Georges River Council - Minutes - Finance and Governance Committee - Monday 9 November 2020

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PRESENT

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Councillor Vince Badalati (Chair), Deputy Mayor Councillor Stephen Agius, Councillor Con Hindi, Councillor Nick Katris and Councillor Colleen Symington.

COUNCIL STAFF

Director Business and Corporate Services - Mr David Tuxford, Chief Financial Officer - Ms Danielle Parker, Director Assets and Infrastructure - Mr Andrew Latter, Head of Strategic Property - Bernard Morabito, Strategic Property Specialist - Mr Jim Alison, and Manager Office of the General Manager - Ms Roxanne Thornton (Minutes).

EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS

Commercial Car Parking Consultant - Mr Michael Kent – Caldwell Kent Consulting

OPENING

Councillor Badalati, opened the meeting at 6.07pm.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Councillor Badalati acknowledged the traditional custodians of the land, the Biddegal people of the Eora Nation.

APOLOGIES/LEAVE OF ABSENCE

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Katris

That an Apologies for Councillor Elmir and Councillor Liu be noted and a Leave of Absence granted.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

NOTICE OF WEBCASTING

The Chairperson, Councillor Badalati advised staff and the public that the meeting is being recorded for minute-taking purposes and is also webcast live on Council’s website, in accordance with Section 4 of Council’s Code of Meeting Practice. This recording will be made available on Council’s website.

DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST

There were no disclosures of interest.

PUBLIC FORUM

There were no registered speakers for the meeting.

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

FIN051-20 Confirmation of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 12 October 2020

(Report by Executive Services Officer)

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Symington and Councillor Hindi

That the Minutes of the Finance and Governance Committee Meeting held on 12 October 2020 be confirmed.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

COMMITTEE REPORTS

FIN052-20 Administrative Matter - Execution of Documents Under Delegated Authority (1 October 2020 to 31 October 2020)

(Report by Manager, Office of the General Manager)

Recommendation: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Agius

That Council note, for the period 1 October 2020 to 31 October 2020, there were two (2) documents executed by the General Manager under delegation.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN053-20 Report on Outstanding Council Resolutions (Period up to and including 30 September 2020)

(Report by Manager, Office of the General Manager)

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Katris and Councillor Agius

That the report on Outstanding Council Resolutions (period up to and including 30 September 2020), be received and noted.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN054-20 Investment Report as at 30 September 2020

(Report by Senior Financial Accountant - Reporting)

Recommendation: Councillor Katris and Councillor Symington

That Council receives and notes the contents of the Investment Report as at 30 September 2020.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN055-20 Quarterly Budget Review Statement for the period ending 30 September 2020

(Report by Chief Financial Officer)

Recommendation: Councillor Katris and Councillor Hindi

(a) That Council receives and notes the contents of this report in relation to the Quarterly Budget Review for the period ending 30 September 2020.

(b) That in accordance with the COVID-19 process resolved by Council in June 2020, Council adopt the proposed amendments to the 2020/21 Budget based on the revised forecasted operational impacts from COVID-19, carryovers from 2019/20 and other variations seen in the first quarter.

(d) That Council notes the forecast operating financial sustainability issues have accelerated from original estimates due to COVID-19 higher than anticipated costs and reduced income in 2019/20.

(e) That Council notes the operating results of the 2019/20 financial year due to COVID-19 and the likely impact COVID-19 will have on a deteriorating operating result in 2020/21.

(f) That Council notes the resultant decline of $15.8m in Council’s cash reserve forecast balance from the adopted forecasts in June 2020.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN056-20 Code of Conduct Complaint Statistics 2020

(Report by Governance and Risk Specialist)

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Agius

That Council receives and notes the report on the Code of Conduct Complaints Statistics for the period ending 30 September 2020.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN057-20 Tender - T20/011 Supply, Installation and Ongoing Maintenance of Commercial Car Parking Equipment

(Report by Head of Strategic Property)

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Katris

That consideration of this matter be moved to closed confidential session.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN058-20 Tender T20/008 - Provision of Property Management Services

(Report by Strategic Property Specialist)

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Symington

That consideration of this matter be moved to closed confidential session.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN059-20 Profit and Loss Statements - Premium and Community Leases

(Report by Chief Financial Officer)

Recommendation: Councillor Katris and Councillor Agius

(a) That Council receives and notes the information contained in the report.

(b) That a supplementary report be prepared, in accordance with the feedback provided at the Finance and Governance Committee meeting of 9 November 2020.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN060-20 Property Matter - Commercial Property Portfolio - 2020/21 First Quarter Report

(Report by Strategic Property Specialist)

Recommendation: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Symington

That Council receives and notes the Commercial Property Portfolio – 2020/21 First Quarter Report.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

FIN061-20 Property Matter - Street Name Sign Advertisements ("Identilites") - Proposed New Contract

(Report by Strategic Property Specialist)

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Symington

That consideration of this matter be moved to closed confidential session.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

CONSIDERATION OF BUSINESS IN CLOSED SESSION

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Symington

At this stage of the meeting, time being 7.00pm, Councillor Badalati advised that the meeting would move into Closed Session 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 relating to the item considered during the course of the closed session will be withheld.

This action was taken to allow discussion of the following items:

FIN057-20 Tender - T20/011 Supply, Installation and Ongoing Maintenance of Commercial Car Parking Equipment

(Report by Head of Strategic Property)

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) (c) it is considered the matter information that would, if disclosed, confer a commercial advantage on a person with whom the Council is conducting (or proposes to conduct) business.

That in accordance with Section 10D it is considered that if the matter were discussed in an open Council Meeting, it would on balance, be contrary to the public interest as it information that would, if disclosed, confer a commercial advantage on a person with whom the Council is conducting (or proposes to conduct) business.

FIN058-20 Tender T20/008 - Provision of Property Management Services

(Report by Strategic Property Specialist)

FIN061-20 Property Matter - Street Name Sign Advertisements ("Identilites") - Proposed New Contract

(Report by Strategic Property Specialist)

These matters will be considered in closed session in accordance with Section 10A(2) (c) of the Local Government Act 1993 as it contains information that would, if disclosed, confer a commercial advantage on a person with whom council is conducting (or proposes to conduct) business.

The Chair, Councillor Badalati asked the Director, Mr David Tuxford if any representations had been received from the public that the item should not be discussed in closed session.

The Director replied that no representations had been received to the item in closed session.

Due to the fact there was no public gallery present at the meeting, the Chair was not able to ask if there were any members of the public gallery who wanted to speak on the reasons Committee proposes to consider the items in Closed Session

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

Note: Council moved to Closed Session at 7.01pm

CLOSED SESSION

CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Katris and Councillor Hindi

That consideration of items FIN057-20, FIN058-20 and FIN061-20 be referred to Council for consideration.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

OPEN SESSION

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Agius and Councillor Katris

That the meeting revert to Open Session time being 7.23pm.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

Note: Council returned to Open Session at 7.23pm

CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATION FROM CLOSED SESSION

RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Hindi and Councillor Agius

That the Committee of the Whole recommendations from the Closed Session in relation to Items FIN057-20 (Tender - T20/011 Supply, Installation and Ongoing Maintenance of Commercial Car Parking Equipment), FIN058-20 (Tender T20/008 - Provision of Property Management Services) and FIN061-20 (Property Matter - Street Name Sign Advertisements ("Identilites") - Proposed New Contract) of this meeting be received and noted as recommendations of the Committee without any alteration or amendment thereto.

Record of Voting:

For the Motion: Unanimous

CONCLUSION

The Meeting was closed at 7.25pm

Chairperson, Clr Vince Badalati

(in accordance with Clause 18.5 of Council’s Code of Meeting Practice, these Minutes have been signed by the Chairperson of the 7 December 2020 meeting)

Minutes confirmed at the Meeting of the Finance and Governance Committee on 7 December 2020 (FIN062-20)