Agenda

Ordinary Council Meeting

21 November 2024, 7:00 PM

Council will commence consideration of

all business paper agenda items at 7.00 pm.

Notice of Meeting

Dear Councillors,

Notice is given of the Ordinary Council Meeting, to be held in the Council Chambers on Thursday 21 November 2024 commencing at 7:00 PM. The business to be transacted at the meeting is included in this business paper.

In accordance with clause 3.26 of the Code of Meeting Practice Councillors are reminded of their oath or affirmation of office made under section 233A of the Act, and of their obligations under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose and appropriately manage conflicts of interest.

Yours faithfully

Craig - GM

Craig Wrightson

General Manager

Council Meeting Procedures

The Council meeting is chaired by the Mayor, Councillor Merri Southwood. Councillors are entitled to one vote on a matter. If votes are equal, the Chairperson has a second or casting vote. When a majority of Councillors vote in favour of a Motion it becomes a decision of the Council. Minutes of Council and Committee meetings are published on Council’s website www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au by 5.00 pm on the Tuesday following the meeting.

The Meeting is conducted in accordance with Council's Code of Meeting Practice. The order of business is listed in the Agenda on the next page. That order will be followed unless Council resolves to modify the order at the meeting. This may occur for example where the members of the public in attendance are interested in specific items on the agenda.

The Public Forum will hear registered speakers from the Public Gallery as well as online using the web platform Zoom. All speakers wishing to participate in the public forum must register by using the online form no later than midnight, on the day prior to the meeting (Wednesday, 20 November 2024) and a Zoom meeting link will be emailed to the provided email address of those registered as an online speaker. Please note that the time limit of three minutes per address still applies, so please make sure your submission meets this criteria. Alternatively, members of the public can still submit their written address via email to service@lanecove.nsw.gov.au. Written addresses are to be received by Council no later than midnight, on the day prior to the meeting. (500 words maximum).

Please note that meetings held in the Council Chambers are webcasted, and recordings are made publicly available on the Council's website. Should you require assistance to participate in the meeting due to a disability; or wish to obtain further information in relation to Council, please contact Council’s Director - Corporate Services and Strategy on (02) 9911 3550.

Ordinary Council 21 November 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

APOLOGIES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO COUNTRY

MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR RELECTION OR PRAYER

NOTICE OF WEBCASTING OF MEETING

public forum

Members of the public may address the Council Meeting on any issue for 3 minutes.

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING - 24 OCTOBER 2024

1 Notices of Motion

1.1...... Notice of Motion - Lane Cove LEP Review: Planning for Sustainability and Affordable Housing......................................... 5

1.2...... Notice of Motion - 12 Ft Sailing Club Longueville - Maintaining the assets the community have enjoyed for years............... 10

1.3...... Notice of Motion - Bob Campbell Oval - Removal of Dog Enclosure and Removal of Fencing on C2 Land........................ 12

1.4...... Notice of Motion - Proposed Review to support the reporting and delivery of Major Projects...................................................... 14

1.5...... Notice of Motion - Report on Review of St Leonards South Precinct Section 7.11 Development Contributions Plan....... 16

2 Officer Reports for Determination

2.1...... Presentation of Audited Annual Financial Statements - Year Ended 30 June 2024.................................................................................... 19

2.2...... 14 Gay Street - November 2024 Update............................................ 21

2.3...... Stringybark Reserve Draft Masterplan for Community Consultation............................................................................................. 26

2.4...... Naming of the New Multipurpose Performance Space.......... 57

2.5...... Submission to the Office of Local Government NSW - Councillor Conduct and Meeting Practices.............................. 60

2.6...... 2024/25 Budget - First Quarter Review............................................ 66

2.7...... Delivery Program and Operational Plan - 2024/25 First Quarter Review............................................................................................................ 71

2.8...... Review of Community Strategic Plan - Lane Cove 2035 - Community Engagement Plan............................................................. 74

2.9...... 2022 to 2024 State of the City Report (formerly known as End of Council Term Report)....................................................................... 78

2.10.... Lane Cove Council Draft Annual Report 2023/24....................... 82

2.11.... Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee - 2023/24 Annual Report & Annual Workplan................................................................................. 85

2.12.... Deferral of the decision about Lane Cove Cenotaph Relocation.................................................................................................. 87

2.13.... December 2024 Ordinary Meeting of Council - Proposed Change of Date.......................................................................................................... 89

3 Officer Reports for Information

3.1...... Council Snapshot October 2024........................................................ 91

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Notice of Motion - Lane Cove LEP Review: Planning for Sustainability and Affordable Housing

Item No: 1.1

Subject: Notice of Motion - Lane Cove LEP Review: Planning for Sustainability and Affordable Housing

Record No: SU8814 - 71598/24

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Councillor Rochelle Flood; Councillor Kathy Bryla

Executive Summary

A motion to initiate a review of Lane Cove’s LEP (Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009) to include additional targets and provisions for sustainability, and affordable housing, and to action other urgent updates.

Background

Lane Cove Council is due for a review of its LEP. While there have been incremental updates, it has been over a decade since the last significant review. In recent years there have been moves to permit additional measures around sustainability and affordable housing into LEP provisions.

In 2019, for the first time in NSW planning history, the state government is calling upon metropolitan councils to protect and enhance green infrastructure, not only for biodiversity, water quality and liveability, but also as a key management response to reducing urban heat from a changing climate.

The 40-year vision for the Greater Sydney Region, set out in the Metropolitan Plan: A Metropolis of Three Cities and the District Plans, acknowledges green infrastructure is essential infrastructure, as the city’s population almost doubles. The plans seek to better connect urban habitat and people through healthier, more liveable and sustainable urban environments as the built environment becomes more concentrated and pressures on green infrastructure intensify.

Meanwhile, the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 [NSW] (previously the SEPP No. 70 – Affordable Housing) now identifies that there is a need for affordable housing in every local government area in NSW. This paves the way for all local councils to introduce affordable housing contribution schemes via their LEPs.

A number of councils have already moved in this direction, incorporating sustainability and affordable housing targets into their LEPs.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) contains no explicit reference to climate change, specific provisions for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions or implementing adaption measures. Despite this being the regulation, this has not stopped several NSW councils updating their LEPs to include discretionary provisions relating to climate action.

Examples from other councils include:

Parramatta City Council

Parramatta Council includes additional local provisions under part 6 of their LEP to address sustainability including:

· Biodiversity provisions to protect local flora and fauna, habitat elements and ecological processes

· Detailed objectives on riparian land and waterways to maintain water quality and natural water flows, aquatic and riparian habitats, ecological processes and groundwater.

· Explicit provisions on stormwater to manage impacts of stormwater on soil and land stability, native vegetation and receiving waters and protecting the environmental and social values of local water sources.

· It includes a design excellence clause specific to designated areas that includes key metrics around the provision of green infrastructure, access for active transport, and how the development measures against ESD.

Willoughby Council

As with Parramatta, Willoughby includes provisions under Part 6 of their LEP for the following:

· Urban heat – with aims of reducing and removing urban heat from the environment and protecting community health and wellbeing

· Design Excellence – similar provisions to Parramatta

· Affordable Housing (see below)

(1) In this clause, the Willoughby Affordable Housing Principles are as follows—

(a) affordable housing must be provided and managed to make accommodation for a diverse residential population representative of all income groups available in Willoughby,

(b) affordable housing must be rented to tenants at rents that do not exceed a benchmark of 30% of actual household income,

(c) dwellings provided for affordable housing must be managed to maintain their continued use for affordable housing,

(d) the Council must use the following received by or on behalf of the Council to improve or replace, or provide additional, affordable housing in Willoughby—

(i) rent from affordable housing, excluding landlord’s expenses, such as management and maintenance costs and rates and taxes payable in connection with the dwellings,

(ii) money from the disposal of affordable housing,

(e) affordable housing must consist of dwellings constructed to a standard that, in the opinion of the consent authority, is consistent with the same type of dwellings forming part of the proposed development, particularly in relation to internal fittings and finishes, solar access and privacy.

Byron Shire Council

Part 6, division 2 sections 6.17-6.18 include reference to affordable housing contributions, which aligns with the comprehensive Byron Shire affordable Housing Contribution Scheme 2022. This allows the council to levy developers and capture uplift value from up-zonings to help fund affordable housing in the LGA, including for key workers.

Ku-ring-gai Council

Updated in 2015 the LEP in Part 1, Division 2, aims of the Plan includes the need for development decisions to take into account the impacts of climate change in:

(d) to facilitate adaptation to climate change,

(e) to manage risks to the community and the environment in areas subject to natural hazards and risks,

Warringah Council

The Warringah LEP includes in Part 1, Division 2, an outline of aims for planning decisions as they pertain to the environment:

f) in relation to environmental quality, to—

(i) achieve development outcomes of quality urban design, and

(ii) encourage development that demonstrates efficient and sustainable use of energy and resources, and

(iii) achieve land use relationships that promote the efficient use of infrastructure, and

(iv) ensure that development does not have an adverse effect on streetscapes and vistas, public places, areas visible from navigable waters or the natural environment, and

(v) protect, conserve and manage biodiversity and the natural environment, and

(vi) manage environmental constraints to development including acid sulfate soils, land slip risk, flood and tidal inundation, coastal erosion and biodiversity

Discussion

The above examples provide some indication of the additional measures now available to local councils to address sustainability and affordable housing goals.

It is vital that all local councils take steps to improve performance in these areas. On the sustainability front, we are facing ongoing impacts from the climate crisis – and councils have an important role to play in embedding sustainability requirements for new developments to help ensure they are fit for the future. Lane Cove Council’s sustainability team has already integrated additional provisions into our DCP – putting Lane Cove at the forefront in this space, however, as the Parramatta LEP shows, there are other avenues we can pursue to address things like transitioning away from fossil fuels, green infrastructure planning, urban heat island effects, water sensitive urban design and biodiversity corridors etc. The revised LEP is an opportunity to address climate change considerations, impacts and risks when preparing and making this strategic plan update.

Similarly, with ongoing housing affordability problems – our suburbs are becoming less diverse, with those on lower incomes being pushed out. This will have a significant impact on our area in the future. Essential workers including nurses, teachers, retail and food workers are finding it increasingly difficult to find affordable housing in metropolitan areas. In Lane Cove, the rental vacancy rate has plummeted and is sitting below 2%. A recent study from Anglicare revealed that the ongoing housing crisis means that 99.1% of rentals are unaffordable for early childhood educators, 98.6% are unaffordable for nurses, 98.5% are out of reach for aged care workers, and 96.6% are unaffordable for fire fighters.

We need these key workers to keep Lane Cove vibrant, and to keep our community running. While important progress has been made on affordable housing via VPAs and other negotiated contributions, there are options to do more. Both Willoughby and Byron Council’s provide an indication of what can be achieved by formalising contribution schemes within LEPs.

It’s important that we ensure our LEP is fit for the future ahead of any new developments planned by the state government in order for us to meet our housing targets. With additional density planned in key areas and likely in others, it’s important that developments meet sustainability metrics, and that they capitalise on value uplift to provide affordable housing for key workers and others in need within our community.

RECOMMENDATION

That:-

1. Council Undertake a review of its LEP over the next 18 months, with a view to incorporating provisions including but not limited to the following:

a. Green infrastructure and sustainable energy infrastructure

b. Transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy infrastructure

c. Biodiversity conservation

d. Tree Canopy preservation

e. Minimising urban heat

f. Implementing water sensitive urban design

g. Encouraging development with active and public transport connections

h. LGA wide design excellence principles

i. Affordable Housing contributions

2. At Council’s Corporate Planning weekend staff present a program for the LEP Review. The presentation should invite input from Councillors on further matters to be included in the Review.

3. The LEP Review program be reported to the February Ordinary meeting of Council for endorsement.

4. As a priority, amend the LEP to reflect the resolution of Council to classify 14 Gay Street as C2 land.

5. In addition to the LEP review, staff present at Council’s Corporate Planning weekend on the best options for an Affordable Housing Policy and an Affordable Housing contribution scheme to compliment the LEP provisions.

6. Council write to the NSW Department of Planning & Homes NSW to advocate for the following:-

a. Consistent definitions for Affordable Housing (AFH) across the various planning instruments;

b. Clarification on the AFH eligibility and charges; and

c. Simplification of various planning instruments to ensure greater consistency and easier compliance for industry professionals.

Councillor Rochelle Flood

Councillor

Councillor Kathy Bryla

Councillor

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Notice of Motion - Bob Campbell Oval - Removal of Dog Enclosure and Removal of Fencing on C2 Land

Item No: 1.3

Subject: Notice of Motion - Bob Campbell Oval - Removal of Dog Enclosure and Removal of Fencing on C2 Land

Record No: SU8090 - 72243/24

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Councillor Merri Southwood

Background

Bob Campbell Oval (formerly known as Gore Creek Reserve) is highly valued by the local community for its sporting and marque events and equally for its informal bushland character.

It is located within an RE1 (Public Recreation) area and partially within land zoned C2 (Environmental Conservation).

These zonings lead to permissibility constraints in terms of master planning.

On 24 January 2022, Council resolved to cancel its Master Plan for synthetic turf on Bob Campbell Oval and to commence a new Master Plan for a natural turf sports field.

The resolution included Clause 11(b) that required that “the revised Master Plan works are located within the boundaries of the land zoned Recreation RE1 and that they will not encroach on land zoned E2 (now known as C2) as depicted in the Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009”.

On 21 March 2022 Lane Cove Council resolved to engage Taylor Brammer Landscape Architects Pty Ltd to prepare a Master Plan for Bob Campbell Oval.

Through an extensive 6 month engagement process that included 3 workshops attended by representatives of sporting groups and community groups, Taylor Brammer developed a master plan that was “appropriate for the site and provides a place of recreation that fulfills the community’s aspirations and needs of the place”.

The draft Master Plan went on exhibition on 25 November 2022.

The plan identified that the C2 / RE1 zoning interface was a constraint in the development of the plan and no works were included beyond the RE1 area.

Unlike the plan developed by Council for the synthetic surface, the plan did not include an enclosed dog off leash space, in response to the community and stakeholder wish to maintain the sports field as dog friendly when not in use.

Council resolved to adopt the Master Plan on 23 February 2023.

The detailed design drawings prepared by Taylor Brammer for the tender process are on Council’s website.

They include a broken blue line labelled “Extent of works” on the RE1/C2 boundary and they do not include an enclosed dog area.

The report to Council for the 22 February 2024 Council meeting advised that tenders for the Bob Campbell project had come in over budget and that “opportunities have been identified to reduce the project costs, by revision of the amenities building and modification of the design to provide an off-leash dog facility at the northern end of the reserve in lieu of the proposed playground, and generally through design development”.

The General Manager was delegated authority to undertake negotiations and enter into a contract with Landscape Solutions Pty Ltd at a reduced cost incorporating the changes referred to above and to complete the design development.

The detailed plans developed subsequent to this delegation were uploaded to Council’s website on 1 November.

Works are proceeding at the project site, and the fencing to a fenced off- leash dog enclosure is complete. Council officers have confirmed that part of the dog enclosure encroaches into C2 zoned land.

Council’s Open Space Plan 2016 lists bushwalking/ enjoying bushland as the second of the ten most valued activities enjoyed by Lane Cove residents. Consistent with the February 2023 Masterplan, it is appropriate that the dog enclosure not encroach the C2 land by removing the section of fencing at the northern end that encroaches.

Staff have advised the cost of removal is approximately $4000 which can be funded from the project budget.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:-

1. does not provide a dog off-leash enclosure at the northern end of Bob Campbell Oval;

2. retains the area to the north of the sports field as shared recreation space;

3. removes the section of fencing at the north end of the site that is located within C2 zoned land, the cost of removal of the fence to be funded from the project budget;

4. undertakes planting consistent with C2 zoning to enhance the area north of the sports field as a shared recreation space;

5. in the event that there is no budget for the works in 4 above in Council’s 2024-25 budget, to procure an estimate of the cost of these works, with a view to inclusion in the Council budget for 2025-26; and

6. prioritises the implementation of its dog education program to ensure that dog owners are fully informed as to their responsibility to ensure that their use of grassed sports fields for dog- walking is consistent with Council regulations and with their responsibility to ensure that the actions of their dogs do not pose a risk to other users of the fields.

Councillor Merri Southwood

Councillor

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Notice of Motion - Proposed Review to support the reporting and delivery of Major Projects

Item No: 1.4

Subject: Notice of Motion - Proposed Review to support the reporting and delivery of Major Projects

Record No: SU3448 - 72244/24

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Councillor Bridget Kennedy

Executive Summary

This motion recommends to Council to establish improvements in reporting details and regularity to support the delivery of Major Projects whilst minimising additional resourcing requirements.

Background

Council utilises the IPWEA tool kit as a guide to how projects are managed. The Framework was last reviewed in 2018. Council manages a large number of projects in varying terms of scale and complexity, and they can range from infrastructure development projects through to community events, delivery of new programs and construction.

Major Projects are typically defined as projects where budgets exceed a set amount defined by Council, They involve high risk and impact, are complex, transformative in nature, and are activities that have a defined beginning and end.

A Major Project will typically run over multiple years and budget cycles and be formally identified through Council’s Operational Plan and Long Term Financial Plan.

In June 2024, our Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) suggested that taking into consideration the Office of Local Government’s (OLG) Capital Expenditure Review Guidelines that there could be improvements of the reporting for major projects over $2 million.

Willoughby Council, in response to reporting and risk gaps with their current major projects, have also reviewed their Project Management Framework (established in 2016 and reviewed again in 2023) and reported to council their updated version in the June 2024 meeting.

Both our neighbouring council’s enhancements and the recommendations of ARIC are designed to increase transparency, enhance accountability and drive proactive management of risk, but at the same time ensure projects can be delivered swiftly and without unnecessary restrictions.

Some of the enhancements identified at Willoughby Council are;

· including gateway reports to Council prior to progressing to the next stage

· ensuring original baseline reporting is incorporated on all projects

· development of detailed communication and engagement plans at the outset

· monthly Councillor briefings on exception reporting on Major Projects

· real time reporting to Councillors on risk, and on the use of contingency of 50% or 500k, whichever is lesser

· and quarterly reports to Council on Major Projects.

It’s important to note that the improvements implemented in the Willoughby Council framework could impact the funding required for projects or extend the delivery timeframes.

This motion aims to establish improvements in reporting details and regularity to support the delivery of Major Projects whilst minimising additional resourcing requirements.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council :-

1. Acknowledges Council Officers have provided high level updates to Councillors on a regular basis at Councillor Workshops about some major projects currently underway,

2. Notes that the Audit Risk and Improvement Committee identified at the June 2024 meeting reporting improvement recommendations for Major Projects over $2 million,

3. Notes that high-level reporting of Major Projects are currently provided to ARIC quarterly but that this three-month delay and current lack of detail could reduce proactive management of risk, as the information is historic,

4. Notes that the monthly snapshot and Council websites provides high-level project reporting to the public on projects and quarterly budgetary changes are included in the quarterly budget review,

5. From the start of 2025, for major projects over $2 million (the amount advised by ARIC), provide detailed reports on a quarterly basis to ARIC (incorporating the Risk Traffic Light System) containing the following information;

1. Original budget

2. Revised budget

3. Total Expenditure (including commitments)

4. Original Completion Date

5. Revised Completion Date

6. Project Background

7. Project Summary Status

8. Project Budget Status

9. Project Timeline Status

10. Project Risk Status

11. Project imagery/photos

6. For projects over $5 million, provide monthly versions of the above reports to the governing body on a confidential basis via the Hub to ensure the governing body has all the information required to make timely and informed decisions in regard to risk and budget involved in the procurement and delivery of Major Projects; and

7. Provide real-time reporting to Councillors on use of project contingency of 50% or $500,000 whichever is lower.

Councillor Bridget Kennedy

Councillor

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Notice of Motion - Report on Review of St Leonards South Precinct Section 7.11 Development Contributions Plan

Item No: 1.5

Subject: Notice of Motion - Report on Review of St Leonards South Precinct Section 7.11 Development Contributions Plan

Record No: SU6702 - 72524/24

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Councillor Helena Greenwell; Councillor David Roenfeldt; Councillor Merri Southwood

Executive Summary

This motion is for a review of the St Leonards South Precinct- Section 7.11 Development Contributions Plan and to investigate funding the new local park as early as possible in the development timeline with a report on the review and investigation to be tabled for consideration at the Council Planning workshop in 2025 or as soon as practicable thereafter with any amendments to the plan to be tabled for the approval of Council before submission of the amended plan to IPART.

Background

On 13 July 2015 Council resolved, in an Extraordinary General Meeting, to adopt the draft St Leonards South Master Plan.

The adopted plan included the sites on the east side of Park Road being properties 2-52 Park Road (Resolution 123/2015).

Following this resolution, the St Leonards South Master Plan was developed for submission to the Department of Planning for Gateway Review as a planning proposal to amend the Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009.

On 19 May 2016 Council submitted the St Leonards South Master Plan to the Department of Planning for Gateway Determination (Planning Proposal 25).

Planning Proposal 25 included a park on sites between Park and Berry Roads, being Nos 19-25 Berry Road and Nos 16-24 Park Road (park sites).

These sites were to be zoned RE1.

On 11 May 2020 Council resolved, in an Extraordinary General Meeting, to amend Planning Proposal 25 and submit it to the Department of Planning for finalisation (Resolution 68/2020).

Council resolved to delegate to the General Manager authority to submit to IPART a Section 7.11 Plan for the St Leonards South Master Plan area (SLS Section 7.11 Plan).

Council also resolved to prioritise the purchase of the park sites as Section 7.11 contributions were received and to receive a report annually as part of the budget process on progress of acquiring the park sites.

Council’s application to IPART for assessment of its SLS Section 7.11 Plan was lodged with IPART in June 2021.

The application stated that, as at March 2021, the base rate for acquisition of the park sites had been determined by HillPDA at $9,750 per sq m.

IPART’s review of the SLS Section 7.11 Plan was completed in December 2021.

The Technical Paper released as part of IPART’s review https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/cm9_documents/Technical-Paper-Assessment-of-St-Leonards-South-Precinct-Contributions-Plan-December-2021.PDF stated that the cost of the acquisition of land for the park sites was $37,604,455.

The Executive Summary in the IPART Assessment of St Leonards South Precinct Contributions Plan: Overview Final Report https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/cm9_documents/Final-Report-Overview-Assessment-of-St-Leonards-South-Precinct-Contributions-Plan-Overview-December-2021.PDF includes the following statements on page 1:

“We recommend:

• The Council should investigate funding the new local park earlier in the development timeline, before incorporating changes in the next review of SLS CP in 3 years’ time.”

“ We maintain our recommendation that the Council should investigate funding the park earlier in the development timeline, but to incorporate changes when it next revises the plan in 3 years’ time.

We consider that this approach would balance:

• the risks to Council’s financial position of delivering the local park

• the risk of increasing land prices creating a contributions shortfall, that may need to be funded by future incoming residents or potentially by Council ratepayers, and

• the Council managing the disruption to existing residents, to better align the delivery of the park to the development within the precinct, which has not yet commenced.”

Following IPART’s review of the SLS Section 7.11 Plan, Council adopted the plan on 19 April 2022 (Resolution 90/2022) and became active on 20 April 2022.

As part of this resolution Council amended its draft SLS Section 7.11 Plan to include the following Clause 6.6 –

“Council will review this contributions plan in three (3) years following this plan’s commencement date. This will include consideration of updated information on planning assumptions, and the scope, cost and timing of land acquisitions and carrying out of works in the plan’s works schedule

Council will also investigate funding the new local park as early as possible in the development timeline, before incorporating changes in the next review of this contributions plan”.

St Leonards South Section 7.11 Development Contributions Plan p 38

At the date of this Notice of Motion-

· Council has settled the acquisition of 4 of the 10 park sites and is in negotiation for the acquisition of another park site

· Clause 6.3 of the SLS Section 7.11 Plan provides that the Established House Price Index for Sydney, as published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, will be used to update the contribution rates for land that is yet to be acquired by the Council

· there are insufficient funds in the St Leonards South Section 7.11 plan fund to acquire all the remaining park sites

· it is not known when there will be sufficient funds to settle the acquisition of the remaining park sites.

The SLS Section 7.11 Plan is due for review by 20 April 2025.

RECOMMENDATION

That:-

1. in accordance with Clause 6.6 of St Leonards South Precinct- Section 7.11 Development Contributions Plan dated March 2022 and adopted by Council on 19 April 2022, Council will

(a) review the contributions plan in three (3) years following the plan’s commencement date. This will include consideration of updated information on planning assumptions, and the scope, cost and timing of land acquisitions and carrying out of works in the plan’s works schedule

(b) Council will also investigate funding the new local park as early as possible in the development timeline, before incorporating changes in the next review of this contributions plan

2. a report on the review and investigation detailed in 1 above be tabled for consideration at the Council Planning workshop in 2025 or as soon as practicable thereafter

3. amendments to the plan (if any) be tabled for the approval of Council before submission of the amended plan to IPART.

Councillor Helena Greenwell

Councillor

Councillor David Roenfeldt

Councillor

Councillor Merri Southwood

Councillor

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

14 Gay Street - November 2024 Update

Item No: 2.2m No: 2.2

Subject: 14 Gay Street - November 2024 Update

Record No: SU9252 - 70770/24

Division: Open Space and Infrastructure Division

Author(s): Jeff Culleton

Executive Summary

At its July 2024 meeting Council resolved to dedicate 14 Gay Street as Community Land, rezone the property C2 - Environmental Conservation. It was also resolved to develop a detailed plan for the removal of the existing building, including tree protection measures, remediation of the land and construction of a new bush track through the property connecting to the bush track in Upper Stringybark Creek Reserve.

The Community Land dedication became effective from the date of the Council resolution and the property will be rezoned as C2 – Environmental Conservation when the next general LEP update occurs.

It is recommended that $200,000 be provided to complete the works with an additional $7,500 per annum provided to restore and maintain the bushland.

Council has not budgeted to undertake this project in the current financial year and it is proposed to put this project up for consideration in the 2025/26 financial year’s budget.

Background

At its July 2024 meeting it was resolved that Council-:-

Adopt ‘Option 3 - Dedicate the entire site to bushland’ and classify the entire site as Community Land under the Local Government Act, and specifically;

1. Rezone the entire site to C2 - Environmental Conservation in the next general LEP update;

2. Notes this resolution, in conjunction with other financial commitments of Council, may restrict in the short-term the financial capacity to acquire land identified in Council’s Bushland Land Acquisition Program;

3. Develop a plan for removal of the existing dwelling including consideration of an arborist report for the protection of trees and tree roots in the area and undertaking bushland regeneration in the area occupied by the dwelling, and report back to Council on a funding strategy for the work;

4. Acknowledges and is thankful to the members of the Bushland Management Advisory Committee, Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society, Lane Cove North Residents Association and other committed local residents for the extensive work they have undertaken to encourage council to rezone 14 Gay St as C2, including offers to meet Councilors on site for further explanation and clarification. It is appreciated that during their passionate campaign for 14 Gay St to be rezoned C2 in its entirety, they remained respectful and polite at all times; and

5. Acknowledges the recommendation of Council Officers and the important and sometimes difficult role they perform in providing honest advice to Councilors.

Discussion

Council’s resolution to classify 14 Gay Street Community Land became effective immediately. The LEP rezoning which is also part of Council’s resolution requires a longer process to enact. It should be noted that the Community Land classification provides more protections than an LEP rezoning as the land is required to be managed under the Community Land provisions under the Local Government Act. As an example s45(1) states“ A council has no power to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of community land”. Use of the land must be managed in accordance with a plan of management. An LEP does not restrict the sale of land based on a zoning.

Council’s current Bushland Plan of Management (Page 70) covers Upper Stringy Bark Creek Reserve. The 14 Gay Street property will be incorporated into that reserve and managed inline with the rest of the reserve which has identified area specific objective and management actions. Council is in the process of updating the current Bushland Plan of Management, including incorporating the findings of the Flora Assessment and Vegetation Mapping Review for E2 Bushland Reserves dated June 2023.

Council will attend to the rezoning of 14 Gay Street to C2 – Environmental Conservation in the next General LEP update which is likely to occur in 2025.

Council’s Principal Arborist has inspected the site and evaluated the tree roots around the building and driveway. A Tree Protection Plan (TPP) (AT-1) based on this information has now been developed to ensure that the trees are protected during the demolition works required to remove the building and associated structures. The TTP propose to utilise the existing chain wire fencing around the building as the tree protection zone and all machinery will be required to stay within this compound. An additional Tree Protection Zone will be created with temporary fencing that will be installed to guide machinery to the building to allow for its removal and the removal of the driveway. The demolition process will be overseen by an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 5 Arborist to ensure the works are undertaken in accordance with the TPP.

Council has contacted a number of demolition contractors to get an estimate of the costs to demolish the building and remove any associated structures. The building also has various hazardous materials that will need to be managed by the Demolition Contractor and require the engagement of an Occupational Hygienist to assess and certify the safe removal of these materials. Cost estimate of the demolition work is $125,000.

Asbestos contamination has also been found in the soil of the property which will need to be removed. Cost estimate to remove the asbestos is $30,000.

Once all structures and hazardous materials have been removed from the property, Council’s Bushland Team will assess the site and establish a remediation plan to best manage the site. It is estimated that $7,500 will be required per annum in perpetuity to restore and manage the bushland on the property.

Council will then consult with BMAC to develop an appropriate route for a new bush track through the property to connect to the bush track in Upper Stringybark Creek Reserve. Cost estimate for the track is $30,000.

The total cost of demolishing the building and associated structures, removing hazardous materials, restoring the site and constructing a new bush track is estimated at being $192,500. To account for escalation, it is recommended that $200,000 be provided to complete the project.

Council has not budgeted for this project in the 2024/25 financial year and it is proposed to add this project for consideration in the 2025/26 financial year’s budget.

Conclusion

Council resolved to reclassify 14 Gay Street as Community Land which became effective from that date. The property will be rezoned as C2 – Environmental Conservation when the next general LEP update occurs. A plan to remove the building, restore the site and construct a new bush track has been developed and it is recommended that $200,000 be provided to undertake this project.

This project was not budgeted for in this financial year’s budget and it is proposed to add it for consideration in the 2025/26 financial year’s budget.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:-

1. Consider funding the 14 Gay Street Demolition project in the 2025/26 financial year’s budget at an estimated cost of $200,000; and

2. Incorporate the 14 Gay Street property into Upper Stringy Bark Creek Reserve, to be managed in line with Council’s current Bushland Plan of Management.

Martin Terescenko

Director - Open Space and Infrastructure

Open Space and Infrastructure Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

14 Gay Street - Tree Protection Plan

2 Pages

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Stringybark Reserve Draft Masterplan for Community Consultation

Item No: 2.3

Subject: Stringybark Reserve Draft Masterplan for Community Consultation

Record No: SU9544 - 70773/24

Division: Open Space and Infrastructure Division

Author(s): Millie Allsopp

Executive Summary

Council’s Operational and Delivery Plan nominated Stringybark Reserve for the development of a Masterplan. This Masterplan will be used as a guiding tool for Council to plan future upgrades and the funding required to deliver them.

Council undertook Stage One of the community consultation and has incorporated the feedback in the Draft Masterplan for Stringybark Reserve.

The Draft Masterplan for Stringybark Reserve (AT – 1) is recommended for adoption for the purposes of undertaking community consultation as outlined in the report.

Background

Stringybark Reserve is a park in a residential area of Lane Cove North, where it neighbours Upper Stringybark Creek Reserve. The park currently provides various types of amenity to the nearby residents, including access to the bush track, playground, picnic facilities, gym equipment, basketball half court, community garden, connection to streets and off-leash dog walking.

Planning for the Stringybark Reserve Masterplan commenced last year (2023), with Stage One of the community consultation. The community was notified through various mediums, including a letter box drop to the nearby residents, signage in the park and social media reminders. During the six-week consultation period, Council received 103 survey responses, 11 emails and one written letter.

The results of the Stage One consultation are published on the Have Your Say website and have been used to form the current Stringybark Reserve Draft Masterplan.

Discussion

Summary of Community Consultation

During the community consultation process, common themes were identified:

· 90.3% walk to the reserve, as opposed to other transport methods

· The most popular activities are access to the bush track and playground

· 51% agreed for introduction of toilets

· 43% agreed for the upgrade of the playground

· 40% agreed for the addition or upgrade of seats and benches

· The most selected play equipment types were slide, climbing and obstacle course

· Unprompted, the most common free response was to improve drainage and the grassed area

Proposed Masterplan

The Stringybark Reserve Draft Masterplan includes a site analysis, community consultation feedback summary with the design response, and a draft masterplan with detailed stages.

The draft Masterplan includes the following elements:

· Upgrade of the existing playground

· New footpath to playground

· New community garden

· Improved drainage incorporating Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) features such as grassed swale and rain gardens

· Upgrade existing off-leash dog area

· Picnic shelter

· Accessible toilets

· Garden beds

· New multipurpose half court

· New outdoor fitness station

· Footpath lighting

Council has been successful in receiving three (3) separate grants to assist in the implementation of the masterplan:

Funder	Grant Name	Works Allocated	Funding amount (excl GST)
NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure	Places to Roam Community Gardens Round 3	New Community Garden	$55,362
NSW Premiers Department	The Local Small Commitments Allocation (LSCA)	Upgrade to drainage	$40,000
Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts	Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program Phase 4 (LRCI)	Upgrade to playground	$180,185
Total			$275,547

It is proposed to use the above grants to contribute to the delivery of those elements with the works to commence early 2025, following Council’s adoption of the Final Stringybark Reserve Masterplan.

Community Consultation

Statement of Intent

The consultation is designed to gauge the level of community support for the Draft Stringybark Reserve Masterplan. The consultation will take place for a period of six (6) weeks and any comments received will be reviewed and evaluated to determine whether to modify and/or proceed unaltered with the Draft Stringybark Reserve Masterplan.

Method

Level of Participation	Inform	Inform	Consult
Form of Participation	Open	Targeted	Open
Target Audience	Lane Cove Community	Nearby residents and contributors from Stage 1 consultation 2023.	Lane Cove Community
Proposed Medium	Advertisement, eNewsletter, email and signs at the reserve.	Notification Letters and email.	Public Exhibition, Website Exhibition and Survey
Indicative Timing	December 2024 -January 2025	December 2024 -January 2025	December 2024 -January 2025

Conclusion

Initial community consultation from 2023 guided the design of the Draft Stringybark Reserve Masterplan, which is now ready for further community consultation. Once the masterplan is adopted by Council, the upgrades to Stringybark Reserve can commence.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. Adopt the Draft Stringybark Reserve Masterplan for the purpose of public exhibition;

2. Undertake community consultation of the draft masterplan for six (6) weeks as outlined in the consultation strategy; and

3. The Draft Stringybark Reserve Masterplan along with submissions and amendments from the exhibition period be the subject of a further report to Council .

Martin Terescenko

Director - Open Space and Infrastructure

Open Space and Infrastructure Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

Draft Stringybark Reserve Master plan

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Naming of the New Multipurpose Performance Space

Item No: 2.4

Subject: Naming of the New Multipurpose Performance Space

Record No: SU9095 - 71834/24

Division: Community and Culture Division

Author(s): Stephanie Kelly

Executive Summary

This report recommends naming the new multipurpose performance venue at 1 Pottery Lane as the “Pottery Lane Performance Space” to reflect its purpose and location. The recommended name aligns with both community input and regulatory requirements.

Background

At its meeting on 23 May 2024, Council resolved to transform the Terrace Function Room at 1 Pottery Lane into a multifunctional performance space for theatrical productions. The resolution stated that it:

1. amend 4.2.1.b. in the Operational Plan, which states, "Convert the Civic Centre Council Chambers Space into a Multifunction Theatre Space" and associated budget of $1,000,000 be amended to “Progress the development of a multifunctional performance space in the Terrace Function Room” with a budget of $1,000,000”;

2. approve the project scope in this report as the key project deliverables with the addition of the following item to the project scope: reasonable measures for Lane Cove Theatre Company to serve refreshments at performances, within the existing budget.

3. target completion of the conversion by the end of 2024 to meet the critical move in

dates discussed by the Lane Cove Theatre Company.

This decision aligns with Council’s Cultural Action Plan, which prioritises creating a dedicated cultural performance space to support community arts. The Terrace Function Room, which already has development consent for public performances, is being redesigned to meet the growing demand for a local, accessible venue for theatre and other performances.

The conversion of the Terrace Function Room into a vibrant, inclusive community hub will provide Lane Cove with a dedicated, flexible venue for performances and events. Key features of the new space include:

• The space will accommodate up to 135 seats, supporting diverse events and performances.

• Soundproofing, advanced audiovisual stage lighting, and a backstage area will enhance performance quality and experience.

• The facility will be fully accessible, featuring provisions for people with limited mobility, ample undercover parking, and lift access.

Feedback from the community has been integral to shaping the space, and Council remains committed to ongoing consultation as the project progresses.

Discussion

Moving forward, Council needs to finalise the name for the venue so branding, signage and promotion can be undertaken. The aim is to align these activities with completion in December 2024 as required by the May 2024 resolution.

Community feedback highlighted support for several preferred names for the new venue, with a strong preference for names that reflect Lane Cove’s cultural identity and the location of the venue. The eligible top suggestions included:-

· Little Street Performance Space

· Lane Cove Performance Space

· Pottery Lane Performance Space

These naming options reflect a name that is locational, representative of the space’s cultural purpose and locally meaningful.

During the consultation, many participants expressed a preference for names incorporating the term “Theatre.” However, using "Theatre" in the name would require rezoning, as the current Development Approval (DA) covers use for “performances” rather than a dedicated theatre designation. Consequently, all name options with "Theatre" were eliminated to maintain compliance with the current DA.

The most suitable name that aligns with the approved use and community sentiment is “Pottery Lane Performance Space.” This name honors the venue’s location and the cultural aspirations of the Lane Cove community while ensuring consistency with the existing zoning and approval. It also provides an opportunity to complement the historical cultural use of the area for pottery, building on the synergy already highlighted through the public art in the ground level foyer.

Community Consultation

The consultation was designed for the community was invited to provide feedback around the project to create a multipurpose Performances Space. Feedback was collected via the "Have Your Say" website, generating 95 submissions from community members, with over 350 visits to the page. Findings for the full consultation are published on the Have Your Say project page.

Level of Participation	95 submissions
Form of Participation	Open
Target Audience	Lane Cove Community and all contributors to the public forum written submissions at the Ordinary Council Meeting in May 2024
Medium	Direct Mail, Have your say promotions in Councils eNewsletter
Timing	Timing of consultation was 25 July – 5 September 2024

Conclusion

This report recommends naming the new multipurpose performance venue at 1 Pottery Lane as the “Pottery Lane Performance Space” to reflect its purpose and location. Council’s engagement with the community has confirmed strong support for the new performance space and valuable insights into design and functional needs. Although "Theatre" was a preferred term, it would require rezoning beyond the current Development Approval. The recommended name aligns with both community input and regulatory requirements.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council name the new performance space, the “Pottery Lane Performance Space”.

Stephanie Kelly

Director - Community and Culture

Community and Culture Division

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

2024/25 Budget - First Quarter Review

Item No: 2.6

Subject: 2024/25 Budget - First Quarter Review

Record No: SU10041 - 58042/24

Division: Corporate and Strategy Division

Author(s): Don Johnston

Executive Summary

The 2024/25 Budget - First Quarter Review involves a number of variations to both income and expenditure estimates, together with the rollover and revotes of unexpended 2023/24 budgets for projects and activities continuing in 2024/25.

Income Statement summary:

Taking into consideration the variations from the Review, the projected 2024/25 operating result before capital grants and contributions has been revised to a surplus of $129K from the original budget surplus of $109K. The overall operating result is forecast to be a surplus of $14,272K compared to the original budget surplus of $12,569K.

Program Budget summary:

Capital expenditure has been increased by $21,899K, including $13,417 rolled over from 2023/24, to $77,821K. When transfers to and from Reserves are taken into account, the net result of the quarterly review is effectively balanced with a small improvement of $264 in the program budget surplus.

It is recommended that the 2024/25 Budget be varied in accordance with this report.

Background

Council is required to prepare a Budget Review Statement each quarter, in accordance with Clause 203 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that the impacts of financial variations are reflected in the forecast of Council’s financial position to 30 June 2024, and that it remains satisfactory.

Discussion

Rollovers and revotes from the 2023/24 Budget:

At the end of each financial year there are projects and activities that have not been completed and require their unexpended budget amounts to be rolled over or revoted in the new year’s budget. Unexpended budgets for projects that have commenced are rolled over administratively. Projects that have not commenced need to be revoted by resolution of Council. The table below sets out the projects / activities being rolled over and revoted.

Project / Activity	Rollover Amount ($’000)	Revote Amount ($’000)
*Operating Budget*
Grant SNHN - Round 3 Community Resilience		10
Grant Social Cohesion & Resilience - Weaving Climate Change Stories		78
Projects / activities rolled over	384
*Operating Budget total*	*384*	88
Capital Budget
Bus Shelters – Capital		500
Stringybark Community Garden - Places to Roam - Capital		55
Capital projects rolled over	13,417
*Capital Budget total*	*13,417*	*555*
*Total Rollovers and Revotes*	*13,801*	*643*
Funding:
Grants	703	143
Reserves	13,073	500
Sale of Assets	25
*Total Funding*	*13,801*	*643*

First Quarter Review

A summary of Council’s revised Budget for 2024/25 and a summary of budget movements have been included in this report:

	Original Budget (000’s)	Rollovers (000’s)	First Quarter Review* (000’s)	Second Quarter Review ($’000)	Third Quarter Review ($’000)	Revised Budget (000’s)
Income from continuing operations	77,405	703	2,345			80,453
Expenses from continuing operations	(64,836)	(358)	(986)			(66,181)
Surplus/(Deficit)	12,569	345	1,359			14,272
Surplus/ (Deficit) before Capital Grants/Contributions	109	(69)	88			129
Operating Budget Reserve movements:
Net transfer from/(to) Reserves	(9,437)	94	197			(9,146)
Non-cash items – depreciation, leave entitlements accrual, book value of assets disposed	12,463	-	-			12,463
Loan principal repayments	(870)	-	-			(870)
Capital Expenditure	(55,921)	(13,417)	(8,482)			(77,821)
Funded by:
Transfers from Reserves	41,101	12,979	6,927			61,007
Grants and Contributions	12,460	413	1,270			14,143
Internal Plant Hire	96	-	-			96
Program Budget Result - Surplus	-	-	-			1

* The First Quarter Review figures include Revotes from 2023/24

A copy of all material proposed budget adjustments can be found in AT-1.

Summary of Budget Movements

Income from continuing operations:

The Review includes a $2,345K net increase in Income from continuing operations made up of:-

- $1,270K in new capital grants and contributions including:

§ $631K Toward Zero Safer Roads Program (River Road between Tambourine Bay Road & Austin Street)

§ $251K Black Spot Program (Northwood & River Road)

§ $181K Federal Government Local Roads & Community Infrastructure Program (Phase 4 – Stringybark Reserve Playground)

§ $88K NSW Government Local Small Commitments Allocations Program (five projects)

§ $65K Lane Cove North Speed Reduction

§ $55K Stringybark Community Garden

- $394K in new operating grants and contributions including:

§ $101K increase in Federal Financial Assistance Grant allocation

§ $83K Northern Waste Alliance contribution to cover expenses (Contra)

§ $78K Social Cohesion & Resilience program (Weaving Climate Stories)

§ $50K grant for Emergency Service Levy preliminary land classification

§ $82K in various other small grants and contributions

- $200K in construction zone charges based on last year’s actual income and this year’s year-to-date income

- $138K payment from the Little Street Building Management Committee to cover works undertaken in conjunction with Council’s remediation works (Contra)

- $80K in rental income from the properties acquired in St Leonards South

- $64K in waste skip / crane permits based on last year’s actual income and this year’s year-to-date income

- $50K in bus shelter advertising based on last year’s actual income and this year’s year-to-date income

- a further $149K in additional income outlined in AT-1

Expenditure from continuing operations:

The Review includes a $986K net increase in Operating Expenditure made up of:-

- the transfer of $300K from the capital budget to the operating budget for pipe cleaning and gross pollutant trap clearance to better reflect the nature of the expenditure

- $138K for Little Street BMC works carried out in conjunction with Council’s remediation works (Contra)

- $83K for Northern Waste Alliance expenses, funded by contribution (Contra)

- a new $80K budget for Wadanggari Park maintenance, end of 12 month included maintenance.

- $78K for the Weaving Climate Stories project under the Social Cohesion & Resilience grants program

- $58K for unforeseen tree contract works required because of storm damage

- $53K for St Leonards car park maintenance

- $50K for Emergency Service Levy preliminary land classification, funded by grant

- a further $146K in net increases in expenditure outlined in AT-1

Capital Expenditure

The Review includes a $8,482K net increase in Capital Expenditure made up of:-

- $5,206K for the potential acquisition of two further properties in St Leonards South (a total of four properties already acquired), funded from s7.11 contributions (SLS).

- $1,806K for the acquisition of 347A Burns Bay Road, funded from the Property Acquisition Reserve

- $1,270K in expenditure associated with new grants and contributions detailed above

- $500K revoted for bus shelters unexpended in 2023/24, funded from the Capital Works Reserve in 2023/24 not expended.

- a ($300K) reduction in the Urban Stormwater capital budget, transferred to the operating budget to cover pipe cleaning and gross pollutant trap clearance and better reflect the nature of the expenditure

Reserve Movements

The table below summarises the Reserve movements proposed in the First Quarter Review.

Operating Budget
*Transfers to Reserves:*
Employee Leave Entitlements Reserve – it is prudent to top up this Reserve following the draw down of funds last financial year	$270K
Insurance Reserve – transferring the amount derived from unwinding an old public liability insurance provision to Reserve	$110K
Various other net transfers to Reserves	$8K
Capital Works Reserve – reduce the transfer to Reserve and making an offsetting adjustment to Facilities Management funding in the capital budget below	($585K)
Net Operating Budget transfer to Reserves	($197K)
Capital Budget
*Transfers from Reserves:*
S7.11 St Leonards South Developer Contributions Reserve – a transfer to cover the acquisition of properties	($5,206K)
Property Acquisition Reserve – a transfer to cover the acquisition of 347A Burns Bay Road	($1,806K)
Capital Works Reserve – a transfer to cover the revote of Bus Shelters – Capital	($500K)
Capital Works Reserve – a reduction in the funding of Facilities Management, offset by a reduction in the transfer to Reserve	$585K
Net Capital Budget transfer from Reserves	($6,927K)

Conclusion

The variations recommended in the First Quarter Review, including rollovers and revotes from the 2023/24 Budget, see the projected 2024/25 overall operating result increasing to a revised to a surplus of $14,272K, with the operating result before capital grants and contributions forecast to be a surplus of $129K. Capital expenditure has been increased by $21,899K mainly due to the rollover of projects from the 2023/24 Budget and property acquisitions. When transfers to and from Reserves are taken into account, the net result of the review is effectively in balance, with a small improvement of $264 in the program budget surplus.

The following statement by the Responsible Accounting Officer is made in accordance with Clause 203(2) of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.

It is my opinion that the 2024/25 Quarterly Budget Review Statement for Lane Cove Council for the quarter ended 30 September 2024 indicates that Council's projected financial position will be satisfactory at year end 30 June 2025, having regard to the projected estimates of income and expenditure and the original budgets for income and expenditure.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:-

1. Note the rollover of budgets for projects in progress but not completed at the end of last financial year; and

2. Adopt the First Quarter adjustments, including the revote of budgets for projects not commenced at the end of last financial year, as follows:-

	Original Budget (000’s)	Rollovers (000’s)	First Quarter Review (000’s)	Second Quarter Review ($’000)	Third Quarter Review ($’000)	Revised Budget (000’s)
Income from continuing operations	77,405	703	2,345			80,453
Expenses from continuing operations	(64,836)	(358)	(986)			(66,181)
Surplus/(Deficit)	12,569	345	1,359			14,272
Surplus/ (Deficit) before Capital Grants/Contributions	109	(69)	88			129
Operating Budget Reserve movements:
Net transfer from/(to) Reserves	(9,437)	94	197			(9,146)
Non-cash items – depreciation, leave entitlements accrual, book value of assets disposed	12,463	-	-			12,463
Loan principal repayments	(870)	-	-			(870)
Capital Expenditure	(55,921)	(13,417)	(8,482)			(77,821)
Funded by:
Transfers from Reserves	41,101	12,979	6,927			61,007
Grants and Contributions	12,460	413	1,270			14,143
Internal Plant Hire	96	-	-			96
Program Budget Result - Surplus	-	-	-			1

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

2024/25 Budget - First Quarter Review

Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Delivery Program and Operational Plan - 2024/25 First Quarter Review.

Item No: 2.7

Subject: Delivery Program and Operational Plan - 2024/25 First Quarter Review.

Record No: SU238 - 67078/24

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Stephen Golding

Executive Summary

This report outlines the 2024/25 First Quarter progress towards achieving the projects and activities listed in the adopted 2024/25 Delivery Program and Operational Plan. It is recommended that the report be received and noted.

Discussion

The 2024/25 Delivery Program and Operational Plan was adopted by Council on 20 June 2024.

Council’s 2024/25 Delivery Program and Operational Plan outlines the strategies, actions and new initiatives proposed to be undertaken during the financial year in order to advance the goals and objectives of the Community Strategic Plan: Liveable Lane Cove: 2035. The First Quarter Review of the 2024/25 Delivery Program and Operational Plan is attached at AT-1. The report indicates the responsible work area and includes a short progress report and action status.

Some highlights for the First Quarter include:-

· Finalisation of the 2022-2024 Council Term, including production of the State of the City/End of Term Report and associated video (produced in house);

· Assisted the NSW Electoral Commission to conduct the 2024 Local Government Election in September 2024;

· Assisted the Audit Office NSW in its external audit of Council’s financial accounts and internal controls;

· Council continued to maintain its position as an industry leader in regard to processing Development Applications. Averaging a turnaround time for the quarter of 33 days;

· Council was recognised as a finalist in both the KABNSW and LGNSW Sustainability awards for a number of our Sustainability programs, including the Sustainability Review of our DCP, our Community Renewables program (including our rebates), and our ReturnR program to normalise reusable containers. Council was also announced as a finalist in the prestigious Local Sustainability category of LGNSW’s Excellence in the Environment Awards for our overall program of Sustainable Actions for a Liveable Lane Cove. Final results on this award will be announced in December;

· Hosted two intergenerational workshops this quarter as part of the broader Weaving Climate Stories Social Cohesion Program. Held with Greenwich Public School and Currambena Primary School, the workshops brought together students from participating schools with older residents to connect and learn from each other while also learning about the indigenous practice of weaving and yarning;

· Council hosted our Inaugural Climate Fresk workshop, which brought together learning around the causes and impacts of climate change, with discussions around leadership and how to utilise different leadership skills to improve sustainability;

· During EmergencyRedi Week in September, Council hosted a stall at Lane Cove Library with the Australian Red Cross which provided visitors to the library with information on creating a personalised RediPlan and being prepared for disasters. This information was also shared via online communication channels and in Council newsletters;

· Launched our latest “Ask a Sustainability Expert” program which provides residents access to expert advice via a free 30 minute consultation on topics such as energy efficiency, solar, improving sustainability in strata buildings, building and renovating, composting, native gardening and habitat creation;

· Achieved significant media attention for its work on the Longueville tree vandalism site with the installation of a 7 x 4 metre banner. Media coverage was achieved across all mediums, including TV, Radio, Print and even international news coverage;

· St Leonards Library launched a new Digital Artwork exhibition for NAIDOC week and beyond by Ngunnawal woman Melle Smith Harmonia – Indigitober which reimagines Anime featuring Aboriginal heroes and heroines;

· The Library services team hosted National Science Week programs about 3D Shape Creations and Children's Book Week Competitions;

· Community Assistance Grants Program was adopted and celebrated at the August presentation evening. Over $550,000 was awarded to support 18 local not-for-profit groups offering programs to promote social cohesion and connections.

· Organised workshops and skill-building activities for young people through Synergy Youth Centre, Youth Advisory Group, public speaking, music, and social inclusion workshops, as well as Wear It Purple Day activities to support LGBTQIA+ youth;

· Support for homelessness through a dedicated web resource, improved cooperation with local agencies to address social concerns and continuous improvements to accessibility and facilities;

· Adopted and launched the new Strategy for an Age Friendly Lane Cove to drive improved outcomes for seniors in the LGA;

· Commenced work on transforming the Terrace Function Room into a multipurpose performance space;

· Commenced work to create a new artist studio in Greenwich by renovating the former Gem Club site;

· Collaborated with developers for new Early Childhood Education Centres at St Leonards, where a detailed design agreement for the fit-out of the new building was determined;

· Kindy Cove established a new partnership with a local aged care home to have a regular visits from the preschool group for some intergenerational programs;

· Celebrated and supported various community awareness events, including NAIDOC Week, Dementia Action Week, R U OK? Day, and Wear It Purple Day;

· Celebrated Winterfest with music and a neon light public art installation at The Canopy as well as Lane Cove Festival, which featured over 55 local activities and fostered cultural identity, heritage, and collaboration;

· On The Verge provided 381 plants for nature strips and pocket parks, the majority of which were supplied by Council's Community Nursery (310);

· Tree Day event was held at Burns Bay reserve with the 35 volunteers attending planting 400 trees, shrubs and ground covers; and

· Volunteers contributed 484 hours of work during 61 Bushcare sessions.

RECOMMENDATION

That the First Quarter Review of the 2024/25 Delivery Program and Operational Plan be received and noted.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

Delivery Program and Operational Plan - 1st Quarterly Review - 2024-2025

197 Pages

Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Review of Community Strategic Plan - Lane Cove 2035 - Community Engagement Plan

Item No: 2.8

Subject: Review of Community Strategic Plan - Lane Cove 2035 - Community Engagement Plan

Record No: SU6891 - 63428/24

Division: Corporate and Strategy Division

Author(s): Steven Kludass

Executive Summary

The Integrated Planning and Reporting (IPR) Framework for NSW Councils requires each Council to have as the core of its framework a long term Community Strategic Plan (CSP). The CSP must be reviewed every four years by each new council following ordinary local government elections.

The Community Strategic Plan identifies the community’s main priorities and aspirations for the future, and must address social, environmental, economic and civic leadership issues. It may include priorities and aspirations which fall to State or Federal government agencies or the non-Government sector to meet. The Community Strategic Plan will therefore also identify opportunities for partnerships and may include issues with a broader regional focus.

The Community Strategic Plan must include:-

· a community vision statement

· a series of strategic objectives for the community

· strategies for achieving each objective

· assessment methods for determining whether the objectives are being achieved.

It is recommended Council endorse the proposed Community Engagement Plan for the review of the Community Strategic Plan – Lane Cove 2035, as outlined in this report.

Background

In October 2009, the NSW Government endorsed an Integrated Planning and Reporting (IPR) Framework for local councils, requiring each council to develop and have in place:-

· a Community Strategic Plan (CSP);

· a Community Engagement Strategy (or Plan) that sets out how each council will engage its community when developing its Community Strategic Plan;

· a Resourcing Strategy that includes a;

o Long Term Financial Plan;

o Workforce Management Strategy; and

o An Asset Management Policy, strategy and plans.

· a Delivery Program; and

· an Operational Plan, including a statement of revenue policy, and a detailed annual budget.

Councils are also required to have in place the following reporting processes:

· an Annual Report outlining achievements against the Delivery program;

· audited Financial Statements as part of the Annual Report; and

· a State of the City report (previously known as an End of Term Report) which outlines achievements in relation to the civic leadership, social, economic, and environmental objectives in the Community Strategic Plan.

The Integrated Planning & Reporting Framework is best illustrated by the following diagram:

Council last reviewed its CSP in 2021-2022 and adopted it in June 2022.

Community Engagement Plan

Section 402 of the Local Government Act also requires that Council must develop and implement a Community Engagement Plan in order to engage the local community and other identified stakeholders, such as State agencies and community organisations, in the development and review of the Community Strategic Plan.

In accordance with legislative requirements and Council’s adopted Community Engagement Strategy, a Community Engagement Plan has been prepared that outlines how Council will involve the community in the review of the Community Strategic Plan, by providing a range of ways for the community and key stakeholders to get involved in the review process.

Council’s role is to lead community engagement to identify long-term priorities and objectives of the community and strategies to achieve these priorities objectives. The methods chosen need to maximise opportunities to go out to the community as well as inviting the community to come to Council. The following levels of participation will ensure there is an adequate range of engagement offered as part of the CSP review, including:-

LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION

DESCRIPTION

INFORM

Providing balanced and objective information to help the

community understand problems, alternatives, opportunities and/or solutions.

CONSULT

Obtain public feedback on alternatives and/or decisions.

INVOLVE

Work directly with the community throughout the process to ensure that public concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.

COLLABORATE

Work directly with the community for suggestions and advice in relation to alternatives and options that feed into practical solutions.

Community engagement opportunities will include the following:

INFORM

E-Newsletters

Council will distribute e-newsletters to members of the community who have registered with Council to find out about latest news, consultations and events associated with Council activities.

Public Exhibitions

Large exhibition banners based around the six (6) key planning themes in the current CSP will be displayed in Council’s Administration Building, Lane Cove Library and other appropriate locations, including the Plaza/The Canopy during exhibitions.

Newsletter

The Quarterly newsletter sent to every household in Lane Cove will include notifications of the review of the CSP commencing and invite the community to participate in forums or complete surveys which will be available on Council’s website or at the Public Exhibitions.

Website

A dedicated website page will be developed for the CSP review. This page will contain all the necessary information to assist the community understand what is being reviewed, why it is being reviewed and how they can become involved.

INVOLVE

Telephone Survey

Council will appoint an external independent company to conduct a telephone survey (sample size will be approximately 400 local residents) whereby structured questions relating to the CSP will be put to respondents to ascertain whether the current CSP themes, goals, objectives and strategies require modification, a change of emphasis and/or focus, or are broadly representative of the community’s aspirations.

CONSULT & COLLABORATE

Community Workshop Forums

Community workshop sessions will be arranged, giving members of the community an opportunity to put forward their thoughts and suggestions on the CSP and identify areas where it could be refined.

Exhibition Space

An exhibition space will be provided in the Plaza (or The Canopy) where staff can engage with the community. Feedback forms will be available at these events for the community to provide comments (including QR Codes on postcards so the community can provide feedback at a later time).

Liaison with Advisory Committees

Council Advisory Committees will be engaged during the consultation period, particularly in relation to their respective focus areas and expertise.

Internal Workshops

Workshops will be conducted with Councillors and staff to consult them on the contents of the CSP and understand their wants and values for the future of Lane Cove.

Government Agencies

Government agencies will be consulted during the review process, including the Department of Planning and service delivery agencies such as Health, Education and Transport.

Timeframe

Consultation relating to the proposed CSP review will commence in February 2025 and will conclude in late May 2025 before adoption of the revised CSP by Council in June 2025.

Conclusion

Council is committed to engaging the community as far and wide as possible in the review of the Community Strategic Plan, as it is a plan developed to reflect the community’s long term goals and aspirations for Lane Cove.

The Community Engagement Plan outlined in this report is reflective of Council’s commitment to conducting quality consultation that contributes to effective, equitable and inclusive consultation with the community, consistent with Council’s Community Engagement Strategy.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council:

1. Receive and note the information; and

2. Endorse the proposed Community Engagement Plan for the review of the Community Strategic Plan – Lane Cove 2035, as outlined in this report.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

There are no supporting documents for this report.

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

2022 to 2024 State of the City Report (formerly known as End of Council Term Report)

Item No: 2.9

Subject: 2022 to 2024 State of the City Report (formerly known as End of Council Term Report)

Record No: SU3448 - 67038/24

Division: Lane Cove Council

Author(s): Stephen Golding

Executive Summary

Following the introduction of the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework in 2009, NSW Councils have traditionally been required to present an End of Term Report to the last Council Meeting at the end of each Council term which details the achievements of that Council during the term and outlines how the community is progressing towards achieving the goals outlined in the Community Strategic Plan. As Council would be aware, this was reported to Council at the last Council Meeting of the term, that being August 2024.

It has come to staff’s attention that the Office of Local Government renamed the End of Term Report to ‘the State of the City Report’ which needs to be presented at the second Council meeting following the election of the Mayor in a new Council term. The 2022 to 2024 State of the City Report (formerly known as End of Council Term Report) provides a summary of progress with respect to the implementation of the Community Strategic Plan.

It is recommended that this report be received and noted.

Background

The Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) reforms in 2009 made it compulsory, among other things, for councils to adopt a long-term Community Strategic Plan (CSP). The 10-year span of the CSP expresses the community’s long-term aspirations for the future.

In late 2021 and early 2022, Council undertook extensive community consultation to review the Community Strategic Plan, Lane Cove 2035, which outlines the vision for the Lane Cove community. Following months of extensive community engagement, the Community Strategic Plan, Liveable Lane Cove 2035 was adopted by Council on 23 June 2022, comprising the goals, objectives and strategies for each of the following six (6) planning themes:-

· Our Society;

· Our Built Environment;

· Our Natural Environment;

· Our Culture;

· Our Economy; and

· Our Council.

Under section 404 of the Act, councils must also develop:-

· A Delivery Program - which details the principal activities to be undertaken to achieve the objectives established in the Community Strategic Plan, within the resources available under the Resourcing Strategy; and

· An Operational Plan – which outlines details including the individual projects and activities that will be undertaken each year to achieve the commitments made in the Delivery Program.

In 2022, following the ordinary election of councillors, Council prepared a new Delivery Program and Operational Plan which set out the principal activities to be undertaken by Council during the term of the Council. In accordance with the legislation, Council has continued to report quarterly on the progress of these plans to the community.

The State of the City Report (formerly known as End of Council Term Report) is developed to outline the achievements made during the Council term implementing the Community Strategic Plan and how the Community is progressing towards achieving the goals outlined in the Community Strategic Plan.

Discussion

During the Council term (January 2022 to September 2024) Council delivered a number of significant activities within the 10.5 square kilometres of the Council area, enhancing the liveability, sustainability, vibrancy and look and feel of Lane Cove for the benefit of its residents, businesses and visitors to the area.

Major highlights during the Council term include:

· Council achieved the highest liveability rating in NSW for the 2023 Australian Livability Census,

· Council received a Highly Commended award for our Community Led Resilience in High Density Housing Program at the 2023 LGNSW Excellence in the Environment Awards,

· The Canopy Won Juried and Popular Choice awards for the best ceiling in the world in the International Architizer A+Awards for the mirrored periscope ceiling at The Canopy.

· Australian first: Street side power poles in Lane Cove transformed into electric vehicle charging stations, boasting nine operational chargers on local streets and a total of 30 chargers, including those in Council's off-street car parks,

· An award winning new green space was opened at St Leonards, Wadangarri Park,

· A new state-of-the-art library opened at St Leonards,

· St Leonards Central Car Park, a 300-space public basement carpark located at 88 Christie Street, St Leonards was officially opened,

· Council was recognised for exceptional planning and implementation of Wadanggari Park and St Leonards Library precinct by Place Leaders Asia Pacific in their international competition for Excellence in Governance Award,

· The official opening of Friedlander Place in St Leonards, named after Council’s longest serving Alderman, Syd Friedlander,

· The new Sport and Recreation Facility at 180 River Road, Lane Cove commenced construction,

· As part of its Bushland Expansion Program, Council acquired 14 Gay Street, adding 2,801 square metres to its bushland portfolio,

· Council installed an 88kW Solar PV system at the Aquatic Centre with an estimated annual generation of 127,500kWh. This brings the total solar PV to 151kW at the Aquatic Centre, the largest system at any of Council’s facilities,

· A new 51kw system was installed at Councils’ Works Depot, including two Tesla Batteries,

· Lane Cove CBD, Longueville Road Landscape, Street Furniture and Paving upgrade, that included additional disabled parking spaces,

· The new Tantallon Oval Pavillion was officially opened,

· Council completed the Longueville Park Playground upgrade,

· Upgraded the Central Park and Tambourine Bay Reserve Toilet Facilities,

· Completed the track upgrade at Woodford Bay,

· New shared user path on Tambourine Bay Road,

· Shorelink celebrated its 40th Anniversary at St Leonards Library,

· A new Community Engagement Strategy was developed

· A new online Community Engagement Platform (EHQ) was launched to enable the new Community Engagement Strategy,

· A new Council Website was developed (with the assistance of a digital transformation reference group comprising local community members with expertise in digital applications) and launched in June 2023,

· 11 independent internal Audits were undertaken during the term, including 6 audits during 2023/24,

· The introduction of a new Council Resolution Tracker Database, with reports publicly available on Council’s website,

· Council’s Cyber Security Policy and Incident Response Plan were developed, adopted and tested during the term,

· The Sustainability Levy funded 124 projects spanning environmental, social, and economic sustainability initiatives. These projects include increased Solar PV on Council facilities, almost 2,000 plants planted in Naturestrips and Sustainability Lane Event, in conjunction with Rotary Fair, that attracted approximately 15,000 attendees.

· Council launched a new Solar Bulk Buy initiative,

· The Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022 – 2026 (DIAP) was developed and adopted,

· Council was a winner of the Environmental Leadership Awards at the 2022 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.

· Council delivered a Street Art Cycle Tour that showcases the street art (murals, sculptures and street libraries) around Lane Cove LGA

· Council adopted the Sustainability Action Plan 2022-2025

· Council launched a partnership in August with RecycleSmart to provide residents with a pick-up service of tricky to recycle items such as soft plastics and textiles

· Council continues to make significant steps towards its commitment to sustainable energy practices and reducing our environmental footprint with the total installed solar capacity across Council-owned buildings now standing at 541.4kW.

A video has been developed highlighting the major achievements during the 2022-2024 Council Term. This video, together with the End of Term Report/ State of the City Report is available on Council’s website under www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/csp.

The 2022-2024 State of the City Report (formerly known as the End of Council Term Report) is attached as AT-1. The report highlights the major achievements during the Council Term categorised under the six (6) planning themes of Liveable Lane Cove 2035, provides data on key performance indicators, including those listed in the Community Strategic Plan, and discusses the Council’s performance in assisting with the achievement of goals listed in Liveable Lane Cove 2035.

RECOMMENDATION

That the 2022-2024 State of the City Report (formerly known as the End of Council Term Report) be received and noted.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

2022 to 2024 State of the City Report (formerly known as End of Council Term Report)

Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Lane Cove Council Draft Annual Report 2023/24

Item No: 2.10

Subject: Lane Cove Council Draft Annual Report 2023/24

Record No: SU245 - 67079/24

Division: Corporate and Strategy Division

Author(s): Steven Kludass

Executive Summary

The Local Government Act, 1993 requires all NSW councils to prepare an Annual Report for the previous reporting period by 30 November each year. Lane Cove Council’s Draft Annual Report for 2023/24 has been produced and this report recommends that Council adopt this document as the finalised Annual Report and send a copy to the Minister for Local Government as required by the Local Government Act, 1993.

Discussion

Council’s Draft Annual Report for 2023/24 is attached electronically as AT-1 and covers all of the matters listed in the Local Government Act, 1993 to be addressed, in particular the financial information included in the Audited Annual Financial Statements, information related to a variety of statutory obligations and the progress on achieving the projects and activities as outlined in the 2023/24 Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

In order to maintain consistency amongst Council’s Corporate Planning documents, the Draft Annual Report is organised into Council’s Six Strategic Planning Themes in the same way as the Liveable Lane Cove: 2035 Plan and the Delivery Program and Operational Plan. This helps to reflect Council’s achievements across the key themes rather than by Council’s internal organisational structure.

The Draft Annual Report contains an introduction by the Mayor and General Manager for this reporting period. The highlights for 2023/24 as described in their introduction has been reproduced below for the information of Councillors and the community:

2023/24 was a significant year for Council as we maintained our momentum on a range of existing

projects to bring to life exciting community facilities, projects and events.

We prioritised the projects that matter to the young families, professionals and retirees who’ve made Lane Cove home by getting construction underway on a new eight court multi-sport and recreation facility at River Road, starting the upgrade to Bob Campbell Oval in Greenwich, replacing the synthetic sportsfields at Blackman Park and delivering a fantastic skatepark facility in Lane Cove West.

We also unveiled Wadanggari Park in St Leonards, the only green space of its kind in Australia built over a railway line. In addition to open space, this project has provided important pedestrian and transport connections, a regional scale playground, new public art and convenient access to the new St Leonards Library.

Close collaboration with our community via ‘Have Your Say’ consultations and advisory panel

participation helped our projects to align with the wants, needs and expectations of the people who

live and work here, and gave rise to great outcomes including a Highly Commended Award for the

Community Led Resilience in High Density Housing Program in December 2023.

The community also helped to shape our Strategy for an Age-Friendly Lane Cove which considers the environmental, social and economic factors that influence the health and wellbeing of older people.

We continue to focus on making it ‘surprisingly simple’ to do business with Council by investing in our helpful Customer Experience Team and making upgrades to our Customer Request Management Systems.

Celebrating diversity, during the past year Lane Cove welcomed more than 600 new citizens from

73 countries including India, China, the UK and New Zealand. An astounding range of festivals and

events were also rolled out, including at The Canopy, where over 1,000 people gathered for the Taylor and her Besties show and community spirit was alive and kicking as thousands came together at the free screenings of the Matilda’s World Cup games.

Our Harmony Day, Lunar New Year and Senior’s Festival events involved more than 40 amazing

activities for the community to enjoy with new Mardi Gras celebrations also enjoying a place in our

program rollout. Sharing our community’s passion for sustainability, more than 40 sustainability projects were delivered by Council including supporting the opening of the Toy Library in Council’s facility at 47 Burns Bay Road.

Harbourcare volunteers cleared 217kg of litter from foreshore reserves while bushcare volunteers helped contribute to the 15,000 hours of bush regeneration which took place across the local government area. The ‘On the Verge’ program continue to grow with 20 new participants joining the program and close to 1,500 plants installed on nature strips and in pocket parks.

Our strong focus on the quality of community life launched us into the year as NSW’s most aspirational address, outshining other north shore suburbs in the nationwide 2023 Australian Liveability Census.

And as we wrap up the year we are ending on a robust financial note. Council’s financial performance and position remains strong at the end of 2023/24 with its operating result also showing sufficient cash restrictions to meet known commitments, adequate unrestricted cash and all performance measures exceeding benchmarks.

It is our pleasure to provide this Annual Report to the community as a snapshot of the many milestones we’ve made happen together in the past 12 months, each one contributing to Lane Cove being a connected, inclusive and sustainable community.

Conclusion

The Draft Annual Report has been prepared to meet the requirements of the Local Government Act. Upon adoption of the Annual Report, a copy will be forwarded to the Minister as required by the Local Government Act, 1993 and will be publicly accessible via the ‘Plans and Publications’ section on Council’s website.

RECOMMENDATION

That:-

1. Council adopt the Draft Annual Report at AT-1 for 2023/24;

2. The adopted Annual Report be forwarded to the Minister for Local Government; and

3. The Annual Report be published on Council’s website.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View

Draft Annual Report 2023-24

170 Pages

Available Electronically

Ordinary Council Meeting 21 November 2024

Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee - 2023/24 Annual Report & Annual Workplan

Item No: 2.11

Subject: Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee - 2023/24 Annual Report & Annual Workplan

Record No: SU740 - 67096/24

Division: Corporate and Strategy Division

Author(s): Steven Kludass

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to present the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 and the ARIC Annual Workplan. The Annual Report highlights the role, focus and achievements of the Committee over the past financial year. The Annual Workplan provides both the ARIC and Council with a checklist of activities that will be undertaken throughout a calendar year, in addition to the internal audit reviews as agreed in the Annual Internal Audit Plan. It is recommended that Council receive and note both the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee Annual Report for year ended 30 June 2024 and the ARIC Annual Workplan.

Background

The Chairperson of the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee recently endorsed the Draft Annual Report for 2023/24. Its production is designed to promote awareness to Council and the community of the functions and performance of the Committee and the matters it has dealt with over the previous financial year. The practice of preparing an Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee Annual Report is now being undertaken by a growing number of Councils and is considered a prudent way of demonstrating sound governance, transparency and accountability to both Council and the community.

The preparation of an ARIC Workplan helps guide the Committee understand what activities will be undertaken throughout a calendar year, the approximate timing of same and who is responsible for each of those activities.

Discussion

The attached Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee 2023/24 Annual Report (AT-1) includes the following:

· Committee membership and meetings held throughout the financial year

· The Internal Audit Plan for 2023/24

· A Report Card for 2023/24

· A snapshot of the status of internal audit recommendations, and

· Financial management and external audit matters

The attached ARIC Workplan (AT-2) includes the following:

· A list of activities and actions the ARIC can expect will occur throughout a calendar year

· The approximate quarter in which the activity or action will be undertaken, and

· Who is responsible for each activity or action

Conclusion

The Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee Annual Report and the ARIC Annual Workplan have both been prepared for the benefit of Council and the community and highlights the commitment of the Committee in undertaking its role. A copy of the Annual Report will be publicly accessible via Council’s website.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council receive and note the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee Annual Report for year ended 30 June 2024 and the ARIC Annual Workplan.

Steven Kludass

Director - Corporate and Strategy

Corporate and Strategy Division

ATTACHMENTS:

AT‑1 View	ARIC 2023-24 Annual Report		Available Electronically
AT‑2 View	ARIC Annual Workplan		Available Electronically

AT‑1 View	Council Snapshot October 2024	44 Pages	Available Electronically
AT‑2 View	Council Resolution Tracker	18 Pages	Available Electronically