Finance and
Governance Committee
MINUTES OF MEETING
Monday, 13 August 2018
Present
Council Members
Councillor Sam Elmir (Chairperson),
Councillor Sandy Grekas, Councillor Lou Konjarski, Councillor Nancy Liu,
Councillor Colleen Symington, and Councillor Christina Wu
Council
Staff
Director Business
and Corporate Services - Mr David Tuxford, Director Transformation and Change - Ms Marissa Racomelara, Senior
Solicitor – Ms Amanda Berry, Acting Executive Manager - Office of the
General Manager - Ms Samantha Charlton, Executive Manager Premium
Facilities – Mr Luke Coleman, Acting Chief Financial Officer – Ms
Danielle Parker, Head of Strategic Property – Mr Bernard Morabito,
Strategic Property Specialist – Mr Joe Milinkovic, Strategic Property
Officer – Ms Francene Christophorou, Economic Development Officer –
Mr Craig Edmondson, Executive Assistant to Director Business and Corporate
Services – Ms Melissa Dunn
Opening
The Chair,
Councillor Elmir, opened the meeting at 6.00pm.
Acknowledgement
of Country
Councillor Elmir
acknowledged the traditional custodians of the land, the Biddegal people of the
Eora Nation.
Apologies
Recommendation:
Councillor Symington and Councillor Liu.
That an apology for
Councillor Tegg be accepted.
Record of
Voting:
For the Motion:
Unanimous
Disclosure
of Interest
Councillor Elmir declared
a Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in item FIN063-18 - Georges River
Council Voluntary Pensioner Rebate for the reason that he has relatives
that live in the Local Government Area who may be receiving rebates.
Councillor Konjarski
declared a Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in item FIN063-18 - Georges
River Council Voluntary Pensioner Rebate for the reason that he has
relatives that live in the Local Government Area who may be receiving rebates.
Public Address to the Meeting
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ITEM
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SPEAKER
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FIN002A-18
St. George Business Chamber –
Annual Report on Compliance with Deed of Agreement Obligations
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Mr Carlos Zeidan – St George
Business Chamber
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Minutes
of previous meetings
Finance and Governance - 09 July 2018
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Recommendation: Councillor Konjarski
and Councillor Wu
That the Minutes of the Finance and Governance meeting held
on 09 July 2018, be confirmed.
Record of Voting:
For the Motion: Unanimous
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Committee Reports
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FIN060-18 Georges
River Council 2017/18 Achievements - Review of 2017/2018 Operational Plan
(Report by
Senior Corporate Planner)
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Recommendation: Councillor Grekas
and Councillor Wu
(a) That
the report on the June 2018 review of the 2017 - 2018 Operational Plan be
received and noted.
(b) That
a copy of the June 2018 review of the 2017 - 2018 Operational Plan, as
contained in attachment 1, be published on Council’s website.
Record
of Voting:
For
the Motion: Unanimous
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FIN061-18 Quarterly
Report - Outstanding Council Resolutions as at 30 June 2018
(Report by
Acting Executive Manager, Office of the General Manager)
|
Recommendation:
Councillor Liu and Councillor Symington
That the
quarterly report - Outstanding Council Resolutions as at 30 June 2018, be
received and noted.
Record of Voting:
For the Motion: Unanimous
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FIN062-18 Calendar
of Meetings 2018/2019
(Report by
Acting Executive Manager, Office of the General Manager)
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Recommendation: Councillor Wu and Councillor Grekas
That Council endorse the proposed Calendar of
Meetings to September 2019, as attached to
this report.
Record of Voting:
For the Motion: Unanimous
|
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FIN063-18 Georges
River Council Voluntary Pensioner Rebate
(Report by
Acting Chief Operating Officer)
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Note: Councillor Elmir (Chairperson) and
Councillor Konjarski declared a Significant Non-Pecuniary interest in the
following item and excused themselves from the meeting.
At
this stage of the meeting, Councillor Symington assumed the role of Acting
Chairperson for this agenda item.
Recommendation:
Councillor Wu and Councillor Grekas
(a) That
Council adopt the
process of allowing eligible pensioners to pay off their rates and charges
over a 12 month period with no interest charges occurring as per section
582 Local Government Act 1993 (The Act).
(b) That Council
undertake a process of communicating to all eligible pensioners that this
process will commence for the 2019/20 rates and charges levy.
(c) That Council
review the new payment process after it has been operating for 12 months to
gauge its take up rate and its effectiveness in providing relief to eligible
pensioners.
Record of Voting:
For the Motion: Unanimous
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Note:
Councillor Elmir and Councillor Konjarski returned to the meeting at this
time.
At
this stage of the meeting, Councillor Elmir resumed the role as Chairperson.
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FIN064-18 Property
Matter - Compulsory Acquisition of Part Todd Park and Part Church Street
Reserve by RMS - Road Widening - Princes Highway Blakehurst
(Report by
Strategic Property Officer)
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Recommendation: Councillor Konjarski
and Councillor Liu
(a) That
Council note that Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) will commence the
compulsory acquisition of land for over Lot 14 in Deposited Plan (DP) 133445,
being part of Todd Park, Blakehurst and Lot 2 in DP1129264, being part of
Church Street Reserve, Blakehurst as generally detailed in this report.
(b) That
Council note that RMS will commence the compulsory acquisition process for an
Easement for Transmission Line in favour of Ausgrid over Council land
described as Lot 14 in DP1129264 being part of Todd Park, Blakehurst.
(c) That
the General Manager be authorised to execute all documentation in relation to
the proposed compulsory acquisition including the settlement of any
determined consideration.
Record of Voting:
For the Motion: Unanimous
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FIN065-18 Advice
on Costs and Status of Council's Court Proceedings - July 2018
(Report by
General Counsel)
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Recommendation:
Councillor Symington and Councillor Liu
That the
report, “Advice on Costs and Status of Council’s Court Proceedings
– July 2018”, be received and noted.
Record of Voting:
For the Motion: Unanimous
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FIN066-18 Georges
River Council Quarterly Property Portfolio Report
(Report by
Strategic Property Specialist)
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Recommendation:
Councillor Wu and Councillor Liu
That the
report “Georges River Council Quarterly Property Portfolio
Report” be received and noted.
Record of Voting:
For the Motion: Unanimous
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FIN067-18 18th
International Cities, Town Centres and Communities Conference
(Report by
Acting Head of Executive Services)
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Recommendation: Councillor Liu and Councillor Symington
That in
accordance with the Mayor and Councillors’ Expenses and Facilities
Policy, interested Councillors and relevant staff be authorised to attend the
18th International Cities, Town Centres and Communities
Conference.
Record
of Voting:
For
the Motion: Unanimous
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FIN068-18 Investment
Report as at 30 June 2018
(Report by
Financial Accounting Officer)
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Recommendation: Councillor Konjarski and Councillor Liu
That Council receive and note the Investment
Report as at 30 June 2018.
Record
of Voting:
For
the Motion: Unanimous
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Consideration of Business in Closed Session
Recommendation:
Councillor Grekas and Councillor Liu
At
this stage of the meeting the Chairperson advised that the meeting would move
into closed session to allow consideration of information in accordance with
Section 10A of the Local Government Act 1993. Accordingly, members of the press and public are excluded from the
closed session and access to the correspondence and reports relating to the
items considered during the course of the closed session will be withheld.
The Chair,
Councillor Elmir, asked the Director Business and Corporate Services if any
representations had been received from the public that the item should not be
discussed in closed session.
The Director
Business and Corporate Services replied that no representations had been
received to the item in closed session.
The Chair, Councillor
Elmir, asked if there were any members of the public who would like to speak on
the reasons Council proposes to consider the items in closed session, there
were none.
This action was taken to allow
discussion of the following item:
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FIN002A-18 St George
Business Chamber - Annual Report on Compliance with Deed of Agreement
Obligations
(Report by
Economic Development Officer)
THAT in accordance with the provisions
of Part 1 of Chapter 4 of the Local Government Act 1993, the matters dealt
with in this report be considered in closed Council Meeting at which the
press and public are excluded. In accordance with Section 10A(2)(d)(i) it is
considered the matter concerns commercial information of a confidential
nature that would if disclosed prejudice the position of a person who
supplied it.
In
accordance with Section 10D it is considered that if the matter were
discussed in an open session, it would on balance be contrary to the public
interest as it deals with confidential information of a commercial nature
that would if disclosed prejudice the position of the person who supplied it.
Record of
Voting:
For the
Motion: Unanimous
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FIN002A-18 St George
Business Chamber - Annual Report on Compliance with Deed of Agreement
Obligations
(Report by
Economic Development Officer)
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Recommendation:
Councillor Grekas and Councillor Symington
(a) That
consideration of this matter be deferred to the next full Council meeting to
be held on 27 August 2018.
(b) That
Council be provided with an update on the Chamber’s progress in
submitting an audited financial statement for the 2017/18 financial year and
compliance with the terms of the Deed for that financial year. Such
information is to be submitted to Council prior to the next full meeting of
Council on Monday 27 August 2018.
Record of
Voting:
For the
Motion: Unanimous
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Open Session
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Recommendation: Councillor Grekas
and Councillor Symington
That the
meeting revert to Open Session.
Record
of Voting:
For
the Motion: Unanimous
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Consideration of Recommendations from Closed Session
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Recommendation:
Councillor Grekas and Councillor Symington
That the recommendations
of the Closed session be adopted.
Record
of Voting:
For
the Motion: Unanimous
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Conclusion
The Meeting was closed at 6.58pm.
