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Thank you for your forbearance, everyone.
We seem to have resolved the technical issues and I'm in search of a motion to resume the meeting.
Councillor Sinfield, thank you very much and Councillor Hurd has second that motion and if there’s no opposition to that we will continue.
I will go back to where we began and welcome everyone and our community to tonight’s council meeting.
My name is Councillor Cynthia Watson and I’m the Mayor of Boroondara. I now call upon Councillor Hurd to read the council prayer.
Thank you, Mayor. Almighty God, we humbly seek your blessings upon this Council. Direct and prosper its deliberations to the advancement of your glory and the true welfare of the people of the City of Boroondara. Amen.
Amen. Thank you Councillor Hurd.
The City of Boroondara acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land and respects their customs and traditions.
The health and safety and wellbeing of the community has and will always be the paramount consideration of the Council.
Council continues to be guided by the government directives and wants to be able to do the right thing for the health of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 Omnibus Emergency Measures Act 2020 passed by the Victorian Parliament on the 23rd of April, 2020 included changes to the Local Government Act 2020 which affected the conduct of council meetings.
The changes became effective from the 1st of May, 2020. Council is now able to hold virtual meetings and councillors can participate in the meetings remotely by electronic means of communication.
The council meeting is being live-streamed on the council website so you will be able to view the proceedings of the meeting, councillor deliberations, and voting.
The meeting is also being recorded and will be made available on the council website as soon as practicable after the meeting.
Should technical problems be encountered as they certainly were this evening by the council then the meeting will be adjourned until resolution or postponed.
I’ll start by introducing my fellow councillors and officers who are present for this meeting. And councillors as I call your name if you will please indicate that you are here. 
Councillor Ross. Good evening everyone. Thank you. Councillor Sinfield. Present. Good evening. Councillor Parke. Good evening Mayor. Councillor Thompson. Good evening everyone.
Councillor Wegman. Good evening everyone. Councillor Addis. Good evening everyone. Councillor Hollingsworth. Good evening. And Councillor Hurd. Good evening, Mayor, good evening officers, and good evening members of the community. Last but never least, Councillor Hurd.
We also have a number of officers in attendance this evening to assist us. And I’d like to acknowledge that we have with us this evening our chief executive officer Mr. Phillip Storer, the director of city planning Shiran Wickramasinghe.
The director of community development Carolyn McLean, the director of environment and infrastructure Mr. Daniel Freer, director customer experience and business transformation Mr. Bruce Dobson.
Manager governance Mr. Thompson, and the governance project officer Miss Elizabeth Manou.
There's also a number of officers in attendance tonight and they will be introduced as they present their reports. I will now move on to the order of businesses as listed in our business papers. 
Mr. Thompson, are there any apologies for this evening?
Through you Madam Mayor, we have an apology for Councillor Healey who's been granted a leave of absence from council. 
Thank you very much, Mr. Thompson.
Item one on the agenda this evening is for the adoption and confirmation of the minutes of the special council meeting held on the 1st of June, 2020 and council meeting on the 9th of June, 2020.
Do we have councillors someone who is prepared to move a motion to adopt and confirm those minutes? Councillor Hollingsworth.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes I’m happy to adopt the minutes for both the meeting on the 1st of June and the 9th of June as circulated. Thank you.
Thank you. And Councillor Parke are you prepared to second that motion? Yes, Mayor.
Thank you very much councillors. Is there anyone opposed to that motion? There being none, I declare the motion carried. 
Second item for this evening is the declaration of conflict of interest of any councillor or council officer. Are there any conflicts of interests that need to be declared this evening?
There being none, we'll proceed to item 3 which is deputations, presentation, petitions, and public submission. 
Mr. Thompson are there any such items for our consideration this evening?
Through you Madam Mayor, there are a presentation this evening from two members of the community. The details are set out in an agenda paper. Thank you very much.
We’ll proceed to item 3.1 which is a presentation on the Shopping Centre Special Rate and Charges Scheme and I believe that we have a couple of community members who will be presenting to us this evening.
So we’ll wait for them to be invited into the meeting. Elizabeth. I can't see their faces. 
Alright. Thank you very much. I'd like to welcome Mr. Stensholt and Miss Katopodis and apologies for not pronouncing your name, I’m sure that you’ll correct me when it comes your time to speak.
Welcome to our council meeting this evening. Please note in accordance with the Council Meeting Procedure Local Law that your presentation will be a maximum of three minutes and at the conclusion of your presentation you may be asked some questions by the councillors.    
So Mr. Stensholt, if I could please ask you to make your presentation this evening.
Okay. Thank you, Mayor. My name is Bob Stensholt at Glen Iris, president of the Ashburton Traders Association, and one of two speakers tonight on behalf of thousands of businesses and eight Boroondara shopping centres, asking Council to play the levy for businesses for three months and provide a grant of $25,000 to each Association.
We have actively sought and received people's support, BAS repayments, and job keeper. 
Along with Mr Storer I've been on the Higgins Leadership Group advocating for local businesses.
We’ve had state support, $12 million in payroll relief and $10,000 each to business support to over 3,000 Boroondara businesses. 
We now ask that Council provide more local support to our local businesses.
Our shopping strips are the heart of Boroondara where people work, meet, shop, where our kids get jobs, where local clubs and charities fundraise, we want them to revive and thrive with your help.
We've seen the agony and pain of shop owners with no income for months, unable to pay the rent, forced to put off casual staff, mentally exhausted, even shutting down, and I quote from one today
People will have to choose between losing everything they've worked over many years. They continue to trade at a loss just to stay in the market or never open again and just walk away from everything that they have worked for.
The pain continues especially for our cafes and restaurants, further restrictions on the weekends, it's not business as usual and the pain will be felt for many more months of restriction and uncertainty.
Boroondara can do better, do more to help our small business. Some initiatives are good but rebates on parking and street furniture don't help much if you’re closed.
The proposal to waive the levy would kill the work of associations and the coordinators who have been tireless in providing guidance and support. 
We ask for support that will be used to promote our centres, locals for locals, and back to business.
We’ll also develop with Council's support a network of assistance to neighbouring centres such as in our case Glen Iris and Hartwell, sharing information, professional development ideas, marketing material etc.
We ask that Council be more agile and responsive to small business, get back to queries within 48 hours, give priority to resolving issues quickly and consultatively, ensure better coordination between areas within Council so there can be speedy help for small businesses.
In sum, please help our small businesses in Boroondara, other councils are doing it surely Boroondara can too. 
We're happy to meet with you anytime and happy to answer any of your questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Stensholt, for your presentation. Councillors, are there any questions for Mr. Stensholt this evening before I ask if…ah Councillor Hurd.
Yes, thank you Mayor. Mr. Stensholt, thanks for your presentation. Can you outline to us anything you know that other councils might be doing in this area?
I can give a partial representation but I'm sure Fiona Banks has a larger one. Banyule for example, is paying the levy for associations, nine associations, for nine months.
They've also provided grants. Stonnington is providing grants and most recently at their recent council meeting set up two committees; one is an economic development small business support committee as well as a community support realising that COVID-19 is going to be with us for many months.
Glen Iris provided grants. The city of Melbourne, of course, is a special case in itself but it’s provided a lot of support for local businesses. I could go on but that might be enough.
Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Hurd. Councillor Thompson, your hand is up.
Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you Mr. Stensholt for your presentation. I think you’ve grown a little extra hair since I last met you.
I so be it.
Thank you for your presentation. You mentioned locals for locals and back to business. 
Obviously, those things are marketing orientated. What is your desire as a trader to see those come through? How do you see those?
Well, we're actually planning in Ashburton, we have actually designed a postcard we’d want to send around to everybody.
Three or four weeks ago we asked Council for a permit, we're still waiting for it in order to put corflutes which are saying “back to business” around our trees in our shopping centre.
We also want to increase our social media advertising. We have already done a lot of that and been a lot of help to our businesses.
We also want to do a large advertising outside the Shell Service Station in Ashburton and already contacted oOh!media their manager actually lives in Ashburton.
So we're working hard with our local marketing that's if we've got the money to do it, of course. We're going to run out of money soon, quite frankly.
So follow up, Madam Mayor, if I can? Yes. 
So Mr. Stensholt, I think what you're alluding to is seeking Council to assist with freeing up red tape to ensure that things can happen in a timely manner but also provide assistance towards marketing, that’s…that’s the crux of it?
Well, that's true and our coordinators spend a lot of time providing support. I mean, even today we had a person who's still having problems with his landlord and we have provided advice to him on how to go to the small business commissioner.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort when you've got 100 or 200 sort of businesses in your shopping strip.
Thank You, Mr. Stensholt. And Madam Mayor, I’ll foreshadow a motion on 7.5 when the time comes. Thank You. 
Councillor Ross.
Thank you. Thank you very much for your presentation, Mr. Stensholt. 
Just a couple of questions; one is that obviously not all of the shops are in traders associations, we have a large number of neighborhood shopping centres but also our 4th largest shopping centre at Balwyn doesn’t have a traders association, so do you have any suggestions because what you’ve been suggesting is those eight shopping centres with traders associations.
Thank you, Councillor Ross. As you would’ve noticed in my presentation I said we're happy to develop with Council's support a network of assistance to our local neighbouring centres.
I mean, we have already provided support disseminating information out, for example, to some people in Hartwell.
We'd like to do more of that and work with Glen Iris and other local associations and my fellow associations I'm sure would be happy to do the same.
It's not just us, it's a whole lot of businesses. I mean, I walk down the Hartwell Shopping Centre, three businesses closed.
Two of them have had problems with the landlord and we provided assistance to them and advice to them on how to deal with landlords.
So we are happy to work with others and we'd like to have a much better system, a network of assistance.
For example, this morning we already put out information to all our businesses and we're happy to share that sort of information.
And I might add that we get the information out, it doesn't actually come all that quickly from Council.
Thank you.
All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Stensholt. There appear to be no more questions so we appreciate you coming this evening and presenting to us.
So I'd like to now hand the time over to Miss Katopodis? Have I done it right?
Katopodis.
Katopodis. My apologies, not a fluent Greek speaker. So Miss Katopodis, if you would like to make your presentation to Council this evening. Over to you now.
Good evening, Mayor Watson and councillors. Thank you. I’m Athena Katopodis, president of the Maling Road Business Association.
I live in Camberwell and I've owned a successful business in Maling Road for 24 years. I employ 10 staff. We are all on JobKeeper.
Our income dropped by nearly 80% in March, we do not expect this situation to get better for some time, and as we all know, tighter restrictions came into play again today.
Why do we need extra financial assistance? The extra work that our associations have done over the past three months was neither foreseen nor budgeted for.
This work kept our businesses either open or informed and viable. Our coordinators are now volunteering much of their time as they know we cannot afford to pay them.
Why favour businesses over residents? Our shopping strips are where local residents meet, work, where they shop, where their teenagers get their first jobs, where they fundraise for their schools and organizations.
We are confident that Boroondara ratepayers would support this. Why favour our shopping strips over any others?
We have demonstrated over nearly 30 years that we are organized and accountable. We have proven that we are capable of working with Council to deliver economic and social benefits to our local communities.
Residents will continue to support all of their local strips if they see enough of us surviving. The choice to defer or waive our special levy.
We cannot believe that this was even offered as an option. Instead of giving extra support, Council would help take away the funds we need.
How can we run an association without any funds? How can we help our traders out of their dire financial situation? Of course, we need to keep the levy.
Isn't state and Federal assistance enough? Their support is vital, however, accessing it is not straightforward for many small businesses and without our assistance most had no idea how to apply.
We have spoken with State and Federal MPs over the past three months and have asked them for more assistance also. Now we are asking you our local representatives.
Disappointingly, our request to meet for consultation was rejected. In three minutes tonight, I cannot fully inform you of what has happened to our community during this time.
Whilst we know Council is not responsible for the lockdown, we believe they have the ability and the resources to help us through it.
We say that the relief package on offer does not meet community needs. We need an ongoing consultation process to work together to meet those needs for a long time to come.
Given the current circumstances, we believe this is a reasonable request. We expected your support as neighbouring councils who’ve offered similar support to their associations.
Local shopping strips will become even more important as Melbournians are working from home. We know that people have valued Maling Road during the lockdown, we heard it every day, and investment now will not be a waste of ratepayers’ money.
We are organized, committed, and willing to put in the work. We just need some urgent help right now. Thank you.
Thank you very much for your presentation. Councillors, is there any questions you have this evening? Councillor Addis.
Thanks very much, Mayor, and thanks very much, Miss Katopodis. 
Are you able to give me a clearer sense of how you would use 25,000 which I think is the amount you're asking for? Can you give us a sense of how you would see that being spent?
Sure. Well, Maling Road in particular, we've got a specific campaign in mind. We have a gift card and we were going to use that to help us come out of the Covid lockdown, we just don't have the money to fund it at the moment.
We have used our funds. We don't actually know what's going to be ahead of us to be honest, conditions are fluid.
As we saw today, things are changing every day. We need to be able to move on whatever comes. We need to do advertising in social media.
We need to work on all of that and all of that costs money and we just are going to run out of money and that's why we need extra money but the gift card campaign is our number one thing.
We ran it very successfully over other times; Mother's Day, Christmas. All it does is bring money into Maling Road. People buy the gift cards and they have to spend them in Maling Road.
So that would be our major campaign but we don't know what's going to come and we just need to be able to have some funds there to deal with it and it's really not going away anytime soon. We are very, very concerned.
Thank you. Thank You, Councillor Addis. 
There don't appear to be any other questions this evening so I'd like to thank you for your presentation both of you, Mr Stensholt, Miss Katopodis, and we appreciate you coming and speaking with us this evening. 
So that concludes item 3.1 of the meeting this evening.
Okay. Thank you. We’ll now proceed to item 3.2 on the agenda this evening, petitions. Mr. Thompson, I believe we have one petition this evening to receive.
Through you Madam Mayor, Council, since you last met on the 9th of June we have received one petition.
The details of the petition are set out on page four of your business papers this evening. Accordingly, I commend the officers’ recommendation as in your business papers to you.
Thank You, Mr. Thompson. Councillors, is anyone prepared to move the motion? Thank you, Councillor Thompson you prepared to move the motion and Councillor Sinfield second. Yes.
Is there anyone opposed to that motion? There being no opposition I declare the motion carried. Thank You, Councillors.
Item 4, assembly of councillors. There is no assembly of councillors to be reported at this council meeting.
So having dealt without item 4 we'll move on to item 5 which is public question time.
Council encourages the submission of public questions prior to 12:00p.m. on the day of the meeting.
Questions submitted prior to 12:00 noon will be provided with the detailed verbal response as well as a response in writing.
Those submitted after 12:00p.m. will receive a verbal response if possible but will otherwise be taken on notice for a written response to be provided in due course.
Mr. Thompson do we have any public questions this evening?
Through you Madam Mayor, Council has received 10 questions from seven residents. Copies of the questions have been circulated to councillors.
Thank you very much, Mr. Thompson. We’ll now proceed to address the questions that have been received this evening.
So councillors, the first question has been received from Megan Burgess and the subject is the Shopping Centre Special Rate and Charges Scheme.
This question has been allowed under Clause 60.2.1 of our Meeting Procedure Local Law. 
The question is would council consider a wider initiative to support all of the shopping precincts in Boroondara rather than just the eight with the trader groups?
The question relates to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting and is therefore allowed in accordance with Clause 60.2.1 of our Meeting Procedure Local Law.
I call upon the director of city planning to respond to this question from Miss Burgess. So thank you, Mr. Wickramasinghe.
Thank You, Chair. Each year Council commits to a significant number of initiatives to support its 53 shopping centres.
Council spent over 7 million in 2018-19 supporting its shopping centres and budgeted over 11 million in 2019-20.
The expenditure relates to programs delivered by Council's economic development department, Council’s shopping centre and streetscape improvement schemes, placemaking program and amenity management.
Council is considering a report relating to the matters raised in this question later this evening.
Thank You, Mr. Wickramasinghe and Miss Burgess, you will receive a written response to your question in due course.
Question 2 for this evening falls under the subject matter of Procurement Policy Annual Review 2020 and the question is submitted by Mr. Wayne Perkins of Camberwell.
So the question is what are the processes and criteria in the council procurement policy for considering the environmental impacts and the environmental credentials on goods services and works which will mitigate the effects of the climate emergency we are facing.
The question relates to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting in this therefore allowed in accordance with Clause 60.2.1 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law.
I now call upon director of customer experience and business transformation to respond to this question from Mr. Perkins. Thank You, Mr. Dobson.
Thank You, Mayor. Through you, the procurement policy notes council is committed to supporting the principles of sustainable procurement and includes criteria for consideration including reduce, reuse, and recycle, minimize energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, minimize habitat destruction, minimize use of potable water, greening the supply chain, and use of fair trade products.
The policy states that qualitative evaluation criteria, so the non-price criteria, shall be set with consideration to the principle set out in the policy which include environmental sustainability. Thank you.
Thank You, Mr. Dobson, and Mr. Perkins, you will receive a written response to your question in due course.
The next question comes from Mr. Hundley of Balwyn North. The subject being contract variation delegations for various contracts and special reference to the Canterbury Tennis Pavilion.
So the question is please specify why each of the additional cost items, temporary accommodation, 19,000, client generated, and funded changes, 12,000, and storm water and sewer connection changes, 37,000, proposed to be approved by the chief executive were not anticipated in the approved contract price to be paid for the project by Boroondara Council.
The question relates to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting and is therefore allowed in accordance with Clause 60.2.1 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law.
I now call upon the director of environment and infrastructure to respond to the question from Mr. Hundley. Thank You, Mr. Freer.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Temporary accommodation was budgeted as part of this project. These facilities were procured under a separate contract to the main construction contract at a value of $19,000.
However, as a consequence of delays in securing both the contractor willing to undertake the initial work and securing a certificate of occupancy for this complex relating to access works this contract was then novated to the head contractor as a variation to the main contract scope hence requiring a variation under this report tonight.
Post the tender award, the Tennis Club requested a number of adjustments to the project scope and these adjustments are outside standard council provision and included a ducted vacuum system and alterations to the kitchen.
The Club will be reimbursing council for the value of these adjustments to be carried out at the Club’s request.
The third part in relation to the sewer and storm water connections changes where as a result of latent conditions identified on the site by the head contractor after the project commencement. 
No sum was allocated for these works and these issues arose only once the works on the connections to those services commenced. 
A further written response will be provided to Mr. Hundley.
Thank you very much, Mr. Freer. Mr. Hundley, you will see a written response to your question in due course.
The next question, Councillors, is again from Mr. Ian Hundley of Balwyn North and the subject is recreation hall reserve and proposed installation of gates.
This question does not relate to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting and therefore has been disallowed. I'm sorry, I've lost my track here.
The question had been previously asked in writing and received a written response from a councillor or a member of Council staff.
As such, the question is disallowed in accordance with Clause 60.2 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law. Councillors have received a copy of the question and Mr. Hundley will receive a written response in due course.
The next question for our consideration this evening is from Mr. David Strang of Hawthorn East and the subject is Procurement Policy Annual Review 2020.
So councillors, I will read out the question and preempt the reading of the question to say that a portion of the question from Mr. Strang has been disallowed under Section 59.3.2 as it contains additional contextual material which is deemed not permissible.
The question reads, can Council identify examples of where and how the criteria in Section 15.2 of the Council's Procurement Policy have resulted in more environmentally sustainable outcomes including a reduction in carbon emissions?
I'd like to now call upon the director of customer experience and business transformation to respond to this question from Mr. Strang. Thank you, Mr. Dobson.
Thank you, Mayor. Through you, I don't want to repeat the criteria that are included in 15.2 of the policy, I referenced those in my earlier response.
But I would like to highlight some of the tangible steps Council has taken to applying its procurement policy to seek more environmentally sustainable outcomes.
A range of these examples include electricity. Council has entered into a long term power purchase agreement to source up 100% green electricity from 1 July this year which will save over 13,000 tons of Co2 emissions per annum.
Asphalt, Council is using asphalt products which incorporate either soft plastics, plastic bags collected at supermarkets, or printer toner cartridges. 
The City also utilizes recycled asphalt (inaudible) other (inaudible) along with Council's (inaudible) buildings policy deliver (inaudible) building renewal and refurbishment (inaudible) building projects being delivered according to the Green Star design and as built tool from the Green Building Council of Australia.
This ensures enhanced energy and water efficiency as well as prioritizing use of sustainably and ethically sourced materials.
When Council replaces or upgrades plant and equipment such as air conditioning, heating, and lighting we're selecting more efficient options which use less energy and water.
Council has recently completed a targeted retrofit program through an energy performance contract where council committed $2.5 million in energy-saving upgrades to replace outdated and inefficient lights, boilers, air conditioning, and more.
There are things at a smaller scale such as stationery where the majority of councils paper is 100% recycled and more sustainable choices are preferred and in such as the Boroondara Bulletin the hardcopy is printed on recycled paper and uses soy ink.
So these are just a number examples. Thank you, Mayor.
Thank You, Mr. Dobson, and apologies to anybody who is joining us this evening.
Mr. Dobson, you broke up a little bit there but just to assure Mr. Strang that you will receive a written response to your question in due course.
The next question we have comes from Mr. Leigh Naunton of Balwyn North and the subject is recommendations for the audit committee meeting held on the 13th of May, 2020.
And again, councillors, just drawing your attention to that a portion of the question for Mr. Naunton has been disallowed under Section 59.3.2 as it contains additional contextual material which is deemed not permissible.
So the question reads, will Council in the New Audit and Risk Committee Charter integrate climate change risks into key governance processes including the Audit and Risk Committee Charter?
This question relates to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting and is therefore allowed accordance with Clause 60.2.1 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law.
I'll call upon the director of customer experience and business transformation to respond to this question from Mr. Naunton. Thank you, Mr. Dobson.
Thank you, Mayor. I hope the audio holds up. 
The report 7.6 on tonight's meeting agenda recommendations of the Audit Committee does note a New Audit and Risk Committee Charter will be developed in accordance with the requirements of the new Local Government Act, for Council's consideration, and that will happen by 1st of September.
The purpose of such a charter for an Audit and Risk Committee is generally to set out the role of the committee and matters relevant to its functioning, rather than to identify and name specific risks within the charter itself.
I would note though as has been reported to Council previously, work is underway to review and update Council's current climate change risk assessment and the outcome of this assessment will provide key inputs into Council Risk Management Framework and provide valuable information that will assist in developing Council’s Climate Action Plan. Thank you, Mayor.
Thank you, Mr. Dobson. The next question also comes from Mr. Leigh Naunton of Balwyn North and the subject matter is the same but the question submitted has been disallowed this evening because the question does not relate to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting.
And the question has not been previously asked in writing and received a written response from a councillor or member of Council staff.
As such, the question is disallowed in accordance with Clause 60.2 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law.
Councillors have received a copy of the question and Mr. Naunton will receive a written response to his question in due course from the director of environment and infrastructure.
The next question comes from Mr. Richard Wilson of Canterbury and the subject is the Shopping Centre Special Rate and Charges Scheme support request.
The question is what initiatives will Council deliver in support of these local businesses in Boroondara given the obvious significant impact to those business and employees?
The question relates to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting and is therefore allowed in accordance with Clause 60.2.1 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law.
I now call upon the director of city planning to respond to the question from Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Wickramasinghe.
Thank you, Chair. Each year Council commits a significant number of initiatives in support of its 53 shopping centres. Council is considering a report relating to this matter this evening.
Thank you, Mr. Wickramasinghe. And Mr. Wilson, you will receive a written response to your question in due course.
The next question is, again, from Mr. Richard Wilson of Canterbury and it relates to Shopping Centre Special Rates and Charges.
The question is will Council be providing financial assistance either directly or through marketing and promotion or other relative initiatives over the next few months to ensure our local people don't head off to the Doncaster and Chadstone precincts inflicting further financial pain to owners and employees in their own patch?
This question relates to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting and is therefore allowed in accordance with Clause 60.2.1 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law. 
I now call upon the director of city planning to respond to the question from Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wickramasinghe.
Thank you, Chair. From the outset, Council recognized its role in supporting the local community and businesses as evidenced by the $4.5 million support and relief package to help our local community through the challenging and uncertain times brought on by COVID-19.
And Council is considering the matters raised in this question this evening.
Thank you, Mr. Wickramasinghe. And Mr. Wilson, you will receive a written response to your question in due course.
The next question comes from Miss Anita Voros and the subject is recreation hall reserve and the proposed installation of gates. This question has been disallowed.
The question does not relate to a matter on the agenda for the current council meeting and the question has not been previously asked in writing and received a written response from a councillor or member of Council staff.
As such, the question is disallowed in accordance with Clause 60.2 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law. Councillors have received a copy of the question and Miss Voros will receive a written response to her question in due course from the director of city planning. 
Councillor Sinfield. Thank you, Mayor. Just to double back in relation to question 4 I think it was it was the second question asked by Mr. Hundley.
You said that the question was disallowed as it didn't relate to a matter on the agenda this evening but in your introduction stated that it was in relation to the recreation hall reserve which is on the agenda at item 7.8.
Wondering if for transparency reasons if you might be able to just clarify that question’s disallowed, please.
Yes, certainly. Thank you, Councillor Sinfield, for your question. And I will defer to Mr. Thompson for the explanation.
Through you Madam Mayor, the substance of the question from Mr. Hundley doesn't relate to the recreation hall reserve matter on the agenda tonight. 
It relates to the Gordon Barnard Reserve.
Councillor Parke I also notice you had put your hand up, was your concern similar to Councillor Sinfield or you had another matter to raise?
Similar in respect of the very last time with which she dealt. I thought I heard it said that it related to recreation hall reserve but is that the oddness here?
Again, I'll defer Mr. Thompson for the full explanation. Sorry, I beg your pardon. Mr. Wickramasinghe will answer your query.
Through you, Chair, the question doesn't reference recreation hall reserve at all and we understood that it was dealing with the matter of Gordon Barnard reserve which isn't on the agenda this evening.
Councillor Parke, does that provide the answer to your query? Might I just hear the question again. I, unfortunately, don't have it in front of me.
Given that it was disallowed, I didn't read it out. Oh okay, no, that’s fine.
Alright. Thank you very much. Councillors, that concludes item 5 on the agenda being public question time. 
We will now move to item 6 on the agenda which is notices of motion. Mr. Thompson, do we have any notices of motion this evening?
Through you, Madam Mayor, there are no notices of motion for consideration this evening.
Thank you very much. Item 7 this evening is a presentation of officer reports so we'll now hear from Mr. Greg Hall who will…item 7.1 will speak to April 2020, our monthly financial report. So Mr. Hall whenever you're ready.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. The April monthly report contains council's normal monthly financial report which is designed to identify major variances to budget for the period ending 30th of April, 2020.
However this report also contains additional information with respect to the projected carryover projects for inclusion in the 2021 budget document and again, it contains also the final forecast for the 2019-20 financial year.
It should be noted that the forecast contained in these papers will need to be amended upwards by an amount of $2.4 million due to the Federal Government's decision to pay 50% of the 2021 VGC grants early i.e. in this financial year. 
Of course, there's the resultant increased deficit in 2021 as a result of that.
Nevertheless, Council’s financial position remains sound and the officers’ recommendation is to note the MFR, the monthly financial report, and to adopt the April forecasts as identified in the attachment. Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Thank you, Mr. Hall, for your report this evening. Councillors, are there any questions for Mr. Hall?
There being no questions, I'm in search of a motion. Thank you, councillor Parke.
Have we got someone prepared to second that motion? Councillor Sinfield. Councillor Parke, return to you as the mover of the motion.
I think everything of substance was covered in the officer’s remarks so I urge support for the motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Parke. I will now put that motion, those in favour? Councillor Parke, Councillor Ross, Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Addis, Councillor Hollingsworth, and Councillor Hurd.
I declare that motion carried unanimously.
Moving on to Item 7.2 which is the Boroondara Triennial Operational Grant Allocation 2020 to ’23.
And Miss Brown the manager of community planning and development will be presenting the report this evening. Thank you, Miss Brown.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. So the report you have before you tonight contains the recommendations of the Community Strengthening Grants Assessment Panel for the 2023 Boroondara Triennial Operational Grants.
The funding call for the training of operational branch is $455,178 annually or $1,365,000 over three years. No contribution is received from the Rotary Club of Balwyn for these grants.
The panel recommended full or partial funding for 42 of the 44 applications. The amount allocated by the panel in total is 409,825 or approximately $1.23 million over three years.
There are unexpended funds in the healthy community stream and the recommendations tonight after this to be rolled over to the annual grants.
So the recommendations as outlined before you tonight are to endorse the Triennial  Operational Community Strengthening Grant allocations for 2023, to secondly rollover unexpended funds of $40,353 to the Annual Community Strengthening Grants and that should read in 2021 and to roll over $45,353 to the Annual Community Strengthening Grants in ‘21 and ’22-’23. Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Thank you, Miss Brown. Councillors, is there any questions for Miss Brown this evening? There being none I'm in search of a motion. Councillor Wegman.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. It's my pleasure to put the motion as printed to move that motion. I had the great pleasure of…
And Councillor Wegman, if I could just ask you to pause there for a moment and go to Councillor Ross, are you prepared to second the motion?
Happy to second as printed. Thank you very much. Councillor Wegman.
Thank you. I was so keen I forgot the process and the correct procedures and my apologies, Madam Mayor.
Look, being involved in this committee is a privilege because we are allocating other community members’ funds to various causes.
And, yes, been caught a little bit unawares but and let it suffice to say that what we do with the Triennial Operational Grants is to give a tangible expression of support to the community.
And I think I would commend my fellow councillors to support this particular motion. I'll leave it there. Thanks, Madam Mayor.
Thank you very much, Councillor Wegman. Is there anyone else wanting to speak to the motion this evening? Councillor Ross, you seconded the motion, would you like to speak?
I’ll speak very briefly, Madam Mayor. If you look at the grants which have been given you see there's a huge array of different things which have been supported from the men's shed through to the Salvation Army, the stroke centre, and to the traders associations as well.
So there's a huge array of different things which are supported by the triennial grants the festivals that you attend that is supported by the triennial grants. 
So I will commend to people of our community to have a look at the (inaudible) which Council supports and I certainly commend this motion.
Thank you, Councillor Ross. And before I return to Councillor Wegman as the mover of the motion, I’m just seeing if anyone else would like to speak to the motion. Councillor Hollingsworth.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. I just want to echo Councillor Ross and Councillor Wegman's comments and just make it clear that obviously with the Triennial Grants they support a wide range of initiatives within the Boroondara community to cover the community of all wards and all areas and matters such as healthy communities, sustainable communities, creative communities, and vibrant retail precincts.
And I was particularly pleased to see this year that also the Maling Road Precinct Auto Classic event is being supported because that event brings a significant amount of people to Boroondara.
It's quite unique, it's quite spectacular, and it's a perfect example of how we bring community members and not just people from within Boroondara but neighbouring municipalities to appreciate our activity centres and I will thank the officers for the amazing work they've put into the report. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Hollingsworth. And Miss Brown, I think you need to go back on mute because we're hearing you're typing. Yeah, thank you very much. 
Before I return to Councillor Wegman, I just wanted to say a couple of things.
It was my first time on the Grants Committee this year and what an absolute delight it was to see the sorts of things that people are doing in our community and the wonderful and good works that are happening.
So I commend this motion to fellow councillors and Councillor Wegman, I return to you as the mover of the motion. We’re okay.
So just Councillor Wegman, just before I get you to speak I just want to clarify something in the officers’ recommendation.
So councillors, in the motion that is before us Section 2 talks about the rollover of unexpended funds of 40,353 to the Annual Community Strengthening Grant in 2020 and it should say -21.
See how it just ends in the 2? Okay. So Councillor Wegman, are you prepared to accept that correction on the motion. Yes, thank you.
And Councillor Ross as seconder No problem there. Okay. Councillor Wegman, you as the mover of the motion I'll return to you.
Thank you very much and thank you for that pick up, I should’ve picked that up but I didn’t so thank you very much. 
Also I'd like to really thank Councillor Ross and Councillor Hollingsworth for their input and for their insights into this process and it was very remiss of me initially when I moved the motion.
Thank the officers, there is an incredible amount of work that goes into this project and I would just like to thank Fiona Brown and the other officers involved in putting all of this together, going through it all very diligently, allocating weights, and making recommendations.
It is no easy job as we found going through the recommendations and determining the way forward there.
So look, I really would like to just express my gratitude to the officers for their effort on this and I look forward to the expenditure of the funds in the community in the coming year. Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Thank you, Councillor Wegman. I'll now put the motion to the vote. All those in favour?
Councillor Ross, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Parke, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Addis, Councillor Hurd, and on the last motion I forgot to count myself Councillor Watson.
I declare the carriage of that motion unanimous and Councillor Hollingsworth, I beg your pardon.
Okay, got everyone. Wonderful. Let's move on to item 7.3 which is a contract item for the provision of pavement and line marking. This has been withdrawn from tonight's agenda so just to clarify that that has occurred.
So moving on to item 7.4 which is a contract variation delegation on a number contracts and we will have a presentation by Michael Le Grange the coordinator of special projects. So Mr Le Grange, over to you.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. The report seeks council approval to increase the chief executive officers delegation to approve contract variations by additional 5% for two projects.
These projects are the Camberwell Community Centre redevelopment contract number 2019/159 and the Canterbury Tennis Pavilion redevelopment contract number 2020-45.
Construction of the Camberwell Community Centre is 25% (inaudible) 
Sorry. Can I just stop you there for just a moment? You just broke up a little but could you just go back to the beginning of that sentence and start again because we couldn’t catch what you were saying?
Certainly, Madam Mayor. The construction of the Camberwell Community Centre is 25% complete.
During the early stages of construction, significant variations were included including delay damages, 60,000, latent conditions 96,000, and the removal of contaminated soil, this was 192,000 after PC Sum adjustment.
With this requested additional delegation, this project will be completed within the allocated Council budget. Construction of the Canterbury Tennis Pavilion is 70% complete.
This project will similarly include higher than expected unforeseen costs relating to temporary accommodation, 19,000, find generated and funded changes, 12,000, and storm water and sewer connection changes, 37,000.
The additional delegation associated with this contract will be funded by the savings sourced under the 2020-2021 project budget.
Mr. Le Grange, does that conclude your presentation? It does, Madam Chair. Yes.
Thank you very much. Councillors, do we have any questions for Mr. Le Grange this evening? Councillor Parke.
Thank you, Chair. I’d like to hear more about the delay damages, $60,000, and also latent conditions.
When we were looking at more than $150,000 four words doesn't really give near enough information to provide any level of comfort to me about what's going on there.
Thank you, Councillor Parke. Mr. Le Grange, could you please…sorry, we’re getting some extraneous (inaudible) coming in there.
Madam Chair, I wonder if we could listen to Mr. Freer, he might have a better signal and he will be across the projects.
Thank you very much for your suggestion. Mr. Freer, would you please address the issues raised by Councillor Parke?
Thank you, Madam Mayor. The contaminated soil on this site are…there was a number of boreholes dug as preliminary work in investigations prior to any construction being undertaken.
They returned minor levels of contamination across the site which we deemed to be within the project contingency for that amount.
However, as construction commenced on the site, the levels of contamination across the site appeared to be much more significant than was anticipated. The delay costs associated on that site as well were related to the contamination soil whilst further investigation was undertaken in regard to that and then the cost for disposal of the material as well relating to that on the site.
So as I said earlier, this site was investigated prior to construction works commencing however we found some unexpected surprises on the site and the  existence of those materials has required us to treat the site differently.
Thank you, Mr. Freer. Councillor Parke, does that address the matters you’ve raised?
Perhaps if I could have a follow-up question. So I think what we're hearing is that the delay damages of $60,000 and the reference to latent conditions of an additional $96,000 all relate to the contaminated soil issue.
So firstly, I'd like to hear confirmation that that understanding is actually correct and secondly I'd like to understand what was the nature of the contamination and why it has taken us so much by surprise to the extent of you know nearly…certainly well over $400,000.
I'm intrigued about that so I'd like to hear a little bit more about the nature of the contamination and why we didn't see it.
All right. Thank you, Councillor Parke. Mr. Freer, if you would be so kind.
Yes, Madam Mayor. And I might invite Michael if you are able to make comment on the nature of the contamination. I don't have the condition report with me tonight.
Sorry, Daniel. I’ve got the report with Warwick Tempany who was the responsible officer. If we can maybe ask him to comment on that report.
All right. Thank you, Mr. Le Grange. Mr. Tempany, could you assist us this evening?
Yes. My understanding is that the contamination is what's otherwise termed Cat C and that whilst a full geo-tech survey was undertaken for the site they were necessarily quite unique depths to take that survey to.
And there were two maybe three existing buildings on the site which the geo-tech survey may have overlooked a portion of the contaminated ground, the Cat C.
On the other issue of the latent conditions, I perhaps might add to what Daniel has said which is that there were further main drain, main sewer line connections in Fairholm Grove which were not consistent with the documents we were working from.
In other words, the survey documents didn't pick up the unique nature of those services and so that was part of the latent condition cost.
Councillor Parke, does that answer your question? If you could please answer that. We have a question for Councillor Thompson tonight.
Thank you, Mayor. Look, I guess it does although it answers the questions but doesn't resolve my concerns so at this juncture I'll take the opportunity to foreshadow a motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Parke. Councillor Thompson.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. If I'm not mistaken a geotechnical report is actually different to a soil contamination report.
Question to officers in relation to the type C obviously doing further investigations before committing ourselves to going out tenderers,  investigations, will officers give consideration to procedures going forward on future capital works to actually ensure that more due diligence has taken place with regard to contaminated soil, asbestos, geo-tech etc. so that such variations in the future are negated?
Thank you, Councillor Thompson. Mr. Freer, could you assist us with the answer this evening?
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Yes, absolutely.
As part of my commencement on the role I've begun to undertake a review of our capital works delivery and having good consideration to latent conditions, what is in the ground, what services are shown and what not are crucial elements to projects in order to manage cost as they go forward.
Particularly, when you get to a point like this where contracts are awarded and it is somewhat difficult to manage out those costs as part of projects so yes, I’m sure.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Freer. Are there any other questions this evening? If there are none, I’ll return…Councillor Parke, you foreshadowed a motion.
Thank you, Mayor. And I was writing while Councillor Thompson was speaking because he actually pronunciated a few of the points that I had in mind so I might with your indulgence be looking for some guidance from him.
Basically, I am prepared to move the officers’ recommendation with an additional paragraph point 3 and basically what I'm hoping to achieve is to actually…two things; one is to have a further briefing to Council about the circumstances that led us to this point.
So and I'm fine if that becomes a briefing at a CB&D but I think also I think given what's happened here it's appropriate for us to actually record a desire that there be a greater focus on the latent conditions particularly in respect of contaminated soil, asbestos, and geotechnical considerations so but look for major projects in the future.
Because, quite frankly, whether this is funded or not the fact is that obviously a contingency amount was allowed and this is taking us well beyond that so I think certainly for me this is a report that gives rise to a fair bit of concern.
So hopefully, there's been enough there that the officers might be able to assist in crafting that clause Three.
Councillor Parke, if it will be of assistance might I suggest that we adjourn the meeting for five minutes while you and perhaps Councillor Thompson liaise with officers and come up with some extra words and amendment to the motion.
I'm happy to so move.
All right. Have I got a seconder for that? Councillor Hollingsworth, any opposition to that? I declare the meeting adjourned for 10 minutes.
All right. Thank you everyone for that 10 minutes to resolve the issues that were before us.
So I'm after a motion for the meeting to be resumed. Councillor Hollingsworth, you prepared to move that motion, Councillor Parke, as second.
If there is no opposition to that motion, I declare it carried and the meeting is now resumed.
If I could now return to Mr. Freer who I believe has a new motion for us to consider this evening.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. I've just provided a new motion to governance who will put it on the screen for you, which includes a new item 3 and 4. 
Item 3, that officers prepare a briefing paper to provide an overview of the circumstances leading to the variations required for the Camberwell Community Centre project with the respect to latent conditions, soil contamination, and associated contract delays.
And item 4 that officers prepare a briefing paper to identify opportunities to reduce project related risks to Council in the delivery of major projects.
Thank you, Mr. Freer. So Councillor Parke, as a mover of the motion is that capture what you like us to consider this evening?
Yes. I move that motion and I thank Mr. Freer for his assistance.
Madam Mayor, can I ask if it could be pushed up a little bit because there's only the first line of point 4 that we could read?
All right. Yeah, you have to do it manually on your own tablet, Councillor Ross. I tried.
All right. We're just getting you some assistance but while we get some assistance for you, Councillor Thompson you put your hand up?
Yeah, to assist Councillor Parke, I’m happy to second.
All right. Before we proceed further with that, we’ll just get Councillor Ross some support here so that she can read the entire motion.
So we could just take a moment or so while that occurs and then I will return to Councillor Parke as the mover of the motion.
So Councillor Ross, if you could just signal when you're ready and have digested the motion.
There was a problem with my screen but we've managed to circumvent it around it so that's fine.
Okay. Are you ready to participate in the motion? Okay. Councillor Parke as the mover of the motion if I could return to you.
Thank you. I am happy to just rely on what I've already said. I'm not sure if there's opposition but I think it's the motion is fairly clear.
All right. Thank you, Councillor Parke. Councillor Thompson, you've got your hand up there, would you like to speak to the motion?
Just very briefly and to maybe just make a qualification in case it was interpreted incorrectly. 
I’m not by any means suggesting officers haven't done their due diligence but I think risk mitigation is something that we all need to play a role in and if there’s an ability to as Councillor Parke’s motion references an extra two clauses to actually get down have a look at whether we can actually defer risks or past risks onto the contractor so that we're not bearing those on behalf of the community I think it's worth the interrogation and worth the officers bringing a report for councillors to discuss. 
So very happy to second this motion and look forward to that discussion in due course. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Thompson. Councillors, is there anyone opposed to this motion this evening? Councillor Hurd.
I'm not opposed, I just wanted to briefly speak for it. I think it's a great amendment from councillors Parke and Thompson and Councillor Thompson enunciated very well some concerns I've had.
This as Councillor Thompson said is not in any way reflective on officers. We want to really give a bit more strength to their hand I suppose that's what my aim is in moving this.
We have been stung a few times of late by contracts through no fault of our own and so I think it's time we examine this.
So I thank officers and I thank the councillors who moved and seconded the motion.
Thank you, Councillor Hurd. Councillor Sinfield.
Thank you, Mayor. I'm not seeking to draw officers into the debate or be it there doesn't seem there is anybody opposed but for the purposes of transparency I wonder whether it's worth also referring the report that’s going to come forward to Council to the audit for their visibility to ensure that they are across an additional mitigation measure that is implemented to further reduce our risk and our exposure.
But I'm happy to support this motion and thank Councillor Parke for the additional clause.
Thank you, Councillor Sinfield. Your suggestion is noted and I think that it's perhaps something we can refer to Mr. Storer at a later date. 
So your support for the motion is noted. Councillor Parke, with your indulgence I think the time has come to put that motion.
Yes, I have nothing to add.
Okay. Thank you for that. I will now put that motion to the vote. All those in favour? Councillor Parke, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Ross, Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Addis, Councillor Hollingsworth, Councillor Hurd, and myself, I declare that motion carried unanimously and thank you all for your participation this evening.
Item 7.5 on the agenda for this evening is the Shopping Centre Special Rate and Charges Scheme support request.
And Miss Fiona Banks the manager of economic development is going to present to us this evening. So thank you, Miss Banks.
Through you, Madam Mayor. The purpose of this report is for Council to consider a request by the city's eight trader associations for financial support in response to the impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic on their shopping centres.
The details of the request are outlined in the report and in attachment 1 to the report. While the predominant source of funding and support for the economy is at the state and federal level, from the outset council has recognized its role in supporting the  local community and businesses as evidenced by the $4.5 million support and relief package to help our local community through the challenging and uncertain times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The relief package includes a range of initiatives designed to ease the financial burden on our residents, businesses, and community groups.
In addition to this financial assistance, it is important to note that Council has committed significant annual expenditure to our shopping strips.
Budgeted for this year includes programs delivered by the Economic Development Department, shopping centre streetscape improvements, our placemaking program, car parking infrastructure and traffic enhancements, amenity management such as horticultural services, street and footpath sweeping, and waste management.
Council is estimated to have spent over $7 million in 2018-2019 supporting its shopping centres and budgeted for over $11 million in 2019-20 to support our centres.
The Council officers’ evaluation and recommendation regarding the trader associations request for financial support is a outlined in the report before you tonight. Thank you.
Thank you, Miss Banks. Now, Councillor Thompson, you foreshadowed an interest in item 7.5
When the time's right, Madam Mayor, I've got an alternative motion.
All right. Councillors, are there any questions for Miss Banks this evening? 
Councillor Sinfield have you…no questions? Anybody have any questions this evening? There being none, Councillor Thompson, I will turn to you.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I believe officers will have an alternative motion which seeks to support in part the traders and if that can be brought up on the screen I can talk to that.
Yes. And Councillor Sinfield, your hand was up so you are prepared to second that motion?
Once I see it's almost certain I will second it.
Thank you very much. I believe it's on the screen in front of us now.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. So that is my motion and if I may speak to this, Madam Mayor. 
So this introduces item 2 which allocates $120,000 into the upcoming budget for the purposes of implementing a marketing campaign across our 53 shopping centres. 
Madam Mayor, to assist me I’d be inquisitive to understand if there's any opposition my motion.
Thank you, Councillor Thompson. I'll ask the question. Is there any opposition to this motion this evening? Qualified.
When we enter into debate. Councillor Ross, thank you for signaling that you are going to perhaps interrogate this motion and seek a greater understanding. So Councillor Thompson.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I’d also like to just previously acknowledge the traders’ presidents earlier this evening and thank them for I guess putting their best foot forward on behalf of the traders and the community at large.
I'd also like to thank our officers for preparing this report this evening. And colleagues, I'm very pleased to move this motion and to test this with you and I recognize this may not get full support.
Council has recognized its role in supporting the local community and businesses.
This is evidenced in what Miss Banks has identified as the $4.5 million dollar support and relief package to help our community through these challenging times.
That relief package includes a range of initiatives designed to ease the financial burden on our residents, businesses, community groups and is broad reaching across our municipality.
I’d like to add to that earlier this evening the triennial grants which also supports local shopping centres as well as the additional $4 million that forecast into this coming budget to go towards many improvements in our shopping centres.
Collectively there's actually quite a bit of support from this Council. Boroondara has 53 shopping centres across the municipality of which 8 of those…
Excuse me, Councillor Thompson. Sorry, there's somebody typing or something, it’s hard to hear you. I’m sorry to interrupt you.
Thank you, Councillor Hurd. There are 8 Special Rate and Charge Schemes to funding marketing promotions within those activity centres.
Colleagues, we must recognize the social and environmental impacts of strong vibrant communities to the health and the wellbeing of our community as a whole and these are borne out of our shopping centres.
The officers’ report clearly states that supporting and continuing viability of all of our 53 centres provides a positive impact on our community and the social wellbeing by offering the local community places for interaction and convenient access to services.
Successful and vibrant local shopping centres provide the local community with access to the services and the need to travel less to obtain goods and services and in doing so an environmental benefit and from the officers’ report.
At a time that the community is slowly and tentatively emerging from COVID-19 the community has no greater need other than to reconnect locally with our shopping centres.
After spending three months shopping online it is all too easy to create a new habit of staying away from our walk-in businesses at the very time a local walk-in businesses need us the most.
And it is the small local businesses that rely on the foot traffic that have been closed for months on end and they require the community to reconnect with them.
And as mentioned, I think by Miss Burgess, we’re now competing with the likes of Chadstone and they've got extreme amounts of sales at the moment.
So Council does have a role to play and we have played this very role previously. It may be a small role compared to the economic funding of the state and federal governments.
Our role is not providing a substitute for JobKeeper nor is it to provide an economic stimulus but our role is to reconnect our shopping centres with our community.
So this motion seeks to acknowledge the traders’ request and thank them for putting their best foot forward.
Whilst we aren't able to provide everything that they need and we certainly recognize their request to allocate $120,000 into this year's budget coming up to assist all 53 of our shopping centres.
Council, and this is specifically for marketing. So Council has undertaken similar marketing programs such as 53 ways to shop locally and colleagues, you'll recognize our role here but the campaigns with this $120,000 need to be scalable, flexible, they need to be nuanced to local centres across the municipality.
And if officers can design this in consultation with our community centres over the next 12 months that would be good.
Some of these might be earlier, some might be later but that’s up to the officers to work with our shopping centres. Again, we must advocate for both state and federal.
The reality is economic stimulus as in JobKeeper and those sorts of financial benefits that our traders are requiring come from state and federal.
Obviously we’re going to advise our 8 traders of our (inaudible). I believe this is a measured and appropriate response to responding to our community’s wellbeing through our shopping centres.
Shopping centres are the heart of our community and falling short of supporting this we will have longer term consequences on the viability of our shopping centres.
So I’d encourage you to support this motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Thompson. And apologies to Councillor Hurd for the typing noise that was occurring earlier. I was receiving some technical assistance. So Councillor Hurd, your hand is up.
Yes. I'm not the seconder but I'd like to speak in support of this motion at the appropriate time. I think seconder might...I believe, Councillor Hurd, if you would like to speak you can do so.
Okay. Thank you. I think this motion is a really good start. I think what it does is it doesn't over tip the balance.
It provides a good but modest amount of the budget.
I wouldn't be in favor of making huge budgetary changes this late in the cycle as I've said all the other week but I think what this motion does is provide a modest and affordable partial remedy.
We can't solve the problem completely nor or should we try. We just simply don't have the resources.
And if we were to do that, there's a lot of other calls in our purse at the moment from members of the community who are equally affected by this rather unique situation.
And there are people who are working in areas that aren't getting JobKeeper, that are not getting any support so we can do nothing but really offer them the support services that we've already funded within the community.
So I think what this does is provide a good I guess skeletal framework for action among other things.
We are continuing, I received a call the other day criticizing us for going ahead with Kew. A man claimed we'd robbed his children of their future by going into such debt but I tried to explain to him that…the Kew Rec centre that is, that basically this is about providing stimulus to traders in the area and that's partly why we're continuing ahead with major projects so we can provide that stimulus in the local area so that people can come in and there is economic activity in the area.
I think this adds a sensible amount. I think it's a good motion. It also affects the 45 other precincts which are not the eight major traders associations.
I recognize from my discussions with Steve Williams at the Glenferrie traders some of the need and I've also seen that the empty shops along Glenferrie Road which do nothing the shops that are full are the ones that are selling food and that's sad. We need to reinvigorate the area but I hope this can start.
I support this motion and I thank Councillor Thompson for his work in this matter and the officers and the presenters tonight.
Thank you, Councillor Hurd. Councillor Addis.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Look, I don't support this motion. I essentially supported the officers recommended motion because to me it clearly expresses what I see as an unfairness in supporting 8 shopping centres out of 53.
And my own which I think I've clearly stated all along has always been to gain more support for our community, for shopkeepers and businesses in response to the COVID pandemic but for me this should properly be part of the budget process and that's what I argued when we considered the budget two weeks ago.
So look, I do acknowledge that the motion now proposed also does seek fairness but my concern is that it locks us into a specified amount of money without the opportunity to consider this in comparison with other community wants and within the broader budget context.
And it also prescribed certain activities while I think we should be consulting with our traders and business people to actually ask them what they think would most help them.
And I think we should be doing this for the benefit of officer advice and the report back to us. 
And in relation to that, we heard Miss Katopodis talk about the unique things that Maling Road would like to do and it worries me that we're not…we're sort of barging ahead with “look, we'll do this for you” without actually saying to them “really traders, what would help you most”.
So essentially, I do not think we should be committing ourselves to a large amount of money when we're actually out consulting with the community on a budget that does not include this new initiative.
And I really think it's disrespectful to our community to not listen to their views first and to tie this into part of the budget process. We clearly have a responsibility to spend rates wisely and for me this is best not done on the run with a motion that we have had almost no opportunity to properly assess.
I also think it's really possibly quite a bit too soon to be committing ourselves to anything specific.
Victoria's not doing well at the moment and when they actually have to go back into lockdown and I think there by marketing is going to be a complete waste of time when we're in lockdown.
We may actually be better to wait and see rather than to leaping into it ourselves. And I do think that we need more time to consider what really represents best value for money for our whole community rather than just jumping in to do this in response to a request.
So although it seems this motion won't fail if it does I would state to test a different motion that has an emphasis on consulting the full committee. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Addis. Councillor Hollingsworth, you indicated that you would like to speak.
Yes. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Look, first of all I wanted to acknowledge the presentations from Mr. Stensholt and miss Katopodis and thank them for the commitment to representing their traders associations but obviously the 8 traders associations collectively.
I acknowledge the committees of the traders associations putting enormous hours and work to represent the best interests of all the businesses within their communities.
I also acknowledge their marketing managers obviously put forward recommendations and ideas that they believe is in the best interest of their communities.
I felt that the presentations were informative but I was a little bit concerned that there seemed to be an emphasis of not recognizing all that Council is already doing.
Now, I thank Miss Banks for her clarification of the commitment Council has committed to traders associations across the whole of Boroondara in the last financial year and this forecast projected financial year.
It is a significant amount of money. The services that Council provide already include economic development, rate schemes, triennial grants that we heard presented earlier this evening.
We also have small business resilient grants and working with the traders associations we also put together proposals that might benefit street beautifications and enhancements.
So when the letter or the proposal by the association was put to us for close to $600,000 I was very, very concerned with that because to support that motion would be to deprive other members of the community some sort of infrastructure or service or facility.
That type of money could cover three or four sports grounds with lighting so that they can train or play at night. It was very, very difficult to consider such a huge amount of money at the sacrifice of others.
And I would hate to go to a sports club and say “look, I'm sorry but the budget no longer enables it” even though something may have been foreshadowed to go towards them.
I also want to acknowledge as Councillor Hurd talked about there is a lot of pain in the community at the moment traders associations are no different to other members in the building industry, a lot of trades, there are a lot of companies due to the type of work they do where they cannot get access to sites they cannot complete projects.
We're all on standby and all feeling the pain. Terminology was mentioned before dire financial situations, agony and pain, community is out of money, all true and those that are fortunate enough to be earning an income or reasonably comfortable in life are being conservative at the moment.
So we are looking at essential services and the business that provide that will undoubtedly be the most supported, no amount of money injected into marketing is necessarily going to change that.
The Boroondara community I believe as a whole is very committed to supporting their local traders. Boroondara Bulletin, ward councillors, we all do a lot to support our communities.
We all use our social media and bulletin and newsletters to do that. How much more can we do? Would it have a lot more impact? I don't know.
I thank Councillor Thompson for putting forward an alternate motion. 
I will be supporting this motion but like Councillor Addis said there are some concerns about how that money will be allocated and I ask Councillor Thompson when he speaks at the end of this what the thought process is moving forward.
And I just wanted to also acknowledge that our sporting communities like our traders associations are an integral component of our society, one compliments the other.
One may offer sponsorship but in turn one may provide services. We all work together.
It's about the whole of Boroondara and not individual components of it and Council cannot provide assistance to every individual business.
So I believe what's put forward is fair equitable and hopefully traders associations will understand the difficult decision that is put before us here tonight and the decisions made. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Hollingsworth. Is there anyone else wanting to speak to the motion tonight? Councillor Sinfield.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'd like to start by acknowledging the presentations at the start of this evening’s meeting by Mr. Stensholt and Miss Katopodis.
We have over 500 businesses running across Boroondara and that doesn’t include everyone working from home so I daresay that there is an exceptionally larger number than that.
Across the 53 centres, we have over 7,500 retail shops. It's simply unfair to distribute the funds in the way that it’s being requested to the 8 major centres particularly at a time like this.
The small centres are already at a disadvantage as the service crew, visits only 12 of the 53 centres. 
They clean and enhance areas, conducted minor repairs, maintenance, liter collection, and more.
The smaller centres don't have paid marketing managers and special rate charge schemes administered by Council.
The smaller centres don't have the ability to have a festival like Glenferrie, Maling and Ashburton. 
Our Economic Development and Tourism Strategy 2016 to 2021 says that it is a plan to foster prosperity by facilitating business development and growth on page 5.
It then continues on page 6 to say that Council will continue to provide leadership and it's at a time like this that we need to do so.
And as Councillor Addis says that it may be too soon to support them but I don't think that such a measure which would be step 2 because of course we have already provided some assistance as Councillor Thompson mentioned earlier.
It is a time like this that our community needs support. This pandemic has caused a huge number of Boroondara residents to work from home.
Our economic development strategy also says that shopping centres are a driver of local residential and business amenity, and they are.
And Boroondara could capitalize on this advantage for its main customer expenditure and it was suggested by one of the public questions earlier that at times like this we need to avoid driving that dollar to be spent at Doncaster, at Westfield, and at Chadstone.
Recent media reports have confirmed the obvious that people are shopping closer to home due to lockdown measures and now is the time that we need to support our local businesses big and small in shopping strips, big and small.
In June 2018, we embarked on a shop local campaign which coincided with the abolition of plastic bags. 
It cost us about $15,000 and we produced over a thousand canvas bags which promoted shopping locally in our 53 strips.
Page 24 of our strategy says that our activity centres, neighbourhood, and local shopping centres are a core element of the local economy and a highly valued part of the social fabric that is synonymous with life in Boroondara.
And it's on this basis that I encourage you to support this motion. 
Funds allocated as put in this motion by Councillor Thompson would obviously be administered by the professions in the economic development department who work every single day through this strategy to provide that stimulus and support to that sector.
As I said before, this will be step 2 then there may be further support measures to come down the track, it may be part of future budgets, nobody knows how long this pandemic will last and how much support we will need to provide but it’s something that needs to be shared across all three tiers of government and it's something that I am certainly prepared to try and support at this juncture.
I commend this motion to you and I thank the officers for their assistance over the weekend in trying to put this together and provide us with the information needed to reach this point. Thank You, Councillor Thompson, for putting this to the table.
Thank you, Councillor Sinfield. Is anyone else wanting to speak to the motion this evening? Councillor Ross.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. I don't disagree with the sentiment at all. My issue is though that it's a little bit too prescriptive, I'd like it to be broader.
But before I explain, I too would like to thank the presidents of Ashburton and Maling Road for their presentation earlier today.
The Buy-Boroondara campaign was something which I think I suggested about 10 years ago so obviously I'm glad that there is a by-local component on that.
But that as I said was about 10 years ago so I'm wondering if there is something new that we should be doing especially in light of COVID-19.
I wouldn't want to restrict the money to one particular thing. As you know that I think that we should have a fund to support our businesses and community as a result of COVID-19 in next year's budget.
It is as Councillor Addis said somewhat unusual to commit funds for next year's budget when we're currently out for consultation.
In fact, I don't actually remember it happening…doing this before. But for me, I would prefer a report to come back to us detailing all of the options which would include marketing and that to come back to us.
We heard from Mr. Stensholt that he talked about what other councils were doing.
Well, it would be good to have a look and see that. The president of Maling Road talked about a gift cards campaign.
I'm not sure whether or not that could be covered under this particular proposal.
So for me, I'd like it to be not so prescriptive and to be broader. 
I certainly want to help our strip shops and all of the strip shops so I'm glad that it's not just the 8 because the 8 doesn't include Balwyn and it doesn't include the small ones.
But I think just keeping it purely to marketing is that there might be something else that could benefit the traders. So I'd really like to see it much broader than just a buy-local type campaign.
Alright. Thank you, Councillor Ross. Councillor Parke.
Thank you, Mayor. I'm a bit bemused that it's thought that it's too narrow and it's too this and it's too that and we need the benefit of our officer advice because we couldn't possibly make a decision so quickly.
This isn't something that's come to us by gift of a notice of motion or a stunt like that, this is a matter that's before us following a request from traders associations.
We've got the benefit of officer advice, it’s sitting there in front of us. And in fact moreover, this motion was circulated by Councillor Thompson so that all councillors would have plenty of opportunity to make inquiries, to talk to people, and to consider their position.
And certainly that's one of the things that I've been doing. I've been speaking to traders, not just the traders associations and representatives but traders on the ground and that's part of the role of a councillor and I think we're all well and truly or should be well and truly aware of their concerns and their needs.
And I think this is a great motion. It actually rather than saying “let's sit on our hands for months and months more” let's actually do something that clearly is going to be of benefit.
Will this benefit traders? Of course, it will. You only need to talk to somebody who's been in business.
This stuff isn't rocket science. It's not going to be life-changing. It's a contribution.
We've got competing demands, there is no doubt about that but I just don't know why some find the need to oppose a motion like this and simply obfuscate the issues and call for endless reports.
This is the time to act and I urge my colleagues to support this motion.
Thank you, Councillor Parke. Is any other councillor seeking to speak this evening? There being none, Councillor Thompson, as the mover of the motion I return to you.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I'd like to obviously thank again our traders that presented earlier this evening and also colleagues for your words in particular Councillor Hurd, Councillor Sinfield, and Councillor Parke.
I'll just touch on a couple of things in relation to this; one, this is simply a budget allocation in next year's budget.
That's about as a prescriptive other than saying it's for marketing purposes it needs to be.
The action items from this reside with the officers having various discussions with all of our shopping centres including our traders associations, no different to current discussions that they will have and it's also a discussion that they will be having in relation to the waiver or the defer of the special rate scheme because that is something…that's an ongoing discussion as well with our traders.
So other than assisting our shopping centres to increase their patronage to bring colleagues and friends and community away from the big shopping centres towards shopping locally that can only be a very good thing for our community.
I've had the pleasure of a number of walks including with our Traders Association up and down High Street in Ashburton and I've spoken to a number of the traders and a number of residents also there and that is exactly what they seek.
We're needing more patronage on our streets to reinvigorate the purchasing, the walk-ins, those sorts of things. This will create the vibrancy that our community needs.
This is best value for money. Well again, I'll reiterate that this is just a budget allocation and the details of how this will actually be run whether it's a broad campaign or multiple campaigns or localized campaigns such as the as mentioned the Maling Road traders has got a gift card campaign and Ashburton indicated earlier Back To Business campaign.
These are things that these traders can discuss specifically with officers and seek their support through the allocation of these funds.
With regard to concerns on how this will be allocated and the question from Councillor Hollingsworth, again, we’re not prescribing how this will be allocated, I think that's, again, a budget decision allocated in next year's budget to actually allow those discussions in a scalable and nimble campaign or various campaigns.
I acknowledge we have limitations and we're going to be in and out of restrictions as we can see here.
So a budget campaign allocated over the next 12 months will allow that to be tailored in a nimble fashion so it's not being prescriptive by any means.
And nor should it be necessarily because each centre out of our 53 centres will have a different mechanism to which they might see best fitting their needs.
So and this is a modest amount of money, if we are to support our traders and our shopping centres it needs to make its way into the budget. 
It's as pure and simple as that. And this is the mechanism to put it into the budget. 
Without doing that we aren't able to assist in an…we have the benefit of an officer’s report tonight that did suggest that we didn't need to do this so we are actually working (inaudible).
I think I'll probably leave it there, madam Mayor. I think I’ve sort of summed up everything but I do encourage my colleagues to support this motion and hopefully we can move with very positive steps towards supporting our shopping centres across the municipality over the next 12 months.
Thank you, Councillor Thompson. And before I put the motion to the vote, I just want to acknowledge that we've been joined by Councillor Healey so Councillor Healey welcome this evening.
I'll now put that motion to the vote. All those in favor? Councillor Parke, Councillor Ross, Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Addis, Councillor Hollingsworth, Councillor Healey, Councillor Hurd, Councillor Wegman, and Councillor Thompson, and myself Councillor Watson, I declare that motion carried unanimously and thank you for everyone. 
Did I miss anyone's name? I just saw Councillor Hollingsworth smile. I think I got you last, last time but I think I got everyone this time.
Thank you very much for your presentation and for the officers’ participation tonight and again we'd like to thank our traders associations for coming and speaking with us this evening.
We’ll now move on to item 7.6 which is the recommendations of the Audit Committee meeting held the 13th of May, 2020 and would ask Mr. Dobson the director of customer experience and business transformation if you will address us this evening.
Thank you, Mayor. Through you, councillors, this report presents to Council the recommendations of the most recent Audit Committee meeting which was held on the 13th of May.
The report includes a summary of matters considered by the Audit Committee and the recommendations to council in relation to each item.
The report before you also includes Council's Asset Accounting policy and the Audit Committee's Annual Plan for the 2020-21 financial year. Happy to take any questions.
Thank you very much, Mr. Dobson. Councillors, is anyone wanting to ask a question this evening? Councillor Addis, was that just a hand wave or? Councillor Hollingsworth.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just foreshadowing that I'm happy to support the motion at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Well, Councillor Hollingsworth, I think that appropriate time might be now because there are no questions for Mr. Dobson this evening. 
I'll just seek a seconder for that motion before I ask you to speak. Councillor Sinfield, thank you for seconding the motion. Councillor Hollingsworth.
Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you Mr. Dobson for the summary of the report. Look, in essence officer’s recommendation as circulated and don't really have a lot further to say.
The summary of report is giving a brief overview of the much broader discussions and decision making through the Audit Committee and happy to support as recommended. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Hollingsworth. Is there anyone else wishing to speak to the motion?
That not being the case, I will now put that motion. All those in favor? 
Councillor Thompson, Councillor Parke, Councillor Ross, Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Addis, Councillor Hollingsworth, Councillor Healey, Councillor Hurd, and myself Councillor Watson, I declare that motion carried unanimously.
Moving on to item 7.7 which is the procurement policy annual review. Again, Mr. Dobson will assist us with the report this evening so Mr. Dobson.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Councillors, this report presents the annual review of Council’s Procurement Policy.
Minor changes have been made including reference to Council's Sustainable Council Building Policy as it relates to procurement.
Clarity that procurement evaluation criteria will give regard to the principles in the Procurement Policy and other minor administrative amendments.
The report notes that the new Local Government Act 2020 contains various provisions, they come into effect from the 1st of July, 2021.
And the Procurement Policy will be reviewed (inaudible).
Mr. Dobson, you've cut in and out there. Can I ask you just if you could repeat that last sentence please?
Sure. Apologies. The report notes the new Local Government Act contains various provisions which come into effect from July 2021 and the Procurement Policy will be reviewed in the future against the requirements of the new Act.
The officer’s recommendation is that Council note the review of the Procurement Policy undertaken and adopt the Procurement Policy. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Dobson. Are there any questions for Mr. Dobson this evening? Councillor Ross.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. In each of the presentation that we just had from a couple of the traders associations I was wondering whether or not any consideration was given in the policy for an extra weighting for local businesses.
Thank you, Councillor Ross. Through you, Mayor. So the policy does contain information around Council support for local businesses, Section 17, or clause 17 of the policy and the policy does require those principles to be considered in evaluation criteria being set along with other principles within the policy.
Price is discussed by way of a weighting in the policy but other than that the other sort of elements I guess of the non-price or qualitative criteria the policy doesn't seek to put a particular weighting on but rather refer officers to the policy principles and ask officers that when each procurement is undertaken regard is given to those and then factored into the evaluation criteria as appropriate.
So the policy while it doesn't allocate a particular weighting, it's certainly a requirement that those elements be considered when procurements are undertaken.
Thank you for that answer. I am conscious that other places do give weight to their local businesses especially in today's climate.
So I'm just wondering whether or not this is something…if there's an appetite for my colleagues…if this is something that could come back to us at a briefing paper at another time. 
Obviously not to not to hold up this particular thing but if there is an appetite that if we could have something coming back to us to see what it might look like.
Thank you very much, Councillor Ross. Perhaps that's something that can be considered at a later time and we are in consideration of the motion before us. Councillor Addis.
Thank you very much, Mayor. Look, I do know that there's going to be a major review fairly soon.
I've got query for Mr. Dobson. Rightly so, the policy talks about best value for money, how do we assess environmental sustainability within the best value and is that considered to be a factor in this value?
It is indeed that the policy…thank you for your question, Councillor Addis and through you Mayor, the policy does contain sections around environmental sustainability and the principles to be considered and criteria.
Earlier in the meeting, there was a question that went to that criteria and I spoke there about some of those factors that are the things that officers that consider around environmental sustainability.
And similarly, the policy requires in thinking about how tenders are to be evaluated consideration of environmental sustainability as with local business and other factors as well.
Thank you.
Alright. Thank you very much for your answer there, Mr. Dobson. Any other councillors wishing to ask a question this evening?
If there are no further questions I'm in search of a motion. Thank you, Councillor Hurd. As printed, Madam Mayor.
Thank you. So have we got a seconder this evening? Councillor Thompson, thank you very much.
Is there anyone opposed to the motion this evening? There being no opposition, Councillor Hurd, I'll return to you as the mover of the motion.
Thank you, Mayor. I'll be as brief as I can as the night is passing on.
Firstly, thank you to the officers for their work and there are many things that you can put in in terms of there are many requirements around procurement. 
It's one of those things that people with disabilities have always been interested in about accessible technology. There are other issues that can be raised. 
I think it's better to give officers a good  and I think officers do take into account a lot of what they have to take into account both required by legislation and by public policy so I thank officers for their work and I look forward to the motion passing and the development of this as we proceed on. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Hurd. I'll now put that motion to the vote. All those in favor? 
Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Parke, Councillor Ross, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Hollingsworth, Councillor Addis, Councillor Healey, Councillor Hurd, myself Councillor Watson, I declare that motion carried unanimously.
Now moving on to item 7.8 which is Recreation Hall Reserve, the proposed installation of gates and I'll pass the time now to Mr. Wickramasinghe the director of city planning to speak to the report that was before us tonight.
Thank you, Chair. Councillors, this report is presented to you because there is renewed interest in the installation of gates to the frontage of Recreation Hall Reserve in Wellington Street, Kew.
You might recall Recreation Hall Reserve was designated an off-leash reserve in March 2018. 
At that time, Council resolved to designate it off-leash, however, there was also a request for fencing and gates and Council did not support that particular request.
The main reasons Council chose not to support that request was on the basis that the site is relatively small in nature, it has proximity to residential properties, there's a lack of car parking.
And also the prospect of the provision of fencing and gates would actually increase the intensity of dog use and limit the ability of community members who are not dog owners to actually use that site.
Nothing has changed since that time and therefore from an officers’ perspective we maintain the view that the installation of gates at the reserve is unnecessary and therefore we recommend that Council not resolve to install gates at the reserve.
Thank you, Mr. Wickramasinghe. Question time. Councillor Parke, you have your hand in the air.
Thank you. I listened intently to all the reasons why Mr. Wickramasinghe says that Council made the decision that it did.
I wonder how Council made the reasons for its decision known with such clarity because normally a simple motion is moved and it's not…it’s certainly in the seven and a half years I've been here, it's not been the practice of Council to outline a list of its reasons unless this decision was taken under delegated authority. 
I'm just curious how we got to that great long list of reasons.
Thanks for your question, Councillor Parke. Mr. Wickramasinghe.
Through you, Chair, councillors may recall at the time that this matter was considered, the report contained detail about an assessment of Recreation Hall Reserve. 
Accompanying that report was information from a animal behaviorist Dr. Kate Mornement which did an analysis of the site which was shared with councillors. 
Councillors knew full well at the time that the community sought to have fencing and gates provided and in deliberating not to agree to that request those were the reasons that it considered at the time as articulated in the report.
So Councillor Parke, does that answer your question?
Well, no, I don’t think it does because my question is how does the officer know the basis upon which 10 councillors made their decisions?
I mean, if what the officer is saying is that the officer who wrote the report proffered certain opinions, that's one thing and I can understand that. 
But to be attributing to Council reasons for a decision, especially a great long list of reasons, I'm not following that at all because, again, I mean, Council doesn't give a list of reasons for its decision so surely that must be guesswork.
That's a statement or a question?
No, it’s a question. I'm asking saying surely that must be guesswork. On what basis can an officer deduce what the reasons were? 
I mean, I participate in these decisions and there's times I walk away scratching my head wondering what possible reasons could have been at play.
So I'm actually seeking clarification, that great long list that we just heard that seems to me to be the officer’s view who wrote the report, not the council's view.
Council didn't express a view it simply made a decision.
Mr. Wickramasinghe, are you able to assist Councillor Parke with that clarification?
Through you, Chair, what I will repeat once more is that the report contained reasons as to why the site should not be fenced or gated.
Council considered that report and on the basis of the submissions that Council heard from community members where there was a discussion about the need for fencing and gates, Council chose not to.
So on that basis, it is my view that the Councillors were supportive of the content of that report and those reasons.
Thank you for that clarification. Councillor Parke, does that conclude your questions?
It does. Thank you.
Thank you. Now, I note that we've had hands from Councillor Addis and Councillor Healey.
Councillor Addis, you put your hand up beforehand but noting that Councillor Healey is the ward councillor, with your indulgence, would you mind if I drew the ward councillor into the discussion at this time? That's fine. Councillor Healey.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you, Councillor Addis for your indulgence.
Excuse me, Councillor Healey, could you please turn up the volume? You are very faint.
I'll try and speak with my big voice.
That’s good. No, you are good now.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Mayor and thank you, Councillor Addis for your indulgence. 
I simply want to signal that I don't have a question. I'm just ready with the motion when the time is right, Madam Mayor.
Alright. Thank you for that. Councillor Addis, returning to you and your question.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. I note that in the…particularly, in the previous report that it alludes to it in this that the question last time was about fencing and gates to make it more secure but this one seems to only be talking about gates.
And so I'm puzzled why fencing was considered a requirement last time, we're now just talking about gates.
Through you, Chair, my recollection of the last report was there was a request for improved fencing across the front of the site.
The proposal now is to retain that existing fencing and gate the two openings that are on either edge of the Wellington Street frontage to Recreation Hall Reserve.
Thank you.
Councillor Addis, are there any further questions for officers this evening? No? 
There being no other councillor seeking to ask questions, Councillor Healey, I will return to you as the ward councillor and you foreshadowed a motion this evening.
I would like to move the motion largely as it is printed but to remove the word ‘not’ so it would then read the council resolved to install gates at the two entrances to Recreation Hall Reserve along the Wellington Street Kew frontage.
Okay. I note that Councillor Sinfield had her hand up. Councillor Sinfield, is that indicating that you sit in support of that motion?
Yes, happy to second that motion.
Thank you. Councillors, is there any opposition to that motion this evening? Alright we do have opposition. Councillor Healey as the mover of the motion, I will return to you.
Thank you, Madam Mayor and thank you, councillors. The motion that I have here is somewhat different to what was being considered three years ago when it was being considered to make Recreation Hall into a specialized dog park.
At that time, I think some of the clarifications were that there would be also fencing at the rear entrance of the park or a gate at the rear entrance of the park making it an enclosed space.
This, of course, is a very different proposal because what it seeks to do is address the safety issues that have come to pass with the use of the park and make it more friendly to users be they people just using the park for recreation with young children or people walking their dogs or exercising their dogs.
What we have in front of Kew Recreation Hall Reserve, of course, is a major bike connection and it's one of those green special Vic Roads implemented roads.
It has downhill traffic and carries the traffic from the east of Kew Junction through to the west of Kew and that's quite a…I don't know what the numbers are for the bicycles but that is coming down the hill bicycles can reach quite an amount of speed. 
Having gates there will simply allow parents and people exercising their dogs the ability to stop children or their dogs running out onto the road.
We do not seek under this proposal to enclose the space in a permanent way and therefore I see it as a very different proposal that simply makes the park more user-friendly one I seek my colleagues’ support for.
Thank you, Councillor Healey. Councillor Addis.
Look, I know this is a bit out of order but can I seek clarification because we're talking now about a back gate and when I look at…I don't know this area, when I look at this little map we've been provided I'm unclear where the back gate is and thus how this is not enclosed if we just put the gates on that are being requested.
Councillor Addis, I think Councillor Healey can help with the information you seek. So Councillor Healey, would you be able to assist Councillor Addis?
So the proposal of three years ago was to have the enclosure towards the back lane as well, this one does not.
This simply tries to have gates on the Wellington Street frontage so there is no gate at the rear lane.
So Councillor Addis, is that the clarification that you need?
Look, it is more or less. So does that then mean that it isn't enclosed exactly, it just has gates onto the main road?
And I just want to be sure that because my understanding of the previous report was that it was considered…the advice was it was considered not big enough to be enclosing dogs with other dogs and children.
Yes. Councillor Addis, I believe that what you're saying is correct that it is not fully enclosed and fully gated. It is just to (inaudible) to make the park more safe for users. 
So Councillor Healey as the ward councillor, can you please confirm that?
Is my microphone on? Yes.
I think what you said, Madam Mayor, previously it was to have perimeters being able to be enclosed now it's just simply the gates at the front.
It also previously would have had some dogs exercise features, for example. This is not part of this proposal.
Thank you, Councillor Healey.
So we were thinking about specialized dog park when it was being considered, now we're just simply making it a bit more user friendly and safe.
Councillor Addis, does that assist you? I'd like to just round up on that, we have some other people wishing to speak to the motion.
Look, I think it does. I'm still having trouble seeing the map but I'll take it as the truth. Yes.
Okay, thank you. Councillor Ross.
Can I ask a question then? It follows on from that. Because the officer’s recommendation if it was to not install gates at the two entrances on Wellington Street so this is to have the two entrances on Wellington Street so you're saying that there's another entrance to the rear.
I believe that is correct and we're getting a nod from the ward councillor. So Councillor Ross, with that clarification would you like to speak further to the motion?
No, no, no, I will wait for after the seconder.
No problem at all. Is anyone else wanting to speak to the motion? Councillor Sinfield.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just in following up what the ward Councillor has said, this motion put tonight seeks to gate the two pedestrian entries on the major road on the frontage of Wellington Street and leave open the gate to the rear which adjoins the lane way to Valentine Avenue.
That road to the rear is a no-through road, it's a court for want of a better descriptor and provides an egress point that doesn't bring any security or safety issue to this motion that’s before us.
The two gates that provide access and egress on to Wellington Street is where the safety hazard occurs and that is a hazard not just for dogs, big and small, but also children, big and small.
The report that was brought to us written by Mornement, I think it was, was in relation to a dedicated dog agility park with a sandpit and balance beams and swings, whatever else it might have in it that it’s seeking to become somewhat of a tourist attraction and it was upon that basis that that many of us resolved for whatever reasoning, it was not to support that which was in line with officer recommendations that that site was too small for such a facility.
Personally, I didn't support having such infrastructure installed there because of the size of it.
It doesn't stop this Reserve, however, being able to be used for exercising your dogs, children, adults, whoever else may like to go there and visit but it does adjoin a major road with a major bicycle lane.
School pedestrian traffic just down the road from Xavier and Trinity and many other schools and adjoining a major arterial which is fit for heavy vehicles on Denmark Street just down to the south of conjunction.
So and it's quite a precarious position that certainly was deserving of gates and I support this motion that is brought to us by the ward councillor, Councillor Healey tonight. Thank you.
Thank you very much Councillor Sinfield. Councillor Healey, it looks like there are no other councillors wishing to speak to the motion this evening so I'll return to you as the mover of the motion.
Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you, councillors. I suppose the exit to Valentine Court…I think it's still called Street, not sure, but out the back does provide a way for children to flee dogs if they need to and that's always a consideration in these cases.
But more importantly, we have gates on the park just around the corner from here to stop kids running out on the road in Fenton Way so I think it's appropriate to have gates here to make the park more user-friendly for everybody.
And certainly seek your support to help because this is what also the locals have been asking for, for some time. I appreciate your support on this matter. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Healey. I'll now put that motion to the vote. All those in favour? Councillor Healey, Councillor Addis, Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Parke, Councillor Ross, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Hollingsworth, Councillor Hurd, and myself Councillor Watson, I declared that motion carried unanimously. Yeah. Councillor Healey, I did count you in, didn’t I?
You have now. The voting is unanimous and thank you, councillors, for your participation this evening.
The next item for our consideration is item 7.9 which is the Proposed Street Numbering Local Law and we will have a presentation from Mr. Thompson. Thank you Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Madam Mayor and through you, councillors, the current Street Numbering Local Law is due to expire on the 6th of August, 2020.
After this date, the local law will cease to exist. Council officers of the view the current Street Numbering Local Law has been beneficial in the encouragement of the correct street numbering being displayed where there has been a reluctance by some owners to do so.
Confusion from incorrectly displayed street numbers affect deliveries to both residential and commercial properties, taxi and shuttle services, and more importantly timely responses from emergency service such as ambulance, police, state emergency service personnel, and the fire brigade.
Council officers therefore propose a new Street Numbering Local Law be made in accordance with the Local Government Act 1989.
The proposed local law, if made, would revoke Council's existing Street Numbering Local Law 2010.
Protect and enhance the amenity in the environment of the municipality through the uniform numbering of properties throughout the municipality making it an offence for an owner of private land to fail or refuse to display an allocated street number or display a number other than an allocated street number.
An offence for a person who fails to comply with the notice to comply and empower and empower an authorized officer to issue an infringement notice for contravention of the proposed local law which may incur a penalty specified in the proposed local law.
Since its operation 10 years ago, Council has issued approximately 20 notices to comply and not issued any infringement notice.
The proposal local law has been prepared based on the current local law and the proposed changes are set out at attachment 1 or pages 14 to 25 of the officers’ report.
I commend the officers recommendation to you as set out in your business paper and that is to commence the statutory process in accordance with the Local Government Act to commence the making of the Boroondara City Council Street Numbering Local Law.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Mr. Thompson. Are there any questions for Mr. Thompson this evening? Councillor Sinfield.
No question. Happy to move the officers’ recommendation when the time’s right.
Thank you. And Councillor Hurd? Councillor Hurd.
Happy to second, Madam Mayor.
Thank you very much for that. Is there anyone opposed to this motion this evening? There being no opposition, Councillor Sinfield I return to you as the mover of the motion.
Thank you, Mayor. I think it's been adequately summarized by Mr. Thompson. I’ve got nothing further to add but commend the very logical points in this motion.
Thank you very much, Councillor Sinfield. I will now put that motion to the vote. All those in favour? 
Councillor Parke, Councillor Ross, Councillor Sinfield, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Wegman, Councillor Addis, Councillor Hollingsworth, Councillor Hurd, and myself Councillor Watson, I declare that motion carried unanimously.
Moving on to item 8 on our agenda this evening. Councillors, are there any items of general business this evening?
There being no items of general business, councillors, are there any items of urgent business? There being none, I now declare the meeting closed.
Thank you very much to all of those who have attended in our community this night and thank you for those who've made presentations and for officers and councillors for your contributions you've made to the debates and arriving at decisions this evening.
Thank you and goodnight.