Agenda of Ordinary Meeting of Council

Reports submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council to be held on Monday 29 February 2016.

Ordinary Meeting of Council AGENDA AND BUSINESS PAPER

Monday 29 February 2016

ORDER OF BUSINESS:

CLAUSE PRECIS PAGE

PRAYER 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY 3

APOLOGIES 3

CONFIRMATIONS OF MINUTES

CM-1 SUPPLEMENTARY COUNCIL MEETING - 8 FEBRUARY 2016 3

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 3

Reports from Policy and Strategy Committee

PS-1 POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE MEETING - 8 FEBRUARY 2016 4

Councillor Report

CR-1 2015 SOUTH EAST COUNCILS LEADERSHIP FORUM 74

CR-2 iVOTE PROJECT TO ALLOW ELECTRONIC VOTING FOR COUNCIL ELECTIONS 81

CR-3 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO REVENUE AND PRICING POLICY 2016/2017 AND POL 041 ACTIVITIES ON FOOTPATH POLICY 84

Reports from Staff

RP-1 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING - WAGGA LAKE RUN AND RIDE 115

RP-2 PLAYGROUND STRATEGY 2016-2036 123

RP-3 REPORT ON ITEMS FROM THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 12 NOVEMBER 2015 132

RP-4 PETITION LINDSAY STREET 136

RP-5 WATER FOR LAKE ALBERT GROUP REQUEST FOR FUNDING 142

RP-6 RESTART NSW - REGIONAL TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND - ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDING FOR THE WAGGA WAGGA AIRPORT. 150

Committee Minutes

M-1 AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE MINUTES - 3 DECEMBER 2015 154

Confidential Reports

CONF-1 NEIGHBOURHOODWORKS TOLLAND COMMISSION 167

CONF-2 BRIGHTLIGHTS COMMISSION 168

CONF-3 PROPOSED CREATION OF AN ESSENTIAL ENERGY EASEMENT OVER LOT 72 DP 1111930 AT MANGOPLAH 169

CONF-4 PROPOSED ACQUISTION OF PART LOT 3 DP 788426 AT BOMEN FOR ROAD PURPOSES 170

CONF-5 PROPOSAL FOR LAND IN BOOROOMA 171

CONF-6 RFT 2016/007 - PROJECT ADVISORY SERVICES 172

QUESTIONS/BUSINESS WITH NOTICE 173

PRAYER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

APOLOGIES

Confirmation of Minutes

CM-1 SUPPLEMENTARY COUNCIL MEETING - 8 FEBRUARY 2016

Recommendation

That the Minutes of the proceedings of the Supplementary Council Meeting held on 8 February 2016 be confirmed as a true and accurate record.

Attachments

1 ⇩.

Confirmation of Minutes - Supplementary Council Meeting - 8 February 2016

174

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. CR-1

Councillor Report

CR-1 2015 SOUTH EAST COUNCILS LEADERSHIP FORUM

Author: The Mayor, Councillor Rod Kendall

Recommendation

That Council receive and note the report.

Report

The Mayor, Councillor Rod Kendall attended the 2015 South East Councils Leadership Forum held on 3-4 December 2015 in Merimbula.

The conference was titled ‘Leading through uncertainty’, ‘Meeting our needs of our communities into the Future’.

The Forum was designed to challenge and prepare current leaders for success into the future by exploring the concept of leadership excellence from both an individual and organisational context.

The Forum focused on leading through uncertain and changing times; placing emphasis on the importance of strong and courageous leadership in Local Government, developing an adaptive leadership mindset responsive to overcoming challenges whilst embracing change and encouraging agility in decision making.

The Forum was facilitated by the Australian School of Applied Management.

Notes from the Forum are set out below.

Day One – Thursday, 3 December 2015

Welcome and Opening address by Antony Maxwell ASAM.

Welcome to Country and Leading Aboriginal Communities

Pastor Ossie Cruse Issue gave an overview of his vision of leadership, which includes ‘How can I help, what can I do?’ If you want something then get in and slog away harnessing all the resources that are locally available. Be aware that there are normally a large number of people that can help, those people need to be engaged.

There remains very significant issues in the Aboriginal community. ICE is a growing and real concern as are all drugs. It’s important that leaders are prepared to mend fences and forgive. We too do what we can with what we have for the betterment of the whole community and whole country.

Forum Overview: Leanne Barnes, General Manager Bega Valley Shire Council

How do we take on new challenges that are given to us when we take on leadership positions? What new ways can we work, how do we lead in uncertain times? This forum will allow us to challenge ourselves and think outside the square.

Keynote Speaker: Kerry Thompson – Former CEO, Wyndham City Council, now CEO Lost Dogs Homes. Growing Leadership

The city of Wyndham is a major growth area between Melbourne and Geelong. Eleven new families each day, over 35% of the population was born overseas, capital works budget over $100m per annum. Approvals took months and months because of an inability to make a decision. The elected Council felt disengaged and were in fact disengaged by the way management ‘managed’ the Councillors and the decision process.

When Kerry started there were significant shortfalls in delivery and co-ordination. There was a fear to make decisions. There was a lot of energy and time spent on not making decisions. Change and uncertainty are constant. We need to be able to cope with that norm.

The change must start at the top with the CEO and the senior two (2) levels of management. They undertook a seven (7) day workshop (colloquium) for the top twenty-three in the leadership team at the council and at the end of that time there was a whole new level of trust and a cultural shift in leadership. All conversations had to be above the line and constructive. The hardest part was the difficult conversations. Change gathered its own momentum.

Example: Kindergarten services over 4,000 children. Customer service satisfaction grew to the stage that all complaints stopped. The cultural change was grown locally.

Service reviews were undertaken and a colloquium was held. Outcomes overall were a significant reduction in approval times, staff became innovators, capital works program lifted from 50% delivery to 90%, community satisfaction went through the roof. The CEO became the role model. Success was celebrated and accountability went right throughout the organisation right from the top to the bottom. Everyone became responsible for their job. During the change some people couldn’t adjust and left the organisation, change can be difficult but it is worthwhile.

Guest Speaker: Barry Irvin, Chairman Bega Cheese

Seeking knowledge is one of the most important roles for any leader and organisation. We must allow our people to reach out and go out seeking and gaining knowledge. If we stay insular we will not see the coming change.

Nokia had 52% of phone sales in 2006, but 6% in 2012. Kodak didn’t see or adapt to change and are no longer a significant player in the photography industry.

Barry told four (4) stories.

Desire: Deregulation in the dairy industry. Barry took on the Chair role at Bega when all pundits were predicting that Bega would fail. What were Bega’s competitive advantages, they had none except a desire to succeed. Farmers weren’t appreciated. Barry shared his dreams and problems with his competitors. This resulted in conversations that resulted in his competitors being his customers.

Give: Modern leadership is about teaching people to give. The best thing about my job must be the people I work with. Each person must understand the value of their workplace to the community. Giving makes you feel good.

Fragile: We shouldn’t be dominated by risk, it should be part of our nature. Our fragility is important. Share your fears and dreams.

Search: We have to always search. Smell the air, smell the change.

Guest Panel of Mayors and Deputy Mayors. Eurobadalla Deputy Mayor, Cr Rob Pollock; Kiama Municipal Council Mayor, Cr Brian Petschler; and Botany Bay Deputy Mayor, Stan Kondilios.

Leading through Uncertainty

A series of questions from the floor

Development Session – Antony Maxwell ASAM

Antony spoke about the Colloquium development strategy.

We undertook a development session and worked through a workbook. Three (3) questions were asked.

A colour? Blue and red most popular

A vegetable? Carrot mostly

A tool? Hammer dominated

Q. Thinking of worst meeting, what behaviours were experienced?

A. Bullying, sarcasm, pettiness, domination, dictatorial, belligerence. Red space words are generally: Defend, quit, blame, deny, victim, justify. These are below the line behaviours.

Q. Thinking of the best meeting, what behaviours were experienced?

A. Cooperation, sincerity, respect, understanding, humour, supportive, collaboration, participation, personal responsibilities. These are all above the line behaviours.

We have a choice, we can act above the line or below.

The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.

Diversity behaviour styles

1. People are different

2. People are more predictable then we think

3. We can’t know what another person is thinking or feeling

4. This is about behaviour, patterns and habits

5. Introduction to workplace behaviour

Guest Speaker: Dr Matthew Nott, Clean Energy for Eternity

It is an exciting time globally for clean energy.

Climate change presents an enormous opportunity, not just threats.

Imagine solar farm at the Tathra sewer works. $100,000 project results in a working solar sculpture that provides some of the energy required by the sewer plant.

Day Two – Friday, 4 December 2015

Keynote speaker: Alan Stokes

Providing Leadership and Driving Change

Australia is currently looking for leadership not politics. The issue of climate change and coastal inundation requires leadership. We have no common agreement on how we manage our coastal strip going forward. The world in the future will be significantly different than what we have experienced. History tells us the sea level has been both much higher and much lower than it now is. We need a common governance agreement to handle climate change.

As an example let’s look at what the coast means to Australia. The coast is home to all our capital cities, it is our national play-ground and our major living zone. It is Australia’s major international and domestic tourism generator. 70% of tourism is centre on the coast.

Who is going to lead the effort to manage and care for our coast line. It is currently being left to Local Government. Local Government has limited financial capacity, but the issue is beyond the capacity of that one sector. A national approach is needed. Very little national assistance is being spent on national assistance to coastal maintenance. Some small steps were taken at Paris with the announcement of coastal mapping project as a first step to the identification of appropriate development locations.

There needs to be an inter-governmental agreement on the roles and responsibilities of each level of government as part of a national coastal policy.

Barriers to effective coast management are:

1. Constitutional

The constitution foresaw many future issues and developments but couldn’t foresee all. For example planning is a state responsibility but coastal erosion is a national issue. The division of state and federal responsibility results in unforeseen barriers.

2. Fiscal

All taxes are consolidated to the federal government. This has established an imbalance of revenue, Commonwealth receives 71%, State receives 15%, and Local Government receives 3.4%. In a recent speech by Joe Hockey this imbalance was recognised and the treasurer stated that each tier of government should receive the share of taxes that matches its roles and responsibility. The Commonwealth has the money, the State Governments have the power and Local Government has the problems.

Who is then going to show leadership? It must be a person or persons who can inspire the nation to change the current barriers to make the changes needed.

Without that individual then Local Government coastal councils will need to come together. This should be a role for the Australian Coastal Councils Association. This association will need to place and keep coastal issues on the national agenda.

The current arrangements, for natural disaster policy and funding, are an ongoing issue that needs to be a priority. The Commonwealth currently funds 75% of recovery but the productivity commission has recommended this reduce to 50%. Mitigation funding is recommended to increase, as a percentage of the spend, and the recommendation is a 50:50 split.

The trigger point for damage is recommended to rise to two million dollars ($2m) below which the event will be regarded as just a weather event. How does Local Government get a better deal? A coordinated national approach must occur through an intergovernmental agreement. The nation as a whole must contribute.

Guest Panel of General Managers. Queanbeyan, Wollongong and Eurobadalla

“How Local Government can be flexible, agile and innovative in times of uncertainty”

Peter Tegart, General Manager Queanbeyan

Always expect the unexpected. Communication is about tactics. Different tools work in different circumstances and situations. Know yourself. You need to take pride. Networking through the whole community is an outstanding virtue. Resilience is vital.

Top two (2) tips: Pride, risk appetite

Catherine Dale, General Manager Eurobadalla

Uncertainty – happens every four (4) years at the election and occurs every time a General Manager is appointed. Overcome uncertainty by communication of expectations in a clear manner. Be consistent. Be committed.

Top two (2) tips: Genuine, Celebrate Success.

David Farmer, General Manager Wollongong

A different tact. Change in Local Government is slow to change. People are adverse to change. We are however good at responding to urgency. Take responses to natural disaster events. People love to be associated with success. Identify and build on success. Never underestimate the power of success.

Top two (2) tips: Distill the complex into simple, maintain confidence.

Guest Speaker: Dr Peter Hendy MP, Assistant Minister for Productivity

Leadership in Productivity – Local Government, SME’s & Community Enterprises

The Prime Minister is a problem solver. Productivity is all about how we get a better outcome from the same resources. Long term productivity gain has been 0.8% per annum but is currently half of that.

Current productivity initiatives include free trade agreements, ensuring appropriate financial services, governance, tax reform, innovation, and science agenda statement.

Development Session: Antony Maxwell ASAM. Leading with Presence

Vertical levels of Development:

The mid-point is level five (5), this is the norm, we dip slightly below and slightly above but return to five (5), ‘auto pilot’ level.

As we rise above the line, level four (4) is self-awareness, level three (3) is a real presence, level two (2) is wisdom, level one (1) is pure essence. Levels four (4) and three (3) are well achievable and most of us have been to level three (3).

Below the line we move to level six (6) – overcompensation, then level seven (7) is survival, level eight (8) is delusion and level nine (9) is pathological.

Keynote speaker: Sallyanne Atkinson, former Lord Mayor, Brisbane City Council

Local Government is a great connection and stays with you.

The local government is the closest level of government to the people but is subject to most uncertainty and change due to its position as the lowest level of government.

Courage, flexibility and adaptability.

Brisbane was formed in 1924 as the amalgamation of 26 councils. It is the largest council in Australia by population and one of the largest in the world. It was both a bottom up and top down amalgamation and occurred just after the Upper House was abolished in Queensland. It was the belief of the Labour Government of the day that they would take control of Brisbane, but that didn’t happen. Originally Brisbane controlled both electricity and water. These were both taken away (pinched).

For Sallyanne making change was, to some extent, easy as change was expected, she was a women and she was young. The recent round of Queensland amalgamations has not been smooth. Amalgamations are a good thing if done properly. Auckland hasn’t worked well because of the existence of a lower level of community boards. Some amalgamations were successful, and some were not. Four (4) councils have asked to be de-amalgamated.

Leadership is not management. They can be combined but management should be celebrated in its own right. Leadership is important in times of change. Leaders need to exhibit courage and risk.

Leadership styles often need to change with different positions eg: Campbell Newman was successful as Lord Mayor of Brisbane, but not as Premier. He didn’t transition from the single decision maker to the party room collaborative style.

Closing comments were delivered by Antony Maxwell ASAM

Budget

N/A

Policy

N/A

Impact on Public Utilities

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

1. We are an engaged and involved community

1.2 We have opportunities and places for connection

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	N/A	N/A
Environmental	N/A	N/A
Economic	N/A	N/A
Governance	N/A	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

No specific issues identified.

Internal / External Consultation

N/A

	Positive	Negative
Social	N/A	N/A
Environmental	N/A	N/A
Economic	N/A	N/A
Governance	N/A	N/A

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. CR-3

CR-3 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO REVENUE AND PRICING POLICY 2016/2017 AND POL 041 ACTIVITIES ON FOOTPATH POLICY

Author: Councillor Paul Funnell

Recommendation

That Council include formal consideration of the following proposed amendments to the “Revenue and Pricing Policy 2016/2017” and ‘’Activities on Footpath Policy (POL 041)’’ prior to placing these documents on public exhibition and inviting public comment as part of and along with the 2016/17 Draft Operational Plan:

a Amend – Revenue and Pricing Policy 2016/2017

Section-Planning and Regulatory Services: Ranger Services

i) Item 143 - Street Furniture CBD Fee - per chair - No Charge

ii) Item 144 - Street Furniture Application Fee – CBD - $99.00 inc GST

iii) Item 145 - Street Furniture - Outside CBD Application Fee - $49.50 inc GST

iv) Item 146 - Street Furniture - Outside CBD per chair - No Charge

v) No Charges to be applied to “A’’ Frames when associated/included with street furniture applications

b Amend – Activities on Footpath Policy POL 041

Part 2: Alfresco Dining (refer attachment 4)

i) Section 2.3; Increase agreement to 5 years

Make agreements transferrable

ii) Section 2.14; Remove 10% advertising limit

iii) Section 2.15; Remove 10% advertising limit

Part 3: Display of Advertising Billboards (refer attachment 4)

iv) Make it permissible to incorporate “A’’ frames to be included in Street Furniture application. i.e. a single combined application subject to street furniture application fees and charges only

c Part 6: Add new paragraph – 6.3 Application for Variation to Policy Conditions:

Application for a variation to policy conditions may be applied for. These applications would be assessed on merit and an individual basis, and is subject to extenuating circumstances.

d These amendments would take effect for existing agreements as they fall due. Amendments will be effective from 1 July 2016 for new applications. These changes will not be retrospective

Executive Summary

The report demonstrates that with the adoption of the above recommendation as put to council, whilst there will be a tangible reduction in direct revenue, this will be clearly offset through less administrative and compliance cost burdens for council. It will then enable the redirection of resources into other areas.

These changes will reduce financial burden on a segment of businesses within our community and improve the potential for an increase in business opportunities. This will potentially increase the drive for an expanded cosmopolitan atmosphere throughout the LGA encouraging tourism and an increase in general economic activity in our region.

The changes in no way alter the responsibilities and liabilities of businesses engaging in activities that are subject to Council policies.

The changes are in keeping with the ‘policy objectives’.

These changes will send a clear message that Council is listening to its constituents and effecting change where possible whist remaining financially responsible.

The key to organisational health is the willingness to examine the changing environment and to adopt new goals and behaviours.

Report

The majority of this report and recommendation is to deal with street furniture and associated charges.

1.1 Policy Objectives

The objectives of the policy include:

· To manage the use of the road reserve more commonly known as the footpath to enhance the amenity of al fresco dining and other activities within the commercial/urban environment

· To manage the display of goods for street sale/vending associated with commercial premises on the footpath area to ensure they are in good taste, attractive and equitable

· To manage the location, use and style of A-frame signage and sandwich boards for advertising whilst minimising the risk to members of the public

· To create a vibrant and attractive streetscape that will enhance and promote the City of Wagga Wagga

· Maintain a safe environment for all users whilst preventing obstructions to pedestrians and distractions to drivers of motor vehicles

· Ensure consistency with the placement of furniture and other goods to assist with the unobstructed movement of disabled or sight impaired persons

Current Fees and Charges

The current fees charged for the relevant sections that are being sought to be amended are as follows:

Item 143 - Street Furniture CBD Fee per chair - $54.40 inc GST

Item 144 - Street Furniture Application Fee CBD - $470.00 inc GST

Item 145 - Street Furniture- Outside CBD Application Fee - $152.20 inc GST

Item 146 - Street Furniture- Outside CBD per Chair - $30.90 inc GST

Note: Refer to attachment 5 in relation to determination of CBD boundaries.

· Display of Goods – Application - $151.80

· Display of Goods Lease Fee (per square metre) - $46.80

· Amendment to Street Activity Approval – $72.10

· Business Promotion/display on footpath - $88.50

· The expected 2015/2016 revenue for Licence Fees – Street Furniture is $39,801.00

· The expected 2015/2016 revenue for Licence Fees – Display Goods is $20,796.00

These figures were provided by the Director of Planning and Regulatory Services on 7/08/2015 and were simultaneously circulated to the General Manager, Manager of Compliance and Regulatory Services and to date there has been no refuting of the supplied figures, I therefore deem that they be accurate.

Administration costs are more difficult to determine. What has been provided by the director is the following estimates. ‘New applications take approximately one hour to process. We receive approximately 100 applications per year, so at say $30.00 per hour, and even with an average of 2 hours processing time, the cost is approximately $6000.00. This typically involves the staff to investigate the request, ascertain if it is appropriate and then draft an agreement and have the agreement signed.’

Therefore, if we reduce our fees and charges as recommended, assuming the given figure of approximately 100 applications annually and if the vast majority were in the CBD, we would still realise an income estimated at between $6000.00 and $8000.00. Thereby being in line with other ‘user pay’ philosophies that we adopt. We would still recover our administrative processing and filing costs as quoted by the estimates supplied by the director being $6000.00. It is not in the Council charter to make profits from providing legislative requirements as necessitated, it is of course preferable to recover costs where possible.

Council does choose to conduct random checks and measures in relation to street furniture placement and compliance, which incur further costs to administer. These costs for on-site inspections and evaluations, would be very difficult to determine as there does not appear to be a register of what time, vehicle costs, travel times and so forth are committed to this activity. Compliance with policies can be difficult to police due to the nature of peoples actions and behaviours whilst using al fresco dining. Experience and research shows that, if there is a customer induced variation to the submitted plan, it is the practice of the industry to rectify this when patrons leave or encourage patrons to stay within the bounds of the requirements. This is why it would be preferable to conduct monitoring and inspections on a complaints basis. Observations can always be conducted in many ways by compliance officers when just going about their ordinary duties regardless. This can then be looked upon as a co-operative approach rather than one of enforcement, just because we can.

The current fees and charges as presented and reported by our own department, show that in real terms, Council is not really achieving any financial benefit, in fact, they could potentially be incurring a burden due to the minimal revenue generated whilst stretching internal resources. This is in no way a reason to lift fees and charges. I do not believe in using policies based around legislative requirements as a reason to create alternative revenue streams just to prop up the bottom line, or create jobs to justify a position. At the same time, the majority of the work load is conducted by the small business owners that have to submit a large amount of accurate detail in their applications. That said, there is no proposal to change the application documents in any way, it just points out that there is an unseen burden and unrealised further cost to the business. As our own Director has stated, we conduct desk top assessments in 1-2 hours. All liabilities still remain with the business owner.

There is some debate in relation to the financial element of ‘giving a business something for nothing’. This is refuted on the grounds that, the actual rateable value for business is far greater when compared to other sectors of the community. (Refer to attachment 1 Rates and charges table) The Ad Valorem comparison shows that business rates for City and Suburbs pays 1.72 times and business rates Villages and Rural 1.26 times that of residential premises respectively. These costs are passed onto the businesses via their rent in the event that the business operator is not the freehold owner, so the business is already contributing a greater share of rates to the community. What must also be added to these figures are the sewer charges that are levied at a rate of $2.00 per Kl. (refer to attachment 2 Rates and Charges-Sewer table, line 3) This is on top of access charges and all other standard fees and charges. What these additional fees and charges demonstrate is that the relevant businesses contribute a greater amount to the revenue to the community through business activity when compared with residential. Whilst some businesses place larger demand onto infrastructure, for example the sewer system, via increased public facilities, this is recovered in the user pay fees. What the current fee structure above demonstrates, is that business is already contributing its fair share to the WWCC budget. It can also be argued that if we provide relief to ‘Al Fresco’ dining, they can potentially increase business, therefore, drive higher use of facilities which generates greater revenue via our user pay sewer rates and charges. So by reducing charges in one area, there is increased revenue in another due to an increase in economic activity. Less costs, more sales, more employment, more disposable income, potentially more building activity as individual incomes improve, therefore leading to more revenue for council via rates and so goes round the economic model. Everyone wins.

This report would also suggest that we should look at our policy objectives statement and look at expanding the document to include some suggested wording: To create a family friendly atmosphere within the business precinct of the city and an easy dining out opportunity which lends itself to a cosmopolitan environment.

Conclusion

As stated in the executive summary, none of the proposed changes to the Activities on Footpath Policy POL 041 or Annual Revenue and Pricing Policy remove/change or reduce the liabilities on business owners, it simply gives a segment of our community reprieve where it is being sought, and also sends the clear message that Wagga Wagga is open for business

Budget

N/A

Policy

POL 041 Activities on Footpath Policy.

Impact on Public Utilities

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

1. We are an engaged and involved community

1.1 We are a community that is informed and involved in decisions impacting us

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	N/A	N/A
Environmental	N/A	N/A
Economic	N/A	N/A
Governance	N/A	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

No specific issues idnetified.

Internal / External Consultation

N/A

Attachments

1 ⇩.	Rates and Charges Policy - page 3
2 ⇩.	Policy Sub-section Wate Management Charges Sewer Charges - page 72
3 ⇩.	POL 041 Activities on Footpath Policy - Page 1 and Sections 2 and 3
4 ⇩.	Map of the City of Wagga Wagga - blue section defines CBD area

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. RP-1

Reports from Staff

RP-1 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING - WAGGA LAKE RUN AND RIDE

Author: Creighton, Ben

Director: Summerhayes, Janice

Recommendation

That Council:

a enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Wagga Lake Run and Ride Incorporated to provide ongoing support of their event

b allocate a $2,000 annual funding contribution to Wagga Lake Run and Ride for a period of five (5) years beginning in 2016/17

c note and approve the budget variation/s as detailed in the budget section of the report

d authorise execution of all necessary documents under Council’s common seal as necessary

Report

The Wagga Lake Run and Ride is one of the City’s largest annual participation events and one of the largest free fun run and family cycle events in Australia. The event started in 1972 and promotes a healthy active lifestyle for families.

The event attracts a large number of participants with over 2,000 registered participants each year and many thousands of spectators along the course. Over 80 volunteers assist on the day and local businesses donate their services for the event.

The event is held on the second Sunday in September with the start and finish location being Apex Park, Lake Albert. The finish area also hosts a Sports, Fitness and Health Expo where cycling, running, fitness and related groups have the opportunity to showcase their services.

Council has historically supported the event through:

· developing the traffic control management plan and associated requirements in consultation with the organising committee

· providing the traffic control barriers and associated requirements erected on the day of the event

· assistance with promotion of the event regionally through Council’s event networks

· contributing $2,000 exclusive of GST funded from the Recreation Programs budget line to assist with event costs

· assistance in setting up in the week leading up to the event

· the provision of a utility on the weekend of the event to assist with the setup (when a Council staff member has volunteered to drive the vehicle)

The Wagga Lake Run and Ride Committee are now requesting that this support be formalised via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a period of five (5) years (Attachment 1).

In return for the ongoing support the Wagga Lake Run and Ride Committee are offering the following benefits:

· Recognition of Council as a major sponsor and co-host of the event

· Inclusion of Council’s logo on the fun run website and any promotional material on which logos are included that are in addition to the named sponsor

· Named sponsorship of one (1) of the age category medal winners

· Verbal recognition during the event

· Booking and payment for the hire of Apex Park, road entrance signs and the main street banner

Recommendation:

The Wagga Lake Run and Ride event is a high participation free event that generates significant interest from all sections of the community. It is recommended that Council enter into a Memorandum of Understanding providing for the ongoing support of the event.

Budget

Proposed Budget Variation – Long Term Financial Plan
Description	16/17	17/18	18/19	19/20	20/21
Recreation Programing	$2,000	$2,000	$2,000	$2,000	$2,000
Lake Run and Ride	($2,000)	($2,000)	($2,000)	($2,000)	($2,000)
TOTAL BUDGET VARIATION	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Budget Summary

It is proposed to contribute $2,000 per year for the next five (5) years to the Lake Ride and Ride event from the Recreation Programing budget line item.

The Recreation Programming budget line item has an identified budget of $22,973 for the 2016/17 financial year.

Policy

N/A

Impact on Public Utilities

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

2. We are a safe and healthy community

2.2 We have an active and healthy community

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	Meeting community wellbeing outcomes as per Council’s strategic plans, particularly the Recreation and Open Space, Social and Cultural Plans.	N/A
Environmental	N/A	N/A
Economic	Increased visitation to the City as a result of events.	N/A
Governance	N/A	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

The risks associated with the identified elements of the proposed events are related to process, cost and Work Health and Safety. These risks will be addressed as a part of Council’s event management systems.

Internal / External Consultation

Internal Consultation has been undertaken with Council’s event division.

External Consultation has been undertaken with the Lake Run and Ride committee.

Attachments

1 ⇩.

Proposed MOU from Lake Run and Ride

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. RP-2

RP-2 PLAYGROUND STRATEGY 2016-2036

Author: Creighton, Ben

Director: Summerhayes, Janice

Recommendation

That Council:

a receive and note the report

b note the three (3) submissions received during the public exhibition period

c adopt the Playground Strategy 2016-2036 without any changes

d note and approve the budget variation/s as detailed in the budget section of the report

Report

Council at its December 2015 meeting resolved:

That Council:

a receive and note the draft Playground Strategy

b endorse the draft Playground Strategy being placed on public exhibition for a period of 42 days and invite public submissions on the draft policy

c receive a further report following the public exhibition period:

i addressing any submissions made in respect of the proposed policy

ii proposing adoption of the policy unless there are any recommended amendments deemed to be substantial and requiring a further public exhibition period

d note the budget variation/s as detailed in the budget section of the report

This report is in response to item ‘c’ of this resolution.

The Playground Strategy 2016-2036 (Attachment 1) forms part of Council’s approach to asset management and has been developed following significant internal and community consultation. The actions that are required to be implemented to achieve the aims of the Strategy include:

Recommendation 1:

Increase the number of regional playgrounds from two (2) (Apex Park and Botanics) to four (4) inclusive of a new Wagga Beach playground and the replacement Bolton Park playground which will be relocated adjacent to the skate park.

Recommendation 2:

Provide a suburban playground in most large residential suburbs that are not near a regional playground. These suburbs are Ashmont (Webb Park), Forest Hill (Oval), Glenfield (South City Shopping centre), Kooringal (Henwood Park), Tolland (Chambers Park), and Turvey Park (Kidsville Botanics).

Recommendation 3:

Categorise local playgrounds in Local Major and Local Minor. Where appropriate plan for local minors to be refurbished after 20 years and then renewed after a further 10 years; plan for all the other playgrounds to be renewed after 20 years. Final determination on the timing of playground renewals will be based on the asset condition ratings.

Recommendation 4:

Increase the existing playground capital renewal budget from $168,826 (2015/2016) to $229,100, an increase of $60,274. These funds are to be placed in a playground reserve to allow appropriate budgets for playground renewals as required by asset condition and age.

Recommendation 5:

Increase the annual playground maintenance budget from $50,750 to $91,335, an increase of $40,585. This will ensure compliance with the current Australian maintenance standards. This budget should continue to be increased annually in line with CPI.

Recommendation 6:

That Council continue to explore partnership opportunities in order to maximise the community benefits of the playground network.

Recommendation 7:

Increase the annual playground maintenance budget by $800 (Local Minor or Major); $2,500 (Suburban); or $5,000 (Regional) each time a new playground is added to the network

Recommendation 8:

That when a new playground is built, Council increase the playground annual capital reserve to cover the cost of the future renewal. The annual increase shall be calculated based on the capital cost of the new playground divided by 20 years (average useful life).

Recommendation 9:

That Council when preparing, assessing or amending Development Control Plans (DCPs) or residential master plans require the developer to provide a Parks and Open Space Strategy for the development. This will demonstrate the application of the principles and guidelines identified in:

a) Section 3 of this Playground Strategy and,

b) NSW Government Premier’s Council for Active Living NSW Guideline - Development & Active Living: Designing projects for active living (2010)

Recommendation 10:

That universal design principles be considered for all new playground developments.

Recommendation 11:

That Council require the installation of parks and playgrounds at an early stage of all residential developments.

The draft Playground Strategy was placed on Public Exhibition for a period of 42 days closing 26 January 2016. During this period the draft strategy was promoted via:

· Social Media

· Council Public Exhibition website

· Council Your Say website

· Council News

· Media Interviews with staff

Three (3) submissions were received during the public exhibition period. (Attachment 2)

The first submission received from Cindy James on behalf of the Wagga Wagga Uniting Church stated:

Firstly, well done on such a thorough document. Very interesting to see the demographic information by suburb in particular. The other info was interesting too.

Secondly, what happens to the old playgrounds? I know some are past their use by date so can’t be recycled/refurbished. But are all of them? I was wondering if an organisation such as ours – Uniting Church – could put an expression of interest in for one that might still have some life in it.

This request was considered by staff and will not be able to be met as playgrounds will only be removed when they are no longer of a standard that is fit for purpose. In addition if a playground is scheduled for renewal, any remaining parts that are serviceable will be retained as spares parts for the remainder of the playground network.

The second submission received from Janice Lowing stated:

First, allow me to congratulate the Council on the marvellous playground equipment currently in and around Wagga Wagga - they truly are wonderful and my grandchildren often make use of many of the playgrounds.

I notice that point 1.2 of the scope is to allow for shade clothes to cover the equipment. I wish to note that this is an excellent idea - although I believe solid covering would be more beneficial; only because I feel that the shade clothes will not last as long and in the long run it will be just as costly as solid covering.

Having said that, even if shade clothes are chosen it will serve two purposes - one: to protect the equipment from weather damage; and two: will allow children to play on the equipment for longer periods during the year. For instance, there are some days where the swings and slippery dips are just two hot on children's legs so they cannot use them. Solid coverings would offer better protection from weather and will also allow children to play on the equipment in all weather.

Nonetheless, the playgrounds are a credit to the Council.

The provision of shade and sun protection is covered in section 3.12 of the playground strategy. This section states:

“Provision should be made in all playgrounds for at least partial sun protection for both users of the play equipment and caregivers. This may be achieved in a number of ways. It is not considered appropriate to shade entire areas as the users will require sunlight in the cooler months.”

“The provision of artificial shade should only be considered in areas where the planting of mature trees is not possible and where there is good passive surveillance and/or adequate supervision as they are prone to misuse and vandalism.”

When considering built structures for play spaces the available budget for the whole of life maintenance costs must also be reviewed to ensure the asset can be maintained to meet community expectations.

The third submission received from Jane Crichton on behalf of the Belling Park Community Group Inc stated:

The existing children’s playground was acquired by the now defunct Ashmont Preschool. This playground was installed at Ashmont Preschool in 1998 and relocated to Belling Park in 2007. Further to this over the past 9 years we have purchased and installed a swing in 2008 utilising funds donated by Wagga Apex and Wagga Sunrise Rotary, and 2009 saw the purchase of a slide with funds raised by the group and a donation from South Wagga Rotary.

The existing playground is now 18 years old, tired and out-dated. As a consequence we are submitting a request to Wagga City Council to account for an upgrade / replacement of this facility in line with your Playground Strategy.

Given the current age and asset condition of the playground it is expected that the Belling Park will require replacement in accordance with the renewal schedule in 2019/20.

Recommendation:

The Playground Strategy 2016-2036 forms part of Council’s approach to asset management and has been developed following significant internal and community consultation. The three (3) submissions received do not require any changes to the draft strategy. It is recommended that Council adopt the draft strategy without any changes.

Budget

Proposed Budget Variation – Long Term Financial Plan
Description	16/17	17/18	18/19	19/20	20/21	21/22	22/23	23/24	24/25	25/26
Playground Renewal	60000	61800	63654	65564	67531	69557	71644	73793	76007	78287
Playground Maintenance	40000	41200	42436	43709	45020	46371	47762	49195	50671	52191
Asset Maintenance & Renewal Budget	(100000)	(103000)	(106090)	(109273)	(112551)	(115928)	(119406)	(122988)	(126678)	(130478)
TOTAL BUDGET VARIATION	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Budget Summary

As per the previous report presented to Council at the 7 December 2015 Policy and Strategy Meeting, a recent review of the annual budget increases related to the various asset classes indicated a disproportionate allocation of funds towards the Civil Infrastructure area. To ensure a more consistent, equitable approach for the allocation of funding for renewing items across Council’s asset classes, Council adopted a readjustment of the annual budget increase for the Civil Infrastructure area to provide an additional $100K to the Parks and Recreation area for the implementation of the Playground Strategy recommendations.

Policy

Recreation and Open Space Strategy 2005-2015.

Impact on Public Utilities

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

2. We are a safe and healthy community

2.2 We have an active and healthy community

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	Meeting community wellbeing outcomes as per Council’s strategic plans, particularly the Recreation and Open Space, Social and Cultural Plans.	N/A
Environmental	Meeting Environmental outcomes as per Council’s open space plans of management.	N/A
Economic	Improved liveability of the city through the creation of recreation.	N/A
Governance	Increased transparency is the management of Council’s playground assets.	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

The risks associated with implementing this strategy relate to process, cost, environmental, WHS and contractor performance. These risks are addressed as part of the Council’s project management and contractor performance management systems.

Internal / External Consultation

· Playground user and neighbourhood interviews

· Feedback from Council’s People Panel

· Two (2) Councillor Workshops

Internal consultation was undertaken with Council’s Finance, Parks Operations, Strategic Planning, Development Services and Community Services divisions.

Attachments

1 ⇩.	Playground Strategy 2016 - 2036 - Provided under separate cover
2 ⇩.	Playground Strategy Submissions

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. RP-3

RP-3 REPORT ON ITEMS FROM THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 12 NOVEMBER 2015

Author: Fenwick, Alex

General Manager: Eldridge, Alan

Recommendation

That Council:

a receive and note the contents of the report

b approve the proposed funding source as detailed in the budget section of the report

Report

Council, at the 14 December 2015 Ordinary Council meeting, adopted the following resolution:

That Council:

a receive and note the minutes of the Traffic Committee Meeting held on 12 November 2015

b perform a risk assessment on all items in the minutes

c assess a costing for each item in the minutes

d investigate internal or external funding options in regards to each item

e report back to Council with an updated risk assessment and prioritised unfunded Traffic committee items

In response to items “b” to “e”, the following advice is provided.

Traffic Committee met on 12 November 2015. There were 13 items on the agenda for consideration. The table below is a summary of items that were considered and provides details of potential funding sources for unfunded items.

A risk assessment for each item has been carried out in compliance with the principles that are expressed in AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 which is the relevant Australian Standard for the assessment of risk.

In addition the following publications HB 205:2004 OHS Risk Management Handbook and HB 436:2004 Risk Management Guidelines, both produced by Standards Australia, provided further advice in respect of identification and management of risk.

No.	ITEM	RISK	Est. $	FUNDING SOURCE
RP1	Gurwood Street – Changes to parking at front of Commercial Club	Low	300	Lines & Signs budget
RP2	Pearson Street – Bus Zone near Dobney Avenue intersection	Low	250	Lines & Signs budget
RP3	Gelston Park Road – Centre line marking and warning signs	High	2,500	Lines & Signs budget
RP4	Melaleuca Drive and Hazelwood Drive – Intersection treatment	High	2,500	Unfunded
RP5	Docker Street – move Bus Zone near hospital	Low	0	Developer to fund
RP6	Ladysmith Duathlon	--	0	Organiser
RP7	Remembrance Day event	Low	1,800	Event budget
RP8	Apex Park – Revised traffic controls	Low	0	Project budget
RP9	Sturt Highway Forest Hill – No Stopping zone near Public School	High	350	Lines & Signs budget
Rp10	Tolland Cycling club – Weekly races 2015-16	--	0	Organiser
RP11	Church Street – Timed parking adjacent to Watermark	Low	0	Not required
RP12	Coleman Street – Move School Bus Zone	Low	150	Lines & Signs budget
RP13	Plunkett Drive – Proposed changes around schools – signs	High	1,000	Lines & Signs budget
RP13	Plunkett Drive – Proposed changes around schools – kerb changes	Low	82,000	Unfunded

Of the 13 items, there are two (2) items that have no immediate source of funding, these being:

1 RP4 - Melaleuca Drive and Hazelwood Drive – Intersection treatment

2 RP13 - Plunkett Drive – Proposed changes around schools – kerb changes

The estimated cost of implementing the recommendation from RP4 is $2,500. This item will be added to the list of unfunded items that have arisen from Traffic Committee, for installation when funding is available. While the overall risk rating is ‘high’ due to the possible injury impact, the estimate of frequency for an incident to occur is ‘unlikely’.

The matter of RP13 – Plunkett Drive, was separated into two (2) categories. The issues that relate to the installation of parking restrictions and traffic signs will be managed from the ‘Lines & Signs’ budget.

The estimated cost of changes to the kerb line is significant and there is no identified source of funding for this project. The aim of the project is to improve the flow of traffic, thereby increasing amenity in the area. The risk rating, based on the likelihood of injury to a person or damage to property, is ‘low’. A risk rating in that category is unlikely to result in a high position on the list of unfunded Traffic Committee agenda items.

Budget

The traffic committee items detailed above ($4,550) are proposed to be funded within the existing Lines & Signs maintenance budget.

The unfunded items listed above will be addressed based on risk and priority when funding sources become available.

Total Budget Funding Sources	Existing Budget ($)	Proposed Budget Variation ($)	TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET ($)
Lines & Signs Maintenance	51,160	0	51,160
TOTAL BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR PROJECT	51,160	0	51,160

Policy

N/A

Impact on Public Utilities

To be addressed on a project by project basis.

Link to Strategic Plan

2. We are a safe and healthy community

2.1 We live in a safe community

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	Continued improvement to the community’s ability to travel across the Local Government Area in safety.	N/A
Environmental	N/A	N/A
Economic	Improved management of public spending on transport management.	N/A
Governance	Responsible consultation and management of the Local Traffic Committee by Council.	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

Council is exposed if risks are identified and Council fails to take action to mitigate the risks as far as is reasonably practicable. For this reason it is recommended that the actions identified in the report relating to items with extreme and high risk ratings be undertaken.

There is a risk associated with accelerated asset degradation if maintenance budgets are reallocated effectively reducing the amount of maintenance that may be undertaken. This has the potential to expose Council to other risks.

Internal / External Consultation

Traffic Committee representation ensures consultation with respect to traffic management initiatives considered by the Committee.

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. RP-4

RP-4 PETITION LINDSAY STREET

Author: Rankin, Liz

General Manager: Eldridge, Alan

Recommendation

That Council staff arrange to meet the petitioners to discuss preparing a Character Statement for the Lindsay Street area and the potential for an amendment to the Development Control Plan.

Report

A petition regarding the future preservation of Lindsay Street Turvey Park was received and tabled at the 9 November 2015 Policy and Strategy Committee Meeting for further consideration by Council. The petition contains the signatures of 43 local residents, requesting a change in the zoning of the area and the beautification of the median strip.

When the Turvey Park subdivision was released in the 1920’s several streets boasted a tree lined central median strip. Over time these have been removed and Lindsay Street is the only one still remaining today. The strip contributes greatly to the amenity of the street and the character of the neighbourhood.

Considerations

Neighbourhood Character

The petition in relation to the Lindsay Street median strip raises the broader question around the role of neighbourhood character, streetscape and amenity and the role this plays in the perception and liveability of the city.

In researching the response to this petition, staff from the strategic planning unit found little by way of a strategic consideration of these matters in any planning documents of Council.

Neighbourhood character relates to the “look” and “feel” of a place and is shaped by the combination of the public and private realms. Every property, public place or piece of infrastructure makes a contribution, whether great or small. It is the cumulative impact of all these contributions that establishes neighbourhood character.

It is the combined effect of neighbourhoods that give a city an overarching character.

Neighbourhood character does not necessarily refer to attractiveness nor is it heritage. Many council’s prepare neighbourhood character studies or similar to help establish a hierarchy of preferred change for growth. That is, areas where it is appropriate to have substantial change, natural change or minimal change. In doing this, councils establish preferred design objectives and responses to ensure that desired housing outcomes are achieved.

Neighbourhood character studies are usually undertaken as part of residential strategies or housing strategies as the information from such a study helps inform where change can occur to meet a city’s future housing needs.

The Lindsay Street petitioners are “asking that the Development Control Plan (DCP) be amended to include guidelines for residential development that require the unique character of Lindsay Street to be considered and accommodated”.

This is the type of controls that would emerge from a city wide neighbourhood character study.

A city wide neighbourhood character strategy will be useful in identifying character types and precincts. This information could then be used to inform preferred character objectives and design guidelines for the city.

This however is a large project and further thought and planning needs to be given by the strategic planning unit as to how and when such a project could be resourced and delivered for the city. It is important that thought is given to this now it has been raised as looking at these matters in an ad-hoc street by street basis is not efficient.

In the interim and in relation to Lindsay Street, an amendment to the Wagga Wagga DCP may be considered. Prior to considering an amendment a Character Statement will need to be prepared for the area. The Statement would identify important characteristics of the area, community values, key issues, precinct boundaries and potential design guidelines for public and private land. Fundamental to this process is input from the local community. Further information will need to be obtained from the petitioners to establish if they are prepared to support this process.

This process could be used to develop a methodology and help inform a broader city wide neighbourhood character study. This work could feed into the residential strategy work and inform the review of the DCP to be undertaken in the coming years.

Rezoning

The petitioners are “seeking to have the Lindsay Street median strip recognised as being of unique character and further asking that the area be given protections under Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP) through an RE1 Public Recreation zoning to the land”.

Applying a RE1 Public Recreation zone is difficult to justify as the objectives of a RE1 Public Recreation zone are:

· To enable land to be used for public open space or recreational purposes

· To provide a range of recreational settings and activities and compatible land uses

· To protect and enhance the natural environment for recreation purposes

· To protect and enhance the natural environment generally and to assist in ensuring that areas of high ecological, scientific, cultural or aesthetic values are maintained or improved.

In addition, rezoning the median strip to RE1 Public Recreation would not be practical. The land is in the middle of two (2) sections of one (1) way road carriageway, there is already considerable vehicle access across the median strip in various sections and the only way the rezoning could be supported to make this area safe would be to fence off the outside boundaries of the median strip on all sides and prohibit all vehicle access. There are vehicle parking bays and crossovers already built into this area, and to establish this area as open space, most or all of these crossovers would need to be removed and re-landscaped at a considerable cost to Council.

Merits of Heritage Listing

Council could investigate the merits of listing the tree lined central median strip in Schedule 5 of the Wagga Wagga LEP 2010. The subdivision occurred in 1924 and has merit to be referred to Council’s heritage advisor to assess listing the median in the Heritage Schedule to provide protection. Similar listings in the LEP have been prepared for:

· Fitzmaurice Street – Street Directory & Palm Trees – Road Reserve

· Peter Street – Palm Tree Avenue – Road Reserve

· Bristol Street, Collingullie – Pine Tree & Fence Post

· CSU, Coolamon Road – Olive Trees

· Johnston Street – Canary Island Palm Trees (along the lagoon)

If Council’s Heritage Advisor recommends including the tree lined central median strip in the Schedule, the LEP will need to be amended to provide the necessary protection.

It is however noted, that listing in the Environmental Heritage schedule will require adequate funding and potentially a plan of management to ensure ongoing maintenance of the item once listed. This is not a preferred approach.

The petitioners are further asking Council “to set an annual budget to allow for the protection, renewal and maintenance of the land. In particular regular mowing and weed treatment, a program for the renewal of trees, restrictions on vehicle access for crossing and parking, and the provision of water is needed”.

Regular mowing and the spraying of weeds is already carried out on this area as part of the scheduled parks mowing programs undertaken citywide. This particular area receives an allocation of two (2) hours per visit for the team on approximately a six (6) week cycle.

Replacement of trees also takes place as and when required, either from customer requests or from tree inspections from Parks staff.

However there are differences in the current treatments of each section of road reserve median strip. The eastern end is mown and the western end is sprayed and weeded with little or no grass present. Some residents in the eastern end prefer the grass in the median strip and have undertaken their own tree planting and maintenance of the trees and shrubs.

Some residents in the western end have previously requested assistance from Council with the supply of mulch and plants to have a landscaped area within the median strip with a commitment to water and maintain this area themselves, this assistance has been provided by Parks staff when requested.

Recommendation

As a result of the issues identified above, it is recommended that Council staff arrange a meeting with the petitioners to discuss the preparation of a Character Statement for the Lindsay Road area (or further) and ultimately an amendment to the Wagga Wagga Development Control Plan 2010.

Use this process as a case study to develop a methodology for a city wide neighbourhood character study that will inform a broader review of the Wagga Wagga DCP.

It is noted that 20 of the petitioners live in the wider Turvey Park area and any changes to Lindsay Street would require consultation with all of the Lindsay Street residents.

Budget

The cost to install a 20mm water meter is approximately $1,500 per service (two (2) services may be required for this length of median strip) plus the cost of under-boring the road. There is currently no identified budget allocated for these works.

The request to restrict vehicle access may not be popular with all residents and consultation with all residents would need to be undertaken before this request could be considered. Again there is no identified budget allocated for these works which is anticipated to be costly to Council.

Policy

Wagga Wagga Local Environmental Plan 2010.

Impact on Public Utilities

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

1. We are an engaged and involved community

1.1 We are a community that is informed and involved in decisions impacting us

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	Meeting community wellbeing outcomes as per Council’s strategic plans, particularly the Recreation and Open Space, Social and Cultural Plans.	N/A
Environmental	N/A	N/A
Economic	N/A	N/A
Governance	N/A	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

No specific issues identified.

Internal / External Consultation

Internal consultation has taken place between officers from the Planning and Regulatory Services, Infrastructure Services and Environment and Community Services Directorates.

Attachments

1 ⇩.

Covering letter - Petition - Lindsay Street Wagga Wagga

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. RP-5

RP-5 WATER FOR LAKE ALBERT GROUP REQUEST FOR FUNDING

Author: Gray, Scott

Director: Richardson, Craig

Recommendation

That Council:

a receive and note the request for additional funding from the Water for Lake Albert Group

b endorse a budget variation of $13,923 to be funded from electricity savings that will be reported to Council at the March 2016 Policy & Strategy Meeting

Report

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council held 25 May 2015 it was resolved:

That Council:

a receive and note the request for funding from the Wagga Wagga Boat Club

b endorse a budget variation of $20,000 from the Lake Albert improvements reserve to carry out further investigations into the availability of ground water within close proximity to Lake Albert

c receive a further report on the outcomes of this investigation and the viability of using ground water to supplement Lake Albert water levels

Following this resolution, representatives of the Wagga Boat Club in conjunction with interested community members formed the Water for Lake Albert Group (WLAG) to oversee the investigations into the viability of using ground water to supplement Lake Albert water levels.

In late 2015 the WLAG engaged a driller who has completed initial drilling onsite to a depth of 107 meters. During the drilling process the driller found unexpected site conditions which resulted in the estimated project cost increasing considerably.

The WLAG met with the Mayor and staff to discuss this issue and have now formally requested additional funding of $13,923.50 inclusive of GST from Council in order to allow them to complete the ground water investigation. Further to this amount the group will be raising an additional $28,718.80 in partnership funding from other sources to allow the project to proceed. Representation has been made to Riverina Water County Council seeking additional funding. A report went to the Riverina Water County Council on Wednesday, 24 February recommending a further $10,000 in funding go towards this project.

If funding is made available and the investigation completed it will determine the viability of ground water use and the estimated cost of the infrastructure and water for the supplementation of water levels in Lake Albert.

Budget

Project Name & Component

Existing Budget

Expenditure to Date

Proposed Budget Variation

Effect on LTFP

Ground water investigation at Lake Albert

$20,000

$13,923.50

Nil

TOTALS

$20,000

$13,923.50

Budget Summary

It is proposed to fund the budget variation from electricity savings that will be reported to Council at the March 2016 Policy and Strategy Meeting.

Policy

Lake Albert Management Plan

Impact on Public Utilities

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

1. We are an engaged and involved community

1.1 We are a community that is informed and involved in decisions impacting us

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	Meeting community wellbeing outcomes as per Council’s strategic plans, particularly the Recreation and Open Space, Social and Cultural Plans. Improved liveability of the city through the creation of recreation and sporting opportunities.	N/A
Environmental	Potential stabilisation of Lake Albert water levels and reduction in low water level occurrences.	The potential impact on the aquifer from pumping significant amounts of water for recreation purposes.
Economic	Increased visitation to the City as a result of improved recreation areas.	The potential capital infrastructure cost and ongoing operational costs which are currently unfunded.
Governance	Implementing initiatives in accordance with Council’s Management Plan, legislative requirements, policies and procedures.	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

There have been no specific risks identified at this time.

The risks associated with the implementation of this investigation are related to process, cost, environmental impacts, WHS and contractor performance. These risks would be addressed as part of project management and contractor performance management systems for the project and managed by the Council project officer.

Internal / External Consultation

The Wagga Wagga Boat Club has completed consultations with the NSW Office of Water, drilling operators and water traders.

Internal consultation has taken place with officers from the Infrastructure and Parks Operations Divisions.

Community consultation on Lake Albert projects was undertaken via the Lake Albert Community Forum and the “Your Say” Lake Albert webpage.

Attachments

1 ⇩.

Letter from Water for Lake Albert Group

Report submitted to the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 29 February 2016. RP-6

RP-6 RESTART NSW - REGIONAL TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND - ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDING FOR THE WAGGA WAGGA AIRPORT

Author: Johnson, Grant

Director: Bolton, James

Recommendation

That Council:

a receive and note this report

b accept the NSW State Government offer of $4 million for funding the airport taxiway upgrade project under the Restart NSW Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund

c enter into a Restart NSW Funding Deed

d authorise the affixing of Council’s Common Seal to all relevant documents as required

Report

Council has been advised of its successful application for funding from the Restart NSW Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund: Regional Airports Program towards one (1) of two (2) projects applied for. The fund was established with $95 million to support airport infrastructure projects to help boost local tourism in 30 regional areas of the state (Wagga Wagga being one of the eligible airports). Council applied for funding of two (2) sub-projects:

Part One (1) - Taxiway upgrade

Part Two (2) - Terminal expansion

Part One (1) (taxiway upgrade) has been approved and is the main subject of this report. The funding offered is 100% of the estimated $4 million project cost. There is no co-contribution from Council.

Part Two (2) (terminal expansion) has been assessed and a decision is pending subject to the receipt of additional information. A further report to Council will be provided.

The taxiway project involves the reconstruction and upgrading of the taxiway network running parallel with the main runway. At present only small aircraft (e.g. single engine general aviation private and training aircraft) can utilise the parallel taxiway network. Larger aircraft, notably the Qantaslink Q400 and Rex SAAB 340 regular passenger transport aircraft cannot use the parallel taxiway network. These larger aircraft can only use the single taxiway leading directly to the runway from the terminal apron. This means that these larger aircraft occupy the runway for an extended period whilst they position for take-off or taxi after landing (a manoeuvre known as “back tracking” along the runway). This has implications to the overall airport (runway) capacity and safety.

The taxiway project will upgrade the parallel taxiway and its connections with the runway so that the larger aircraft can taxi on and off the runway immediately before take-off and at the closest point after landing respectively.

The project involves the strengthening and widening of the existing taxiway network except for the single taxiway leading directly to the runway which was upgraded in previous works coinciding with the runway overlay completed in 2010 (refer attached plan).

Execution of the Restart NSW Funding Deed will permit the taxiway upgrade project to commence and progress through two procurement phases. The first phase will procure detailed design services and the second phase construction. It is expected that a tender for the construction phase will be assessed and reported to Council in September or October 2016. Construction may then commence in November or December 2016 such that construction activities impacting with runway use can be programmed to coincide with the lower airport use over the Christmas and January period. The project could be completed by June 2017.

Budget

The funding offered is 100% of the project cost up to a maximum of $4 million. There is no co-contribution required from Council or other sources. Staff time prior to procuring the construction contract will be allocated to the project where allowed for by the NSW Restart Funding Deed and otherwise covered from existing recurrent budget.

Policy

N/A

Impact on Public Utilities

N/A

Link to Strategic Plan

3. We have a growing economy

3.2 Our community grows

QBL Analysis

	Positive	Negative
Social	Improved airport capacity and safety outcomes.	N/A
Environmental	Some reduction in aircraft taxying and fuel burn.	N/A
Economic	No investment required from Council other than staff time in early procurement phases.	N/A
Governance	Procurement processes.	N/A

Risk Management and Work Health and Safety Issues for Council

The project design and construction tender specifications will result in a lump sum contract fitting within the funding offered. Contract and construction risks will be identified prior to entering into a construction contract. Work Health and Safety risks will be considered in the detailed project planning.

Internal / External Consultation

Engagement has occurred with airline and other relevant airport stakeholders in order to reach this point in the project. Further more detailed engagement with relevant stakeholders will occur in accordance with the project plan to be developed following the acceptance of the funding.

Attachments

1 ⇩.

Airport Taxiway Concept Layout