It was a long meeting over 4 hours and I have tried to keep to the key issues. My apologies if it is too long.
9.2 – Councillor S Ring – Lithgow Halloween Review 2023
I successfully moved to have a full debrief of Halloween with main Street business and report brought back to the February 2024 Council meeting. The report will also include a full financial summary with reference to expenditure the week before and a review of security and first aid treatment.
Carried: Unanimously
9.4 – Councillor E Mahony – Progress report on the management of urban stormwater and it’s direct interaction with the sewerage system.
As part of the special rate variation, an undertaking was given to better manage our stormwater and in turn its interplay with our sewerage systems. For far too many decades resident in certain parts of Lithgow have had sewerage flow into their properties via storm events.
Cr. Mahoney request for a progress report to be tabled at an Operations Committee early in the New Year was reasonable and well within the role of what a Councillor should be seeking.
So I was surprised when at 1:09:31 into the meeting Cr McGhie stated it was “Just one report too many, it’s a bit vague”
The following Recommendation
“THAT a progress report be brought back to the Operations Committee in the New Year on the
management of urban stormwater and its direct interaction with the sewerage system.”
was carried:
For: Councillor M Statham, Councillor C Coleman, Councillor A Bryce, Councillor D Goodwin, Councillor S Lesslie, Councillor E Mahony, Councillor C O’Connor and Councillor S Ring
AGAINST: Councillor S McGhie
9.6 – Councillor E Mahony – DA256/21- Three Tree Lodge Alterations & Addition 2A Col Drewe Drive South Bowenfels – Request for Waiving of Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan
This issue had previously been before Council on the 28 November 2022 with pretty much the same recommendation from Administration but was voted down:
FOR: Councillor C Coleman, Councillor D Goodwin, Councillor S Lesslie and Councillor E Mahony
AGAINST: Councillor M Statham, Councillor A Bryce, Councillor D Goodsell, Councillor S McGhie and Councillor C O’Connor
In my opinion there should never have been any argument or dissent over providing fee relief to a not for profit that wants to increase the number of beds available for aged care in our community.
However, Cr O’Connor supported by Cr Goodwin moved the following amendment:
That the item be deferred until the next meeting of Council, bringing back a report with further information outlining the fees and the implications of proposed waiving of fees.
The amendment was put and lost. The original motion was put and won.
FOR: Councillor M Statham, Councillor C Coleman, Councillor A Bryce, Councillor S Lesslie, Councillor S McGhie, Councillor E Mahony and Councillor S Ring
AGAINST: Councillor D Goodwin and Councillor C O’Connor
Curios that Cr’s Bryce, Statham and McGhie now supported this motion while Cr Goodwin voted against it – don’t know what changed but glad this got through.
10.2.1 – Lithgow Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2023
In the six months that I have returned to Council I have not been offered any briefing on this matter nor apparently were any other Councillors. This is a report that impacts on approximately 3000 residences and not to adequately brief Councillors or seek their input is poor governance.
I successfully moved the following resolution which was carried unanimously:
That the item be deferred and brought back to a Councillor information session.
10.3.1 – Lithgow Emerging Economy Plan – Preferred Governance Model
This should be the blueprint to transition Lithgow’s economy from coal to more sustainable industries. It is not a prefect plan but we don’t have time to go back to the drawing board – not just my opinion but that of many industries within the LGA. So I moved the report with the following recommendation:
Amend Iten 2A to read:
a. Terms of Reference of the Committee must ensure current role of the Mayor in s355 com is maintained, and the General Manager is a non – voting member.
Cr Goodwin with the support of Cr Bryce moved an amendment to return to the original motion.
I am amazed that Cr Goodwin and Cr Statham’s other team members did not support my amendment – regardless of who is the Mayor – it is the Mayor who has the right to Chair these meetings.
These are our committees and to hand them over to the Administration is poor governance – if I am not happy with the terms of reference that come back to Council I will not support them.
10.3.2 – Lithgow Evolving Economy Plan – Interim Action Plan
This budget was presented at the last information session by a consultant who was clearly involved in its preparation and who made the statement that they could be one of the tendering consultants. The individual’s involvement and presentation was clearly a conflict of interest which was belatedly acknowledged. I believe Council has a rigorous procurement policy but my role as a Councillor requires me to identify this issue.
I was and continue to be concerned with a number of funding items in this report so I moved the recommendation with an additional point:
4. That budget Item 9 is deferred pending further information and review by the proposed S355 Committee and administration supply additional information on item 2 and item 8 within the next two weeks.
The 1.09 million dollars allocated to this project is from the rate rise – this is our money. The detail was hidden in the attachments – the budget is copied below
Apparently, part of Item 2 is for a consultant to review the document after Council endorsed it – this is a waste of our money. As for Item 9 – we have two major sites Greenspot and The Foundations doing this – so why do we need to pay a consultant to prepare a report?
This was a long debate which you need to watch to understand the fundamental problems with this Council.
Cr Goodwin moved to return to the original Council recommendation because he was in his words confused.
The original recommendation became the motion, but I forgot to call a division however I recorded the following votes
For: Councillor M Statham, Councillor A Bryce, Councillor D Goodwin, Councillor C O’Connor and Councillor S McGhie
AGAINST: Councillor S Ring, Councillor S Lesslie, Councillor C Coleman and Councillor E Mahony,
10.5.2 – 2023/24 SRV Program Update
At the June meeting it is clear Council was aware they did not possess the capacity to fully implement the SRV program this year. I am not interested in excuses because the SRV could have been staged over tow to three years. Instead, the unspent funds will be invested so the Council gets the interest – while members of our community struggle to pay their rates.
I moved an additional point.
That the Administration will develop a communication strategy to engage with community on the underspend of the SRV.
It was defeated because apparently UNDERSPEND is a bad word. I may be blunt and rough around the edges, but I will give it to you straight. The Council will underspend the SRV this year.
The original motion was carried 5:4
FOR: Councillor M Statham, Councillor A Bryce, Councillor D Goodwin, Councillor S Lesslie, Councillor S McGhie and Councillor C O’Connor
AGAINST: Councillor C Coleman, Councillor E Mahony and Councillor S Ring