Dubbo Local Government Conference- Success on small issues

I am a bit behind in sharing this little gem, but thought I would post it anyway.

Each year the Local Government Association NSW holds a conference which sets the policy direction and lobby points for the association for the year ahead. The Shires also turn up so its an interesting mix of City, Regional, Rural and normally attracts around 600+ folk- a third of which are voting delegates.

On the last Shoalhaven City Council, Liberal Councillor now State MP Gareth Ward always did his best to make sure I had no voting rights even though Shoalhaven Council has four votes- he tried to get all his mates the votes to help push the Conservatives agenda through as many organisations as possible.

The Liberals were successful at driving a One Association agenda- which isn't all bad except that they have made the voting system for that impossibly conservative and with no accountability for the first 12 months of the One Associations life- but that's a different story.

This story starts at Shoalhaven Council were I brought up a number of issues that were not supported at a Council level.

1, Asking the NSW Government to revoke all expired Coal Seam Gas Explorations licenses and committing to proper community consultation before reissue- This motion FAILED at Shoalhaven Council.

2. Requesting NSW Gov to conduct a risk assessment prior to proceeding with their Shooting in National Parks proposal and committing further funds to feral animal control- FAILED in Shoalhaven.

3. Referring the PlasBak silage wrap recycling programme for inclusion in Waste and Sustainability funding- WIN in Shoalhaven.

I was surprised when Ward and Co didn't try and kick the motions out before they even made it to Conference, but then they probably thought -Oh well they are the next Councils problems not ours!

When conference supported the Coal Seam Gas and PlasBak motions with only a few dissenting voices I was nicely surprised- The shooting in national parks motion was referred to the executive- so not entirely lost.

Buoyed by the success of a couple of motions I tried to pass some amendments- which really should have been addendum's and didn't receive support.

All in all I felt that I had a constructive time at the conference even though the chair was lousy and the news from the guest speakers for the gathered Councillors was all doom and gloom in regards to amalgamations and planning reforms.

Of course one of the highlights was catching up with Greens Councillors from around the State and getting to know the newly elected ones. It was also nice to make contact with Councillors from Wollongong so hopefully we can work together on progressive regional issues.

I always wonder why government is so behind and hasnt caught up with the sentiment of the people and sometimes its no different in local politics.

Lack of Democracyy Part 2 : things could be getting better!

Just like me- things are looking Up
 

In my last post on the Lack of Democracy, I was willing to give the benefit of doubt to the new Councillors and their inexperience as a way of explaining such pitiful debate on issues currently going to Council.

So I put in a 'John Fergusson' effort at tonight’s Policy and Resources meeting- I did pull up short of debating myself but there were many questions to be asked such as.....

Why didn’t Council report its in kind contribution to the local government election that was outsourced?

In the code of conduct does a mayoral minute cover one matter or one issue (I believe matter is in the single not plural)?

I argued that Councillors should have access to funding for good quality tertiary education that improved their performance as a Councillor ( went down like a lead balloon and I needed a ladder to get of my soap box :0 ) in the process accused Mayor Gash of pursuing a tit for tat against Cllr Guile...oops sorry!

Asked Cllr Watson not to amend his motion that would have Council decide on a preferred route for the new Shoalhaven River Crossing. (RMS are spending a $1 mill on this project as we speak)

Requested that when Councillors were given a tour of Alternative Waste Treatment facilities that they could actually be replicated in the Shoalhaven rather than hugely interesting facilities that process 1/2 a million peoples waste!

Argued that Council should phase out a policy that allows pensioners to get in arrears with their rates for up to 17 years without legal action!

And so it went on.......

Unfortunately for Cllr Wells who proclaimed that the meeting was taking too long because of my questions- I wasn’t about to stop- after all that’s why people voted me in!

It must have been catching because I think all of the Councillors present weighed in on at least one thing on tonight’s agenda.

Oh and to give the Mayor her due she did accommodate next year’s meeting time table back to Tuesdays! So Goodbye Friday night meetings except for June 2013.

Maybe things are looking up!

 

Huskisson:First Step in destroying urban design and village character.

Huskisson is a pretty special part of the South Coast.

Its known as the gateway to Jervis Bay, home of Dolphin Cruise boats, crystal clear waters and a marine park. Alongside it of course is the fantastic Booderee National park which by itself gets 1/2 million vistors per year.

For a council that has declared a desire to make our tourism industry its number one priority you would think that it would recognise what it is that makes the place special- in fact they paid a consultant to re-write their Tourism Master plan which did just that-identify our assets that are worth nurturing.

The tourism master plan did identify that the area was lacking in certain types of tourist development which included apartment style living for holiday makers. The Plan also identified that fostering our low key, laid back urban look was also part of the deal.

So planning for new development in Huskisson then becomes a priority-a priority that sympathises with the existing built environment and protecting view corridors through to the beach/water/vegetated foreshore. This has been successfully managed in other coastal locations that havent been hell bent on overdevelopment. For those places that went all out to attract big development are less desireable holiday locations, ( Shoalhaven by the way is the second best holiday destination in the State after Syndey!)

Fegen Street Huskisson has been a focal point lately for Huskisson as it has a draft Development Control Plan on exhibition, that up untill Wednesday aimed to preserve a sensitive urban design approach. The plan has taken four years of consultation with quite a lot of movement from the basically urban community that surrounds the precinct.

Meanwhile since the plan was first drafted a global financial crisis intervened and of course has effected real estate prices and the willingness of financial institutions to lend money for more speculative projects.

With these conditions in mind a prospective developer for Fegen Street has fought the community tooth and nail to try and acheive a higher density of development for his site's on Fegen Street. One of his applications was outright refused by the joint regional planning panel as it just didnt suit the urban nature of the area.

Current Mayor and Federal Member Joanna Gash turned up to a community onsite meeting and was faced with a mob of concerned citizens who put up balloons oniste to show just how four storey buildings would affect them. Mrs Gash at the time stated that she supported the community.

However at Wednesdays Development Committee with barely a word said in debate and after a passionate plea from community members Mrs Gash moved a motion that would see the development control plan for the Fegen Street Precinct altered to allow a fourth storey. It may be a trimmed down 4th storey in that it is only allowed to be half the size of the first floor but it is still a 4th storey.

Of course the community are disappointed, and the developer is happy that the gates are opened to allow something that doesnt fit with the village feel of Huskisson but lifts his proft margin from 17% to 35% which in his words is now a viable project.

I didnt get to support the community at committee level as I was of at another Council endorsed activity and thought it was safe to remain at the Conference and AGM ( I was Shoalhavens voting delegate) as I could debate the issue on the floor of Council- but with the new delegated powers of committee that is not to be. so we have a major policy decision made in the quite corner of a committee withour being referred to a full Council ( SHAME SHOALHAVEN SHAME).

Thanks however to Clrs McCruddin and Guile who also believe in democracy and have supported a recission motion so that this major policy issue can be reported to full Council. It might not be successfull  though as it has to go first to development and get the support of the voting Majority of TEAM GASH.

Oh and special thanks to Clr Anstiss who must have read the report, looked at the back history and decided to support the community who elected her.

Lack of Democracy: hopefully just a dose of forst time nerves

Well this 'new' Council is a little bizarre.

At the very first Ordinary meeting general manager Russ Pigg changed a couple of words around that not even us seasoned Councillors picked up, which delegated authority to the Committee's. Meaning that a decision of a Committee is now the final decision and there is no further debate.

I know the following explanation sounds a little odd but stick with me.

In the previous Council a recommendation would be made at committee and then referred to the full Council for ratification. This allowed for the committee process to be a little less formal and be a 'working' meeting that ironed out any problems and find common ground for solutions. If the items warrant contentious they usually got passed without debate at the Ordinary Council meeting.

The Ordinary Council meeting is the only meeting that Councillors are impelled to go to- it is a part time / voluntary job after all. Besides Council sometimes books different Councillors out to do other things for the city making it impossible for them to attend the committee meeting. Also life outside of Council can sometimes get in the way- especially if you are employed full time.

Delegated authority isn't all bad if the item is a small item, a slight variation on a policy position, a motion seeking direction for staff, but big issues like the budget and policy decision's with a long term impact should be referred to the Ordinary meeting of Council.

The seasoned Councillors tried their best to get this situation amended to at least give a second chance to debating big issues, but this was voted down by TEAM GASH.

And so the log jams begin, because instead of delegated authority making things more streamlined and supposedly quicker which in Gash language equates to 'getting the job done'. Councillors now have to submit a recession motion with two other Councillors signing it, wait a month for it to come back to committee to see if its successfully instead of just bringing the item up to the next Ordinary meeting which is generally only a fortnight away.

So we have our Mayor and TEAM GASH being stubborn and not collegiate in this issue.

Which brings me to the issue I raised previously- The Mayors insistence on lumping multiple issue into one mayoral minute- sounds efficient- but its not - it has the same effect as delegated authority and 'hides' issues in what seems like an innocuous report. The October meeting was a great example and rolled back the Councils position of not supporting poker machines rolled into a motion that supported community groups- very poor form and not at all accountable.

TEAM GASH must have an opinion on the multiple issues that come to Council, but their desire for a speedy meeting means that we are seeing very little debate from them at all.

So I hope that its all first time nerves which shouldn't last the rest of this term. It is the same in committee, complex issues with very little questioning of the staff. For me that is exactly why I was elected - to ask questions and make sure the outcomes are the best they can possibly be.

Right now I am awaiting the outcome of a recession motion that could have been dealt with at the ordinary meeting in a fortnight on Development Control Plan 99- The development control plan is another issue so I will for a separate post.

ill keep you posted or else turn up to a Council meeting and watch the lack of debate and the hesitance of TEAM GASH's voting hands which only seem to go up like a Mexican wave-waiting to see what the TEAM member next is doing on the issue.

North Nowra Link Road

The North Nowra Link Road plan has been around since I was a wee little girl 1974 to be exact.

The plan has been hotly contested since the 1980s as a route started to crystallise, Shoalhaven City Council created 3 options that all cut through the Bomaderry Regional Park, Southern, Central and Western.
 The Central according to council gave the best cost benefit outcome and suposedly would help ease traffic conditions at the infamous intersection where Illaroo Road meets the Princes Hwy.

The central route however has the worst environmental outcome as it ploughs through the centre of the park and through habitat of the irreplaceable Bomaderry Ziera ( one of the threatened species that calls the park home). Campaigners, Terry Barratt and Robin Moyes would have to be THE community experts on this issue, over the years they have split the tasks Terry taking on the environmental aspects and Robin the traffic aspects.

In one of the turn arounds of the century and a very clever politcail move by now Mayor Jo Gash, saw Jo Gash rescind her previous pledge of support for the central route and shift to the less damageing western route. This route is more pallatable to campaigners- it has more tree loss but doesnt interfere with the critical habitat.

So when a report came to Council in regards to The Friends of Bomaderry Creek petition saying no to the central route- it was time to take some decisive action and start the ball rolling to abandon the central route once and for all.

Of course this was going to be a rocky road- Clr Watson was not going to let go easily after 30 years of beleiving in this project. First their was the recission motion on the committee recommendation- then there was the recission on the Ordinary meeting recommendation. All of that in a hail storm of he- said- she said- politicking and it seems that final a resolution of Council to support the west Cambewarra Parrallel alignment will be taken to the Planning Minister.

So its a win- hard to tell if its a lasting one but at least its been a statement of committment to getting a better outcome for Bomaderry Regional Park.