council agenda - kingborough council€¦ · 16 july 2019 . table of contents . item page no. open...

COUNCIL AGENDA

NOTICE is hereby given that an Ordinary meeting of the Kingborough Council will be held in the Civic Centre, Kingston on

Monday, 22 July 2019 at 5.30pm

Cr Richard Atkinson, Cr Amanda Midgley, Cr Paula Wriedt, Deputy Mayor Jo Westwood, Mayor Dean Winter, Cr David Grace, Cr Flora Fox, Cr Sue Bastone, Cr Christian Street

Absent: Cr Steve Wass

PUBLIC AGENDA

This Agenda is provided for the

assistance and information of members

of the public.

QUALIFIED PERSONS In accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government Act 1993, I confirm that the reports contained in Council Meeting Agenda No. 15 to be held on Monday, 22 July 2019 contain advice, information and recommendations given by a person who has the qualifications or experience necessary to give such advice, information or recommendations.

Gary Arnold GENERAL MANAGER 16 July 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS Item Page No.

Open Session

Apologies 1 Confirmation of Minutes 2 Workshops Held Since Last Council Meeting 2 Declarations of Interest 2 Transfer of Agenda Items 2 Questions Without Notice from the Public 3 Questions on Notice from the Public 3 1 Integrity Commission Letter 12/6/2019 - Biodiversity Offset Policy 3 Questions Without Notice from Councillors 4 Questions on Notice from Councillors 4 1 58 Tabors Road 4 2 Nierinna Road Speed Limit 4 3 Aquifer, Adventure Bay 4 4 Alonnah Oval 5 5 Stormwater Diversion 5 6 Stormwater Engineer 6 Officers Reports to Planning Authority 7 Delegated Authority for the Period 26 June 2019 to 9 July 2019 7 Motions of Which Notice has been Given 10 1 Disability Access 10 2 Establishment of a Kingborough Art Prize 11 Petitions Still Being Actioned 11 Petitions Received in the Last Period 11 Kerbside Waste Collection, Hopfields Road 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.) Item Page No.

Open Session

Officers Reports to Council 13 Kingston Park Playground Funding 13 Carols by Candlelight December 2019 19 Bruny Island Waste Charges 22 Council Building Surveying Services 25 Information Reports 30 Mayor’s Communications 31 Local Government Association of Tasmania, 2019 Annual Conference “Finding Your Voice” 33 Environmental Services Quarterly Activities Update 34 Confirmation of Items to be Dealt With in Closed Session 46

Agenda No. 15 Page 1 22 July 2019

AGENDA of an Ordinary Meeting of Council Kingborough Civic Centre, 15 Channel Highway, Kingston

Monday, 22 July 2019 at 5.30pm. AUDIO RECORDING The Chairperson is to direct commencement of the recording. The Chairperson will declare the meeting open (time), welcome all in attendance and read:

“All persons in attendance are advised that it is Council policy to record Council Meetings. The audio recording of this meeting will be made available to the public on Council’s website. In accordance with Council Policy, I now ask staff to confirm that the audio recording has commenced.”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TRADITIONAL OWNERS The Chairperson acknowledges the traditional owners of this land and pays respects to them and their customs, and to their elders, past, present and future. ATTENDEES Councillors: Mayor Councillor D Winter Deputy Mayor Councillor J Westwood Councillor S Bastone Councillor F Fox Councillor D Grace Councillor A Midgley Councillor C Street Councillor S Wass Councillor P Wriedt Staff: APOLOGIES Cr Richard Atkinson


CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES MOVED SECONDED That the Minutes of the open session of Council Meeting No. 14 held on 8 July 2019 be confirmed as a true record.

For Against For Against Cr Bastone Cr Wass Cr Fox Cr Westwood Cr Grace Cr Winter Cr Midgley Cr Wriedt Cr Street

WORKSHOPS HELD SINCE LAST COUNCIL MEETING 15 July - Green Waste DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST In accordance with Regulation 8 of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015 and Council’s adopted Code of Conduct, the Mayor requests Councillors to indicate whether they have, or are likely to have, a pecuniary interest (any pecuniary benefits or pecuniary detriment) or conflict of interest in any item on the Agenda. TRANSFER OF AGENDA ITEMS Are there any items, which the meeting believes, should be transferred from this agenda to the closed agenda or from the closed agenda to the open agenda, in accordance with the procedures allowed under Section 15 of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015. GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC QUESTION TIME At each meeting of Council or a Council Committee there will be an opportunity for question to be asked by any member of the public. A question may either be in writing, or may be verbally asked at the meeting. You are reminded that the forum is designed to accommodate questions only. Neither the questions nor answers will be debated. A period of 15 minutes, if required, will be set aside and the Chairperson will endeavour to deal with as many questions as possible at each meeting. If a response to a question cannot be provided at the meeting a written response will be provided as soon as practicable. If time constraints do not permit all questions to be put, the Council will reply to any question that is put in writing. A Question must not relate to any matter that is listed on the agenda for the meeting.


Questions in Writing – A member of the public may give written notice to the General Manager seven (7) days before a meeting of a question to be put to the meeting. The question will appear in the agenda of the meeting, and a written response will be recorded in the minutes. There is no standard form for such questions, but they should be clearly headed Question(s) on Notice. Questions asked at the Meeting – At the commencement of Question Time the Chairperson will ask members of the public present, if there are any questions, and if so what are those questions? This procedure is to permit the Chairperson to determine an appropriate time limit for Question Time and perhaps limit the opportunity for multiple questions, and to determine whether each question is appropriate. There is to be no discussion, preamble or embellishment of any question at this time. The Chairperson will then determine which of those questions will be accepted and will provide the reason for any refusal; will determine the order of the questions, and may set a time limit for Question Time. The Chairperson may require a question to be put on notice and in writing. A member of the public present may only ask one question at a time. The Chairperson may give preference to questions from other members of the public before permitting second or further questions from a member of the public. The Chairperson may rule that a multi-part question is in fact two or more questions, and deal with them accordingly. The Chairperson may rule a question inappropriate, and thus inadmissible if in his or her opinion it has already been asked, is unclear, irrelevant, offensive or relates to any matter which would normally be considered in Closed Session. Lengthy preambles or introductions are discouraged, and the Chairperson may require that a member of the public immediately put the question. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE FROM THE PUBLIC QUESTIONS ON NOTICE FROM THE PUBLIC

1 Integrity Commission Letter 12/6/2019 - Biodiversity Offset Policy

Mr John McDonald submitted the following question on notice:

I request Council publish its legal advice concerning the Biodiversity Offset Policy (and fund) cited by the Integrity Commission.

Officer’s Response:

Council correspondence to the Integrity Commission dated 16 May 2019 referenced verbal legal advice to Council. In the same letter Council also advised that notwithstanding this, Council has commenced the preparation of a housekeeping amendment to Kingborough Interim Planning Scheme 2015.

Gary Arnold - General Manager


QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE FROM COUNCILLORS QUESTIONS ON NOTICE FROM COUNCILLORS

At the Council meeting on 8 July 2019, Cr Grace asked the following questions without notice to the General Manager, with a response that the questions would be taken on notice:

1 58 Tabors Road

An onsite meeting occurred with two Council staff and they said that they would get back to the ratepayer in a week or two and it’s now nearly a month and he has had no contact from Council staff at all. How long do they have to wait?


Works are planned in the near future for this area, and the ratepayer has recently been contacted again and informed likewise.

David Reeve - Executive Manager Engineering Services

2 Nierinna Road Speed Limit A complaint was issued to the compliance department some weeks ago from a resident asking that Council consider reducing the speed limit on the gravel road from Tabors Road to the end of Nierinna Road. The person has not been contacted by staff.


Council Officers will investigate the issue raised regards a reduction of speed limit on Tabors Road to the end of Nierinna Road, however, it is unclear as to the person who may have made the complaint. At the time of writing this response this information was not available, however if it does becomes available the person will be contacted to discuss further.


Cr Bastone submitted the following questions on notice:

3 Aquifer, Adventure Bay

Is the council aware that TasWater visited Bruny island last week and found nitrogen levels in the aquifer in adventure bay abnormally high. High nitrogen levels are a by-product of human waste and the sewage at the adventure bay bowls club has now been checked and given the all clear. Have the Council’s toilets at the hall been inspected and what was the result? There is a very large number of tourists using these toilets, bus after bus pulls in there every day.



Council has undertaken a monitoring program to evaluate groundwater quality and quantity at Adventure Bay for the past 5 years as part of it’s coastal hazards program. Monitoring of a bore adjacent to the wastewater system that services the hall is part of the program. Some nutrients have been observed in this bore historically with the entire dataset provided to Taswater previously.

Council’s Senior Plumbing inspector met with a TasWater staff member onsite to discuss any concerns they may have.

A review of the cleaning program showed that cleaning products with relatively high ammonia levels were being used by a contractor. It has been requested that these be changed to more septic tank friendly options.

Further monitoring is to be undertaken of groundwater quality by Kingborough and TasWater staff.

Jon Doole - Manager Environmental Services

4 Alonnah Oval

The steps at the oval at Alonnah are still covered with orange warning tape. As those steps were deemed unsafe prior to the Easter wood chopping carnival when can we expect the work on repairing the steps to be completed.


Council Officers are currently finalising quotes for the replacement of the steps and it is envisaged that a new set of steps will be in place within the next 6 weeks. There is currently suitable access to the ground and shed without the steps.


Cr Westwood submitted the following questions on notice:

5 Stormwater Diversion

When does Council expect the Blackmans Bay low flow stormwater diversion into TasWater’s new treatment plant to commence?


Council have put out a brief for the design of low flow stormwater diversions into nearby sewer lines and are currently assessing the submissions. We are seeking for the design to be completed and approved by September and construction complete for the main line at Illawarra by November 2019. If this diversion operates efficiently and to TasWater requirements it is envisaged that the other main stormwater outlets on Blackmans Bay and Kingston Beach will have similar diversions put in place shortly after.



6 Stormwater Engineer

When does Council expect the new stormwater engineer, agreed to as part of Council’s 2019-20 Budget and funded from the stormwater levy, to commence her/his role?


This position will be advertised in the next week or two.


OPEN SESSION ADJOURNS


PLANNING AUTHORITY IN SESSION Planning Authority commenced at OFFICERS REPORTS TO PLANNING AUTHORITY FILE NO 17.170 DATE 9 JULY 2019 OFFICER TASHA TYLER-MOORE – MANAGER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DELEGATED AUTHORITY FOR THE PERIOD 26 JUNE 2019 TO 9 JULY 2019 The following are matters that have received delegated approval from the Manager – Development Services for the period 26 June 2019 to 9 July 2019.

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS FOR DISCRETIONARY DEVELOPMENT/USE

DA-2018-565 Homes4you 7 Sophia Street KINGSTON

Ancillary dwelling and outbuilding (shed)

DA-2019-106 Tasbuilt Homes 10 Dolphin Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling

DA-2019-113 Maveric Builders P/L 3 Panoramic Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling

DA-2019-224 Wilson Homes Tasmania P/L 2230 Huon Road LOWER LONGLEY

Dwelling

DA-2019-244 G Hills & Partners Architects 4 Melinga Place TAROONA

Extension to dwelling (deck & pergola) and demolition existing deck

DA-2019-245 G Hills & Partners Architects 22 Apolline Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling

DA-2019-249 Smeekes Drafting P/L ‘Alderley’, 290 Tinderbox Road TINDERBOX

Extension to dwelling

DA-2019-193 Wilson Homes Tasmania P/L 46 Hollyhock Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling

DA-2019-208 JSA Consulting Engineers 3A James Avenue KINGSTON BEACH

Outbuilding (carport)

DA-2019-216 Wilson Homes 62 Apolline Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling


DA-2019-220 CDC Development 16 Reeves Crescent KINGSTON

Dwelling

DA-2019-222 Kingborough Council 4586 Bruny Island Main Road SOUTH BRUNY

Demolition and replacement of existing public amenities

DA-2019-229 Cunic Homes 48 Eldridge Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling

DA-2019-235 Ms H A McCallum 280 Simpsons Bay Road SIMPSONS BAY

Change of use to visitor accommodation

DA-2019-264 Isle Drafting 40 Ritchie Street ALONNAH


DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS FOR BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT / STAGED DEVELOPMENT SCHEME

DAS-2019-15 Peter Binny Surveys PO Box 14 BLACKMANS BAY

Boundary adjustment

DAS-2019-17 PDA Surveyors 4 Tyndall Court and Harpers Road BONNET HILL

Boundary adjustment

STG-2018-25/A Mr M G Clements 49-51 Hutchins Street KINGSTON

Variation to staged development scheme – minor changes to boundaries of common property and lots, required by LTO

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS FOR NO PERMIT REQUIRED

DA-2019-248 Smeekes Drafting P/L 27 Apolline Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling

DA-2019-258 Mr J Leparq & Ms H Pertokar 5 Timbertop Drive BLACKMANS BAY


DA-2019-326 Mr R Jackson 4 Sonnat Drive KINGSTON


DA-2019-334 Klapsis Discretionary Trust 70 Eldridge Drive KINGSTON

Dwelling


RECOMMENDATION MOVED SECONDED That the report be noted.


PLANNING AUTHORITY SESSION ADJOURNS


OPEN SESSION RESUMES Open Session of Council resumed at MOTIONS OF WHICH NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN The following Notices of Motion were submitted by Cr Wriedt : 1 Disability Access

MOVED Cr Wriedt SECONDED That: 1 Staff provide a report in relation to the possibility of developing a resource that

would provide a framework for Council considering best practice in relation to universal access, rather than just meeting the DDA standards.

2 The report be returned to Council by the end of September, 2019.


Background It is vital that Council is seen to be leading the way in relation to facilities for universal access by ensuring better outcomes, not just minimum, for people with disabilities. Clarence Council have recently completed an Access and Inclusion Toolkit for use by their staff across the board – for Council projects, and where possible, beyond. The recent deficiencies identified within the Kingborough Community Hub with access issues has highlighted the need for Council to be fully informed in understanding best practice principles in relation to universal access. Council’s Access Committee has been extremely proactive in recent years in trying to education developers, both private and commercial, about the value of design that incorporates the principles of universal access. If Council were to produce a similar toolkit for in house use this would be a valuable addition to this work. Officer’s Response: A report can be provided to Council.

Scott Basham - Acting Executive Manager Engineering Services


2 Establishment of a Kingborough Art Prize

MOVED Cr Wriedt SECONDED That staff prepare a report in relation to the establishment of a Kingborough Art prize that would be open to all students residing in Kingborough. Such a report should include details of how the prize would be resourced and implemented.


Background There is little opportunity currently to showcase the art works of students who live in Kingborough but attend a range of different schools. The creation of an art prize specifically for students residing in the Municipality will provide an opportunity to showcase to the community the high caliber of talent. Ideally, the report would be provided by September 2019 so that should the establishment be supported, that schools can be advised prior to the end of the 2019 school year. Officer’s Response: A report can be provided to Council.

Scott Basham - Acting Executive Manager Governance & Community Services PETITIONS STILL BEING ACTIONED A report in response to the petition headed “Organic Waste Kerbside Collection and Composting Site” will be provided to Council in August 2019. PETITIONS RECEIVED IN THE LAST PERIOD Kerbside Waste Collection, Hopfields Road

A petition containing 14 signatures has been received by Council: “The resident ratepayers of Blackwood Grove in Margate would like to commence weekly kerbside household rubbish and recycling collection. This fits with the Council’s website information that states that you are “looking to expand this service”. Currently kerbside collection goes along Hopfield’s Road and up Nierrina Road. The next logical extension of this service is to include Sandfly Road at least as far as Blackwood Grove.”


MOVED SECONDED That the petition containing 14 signatures be received and referred to the appropriate Department for a report to Council.



OFFICERS REPORTS TO COUNCIL FILE NO 10.21 DATE 15 JULY 2019 OFFICER JOHN BREEN – CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ENDORSED BY GARY ARNOLD - GENERAL MANAGER KINGSTON PARK PLAYGROUND FUNDING

1 PURPOSE Strategic Plan Reference

Key Priority Area 6.0 A well administered organisation

Strategic Outcome 6.1 Internal financial and governance arrangements are maintained to a high standard

Strategy 6.1.5 Ensure a long term strategic focus drives financial policy and decisions

1.1 The purpose of this report is to consider the undertaking of borrowings for the Kingston Park playground.

2 BACKGROUND

2.1 Council was successful in obtaining $7.2 million in interest free loans under the State Government’s accelerated local government capital program (ALGCP). $6.0 million of the loans are for defined projects at Kingston Park with $2.1 million being allocated to the construction of a playground.

2.2 The Council will be required to pay interest during the financial year and the Government will reimburse Council at the end of each quarter by providing a grant to the same value.

2.3 On top of the $7.2 million approved under the ALGCP, Council is seeking an additional $2.9 million in interest free loans to cover the construction of the playground.

2.4 At the 11 June 2019 Council meeting it was resolved (Minute C429/12-19 refers):

That Council:

a) postpones consideration of the Kingston Park borrowings matter until its meeting on 22 July pending community engagement and consultation around the proposal; and

b) authorises the General Manager to commence discussions with the State Government to pursue additional interest-free loans through the Accelerated Local Government Capital Program

2.5 Community consultation has been conducted and the results are described in section 7 of this report.


3 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

3.1 The provisions of Section 78 Borrowings of the Local Government Act 1993 are as follows:

(1) A council, for the purposes of raising a loan or obtaining any form of financial accommodation, may decide by an absolute majority to provide any of the following forms of security:

(a) Debenture;

(b) Bills of sale, mortgage or other charges;

(c) Inscribed stock;

(d) Guarantee;

(e) Any other document evidencing indebtedness other than bearer instruments.

(2) A council may not raise a loan in any financial year exceeding any amount the Treasurer determines for the financial year.

(3) In this section, loan includes any financial arrangement as determined by the Treasurer.

3.2 The provisions of Section 80 Limit on Borrowings of the Local Government Act 1993 states the following:

(1) Except with the approval of the Minister, a council may not borrow additional money for any purpose if the annual payment required to service the total borrowings would exceed 30% of its revenue of the preceding year.

(2) Grants made to a council for specific purposes are to be excluded in calculating 30% of revenue of the council.

4 DISCUSSION

4.1 The following is the remaining project approved under the ALGCP:

Interest Free

Public Open Space Aug 19 $2.10 million 5 years

4.2 A landscaped link is required between the Community Hub and the proposed playground. To fund that work and in preparation for the expenditure on the playground, it is proposed that the $2.1 million under the ALGCP be borrowed. This will be sufficient to construct that component shown as Area 1A on the plan below.


4.3 It is however preferable to construct the whole playground, rather than just the first stage. The design of this playground (and the rest of the parkland area) has been through a very extensive public consultation process. It is based on a ‘nature-play’ theme with strong Indigenous and local environmental connections. The features that have been included are essentially what the local community wants and the final design has received a very positive public response.

4.4 In order to meet these community expectations, it is proposed that the playground be constructed in full. This will include Areas 1A and 1B shown in the above plan. The total cost is estimated to be $5M – including contingencies and project management costs.

4.5 Council was unsuccessful in obtaining any commitments to fund this playground prior to the recent Federal election. There are now no opportunities to apply for external funds through government grant programs in the foreseeable future – and, in any case, they are very competitive and cannot be relied upon. If the playground is to be constructed during 2020 then the only option is for increased borrowings by an additional $2.9 million – and this should ideally be by way of an interest-free loan from the State government.

4.6 Constructing the playground during the first half of 2020 would best meet the current community expectations, help to activate and enhance the viability of the Community Hub, and meet Council’s commitment to Traders in Purple.

4.7 A funding commitment by Council of this nature would enable the necessary approvals to be obtained, for the tender specifications to be prepared and then time taken to arrange for construction to commence. Additional funding will still be needed to construct the balance of the public open space area, but there will then be more time to pursue future opportunities for external funding for particular components.

4.8 TASCORP has a deed of charge over Council’s revenue to enable borrowings under the ALGCP.


5 FINANCE

5.1 TACORP have provided an indicative rate for borrowings of 2.20% based on current interest rates. Given this interest rate, grant for interest reimbursement on the $5.0 million loan will be around $110,000 per annum.

5.2 There is no operational interest expense associated with this loan.

5.3 The additional $2.9 million in borrowings is not included in the current Council’s Long Term Financial Plan. The impact of the additional borrowings is that Council will finish the project with around $8 million in borrowings that would be repaid over a ten year period. The additional interest expense, on the $2.9 million loan, would be approximately $100K from 2025/26 onwards, which can be comfortably accommodated in the underlying surplus figure.

5.4 Assuming support for the recommendation, Council’s borrowings will increase to $12.9 million. Under the State Government Loan Council Allocation, Council can borrow funds if the amount of the annual payment required to service the borrowing would not exceed 30% of the previous year’s recurring revenue. The borrowing of $12.9 million is well under this guideline.

5.5 The Auditor General monitors Council’s Net Financial Liability ratio and sets a benchmark ratio of between zero and minus 50%. The borrowings of $12.9 million will return a Net Financial Liability ratio to Council of minus 12%, which is at the low range of the Auditor General’s target.

5.6 The operational expenditure impact of the Kingston Park playground is estimated to be around $225,000 per annum.

6 ENVIRONMENT

6.1 No environmental issues have been identified in relation to this matter.

7 COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION

7.1 As a result of the decision at the 11 June 2019 Council meeting, Council has conducted an online poll. The online poll was completed by 525 people, plus 3 other submissions were received by email. A total of 528 submissions were received. The Poll was available on Council’s website and Our Say page. A media release and playground design accompanied the poll, to make sure respondents had information on what the loan entailed and what is proposed to be built.

7.2 The following questions were asked:

(a) Do you think Council should apply for an interest-free loan to fund the playground, adjacent parking and connecting pathways for Kingston Park?

ANSWER SUBMISSIONS

Yes 454 No 63

I’m not sure 11


(b) How do you rate the design of the playground? Respondents were given a five star rating to select from, with five stars being the best.

STARS AWARDED RESPONDENTS

5 334 4 134 3 36 2 7 1 14

7.3 There were 205 participants who chose to comment further, and of these:

• 7 participants who said they were not sure if Council should apply for the loan, commented that it seemed like a good idea and the playground seemed great but were not sure on the amount it would cost, or on how much it would cost to maintain.

• 45 participants who said no to a loan submitted the following concerns:

o Water quality and stormwater issues (most popular)

o Do not support increases to ratepayers

o Defer any loan borrowings for unnecessary projects

o If we don’t have the cash we shouldn’t borrow

o More parking instead

o Would rather a pool

o Prioritise damaged infrastructure instead, roads, paths and congestion

o Reduce rates

o Build a metro hub

o Wait until rates from the site generate income

• 153 participants who voted yes included the following comments:

o Just build it, we need this, central Kingston needs a playground (and similar)

o A 12 year old also voted and said we need the playground

o Excellent time to invest

o Other play equipment suggestions

o More bike path suggestions

o Suggestions for dog and non-dog areas

o Support for nature play

o Support for areas for all ages

7.4 All in all there was strong community support for both the current playground design and the need to borrow funds to enable its construction. The public would also be informed of the borrowings through the regular reporting on the Kingston Park project.


8 RISK

8.1 There is a low financial risk, associated with the borrowings as there is no current certainty around the timing of revenue from land sales for borrowings to be repaid.

8.2 In Council’s risk appetite statement, Council’s appetite for financial risk is rated in the medium to high range. The low financial risk associated with the timing of repayments is considered acceptable.

9 CONCLUSION

9.1 The receipt of the grant under the accelerated local government capital program will provide significant operational savings for Council over the life of the loans. There is strong community support for Council to borrow the funds that will enable the construction of the entire playground.

10 RECOMMENDATION MOVED SECONDED That Council: (a) borrow $2.1 million under the currently approved accelerated local government

capital program to construct the first stage of the proposed Kingston Park playground; and

(b) request an additional $2.9 million from the same accelerated local government

capital program so that it may also be borrowed in order to complete the construction of the whole of the proposed Kingston Park playground.



FILE NO 5.477 DATE 11 JULY 2019 OFFICER ROBERT RULE - COMMUNITY HUB COORDINATOR ENDORSED BY SCOTT BASHAM - ACTING EXECUTIVE MANAGER GOVERNANCE &

COMMUNITY SERVICES CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT DECEMBER 2019

1 PURPOSE

Strategic Plan Reference

Key Priority Area 1.0 A safe, healthy and supportive community

Strategic Outcome 1.5 A community that celebrates its arts, culture and place

Strategy 1.5.1 Provide services and built facilities so that the community is able to participate in a diverse range of social, cultural, and recreational activities.

Strategy 1.5.3 Encourage, facilitate and support community events that celebrate living in Kingborough

1.1 The purpose of this report is to update Council on recent discussions regarding the possibility of partnering with community organisations to provide a Kingborough Carols by Candlelight event.

2 BACKGROUND

2.1 At the Council meeting held on 8 April 2019 Council resolved (Minute C271/7-19 refers):

That Council approve the formation of a working group to report back to Council, co-Chaired by Councillors Westwood and Midgley and with representatives from both Community Services and the Community Hub, to work with the community to develop a final proposal for a low cost community Kingborough Carols by Candlelight event at an appropriate location.

2.2 A working group co-chaired by Councillors Westwood and Midgley have met on three occasions. This group has included representatives from Council and the community.

2.3 At the final meeting the working group determined that a Council run Carols by Candlelight event could not be run cost neutral. A representative attending the working group from radio broadcaster Ultra106.5fm has proposed that the event could be run in conjunction with churches and possibly other community groups from around the Kingborough Municipality.


3.1 Pursuant to the Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas By-Law (the By-law) an application for an event permit will be required.

3.2 Excluding the requirements outlined in clause 48 of the By-law the applicant may also need to address matters such as, but not limited to:

• Place of assembly licencing requirements in accordance with the Public Health Act 1997 (assuming the event will exceed 2 hours in duration);


• Temporary occupancy permit requirements in accordance with the Building Act 2016 (if temporary structures are included);

• Food licencing requirements for food vendors in accordance with the Food Act 2003;

• Traffic management.

4 DISCUSSION

4.1 With construction activities taking place around Kingston Park, the working group has determined that Dru Point Reserve would provide a suitable alternate setting for a Carols by Candlelight event.

4.2 Council is also aware of a number of other carols by candlelight events that take place in Kingborough during December.

4.3 The representative from radio broadcaster Ultra 106.5 FM has experience in running carols by candlelight events and has provided operational advice to the working group.

4.4 The working group representative from radio broadcaster Ultra106.5fm has advised that they will establish an organising body in conjunction with churches and other community groups and will commence initial design and application for a Carols by Candlelight event to take place at Dru Point Reserve.

4.5 It is suggested that Council’s contribution to this event would be in-kind support by the way of waivered permit and land hire fees, professional support from Council’s Governance and Community Services Liaison Officer and event operational support e.g. waste removal etc.

5 FINANCE

5.1 All costs associated with running the event are the responsibility of the organising body.

5.2 Council’s contribution to the event is outlined at 4.5 in this report.

6 ENVIRONMENT

6.1 As part of Council’s commitment to be Waste Wise, all events that are held on Council owned or managed property are committed to waste avoidance and sustainable procurement practices. As such, the event will need to comply with Council’s Waste Wise event policy.


7.1 No community consultation has occurred at this time.

8 RISK

8.1 There is limited financial, operational and environmental risk to Council with this event being held at Dru Point.

9 CONCLUSION

9.1 The working group has determined that a Council run Carols by Candlelight event cannot be run cost neutral.


9.2 With construction activities taking place around Kingston Park, the working group has established that Dru Point Reserve would provide a suitable setting for a Carols by Candlelight event.

9.3 Radio broadcaster Ultra106.5fm has advised that they will establish an organising body in conjunction with other community groups and will commence initial design and application for the event to take place.

9.4 If an event permit is issued pursuant to the By-law, it is recommended that Council resolve to provide in kind support.

10 RECOMMENDATION MOVED SECONDED That subject to the issuing of an event permit to conduct a Carols by Candlelight event at Dru Point Reserve in December 2019 Council provide in-kind support as outlined within this report.



FILE NO 2.200 DATE 2 MAY 2018 OFFICER DAVID REEVE-EXECUTIVE MANAGER ENGINEERING SERVICES ENDORSED BY GARY ARNOLD-GENERAL MANAGER BRUNY ISLAND WASTE CHARGES

1 PURPOSE

Strategic Plan Reference

Key Priority Area 3.0 A healthy natural environment

Strategic Outcome 3.2 Sustainable land and waste management practices are adopted by landowners, contractors, businesses, government agencies and the general community

Strategy 3.2.3 Encourage reduced levels of waste going to landfill and waste avoidance, reuse and recycling.

1.1 The purpose of this report is to discuss the difference in prices charged for waste disposal at the Bruny Island waste transfer station and the Barretta waste transfer station.

2 BACKGROUND

2.1 In adopting the 2019/20 Fees and Charges schedule it was noted that there were differences in the charges between the Bruny Island waste transfer station and the Barretta waste transfer station and a report was requested to clarify this.


3.1 The relevant section of legislation in regard to this report is Section 205 and 206 of the Local Government Act 1993. Section 205 provides guidance on the matters on which Council may impose fees and section 206 states the requirement to keep a list of fees and charges and to make it available to the public.

4 DISCUSSION

4.1 Council has two waste transfer stations, one on Bruny Island and one located at Barretta. Kingborough Waste Services operates both facilities on behalf of Council and budgets for a small return for Council.

4.2 Notwithstanding the above, the Bruny Island transfer station runs at a loss and is subsidised by Council, however this is primarily due to the small throughput volumes rather than the pricing for the individual loads received.

4.3 It is difficult to make a direct comparison between the charges for the Bruny waste transfer station and the Barretta waste transfer station as Barretta has a weighbridge and predominantly charges by weight and Bruny by volume. However, an indication of how they relate and a comparison with Huon Valley Council (who, like Bruny, also base pricing on volumes) is shown below:


Waste Type Bruny Island HVC Estimated

Conv. Kg Barretta Equiv.

General 1 Bag $5.00 $5.00 9kg $11.00 General 2 Bag $8.00 - 18kg $11.00 General 3 Bag $11.00 $10.00 27kg $11.00 General <1M3 $15.00 $14.00 128kg $14.75 General <3M3 $26.00 $24.00 256kg $29.44 Green minimum Charge $9.00 $9.00

$11.00

Green <1M3 $9.00 $15.00

$11.00 Green <3M3 $20.00 $26.00

$22.00

Green <5M3 $24.00 $38.00

$44.00 Car Tyres $6.50 $6.50

$6.50

L/Truck Tyres $12.00 $12.00

$12.00 Truck Tyres $22.00 $25.00

$22.00

(based on 2018/19 fee structure)

4.4 The main difference between the Bruny Island charges and those for Barretta is that Barretta applies a minimum fee of $11 for the lower loads and Bruny Island breaks this down further and accepts smaller loads (one and two bag loads) at a lower cost.

4.5 The difference between Bruny Island and the rest of the municipality is the high amount of tourists generating small amounts of garbage. This is reflected in almost 70% of the Bruny Island transactions being for one or two bag disposals.

4.6 The users of the Barretta waste transfer station are mainly bringing in larger loads with approximately 35% having the minimum load.

4.7 The Bruny Island transfer station also applies some different green waste fees, but the amount of loads delivered, particularly for those between 5 cubic metres and 3 cubic metres is low. As such the pricing is not a factor.

4.8 For 2019/20 the charges have been set to cover costs, where possible, but also to recognise that the locality of Bruny Island and its large transient demographic clearly sets it aside from the rest of the municipality.

5 FINANCE

5.1 If Council was to reduce its price for a minimum load in line with the current Bruny Island transfer station costs for consistency, there will be a potential loss of income. The exact amount of this loss would be difficult to ascertain but it is estimated to be in the order of $10-20K.

6 ENVIRONMENT

6.1 Balancing waste management charges are important to ensure that the public is not discouraged from using the waste transfer stations and instead possibly elect to illegally dump garbage.


7.1 Fees and charges for 2019/20 were adopted by Council in May 2019/20 and uploaded to Council’s website. This matter does not require any further communication or consultation if no changes are made.


8 RISK

8.1 It is important to recognise that Bruny Island has a large number of tourists and the issue (perceived or otherwise) of litter on the island, particularly during peak periods, has been well publicised. Any significant upward increase in the cost to dispose of the rubbish these tourists generate is likely to promote additional illegal dumping of rubbish.

9 CONCLUSION

9.1 The pricing applied at the Bruny Island waste transfer station is partially based on historical charging but also has previously been reviewed based on the type of users of the facility. It is considered to be priced appropriately to encourage proper disposal of garbage, especially that generated by the large amount of tourists who have short stays on the island.

9.2 The pricing applied at the Barretta waste transfer station is consistent with other like organisations and reflects charges to cover the cost of managing the waste stream through the area.

9.3 Notwithstanding the above, a more detailed review of the charges levied at each waste transfer station will be undertaken with a view to making recommendations on the fees to be applied for the 2020/21 financial year.

10 RECOMMENDATION MOVED SECONDED That Council note the report and resolve to undertake a review of the charges applied at the Barretta waste transfer station and the Bruny Island waste transfer station for the 2020/21 financial year.

For Against For Against

Cr Bastone Cr Wass Cr Fox Cr Westwood Cr Grace Cr Winter Cr Midgley Cr Wriedt Cr Street


FILE NO 38.10 DATE 27 MAY 2019 OFFICER ANDY D’CRUS – COORDINATOR BUILDING & PLUMBING ENDORSED BY TASHA TYLER-MOORE – MANAGER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COUNCIL BUILDING SURVEYING SERVICES

1 PURPOSE Strategic Plan Reference Key Priority Area 1 A safe, active and supportive community

Strategic Outcome 1.3 Safe, active and healthy communities

Strategy 1.3.3 Regulations are enforced that protect the safety, amenity and convenience of the public

1.1 The purpose of this report is to

• inform Council of the recent changes affecting Old Permits;

• inform Council of the limitations facing Council in the provision of Building Surveying Services for Old Permits that were certified by Council; and

• seek Council approval to withdraw as Building Surveyor from all Council certified building permits.

2 BACKGROUND

Building Surveying Service

2.1 Building surveying service is the assessment of building work to ensure it complies with building standards. Building surveying services can be broken into two parts:

• Part 1 – commonly referred to as certification involves a Building Surveyor assessing building plans to check compliance with building standards (also known as Certifying the Plans) prior to the issue of a building permit; and

• Part 2 – involves the Building Surveyor carrying out inspections of building work to ensure the work carried out complies with the certified plans and the building permit. Once the Building Surveyor determines that work is compliant then they issue a Final Certificate for the building work, which in turn, enables Council to issue a completion certificate for the building work.

2.2 Building surveying services (Part 1 & 2) were provided by Council for the majority of building permits issued up until 2003. In 2004 Private Building Surveyors began operating and building surveying services were then provided by both Council and private building surveying firms.

2.3 In June 2016 Council ceased providing Part 1 services but continued to provide Part 2 services for Council Certified Plans.

2.4 In order to continue to provide Part 2 building surveying services for Council certified work Council engaged a Private Building Surveyor consultant to undertake the work on its behalf.


2.5 The current high demand for building surveying services resulting from a buoyant Tasmanian construction industry has impacted on the ability of Council to access a consultant private Building Surveyor to service Council certified building permits. This situation has frequently resulted in delays for customers seeking to finalise their building work.

Expiry of Old Permits

2.6 Building and plumbing permits issued by Tasmanian Council’s prior to November 2012 (Old Permits) did not have an expiry date or sunset. These permits were considered to be expired when a completion certificate was issued for the work.

2.7 In December 2018 the Building Act 2016 (the Act) was amended to apply an expiry date of 1 July 2020 to all Old Permits that have not had a completion certificate issued for them.

2.8 Council is currently in the process of contacting approximately 3000 customers with Old Permits that do not have a completion issued for them to advise them of this change (permit expiry notification).

2.9 Of the 3000 customers with Old Permits, over half of the permits are Council certified.

2.10 Kingborough Council differs from many other Tasmania Councils due to the fact that Kingborough Council continued providing Building Surveying services longer than other Councils who chose to cease building surveying services in 2004. As such, the number of Council certified building permits is higher for Kingborough than for most other Councils.

Customer Options

2.11 Upon receiving a Permit Expiry Notification for an Old Permit a customer has the following three options:

a) Extend the building permit until 1 July 2021- customer pays a fee and lodges an application to extend the permit until 1 July 2021 which allows sufficient time to finish and obtain a completion certificate; or

b) Ignore the notification, particularly if no work commenced – the customers permit will expire on 1 July 2020. If the permit expires building permit work, if commenced, must stop until the customer secures another building approval for the work; or

c) Complete the building work prior to 1 July 2020 and secure a completion certificate for the work.

Service Limitation

2.12 If the customers with Council certified permits choose to implement (c) above then this will place additional demand on the already strained consultant building surveying inspection service used by Council.

2.13 The private building surveying consultancy services used by Council to carry out Part 2 services will not meet a further significant increase in demand for services.

2.14 Other Councils across Tasmania use private building surveyors to provide Part 2 building surveying services for Old Council Certified Permits. When other Council’s start issuing permit expiry notifications for Old Permits it is expected that the


demand on Private Building Surveying services for Part 2 services will increase which has the potential for Kingborough Council to be unable to meet customer service requests for Part 2 services to close their permits.

3 DISCUSSION

3.1 Two options have been identified below that are considered to be viable management options to address this matter.

Option 1 - Council Resigns as Building Surveyor

3.2 Section 37(2) of the Building Act 2016 (the Act) provides the ability for a Building Surveyor to resign its engagement as Building Surveyor from building work associated with a building permit.

3.3 Council can withdraw as Building Surveyor pursuant to Section 37(2) of the Act from Council certified permits.

3.4 The implementation of this option would see Council enact Section 37(2) of the Act and withdraw as Building Surveyor from all old building permits that it provided building surveying services for.

3.5 Affected customers would be contacted directly by mail to advise them of Councils withdrawal as Building Surveyor and informing them of the process to appoint a new Private Building Surveyor for the work.

3.6 Council would provide customers with the ability to apply for an extension to the Council certified permit to extend the permit until 1 July 2021. This would effectively provide customers with Council certified permit with 2 years, should they require it, to engage a Private Building Surveyor to complete their building permit.

3.7 Pursuant to the requirements of Section 37 of the Act, the Director of Building Control would be informed of all building permits that Council has withdrawn as Building Surveyor.

3.8 When the customer appoints a new Building Surveyor, then the new Building Surveyor will request that all documentation be provided to them by Council of the inspection status for the work. Council will action these requests as they are made.

3.9 Anecdotal evidence indicates that some Building Surveying firms have expressed an interest in taking on customers with old Council certified building permits.

3.10 Old permits can range in age from 7 to 25 years old. Council has provided surveying services for these customers for this period of time. Contemporary building permits are provided with 24 months sunset after which time they expire if the work is not completed requiring customers to re-apply for approval.

3.11 Customers with Old Permits have been provided with a significant period of time to complete their work. The expectation for Council to continue providing this service indefinitely, at a cost for Council, could be considered as inequitable by holders of contemporary permits. As such, it is considered that Council would be well placed to defend its position in relation to the decision to pursue this option if required.

3.12 Council can implement Option 1 with Council’s existing resource allocation.


Option 2 - Continue Building Surveying Services for a Fixed Period

3.13 This option would see Council continue providing Part 2 building surveying services for old Council Certified Building Permits until 1 July 2020. After which time it would then withdraw as Building Surveyor for all Old Building Permits.

3.14 The benefit of this option is that it would provide customers with Old Permits with additional time in which to close their permits. However, this option could only be implemented by appointing a Building Surveyor and Building Inspector on a 12 month contract until 1 July 2020.

3.15 This resourcing would provide Council with the necessary resources to service the demand for inspections created by in excess of 1500 customers until 1 July 2020.

3.16 After 1 July 2020 Council would then withdraw as Building Surveyor from all Council certified permits in accordance with the requirements of Section 37(2) of the Act.

3.17 The likelihood of detrimental impact to Council brand with the implementation of this option is expected to be limited due to the fact that all impacted customers would be adequately informed of the changes and provided with an opportunity to finalise their permits before the 1 July 2020 deadline.

3.18 There is a risk that Council could fail to attract a Building Surveyor and /or Building Inspector through the recruitment process. The Tasmanian Building Industry is currently experiencing great demand for building surveying services making the private industry a more lucrative and attractive option for Building Surveyors. Therefore, the chances of Council attracting a licenced Building Surveyor and inspector to work for Council for a fixed period contract could be limited thus making this option unable to be implemented.


Building Act 2016

4.1 Section 37(2) of the Act provides that a person engaged as Building Surveyor can withdraw from that position if it has been at least three years since being engaged as a Building Surveyor.

4.2 It has been in excess of three years since Council certified the last building permit. Council’s withdrawal as Building Surveyor from Council Certified building permit work would be carried out under Section 37(2) of the Act.

5 FINANCE

5.1 Option 1 – The cost of implementing Option 1 can be absorbed into the existing resource allocation for the Building and Plumbing Unit.

5.2 Option 2 – The cost over 12 months above current budget allocation of implementing Option 2 would be as follows:

• Building Surveyor (incl. super): $ 120,500.00

• Building Inspector: $ 80,800.00

• Total additional cost: $ 201,300.00


6 ENVIRONMENT

Option 1

6.1 There are no environmental implications associated with this report


7.1 Should Council resolve to support the recommendation guidelines outlining how to engage a Building Surveyor would be issued to all holders of Old Permits.

8 RISK

8.1 The 1 July 2020 deadline for Old Permits has brought forward the need for Council to determine how it will manage Old Council certified permits.

8.2 Option 1 is recommended for implementation as it is considered to be the most equitable, fair and reasonable approach available for Council given the time restriction as well as the limitation of available building surveying services.

8.3 There is a risk of failing to meet customer expectation with each option put forward to Council but Option 2 is considered the most equitable.

9 CONCLUSION

9.1 Council requires a management option for old Council certified building permits. The need for this action has been brought forward by the amendment to the Building Act 2016 that applied an expiry date of 1 July 2020 to all Old Permits.

9.2 Option 1, the withdrawal of Council as Building Surveyor from Council certified permits, is considered to be the most equitable, fair and reasonable approach and is recommended to Council.

10 RECOMMENDATION MOVED SECONDED That Council resolve to initiate Option 1 as outlined in the report and immediately resign its engagement to act as Building Surveyor from building work associated with a building permit.



INFORMATION REPORTS MOVED SECONDED That the following information reports be noted:

1 Mayor’s Communications.

2 Local Government Association of Tasmania 2019 Annual Conference report by Cr Fox.

3 Environmental Services Quarterly Activities Update.



MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS Mayor Winter reported the following meetings and activities: Date Place Meeting/Activity

7 June LGAT Attended Charitable Rates Steering Committee Meeting

11 June Civic Centre Attended morning tea for Edna Pennicott and Di Mason

17 June Civic Centre Attended quarterly meeting with the Kingborough Ratepayers Association

Margate Primary School

Attended Channel Community Initiative

Hobart City Council Attended Greater Hobart Mayor’s forum 19 June Blackmans Bay

Shopping Centre Met with Mr Josh Saxby to discuss parking and stormwater concerns.

Blackmans Bay Attended event to mark the official completion of the Kingborough Sewage Upgrade Project

Bruny Island Attended Bruny Island Local Tourism Association Meeting

20 June Hobart City Council Attended Homelessness Forum 21 June Civic Centre Met with Mr Rob Knight from Landcare

Tasmania. Community Hub Attended Citizenship Ceremony LGAT Attended Charitable Rates Steering Committee

meeting Civic Centre Met with Mr Rob Patterson, regarding options for

addressing stormwater issues in Blackmans Bay.

Civic Centre Hosted Kingston Sea Scouts at Civic Centre to discuss Council’s role and answer questions

27 June Civic Centre Met with ASU officials to discuss general Council direction and issues.

Civic Centre Telephone meeting with Ms Sophie Underwood from Planning Matters to discuss Huntingfield development

Hobart City Council Met with Greater Hobart Mayors and Federal Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness

28 June Parliament Met with Shadow Minister for Housing, Alison Standen, to discuss Huntingfield development.

Hobart Function and Conference Centre

Attended Tasmanian iAwards

1 July 2019 Kingston Police Station Met with Inspector David Wiss to discuss new Community Safety Committee

Hobart City Council Attended Greater Hobart Bill and Hobart City Deal meeting


Date Place Meeting/Activity

2 July Civic Centre Met with Mr Todd Babiak, CEO of Brand Tasmania to discuss its work.

Civic Centre Attended Kingborough Municipal Emergency Management Committee meeting

Civic Centre Met with Ms Tammy Price of the Bruny Island Boat Club to

3 July Wrest Point Attended LGAT Annual General Meeting 4 July Met with Mr Mervin Reed

Attended LGAT Conference Dinner 5 July Hobart Town Hall Attended Meeting of the Greater Hobart

Homelessness Alliance 8 July Cygnet Attended flag raising at SETAC to commence

NAIDOC week Hobart Town Hall Attended City Deal Implementation meeting

10 July Parliament Square Building

Attended meeting with Planning Minister


LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OF TASMANIA, 2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE “FINDING YOUR VOICE”

Report by Councillor Flora Fox,

I am pleased to have been able to attend this year’s excellent Local Government Conference, an invaluable opportunity to network, share ideas, and be inspired.

The Annual General Meeting was an opportunity to listen to the debate on Motions put to the meeting by Councils from around Tasmania.

Highlights from the Conference included:

MINISTER MARK SHELTON, newly appointed Minister for Local Government and Police: Innovative governance and service delivery considerations.

MAYOR DAVID O’LAUGHLIN, President of the Local Government Association.: The importance of saying thank you to politicians for their Federal Assistance Grants to Local Government, the “Fairer Share” campaign and for Local Government to have capital works projects “shovel ready”.

MAYOR TIM SHADBOLT, Mayor of Invercargill, NZ’s longest serving Mayor: Connecting people with humour and lateral thinking. Stimulating the economy through the film industry and providing free University and student accommodation in Invercargill, paid for by an Alcohol Trust.

HEATHER ROSE, Tasmanian prize winning author: Telling our stories to connect people with place, history community and each other. Be proud of Council achievements by telling untold Council stories, and show you are doing your best every day.

LEE BACON: The pitfalls of government rate capping, as seen in other states, and how Local Government needs strong messages and a united voice, and to alert the community to this undemocratic threat to Councils’ ability to provide basic services.

The following panel of experts spoke about advocacy and lobbying tactics.: GRAHAM LYNCH, CEO Heart Foundation, KIM GOODS, CEO TasCOSS, LEE BACON, LGA, SA Director Policy, and DOUG CHIPMAN, TasWater chair, ALGA 2016 President and LGAT past Chair.

LINDA MANAENA, presented a refreshing communication workshop “Finding Your Authentic Voice”, about engaging community, understanding authenticity, encouraging conversations, effective listening and being true to your values.

I would encourage all Councillors to attend next year’s Tasmanian Local Government Conference, a great way to stay in touch with fellow Councillors and Local Government Managers from around the State, and to keep abreast with the issues which face our industry.

Councillor Flora Fox 12 July 2019


AUTHOR : JON DOOLE, MANAGER ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FILE NO : 8.218 DATE : 9 JULY 2019

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES QUARTERLY ACTIVITIES UPDATE

1 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

1.1 Blackmans Bay Beach Water Quality Environmental Health staff are continuing to sample recreational water and stormwater outfalls at Kingston and Blackmans Bay beaches once per week. The data will be used to determine background faecal bacteria levels throughout the year. Historically recreational water quality sampling has only been conducted during summer, leaving a void of data for nine months of the year. Without the data it is difficult to verify the success of trials that may be implemented to investigate and address contamination issues at the beaches. After last summer, the long-term water quality grading at Blackmans Bay beach (the northern end of the beach) decreased from ‘good’ to ‘fair’. A new sign has been installed at the beach to reflect this. It is hoped that investigations and remedial measures at the southern end of the beach will also help to improve water quality again at the northern end of the beach. The long-term grading at the southern end of the beach was already ‘poor’ at the start of last summer and sampling results over the last seven months indicate that water quality has not improved. Environmental Health staff will be reviewing Council’s recreational water quality monitoring program prior to next summer (2019-20) to ensure that the program continues to provide accurate information to inform public health and help target ongoing investigations into poor water quality.

1.2 Food Business Renewals Food Business Licences expire every year on 30 June. Proprietors are required to re-apply annually, providing Council with up-to-date details of menus and food safety qualifications. Renewal notices were sent out to food business in early-June and Environmental Health staff are currently processing applications and re-issuing licences. From 1 July 2019 food businesses are being classified under a new national food safety risk-profiling framework. Fortunately the new framework has aligned well with Kingborough’s existing classification system, so the administrative burden of implementing the new system has been reduced, with minimal implications for food businesses.

1.3 Immunisations The second round of the School Based Immunisation Program was carried out in May. School visits were conducted over a four week period, with Grade 7 students receiving a Boostrix (Diphtheria/Tetanus/Whooping Cough combined booster) vaccine. Grade 10 students were also offered a meningococcal ACWY vaccine, for those that did not receive a free meningococcal vaccine from their GP or at one of Council’s ‘super clinics’ held in August last year. Over the four week period more than 500 Grade 7 students received the Boostrix vaccine. Approximately 70 Grade 10 students received the meningococcal ACWY vaccine, indicating that coverage from the meningococcal program last year was reasonably good. An after-hours catch-up clinic was also held at the Council Chambers for students who missed out on receiving a vaccine at their school.


2 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

2.1 Waterway and Coastal Management

North West Bay River Catchment Management Plan

Community consultation has recently been completed on the draft catchment management plan. Consultation was delivered through Council’s Our Say platform and included a survey and open forum section. Key stakeholders were directly invited to provide feedback on the plan. A general call for feedback was distributed through local papers, social media and Council’s website. The level of feedback received was relatively low despite an extended consultation timeframe.

The main issues raised in the consultation related to improving recreational access to the river, ongoing weed management and the importance of environmental flows given the offtake for drinking water higher in the catchment.

As the primary purpose of the updated plan is to support action and re-engage the community in the conservation and management of the river, it is perhaps not surprising that there is a low level of interest in the catchment plan at this time. Once the updated plan is finalised, implementation will be kick started with a small project to re-engage landowners in the importance of continuing vigilance in controlling willow re-growth along the previously treated creeks that flow into North West Bay River.

D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Huon Collaboration Conference

On June 28 the collaboration held the annual ‘Our Waterway’ mini conference at IMAS. The conference was well attended by scientists, practitioners and industry representatives. There were excellent presentations on a range of science and management issues. These included; the latest research on the species and ecosystems of the Channel with a focus on changing species distributions related to climate change impacts, coastal zone and fisheries monitoring, the science of Storm Bay and some of the novel research investigating solutions to rapid species decline - including restoration of the giant kelp forests of the region. Council presented on Kingborough’s coastal hazard program.

Whitewater Creek Restoration

Erosion protection works to rehabilitate areas of Whitewater Creek that were impacted by the 2018 storm are continuing. A new section of rock revetment was recently installed upstream from the Channel Highway to protect the creek bank from further undercutting adjacent to private property. The next stage of rock protection works will focus on head cuts and scour points in the creek channel between Spring Farm and Kingston Park. This work is supported by the Community Recovery Fund.

Whitewater Creek Flood Debris Removal Project

Under the Storm Recovery Fund, Council recently engaged contractors to undertake the removal of loose flood debris along Whitewater Creek in an effort to reduce the risk to infrastructure and housing in future flood events. Flood debris were split into a number of categories; firewood which was donated to Channel Community Care for distribution to those in need, green waste which was taken to McRobies Gully processed into organic compost, semi-decomposed mulch which was spread and compacted onsite, and rubbish that was disposed of at the waste disposal site. More than 150 tonnes of debris was removed from the Whitewater Creek riparian area during the project.


Before and after photo depicting debris removal in one section of creek line.

2.2 Revegetation Program

NRM Staff and volunteers continue to grow large quantities of native plant species for the revegetation program and have begun distribution of the plants ordered for this planting season. These nursery-grown trees, shrubs, grasses and ground covers are being planted at a wide range of sites including Blackmans Bay and


Tyndall Beaches and Council reserves including Tramway Hill, Boronia Hill, the Kingston Mountain Bike Park, the new Council reserve at Tarremah Creek. An order of approximately 3000 plants for the Kingston Park precinct is underway. Community groups will also continue to revegetate their local areas with plants supplied by Council.

Staff and volunteers continue to branch out and employ new techniques for a range of species that are not usually propagated, helping to increase our native species diversity and creating better habitat for threatened species. The use of anti-spiral pots, coir tubes and trials involving a range of difficult and rarely propagated species have been included in the program.

2.3 Illegal Vegetation Clearing Investigations

Staff are currently investigating a number of reports of vegetation clearing that have occurred on private land without the required approvals. It is anticipated that fines under the Health and Environmental Services By-law will be served as a result of a number of illegal works.

Staff are also finalising an investigation into the poisoning of two mature eucalypts on the Alum Cliffs track at Bonnet Hill. The trees have since died and been removed as they were posing a safety risk to track users. An Unauthorised Vegetation Damage sign will be placed in the location to remind the community that the poisoning trees of public land is a serious offence and can impact many people and the ecology of the reserve.

Trimming and removal of coastal vegetation likely to be related to improving views from adjoining houses at Suncoast Headlands Reserve in Blackmans Bay is also being investigated with the view to installing Unauthorised Vegetation Damage signage.

2.4 Kingborough Environmental Fund Project

The fund has been accumulating financial offsets since 2004 and will see over $900k spent on private land reserves, revegetation, weed control, research and education in the Kingborough municipality. Council’s partnership with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) kicked off in May and it will see a large portion of the Kingborough Environmental Fund directed towards creating and maintaining a suite of private land reserves. A TLC officer has begun landholder engagement and a number of potential conservation covenant and Part 5 Agreement sites have already identified and surveyed. The Kingborough Eucalyptus rubida research project is now complete and a revegetation project creating Swift Parrot habitat at Tramway Hill Reserve is ready for Threatened Species Day in September.

2.5 Environmental Engagement Program

Wildlife Conservation Field Day, Apollo Bay

In collaboration with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, Council NRM staff brought together over 50 Bruny Island landholders in an event that offered practical advice on owning property with high natural values and how to implement effective wildlife conservation. Topics included growing native trees, living with old trees and how to retain them safely, the importance of managing understory and the impacts of domestic and feral cats. Participants also explored ways to learn more about the wildlife that share their property through the use of Infrared cameras. Feedback from participants was very positive. One participant reported:


“Saturday was an excellent day and worked really well – thank you for asking me to participate, it was an enjoyable day and nice group of people”.

By providing information to private property owners on Bruny, Council is able to contribute to the management of natural values in the wider landscape, despite owning very little land across the island itself. Through offering this opportunity to meet with experts and likeminded people, land owners are also recognised for their contribution and efforts in conservation land management.

Marine Debris Clean Up Events

Council staff, as part of the D’Entrecasteaux and Huon Collaboration, assisted with marine debris clean ups at Alonnah and Charlottes Cove (Huon Valley). Both events were very well attended, with the Alonnah clean up attracting around 100 participants. The events showcase one of the practical ways that collaboration partners help to manage the waterway.

More than 10 cubic meters of debris was recovered and removed during the Alonnah event. The waste included gum boots, thongs, tent poles, balls, oyster frames, flippers, buoys, plastic and glass bottles and bottle tops, cans, balloons, bricks, fine rope fragments, rubber, fishing gear, car parts, tyres, pipe, timber, food packaging, supermarket bags, micro plastics and other plastic remnants.

2.6 Partnerships and Collaboration

The NRM team have been reaching out to other organisations that manage public land and are involved in environmental education to gain both efficiencies and knowledge in reserve and wildlife management and weed control. A very positive meeting with regional staff from the Parks and Wildlife Service, including rangers from Bruny Island, allowed officers to share priorities and areas for greater collaboration, including compliance.

Staff also commenced discussions with Sealink about Council’s environmental programs and priorities on Bruny Island and the possibility of shared environmental messaging for tourists visiting Bruny in the future.

2.7 Weed Management

Serrated Tussock

Kingborough and Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council (GSB) are partnering in an effort to increase efficiencies and understandings of serrated tussock management in the landscape. Resource sharing will include a weed detecting dog, which will survey the vicinity of the recently discovered serrated tussock plant on Bruny Island. Kingborough will also be able to build upon modelling undertaken on behalf of GSB, as part of a large serrated tussock grant they recently secured. Kingborough staff


feel fortunate to be able to utilise these resources and knowledge from GSB, who have extensive experience in dealing with serrated tussock. Weed management staff from both Councils feel positive about the collaboration and look forward to a fruitful and successful partnership.

Pampas at Lower Longley

Under the contractual arrangement with State Growth, Councils weed management team recently engaged Eco Works to undertake control of pampas grass along the Huon Highway at Lower Longley. Pampas grass is a Zone A weed and therefore the management objective is eradication. Although this significant infestation has been known to staff for some time, the steep slopes and loose rocks has made previous attempts at control difficult and dangerous.

Eco Works employed a combination of methods, including the use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, commonly known as a drone, to apply herbicide to plants established in areas that were not able to be safely accessed by foot. The use of a Controlled Droplet Applicator (CDA) was also trialled at this site. CDA technology produces spray droplets that are relatively uniform in size, allowing the operator to control droplet size for increased efficiency and targeted application.

Follow up control of the Lower Longley infestation will be needed for a number of years if eradication is to be achieved. However NRM staff are delighted to employ these techniques with Eco Works and are confident that, for the first time, treatment at the site has taken a significant leap in the right direction.

2.8 Care Group Support

The third Kingborough Convenors Mini Conference was held in May and once again saw convenors and group members come together to share experiences and further develop both land management and leadership skills. Topics this year included Communicating with Influence delivered by Swinburne University, the Tasmanian Devil Roadkill Project, emerging weeds of Tasmania delivered by Matt Baker of the Tasmanian Herbarium, risk management and mitigation, funding opportunities with Landcare Tasmania, propagation techniques and a sneak peak at Councils soon to be launched weed reporting app.

The day was well attended and enjoyed. Participants felt they had learned valuable skills which will assist them in their landcare and community ventures. Feedback received by Council included:

“I always find these opportunities to get together with other care groups and learn the latest ideas and procedures invaluable and interesting. Thank you very much for the time and trouble involved in putting together and hosting these Mini-Conferences”

“The workshop was really enjoyable with good presenters. I think it was the best one so far. Well done”.

2.9 Bruny Environmental Accounts

Kingborough staff attended a two day workshop held at UTAS to initiate the building of environmental-economic accounts for Bruny Island, with an initial focus on tourism and natural capital. The workshop was facilitated by UTAS researchers and a broad cross section of stakeholders participated. It is anticipated that further meetings will be held later in 2019 to ascertain the feasibility of advancing the process.


3 CAT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

3.1 Bruny Island Cat By-law

At Council’s June 10 meeting the Bruny Island Cat By-law was adopted after a comprehensive public consultation process. Feedback was received from six people and minor amendments were made to the By-law in accordance with their comments. This is Tasmania’s first comprehensive cat management By-law and the public and media interest has been significant. The next step is certification in accordance with section 163 of the Local Government Act 1993 and then publication in the Government Gazette.

Council has continued to work with Bruny Island cat owners over the past six months, helping to ensure they have the ability to comply with the By-law and containment requirements. This has been made possible through funds provided by the Ten Lives Cat Centre, the Bruny Island Community Association and the Bruny Island Environment Network.

During public consultation, Council also undertook an on-line ‘OurSay’ survey of Bruny Island residents and rate-payers. The survey sought feedback on methods to control feral cats, implementation of the Bruny Island Cat By-law, as well as how the completed the survey, including 12 cat owners. 64% of respondents said they were willing to report a failure to comply with the By-law and 54% said they were willing to talk with cat owners about the need to comply. These numbers are encouraging and the feedback received will help to inform enforcement procedure underpinning the By-law. Like all municipalities across Australia where domestic cats are regulated, Council will need to work closely with the community for the By-law to be effective.

3.2 Feral and Stray Cat Control on Bruny

On June 30 the Bruny Island Cat Management project came to an end. This was a three year, federally funded project and a full report will be provided in the coming months.

In recognition of the projects achievements, the Federal Government and partners are eager to build on the investments made to date, ensuring that the program’s momentum is continued. To this end, Council worked closely with NRM South and DPIPWE preparing a proposal for the Regional Land Partnerships Program. The proposal addresses outcomes for threatened species on the island, in particular the Eastern Quoll, and will intensify work at the Neck and across North Bruny and also work to engage land managers. Council is yet to hear of the official outcomes of this proposal; however feedback to date has been positive.

In April over 50 Bruny Islanders joined Council, Tasmanian Land Conservancy and NRM South at Apollo Bay to learn how to create and protect wildlife habitat as well as feral cat and wildlife monitoring.


3.3 Cat and Dog Management at Boronia Beach

Council is working with members of Boronia Beach Wildcare to continue monitoring for the presence of cats and dogs within Boronia Beach Reserve. Training was provided by Matt Pauza from DPIPWE and remote cameras were deployed for a month. Wildcare members ensured the cameras were secure and serviced during the monitoring and are now assessing the photos taken. The information will inform future engagement of the local community and Council’s monitoring and trapping program within the Reserve.

3.4 Public enquiries

Across the municipality, 87 cat related requests were actioned from July 2018 to June 2019. In summary, 40% of the requests were about the nuisance caused by cats, 29% were from organisations or individuals wanting information on cat management programs, 21% about the presence of stray and feral cats and 5% about the presence of a large numbers of cats at an individual property.

4 The Tasmanian Cat Management Project

The Tasmanian Cat Management Project (TCMP), comprised of Regional Coordinators, NRM North and Cradle Coast Authority, with funding from the State Government, has completed its first year since it began in June 2018. The project works collaboratively across Tasmania with the Southern Regional Cat Management Coordinator, hosted by Kingborough Council, focusing on region specific issues and priorities.

The TCMP focuses on community education, as well as engaging with Councils and other key stakeholders in relation to cat management. The project has produced a range of new communication materials including factsheets, magnets, stickers, posters, television adverts, a Council guide to handling cat related enquiries and as well as a guide to


declaring Cat Management Areas and Cat Prohibited Areas. The website www.TassieCat.com continues to be a resource for Councils and the community for information on keeping our cats, communities and wildlife safe.

The TCMP will soon launch a series of educational television adverts and videos which will accompany the launch of social media platforms engaging the public on responsible cat ownership. Additionally, a statewide survey is currently being rolled out to better understand Tasmanian beliefs and behaviours in relation to responsible cat ownership.

In June the TCMP facilitated a workshop which saw operators of Tasmanian cat management facilities and shelters coming together and exploring issues and opportunities in building a sustainable future for cat management. This day was well received and the project will look to organise another workshop with these key stakeholders in the future.

In July the TCMP attended the LGAT conference to engage with Councillors and General Managers on the topic of Councils role in cat management and responsible cat ownership.

The Southern Cat Management Working Group has held three meetings with representatives from the majority of the Southern Councils, as well as other key stakeholders such as RSPCA, Ten Lives Cat Centre and the State Government. The Working Group plays a key role in bringing together relevant stakeholders to enable collaboration, identify regional priorities and develop cat management strategies.

5 Bushfire Program

5.1 During autumn and early winter 2019, Council undertook three fuel reduction burns with the assistance of the Tasmania Fire Service. Two of the burns took place in Algona Bushland Reserve and were conducted primarily for asset protection, as fuel loads were high and the reserve is surrounded by residential development. The burns reduced the overall bushfire fuel hazard rating to low (approximately 5 tonnes/ha), which increases the ability of firefighters to fight and contain an out of control wildfire.

Fuel reduction burn next to houses at Algona Reserve (image 1)

http://www.tassiecat.com/


Fuel reduction burn next to houses at Algona Reserve (image 2)

A small burn was also undertaken at Hawthorn Reserve. The burn was conducted primarily for ecological purposes with the main objective being to test the response of the endangered blackhood sun-orchid (Thelymitra atronitida) to fire, as well as breaking up fuel continuity within the reserve. The reserve is known to contain specimens of the endangered orchid, which appear to be in decline due to competition from the thick understorey. It is thought that the orchid will benefit from the reduction in competition that the fire will bring, as long as burning takes place after the orchid has flowered. As a precautionary approach, only one internal ‘block’ within the reserve was burnt at high intensity. The burn area will be closely monitored during the orchid flowering season in spring and early summer to determine what effect the fire may have had on this species.

High intensity burn at Hawthorn reserve.

Taroona Brigade also conducted fuel reduction burning on behalf of Council within the fire break of Cartwright Reserve in Taroona. This reserve forms the boundary between Kingborough and Hobart municipalities and is the starting point of the Truganini walking track which leads to the Mount Nelson Signal Station. The fire break, which is bounded by Cartwright Creek to the north, is strategically important for residents of Oakleigh Avenue,


who have large tracts of bushland located to the north and west and whose houses lie in the likely path of bushfire.

In November 2018 and May 2019, Taroona Brigade burnt a number of vegetation piles that had been cleared from the break by Council. Due to the very steep terrain of the reserve, vegetation was burnt on site rather than being removed.

6 CLIMATE CHANGE

• Kingborough is currently participating (and on the steering committees) in three projects being facilitated by the Regional Climate Change Initiative (RCCI). RCCI has functioned under the auspices of the STCA for the past five years. The three projects are:

o Regional Climate Change Strategy and Council Action Plan development.

o Regional Community Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Project.

o Southern Tasmanian Regional Coastal Hazards Strategy and Action Plan development.

• The Kingborough Climate Change Adaptation Policy was re-adopted for two years by Council in April.

• The Kingborough Council Climate Change Plan (2019-2024) was endorsed by Council in March.

7 COASTAL HAZARDS PROGRAM

The consulting company Entura Hydro Tasmania has been commissioned to undertake inundation risk modelling and mapping for Adventure Bay. The project will seek to duplicate the methods and outputs of similar inundation risk modelling and mapping projects (Current, 2050 and 2100) at Kingston Beach and Snug previously undertaken by council staff.


8 BARETTA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

• An update on the environmental management program for the Barretta site was presented at a Councillor workshop on 1 July 2019.

• A contract has been let to Run Energy to take over the management of the gas extraction and flare system at the site commencing 1 July 2019.

• The Annual Monitoring Report for the site was presented to and accepted by the EPA.


CONFIRMATION OF ITEMS TO BE DEALT WITH IN CLOSED SESSION MOVED SECONDED That in accordance with Regulation 15 of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015 Council, by absolute majority, move into closed session to consider the following items: Item Regulation Confirmation of Minutes 34(6)

Applications for Leave of Absence 15(2)(h)

Barretta Solar Project 15(2)(b)


In accordance with the Kingborough Council Meetings Audio Recording Guidelines Policy, recording of the open session of the meeting will now cease. Open Session of Council adjourned at

OPEN SESSION ADJOURNS


OPEN SESSION RESUMES Open Session of Council resumed at MOVED SECONDED The Closed Session of Council having met and dealt with its business resolves to report that it has determined the following: Item Decision Confirmation of Minutes

Applications for Leave of Absence

Barretta Solar Project


CLOSURE There being no further business, the Chairperson declared the meeting closed at

…………………………………… …………………………………… (Confirmed) (Date)

council agenda - kingborough council€¦ · 16 july 2019 . table of contents . item page no. open...

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