Council meeting summary - 27 November 2024

Published on 28 November 2024

Here is the summary of the resolutions made at the Council meeting on 27 November 2024.

The archived recording of the meeting is now available at: https://webcast.qprc.nsw.gov.au/archive/video24-1127.php

• Council heard from four members of the public who made presentations about items on the agenda, including Donation to Bungendore Tennis Club, Notice of Motion – Access to Containment Cell, Appointment of Regional/External Committees Delegates.
• Council noted the NSW Government has offered private landholders at Captains Flat limited access to containment cell for disposal of contaminated soil, rejected the timeframes for disposal of contaminated soil as unreasonable, unrealistic, and unacceptable. Council will request an urgent meeting with Premier’s Department and Legacy Mines to agree on a more realistic timeframe for access to containment cell or construction of second cell.
• Council granted conditional consent for DA.2024.0368 for a boundary adjustment at 114 and 110 Duncan Street, Braidwood.
• Council endorsed updated planning proposal to reclassify and rezone land at 88 Wallace St and 41 Ryrie St, Braidwood and will request Gateway determination from NSW DPHI and delegation of plan making powers. Council will undertake agency consultation and public exhibition as required by Gateway determination, finalise making of plan if no objections received.
• Council endorsed recommended applications for the QPRC Local Heritage Grant Program 2024-25 at a total of $25,000.
• Council endorsed providing a donation of $9,355 to Bungendore Park Tennis Club for essential items as part of the club upgrade.
• Council approved a Cultural Grant of $500 to Roz Townsend towards costs for a podcast on healthy ageing.
• Council adopted a fee for Electric Vehicle Charging of $0.55 per kWh based on a user pays principle and approved supplementary vote of $40k income generated by fees and $40k for costs, which is assumed a net zero impact on the 2024-25 Operational Plan.
• Council adopted the Climate Change Resilience Policy.
• Council nominated Councillor delegates for each Statutory Committee.
• Council endorsed staff representatives and nominated Councillor or Council member delegates and alternates for each Regional/External Committee. Councill appointed two Councillor delegates to the Southern Regional Planning Panel, appointed four alternate Council members, and will develop a rotation schedule for appointees.
• Council approved supplementary vote of $587,000 for emergency works critical for the re-opening of the Queanbeyan Animal Management Facility and will receive a report from the Chief Financial Officer at the second QBRS identifying source of funds.
• Council authorised the General Manager to finalise and lodge a QPRC submission to NSW Government’s Councillor Conduct and Meeting Practices framework discussion paper.
• Council received the September 2024 Quarterly Budget Review Statement, adopted the budget variations, and noted the opinion of the Responsible Accounting Officer in relation to Council’s financial performance and projected year result is satisfactory.
• Council received the Investment Report for October 2024, noting return of $812,869.
• Council agreed to proceed with the sale of land for unpaid rates for eligible properties, delegated authority to the General Manager to withdraw from sale any property that prior to auction has all rates and charges payable or suitable arrangement agreed to. GM authorised to remove from sale any property for technical or legal reasons, to set reserve prices for sale at auction, to negotiate by private treaty, to accept offers for property that don’t sell at auction. GM authorised to execute sale and purchase contracts and property transfer documents, to write off residual rates outstanding due to shortfall in sale for individual properties.
• Council noted the write down of general rates income of $85,283 for 2023-24 and $100,642 for 2024-25 due to the NSW Valuer General decision to remove rateable value of Commonwealth Land. Council noted there are a further 28 Commonwealth properties expected to be affected. Council will write to Valuer General to request review of decisions to apply change retrospectively. Council will write to NSW Premier and Federal Minister for Local Government to request alternative funding for lost revenue.
• Council endorsed the State of our Region Report 2021-2024.
• Council deferred the Annual Report 2023-24 to the 18 December 2024 meeting.
• Council received information report about Quarterly Rates and Charges Outstanding.
• Council received information report about the implications of the NSW Government’s new Housing Delivery Authority.
• Council received information report about community consultation on a review of the Waste Management Strategy.
• Council received information report about a survey conducted about the Mobile Library.
• Council received information report evaluating the extended hours trial at the libraries for HSC students.
• Council received information report on councillor workshops held on 13 November – Bungendore Highschool, Queanbeyan Animal Management Facility, Baytree Solutions, Naming of Queanbeyan Council Chambers.
• Council noted the Urban Forest and Cooling Strategy was adopted on 23 March 2022 that the strategy commits Council to work with community to achieve objectives, that there is no budget allocated to the strategy. Council will receive a report for Council to work with established local groups to achieve objectives with reference to maximising staff and volunteer efforts.
• Council received report with answers to questions with notice about accessibility of commercial and retail premises.
• Council received report with questions with notice about Braidwood non-revenue water, bus shelter program, Captains Flat lead progress which will be answered at upcoming Council meetings.
• In closed session, Council approved the Heads of Agreement between QPRC and Minister for Education and Early Learning. Council authorised General Manager to prepare Deed of Agreement that will allow process under Land Acquisition Act for return of Council land and payment of compensation.

If you’d like more information about these matters, you can find the business papers and minutes on our website at: https://www.qprc.nsw.gov.au/Council-meetings