THESE are the questions I asked at the July council meeting, and the answers received.
Mr Mayor, can you tell us about the $800,000 cheesery and restaurant recently approved in Rowbottom's Rd, Granton.
Answer: The mayor mayor took the question on notice. (As of today, no answer has been received).
Mr Mayor, who owns the Woolworths car park in New Norfolk?
Answer: The general manager advised that the car park was owned by Mr Robert Rockefeller through his company Humana or Nekon.
Mr Mayor, has the council received any communication from the Minister for Local Government regarding his proposed reforms?
The mayor advised that the council had not received any such correspondence from the minister. He further advised that he would write to the minister to ask what consultation would take place.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Winter newsletter available
THE latest issue of the Derwent Valley Council newsletter (Winter 2012) is available for downloading from the council website here.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Questions
HERE are the formal questions I have asked at the last few council meetings.
April council meeting
Mr Mayor, have we had a written answer from the Police Minister regarding the failure of a police representative to attend our recent workshop on Willow Court security?
Answer: The Mayor advised that a letter had been sent but a reply had not been received. He has however received a verbal acknowledgement from the Minister that the letter had been received.
Mr Mayor, has the Council contacted Malcolm MacDonald in accordance with the council's decision of last month?
Answer: The General Manager advised that he hadn’t but will follow it up.
Mr Mayor, will you provide us with an update on your search for a tunnel beneath Burnett St?
Answer: The Mayor advised that he was having a meeting soon with Rebecca White MHA regarding UTAS and their groundpenetrating radar.
May council meeting
Can the Accountant provide an income and expenditure report for the first six months on the Carinya Education Park?
Answer: The General Manager advised that an income and expenditure report would be provided.
June council meeting (questions on notice)
Will the council contact the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources to request a co-operative approach to the provision of a footpath at Westerway?
Answer: The Mayor advised that Stuart Taylor is pursuing this issue and it has also been included in councils budget.
Will the Mayor give an update on the search for tunnels beneath Burnett St?
Answer: The Mayor advised that he would take this matter up with Mr David Llewellyn AM and his new committee. That the General Manager will be taking it up with the University of Tasmania Thermal Imaging section. The Mayor will also take the matter up with Rebecca White MP.
June council meeting (questions on notice)
Cr Bester Mr Mayor why was advertising material for a nursing home posted out in envelopes with the Derwent Valley Council logo on them this month?
The General Manager advised that discussions had been held with Corumbene in regard to sending out the flyer with Council rate notices, unfortunately this did not happen and they were forwarded out separately. They had also asked if they could be provided with the detail so they could do the mail-out of which I advised privacy legislation would not permit Council to pass this information on.
How many were posted out?
The General Manager advised that approximately 1100.
How much did it cost?
The General Manager advised that he would have to get back to him in regard to the cost.
How was it determined who received the flyer?
The General Manager advised that it was forwarded to those that have a pensioner discount or are the holder of a Centrelink Healthcare Card. Corumbene has advised that they now have the longest waiting list that they have ever had and that this will assist with occupancy rates for their newly build units. Unfortunately I am unable to advise if this mail-out was the main reason for this.
April council meeting
Mr Mayor, have we had a written answer from the Police Minister regarding the failure of a police representative to attend our recent workshop on Willow Court security?
Answer: The Mayor advised that a letter had been sent but a reply had not been received. He has however received a verbal acknowledgement from the Minister that the letter had been received.
Mr Mayor, has the Council contacted Malcolm MacDonald in accordance with the council's decision of last month?
Answer: The General Manager advised that he hadn’t but will follow it up.
Mr Mayor, will you provide us with an update on your search for a tunnel beneath Burnett St?
Answer: The Mayor advised that he was having a meeting soon with Rebecca White MHA regarding UTAS and their groundpenetrating radar.
May council meeting
Can the Accountant provide an income and expenditure report for the first six months on the Carinya Education Park?
Answer: The General Manager advised that an income and expenditure report would be provided.
June council meeting (questions on notice)
Will the council contact the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources to request a co-operative approach to the provision of a footpath at Westerway?
Answer: The Mayor advised that Stuart Taylor is pursuing this issue and it has also been included in councils budget.
Will the Mayor give an update on the search for tunnels beneath Burnett St?
Answer: The Mayor advised that he would take this matter up with Mr David Llewellyn AM and his new committee. That the General Manager will be taking it up with the University of Tasmania Thermal Imaging section. The Mayor will also take the matter up with Rebecca White MP.
June council meeting (questions on notice)
Cr Bester Mr Mayor why was advertising material for a nursing home posted out in envelopes with the Derwent Valley Council logo on them this month?
The General Manager advised that discussions had been held with Corumbene in regard to sending out the flyer with Council rate notices, unfortunately this did not happen and they were forwarded out separately. They had also asked if they could be provided with the detail so they could do the mail-out of which I advised privacy legislation would not permit Council to pass this information on.
How many were posted out?
The General Manager advised that approximately 1100.
How much did it cost?
The General Manager advised that he would have to get back to him in regard to the cost.
How was it determined who received the flyer?
The General Manager advised that it was forwarded to those that have a pensioner discount or are the holder of a Centrelink Healthcare Card. Corumbene has advised that they now have the longest waiting list that they have ever had and that this will assist with occupancy rates for their newly build units. Unfortunately I am unable to advise if this mail-out was the main reason for this.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
New planning scheme
SEVEN of your councillors spent most of yesterday in a workshop to review the new planning scheme for the Derwent Valley Council. This will cover all land use matters between Granton and Strathgordon. All of Tasmania's municipal planning schemes are now under review, to bring them into line with a common model and introduce relative consistency throughout the state. In our case this is long overdue, with the current New Norfolk Planning Scheme have being adopted in 1993.
This was the second workshop on this project and there will be quite a number still to come. We are being ably led through this complex matter by the council's planning officer, Martin McCance, and there is no doubting his enthusiasm for the subject matter. Following an initial briefing last month, yesterday's workshop went through the many new zones defined in the model planning scheme. It seems likely that most of the following zones will be a feature of the new Derwent Valley Planning Scheme:
Your feedback wanted
I'm particularly interested to hear the thoughts and opinions of Derwent Valley residents on two matters at this stage of the planning scheme process.
This was the second workshop on this project and there will be quite a number still to come. We are being ably led through this complex matter by the council's planning officer, Martin McCance, and there is no doubting his enthusiasm for the subject matter. Following an initial briefing last month, yesterday's workshop went through the many new zones defined in the model planning scheme. It seems likely that most of the following zones will be a feature of the new Derwent Valley Planning Scheme:
- General Residential Zone (To provide for residential use or development that accommodates a range of dwelling types at suburban densities, where full infrastructure services are available or can be provided)
- Rural Living Zone (To provide for residential use or development on large lots in rural setting where services are limited)
- Village Zone (To provide for small rural centres with a mix of residential, community services and commercial activities)
- Community Purpose Zone (To provide for key community facilities and services where those facilities and services are not appropriate for inclusion as an associated activity within another zone)
- Recreation Zone (To provide for a range of active and organised recreational use or development and complementary uses that do not impact adversely on recreational use of the land)
- Open Space Zone (To provide land for open space purposes including passive recreation and natural or landscape amenity)
- Local Business Zone (To provide for business, professional and retail services which meet the convenience needs of a local area)
- General Business Zone (To provide business, community, food, professional and retail facilities serving a town or group of suburbs)
- Commercial Zone (To provide for large floor area retailing and service industries)
- Light Industrial Zone (To provide for the manufacturing, processing, repair, storage and distribution of goods and materials where off-site impacts are minimal or can be managed to minimise conflict or impact on amenity of any other uses)
- General Industrial Zone (To provide for manufacturing, processing, repair, storage and distribution of goods and materials where there may be impacts on neighbouring uses)
- Rural Resource Zone (To provide for the sustainable use or development of resources for agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, mining and other primary industries, including opportunities for resource processing)
- Significant Agricultural Zone (To provide for the use or development of land for higher productivity value agriculture dependant on soil as a growth medium)
- Utilities Zone (To provide land for major utilities installations and corridors)
- Environmental Management Zone (To provide for the protection, conservation and management of areas with significant ecological, scientific, cultural or aesthetic value, or with a significant likelihood of risk from a natural hazard)
- Particular Purpose Zone (Willow Court)
Your feedback wanted
I'm particularly interested to hear the thoughts and opinions of Derwent Valley residents on two matters at this stage of the planning scheme process.
- The proposed Rural Resource Zone includes a prohibition on subdivisions. In order to prevent further fragmentation of rural resource land, there would be no subdivision of new lots in this "zone". This relates particularly to large farms being subdivided and rendered unsuitable for major agriculture. What's your opinion?
- Past and present planning schemes have sought to protect and preserve High St as the municipality's main commercial centre. The new planning scheme's proposed Commercial Zone would allow "big box" type developments in New Norfolk, but away from the central business district. What do you think?
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Council budget 2012/13
THE Derwent Valley Council budget for the 2012/13 financial year was approved at last week's council meeting, carried by a majority of eight votes to one. As I had expressed in earlier council workshops, councillors had not done enough to reduce expenditure and avoid the forecast 5% increase in rates for the next year. As a last resort I proposed that councillors take a 20% cut in their allowances in order to bring the rates rise down to 4.5% but that also failed.
These are my speech notes from the meeting:
"Mr Mayor, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of all council staff involved in the preparation of this budget. I am not satisfied with this budget but that is not the fault of the staff. At a time of ever increasing costs for water, electricity, fuel and other essentials, I cannot support the proposed 5% rating increase.
"Mr Mayor, not only have councillors failed to rein in expenditure, we are also requested to approval additional expenses in tonight's agenda, possibly adding a further $14,000 that is not budgeted for, as well as a blank cheque for the RAFT partnership agreement.
"Six months ago this council adopted a similar blank cheque approach to the former business enterprise centre, now called the Carinya Education Park. This was stated to be at a minimal cost, which has turned out to be more than $19,000 in half a year, while the income received was about $1800.
"The 5% rates increase is not necessary Mr Mayor. For example, it is not necessary to re-seal a short dead-end laneway to highway width, and some footpath reconstruction could have been delayed.
"In response to our failure to cut our costs, I have proposed that councillors request a 20% reduction in their allowances. Unfortunately this proposal has been shunted to a closed meeting away from public scrutiny.
"On the whole, Tasmanian councils have managed lower increases than that proposed tonight. One council to our north has even introduced a $20 rate rebate."
Here is a list of this year's rate rises around Tasmania, which I will add to as the information becomes available. Please note that not all are directly comparable due to different systems in use at various councils:
Latrobe 1.1%
Brighton 2.1%
Dorset 2.1%
Burnie 3.5-4%
Clarence 3.9%
Kingborough 4%
Launceston 4%
Wynyard 4%
Huon Valley 4.8%
Hobart 4.9%
Derwent Valley 5%
Glenorchy 8%
These are my speech notes from the meeting:
"Mr Mayor, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of all council staff involved in the preparation of this budget. I am not satisfied with this budget but that is not the fault of the staff. At a time of ever increasing costs for water, electricity, fuel and other essentials, I cannot support the proposed 5% rating increase.
"Mr Mayor, not only have councillors failed to rein in expenditure, we are also requested to approval additional expenses in tonight's agenda, possibly adding a further $14,000 that is not budgeted for, as well as a blank cheque for the RAFT partnership agreement.
"Six months ago this council adopted a similar blank cheque approach to the former business enterprise centre, now called the Carinya Education Park. This was stated to be at a minimal cost, which has turned out to be more than $19,000 in half a year, while the income received was about $1800.
"The 5% rates increase is not necessary Mr Mayor. For example, it is not necessary to re-seal a short dead-end laneway to highway width, and some footpath reconstruction could have been delayed.
"In response to our failure to cut our costs, I have proposed that councillors request a 20% reduction in their allowances. Unfortunately this proposal has been shunted to a closed meeting away from public scrutiny.
"On the whole, Tasmanian councils have managed lower increases than that proposed tonight. One council to our north has even introduced a $20 rate rebate."
Here is a list of this year's rate rises around Tasmania, which I will add to as the information becomes available. Please note that not all are directly comparable due to different systems in use at various councils:
Latrobe 1.1%
Brighton 2.1%
Dorset 2.1%
Burnie 3.5-4%
Clarence 3.9%
Kingborough 4%
Launceston 4%
Wynyard 4%
Huon Valley 4.8%
Hobart 4.9%
Derwent Valley 5%
Glenorchy 8%
Sunday, May 13, 2012
And the topic was...
WILLOW Court was the main topic discussed at this month's councillor workshop, held on May 3. Deputy mayor Barry Lathey took the chair in the absence of the mayor, who is on personal leave this month. It was great to have two members of the public present (Anne Salt and Allyson Lock) with some questions about the council's policy on film-makers visiting Willow Court. Also in the gallery was Tim Morris MHA and it emerged that he had been called to the meeting to account for comments had had not made in Parliament. That exchange was saved for the closed section of the workshop.
Anne Salt and Allyson Lock expressed their concerns at film-makers exploring paranormal themes at Willow Court, which prompted an interesting discussion that extended beyond the 30 minutes now allowed for public participation at workshops, and I thank the deputy mayor for his tolerance in that regard. Cr Nicholson expressed the view that paranormal types had jumped onto the Willow Court committee formed back in 2009 "when the community squealed".
The closed section of the workshop featured a presentation by security consultants recommended by Cr Lester. They spoke about the problem of Willow Court's isolation and lack of use and proposed a multi-faceted approach to security based on a site inspection with the mayor, general manager and Cr Lester. Their confidential report will be discussed in a closed session after this week's council meeting. In response to a question from me, the general manager advised that comparative quotes would not be provided.
This brought us to Tim Morris. Cr Bromfield said she had requested his presence because she had been "disgusted when you put us down so badly in Parliament." This was in reference to a motion tabled by Mr Morris on March 8:
As the workshop drew to a close, Mr Morris asked about the future ownership of the former business enterprise centre, now known as the Carinya Education Park. Mr Mackey said the council had a two-year lease and option to acquire the property. It was reported that the buildings were suffering from vandalism.
Anne Salt and Allyson Lock expressed their concerns at film-makers exploring paranormal themes at Willow Court, which prompted an interesting discussion that extended beyond the 30 minutes now allowed for public participation at workshops, and I thank the deputy mayor for his tolerance in that regard. Cr Nicholson expressed the view that paranormal types had jumped onto the Willow Court committee formed back in 2009 "when the community squealed".
The closed section of the workshop featured a presentation by security consultants recommended by Cr Lester. They spoke about the problem of Willow Court's isolation and lack of use and proposed a multi-faceted approach to security based on a site inspection with the mayor, general manager and Cr Lester. Their confidential report will be discussed in a closed session after this week's council meeting. In response to a question from me, the general manager advised that comparative quotes would not be provided.
This brought us to Tim Morris. Cr Bromfield said she had requested his presence because she had been "disgusted when you put us down so badly in Parliament." This was in reference to a motion tabled by Mr Morris on March 8:
- Mr Morris to move That the House:
(1) Notes that the Willow Court Historic Site at New Norfolk is a significant part of Tasmania's built heritage and should be protected in its entirety.
(2) Congratulates:
(a) those owners and managers of parts of the site who have made significant investments of time and finance to protect and reuse those parts of the site they are responsible for; and
(b) those community members, such as the friends of Frescati and the Willow Court Working Group who have volunteered their time to work on the site.
(3) Notes concerns with:
(a) the lack of progress by the Derwent Valley Council in protecting the parts of Willow Court that it owns and is responsible for; and
(b) that a further building has been deliberately burnt beyond repair because of a lack of care by the council.
(4) Further calls upon the council to:
(a) move immediately to secure those remaining buildings that they have stood back and allowed to be vandalised;
(b) report regularly to the community on its plans for, and progress with protection and development of the site;
(c) not to attempt to sell off any further land that is part of the site; and
(d) respond positively and promptly to the Government's proposed Memorandum of Understanding that will define rights and responsibilities and provide state funds for work on the site.
As the workshop drew to a close, Mr Morris asked about the future ownership of the former business enterprise centre, now known as the Carinya Education Park. Mr Mackey said the council had a two-year lease and option to acquire the property. It was reported that the buildings were suffering from vandalism.
April agenda
ANOTHER month has flown by and it's now only a couple of days until the May council meeting, which will be held at Westerway this Thursday night, starting with a community forum at 5.45pm. Please do come along. You can download the council agenda documents here.
Last month's meeting saw some great debate on a couple of issues. My colleague Cr Lester certainly sparked some controversy with his motion on notice seeking some information from the Willow Court committee. I voted against this motion as I believe the information he requested is already available on the council website in the form of minutes and an annual report. Cr Lester amended his motion at the meeting and it was carried by majority.
Next on the agenda was my motion on notice, calling on the council to cease charging the costs of offices at 2 High St to the Royal Derwent (Willow Court) Reserve Account. From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, this is a straightforward motion. Since 2002 nearly $350,000 has been charged to Willow Court for the costs of the offices at 2 High St. There has been some income from the same source, but the total loss has been about $230,000. I believe the figures have been provided to all councillors. In the current financial year, income from 2 High St has been nearly $9000 but the costs have been $37,000, for a total loss of $28,000. These charges are for offices which no longer have any connection to Willow Court. The tenuous link via Valley Vision was severed more than two years ago and the costs should cease being charged to Willow Court." This motion generated some discussion and was supported by the majority of councillors.
My second motion was for the general manager to investigate and report on the apparently excessive cost of electricity at Willow Court. So far this financial year, Electricity costs of $24,000 have been charged to the Willow Court account. An investigation into this cost was supported by all councillors.
COUNCILLOR ALLOWANCES
I did not support the adoption of an updated council policy on councillor allowances as I do not agree with the payment of additional allowances on top of the fixed payment that is already made to councillors. From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, I will not be supporting this motion. I made these remarks at the committee level and repeat them here for the benefit of the council. While the prescribed allowances are within the law, I believe they are unnecessary and excessive when Derwent Valley councillors already receive a fixed yearly allowance of nearly $11,000 each, the deputy mayor receives nearly $21,000 and the mayor receives more than $37,000. The Lord Mayor of Hobart receives a fixed allowance of more than $100,000 per annum, plus a car and driver. Additional allowances for travel, phone calls, child care and other things are within the law, but I regard them as double-dipping when councillors already receive a generous allowance that increases every year." All other councillors voted in favour of the policy.
HIGHWAYS BYLAW
I did not support a proposed new Highways and Stormwater Bylaw as I believe it is unnecessarily draconian in some aspects. The bylaw is intended to control such things as the roadside sale of cars and the growing number of roadside signs. All other councillors voted in favour of the new bylaw. The public will be able to have its say before it becomes law.
From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, I will not be supporting this draft bylaw in its current form. I believe it is excessive to fine a person $390 for driving on the road with dirty wheels, and I am not convinced that we are bedevilled by persons going door-to-door seeking to buy rag and bone and that they should be fined $260. I would also make the point that items such as this draft bylaw are ideal for actual workshopping by councillors at their monthly gathering, rather than having their first discussion take place at a formal meeting."
WILLOW COURT MOU
All councillors voted in favour of the Memorandum of Understanding with the State Government, but not before several of us expressed our disappointment with the document. From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, I am far from satisfied with this latest version of the MOU. In effect it obliges the government to nothing and the council to everything. I believe the only real advancement is that we have the support of a man of goodwill and good intent in David Llewellyn and at this stage I will put my trust in him rather than the government."
OTHER ITEMS
For the benefit of those friends who wonder whether I ever support anything, I voted in favour of routine items including the monthly financial report and planning applications dealt with by delegation, as well as the new customer service charter, and a proposed review of councillor numbers, but I voted against the council going into closed session to discuss two items behind closed doors.
Last month's meeting saw some great debate on a couple of issues. My colleague Cr Lester certainly sparked some controversy with his motion on notice seeking some information from the Willow Court committee. I voted against this motion as I believe the information he requested is already available on the council website in the form of minutes and an annual report. Cr Lester amended his motion at the meeting and it was carried by majority.
Next on the agenda was my motion on notice, calling on the council to cease charging the costs of offices at 2 High St to the Royal Derwent (Willow Court) Reserve Account. From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, this is a straightforward motion. Since 2002 nearly $350,000 has been charged to Willow Court for the costs of the offices at 2 High St. There has been some income from the same source, but the total loss has been about $230,000. I believe the figures have been provided to all councillors. In the current financial year, income from 2 High St has been nearly $9000 but the costs have been $37,000, for a total loss of $28,000. These charges are for offices which no longer have any connection to Willow Court. The tenuous link via Valley Vision was severed more than two years ago and the costs should cease being charged to Willow Court." This motion generated some discussion and was supported by the majority of councillors.
My second motion was for the general manager to investigate and report on the apparently excessive cost of electricity at Willow Court. So far this financial year, Electricity costs of $24,000 have been charged to the Willow Court account. An investigation into this cost was supported by all councillors.
COUNCILLOR ALLOWANCES
I did not support the adoption of an updated council policy on councillor allowances as I do not agree with the payment of additional allowances on top of the fixed payment that is already made to councillors. From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, I will not be supporting this motion. I made these remarks at the committee level and repeat them here for the benefit of the council. While the prescribed allowances are within the law, I believe they are unnecessary and excessive when Derwent Valley councillors already receive a fixed yearly allowance of nearly $11,000 each, the deputy mayor receives nearly $21,000 and the mayor receives more than $37,000. The Lord Mayor of Hobart receives a fixed allowance of more than $100,000 per annum, plus a car and driver. Additional allowances for travel, phone calls, child care and other things are within the law, but I regard them as double-dipping when councillors already receive a generous allowance that increases every year." All other councillors voted in favour of the policy.
HIGHWAYS BYLAW
I did not support a proposed new Highways and Stormwater Bylaw as I believe it is unnecessarily draconian in some aspects. The bylaw is intended to control such things as the roadside sale of cars and the growing number of roadside signs. All other councillors voted in favour of the new bylaw. The public will be able to have its say before it becomes law.
From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, I will not be supporting this draft bylaw in its current form. I believe it is excessive to fine a person $390 for driving on the road with dirty wheels, and I am not convinced that we are bedevilled by persons going door-to-door seeking to buy rag and bone and that they should be fined $260. I would also make the point that items such as this draft bylaw are ideal for actual workshopping by councillors at their monthly gathering, rather than having their first discussion take place at a formal meeting."
WILLOW COURT MOU
All councillors voted in favour of the Memorandum of Understanding with the State Government, but not before several of us expressed our disappointment with the document. From my speech notes: "Mr Mayor, I am far from satisfied with this latest version of the MOU. In effect it obliges the government to nothing and the council to everything. I believe the only real advancement is that we have the support of a man of goodwill and good intent in David Llewellyn and at this stage I will put my trust in him rather than the government."
OTHER ITEMS
For the benefit of those friends who wonder whether I ever support anything, I voted in favour of routine items including the monthly financial report and planning applications dealt with by delegation, as well as the new customer service charter, and a proposed review of councillor numbers, but I voted against the council going into closed session to discuss two items behind closed doors.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
