Administration Coordinator
City of Boroondara 34 Council Agenda 12/06/18
Attachment 1
Copy of Public Submissions Draft Revised Council Plan 2017-21 and Proposed Budget 2018-19
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 35 Council Agenda 12/06/18
Index
Submission reference and name Page number
1. Jeanette Goff 1
2. Vijay5 2
3. Submitter 3 3
4. Suzanne McWha 7
5. PJ Mckenna 8
6. Karin Johnstone 9
7. Submitter 7 10
8. Ashburton United Soccer Club 11
9. John McLean 13
10. Rita O'Donnell 14
11. Helen Tsoutsouvas 15
12. Canterbury Community Garden 16
13. Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre 23
14. Canterbury Community Action Group 25
15. David Farrow 26
16. Ian Hundley 27
17. Lighter Footprints Inc. 38
18. Boroondara Reconciliation Network 49
19. Kew Historical Society Inc 51
20. Hawthorn Basketball Association Inc 52
21. Canterbury Community Action Group 54
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 36 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Jeanette Goff Sent: Thursday, 3 May 2018 9:32 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Both
Type your submission Twenty five years ago the Boroondara council undertook a study to determine if the Kew pool which was originally 50 metre pool with land all around which stretched from Derby Street to Disraeli Street, it was a beautiful space, with substantial grassland all around. After many of the residents lobbied to keep the 50 metre pool and space the Boroondara council undertook a study and ultimately voted to renovate the site, remove the 50 metre pool and SELL OFF the front part of the land which has made the entire space too small. The front of the old pool space now houses a multi storey development that includes some 50 units and a supermarket below, which will over-stress the area and limit parking for all concerned. The council recently applied council funds to the Kew centre to conduct extensive unsuccessful renovations as they proceeded without consulting the Kew gym community as stakeholders. I implore the planning council to include Kew recreation centre users as an integral part in their consultation process as they are the stakeholder group and this will ensure the centre is successful and able to be used by all users. Your full name
Jeanette Goff
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
Yes
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 37 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Vijay R Sent: Friday, 4 May 2018 8:41 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Council Plan 2017-21
Type your submission Waste management: Its a good initiative to collect organic waste and covert into useful resources. I would like to give some feedback on non-organic waste, based on the circular you sent to all households. It was mentioned about future increase in the cost/ fee of Recyling industry. As you mentioned due to changes in China, we have to now pay fees towards recycling industry. I think we should bring attention to people to follow Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Unless we Reduce and Reuse, our Recycling cost and waste will keep increasing. We can achieve this with basic things in our daily lives such as, 1. not using plastic bottles for water 2. restaurants should not use/ provide plastic straws, cups, boxes (take away food). I see lot of restaurants in the city provide take away food during lunch with plastic box, plastic one use bag, spoon/ fork, etc. instead make it reusable one/ find ways to reduce. 3. Not all things are recyclables. it can only add complexity. 4. even the advertisement materials from supermarkets delivered to the mail box every week. I dont know why those are being circulated. Waste of paper materials and trees. This should be stopped. Every week i see on the roads those materials flying on streets. 5. create awareness to the future generation, they should not copy these habits to their future. Unless we dont follow first 2 Rs in Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, just recyling will not help.
Thanks. Your full name
Vijay R
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
No
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 38 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Sent: Saturday, 5 May 2018 9:24 AM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan Attachments: Budget-Submission.docx
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Budget 2018-19
Or upload your submission
x Budget-Submission.docx
Your full name
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
No
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
No
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
3DJHRI
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 39 Council Agenda 12/06/18
6XEPLVVLRQ 2018 -19 Budget Submission Item 1: Ferndale Trail upgrade Construct item 15 in the current bicycle strategy with included raised crossing to a width of 4 or at least 3.5 metres width. The upgraded path would make a convenient bicycle link to Ashburton from the Gardiners Creek trail and the Anniversary trail. The current trail is not suitable for efficient bicycle usage due to the narrow sealed sections and uneven gravel sections which are affected by rain. Item 2: Route from Ferndale Park to Toorak Road Build as new 3.5 or 4m wide sealed pathway with signage. There should be a new track through Back Creek reserve or use Somerset Road and replace the roundabout with raised platforms to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Item 3: Traffic calmed bicycle routes: Investigate and construct potential routes for bicycles using low volume streets between major activity centres. On these streets only speed bumps, raised intersections and other bicycle friendly traffic management devices should be used. Existing roundabouts should be removed if possible and replaced with raised intersections. Line markings and signage needs to be installed to clearly mark out the route. Sharrow line markings used to show turns should be used. City of Yarra and Darebin have installed similar treatments for reference. This option is low cost and highly effective because only minor changes are required. Routes between activity centres should be chosen based on terrain and directness. Flat streets should be used as much as possible, or if not possible include short steep sections that can be avoided by dismounting, for example Peate Street and Valley Parade. Example route included on page 2. Item 4: Protected bicycle lanes High traffic main roads such as High Street, Tooronga Road and others should include protected bicycle lanes once demand is high enough from projects such as item 3. Many roads requiring protected lanes are owned by VicRoads and may not be feasible in the long term. The protected routes would allow more direct access to complement low traffic routes or connect them where the street pattern requires a significant detour. There is an example street profile on page 3 which retains allows for 2m wide bicycle lanes and footpaths as well as parking. Removing parking allows for 4 lanes of traffic for trams and buses. The buffer between cars and bike lanes allows room for street trees and kerb extensions should be included at every intersection with raised threshold treatments.
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 40 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 41 Council Agenda 12/06/18
6XEPLVVLRQ 20m street profile
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 42 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Suzanne McWha Sent: Saturday, 5 May 2018 6:49 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Both
Type your submission Thank you for inviting me to have a say on behalf of a number of long term residents/ratepayers in the vicinity of Gladstone Street, Kew. I believe it is time to upgrade the walking pavement. It is an astonishing patchwork tapestry of tar, concrete, plastic and overgrowing grass nature strips. It does nothing to encourage people 60 plus to walk. The walkways are a total hazard; people are tripping or falling over. In addition, I would like to draw attention to the public seating in Kew. The seating looks lovely but, ergonomically, useless. After hip and knee replacements we are medically encouraged to weight bear, ie, walk. The seats are far too low; it is difficult to get up from these narrow seats.. Furthermore, some seating does not have an 'arm' to help one get out of the seat. As a consequence many elderly and not so elderly, are standing awaiting for public transport.The seats are not being used to the full potential they were thought to be designed for. As the medical profession keeps us alive and walking for longer, council needs to address how to meet the needs of people post surgery and long term walking for health and well being. It might even encourage younger people to walk for health. Dr Suzanne McWha Your full name
Suzanne McWha
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
Yes
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 43 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: PJ Mckenna Sent: Sunday, 6 May 2018 1:55 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Both
Type your submission I have previous experience with a council attempting to recycle food waste from residents kitchens through a biweekly collection cycle. Unsightly little plastic bin on the kitchen bench, bigger food scraps bin outside. The result was the community was subject to shocking smells of rotting food in the streets and a massive increase in Flies. The community lost interest because of the stench and flies and the fact that the supplied bins very quickly became rancid, with residents unwilling to wash them in sinks and on benches where they prepared food. Money wasted. Luckily, that was in Europe where the climate is cooler. Implementing a collection scheme for kitchen food scraps in Australia’s warmer climate will have greater issues with regard to stench and swarms of flies, probably even introduce disease and most certainly illness in the form of stomach upsets as the community is persuaded to handle food scraps weeks old. I would urge Boroondara Council not to waste it money investing and implementing a kitchen food scraps collection scheme, but instead look to providing the tools for individual households to recycle food scraps directly in their own gardens; if you must. Personally, I would prefer you to abandon the idea of making residents handle and dump their weeks old food scraps onto nature strips for collection entirely, to prevent the introduction of stench, flies, rats, illness, disease. Your full name
PJ Mckenna
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
No
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 44 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: karin johnstone Sent: Sunday, 6 May 2018 4:13 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Both
Type your submission All great plans - but don't increase our council rates. If any part of your proposals require an increase, then re think. Boroondara is already one of the most expensive councils to live in. And most of us don't have need of the facilities you are upgrading etc. Thanks
Your full name
karin johnstone
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your postal address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
No
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 45 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Sent: Friday, 4 May 2018 10:53 AM To: Boroondara Subject: Kew Library redevelopment?
DearMrStorer,
IamextremelydisappointedtodiscoverthattheproposedconstructionofanewKewLibraryhas disappearedfromthelistofcapitalworksplannedforthe2019Ͳ20budget.
ThelistofMajorProjectsfor2018Ͳ19to2021Ͳ22nolongerincludesthenewKewLibrary.Thisprojecthas beenreplacedbyanumberofnewprojectse.gAshburtonSeniorCentre,CamberwellCommunityCentre, CanterburyHubandothers.WhenIconsidertheCouncil’sexpenditureonit’srejiggedwebsite,Iam dismayedthatthemoneyforaprojectsuchastheKewLibrarycannolongerbefound.
TheestimatefortheKewRecreationcentreredevelopmenthasblownoutfrom$11mto$58m,andthat projectisstillonthebooksfor2018Ͳ2022,butanestimatedblowoutfortheKewLibraryfrom$10mto $30mhasseenitmovedoutoftheMajorProjectsplanforthatperiod.
KewLibraryisnearlyimpossibletouse,itisshortofspaceandfacilitiesandisinurgentneedofrenewal.
Iwouldliketounderstandhowthishashappened.
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 46 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Tas Tsatas Sent: Sunday, 13 May 2018 7:37 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan Attachments: The-Ashburton-United-Soccer-Club-budget-submision.docx
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Budget 2018-19
Or upload your submission
x The-Ashburton-United-Soccer-Club-budget-submision.docx
Your full name
Tas Tsatas
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
By email
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
Yes
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
3DJHRI
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 47 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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The Ashburton United Soccer Club welcomes the 2018-19 Council budget and would like to commend and support Council on its foresight in including $2,000,000 to commence construction of an artificial surface for outdoor sports in 2018-19 and $2.5 Million in the following year.
Our Club is one of the largest community Soccer Clubs in the south east and the largest outdoor sports Community Club in the City of Boroondara. Ashburton United has 1,000 players involved from Under 4s through to Men’s Masters at an over 55 age group. We have a large female group who also play from Under 4 girls through to Women’s State 2 level.
We are a large inclusive Community Club with a high degree of cultural diversity. Our Club like many others is experiencing a high growth and the facilities available are not able to cope with the player numbers. It is encouraging to see that Council will invest in upgrading pavilions for all sports and the grounds that we use.
The Club also looks forward to the current sports ground review and we are hopeful that Council could allocate the above funds to redevelop one of our venues. This will allow us to cater for the increased numbers but also give us an opportunity to work with other sports and groups to share a facility. A number of Councillors have visited our venues and understand the difficulty we are experiencing is delivering a quality experience to everyone during winter months as well as pre- season training and skills development clinics in the off season.
Ashburton United is willing to work with Council on the development of plans for the proposed projects including assisting with supporting any requests to State and Federal Governments to share the costs of any development project. It notes in particular that the State Government has increased its support for sporting infrastructure as well as having special programs in support of facilities for females and to assist clubs with loans.
Our Club strongly supports Council’s efforts in addressing one of the significant issues facing all sports during the winter months and in the off season. Our members and families fully support the budget being put forward for the 2018-19 period and related projects identified for funding in subsequent years.
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 48 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: John Griffiths McLean Sent: Tuesday, 15 May 2018 2:34 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Both
Type your submission The Boroondara Tree Strategy 2017-2027 was endorsed by Council in December 2017. No 4 Strategic theme: Managing Risk and Nuisance identified a number of issues, particularly damage, nuisance and human impacts as being of High Priority. These are serious issues that continue to be totally ignored, and in some case wilfully, by Council staff. I do not see anything in the Council Plans or Budget that will address these High Priority matters. When is the Council actually going to do something about this identified risks and nuisances. Your full name
John Griffiths McLean
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
No
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
3DJHRI
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 49 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Rita O'Donnell Sent: Wednesday, 16 May 2018 5:49 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Budget 2018-19
Type your submission $380K is budgeted for a new rotunda in Surrey Gardens - what is Council's justification for this significant expenditure item?
$209K is budgeted for an automated public toilet in Surrey Hills Village - why has this been included in the absence of both a Public Toilet Strategy for Boroondara and a needs-based assessment for an automated public toilet for Surrey Hills Village?
What criteria is Boroondara Council applying to justify the inclusion of these 2 projects? Your full name
Rita O'Donnell
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
Yes
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
3DJHRI
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 50 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Helen Tsoutsouvas Sent: Tuesday, 22 May 2018 10:08 AM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Both
Type your submission Matching the resources of Council Arborists upholding tree protection laws for private properties with the resources of Council parking officers upholding parking laws. Your full name
Helen Tsoutsouvas
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
Yes
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
3DJHRI
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 51 Council Agenda 12/06/18
Leanne Brain 6XEPLVVLRQ
From: Jane Anderson Macneil Sent: Tuesday, 22 May 2018 12:49 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan Attachments: CCG-submission-FINAL-VERSION-ccg.pdf
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Council Plan 2017-21
Type your submission Good Afternoon, This submission has also been sent by email. Regards, Jane Macneil Or upload your submission
x CCG-submission-FINAL-VERSION-ccg.pdf
Your full name
Jane Anderson Macneil
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
Yes
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
3DJHRI
City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 52 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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BOROONDARA CITY COUNCIL- DRAFT REVISED COUNCIL PLAN 2017-21 AND BUDGET 2018-19
PROPOSED CANTERBURY COMMUNITY HUB
SUBMISSION BY CANTERBURY COMMUNITY GARDEN.
Contact details :
Contact person Jane Macneil , Committee Chairperson
Mobile phone
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 53 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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PROPOSED CANTERBURY COMMUNITY HUB
SUBMISSION BY CANTERBURY COMMUNITY GARDEN.
This submission by the Committee of the Canterbury Community Garden describes the Canterbury Community Garden and demonstrates that:
x The Canterbury Community Garden plays an important part in the local community. x The Canterbury Community Garden makes a significant contribution to Council’s policy of encouraging environmental sustainability through community gardens. x The incorporation of the Canterbury Community Garden into the Canterbury Community Hub will make positive contribution to the range of facilities to be included in the Hub and its overall amenity.
1 – The Canterbury Community Garden
The current Canterbury Community Garden (the Garden) was created in 2006 as a result of an initiative by Burke and Beyond (B & B) – a non-government organisation providing support for intellectually disabled people - in association with a number of local community members. The CCG occupies part of the Council land currently leased by B & B and Interchange and comprises some 36 plots.
A planning permit was obtained from Council in 2006. Council provided a grant of approximately $3000 to supplement funds from B & B to develop the garden. Construction was carried out by members of the local Lions Club assisted by local community volunteers. Since establishment the Garden has been fully funded by Member subscriptions.
The overall design of the Garden was developed with the assistance of professional gardeners and incorporates plots of varying size, including a number of raised beds and two wicking beds.
A Committee comprising Plot Holders and a representative from B&B manages the Garden. A set of Rules has been developed, generally consistent with the rules applying to other community gardens, to provide a good governance model. Members pay an annual fee of $50 or $60 depending on the size of plot and the CCG is currently in a healthy financial situation.
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 54 Council Agenda 12/06/18
6XEPLVVLRQ 2 – Contribution to the local community The CCG provides a focal point for members of the local community who are supportive of the general principles of sustainability in the growing and sharing of food.
All 36 plots are actively used involving over 50 individual family members and we have a waiting list of potential applicants. At current rates of turnover a new applicant can wait for two years before a plot becomes available. Priority is given to applicants with no garden or living within Canterbury locality or Boroondara City Council area. Two plots are reserved for use by Burke and Beyond and Interchange who incorporate gardening into their active client programs.
The objectives of the garden are similar to those recently developed for the Earl Street Community Garden and reflect the support of members towards general principles of food growing and sharing together with objectives that reflect the association with B & B.
3 - Consistency with Council Policy
The Report to Council (2/12/16) in relation to the Earl Street Community Garden confirmed that :
The Boroondara Open Space Strategy (BOSS) Technical Report, adopted by Council on 9 December 2013, includes a higher priority recommendation to ‘Investigate the need for additional community gardens and identify potential appropriate sites on public land including community centres/neighbourhood houses, road reserves, railway land, and open space’.
The Growing and Sharing Local Food in Boroondara Community Consultation Report October 2015, concluded that many in the Boroondara community are either actively involved in or interested in growing and sharing food in Boroondara in the future. The greatest level of support was for ‘traditional community gardens (fenced) on Council-managed land’ followed by ‘unfenced/open community gardens on Council-managed land’.
Our contact with local community confirms the point made in the Earl Street Report that there is a significant unsatisfied demand for plots in community gardens. The Canterbury Garden demonstrably contributes to the satisfaction of that demand and its location complements that of the existing community gardens.
4 – Integration with Canterbury Community Hub
The Committee understands that the current proposal for the Canterbury Community Hub includes a range of facilities including Maternal and child health services, kindergarten, childcare, disability services. The current description does not mention the Canterbury Community Garden and we are not aware of any consultation during the development of Council’s Community Plan.
The Garden currently occupies land on the eastern boundary of the site and its retention would continue to provide a high amenity active facility as part of any Hub.
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 55 Council Agenda 12/06/18
6XEPLVVLRQ The Garden currently integrates well with the services offered by B & b to its intellectually disabled clients and we believe this opportunity would be relevant to the other facilities to be incorporated in the Hub.
The Committee is keen to work with Council in the evolution of plans for the Hub and believes that the incorporation of the Community Garden could play a significant role in its future success,
Recommendations
The CCG Committee recommends that:
1 - Council acknowledge the important role played by the CCG in contributing to community gardens in the municipality
2 - Council agree in principle that a Community Garden would make a significant contribution to the integration of activities in the Canterbury Hub
3 - Council agree to form a Working Group of Community representatives to develop the overall plan for the site
4 - Council agree to include a representative of the CCG on that Working Group.
Jane Macneil
Committee Chairperson On behalf of Canterbury Community Garden
APPENDICES
1 – an aerial photo illustrating the CCG in surrounding context
2 – photos of the Garden
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 56 Council Agenda 12/06/18
APPENDIX 1 – CANTERBURY COMMUNITY GARDEN – AERIAL VIEW 6XEPLVVLRQ
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 57 Council Agenda 12/06/18
APPENDIX 2 – CANTERBURY COMMUNITY GARDENERS IN ACTION 6XEPLVVLRQ
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 58 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre Sent: Tuesday, 22 May 2018 12:35 PM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan Attachments: CNC-Budget-Response.pdf
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Budget 2018-19
Or upload your submission
x CNC-Budget-Response.pdf
Your full name
Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
No
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 59 Council Agenda 12/06/18
6XEPLVVLRQ 22 May 2018
City of Boroondara 8 Inglesby Road, Camberwell, Victoria, 3124
Dear Mayor and Councillors,
Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre is delighted to be part of the proposed Canterbury Hub as noted in the Proposed Budget 2018-19. We have for so long been seeking a base that gives us the security, space and access that a community centre requires. This opportunity to work with Council and other Hub stakeholders to create co-located and complimentary community service provision is indeed exciting. We look forward to working with Council in engaging the community and developing great outcome that meets the needs of the diverse stakeholders involved.
Regards,
Peter May Board President Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 60 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 61 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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From: DAVID JOHN FARROW Sent: Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:50 AM To: Budget Boroondara Subject: [eform] Make a submission on the Council Budget and Plan
Which council document(s) you are making a submission for?
Budget 2018-19
Type your submission I congratulate Council on including specific provisions for two active transport projects in next year’s budget viz the Walmer Street Bridge and Anniversary Trail projects.
Last Monday Council agreed to proceed with the Toorak Road Bridge having been informed that funding grants may be available from various programs including a $100 million Safer Cyclists and Pedestrian Fund. The estimated cost of this project was stated to be $4 million. Two years ago Council also agreed to proceed with a project 2km north of Toorak Road involving the relocation of the Anniversary Trail through Riversdale Park and removing a missing link in the trail at a cost of between $400,000 and $500,000. The project would overcome the need for cyclists using the Anniversary Trail to traverse a known accident black spot.
I would like to make a suggestion which might affect the budget detail.
Council Officers have indicated that grant funding would be sought for the Toorak Road bridge in what I assume is a competitive environment with other Councils. I would hope that the benefits of the Toorak Road project would be sufficient on its own to attract a grant but suggest that chances of obtaining the grant could be enhanced if Council were to offer to fund the missing Trail link north of Riversdale Road as a condition of it’s application for the Toorak Road project being successful.
Both Anniversary Trail projects involve safety benefits to path users which when combined would increase the project benefits for the single cost of the Toorak Road bridge project and increase the chances of obtaining state funding for the Toorak Road bridge.
Regards David Farrow Your full name
DAVID JOHN FARROW
Do you wish your name to be included with your submission?
Yes
If needed, how would you like to be contacted?
Your email address
Do you wish to speak to Council in support of your submission at the Council meeting on 12 June 2018?
No
Privacy statement
x I understand and accept Council's Privacy Statement
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 62 Council Agenda 12/06/18
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SUBMISSION ON THE DRAFT COUNCIL PLAN 2017 -21 AND BUDGET 2018-19
Ian Hundley
23 May 2018
General comments
Both the Plan and the Budget are poorly presented. They do not make for easy reading. Priority has been accorded pictures and colour, which for current purposes hinder rather than assist. Indexing of pages and subject matter, where it exists, is inadequate. These faults should be remedied in future.
There are far too many references to "customers" in the 2017-21 revised Plan and the 2018- 19 Budget, in fact so much so that local residents are identifiable in Council rubric in this capacity alone, not as residents, or even as citizens. It is almost certainly deliberate, a new nadir in corporate-speak which has increasingly infested Boroondara's official language in recent years. It is the language of neo-liberalism whose principal prejudice is to marginalise citizen participation in government decision-making, at all levels. They are to exist only as consumers. The content of the Plan and Budget bears out this ambition.
For the purposes of this submission, page references from the proposed Plan and Budget are shown in brackets as the case may be.
Theme 2: Your Parks and Green Spaces (Plan p. 17)
Competing uses for open space
The document does not recognise the greatest of all threats to parks and open space in the municipality which is the untrammelled growth in organised sporting activity in the municipality, heavily subsidised by the Council and ratepayers to the exclusion of other activities and functions.
This trend has become increasingly evident in recent years, and has been accelerated by the corporatisation of organised sport and greater female participation in organised sports, itself partly a function of commercial ambition, that had previously been a largely male preserve.
That Boroondara is over-providing organised sporting facilities, at the expense of other functions, or reduced demands on ratepayers, is borne out in the 2016 Sports and Recreation Strategy which revealed that for some organised sports participation rates in Boroondara is 35% higher than in the rest of Victoria.
It is far from the case, as the Council appears to believe, that one cannot get enough organised sport. There are competing uses for open space which are health giving, for all age cohorts, and are being increasingly stymied by the pre-occupation with organised sport.
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It appears that the Council's default position is that it will meet all demands by a school or a sporting club for additional Council-owned open space. This is irresponsible, as there are likely to be no limits to such demands for public property to be assigned to exclusive or near-exclusive private use for organised sport.
More open space?
The fact that the squeeze is well and truly on for our parks is illustrated by two elements in the Plan and Budget. These includes the development of the idea of building "parks" or open space over underground car parks (Plan p. 17) and the construction of a synthetic surface to increase participation in active sport at a cost of $2 million.(Budget p. 18)
Assuming the latter could be more intensively used than grassed surfaces it would at least have the benefit of relieving pressure on open space for organised sporting activity. But if this is what is proposed it has not been clearly enunciated publicly by the Council. It should be.
The North East Hub
It is at least ironic that a park should be built as the roof of an excavated concrete cavern, a car park, rather than developed in natural soil. It would be a form of "pocket park," and not of any great value in residential areas. It appears inevitable that when the North East Hub in Greythorn is launched in a few weeks or months time that the pocket park in this development, which includes parking underground for 70 cars, will be promoted in this way by the Council.
I put it to the Council prior to the construction of the North East Hub that they should undertake a transport analysis of the precinct to establish how people currently travel to Greythorn, with a view of developing a strategy to maximise sustainable transport visits to the Hub in preference to private passenger vehicle trips. The Council would have none of that. The transport analysis was not done, and the Council had no appetite for increasing sustainable transport trips to and from Greythorn village. So, now we have additional car spaces in the final stages of construction, which may have cost about $50,000 each and are likely to be provided free to users. Visitors will in future be able to sit in the pocket park and enjoy the ambience provided by the additional traffic that will inevitably be attracted to the area.
The design of open space for different uses
A distinction should be made in the Plan and the Budget between open space that is designed for organised sport and that which is designed for informal recreational use. As this distinction is not clearly made it is impossible to calculate the level of Council resources that are applied to each of these uses.
It might be said that sporting fields are also be able to be used as parkland when not being occupied by tenant clubs. Whilst this joint use should be acknowledged it needs to be 2
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recognised that parks do not require white lines or goal posts. Trees and shrubs are, for the most part, banned from sporting fields.
Numbers confusion in the Budget
According to the Budget (p. 11), operating expenditure on sportsgrounds of $2,506,000 is proposed with revenue of $620,000. Elsewhere in the Budget (p. 17) it is reported that the operating budget for the maintenance of parks and gardens and biodiversity locations, as well urban forest will cost $12,152,000 in 2018-19, with revenue of $1,073,000. It is also calculated that the cost of maintaining park turf per hectare is $3,400 (Budget p. 18). In none of these cases is it clear how much of this expenditure is devoted to organised sporting venues as opposed to parks.
A distinction should be made in the Plan and the Budget between sporting facilities and parks in recording proposed recurrent and capital expenditure and specific capital projects.
A history of stealing parkland
There has been a long and regrettable history in Melbourne of land devoted to parkland being converted or excised for other uses. Five years ago, a large part of Royal Park was under threat from the construction of a large freeway interchange. That threat has been refreshed in recent times as the Liberal Party opposition again threatens the construction of the East West Link. Earlier this year Yarra Valley Water announced a preferred site for a sewerage treatment works at Eram Park in Box Hill. This plant should be located on industrial land. Further parkland in the area is under threat from the proposed North East Link.
Using parks for other purposes - a product of flawed thinking
For its part, Boroondara has abandoned the principle that infrastructure should not be built in parks for non-park purposes. This puts at risk the fundamental and defining values of parkland in the municipality.
In this regard Strategies 2.4 and 2.5 in the Plan propose broadening permissible activities in these areas by activating "...... existing green spaces and (to) build social connection through the delivery of additional Council and community services and programs in our parks and gardens" and Increasing and improving public amenities and facilities in open spaces to enhance functionality for a wider range of uses."
No justification for using Boroondara parkland in this manner is offered. It appears not to have occurred to the Council that parkland is in itself a well proven environment for social connection and human well-being . And what type of non-park functions or services may the Council have in mind? Child health centres, kindergartens, theatres and car parks spring to mind. These would most assuredly be the death knell for parkland.
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In fact we have already witnessed this phenomenon in areas such as the Gordon Barnard Reserve, which now resembles, albeit as yet in a relatively muted and on a smaller scale, commercial sporting precincts such as Olympic Park and Melbourne Park.
Parks maintenance
There is also an urgent requirement to improve maintenance of pathways in many of our parks, such as Hays Paddock in East Kew. Over several years these pathways have been permitted to fall into disrepair; so much so that the original definition of the extensive pathways at Hays Paddock has been almost entirely lost. The proposed expenditure across the whole municipality of $121,000 (Budget p. 67) for the park gravel path renewal program appears pitifully inadequate for this purpose.
Budget blow-outs
There also appears to be an ever-present tendency for infrastructure works associated with sporting pavilions to blow out considerably from time-to-time. An explanation is now required as to why it was recorded in the budget adopted for 2017-18 that the total cost of refurbishment of the pavilion at Greythorn Park was $495,000 (see page 161 of 2017-18 budget) and is now proposed to be $935,000. (Budget p. 132) Similarly, proposed expenditure on the Camberwell Sports Ground major pavilion has blown out from $650,000 to $1,500,000. The proposed expenditure on the Willsmere Park pavilion has increased from $525,000 to $1,620,000.
One could be forgiven for believing that these projects are used simply to soak up available revenue. Urgent explanations are required.
Theme 3: The Environment (Plan p. 18)
Strategy 3.4 calls for the protection and increase in canopy tree cover on private land in Boroondara to maintain neighbourhood character and amenity.
This is far too limited an ambition for the provision of canopy tree cover. Canopy tree cover should also be recognised by the Council in this strategy as an essential counter to climate change and for offsetting the Heat Island Effect.
The Tree Protection Law
Since 2006, the Council has relied on a local law (now the Tree Protection Local Law 2016) to maintain canopy tree cover on private properties, and it has failed in that endeavour. In a classic illustration of not wishing to know what is really going on the Council has refused to measure changes in canopy tree cover in Boroondara at any time in the last 12 or so years since the local law was introduced.
According to the Budget (p. 19) expenditure of $476,000 and revenue of $221,000 will be incurred in the administration of the Tree Protection Local Law. In percentage terms, these
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proposed outlays are higher than those proposed for 2017-18, but in all probability still far too low.
Council administration of the Local Law
The Plan and Budget documentation is inadequate in not revealing the level of activity required to administer the Local Law. For instance, the level of enforcement activity is not known, there is no information on the effectiveness of the tree replacement program, and the number of applications received daily for tree removals is not known (it appears that in the period 2006 to 2015 that over four such applications were received every working day).
Penalties and the review of the Local Government Act
There are other aspects of Council stewardship of this issue, not directly related to the Plan and the Budget, which have caused the precipitous loss of canopy tree cover in Boroondara. One of these relates to the low level of penalty able to be levied under the Local Government Act where the Local Law is broken. Boroondara has repeatedly pointed to this fact as a major impediment in its efforts to protect canopy trees. Boroondara's recent failure, therefore, to join with other council's in the recent review of the Local Government Act to argue the case for much higher penalties for illegal tree removal is therefore inexplicable. But it does require an explanation.
The one-year review The Tree Protection Law 2016
The Tree Protection Law is currently under review, after its first year of operation. There is significant evidence that local laws made under the Local Government Act are an ineffective tool for maintaining canopy tree cover. This is true, not only in Boroondara but also elsewhere. Earlier reviews by the Council have dismissed the idea that the Council should include a vegetation overlay in the planning scheme as a superior approach to bringing the loss of canopy cover under control. It did so after only cursory consideration of the option. Given the gravity of the situation in Boroondara the Council should now include such a proposal in the Plan as a preferred measure.
Theme 4: Neighbourhood Character and Heritage (Plan p.19)
Balwyn North is missing from the heritage assessment
The heritage assessment of all properties in Boroondara not currently protected by a heritage overlay is to continue at a cost $262,500. (Budget p. 23) This is admirable as far as it goes. However, in an earlier but not much publicised decision the Council ruled out all post-1945 dwellings in Balwyn North from such assessment. This was an unconscionable act on the part of the Council, which by a combination of decisions and a series of missteps has assigned Balwyn North to McMansionville with barely a shot fired in anger.
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Need for public participation in the review of current rules
The Council is also proposing to engage in the reform of the Victoria Planning Provisions with an emphasis on retaining and enhancing local planning policies and controls which protect the City’s heritage, character and amenity. (Budget p. 23)
Boroondara's approach to regulatory issues such as the maintenance of space for gardens, over-sized excavations, especially for single dwellings, and the scale specifications for front fences has been oddly mute. As a key element of the Plan the Council should open up this process to the community to explore these and related issues that are impacting amenity and neighbourhood character.
Following the major changes to the Boroondara Planning Scheme announced in March 2017 as a result of the Victorian government's Plan Melbourne "refresh" process I asked Maranoa ward Councillor, Cynthia Watson, to hold a meeting for residents in Maranoa ward, to be attended by Council planning staff, to explain the effects of these changes but she refused to do so.
This was followed in September 2017 by a Council decision to preclude any public dialogue with the community on an issue which the Council itself had opened up in February 2016 when Mayor Parke wrote a letter to all residents, seeking contributions on the "McMansion" phenomenon and what might be done about it from a regulatory perspective. The Council had received about a thousand written submissions on the issue from residents and the fact that the Council so precipitately closed down discussion on an issue of great concern to many people who had in many cases considered it in some depth was nothing if not discourteous. More importantly, it served to cut off Council from the insight and ideas available in the community on this important issue.
The Council needs to be much more open with community members, to inform them of the impacts of current regulatory arrangements, and to engage with them develop proposals to reform the current regulatory flaws that are degrading the built environment.
Theme 5: Getting Around Boroondara (Plan p. 20)
North East Link and East West Link
Two of the greatest threats to Boroondara and its residents that we now confront are the Victorian government's proposed North East Link and the Liberal Party opposition's resuscitation of the East-West Link proposal.
Boroondara's approach to the North-East Link proposal has been flawed from the outset, as it permitted itself to be drawn into a "debate" about a preferred route for a freeway, the proposed North East Link, in the absence of any strategic analysis by the Victorian government of transport investment options for the corridor, which would necessarily involve a central role for public transport. In this respect, the Council's approach has been 6
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just as flawed as the State government's. If the Council does not quickly rethink its position and its campaign strategy on the project it will be left tinkering at the edges (the proverbial "lipstick on a pig") that would inevitably condemn Boroondara to heavier traffic volumes on arterial and local roads more or less forever.
As the North East Link proposal has similar deeply adverse effects for other municipalities, including Banyule, Manningham and Whitehorse, Boroondara should as a priority join with these councils in making the case and campaigning against the North East Link in toto. This campaign should send the state government back to the drawing board to assess future transport capability for the corridor.
This means that the Council should immediately refocus its efforts away from advocating for Option C (Budget p. 26) and redirect the proposed expenditure towards a joint municipal campaign for effective transport solutions on the corridor.
Council influence on East West Link
Similarly, with the Liberal Party's proposed East-West Link, which they propose to take to the state election due in November 2018. The Liberal Party has said it would be little changed from the proposal that they developed in government in 2013-14. This would have major adverse effects for residents of Boroondara and other municipalities as was demonstrated during that period, again with increased traffic on arterial and local roads. The Council should resolve to oppose the East-West Link proposal in its entirety.
The Boroondara Council should use its Liberal Party connections to stave off this project. Maranoa ward councillor, Cynthia Watson, now reportedly a member of the Victorian Liberal Party's senior policy making body, should prevail on the party to refocus its efforts on developing a sustainable approach to transport capacity on the corridor, which should include a rail service to Doncaster. Other councillors who are Liberal Party members or otherwise have Liberal Party connections should also wholeheartedly get behind such an effort.
Most importantly, these councillors should then play a key role in informing the Kew M.P., Tim Smith, that the East-West Link would inflict intolerable damage on the people who live in his electorate. They should direct him towards transport projects that are sustainable, and would not put at risk both the natural and built environment. There are other modern cities where the problem of car dependency has been brought under control. The proposed North East Link and the East West Link would make it much worse in Melbourne and, more specifically in Boroondara.
Improved Council advocacy for public transport required
The Council has declared that it advocates for improvements to public transport and for sustainable transport initiatives. (Budget p. 26) In truth though, the Council's efforts in this area have been rather sickly. The Council has not campaigned with anything like necessary energy and conviction for improvements in public transport in key areas, such as bus
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services on north-south corridors where, in contrast to CBD-bound train and tram services, public transport is very poor to non-existent in large areas of Boroondara.
Chandler Highway and the AMCOR site redevelopment
A case in point is the "twin" projects of the widening of the Chandler Highway and the redevelopment of the AMCOR site in Alphington, both now underway. These projects are projected to draw more traffic into the area, including Kew and beyond. The redevelopment of the AMCOR site has been anticipated to generate about 17,000 extra road trips a day when fully developed. The Princess Street and Earl Street - Belmore Road corridors are certain to experience higher traffic volumes.
Despite all this the Council was all but silent on necessary public transport upgrades in the area, which would include north - south route bus services on Chandler Highway to serve both sides of the Yarra River. I do not know how many councillors are regular public transport users in the area, I suspect very few. As a learning exercise I recommend that councillors take a trip on the 609 route bus service, the only one that serves Chandler Highway, to the north in Yarra and Darebin and to the south in Boroondara, and just a few times a day. This will provide councillors some understanding of the yawning gap that needs to be filled in the public transport network.
Boroondara Bicycle Strategy
It is proposed to conduct a review of the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy which was established in September 2008. The primary objective of the review is "..to ensure appropriate opportunities for on and off road cycling and improvement of Boroondara’s bicycle network." (Budget p. 26)
The original Strategy was flawed in as much that it had no regard for the potentially competing uses of open space for walking and general relaxation as opposed to mobility. In many situations the two uses are fundamentally incompatible. To illustrate this, the recent decision to reroute and upgrade a section of the Anniversary Trail will have severely adverse effects for the many visitors to Riversdale Park in Camberwell. A series of parks in North Balwyn (Gordon Barnard Reserve, Hislop Park, Macleay Park and ) and Hays Paddock in East Kew are similarly at risk under the provisions of the current Bicycle Strategy.
For the purposes of this review it is imperative that broader land use issues and values be included in the analysis, unlike the process which resulted in the 2008 Bicycle Strategy.
Focus on local roads required
A revised Bicycle Strategy should provide the pre-conditions for increased cycling activity, both for commuting and for leisure purposes. Much greater attention needs to be given in the review to enhancing the use of local roads for cyclists. Many people have an aversion to travelling on-road for safety reasons. As currently designed and utilised they are almost
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exclusively the preserve of motor cars. This should not be the case, as there is substantial scope to make local roads, which comprise the bulk of the road network and which are the responsibility of local government, much safer for cyclists. This, combined with innovative measures to improve the safety of the motor vehicle fleet, provide the conditions for a major Council effort in this area .
Walking to school
The Council should apply much greater effort in developing walking to school programs in the municipality. Current efforts are low key and clearly with low expectations of positive results. The benefits of these programs are substantial, for the health and social development of the children who participate, the communities through which they walk to and from school and in reducing the costs of traffic on roads, especially during peak traffic periods. Council's marginalisation of behaviour change initiatives such as walking to school in favour of expensive road projects that make it (temporarily) easier for school drop-offs are negatively reinforcing and ultimately self-defeating.
Improved performance assessments are required
The strategic indicators utilised for assessing transport in Boroondara are inadequate and should be revised. (see Budget p. 27) There should be a renewed focus on trends in travel times, modal shift, as an indicator of changes towards more sustainable forms of transport, and the safety of transport users, including safety of public transport and road users.
Theme 7: Civic Leadership and Governance (Plan p. 23)
The digital transformation strategy (Plan pp. 4,5, Budget p. 31)
Recent media reports suggest this multiple year project will have cost Council about $11.7 million when completed. It appears that elements of the strategy have been put to Council meetings on just two occasions, on 12 September 2016 and 26 February 2018. It is unclear from the publicly available documentation whether the project will be of significant benefit, and much less, value for money for the Council. I put a series of questions to my ward councillor in relation to the project earlier this year and received an opaque reply on 6 April 2018 from the Council administration. In some matters the information was refused and for others the response was inadequate.
According to the Plan and the Budget (Budget p. 1, Plan pp. 4, 5) Council conducted research in 2015 "to inform how we provide services and information to the community." As far as I know this background research information is not publicly available. I asked for it recently and it has not yet come to hand.
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Culture change?
It was apparently concluded at the time that this meant investing in culture change, skills development, digital transformation projects and replacing and upgrading old technology. Perhaps the modern clichés can be put to one side for the moment - in what does "culture change" consist and what aspect of current culture so offends that it may be dealt with by a machine? The purported purpose is said to be to meet the community’s expectations for council services to enable convenient, fast transactions and ease of access to information.
Information now less available
However, my own experience, and that of others, has been that Council information is now less rather than more accessible than it had been previously, despite the partial roll-out of the program. For instance, records of Council meetings available on the website are now provided for a much lesser period than hitherto. Whilst this may have been politically motivated from within Council, the written explanation offered to me for this decision was a technical one. Other data I have asked for from time to time has not been available, not because of any technical constraint, but rather because it simply had not been collected or, in one particular case, it was denied to me on the grounds that there was no statutory requirement for the Council to collect it. I am reasonably certain, though, that it exists.
A major question remains as to whether the project, whatever benefits are claimed for it now, could have been could have been delivered much less expensively than is proving to be the case? Such projects, I am informed, do not require the employment of a top tier consulting firm.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the "customer" and "citizen" experience of the major roll-out of digital interfaces by state and Commonwealth government agencies have in important respects made them less accessible, less responsive and more opaque than previously. Centrelink is one example amongst many. The one-way email to an electronic black hole has replaced the hard copy letter form or two-way telephone communication with a decision-maker or someone accountable to a decision-maker.
A review of the digital transformation strategy could be a job for the Victorian Auditor- General's Office.
Reconciliation Action Plan
The draft revised Plan observes that Boroondara is increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse, with residents born in more than 140 countries, speaking more than 120 languages. This is the modern settler experience only. Neither the draft revised Plan nor the proposed Budget recognise the experience of the original Australians, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Their experience has been starkly different from the modern settlers. It has been one of injustice and dispossession traceable from colonial settlement and continuing to
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endure well beyond Federation.
Boroondara Council recognised this fact and that justice needed to be done with the establishment of a Reconciliation Action Plan for the period 2009 to 2013. Regrettably, the Reconciliation Action Plan was then permitted by the Council to lapse without review or reflection.
In my view, this amounted to a lapse of civic leadership at that time by the Council, one that is hopefully transitory. That the Council has not so far enlisted the participation of the community for the establishment of a refreshed Reconciliation Action Plan is disappointing.
A Reconciliation Action Plan should be re-established in Boroondara in 2018-19 with full community participation and with a clear vision and measurable targets. Being mindful of the failures, post 2013, it should on its conclusion be subject to review in an accountable and open manner within the spirit of civic leadership articulated in the draft revised Plan.
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Cr Phillip Healey Mayor City of Boroondara
Have Your Say: City of Boroondara’s Draft Revised Council Plan for 2017-21 and Proposed Budget for 2018-19
Lighter Footprints welcomes the opportunity to comment on the City of Boroondara’s draft revised Council Plan for 2017-21 and proposed Budget for 2018-19. These two documents together with other strategic, planning and action documents give important insights into the priorities and operations of our Council. We see the invitation for the community to have their say as a significant contribution to democracy in local government. Whatareourconcerns? The revised plan and proposed budget papers state they have been developed to reflect the requirements of the various policy and strategy documents that the City of Boroondara uses to guide its priority setting, decision making and resource allocation. The link with the Community Plan is described in the Proposed Budget Papers as follows1: “… the Boroondara Community Plan directly informs the Council Plan including the Long Term Financial Strategy, annual commitments and strategic indicators, and the Municipal Strategic Statement and Council strategies, plans and actions”
Quite a number of the strategies, policy documents and plans that Boroondara has adopted make reference to the Councils commitments and obligations with respect to the environment and climate change. We are disappointed that the Council has not responded to many of these requirements in ways that reflect the urgency of the challenge we are facing on this front. We believe these commitments and obligations should be treated as much more than symbolic demonstrations of the Council’s good intentions; they should be integral to all of its decision making.
We are also concerned that the large, showcase projects in the proposed budget come at the expense of smaller scale, community focused measures that could be used to bring about important behavioural change that would give all residents a role to play in managing the risks of climate change.
We recommend that: The Council use the proposed budget and plan to strengthen its response to climate change. This could involve adapting proposed initiatives or new initiatives that provide greater opportunities for all the community to contribute to the solution. Our submission outlines some specific ways in which this might occur.
We set out below some of the existing Council policies that should be driving actions, and then offer our suggestions on how to better reflect this rhetoric in the proposed actions under this Council Plan and Budget.
1 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-04/proposed-budget-2018-19.pdf
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Strategy and policy commitments that require action on climate change The strategies, policy documents and plans listed here should be given greater prominence in the formulation of the Budget and council Plan:
The Boroondara Community Plan for 2017 to 20272 The environment was identified in the Community Plan as a priority theme for Council action over the ten years to 2027. Strategy 3.7 of the plan states that the Council will “Lead our community through advocacy and action to mitigate against and adapt to impacts of climate change to minimise adverse impacts on community health and wellbeing, our natural environment and facilities and services.”
The Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan which has been incorporated into the Community Plan3 Each municipal council is required to produce a Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan under the provisions of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 20084. The Climate Change Act 20175 states that Council must have regard to the potential impacts of climate change through any decision made or action taken under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act.
Our Low Carbon Future Strategy and Our Low Carbon Future Strategy – Action Plan Update 2017 to 20206. Under this strategy, Council aims to reduce its corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 30 to 40% below 2007/08 levels by 2020 and to support community emissions abatement through support for community programs and projects.
The strategy lists five principles to guide the selection of the strategy’s targets and priority actions. These include leadership by Council with the community; assuming a moral obligation to act; pursuit of multiple benefits and a 'no regrets' approach to action; action prioritised by impact; and equity in both strategy and action.
Integrated Water Management Strategy 2014 to 20247 The aim of this Integrated Water Management Strategy (IWMS) is to “…set the strategic direction and implementation approach for improving water cycle management across the municipality over the next decade”. The strategy identifies six guiding principles including consideration of the impacts of climate change.
The updated Sustainable Council Buildings Policy8 This policy which was published in 2016 “…sets out clear commitments for achieving improved sustainability standards in the way Council’s buildings are planned, designed, built, used and maintained”.
2 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-03/2017-27-BoroondaraCommunityPlan.pdf 3 ibid 4 http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/phawa2008222/ 5 http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/cca2017109/ 6 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-09/Our-Low-Carbon-Future-Strategy-Action-Plan-Update-2017- 2020.pdf 7 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-05/Integrated-water-management-strategy.pdf 8 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-05/Sustainable-Council-Buildings-Policy.pdf
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We note that the Sustainable Council Buildings Policy is developed around the Green Building Council of Australia’s definition of what is a sustainable building and makes reference to the GBCA’s holistic design framework and assessment tool ‘Green Star - Design and As Built9’. This tool includes the Green Star rating and certification scheme whereby 4 Star Green Star represents Best Practice; 5 Star Green Star is Australian Excellence and 6 Star Green Star equals World Leadership.
The policy states: Council buildings will be built, expanded or upgraded to an agreed minimum Sustainability Standard dependent on the nature of the project. For the majority of building projects, the aspiration reflects a minimum Green Star 5- Star (or equivalent) standard. This does not preclude Council deciding to seek a higher standard (e.g. 6 star) on particular projects if supported by a positive feasibility assessment.
The Urban Biodiversity Strategy for Boroondara 2013-202310. The Urban Biodiversity Strategy for Boroondara (UBS) was adopted by Council in June 2013 to “… set the strategic direction for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in Boroondara”. One of the challenges identified was climate change which “…poses very serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem health both globally and locally. Impacts in urban environments over the next decade are likely to be more subtle and will interact with and may compound other threats to biodiversity conservation.”
Sport and Recreation Strategy 201611 As part of this Strategy, Council has identified 13 principles to guide decision making and allocation of resources including environmental sustainability whereby the Council supports “…the development of sport and recreation initiatives that preserve natural resources and achieve sustainable environmental outcomes”.
This is an impressive array of strategies and commitments for ensuring the City of Boroondara undertakes actions that are environmentally sustainable and aimed at addressing climate change. We welcome these stances and encourage the Council to back these sentiments with a strong suite of initiatives that are adequately funded and monitored. Addressingemissionsreduction We commend the Council on the initiatives it has already taken to reduce carbon emissions and to adapt to the impact of climate change. These include but are not limited to: x Council support for Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET) upgrades through regional partnership via the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA) partnership with ‘Live Green with Less’ x Completion of the Sustainable Street Lighting bulk changeover which has delivered annual greenhouse savings estimated to be 3700 tonnes CO2-e
9 https://www.gbca.org.au/green-star/ 10 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-05/Urban-Biodiversity-Strategy-2013-2023.pdf 11 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-05/Sport-and-Recreation-Strategy_0.pdf
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x Support for community engagement and local grassroots action through workshops and other educational activities
We are concerned, however that there continues to be a shortfall in the Council’s achievements with respect to reducing its carbon emissions. The Our Low Carbon Future Strategy (OLCFS) Action Plan Update comments that: Regardless of emissions savings achieved from implementing the actions in this plan, there may be a ‘savings gap’ between Council’s actual net emissions in 2020 and the OLCFS target of 30-40% emission reduction. Additional action may be required to close the gap and achieve the target.12
Opportunities for addressing emissions reduction We note the observation made in the OLCFS Action Plan Update that: While energy efficiency works have significantly reduced emissions, this has largely been offset by energy demand from new and upgraded facilities with bigger building footprints providing enhanced services.13
We see this as a significant opportunity in light of the number of major infrastructure projects that are listed in the Council’s proposed Budget for 2018-2019.
The major infrastructure projects budgeted for in 2018-2019 The proposed Budget 2018-2019 states that the Council will commence a number of major projects in 2018-2019 for completion in the next few years. These include: x Kew Recreation Centre redevelopment costing $58.1 million over four years x Canterbury Community Hub at $10.65m over three years x Camberwell Community Centre at $7.01m over two years x Ashburton Seniors Centre at $7.97m over two years
Each of these projects offers opportunities through their design, construction and operation to reduce carbon emissions and address the impact of climate change.
The Kew Recreation Centre This project involves both renewal and new construction at the existing recreation Centre and is expected to cost $58.1 million over four years. It is a huge project representing around 56 per cent of the Council’s budgeted and foreshadowed capital works expenditure over the four years from 2018-2019. The cost in the first year is $150,000. It ramps up to $2.2 million in the second year (12 per cent of foreshadowed capital works expenditure for that year); $27.5 million in the third year (83 per cent of foreshadowed capital works expenditure for that year) and for the fourth year $58.1 million or 73 per cent of foreshadowed capital works expenditure for that year.
How was the decision taken to undertake this project? We are surprised that so little information is available about such a major project apart from a brief announcement on the Boroondara website14. There is no mention
12 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-09/Our-Low-Carbon-Future-Strategy-Action-Plan-Update-2017- 2020.pdf pp17 13 Ibid pp11 14 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/about-council/council-administration/council-plan-and-budget/revised-council-plan-2017- 21-and-proposed-budget-2018-19/new-kew-recreation-centre
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of the project in the Draft Revised Council Plan 2017-2021 and the only information given in the Proposed Budget is the cost associated with the renewal and new construction costs. We have not found any information about what will be done or whether there has been any community consultation about the need for such a large facility and what it will comprise. We are unaware as to whether it has been considered by Councillors at an open Council meeting or how the decision was made to spend such a significant sum of money.
An apparent lack of community consultation We are extremely concerned by the apparent lack of community consultation on such a significant project. The Budget suggest that funds are coming out of Council funds including rates income and cash reserves. The Borrowing Strategy mentions borrowings to cover other projects but not this particular one. This would suggest that the whole of the municipality is paying for a very high quality facility in an area where the need may not be so great as in less advantaged areas of Boroondara.
An opportunity to meet the Council’s carbon emissions reduction targets As an environment advocacy group, Lighter Footprints is particularly interested in the opportunities that such a project offers to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change. These include measures to reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency, manage water usage and provide a demonstration of the commitment that our municipality has to addressing the impact of climate change and contributing to solutions.
We hope that this project will avoid the downsides associated with other recent projects where their carbon footprint has increased over what previously existed either because of the size of the facility or increased energy usage and patronage.
The size of the budget for this project suggests that it will be a very substantial and high-quality facility.
We recommend that: x The Council aim to achieve a 6 star Green Star Rating (World Standard) for this building in compliance with the City’s Sustainable Council Building Policy. x As part of the design and construction, the Council investigate the use of environmentally sensitive and sustainable construction materials, particularly zero emissions cement and the use of natural refrigerants in the heating and cooling of the building.
Zero Emissions Cement Modern construction techniques suggest that a facility such as the Kew Recreation Centre is likely to use large volumes of cement.
The environmental impact of cement manufacturing has been widely recognised around the world for many years. We refer you to the 2017 report by Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) entitled Rethinking Cement 15 which sets out the issues around cement production and the degree to which it contributes to increased carbon emissions and other negative environmental effects. Estimates by reliable sources
15 http://bze.org.au/rethinking-cement-plan/
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such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development 16 indicate that cement manufacture is the single biggest industrial producer of emissions and that it causes up to 8 per cent of all global carbon emissions. The industry is rapidly changing as it addresses this problem through new technologies and manufacturing processes.
The use of zero emissions cement offers a number of advantages for this and other construction projects that Boroondara plans to undertake in coming years. These include: x A major contributor to Boroondara meeting its emissions reduction target x An opportunity to create an iconic project that attracts visitors interested in the architecture and construction of public buildings that are environmentally sustainable. x A means to demonstrate the environmental credentials of Boroondara and to attract businesses to the area that share these values and can contribute to the local economy.
For more information on the use of natural refrigerants which can be used instead of the environmentally destructive but commonly used fluorocarbon refrigerant, we suggest you consult the case study report by The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating.17
The issues that we have raised with respect to the Kew Recreation Centre apply equally well to the other major projects that Boroondara is planning over the next few years. We believe that this approach can bring not only environmental benefits but also considerable economic, commercial and social benefits to our community.
We feel a degree of unease with the approach to the provision of sporting facilities that the Kew Recreation Centre epitomises. Such large facilities represent a greater formalisation of physical activity in the form of competitive sport or exercise as an activity done inside. This comes at the expense of less organised activities such as walking, running, cycling or relaxed play in informal surroundings such as a public park or garden. Other Initiatives the Council should undertake to fulfil its climate change commitments We note that the Council already has initiatives in the budget to reduce its own emissions and manage its impact on the environment as well as encouraging the community to act in ways that are more environmentally sustainable. We encourage the Council to build on these initiatives and extend its ambition and to investigate what more it can do to help residents to manage the risk and adapt to the impact of climate change.
Measures to reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector Private transport and especially petrol driven cars are major contributors to carbon emissions that lead to climate change. Accordingly, we welcome the initiatives in the Proposed Budget that pick up the priorities expressed in the Community Plan around
16 http://csiprogress2012.org/ 17 http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/38b4f6fc-9232-49d0-9550-68558bd26978/files/refrigerants-guide.pdf
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travel options that are environmentally sustainable, reduce road congestion and encourage public transport, cycling and walking.
We recommend that: The Council examine what more can be done to encourage residents to shift to more environmentally sustainable modes of transport.
Initiatives to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles The role that local government can play in encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles is a question being considered by members of The Climate Action Roundtable, a loose grouping of state governments and local councils who “… have a common commitment to ambitious climate change action to meet the climate goals laid out in the Paris Agreement, and to a just transition to low carbon societies.” This issue was also covered in a recent report by the consultancy firm PTC to a Sydney Council18 which demonstrated that local governments are well placed to assist in the phasing out of petrol and diesel road vehicles. The report points out that one of the major barriers to the uptake of electric vehicles is anxiety over the vehicle’s driving range.
It needs to be recognised that, while electric vehicles will play a major role in reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector, they still suffer from other environmental disadvantages associated with private cars, such as the need for large amounts of land for car parking and a reduced focus on public transport. This is one of the aspects that should be covered by an Electric Vehicles Strategy.
We recommend that: The Council implement a range of initiatives to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles: x electrification of City’s car and service fleet vehicles; x preferential parking for electric vehicles; x mandating provision of battery recharging points in new public buildings; x provision of funding to develop an Electric Vehicles Strategy
Alternative modes of transport Walking and bicycle riding are important ways to shift people out of their cars into more environmentally sustainable modes of transport. The goal of the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy 200819 is to “…increase the number of cyclists using Boroondara’s bicycle network and facilities”.
An important but often unacknowledged group of cyclists are disabled riders who cycle regularly to commute and to maintain their health and fitness.
We recommend that: The Council make provision in the Budget to examine the bicycle network in Boroondara to identify barriers to participation by disabled riders or hazards that make their journeys more difficult.
The Bicycle Strategy notes that:
18 https://www.parking.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/White-Paper-Electric-vehicles-in-Australia.pdf 19 https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-11/Boroondara_Bicycle_Strategy_Sept_2008_FINAL.pdf
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Gaps in infrastructure also form a high infrastructure priority. Cycling counts indicate that off-road cycling routes attract much higher numbers of cyclists than onroad routes. Furthermore, off road routes tend to attract novice cyclists, and may therefore encourage more people to ride. Accordingly, off- road infrastructure has been prioritised under the Strategy as this provides the greatest potential to attract new cyclists.
We recommend that: The Council respond to this identified infrastructure priority by making budgetary provision for an off road 'trail' from Box Hill to Hawthorn.
The environmental importance of tree cover to Boroondara Trees are an essential element of this municipality not only because they retain the traditional nature of the area but also because they contribute to the health and wellbeing of our community and play a significant role in combatting climate change. Amongst their many environmental benefits, they are a major force in reducing carbon emissions and easing the ‘heat island’ effect of cities.
Strong community concern continues to be expressed about the decline in the tree cover in Boroondara. Anecdotal evidence indicates that canopy tree cover has fallen since the Tree Protection Local Law was first introduced in 2006 and that this decline appears to have continued since the current local law was introduced in 2016.
We currently have no accurate measure of tree cover in municipality on either private or public land nor is there any reliable record of the decline over time. It is essential that we establish a baseline and a means to measure change over time.
We recommend that: x The Council make budgetary provision so that the existing tree cover can be documented and an investigation undertaken into the effect of climate change on the health and diversity of the vegetation cover throughout the municipality. This would include the identification of ways to preserve the existing trees and other plant life, establishing regimes to protect immature trees and choosing plant and tree species best suited to the changing environment. x The Council ensure that existing funding for maintenance of parks and gardens is made available to increase the planting of trees that can withstand the impacts of climate change such as drought and heat stress better than many of the species currently growing in the area. x The Council investigate the potential for ‘green roofs’ either within existing funding or through an additional allowance.
Staffing levels The Draft Plan indicates that the Environment and Sustainability Section of the Council will have 246.3 FTE employees in 2018-2019 and slightly more in later years. No indication is given as to how these resources are allocated over the tasks undertaken by this area of responsibility.
We recommend that:
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The Council expand the number of employees working on matters such as the enforcement of the Tree Protection Local Law to ensure that all breaches of this regulation are identified and policed. Omissions in the Draft Revised Council Plan The Draft Revised Plan notes that it was created amidst a number of external challenges. However, the Plan fails to acknowledge the challenge that will have the most significant effect on Council operations over the long term. No longer a distant threat, climate change is already influencing our immediate surroundings and without immediate intervention will lead to significant dislocation in the way we live our lives and conduct our economic and social activities.
Extreme weather events with torrential downpours and flooding, extended periods of high temperatures and changes to our weather patterns are becoming more apparent. As a first responder in times of emergency, local government will need to make increased provision in its budgets and resource allocations to ensure local infrastructure is capable of dealing with these effects. Broken street and path surfaces, overloaded stormwater systems, damaged bridges, flooding of buildings and drought affected parks and gardens are only some of the damage that will accompany such extreme events.
Reporting on progress and performance We support the inclusion of Outcome Indicators that measure community satisfaction with environmental sustainability and the Council’s achievements in reducing carbon emissions with respect to Council owned and Council related activities. We note that the indicators for Outputs measure only waste management and biodiversity.
We recommend that: x The outcome indicators be expanded to measure satisfaction with initiatives that the Council has taken to assist the community to respond to climate change. x Other output measures be included such as: o changes in the City’s car fleet (numbers, emissions level); o uptake of electric vehicles and development of related infrastructure; o increases in planting of more appropriate vegetation – resilient to extremes; o number of large trees removed and prevented from being removed across the community; o uptake of solar panels, both on council buildings and within the community; o number of 6 + star homes and commercial buildings being built in the community; o number of developments of medium to high density around transport nodes; o the number of new or improved bike paths Recommendations Throughout our submission, we have made recommendations regarding budgetary funding and other issues. These recommendations are brought together here:
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1. Overview a. The Council use the proposed budget and plan to strengthen its response to climate change. This could involve adapting proposed initiatives or new initiatives that provide greater opportunities for all the community to contribute to the solution.
2. Major infrastructure projects - building design and construction a. The Council aim to achieve a 6 star Green Star Rating (World Standard) for Kew Recreation Centre in compliance with the City’s Sustainable Council Building Policy. b. As part of the design and construction, the Council investigate the use of environmentally sensitive and sustainable construction materials, particularly zero emissions cement and the use of natural refrigerants in the heating and cooling of the building.
3. Emissions reduction in the transport sector a. The Council examine additional ways to encourage residents to switch to more environmentally sustainable modes of transport b. The Council implement a range of initiatives to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles including electrification of City’s car and service fleet vehicles; preferential parking for electric vehicles; mandating provision of battery recharging points in new public buildings; and provision of funding to develop an Electric Vehicles Strategy
4. Alternative modes of transport a. The Council make provision in the Budget to examine the bicycle network in Boroondara to identify barriers to participation by disabled riders or hazards that make their journeys more difficult. b. The Council make budgetary provision for an off road 'trail' from Box Hill to Hawthorn.
5. Environmental importance of trees a. The Council make budgetary provision so that the existing tree cover can be documented and an investigation undertaken into the effect of climate change on the health and diversity of the vegetation cover throughout the municipality. This would include the identification of ways to preserve the existing trees and other plant life, establishing regimes to protect immature trees and choosing plant and tree species best suited to the changing environment. b. The Council ensure that existing funding for maintenance of parks and gardens is made available to increase the planting of trees that can withstand the impacts of climate change such as drought and heat stress better than many of the species currently growing in the area. c. The Council investigate the potential for ‘green roofs’ either within existing funding or through an additional allowance. d. The Council expand the number of employees working on matters such as the enforcement of the Tree Protection Local Law to ensure that all breaches of this regulation are identified and policed.
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6. Measurement of Outcomes and Outputs a. The outcome indicators be expanded to measure satisfaction with initiatives that the Council has taken to assist the community to respond to climate change. b. Other output measures be included such as: changes in the City’s car fleet (numbers, emissions level); the uptake of electric vehicles and the development of related infrastructure; increases in planting of more appropriate vegetation – resilient to extremes; the number of large trees removed and prevented from being removed across the community; the uptake of solar panels, both on council buildings and within the community; the number of 6 + star homes and commercial buildings being built in the community; the number of developments of medium to high density around transport nodes; the number of new or improved bike paths
We thank you for facilitating community consultation on the Plan and Budget and would welcome the opportunity to further discuss these matters with Councillors and Council officers.
Carolyn Ingvarson Convenor Lighter Footprints Inc
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From: Brad Miles Sent: Wednesday, 23 May 2018 5:12 PM To: Budget Boroondara Cc: Subject: Re: Submission to Proposed Budget 2018-19 (replacement version, with minor amendment)
>>ThankyoufortheopportunitytoprovidefeedbackonCouncil’sproposed2018Ͳ19budget. >> >>IwriteonbehalfoftheKewHistoricalSocietyInc.Oursubmissionfocussesonthemajorprojectsproposedover the5Ͳyearforwardlook. >> >>ReKewLibraryredevelopment >>TheSocietyhasenjoyedtheuseofspaceattheKewLibraryformanyyearsandoverthepast12monthshas spentmuchtimecontributing,bywayofpreparingsubmissionsandmeetingwithseniorCouncilstaff,tothescoping oftheproposedredevelopmentoftheKewLibrary.WehaverecentlybeenadvisedofCouncil’sdecision,in responsetothecommunityengagementprogram,thattheenvisagedredevelopmentistonowbereplacedwiththe buildingofanew,modernlibrary. >> >>Wenotethattherequiredadditionalfunding($20million)hasnotbeenincludedinCouncil’s5Ͳyear foreshadowedexpenditureplanandtheoriginal$10millionallocationhasgoneͲandentirelynewprojectsthat werenotenvisagedinthe2017/185Ͳyearplanarenowtobefundedinstead.Asthecommunity’sexpectationsfor aredevelopmentoftheKewlibraryhavebeenraisedbyCouncilthroughitsrecentlyconcludedengagement program,wewouldrespectfullyaskthatfundingfortheKewLibraryredevelopmentbereinstatedandthatfull fundingfortheenvisagednewlibrarybeforeshadowedintheproposedbudget’s5Ͳyearplan. >> >>ReTuckStandMajorProject >>TheSocietyhasappreciatedbeinginvolved,overthepastyear,withpreliminarydiscussionsaboutthereͲ purposingoftheTuckStand,atleastinpart,toprovideanexciting‘historycentre’wheretheKewHistoricalSociety andotherlocalhistoricalsocietiescouldestablishtheirbackroomactivitiesofarchiveandresearch.Thebudget papersrefertotheproposedrefurbishmentbeingfor“sportingandcommunityuse”.Astherequirementforan archivespacethatissafeandmeetscurrentstandardsispressing,wewouldrespectfullyaskthattheprojectbe redefinedtoprovidefor“communitypurposesincludingsportinguseandanhistorycentre”Ͳtomaketheintention toprovidefacilitiesforthehistoricsocietiesexplicit.Weofferourcontinuedsupportfor,andinvolvementin,the proposedredevelopmentprocess. >> >>Yourssincerely >> >>BradMiles >>HonorarySecretary >>KewHistoricalSocietyInc
>> >
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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.2.1 90 Council Agenda 12/06/18
Attachment 2 Attachment 2 Public submissions Draft Revised Council Plan 2017-21 and Proposed Budget 2018-19
Index Submission reference and name Document submissions refer to Page number 1. Jeanette Goff Council Plan and Budget 2 2. Vijay R Council Plan and Budget 2 3. Submitter 3 Budget 3 4. Suzanne McWha Council Plan and Budget 5 5. PJ Mckenna Council Plan and Budget 6 6. Karin Johnstone Council Plan and Budget 7 7. Submitter 7 Budget 7 8. Ashburton United Soccer Club Budget 9 9. John McLean Council Plan and Budget 10 10. Rita O'Donnell Budget 11 11. Helen Tsoutsouvas Council Plan and Budget 12 12. Canterbury Community Garden Council Plan and Budget 12 13. Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre Budget 14 14. Canterbury Community Action Group Budget 15 15. David Farrow Budget 16 16. Ian Hundley Council Plan and Budget 17 17. Lighter Footprints Inc. Council Plan and Budget 36 18. Boroondara Reconciliation Network Budget 54 19. Kew Historical Society Inc Budget 55 20. Hawthorn Basketball Association Inc Budget 56 21. Canterbury Community Action Group Budget 58
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 1. Jeanette Goff Kew Recreation Centre Council Plan DCD The Kew Recreation Centre (KRC) building project will and Budget incorporate a robust, two staged community consultation (Obj ref: A5451991) The submission states that 25 years ago the process. The initial stage is currently in the planning Boroondara Council undertook a study to determine phase and is scheduled to be undertaken from July the future of the Kew pool which was originally a 50 2018, pending budget approval. During the first stage of metre pool with land all around stretching from Derby consultation, community members will be given the Street to Disraeli Street. opportunity to provide feedback on a range of components via a number of methods, including online After many of the residents lobbied to keep the 50 and hardcopy surveys, community workshops, email and metre pool and space, the Boroondara Council over the phone. undertook a study and ultimately voted to renovate the site; remove the 50 metre pool and sell off the front Feedback received during stage 1 of the community part of the land which has made the entire space too consultation will be collated and analysed, allowing for small. The front of the old pool space now houses a common themes to be identified in regards to community multi storey development that includes some 50 units needs. The themes identified will then inform a high- and a supermarket below, which will over-stress the level concept design for the redevelopment. Following area and limit parking for all concerned. The council this, Council will undertake stage two of the community recently applied council funds to the Kew centre to consultation process, seeking feedback regarding the conduct extensive unsuccessful renovations as they concept design. proceeded without consulting the Kew gym community as stakeholders. We will include your details in the ‘keep informed’ list for the project, which will ensure you receive all relevant I implore the planning council to include Kew information and have the opportunity to provide input. Recreation Centre users as an integral part in their consultation process as they are the stakeholder group No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. and this will ensure the centre is successful and able to be used by all users.
2. Vijay R Waste management Council Plan DEI The removal of food waste from the garbage stream will and Budget be a key aspect in reducing waste being directed to (Obj ref: A5452038) The submission advises that it's a good initiative to landfill. collect organic waste and covert into useful resources. I would like to give some feedback on non-organic Officers agree the foundation concepts of the waste waste, based on the circular you sent to all hierarchy need to be applied to reduce waste overall and households. It was mentioned about future increase in improve recycling performance. the cost/fee of recycling industry. Council’s Waste Minimisation and Recycling Strategy As you mentioned due to changes in China, we have 2017 states that waste education, including waste to now pay fees towards recycling industry. I think we reduction initiatives, is a key aspect in achieving waste should bring attention to people to follow Reduce, reduction goals.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Reuse and Recycle. Unless we Reduce and Reuse, The proposed Budget provides an additional waste our Recycling cost and waste will keep increasing. education resource, which will assist in education the community in the principles of “reduce, re-use and We can achieve this with basic things in our daily lives recycle” as well as implementing other key deliverables such as, in the strategy including diversion of food waste from 1. Not using plastic bottles for water. landfill. 2. Restaurants should not use/provide plastic straws, cups, boxes (take away food). I see lot of No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. restaurants in the city provide take away food during lunch with plastic box, plastic one use bag, spoon/fork, etc. instead make it reusable one/find ways to reduce. 3. Not all things are recyclables. It can only add complexity. 4. Even the advertisement materials from supermarkets delivered to the mail box every week. I don't know why those are being circulated. Waste of paper materials and trees. This should be stopped. Every week I see on the roads those materials flying on streets. 5. Create awareness to the future generation; they should not copy these habits to their future.
Unless we don't follow first 2 Rs in Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, just recycling will not help.
3. Submitter 3 Bicycle upgrades Budget DEI The Boroondara Bicycle Strategy 2008 contains a range of actions prioritised for implementation over time. The (Obj ref: A5452056) The submission requests: proposed 2018-19 Budget provides $163K for funding Bicycle Strategy actions. 1. Ferndale Trail upgrade Construct item 15 in the current bicycle strategy The Ferndale Trail upgrade and the Ferndale Park to with included raised crossing to a width of 4 or at Toorak Road bike actions in the strategy are not funded least 3.5 metres width. The upgraded path would for 2018-19 due to other upgrade priorities within the make a convenient bicycle link to Ashburton from strategy. the Gardiners Creek trail and the Anniversary trail. The current trail is not suitable for efficient bicycle The suggestions relating to traffic calming and bicycle usage due to the narrow sealed sections and lanes are noted. Council has included provision of $80K uneven gravel sections which are affected by rain. in the 2018-19 Budget for the review and development of a new Bicycle Strategy. The suggestions made in this submission will be referred to that process.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 2. Route from Ferndale Park to Toorak Road Build as new 3.5 or 4m wide sealed pathway with No change proposed to the Budget. signage. There should be a new track through Back Creek reserve or use Somerset Road and replace the roundabout with raised platforms to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
3. Traffic calmed bicycle routes: Investigate and construct potential routes for bicycles using low volume streets between major activity centres. On these streets only speed bumps, raised intersections and other bicycle friendly traffic management devices should be used. Existing roundabouts should be removed if possible and replaced with raised intersections. Line markings and signage needs to be installed to clearly mark out the route. Sharrow line markings used to show turns should be used. City of Yarra and Darebin have installed similar treatments for reference. This option is low cost and highly effective because only minor changes are required. Routes between activity centres should be chosen based on terrain and directness. Flat streets should be used as much as possible, or if not possible include short steep sections that can be avoided by dismounting, for example Peate Street and Valley Parade. Example route included.
4. Protected bicycle lanes High traffic main roads such as High Street, Tooronga Road and others should include protected bicycle lanes once demand is high enough from projects such as item 3. Many roads requiring protected lanes are owned by VicRoads and may not be feasible in the long term. The protected routes would allow more direct access to complement low traffic routes or connect them where the street pattern requires a significant detour. Example street profile included which retains allows for 2m wide bicycle lanes and
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) footpaths as well as parking. Removing parking allows for 4 lanes of traffic for trams and buses. The buffer between cars and bike lanes allows room for street trees and kerb extensions should be included at every intersection with raised threshold treatments.
4. Suzanne Walking Pavement/Public Seating Council Plan DEI Officers have reviewed the asset condition of the McWha Gladstone Street, Kew and Budget footpath in Gladstone Street, Kew in the context of the broader condition of all footpaths in the network, and (Obj ref: A5452137) Thank you for inviting me to have a say on behalf of a confirm that it warrants action as part of the 2018-19 number of long term residents/ratepayers in the vicinity Footpath Renewal Program. of Gladstone Street, Kew. I believe it is time to upgrade the walking pavement. It is an astonishing patchwork The Footpath Renewal Program is budgeted at $1.527 tapestry of tar, concrete, plastic and overgrowing grass million and will accommodate this street as budgeted. nature strips. It does nothing to encourage people 60 plus to walk. The walkways are a total hazard; people are tripping or falling over.
In addition, I would like to draw attention to the public Officers note that feedback provided regarding the seating in Kew. The seating looks lovely but, seating installed as part of recent streetscape ergonomically, useless. After hip and knee improvement works in Kew. Officers will review the replacements we are medically encouraged to weight palette of street furniture in the light of this feedback. bear, i.e. walk. The seats are far too low; it is difficult to This will be done within existing resources. get up from these narrow seats. Furthermore, some seating does not have an 'arm' to help one get out of No change proposed to Council Plan and Budget. the seat. As a consequence many elderly and not so elderly are standing waiting for public transport. The seats are not being used to the full potential they were thought to be designed for. As the medical profession keeps us alive and walking for longer, council needs to address how to meet the needs of people post-surgery and long term walking for health and well-being. It might even encourage younger people to walk for health.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 5. PJ Mckenna Recycling food waste scheme Council Plan DEI Officers note the concerns flagged in this submission and Budget and will consider this issue as part of the Food Organics (Obj ref: A5452141) The submitter has had previous experience with a feasibility and planning. council attempting to recycle food waste from residents kitchens through a biweekly collection cycle. Unsightly With the average garbage bin in Boroondara comprising little plastic bin on the kitchen bench, bigger food 46% food waste, the Waste Minimisation and Recycling scraps bin outside. Strategy 2017 action to divert food waste from landfill remains an important priority. The result was the community was subject to shocking smells of rotting food in the streets and a massive In progressing investigations into implementing any increase in flies. The community lost interest because changes, Council will be mindful of potential negative of the stench and flies and the fact that the supplied consequences and impacts on residents, and investigate bins very quickly became rancid, with residents ways of addressing such issues. unwilling to wash them in sinks and on benches where they prepared food. Money wasted. No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
Luckily, that was in Europe where the climate is cooler. Implementing a collection scheme for kitchen food scraps in Australia’s warmer climate will have greater issues with regard to stench and swarms of flies, probably even introduce disease and most certainly illness in the form of stomach upsets as the community is persuaded to handle food scraps weeks old.
I would urge Boroondara Council not to waste its money investing and implementing a kitchen food scraps collection scheme, but instead look to providing the tools for individual households to recycle food scraps directly in their own gardens; if you must.
Personally, I would prefer you to abandon the idea of making residents handle and dump their weeks old food scraps onto nature strips for collection entirely, to prevent the introduction of stench, flies, rats, illness, disease.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 6. Karin Johnstone Rate increases Council Plan DCD Rates will be increased in line with the State and Budget Governments rate cap which in 2018-19 is 2.25%. (Obj ref: A5452146) The submission advises, all great plans - but don't increase our council rates. If any part of your proposals The use of Council services varies over time and requires an increase, then re-think. depending upon circumstances, however the number of residents that use Council facilities is significant. For Boroondara is already one of the most expensive example, there are 2.56 million visits per year to the councils to live in. And most of us don't have need of recreation centres and 1.1 million library visits. Other the facilities you are upgrading etc. services delivered from Council buildings include maternal and child health, community based child care centres, immunisation programs, seniors centres and 11 neighbourhood houses supporting affordable learning programs for the community.
Council also provides locations for more than 100 sporting, bowls and tennis clubs in Council pavilions and buildings.
Therefore while a few residents do not use more than basic Council services such as roads, footpaths, parks, drains and street lighting, the majority of residents utilise the comprehensive services provided by Council.
No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
7. Submitter 7 Kew Library/Kew Recreation Centre redevelopment Budget DCD The consultation for the Boroondara Community Plan revealed that community facilities, including libraries, (Obj ref: zA9916 and The submitter is extremely disappointed to discover community centres and fitness and aquatic centres, are zA9917) that the proposed construction of a new Kew Library highly valued by residents. Boroondara is planning to has disappeared from the list of capital works planned deliver important infrastructure projects to meet a broad for the 2019Ǧ20 budget. range of community needs. In deciding the order of construction of these facilities, Council needs to The list of Major Projects for 2018Ǧ19 to 2021Ǧ22 no responsibly prioritise its expenditure considering the longer includes the new Kew Library. This project has condition of each facility, community needs and budget been replaced by a number of new projects e.g parameters. Ashburton Senior Centre, Camberwell Community Centre, Canterbury Hub and others. When I consider Council plans to redevelop the Kew Library into a the Council’s expenditure on its rejigged website, I am contemporary facility that meets the changing needs of dismayed that the money for a project such as the Kew library members, taking into account predicted Library can no longer be found. populations in Kew and Kew East and feedback from community and stakeholder groups.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The first stage of community engagement in October 2017, heard from key community groups and individuals and included the following key priorities: x Increasing the variety of spaces in and outside of the building to create more quiet areas for reflection and concentration as well as places for meetings and group study. x Combining indoor and outdoor spaces including maximising the view of Alexandra Gardens and incorporating Petrie Square into the design. x Creating spaces in the library to make things, including experimenting with new technologies such as 3D printing. x Providing additional car parking, faster WiFi, access to technology and device charging facilities.
Following this process, Council conducted an audit of the existing library to identify how well it met these priorities and determined that the best option for meeting these needs would be to build a new, modern library. The initial budget forecast for the redevelopment of the library was $10 million however this figure has since been revised and in order meet community requirements, a preliminary analysis has indicated that a budget of approximately $30 million is required.
Construction of the new library was initially planned for 2019, to be funded by the 2019-20 Budget. However, as additional funding is required Council will commence consultation and design in 2022-23 and construction will be completed in 2025-26. By delaying the project to this time, Council can create a new library that explores the possibility of features such as a basement car park, an atrium, increased exhibition and display area, an area for teenagers, technology spaces, gaming and ‘maker- space’ studios, open and private study rooms, more quiet and comfortable reading spaces, more community meeting rooms and a terrace area, as requested by the community.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The estimate for the Kew Recreation Centre The Kew Recreation Centre project has been earmarked redevelopment has blown out from $11m to $58m, and for some time now. A nominal budget figure was that project is still on the books for 2018Ǧ2022, but an included in previous budgets for planning purposes until estimated blow out for the Kew Library from $10m to such time that the needs were able to be identified. This $30m has seen it moved out of the Major Projects plan has now occurred and a high level scope of the project for that period. was then put together to inform a project costing. The Kew Recreation Centre currently lacks the functionality Kew Library is nearly impossible to use, it is short of of a modern community health and wellness facility and space and facilities and is in urgent need of renewal. has become an urgent priority for Council given its current poor condition. I would like to understand how this has happened. No change proposed to the Budget.
8. Ashburton Ashburton United Soccer Club Budget DEI Officers note the support for the $2M budget and $2.5M United Soccer foreshadowed budget for a synthetic sports surface Club The Ashburton United Soccer Club welcomes the project. Officers will be consulting with clubs in early 2018-19 Council budget and would like to commend 2018-19 regarding this project, and this process will (Obj ref: A5461320) and support Council on its foresight in including provide the Ashburton United Soccer Club with an $2,000,000 to commence construction of an artificial opportunity to discuss their views on the project and surface for outdoor sports in 2018-19 and $2.5 Million have input. in the following year. Officers also note the comments regarding the current Our Club is one of the largest community Soccer Clubs sports ground review. The proposed Budget includes in the south east and the largest outdoor sports $250K to implement year one actions from the Field Community Club in the City of Boroondara. Ashburton Sports Strategy along with $9.3M over three years United has 1,000 players involved from Under 4s specifically for pavilion works catering for increased through to Men’s Masters at an over 55 age group. We participation in women’s sport. have a large female group who also play from Under 4 girls through to Women’s State 2 level. Officers welcome the submitter’s request to be involved in consultation regarding both of these projects. We are a large inclusive Community Club with a high degree of cultural diversity. Our Club like many others No change proposed to the Budget. is experiencing a high growth and the facilities available are not able to cope with the player numbers. It is encouraging to see that Council will invest in upgrading pavilions for all sports and the grounds that we use.
The Club also looks forward to the current sports ground review and we are hopeful that Council could
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) allocate the above funds to redevelop one of our venues. This will allow us to cater for the increased numbers but also give us an opportunity to work with other sports and groups to share a facility. A number of Councillors have visited our venues and understand the difficulty we are experiencing is delivering a quality experience to everyone during winter months as well as preseason training and skills development clinics in the off season.
Ashburton United is willing to work with Council on the development of plans for the proposed projects including assisting with supporting any requests to State and Federal Governments to share the costs of any development project. It notes in particular that the State Government has increased its support for sporting infrastructure as well as having special programs in support of facilities for females and to assist clubs with loans.
Our Club strongly supports Council’s efforts in addressing one of the significant issues facing all sports during the winter months and in the off season. Our members and families fully support the budget being put forward for the 2018-19 period and related projects identified for funding in subsequent years.
9. John McLean Boroondara Tree Strategy Council Plan DEI The key action in the Tree Strategy Action Plan under and Budget the theme of Managing Nuisance and Risk is to develop (Obj ref: A5461313) The submission states that the Boroondara Tree new Tree Management Guidelines. The key directions Strategy 2017-2027 was endorsed by Council in and content have been flagged in the action plan to December 2017. include: x Species selection guidelines that implement the No 4 Strategic theme: Managing Risk and Nuisance principle of the best tree for the location. This will identified a number of issues, particularly damage, address risk, damage and nuisance, streetscape nuisance and human impacts as being of High Priority. character, species diversity and resilience, allergies These are serious issues that continue to be totally and other human impacts, shade, other principals ignored, and in some case wilfully, by Council staff. such as natives and exotics. I do not see anything in the Council Plan or Budget x Key processes, such as tree removal, tree that will address these High Priority matters. When is replacement.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) the Council actually going to do something about this x Risk management processes and mitigation identified risks and nuisances? measures. For example when and why root barriers are utilised.
The review of these guidelines is a 2017-18 annual commitment. Finalisation and implementation of the new guidelines will occur in 2018-19.
No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
10. Rita O'Donnell Surrey Gardens rotunda and Surrey Hills Village Budget DEI Surrey Gardens is a historically significant park, with public toilet several important historical features still in situ, such as (Obj ref: A5462318) the oldest WW1 shrine in Victoria. A rotunda was built in The submission queries the $380K budgeted for a new the gardens in the 1920’s but was destroyed by fire in rotunda in Surrey Gardens - what is Council's 1972. This project involves building a new rotunda justification for this significant expenditure item? based on the historic rotunda that was previously located at this site.
The new rotunda will provide opportunities for small functions and community use in the park, as well as providing an important historical reference
Surrey Gardens is an attractive heritage park with significant trees and ornamental garden beds and is well suited to enhancement by provision of this new asset.
No change proposed to the Budget.
$209K is budgeted for an automated public toilet in The driver and need for this project has arisen from Surrey Hills Village - why has this been included in the community consultation regarding the Surrey Hills absence of both a Public Toilet Strategy for Village, and is accepted by Council as a legitimate need Boroondara and a needs-based assessment for an to be addressed. automated public toilet for Surrey Hills Village? Council will continue to work with the community and What criteria is Boroondara Council applying to justify stakeholders in seeking to find an appropriate location the inclusion of these 2 projects? for the facility that best aligns with the range of views on this matter.
No change proposed to the Budget.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 11. Helen Council Arborists and Parking officers - matching Council Plan DCP Council has recently employed an additional part time Tsoutsouvas resources and Budget arborist to support the administration and enforcement of the Tree Protection Local Law. We will continue to (Obj ref: A5452056) Matching the resources of Council Arborists upholding monitor resourcing needs. tree protection laws for private properties with the resources of Council parking officers upholding parking No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. laws.
12. Committee of Proposed Canterbury Community Hub Council Plan DCD The proposed Canterbury Community hub project is in the Canterbury and Budget the very early planning stages and a scope has not been Community The submission advises that: confirmed. Subject to adoption of the proposed budget, Garden (CCG) 1. The Canterbury Community Garden plays an council officers intend to commence consultation with important part in the local community. key stakeholders and the nearby community to help (Obj ref: A5471441) shape a concept design for the Canterbury Community The current CCG was created in 2006 as a result hub. of an initiative by Burke and Beyond (B & B) – a non-government organisation providing support for The details that you have provided will be retained so intellectually disabled people - in association with a that officers can make contact with the CCG when number of local community members. The CCG consultation commences. occupies part of the Council land currently leased by B & B and Interchange and comprises some 36 No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. plots. Since establishment the Garden has been fully funded by Member subscriptions.
A Committee comprising Plot Holders and a representative from B&B manages the CCG. Members pay an annual fee of $50 or $60 depending on the size of plot and the CCG is currently in a healthy financial situation.
2. The Canterbury Community Garden (CCG) plays an important part in the local community. All 36 plots are actively used involving over 50 individual family members and we have a waiting list of potential applicants. At current rates of turnover a new applicant can wait for two years before a plot becomes available. Two plots are reserved for use by Burke and Beyond (B&B) and Interchange who incorporate gardening into their active client programs.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The objectives of the garden are similar to those recently developed for the Earl Street Community Garden and reflect the support of members towards general principles of food growing and sharing together with objectives that reflect the association with B&B.
3. The Canterbury Community Garden makes a significant contribution to Council’s policy of encouraging environmental sustainability through community gardens.
Refer the report to Council (2/12/16) in relation to the Earl Street Community Garden and the Boroondara Open Space Strategy Technical Report, adopted by Council on 9 December 2013 and the Growing and Sharing Local Food in Boroondara Community Consultation Report October 2015. Our contact with local community confirms the point made in the Earl Street Report that there is a significant unsatisfied demand for plots in community gardens. The Canterbury Garden demonstrably contributes to the satisfaction of that demand and its location complements that of the existing community gardens.
4. The incorporation of the CCG into the Canterbury Community Hub will make positive contribution to the range of facilities to be included in the Hub and its overall amenity.
The Committee understands that the current proposal for the Canterbury Community Hub includes a range of facilities including maternal and child health services, kindergarten, childcare, disability services. The current description does not mention the CCG and we are not aware of any consultation during the development of Council’s Community Plan.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The CGG currently occupies land on the eastern boundary of the site and its retention would continue to provide a high amenity active facility as part of any Hub. The CCG currently integrates well with the services offered by B&B to its intellectually disabled clients and we believe this opportunity would be relevant to the other facilities to be incorporated in the Hub.
The Committee is keen to work with Council in the evolution of plans for the Hub and believes that the incorporation of the CCG could play a significant role in its future success.
Recommendations: The CCG Committee recommends that: 1. Council acknowledge the important role played by the CCG in contributing to community gardens in the municipality. 2. Council agree in principle that a Community Garden would make a significant contribution to the integration of activities in the Canterbury Hub 3. Council agree to form a Working Group of Community representatives to develop the overall plan for the site 4. Council agree to include a representative of the CCG on that Working Group.
13. Canterbury Proposed Canterbury Community Hub Budget DCD Whilst the exact configuration of services in the Neighbourhood Canterbury Community Hub is not yet known, there are Centre The Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre is delighted to three locations that will ultimately form the hub. Each of be part of the proposed Canterbury Hub. these facilities will provide important community services (Obj ref: A5471446) to residents of Canterbury. Council will work with all of We have for so long been seeking a base that gives us the identified services to determine an optimal outcome the security, space and access that a community and the three facilities will be redeveloped to centre requires. This opportunity to work with Council accommodate those services’ needs. It is pleasing to and other Hub stakeholders to create co-located and know that the Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre is complimentary community service provision is indeed enthusiastic about the opportunity that this project exciting. presents.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) We look forward to working with Council in engaging No change proposed to the Budget. the community and developing great outcome that meets the needs of the diverse stakeholders involved.
14. Canterbury Proposed Canterbury Community Hub Budget DCD The proposed Budget provides $10.653 million for the Community Canterbury Hub to be completed in early 2020-21. Action Group In the Proposed Budget 2018-19: (CCAG) x Page 1, Introduction: “Council will also commence The Local Government Victoria (LGV) requires Council significant major projects in 2018-19 needed by the to split the capital expenditure between renewal and new (Obj ref: A5471449) community which are to …include;….Canterbury capital works and in some cases expansion and Community Hub ($10.65 million over three years).” upgrade, i.e. a project can have funding in up to four categories of capital works. x The detailed budget tables at the back of the document appear to show about $5.3M allocation Page 150, Appendix D Major Projects, summarises the to the hub over four years. Could you please spend on major projects on that page. clarify that apparent contradiction?
On Council's website: The proposed Canterbury Community Hub project is in x “While this project is at very initial planning stages, the very early planning stages and a scope has not been we are looking forward to working closely with the confirmed. Subject to adoption of the proposed budget, community on this exciting local community hub. A council officers intend to commence consultation with location being considered is council’s site in key stakeholders and the nearby community to help Kendall Street, which is the previous bowling club.” shape a concept design for the Canterbury Community Hub. At this stage, Council has provided minimal information to the community on the proposed Canterbury The details that you have provided will be retained so Community Hub. From the information made that officers can make contact with the CCAG when available, we understand that Council is considering a consultation commences. number of locations, and has not settled on a preferred location or scope of services provided at the No change proposed to the Budget. community hub.
Council mentions that it is considering council’s site in Kendall Street. This site currently houses a disability services organisation and a Community Garden, both being very important to our community.
CCAG supports the idea of such a community hub, and will welcome the opportunity to work closely with the Council in developing its proposal, to deliver maximum benefit to our community.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 15. David Farrow Walmer Street Bridge & Anniversary Trail Projects Budget DEI The proposal for a bicycle pedestrian bridge over Toorak Road on the west side of the railway line was supported (Obj ref: A5471471) The submission congratulates Council on including by Council at its meeting of 14 May 2018. specific provisions for two active transport projects in next year’s budget via the Walmer Street Bridge and The resolution involved seeking funding under the Anniversary Trail projects. Victorian Government's $100 million Safer Cyclists Fund or other relevant grant programs. Last Monday Council agreed to proceed with the Toorak Road Bridge having been informed that funding The proposal for the shared path through Riversdale grants may be available from various programs Park and Camberwell High School was also supported including a $100 million Safer Cyclists and Pedestrian on the basis that the Victorian Government would fund Fund. The estimated cost of this project was stated to the proposal given its strategic importance. At this time be $4 million. it is not intended that Council would fund the works.
Two years ago Council also agreed to proceed with a No change proposed to the Budget. project 2km north of Toorak Road involving the relocation of the Anniversary Trail through Riversdale Park and removing a missing link in the trail at a cost of between $400,000 and $500,000. The project would overcome the need for cyclists using the Anniversary Trail to traverse a known accident black spot.
I would like to make a suggestion which might affect the budget detail. Council officers have indicated that grant funding would be sought for the Toorak Road bridge with other Councils. I would hope that the benefits of the Toorak Road project would be sufficient on its own to attract a grant but suggest that chances of obtaining the grant could be enhanced if Council were to offer to fund the missing Trail link north of Riversdale Road as a condition of its application for the Toorak Road project being successful.
Both Anniversary Trail projects involve safety benefits to path users which when combined would increase the project benefits for the single cost of the Toorak Road bridge project and increase the chances of obtaining state funding for the Toorak Road bridge.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 16. Ian Hundley General comments Council Plan DCD Comments noted. The Budget document follows the and Budget recommended format for the document provided by the (Obj ref: A5471476) Both the Plan and the Budget are poorly presented. Victorian Government's LGV department. The format for They do not make for easy reading. Priority has been the Council Plan follows the Boroondara Community accorded pictures and colour, which for current Plan in order to maintain consistency and ease of purposes hinder rather than assist. Indexing of pages navigation for residents. and subject matter, where it exists, is inadequate. These faults should be remedied in future. No change proposed to Budget and Council Plan.
There are far too many references to "customers" in the 2017-21 revised Plan and the 2018-19 Budget, in fact so much so that local residents are identifiable in Council rubric in this capacity alone, not as residents, or even as citizens. It is almost certainly deliberate, a new nadir in corporate-speak which has increasingly infested Boroondara's official language in recent years. It is the language of neo-liberalism whose principal prejudice is to marginalise citizen participation in government decision-making, at all levels. They are to exist only as consumers. The content of the Plan and Budget bears out this ambition.
Theme 2: Your Parks and Green Spaces Council Plan DEI This theme and its seven strategies are taken from the (Plan p. 17) Boroondara Community Plan, being a document that articulates what the community has told Council its long Competing uses for open space term vision is for Boroondara. The document does not recognise the greatest of all threats to parks and open space in the municipality The Boroondara Open Space Strategy (BOSS) is which is the untrammelled growth in organised sporting Council’s primary document for guiding direction and activity in the municipality, heavily subsidised by the decision making with respect to the City’s open space. Council and ratepayers to the exclusion of other The BOSS Technical Report, adopted by Council in activities and functions. 2013, provides a landscape character classification of all of the City’s parks. This report identified 27.5% Council’s This trend has become increasingly evident in recent 595 hectares of open space has a primary character years, and has been accelerated by the corporatisation classification of “Sporting”. This classification has not of organised sport and greater female participation in changed since the adoption of the BOSS. organised sports, itself partly a function of commercial ambition, that had previously been a largely male Responding to changes in community demand for active preserve. sport, such as the increase in female participation flagged in the submission, is not seen as an impost or
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) That Boroondara is over-providing organised sporting burden that should detract from sport and recreation facilities, at the expense of other functions, or reduced planning. Council welcomes and encourages more demands on ratepayers, is borne out in the 2016 people, especially girls and women, to participate in Sports and Recreation Strategy which revealed that for active sport. Council will continue to consider use of some organised sports participation rates in open space with reference to relevant strategies and Boroondara is 35% higher than in the rest of Victoria. different stakeholders.
It is far from the case, as the Council appears to No change proposed to the Council Plan. believe, that one cannot get enough organised sport. There are competing uses for open space which are health giving, for all age cohorts, and are being increasingly stymied by the pre-occupation with organised sport.
It appears that the Council's default position is that it will meet all demands by a school or a sporting club for additional Council-owned open space. This is irresponsible, as there are likely to be no limits to such demands for public property to be assigned to exclusive or near-exclusive private use for organised sport.
More open space? Council Plan DEI One of the advantages of synthetic surfaces is the The fact that the squeeze is well and truly on for our higher intensity of use it enables compared with parks is illustrated by two elements in the Plan and traditional grassed surfaces. A key aspect of the Budget. These include the development of the idea of sportsground synthetic surface project is to facilitate building "parks" or open space over underground car greater participation in active sport and reduce pressure parks (Plan p. 17) and the construction of a synthetic on existing facilities. surface to increase participation in active sport at a cost of $2 million. (Budget p. 18) The project plan for implementation of this initiative will involve consultation with stakeholders, including local Assuming the latter could be more intensively used residents, sporting clubs, and sporting associations. than grassed surfaces it would at least have the benefit of relieving pressure on open space for organised No change proposed to the Council Plan. sporting activity. But if this is what is proposed it has not been clearly enunciated publicly by the Council. It should be.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The North East Hub Council Plan DEI A traffic and parking impact study was carried out to It is at least ironic that a park should be built as the and Budget support the planning of the North East Hub. Sustainable roof of an excavated concrete cavern, a car park, transport options have been considered as part of the rather than developed in natural soil. It would be a traffic impact report. The parking provision for the North form of "pocket park," and not of any great value in East Hub is in accordance with the planning permit residential areas. It appears inevitable that when the issued for the building. North East Hub in Greythorn is launched in a few weeks or months' time that the pocket park in this The new area of open space associated with the North development, which includes parking underground for East Hub will be a valuable community asset and is in 70 cars, will be promoted in this way by the Council. accordance with the site plans that were informed by
I put it to the Council prior to the construction of the detailed community consultation. North East Hub that they should undertake a transport analysis of the precinct to establish how people No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. currently travel to Greythorn, with a view of developing a strategy to maximise sustainable transport visits to the Hub in preference to private passenger vehicle trips. The Council would have none of that. The transport analysis was not done, and the Council had no appetite for increasing sustainable transport trips to and from Greythorn village. So, now we have additional car spaces in the final stages of construction, which may have cost about $50,000 each and are likely to be provided free to users. Visitors will in future be able to sit in the pocket park and enjoy the ambience provided by the additional traffic that will inevitably be attracted to the area.
The design of open space for different uses Council Plan DEI The Boroondara Open Space Strategy (BOSS) and the A distinction should be made in the Plan and the and Budget BOSS Technical Report acknowledges the distinction in Budget between open space that is designed for types and uses of open space through its primary and organised sport and that which is designed for informal secondary character classifications. The BOSS recreational use. As this distinction is not clearly made addresses this more robustly than an informal/recreation it is impossible to calculate the level of Council split, identifying 19 character types. The City’s open resources that are applied to each of these uses. space areas are characterised into these primary It might be said that sporting fields are also be able to classifications, which include nature conservation be used as parkland when not being occupied by (30.3%), sporting (27.5%), informal (10.6%), and tenant clubs. Whilst this joint use should be heritage (5.7%), among others. acknowledged it needs to be recognised that parks do not require white lines or goal posts. Trees and shrubs The complexity of the roles and functions the City’s open are, for the most part, banned from sporting fields. spaces perform is captured through Secondary
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Character Classifications provided in the Precinct. Recommendations of the BOSS Technical Report, whereby an individual park with a particular primary classification may have a number of secondary classification.
Classification of parks into simply sporting and informal uses is not consistent with Council’s BOSS, and using this classification for financial reporting purposes is not considered appropriate.
No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
Numbers confusion in the Budget Budget DCD Comments noted. The information quoted is from the According to the Budget (p. 11), operating expenditure operating budget and excludes Priority Projects and on sportsgrounds of $2,506,000 is proposed with Capital Works. The budget document follows format revenue of $620,000. Elsewhere in the Budget (p. 17) provided by the State Government. it is reported that the operating budget for the maintenance of parks and gardens and biodiversity The information disclosed is categorised as Councils locations, as well urban forest will cost $12,152,000 in general ledger and financial reporting systems provide. 2018-19, with revenue of $1,073,000. It is also calculated that the cost of maintaining park turf per Priority projects are listed individually in Appendix C, hectare is $3,400 (Budget p. 18). Capital works projects are listed individually in Appendix D. In none of these cases is it clear how much of this expenditure is devoted to organised sporting venues No change proposed to Budget. as opposed to parks.
A distinction should be made in the Plan and the Budget between sporting facilities and parks in recording proposed recurrent and capital expenditure and specific capital projects.
A history of stealing parkland Comments noted. There has been a long and regrettable history in Melbourne of land devoted to parkland being converted or excised for other uses. Five years ago, a large part of Royal Park was under threat from the construction of a large freeway interchange. That
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) threat has been refreshed in recent times as the Liberal Party opposition again threatens the construction of the East West Link. Earlier this year Yarra Valley Water announced a preferred site for a sewerage treatment works at Eram Park in Box Hill. This plant should be located on industrial land. Further parkland in the area is under threat from the proposed North East Link.
Using parks for other purposes - a product of Council Plan DEI The Boroondara Open Space Strategy (BOSS), adopted flawed thinking by Council in 2013, provides 10 principles which For its part, Boroondara has abandoned the principle underpin the vision outlined in the Strategy. None of that infrastructure should not be built in parks for non- these 10 principles have been changed or abandoned. park purposes. This puts at risk the fundamental and defining values of parkland in the municipality. One of the 10 principles is “adaptable” which is described as “Open Space and its facilities are flexible to In this regard Strategies 2.4 and 2.5 in the Plan adapt to changing environmental, recreational and social propose broadening permissible activities in these needs and expectation.” The examples provided in this areas by activating "...... existing green spaces and (to) submission are consistent with this principle. build social connection through the delivery of additional Council and community services and No change proposed to the Council Plan. programs in our parks and gardens" and Increasing and improving public amenities and facilities in open spaces to enhance functionality for a wider range of uses."
No justification for using Boroondara parkland in this manner is offered. It appears not to have occurred to the Council that parkland is in itself a well proven environment for social connection and human well- being. And what type of non-park functions or services may the Council have in mind? Child health centres, kindergartens, theatres and car parks spring to mind. These would most assuredly be the death knell for parkland.
In fact we have already witnessed this phenomenon in areas such as the Gordon Barnard Reserve, which now resembles, albeit as yet in a relatively muted and on a smaller scale, commercial sporting precincts such as Olympic Park and Melbourne Park.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Parks maintenance Budget DEI The condition of the path in Hays Paddock will be There is also an urgent requirement to improve assessed. Council will continue to invest in appropriate maintenance of pathways in many of our parks, such condition auditing, and renewal planning of its assets. as Hays Paddock in East Kew. Over several years these pathways have been permitted to fall into The feedback regarding pathways in parks is noted and disrepair; so much so that the original definition of the will be reviewed in this context. This will be done within extensive pathways at Hays Paddock has been almost existing resources. entirely lost. The proposed expenditure across the whole municipality of $121,000 (Budget p. 67) for the No change proposed to the Budget. park gravel path renewal program appears pitifully inadequate for this purpose.
Budget blow-outs Budget DEI The Greythorn Park pavilion, Camberwell Sports Ground There also appears to be an ever-present tendency for pavilion(s) and the Willsmere Park pavilion are all infrastructure works associated with sporting pavilions scheduled for design and documentation in 2018-19 and to blow out considerably from time-to-time. An construction in subsequent years. This imminent project explanation is now required as to why it was recorded commencement has necessarily involved a project in the budget adopted for 2017-18 that the total cost of scope and budget review. refurbishment of the pavilion at Greythorn Park was $495,000 (see page 161 of 2017-18 budget) and is Beyond matters of general renewal and improved now proposed to be $935,000. (Budget p. 132) access, the Greythorn Park project now includes for a Social Space (consistent with Council’s pavilion policy) Similarly, proposed expenditure on the Camberwell and the provision of female friendly facilities. Sports Ground major pavilion has blown out from $650,000 to $1,500,000. The proposed expenditure The Camberwell Sports Ground Pavilion scope now on the Willsmere Park pavilion has increased from includes for consideration of female friendly facilities and $525,000 to $1,620,000. the renewal of the neighbouring minor pavilion.
The Willsmere Park pavilion design accommodates the One could be forgiven for believing that these projects functional and changing needs of the uses including are used simply to soak up available revenue. Urgent additional change rooms social. explanations are required. These adjustments have been carefully considered and are important to satisfy long term operational needs and the ability for pavilions to be used also as community meeting spaces.
Construction cost updates are also regularly provided by our consultant quantity surveyors and the current foreshadowed budgets reflect an increase in expected construction costs compared with recent years.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions)
No change proposed to the Budget.
Theme 3: The Environment (Plan p. 18) Council Plan DCP The proposed Council Plan and adopted Boroondara Strategy 3.4 calls for the protection and increase in Community Plan (BCP) contain a strategy to increase canopy tree cover on private land in Boroondara to canopy tree cover on private land. This strategy has maintain neighbourhood character and amenity. been included following community feedback received This is far too limited an ambition for the provision of as part of the extensive public consultation for the BCP. canopy tree cover. Canopy tree cover should also be recognised by the Council in this strategy as an It is important that such strategies are concise, clear and essential counter to climate change and for offsetting achievable. It is therefore not considered to be a the Heat Island Effect. ‘limited’ ambition. The benefits of increased canopy cover on private land for countering climate change and mitigating the urban heat island effect (as well as other benefits) are well-documented and understood. It is not necessary to amend the proposed strategy to list all benefits of trees, in order for the strategy to be meaningful.
No change proposed to the Council Plan.
The Tree Protection Law Budget DCP The Tree Protection Local Law 2016 (the Local Law) Since 2006, the Council has relied on a local law (now operates within the City of Boroondara on private the Tree Protection Local Law 2016) to maintain property. The Local Law regulates the removal of canopy tree cover on private properties, and it has canopy trees on private property and provides a failed in that endeavour. In a classic illustration of not framework for requiring replacement tree planting. wishing to know what is really going on the Council has Across 2015 and 2016, resources were used refused to measure changes in canopy tree cover in undertaking a review of the original Local Law Boroondara at any time in the last 12 or so years since introduced in 2006. This process resulted in a tightening the local law was introduced. of the Local Law, including the introduction of additional According to the Budget (p. 19) expenditure of offences, improvement of enforcement capabilities, $476,000 and revenue of $221,000 will be incurred in updating of definitions and a range of administrative the administration of the Tree Protection Local Law. In improvements. Council officers are currently completing percentage terms, these proposed outlays are higher a review of the Local Law’s first year of operation than those proposed for 2017-18, but in all probability (November 2016 to November 2017), with a report due still far too low. to be presented to Council in the coming months. These bodies of work undertaken demonstrate that resources are being used to evaluate and improve the Local Law.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The resources used to administer and enforce the Local Law are constantly reviewed and adjusted as and when they are required. For example, due to an increase in workload associated with an increased number of alleged breaches of the Local Law across 2017, resources have been increased in the last 12 months by employing an additional arborist. This demonstrates that resource allocation is adjusted as required.
For financial year 2017-18, Council allocated funds to undertake an assessment of the change in canopy cover between 2006 and 2016. This assessment was undertaken by a consultant specialising in this field and was completed at the end of 2017. The results indicate that there has been a minor reduction of canopy cover on private land between 2006 and 2016, with some suburbs experiencing an increase and some a decrease. The results of the canopy cover study are being used to inform the current review of the Local Law. The results of the canopy cover study, combined with the analysis undertaken by Council officers suggest that the Local Law is working, because there has not been a significant reduction in canopy cover on private land between 2006 and 2016. Notwithstanding this, the review currently being undertaken is exploring ways in which the current Local Law could be tightened further.
For financial year 2018-19, Council has allocated funds to undertake a review of the Significant Tree Study (Study). This will enable a review of the existing Study (last updated in 2015) and identify further trees across the municipality for additional protection. This project is expected to commence in the second quarter of financial year 2018-19.
No change proposed to the Budget.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Council administration of the Local Law Council Plan DCP Administration of the Local Law: The Plan and Budget documentation is inadequate in and Budget Much of this information has been previously analysed not revealing the level of activity required to administer and publicly provided as part of the review of the Local the Local Law. For instance, the level of enforcement Law in 2015 and 2016. The level of information held by activity is not known, there is no information on the Council (to which the submitter refers) is sufficient to effectiveness of the tree replacement program, and the enable Council officers to monitor the resources required number of applications received daily for tree removals to administer and enforce the Local Law. The is not known (it appears that in the period 2006 to 2015 information is also sufficient to enable the current review that over four such applications were received every to be informative, evidence-based and effective. working day). Penalties and the review of the Local Government Act: Penalties and the review of the Local Government The current penalties for an offence under a Local Law Act are set by the State Government, not Council. Council There are other aspects of Council stewardship of this recognises that the current penalties are manifestly issue, not directly related to the Plan and the Budget, inadequate to serve as an effective deterrent. Council which have caused the precipitous loss of canopy tree has continuously lobbied the current (and previous) cover in Boroondara. One of these relates to the low State Governments to significantly increase the penalty level of penalty able to be levied under the Local without success. As recently as 1 March 2018, the Government Act where the Local Law is broken. Minister for Local Government wrote to Council, refusing to increase penalties. Boroondara has repeatedly pointed to this fact as a major impediment in its efforts to protect canopy trees. Contrary to the statement in the budget submission, Boroondara's recent failure, therefore, to join with other Council made submissions to the review of the Local council's in the recent review of the Local Government Government Act for an increase in penalties. Act to argue the case for much higher penalties for illegal tree removal is therefore inexplicable. But it No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. does require an explanation.
The one-year review The Tree Protection Law 2016 Council Plan DCP The current review of the Local Law’s first year of The Tree Protection Law is currently under review, operation is currently being completed by Council after its first year of operation. There is significant officers. Part of the review includes the results of a evidence that local laws made under the Local canopy cover assessment commissioned by Council. Government Act are an ineffective tool for maintaining This assessment was completed at the end of 2017 and canopy tree cover. This is true, not only in Boroondara indicates that there has been a minor reduction of but also elsewhere. Earlier reviews by the Council canopy cover on private land between 2006 and 2016, have dismissed the idea that the Council should with some suburbs experiencing an increase and some include a vegetation overlay in the planning scheme as a decrease. The results of the canopy cover study is a superior approach to bringing the loss of canopy being used to inform the current review of the Local Law. cover under control. It did so after only cursory The results of the canopy cover study, combined with consideration of the option. Given the gravity of the the analysis undertaken by Council officers suggest that
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) situation in Boroondara the Council should now include the Local Law is working, because there has not been a such a proposal in the Plan as a preferred measure. significant reduction in canopy cover on private land between 2006 and 2016. Notwithstanding this, the review currently being undertaken is exploring ways in which the current Local Law could be tightened further.
Regarding the use of planning controls instead of a Local Law, it is important to understand that there are advantages and disadvantages of each. The option of introducing planning controls for tree removal will be assessed in the report on the review of the Local Law’s first year of operation.
No change proposed to the Council Plan.
Theme 4: Neighbourhood Character and Heritage Budget DCP Council is currently progressing Amendment C276 which (Plan p.19) seeks to introduce permanent heritage controls over nine properties and two precincts in Balwyn and Balwyn Balwyn North is missing from the heritage North. This is the first stage of the Balwyn Heritage assessment Study peer review process. There are likely to be further The heritage assessment of all properties in properties recommended for heritage protection through Boroondara not currently protected by a heritage stage 2 of the process. overlay is to continue at a cost $262,500. (Budget p. 23) This is admirable as far as it goes. However, in an While the peer review process has been limited to earlier but not much publicised decision the Council properties built prior to 1946, this is not a declaration ruled out all post-1945 dwellings in Balwyn North from that those properties are not worthy of heritage such assessment. This was an unconscionable act on protection. Council has merely limited the scope of the the part of the Council, which by a combination of peer review to ensure that older heritage properties are decisions and a series of missteps has assigned protected first. More recently constructed properties can Balwyn North to McMansionville with barely a shot be included in a future heritage investigation process. fired in anger. No change proposed to Budget.
Need for public participation in the review of Budget DCP Council considered a report in September 2017 that was current rules the culmination of an extensive and public consultation The Council is also proposing to engage in the reform process around the matter of single dwelling of the Victoria Planning Provisions with an emphasis developments. This included a mail out to all property on retaining and enhancing local planning policies and owners and occupiers within the City of Boroondara and controls which protect the City’s heritage, character the consideration of more than 1000 responses. and amenity. (Budget p. 23)
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Boroondara's approach to regulatory issues such as All respondents received invitations to Council meetings the maintenance of space for gardens, over-sized in July 2016 and September 2017 to hear Council excavations, especially for single dwellings, and the consider reports on the process. scale specifications for front fences has been oddly mute. As a key element of the Plan the Council should Council held a roundtable discussion with industry open up this process to the community to explore experts to explore potential ways to address the these and related issues that are impacting amenity communities concerns. Ultimately, Council resolved to and neighbourhood character. adopt a work program that included:
Following the major changes to the Boroondara Advocacy Actions: Planning Scheme announced in March 2017 as a x Advocating to the Victorian Government for result of the Victorian government's Plan Melbourne neighbourhood character consideration to be "refresh" process I asked Maranoa ward Councillor, included within the building permit process. Cynthia Watson, to hold a meeting for residents in x Advocating to the Victorian Government for Maranoa ward, to be attended by Council planning increased penalties for illegal tree removal. staff, to explain the effects of these changes but she x Advocating to the Federal Government for revision refused to do so. of the Foreign Investment Review Board regulations.
This was followed in September 2017 by a Council Non-Legislative Changes: decision to preclude any public dialogue with the x Expansion and promotion of the Urban Design community on an issue which the Council itself had Awards. opened up in February 2016 when Mayor Parke wrote x Creation and promotion of preferred style and a letter to all residents, seeking contributions on the design information sheets. "McMansion" phenomenon and what might be done about it from a regulatory perspective. The Council No change proposed to Budget. had received about a thousand written submissions on the issue from residents and the fact that the Council so precipitately closed down discussion on an issue of great concern to many people who had in many cases considered it in some depth was nothing if not discourteous. More importantly, it served to cut off Council from the insight and ideas available in the community on this important issue.
The Council needs to be much more open with community members, to inform them of the impacts of current regulatory arrangements, and to engage with them develop proposals to reform the current regulatory flaws that are degrading the built environment.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Theme 5: Getting Around Boroondara (Plan p. 20) Council Plan DEI Council rejects the assertion the approach has been and Budget flawed and strongly opposes the North East Link (NEL) North East Link and East West Link corridor option A, the Victorian Government’s preferred Two of the greatest threats to Boroondara and its alignment. We will continue to advocate for our residents that we now confront are the Victorian community and work with them in opposition to the NEL. government's proposed North East Link and the Liberal Party opposition's resuscitation of the East-West Link Council officers from all impacted Councils, including proposal. those listed in the submission, are working together to ensure a coherent approach and strong, evidence based Boroondara's approach to the North-East Link proposal advocacy position is presented to the Victorian has been flawed from the outset, as it permitted itself Government. to be drawn into a "debate" about a preferred route for a freeway, the proposed North East Link, in the Comments regarding the East West Link (EWL) are absence of any strategic analysis by the Victorian noted. Council officers are maintaining a watching brief government of transport investment options for the on the EWL. corridor, which would necessarily involve a central role for public transport. In this respect, the Council's No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. approach has been just as flawed as the State government's. If the Council does not quickly rethink its position and its campaign strategy on the project it will be left tinkering at the edges (the proverbial "lipstick on a pig") that would inevitably condemn Boroondara to heavier traffic volumes on arterial and local roads more or less forever.
As the North East Link proposal has similar deeply adverse effects for other municipalities, including Banyule, Manningham and Whitehorse, Boroondara should as a priority join with these councils in making the case and campaigning against the North East Link in toto. This campaign should send the state government back to the drawing board to assess future transport capability for the corridor.
This means that the Council should immediately refocus its efforts away from advocating for Option C (Budget p. 26) and redirect the proposed expenditure towards a joint municipal campaign for effective transport solutions on the corridor.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Council influence on East West Link Similarly, with the Liberal Party's proposed East-West Link, which they propose to take to the state election due in November 2018. The Liberal Party has said it would be little changed from the proposal that they developed in government in 2013-14. This would have major adverse effects for residents of Boroondara and other municipalities as was demonstrated during that period, again with increased traffic on arterial and local roads. The Council should resolve to oppose the East- West Link proposal in its entirety.
The Boroondara Council should use its Liberal Party connections to stave off this project. Maranoa ward councillor, Cynthia Watson, now reportedly a member of the Victorian Liberal Party's senior policy making body, should prevail on the party to refocus its efforts on developing a sustainable approach to transport capacity on the corridor, which should include a rail service to Doncaster. Other councillors who are Liberal Party members or otherwise have Liberal Party connections should also wholeheartedly get behind such an effort.
Most importantly, these councillors should then play a key role in informing the Kew M.P., Tim Smith, that the East-West Link would inflict intolerable damage on the people who live in his electorate. They should direct him towards transport projects that are sustainable, and would not put at risk both the natural and built environment. There are other modern cities where the problem of car dependency has been brought under control. The proposed North East Link and the East West Link would make it much worse in Melbourne and, more specifically in Boroondara.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Improved Council advocacy for public transport Budget DEI Council continues to advocate to the Victorian required Government for improved public transport services. This The Council has declared that it advocates for advocacy includes trains, trams and buses. improvements to public transport and for sustainable transport initiatives. (Budget p. 26) In truth though, the Council’s advocacy has focused on improved service Council's efforts in this area have been rather sickly. frequencies for all modes. This has included bus The Council has not campaigned with anything like services and an extension to operating hours to include necessary energy and conviction for improvements in the evenings and weekends, including the need for a public transport in key areas, such as bus services on north south bus service linking the Amcor Development north-south corridors where, in contrast to CBD-bound (and beyond) through to Kew Junction and beyond. train and tram services, public transport is very poor to non-existent in large areas of Boroondara. Council has also advocated for an extension to tram services, both north-south and east-west and included initiatives in its adopted Balwyn Access Plan and Camberwell Junction Access Plan.
The advocacy efforts are guided by Council's Integrated Transport Strategy and will continue in the coming year.
No change proposed to the Budget.
Chandler Highway and the AMCOR site Budget DEI For the Chandler Highway Upgrade Project, Council has redevelopment previously resolved to request the introduction of A case in point is the "twin" projects of the widening of additional on-road public transport services, specifically the Chandler Highway and the redevelopment of the services to better connect Darebin, Banyule, Yarra and AMCOR site in Alphington, both now underway. Boroondara. These projects are projected to draw more traffic into the area, including Kew and beyond. The Council officers continue to work with Public Transport redevelopment of the AMCOR site has been Victoria, VicRoads and adjoining Councils in this regard. anticipated to generate about 17,000 extra road trips a day when fully developed. The Princes Street and Earl No change proposed to the Budget. Street - Belmore Road corridors are certain to experience higher traffic volumes.
Despite all this the Council was all but silent on necessary public transport upgrades in the area, which would include north - south route bus services on Chandler Highway to serve both sides of the Yarra River. I do not know how many councillors are regular public transport users in the area, I suspect very few.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) As a learning exercise I recommend that councillors take a trip on the 609 route bus service, the only one that serves Chandler Highway, to the north in Yarra and Darebin and to the south in Boroondara, and just a few times a day. This will provide councillors some understanding of the yawning gap that needs to be filled in the public transport network.
Boroondara Bicycle Strategy Budget DEI The review of the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy (BBS) It is proposed to conduct a review of the Boroondara has commenced and will continue through the 2018-19 Bicycle Strategy which was established in September financial year. The comments regarding the BBS are 2008. The primary objective of the review is "to ensure noted and will be considered during the review. appropriate opportunities for on and off road cycling and improvement of Boroondara’s bicycle network." No current design plans exist for shared paths in the (Budget p. 26) adjoining reserves of Myrtle, Macleay and Hislop Parks and no funding has yet been allocated for shared paths The original Strategy was flawed in as much that it had in these reserves in Council’s budget. Similarly, there no regard for the potentially competing uses of open are no proposals for changing the paths in Stradbroke space for walking and general relaxation as opposed Park, Harrison Reserve and Hays Paddock. to mobility. In many situations the two uses are fundamentally incompatible. To illustrate this, the No change proposed to the Budget. recent decision to reroute and upgrade a section of the Anniversary Trail will have severely adverse effects for the many visitors to Riversdale Park in Camberwell. A series of parks in North Balwyn (Gordon Barnard Reserve, Hislop Park, Macleay Park) and Hays Paddock in East Kew are similarly at risk under the provisions of the current Bicycle Strategy. For the purposes of this review it is imperative that broader land use issues and values be included in the analysis, unlike the process which resulted in the 2008 Bicycle Strategy.
Focus on local roads required Council Plan DEI Comments are noted and will be considered as part of A revised Bicycle Strategy should provide the pre- and Budget the review of the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy. conditions for increased cycling activity, both for commuting and for leisure purposes. Much greater No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. attention needs to be given in the review to enhancing the use of local roads for cyclists. Many people have
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) an aversion to travelling on-road for safety reasons. As currently designed and utilised they are almost exclusively the preserve of motor cars. This should not be the case, as there is substantial scope to make local roads, which comprise the bulk of the road network and which are the responsibility of local government, much safer for cyclists. This combined with innovative measures to improve the safety of the motor vehicle fleet, provide the conditions for a major Council effort in this area.
Walking to school Council Plan DEI Council has a sustainable transport officer whose duties The Council should apply much greater effort in and Budget include behavioural change programs for the community developing walking to school programs in the including businesses, schools, Swinburne University and municipality. Current efforts are low key and clearly Council staff. with low expectations of positive results. The benefits of these programs are substantial, for the health and Council delivers the Boroondara Active and Safe (BASS) social development of the children who participate, the Schools program with two schools. The program helps communities through which they walk to and from primary school students, their families and staff travel to school and in reducing the costs of traffic on roads, school in a safe and active way including encouraging especially during peak traffic periods. Council's more active travel such as walking and cycling. The marginalisation of behaviour change initiatives such as BASS is part of a suite of school focussed programs that walking to school in favour of expensive road projects encourage the use of active and sustainable transport. that make it (temporarily) easier for school drop-offs are negatively reinforcing and ultimately self-defeating. No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
Improved performance assessments are required Budget DEI Comments are noted. They will be considered during The strategic indicators utilised for assessing transport the review of the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy and other in Boroondara are inadequate and should be revised. transport strategies, policies, plans and projects as (see Budget p. 27) There should be a renewed focus appropriate and as the opportunities arise. on trends in travel times, modal shift, as an indicator of changes towards more sustainable forms of transport, No change proposed to the Budget. and the safety of transport users, including safety of public transport and road users.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Civic Leadership and Governance (Plan p. 23) Council Plan DCS Extensive research has been undertaken by Council to and Budget inform the project, which has not been made publicly The digital transformation strategy (Plan p. 4,5, available. The project deliverables are also informed by Budget p. 31) the Customer Experience Improvement Strategy which Recent media reports suggest this multiple year project is available on the Council Website. will have cost Council about $11.7 million when completed. It appears that elements of the strategy Earlier requests for information have previously been have been put to Council meetings on just two provided through the Ward Councillor and the most occasions, on 12 September 2016 and 26 February recent request received on 21 May was responded to on 2018. It is unclear from the publicly available 30 May 2018, within Council’s Customer Service Charter documentation whether the project will be of significant commitment to respond within 10 business days. benefit, and much less, value for money for the Council. I put a series of questions to my ward No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. councillor in relation to the project earlier this year and received an opaque reply on 6 April 2018 from the Council administration. In some matters the information was refused and for others the response was inadequate. According to the Plan and the Budget (Budget p. 1, Plan p. 4, 5) Council conducted research in 2015 "to inform how we provide services and information to the community." As far as I know this background research information is not publicly available. I asked for it recently and it has not yet come to hand.
Culture change? Council Plan DCS Cultural change for Council staff is designed to put It was apparently concluded at the time that this meant and Budget Customer Experience at the centre of everything we do. investing in culture change, skills development, digital Council has always performed very well from a customer transformation projects and replacing and upgrading service perspective; however, this has been achieved by old technology. Perhaps the modern clichés can be providing services aligned to structure and process. Our put to one side for the moment - in what does "culture investment in our people is to develop and support a change" consist and what aspect of current culture so culture of innovation and customer experience for the offends that it may be dealt with by a machine? The provision of Council services and transactions in an purported purpose is said to be to meet the accessible manner anytime, anywhere on a device of community’s expectations for council services to the customer’s choice with the customer at the centre of enable convenient, fast transactions and ease of everything we do. access to information. No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Information now less available Council Plan DCS Information on the website is now easily accessible, However, my own experience, and that of others, has and Budget easy to navigate, written in plain English and located in been that Council information is now less rather than hubs and sections to achieve an optimal customer more accessible than it had been previously, despite experience. The submitter has previously been provided the partial roll-out of the program. For instance, with advice regarding access to meetings and agenda records of Council meetings available on the website papers on the website. It is unclear what the reference are now provided for a much lesser period than to data collection means, therefore it is not possible to hitherto. Whilst this may have been politically provide a response. motivated from within Council, the written explanation offered to me for this decision was a technical one. The delivery of the project is a significant change for Other data I have asked for from time to time has not Council incorporating technology, people and process. been available, not because of any technical Council is investing to ensure that its services are constraint, but rather because it simply had not been provided in a seamless and effective manner in keeping collected or, in one particular case, it was denied to me with all levels of government, utilities and the private on the grounds that there was no statutory requirement sector which have already completed or are in the for the Council to collect it. I am reasonably certain, process of doing the same work. though, that it exists. A major question remains as to whether the project, A range of sections and hubs on the website are whatever benefits are claimed for it now, could have directed at the community from both a citizen and been could have been delivered much less customer perspective, providing both information and expensively than is proving to be the case? Such services for an optimal experience to meet their needs. projects, I am informed, do not require the employment of a top tier consulting firm. The appointment of the contractor was made after a public tender process with a decision taken by Council at It is becoming increasingly clear that the "customer" an open Council Meeting. and "citizen" experience of the major roll-out of digital interfaces by state and Commonwealth government No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget. agencies have in important respects made them less accessible, less responsive and more opaque than previously. Centrelink is one example amongst many. The one-way email to an electronic black hole has replaced the hard copy letter form or two-way telephone communication with a decision-maker or someone accountable to a decision-maker.
A review of the digital transformation strategy could be a job for the Victorian Auditor-General's Office.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Reconciliation Action Plan Council Plan DCD Council is committed to recognising Indigenous heritage The draft revised Plan observes that Boroondara is and Budget and culture in many aspects of its work, and through increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse, with events and information dissemination during residents born in more than 140 countries, speaking Reconciliation and NAIDOC weeks. Councillors and/or more than 120 languages. This is the modern settler senior Council officers may also give experience only. Neither the draft revised Plan nor the Acknowledgements of Country prior to public forums and proposed Budget recognise the experience of the events. original Australians, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Their experience has been starkly This commitment is informed by Boroondara Community different from the modern settlers. Plan’s vision for ‘A vibrant and inclusive city, meeting the needs and aspirations of its community’ and Strategic It has been one of injustice and dispossession Objective 1: ‘Community services and facilities are high traceable from colonial settlement and continuing to quality, inclusive and meet a variety of needs now and endure well beyond Federation. into the future’.
Boroondara Council recognised this fact and that No change proposed to Council Plan and Budget. justice needed to be done with the establishment of a Reconciliation Action Plan for the period 2009 to 2013. Regrettably, the Reconciliation Action Plan was then permitted by the Council to lapse without review or reflection.
In my view, this amounted to a lapse of civic leadership at that time by the Council, one that is hopefully transitory. That the Council has not so far enlisted the participation of the community for the establishment of a refreshed Reconciliation Action Plan is disappointing. A Reconciliation Action Plan should be re-established in Boroondara in 2018-19 with full community participation and with a clear vision and measurable targets. Being mindful of the failures, post 2013, it should on its conclusion be subject to review in an accountable and open manner within the spirit of civic leadership articulated in the draft revised Plan.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 17. Lighter The submitter welcomes the opportunity to comment Comments noted, refer individual responses to specific Footprints Inc. on the draft revised Council Plan for 2017-21 and issues raised later in this document. proposed Budget for 2018-19. These two documents (Obj ref: A5471483) together with other strategic, planning and action documents give important insights into the priorities and operations of our Council. We see the invitation for the community to have their say as a significant contribution to democracy in local government.
What are our concerns? The revised plan and proposed budget papers state they have been developed to reflect the requirements of the various policy and strategy documents that the City of Boroondara uses to guide its priority setting, decision making and resource allocation. The link with the Community Plan is described in the Proposed Budget Papers as follows: “… the Boroondara Community Plan directly informs the Council Plan including the Long Term Financial Strategy, annual commitments and strategic indicators, and the Municipal Strategic Statement and Council strategies, plans and actions”
Quite a number of the strategies, policy documents and plans that Boroondara has adopted make reference to the Councils commitments and obligations with respect to the environment and climate change.
We are disappointed that the Council has not responded to many of these requirements in ways that reflect the urgency of the challenge we are facing on this front. We believe these commitments and obligations should be treated as much more than symbolic demonstrations of the Council’s good intentions; they should be integral to all of its decision making.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) We are also concerned that the large, showcase projects in the proposed budget come at the expense of smaller scale, community focused measures that could be used to bring about important behavioural change that would give all residents a role to play in managing the risks of climate change
We set out some of the existing Council policies that should be driving actions, and then offer our suggestions on how to better reflect this rhetoric in the proposed actions under this Council Plan and Budget
Strategy and policy commitments that require action on climate change The strategies, policy documents and plans listed should be given greater prominence in the formulation of the Budget and Council Plan:
The Boroondara Community Plan for 2017 to 2027 The environment was identified in the Community Plan as a priority theme for Council action over the ten years to 2027. Strategy 3.7 of the plan states that the Council will “Lead our community through advocacy and action to mitigate against and adapt to impacts of climate change to minimise adverse impacts on community health and wellbeing, our natural environment and facilities and services.”
The Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan which has Council Plan DCD In accordance with Section 27 of the Victorian Public been incorporated into the Community Plan and Budget Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, Council has included Each municipal council is required to produce a public health and wellbeing in each of the seven key Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan under the themes in the Boroondara Community Plan (BCP). This provisions of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act integration ensures that the health and wellbeing of the 2008. The Climate Change Act 2017 states that community is at the centre of everything we do, and that Council must have regard to the potential impacts of every part of our operations support the directions climate change through any decision made or action articulated in the BCP. taken under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act. Council responds to climate change issues in the BCP, under Priority Theme 3 - The Environment - Strategy 3.7. This strategy supports advocacy and action to
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) mitigate against and adapt to impacts of climate change to minimise adverse impacts on community health and wellbeing, our natural environment and facilities and services. Council will also have regard to responding to section 17 of the Victorian Climate Change Act 2017 through the implementation of a large number of strategies that can be broadly captured by the following directions: x protecting and preserving our trees, nature and open space x showing leadership in reducing the environmental impact of our facilities and services, such as through incorporating environmental design principles x providing support to the community to reduce their environmental impact through reduced waste generation and sustainable living projects.
No proposed change to Council Plan and Budget.
Our Low Carbon Future Strategy and Our Low Carbon Future Strategy – Action Plan Update 2017 to 2020. Under this strategy, Council aims to reduce its corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 30 to 40% below 2007/08 levels by 2020 and to support community emissions abatement through support for community programs and projects.
The strategy lists five principles to guide the selection of the strategy’s targets and priority actions. These include leadership by Council with the community; assuming a moral obligation to act; pursuit of multiple benefits and a 'no regrets' approach to action; action prioritised by impact; and equity in both strategy and action.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Integrated Water Management Strategy 2014 to 2024 The aim of this Integrated Water Management Strategy (IWMS) is to “…set the strategic direction and implementation approach for improving water cycle management across the municipality over the next decade”. The strategy identifies six guiding principles including consideration of the impacts of climate change.
The updated Sustainable Council Buildings Policy This policy which was published in 2016 “…sets out clear commitments for achieving improved sustainability standards in the way Council’s buildings are planned, designed, built, used and maintained”.
We note that the Sustainable Council Buildings Policy is developed around the Green Building Council of Australia’s definition of what is a sustainable building and makes reference to the GBCA’s holistic design framework and assessment tool ‘Green Star - Design and As Built’. This tool includes the Green Star rating and certification scheme whereby 4 Star Green Star represents Best Practice; 5 Star Green Star is Australian Excellence and 6 Star Green Star equals World Leadership.
The policy states: Council buildings will be built, expanded or upgraded to an agreed minimum Sustainability Standard dependent on the nature of the project. For the majority of building projects, the aspiration reflects a minimum Green Star 5-Star (or equivalent) standard. This does not preclude Council deciding to seek a higher standard (e.g. 6 star) on particular projects if supported by a positive feasibility assessment.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The Urban Biodiversity Strategy for Boroondara 2013- 2023. The Urban Biodiversity Strategy for Boroondara (UBS) was adopted by Council in June 2013 to “… set the strategic direction for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in Boroondara”. One of the challenges identified was climate change which “…poses very serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem health both globally and locally. Impacts in urban environments over the next decade are likely to be more subtle and will interact with and may compound other threats to biodiversity conservation.”
Sport and Recreation Strategy 2016 As part of this Strategy, Council has identified 13 principles to guide decision making and allocation of resources including environmental sustainability whereby the Council supports “…the development of sport and recreation initiatives that preserve natural resources and achieve sustainable environmental outcomes”.
This is an impressive array of strategies and Budget DCD Environmental sustainability is one of a range of commitments for ensuring the City of Boroondara important considerations regarding resources that undertakes actions that are environmentally support a more active and healthy community. A good sustainable and aimed at addressing climate change. example of this principle in practice is to achieve a minimum Green Star 5-Star rating (or equivalent) when We welcome these stances and encourage the Council redeveloping sporting pavilions and aquatic and to back these sentiments with a strong suite of recreation centres. initiatives that are adequately funded and monitored. No change proposed to the Budget.
Addressing emissions reduction We commend the Council on the initiatives it has already taken to reduce carbon emissions and to adapt to the impact of climate change. These include but are not limited to: x Council support for Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET) upgrades through regional
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) partnership via the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA) partnership with ‘Live Green with Less’ x Completion of the Sustainable Street Lighting bulk changeover which has delivered annual greenhouse savings estimated to be 3700 tonnes CO2-e x Support for community engagement and local grassroots action through workshops and other educational activities.
Opportunities for addressing emissions reduction Budget DEI Comments noted. This is largely addressed through the We note the observation made in the OLCFS Action adoption and implementation of the Sustainable Council Plan Update that: While energy efficiency works have Buildings Policy 2016. significantly reduced emissions, this has largely been offset by energy demand from new and upgraded No change proposed to the Budget. facilities with bigger building footprints providing enhanced services.
We see this as a significant opportunity in light of the number of major infrastructure projects that are listed in the Council’s proposed Budget for 2018-2019.
The major infrastructure projects budgeted for in Budget DEI Comments noted. Under the Sustainable Council 2018-2019 Buildings Policy each of these projects is required to The proposed Budget 2018-2019 states that the meet a minimum Green Star 5-Star (or equivalent) Council will commence a number of major projects in standard. 2018-2019 for completion in the next few years. These include: This will ensure the new building works reflect a high x Kew Recreation Centre redevelopment costing environmental design standard. The need for offsets to $58.1 million over four years reach our carbon reduction targets will be investigated in x Canterbury Community Hub at $10.65m over three the final year of the Our Low Carbon Future Strategy years (see comment above). x Camberwell Community Centre at $7.01m over two years No change proposed to the Budget. x Ashburton Seniors Centre at $7.97m over two years
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Each of these projects offers opportunities through their design, construction and operation to reduce carbon emissions and address the impact of climate change.
An opportunity to meet the Council’s carbon emissions reduction targets As an environment advocacy group, Lighter Footprints is particularly interested in the opportunities that such a project offers to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change. These include measures to reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency, manage water usage and provide a demonstration of the commitment that our municipality has to addressing the impact of climate change and contributing to solutions.
We hope that this project will avoid the downsides associated with other recent projects where their carbon footprint has increased over what previously existed either because of the size of the facility or increased energy usage and patronage.
The size of the budget for this project suggests that it will be a very substantial and high-quality facility.
Zero Emissions Cement Budget DEI Comments noted. The Sustainable Council Buildings Modern construction techniques suggest that a facility policy 2016 identifies the use of the Green Building such as the Kew Recreation Centre is likely to use Council of Australia’s Green Star -Design and As Built large volumes of cement. tool. This tool ensures a holistic approach to sustainable building and recognises a wide range of approaches to The environmental impact of cement manufacturing sustainable building. The potential use of low emissions has been widely recognised around the world for many cement will be considered during the design years. We refer you to the 2017 report by Beyond development of this new facility. Use of low emissions Zero Emissions (BZE) entitled Rethinking Cement cement would be recognised by the Greenstar tool and which sets out the issues around cement production aid the project in meeting the required environmental and the degree to which it contributes to increased standards. carbon emissions and other negative environmental effects. Estimates by reliable sources such as the No change proposed to the Budget. World Business Council for Sustainable Development indicate that cement manufacture is the single biggest
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) industrial producer of emissions and that it causes up to 8 per cent of all global carbon emissions. The industry is rapidly changing as it addresses this problem through new technologies and manufacturing processes.
The use of zero emissions cement offers a number of advantages for this and other construction projects that Boroondara plans to undertake in coming years. These include:
x A major contributor to Boroondara meeting its emissions reduction target x An opportunity to create an iconic project that attracts visitors interested in the architecture and construction of public buildings that are environmentally sustainable. x A means to demonstrate the environmental credentials of Boroondara and to attract businesses to the area that share these values and can contribute to the local economy.
For more information on the use of natural refrigerants which can be used instead of the environmentally destructive but commonly used fluorocarbon refrigerant, we suggest you consult the case study report by The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating.
The issues that we have raised with respect to the Kew Recreation Centre apply equally well to the other major projects that Boroondara is planning over the next few years. We believe that this approach can bring not only environmental benefits but also considerable economic, commercial and social benefits to our community.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) We feel a degree of unease with the approach to the Budget DCD The Kew Recreation Centre is the oldest leisure facility provision of sporting facilities that the Kew Recreation in Boroondara and is in urgent need of renewal. The Centre epitomises. Such large facilities represent a facility will provide an important health and community greater formalisation of physical activity in the form of hub as the population in the Kew area increases. The competitive sport or exercise as an activity done new Kew Recreation Centre will provide opportunities inside. This comes at the expense of less organised beyond physical activity in the form of competitive sport activities such as walking, running, cycling or relaxed or exercise. The major transformation will encourage play in informal surroundings such as a public park or and foster community interaction, social connection and garden. a sense of belonging. The Kew Recreation Centre project will include the provision of new open space at this location
No change proposed to the Budget.
Other Initiatives the Council should undertake to Comments noted, refer individual responses to specific fulfil its climate change commitments issues raised later in this document. We note that the Council already has initiatives in the budget to reduce its own emissions and manage its impact on the environment as well as encouraging the community to act in ways that are more environmentally sustainable. We encourage the Council to build on these initiatives and extend its ambition and to investigate what more it can do to help residents to manage the risk and adapt to the impact of climate change.
Measures to reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector Private transport and especially petrol driven cars are major contributors to carbon emissions that lead to climate change. Accordingly, we welcome the initiatives in the Proposed Budget that pick up the priorities expressed in the Community Plan around travel options that are environmentally sustainable, reduce road congestion and encourage public transport, cycling and walking.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Initiatives to encourage the uptake of electric Comments noted, refer individual responses to specific vehicles issues raised later in this document. The role that local government can play in encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles is a question being considered by members of The Climate Action Roundtable, a loose grouping of state governments and local councils who “… have a common commitment to ambitious climate change action to meet the climate goals laid out in the Paris Agreement, and to a just transition to low carbon societies.” This issue was also covered in a recent report by the consultancy firm PTC to a Sydney Council which demonstrated that local governments are well placed to assist in the phasing out of petrol and diesel road vehicles. The report points out that one of the major barriers to the uptake of electric vehicles is anxiety over the vehicle’s driving range.
It needs to be recognised that, while electric vehicles will play a major role in reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector, they still suffer from other environmental disadvantages associated with private cars, such as the need for large amounts of land for car parking and a reduced focus on public transport. This is one of the aspects that should be covered by an Electric Vehicles Strategy.
Alternative modes of transport Walking and bicycle riding are important ways to shift people out of their cars into more environmentally sustainable modes of transport. The goal of the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy 2008 is to “…increase the number of cyclists using Boroondara’s bicycle network and facilities”.
An important but often unacknowledged group of cyclists are disabled riders who cycle regularly to commute and to maintain their health and fitness.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The Bicycle Strategy notes that: Gaps in infrastructure also form a high infrastructure priority. Cycling counts indicate that off-road cycling routes attract much higher numbers of cyclists than onroad routes. Furthermore, off road routes tend to attract novice cyclists, and may therefore encourage more people to ride. Accordingly, offroad infrastructure has been prioritised under the Strategy as this provides the greatest potential to attract new cyclists.
The environmental importance of tree cover to Council Plan DCP The current review of the Local Law’s first year of Boroondara and Budget operation is currently being completed by Council Trees are an essential element of this municipality not officers. Part of the review includes the results of a only because they retain the traditional nature of the canopy cover assessment commissioned by Council. area but also because they contribute to the health and wellbeing of our community and play a significant role This assessment was completed at the end of 2017 and in combatting climate change. Amongst their many indicates that there has been a minor reduction of environmental benefits, they are a major force in canopy cover on private land between 2006 and 2016, reducing carbon emissions and easing the ‘heat island’ with some suburbs experiencing an increase and some effect of cities. a decrease.
Strong community concern continues to be expressed The canopy cover assessment also recorded the canopy about the decline in the tree cover in Boroondara. cover on public land and in public streets (i.e. street Anecdotal evidence indicates that canopy tree cover trees). These results show that there has been an has fallen since the Tree Protection Local Law was first increase in canopy cover on public land between 2006 introduced in 2006 and that this decline appears to and 2016. The canopy cover assessment now provides have continued since the current local law was a baseline by which future changes in canopy cover can introduced in 2016. be compared.
We currently have no accurate measure of tree cover The submitter refers to the benefits of trees. These in municipality on either private or public land nor is benefits are well-documented and understood. The there any reliable record of the decline over time. It is current Local Law appropriately recognises these essential that we establish a baseline and a means to benefits. measure change over time. No change proposed to Council Plan and Budget.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Staffing levels Council Plan DCD Activities and projects undertaken by departments are The Draft Plan indicates that the Environment and reported in Council’s Quarterly Performance Report Sustainability Section of the Council will have 246.3 which is available on the Boroondara Website FTE employees in 2018-2019 and slightly more in later www.boroondara.vic.gov.au years. No indication is given as to how these resources are allocated over the tasks undertaken by The disclosure in the Plan is as per the format advised this area of responsibility. by the State Government.
No change proposed to the Council Plan.
Omissions in the Draft Revised Council Plan Council Plan DEI Comments noted. The Draft Revised Plan notes that it was created amidst a number of external challenges. However, the No change proposed to the Council Plan. Plan fails to acknowledge the challenge that will have the most significant effect on Council operations over the long term. No longer is a distant threat, climate change already influencing our immediate surroundings and without immediate intervention will lead to significant dislocation in the way we live our lives and conduct our economic and social activities.
Extreme weather events with torrential downpours and flooding, extended periods of high temperatures and changes to our weather patterns are becoming more apparent. As a first responder in times of emergency, local government will need to make increased provision in its budgets and resource allocations to ensure local infrastructure is capable of dealing with these effects. Broken street and path surfaces, overloaded stormwater systems, damaged bridges, flooding of buildings and drought affected parks and gardens are only some of the damage that will accompany such extreme events.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Reporting on progress and performance Comments noted, refer individual responses to specific We support the inclusion of Outcome Indicators that issues raised later in this document. measure community satisfaction with environmental sustainability and the Council’s achievements in reducing carbon emissions with respect to Council owned and Council related activities. We note that the indicators for Outputs measure only waste management and biodiversity.
Recommendations Throughout our submission, we have made recommendations regarding budgetary funding and other issues. These recommendations are brought together here:
1. Overview Council Plan DCD Comments noted. a. The Council use the proposed budget and plan to and Budget strengthen its response to climate change. This No change proposed to Council Plan and Budget. could involve adapting proposed initiatives or new initiatives that provide greater opportunities for all the community to contribute to the solution.
We are concerned, however that there continues to Council Plan DEI Comments noted. The OLCFS Action Plan Update be a shortfall in the Council’s achievements with and Budget 2017-2020 includes an action for the 2018-19 financial respect to reducing its carbon emissions. year to report to Council on cost effective and sustainable options to close any remaining gap. This The Our Low Carbon Future Strategy (OLCFS) investigation and planning will be completed during the Action Plan Update comments that: Regardless of 2018-19 financial year. Any initiatives may be emissions savings achieved from implementing the considered as part of the budget allocation process in actions in this plan, there may be a ‘savings gap’ future financial years. between Council’s actual net emissions in 2020 and the OLCFS target of 30-40% emission reduction. Additional action may be required to No change proposed to Council Plan and Budget. close the gap and achieve the target.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 2. Major infrastructure projects - building design Budget DEI The Kew Recreation Centre will be constructed to a and construction minimum of 5-Star Green Star in compliance with the a. The Council aim to achieve a 6 star Green Star Sustainable Council Buildings Policy. The opportunity to Rating (World Standard) for Kew Recreation exceed this standard and achieve 6 Stars will be Centre in compliance with the City’s Sustainable investigated during the design development process. To Council Building Policy. date, no 6-Star projects of similar type have been completed in Australia.
No change proposed to the Budget.
b. As part of the design and construction, the Council Budget DEI All major projects are considered and managed in investigate the use of environmentally sensitive accordance with Council’s Sustainable Building policy. and sustainable construction materials, particularly All aspects of construction materials will be considered zero emissions cement and the use of natural through use of the Green Building Council of Australia refrigerants in the heating and cooling of the Green Star Design and As Built Tool. building. No change proposed to the Budget.
3. Emissions reduction in the transport sector Council Plan DEI Council employs a sustainable transport officer whose a. The Council examine additional ways to encourage and Budget duties include behavioural change programs for the residents to switch to more environmentally community including businesses, schools, Swinburne sustainable modes of transport University and Council staff. The focus of the role is to encourage greater, and preferred, use of active and sustainable transport modes.
Council manages the Boroondara Active and Safe Schools (BASS) program with two schools. The program helps primary school students, their families and staff travel to school in a safe and active way including encouraging more active travel such as walking and cycling. The BASS is one part of a suite of programs designed for schools to encourage the use of active and sustainable transport modes.
No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) b. The Council implement a range of initiatives to Council Plan DEI Comments noted. While there are a range of encourage the uptake of electric vehicles including and Budget environmental initiatives funded in 2018-19 specific work electrification of City’s car and service fleet on electric vehicles is not proposed. Council will vehicles; preferential parking for electric vehicles; however continue to monitor the electric vehicle market mandating provision of battery recharging points in and roll out of associated infrastructure in considering new public buildings; and provision of funding to potential future initiatives. develop an Electric Vehicles Strategy No change proposed to the Council Plan and Budget.
4. Alternative modes of transport Budget DEI The Boroondara Bicycle Strategy (BBS) review has a. The Council make provision in the Budget to commenced. The comments are noted and will be examine the bicycle network in Boroondara to considered during the review which will continue through identify barriers to participation by disabled riders the 2018-19 financial year. or hazards that make their journeys more difficult. No change proposed to the Budget.
b. The Council make budgetary provision for an off Budget DEI Comments noted. As a regional route, Council will road 'trail' from Box Hill to Hawthorn. continue to advocate to the Victorian Government for the development of a suitable Hawthorn to Box Hill bicycle route. The item will be considered for inclusion in the revised Boroondara Bicycle Strategy.
No change proposed to the Budget.
5. Environmental importance of trees Budget DCP The budget for financial year 2017-18 allocated funds to a. The Council make budgetary provision so that the undertake an assessment of canopy cover in the existing tree cover can be documented and an municipality. It is therefore not necessary to change the investigation undertaken into the effect of climate proposed budget to allocate funds to do such a study change on the health and diversity of the again. vegetation cover throughout the municipality. This would include the identification of ways to preserve The effects of climate change are already well- the existing trees and other plant life, establishing documented. These effects are not specific or isolated regimes to protect immature trees and choosing to the City of Boroondara. It is therefore not considered plant and tree species best suited to the changing a reasonable use of resources to undertake an environment. investigation in the manner suggested by the submitter.
In terms of trees on private land, Council officers already provide advice to landowners about suitable trees. A list of suitable trees is also published on Council’s website.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) In terms of trees on public land, Council’s Tree Strategy (adopted in 2017) recognises the matters raised in the submission.
No change proposed to the Budget.
b. The Council ensure that existing funding for Budget DEI Council adopted its Tree Strategy in 2017. The maintenance of parks and gardens is made proposed Budget 2018-19 (“Tree Strategy Action Plan available to increase the planting of trees that can implementation” in Priority Projects) includes $1.4M over withstand the impacts of climate change such as four years, including $204K in 2018-19, for drought and heat stress better than many of the implementation of actions from the Tree Strategy Action species currently growing in the area. Plan.
The proposed Budget also articulates “manage and maintain our tree assets into the future, by implementing the 2018-19 actions from the Tree Strategy Action Plan” as a Council Plan commitment.
Selection of species will be considered with reference to the updated Tree Management Strategy.
No change proposed to the Budget.
c. The Council investigate the potential for ‘green Budget DEI Comments noted. Greenstar will recognise and roofs’ either within existing funding or through an encourage green roofs in future building projects. additional allowance. Additionally cool roofs (light coloured heat reflective roofs) are also supported. These will be considered in accordance with Council’s Sustainable Buildings Policy as buildings are designed.
No change proposed to the Budget.
d. The Council expand the number of employees Budget DCP The resources used to administer and enforce the Local working on matters such as the enforcement of the Law are constantly reviewed and adjusted as and when Tree Protection Local Law to ensure that all they are required. For example, due to an increase in breaches of this regulation are identified and workload associated with an increased number of policed. alleged breaches of the Local Law across 2017, resources have been increased in the last 12 months by employing an additional arborist. This demonstrates that resource allocation is adjusted as required.
No change proposed to the Budget.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 6. Measurement of Outcomes and Outputs Council Plan DCD Output measures are developed for functions and and Budget services under Council's direct control. a. The outcome indicators be expanded to measure satisfaction with initiatives that the Council has Outcomes such as public use of electric vehicles or taken to assist the community to respond to uptake of solar panels are not within Council's ability to climate change. control and in many instances there is minimal ability to b. Other output measures be included such as: even influence the outcome. o changes in the City’s car fleet (numbers, emissions level); In macro social and environmental trends Council's role o the uptake of electric vehicles and the is limited to advocacy on behalf of the community to development of related infrastructure; State and Federal Governments. o increases in planting of more appropriate vegetation – resilient to extremes; No change proposed to Council Plan and Budget. o the number of large trees removed and prevented from being removed across the community; o the uptake of solar panels, both on council buildings and within the community; o the number of 6 + star homes and commercial buildings being built in the community; o the number of developments of medium to high density around transport nodes; o the number of new or improved bike paths
The Kew Recreation Centre Budget DCD Comments noted. This project involves both renewal and new construction at the existing recreation centre and is The percentages quoted are incorrect. The project expected to cost $58.1 million over four years. It is a represents the planned following percentages of the huge project representing around 56 per cent of the Capital Works budget: Council’s budgeted and foreshadowed capital works x 2019-20 - 3.0% expenditure over the four years from 2018-2019. The x 2020-21 - 31.4% cost in the first year is $150,000. It ramps up to $2.2 x 2021-22 - 30.9% million in the second year (12 per cent of foreshadowed capital works expenditure for that year); No change proposed to the Budget. $27.5 million in the third year (83 per cent of foreshadowed capital works expenditure for that year) and for the fourth year $58.1 million or 73 per cent of foreshadowed capital works expenditure for that year.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) How was the decision taken to undertake this Budget DCD The Kew Recreation Centre is the oldest aquatic facility project? in Boroondara and is in urgent need of renewal due its We are surprised that so little information is available condition. Concerns are often raised by visitors to the about such a major project apart from a brief facility and were highlighted during consultation for the announcement on the Boroondara website. There is no Boroondara Community Plan. Subsequent to this, mention of the project in the Draft Revised Council Council looked at a number of key areas, including site Plan 2017-2021 and the only information given in the location, current performance, specific Kew Recreation Proposed Budget is the cost associated with the Centre research and consultation, relevant Council renewal and new construction costs. We have not policies and strategies, Boroondara Community Plan found any information about what will be done or consultation data, society trends, demographics and whether there has been any community consultation industry specific trends. This work identified a number about the need for such a large facility and what it will of proposed key components to include in the renewal, comprise. We are unaware as to whether it has been including a dedicated learn to swim and warm water considered by Councillors at an open Council meeting pool, better opportunities for social connections, or how the decision was made to spend such a enlarged dry side spaces, underground car parking, significant sum of money. indoor sports courts and new public space. It is Council’s intention to test these components further during a two stage community consultation process that will commence in the next few months, subject to endorsement of the project in Council’s budget.
No change proposed to the Budget.
An apparent lack of community consultation Budget DCD Community consultation on the Kew Recreation Centre We are extremely concerned by the apparent lack of renewal is due to commence in the next few months and community consultation on such a significant project. will take part in two stages. The first stage will test a list of components, which has been developed based on The Budget suggest that funds are coming out of previous feedback from customers and during the Council funds including rates income and cash development of the Boroondara Community Plan. The reserves. The Borrowing Strategy mentions second stage will then seek feedback on a concept borrowings to cover other projects but not this option developed based on the outcomes of stage 1 of particular one. This would suggest that the whole of the consultation. The community consultation process the municipality is paying for a very high quality facility will be designed to ensure that interested parties are in an area where the need may not be so great as in able to provide feedback into the design of the new less advantaged areas of Boroondara. facility.
No change proposed to the Budget.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 18. Boroondara Reconciliation Action Plan Budget DCD Council is committed to recognising Indigenous heritage Reconciliation The submission advised that the Boroondara and culture in many aspects of its work, and through Network Reconciliation Network has been requesting and specific events and information dissemination during petitioning Council for over a year to develop and re- Reconciliation and NAIDOC weeks. Councillors and/or (Obj ref: A5471484) instate a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), following senior council officers may also give Acknowledgements Council's failure to renew its previous RAP, which of Country prior to public forums and events. concluded in 2013 and was not reviewed, evaluated or renewed. This commitment is informed by Boroondara Community Plan’s vision for ‘A vibrant and inclusive city, meeting the We view this as a failure by our elected needs and aspirations of its community’ and Strategic representatives to meet what we consider to be their objective 1: ‘Community services and facilities are high role as leaders of our community – especially in the quality, inclusive and meet a variety of needs now and context of the development of Treaty by the Victorian into the future’. Government and the movement for Constitutional
recognition of our First Australians, who have never No change proposed to the Budget. ceded sovereignty over the land now called Boroondara.
We note that the recent motion for Council to allocate a budget for development of a RAP, considered as urgent business, has not proceeded beyond a Councillor Briefing and Discussion (B&D) and that the outcome of that B&D has not been made available to us or the people of Boroondara more generally on the stated grounds that Councillor Briefings and Discussions are confidential. We consider this to be an abuse of process and an abnegation of Council's responsibility to be transparent in its relations with its electors.
We therefore submit that Council has a duty to provide in the 2018-19 budget an allocation for development of a Reconciliation Action Plan; and in default of said duty, to provide to its electors a clear and public rationale for its failure to do so.
We further submit that Council should make a budget allocation for the employment of an Aboriginal Reconciliation Liaison Officer on a part-time permanent employment basis, as an essential first step in demonstrating and enacting Council's commitment to Reconciliation with the First Peoples of Boroondara.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) 19. Kew Historical Proposed major projects Budget DCD Council plans to redevelop the library into a Society Inc. contemporary facility that meets the changing needs of The submission focuses on the major projects library members, taking into account predicted (Obj ref: A5471489) proposed over the future 5-years. populations in Kew and Kew East and feedback from community and stakeholder groups. Kew Library redevelopment The Society has enjoyed the use of space at the Kew The first stage of community engagement in October Library for many years and over the past 12 months 2017, heard from key community groups and individuals has spent much time contributing, by way of preparing and included the following key priorities: submissions and meeting with senior Council staff, to x Increasing the variety of spaces in and outside of the scoping of the proposed redevelopment of the Kew the building to create more quiet areas for reflection Library. We have recently been advised of Council’s and concentration as well as places for meetings decision, in response to the community engagement and group study. program that the envisaged redevelopment is to now x Combining indoor and outdoor spaces including be replaced with the building of a new, modern library. maximising the view of Alexandra gardens and incorporating Petrie Square into the design. We note that the required additional funding ($20 x Creating spaces in the library to make things, million) has not been included in Council’s 5Ǧyear including experimenting with new technologies such foreshadowed expenditure plan and the original $10 as 3D printing. million allocation has gone Ǧ and entirely new projects x Providing additional car parking, faster WiFi, access that were not envisaged in the 2017/18 5Ǧyear plan are to technology and device charging facilities. now to be funded instead. As the community’s Following this process, Council conducted an audit of expectations for a redevelopment of the Kew library the existing library to identify how well it met these have been raised by Council through its recently priorities and determined that the best option for meeting concluded engagement program, we would these needs would be to build a new, modern library. respectfully ask that funding for the Kew Library The initial budget forecast for the redevelopment of the redevelopment be reinstated and that full funding for library was $10 million however this figure has since the envisaged new library be foreshadowed in the been revised and in order meet community proposed budget’s 5Ǧyear plan. requirements, a preliminary analysis has indicated that a budget of approximately $30 million is required.
Construction of the new library was initially planned for 2019, to be funded by the 2019-20 Budget. However, as additional funding is required Council will commence consultation and design in 2022-23 and construction will be completed in 2025-26. In addition, Council must responsibly plan the timing of its capital projects to ensure appropriate levels of expenditure match available resources. By delaying the project to this time, Council
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) can create a library that explores the possibility of features such as a basement car park, an atrium, increased exhibition and display area, an area for teenagers, technology spaces, gaming and ‘maker- space’ studios, open and private study rooms, more quiet and comfortable reading spaces, more community meeting rooms and a terrace area, as requested by the community.
No change proposed to the Budget.
The Society has appreciated being involved, over the Budget DCD Council has had discussions with the Kew Historical past year, with preliminary discussions about the Society as part of the Kew Library Redevelopment repurposing of the Tuck Stand, at least in part, to project about a number of options that could provide an exciting ‘history centre’ where the Kew accommodate their needs. The brief for the Tuck Stand Historical Society and other local historical societies renewal project, which is foreshadowed for future years, could establish their back room activities of archive is to accommodate sporting and community use. Use by and research. The budget papers refer to the historic societies at this location will be considered as proposed refurbishment being for “sporting and planning progresses, and the relevant groups will be community use”. As the requirement for an archive consulted with as appropriate space that is safe and meets current standards is pressing, we would respectfully ask that the project be No change proposed to the Budget. redefined to provide for “community purposes including sporting use and an history centre” Ǧ to make the intention to provide facilities for the historic societies explicit. We offer our continued support for, and involvement in, the proposed redevelopment process.
20. Hawthorn Basketball courts Budget DCD As demonstrated in the Sport and Recreation Strategy Basketball (2016), Council is aware of the increasing demand for Association Inc. The submission states that the Hawthorn Basketball additional indoor courts across a range of sports, and is Association (HBA) is the largest sport and community actively seeking new opportunities to increase provision. (Obj ref: A5471493) group within the CoB (& the Inner Eastern Suburbs of The HBA will be given the opportunity to provide input Melbourne), with 8,000 active members participating in into the development of the Kew Recreation Centre basketball every week (and a direct reach to 20,000 during the community consultation phase, which is likely individuals). In order to meet the needs of the to begin in the next few months. competition, the HBA utilises 22 venues and 35 courts, with seven of the courts managed by the YMCA on We are continuing to work in conjunction with Swinburne behalf of the Council. Senior Secondary College and Sport and Recreation
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) Recent research by Basketball Victoria has indicated Victoria on the feasibility of increasing the number of that HBA currently pays four of the five highest court courts located in the Fritsch Holzer reserve. Once this hire rates in the State, which is indicative of the current study is completed and further discussions have taken demand and environment facing our Association. place with the College and the Department of Education, Council will consider future budget implications. The HBA is also in the unfortunate position of not having a place to call home, or an appropriate office Initial discussions have taken place with representatives space for the increasing administration resources from Auburn High School to better understand their required to conduct the competition. plans for the site. Further discussions will take place in The HBA appreciates the opportunity to provide order to inform Council regarding the extent the project community feedback on the budget. will meet community needs and Council's potential involvement in the project. The HBA is appreciative of the contribution of $58 million by the Council towards the redevelopment of No change proposed to the Budget. the Kew Recreation Centre, which includes the addition of two new indoor multiple purpose courts, and are thankful for the budget that has been allocated for the resurfacing of courts at Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre.
The HBA endorse the addition of two new courts given the current demand for indoor high-ball sport facilities, and acknowledge that the two new courts align with the expectations set out in the current CoB Sport and Recreation strategy, that identifies more indoor high- ball sport courts as a high priority.
The HBA in-conjunction with its member clubs look forward to working with the Council and other sport and community groups to ensure the efficient and effective use of any new courts, and look forward to the opportunity to tender for usage.
However, although the additional of two new courts is greatly appreciated, it will only go a small way to meeting the current needs and demands of the Association, nor would it create a home for our large membership. Therefore, the HBA would like to seek an opportunity to be involved in further discussions with the view to potentially increase the number of courts that has currently been suggested.
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) The additional of three to four courts at Kew Recreation Centre would provide improved economies of scale for both operators and community groups and would go a lot further to addressing current demands and challenges, whilst also providing a venue that would be capable of hosting State and National events. Obviously, such a suggestion would rely on the space and foot print being available, but the HBA would be open to further consultation via any future Feasibility Study.
The HBA would also been keen to get clarification on what funding, if any, has been allocated for any future development on the Swinburne Recreation Centre and Fritsch Holzer Reserve, with a Feasibility Study currently being undertaken on the site by the Council.
The HBA also reaches out the Council for support of any future research into potential sites for indoor highball sport facilities, including Auburn High School, and hope that the current significant contributions made by the Council would not affect any additional funding opportunities.
In finishing, the HBA with support from Basketball Victoria would appreciate the opportunity to be given the ability to provide input into the design at Kew Recreation Centre or any other future indoor facility developments to ensure that design features are consistent with the sports desired standards.
21. Canterbury Shopping Centre Improvement Project Budget DEI Comments noted. Community Action Group The submission states that the Canterbury Community No change to proposed Budget. Action Group (CCAG) read in the Proposed Budget (Obj ref: A5471496) 2018-19: x Page 1, Introduction: “As the year progresses, we look forward to implementing the year one commitments of the Boroondara Community Plan,
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Submission number Summary of submission Submissions Directorate Director comments and proposed impact (subject to and name relates to hearing of submissions) including the delivery of $73.57 million of renewed and new community assets. Some major initiatives include: …$1.77 million for the ongoing program of improvements in smaller local shopping centres.”
x The detailed budget tables at the back of the document show about $7.3M budget allocation for design and implementation of the proposed shopping centre implementation over four years.
We appreciate that this represents an increase in budget for shopping centre improvement compared to previous years.
We are aware that Maling Road and Canterbury Village are scheduled for much needed and much anticipated improvement over the next four years. CCAG strongly supports the increased budget for the design and implementation of improvements to the Maling Road and Canterbury Village shopping centres.
CCAG will welcome the opportunity to work closely with the Council in developing its improvement plans, to deliver maximum benefit to our community.
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