Ordinary

 

Meeting Notice and Agenda

 

An Ordinary Meeting of the Bega Valley Shire Council will be held at Council Chambers, Bega on Wednesday, 9 August 2017 commencing at 2.00 pm to consider and resolve on the matters set out in the attached Agenda.

 

3 August 2017

 

To:

Cr Kristy McBain, Mayor

Cr Liz Seckold, Deputy Mayor

Cr Tony Allen

Cr Robyn Bain

Cr Jo Dodds

Cr Russell Fitzpatrick

Cr Cathy Griff

Cr Mitchell Nadin

Cr Sharon Tapscott

 

Copy:

General Manager, Ms Leanne Barnes

Director, Transport and Utilities, Mr Terry Dodds

Director, Planning and Environment, Mr Andrew Woodley

Director,  Community, Relations and Leisure, Mr Anthony Basford

Director,  Strategy and Business Services, Mr Graham Stubbs

Executive Manager Organisational Development and Governance, Ms Nina Churchward

Minute Secretary

 

 

 


Live Streaming of Council Meetings

Council meetings are recorded and live streamed to the Internet for public viewing.  By entering the Chambers during an open session of Council, you consent to your attendance and participation being recorded.

The recording will be archived and made available on Council’s website www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au. All care is taken to maintain your privacy; however as a visitor of the public gallery, your presence may be recorded.

Publishing Of Agendas And Minutes

The Agendas for Council Meetings and Council Reports for each meeting are available from 5.00 pm one week prior to each Ordinary Meeting, on Council’s website.  A hard copy is also made available to each Library Branch and at the Bega Administration Building reception desk.

The Minutes of Committee and Council Meetings are available from 5.00pm on Council's Web Site on the Friday after the Meeting on Councils website and hard copies distributed with the Agenda for the following meeting.

1.      Please be aware that the recommendations in the Council Meeting Agenda are recommendations to the Council for consideration.  They are not the resolutions (decisions) of Council.

2.      Background for reports is provided by staff to the General Manager for  presentation to Council.

3.      The Council may adopt these recommendations, amend the recommendations, determine a completely different course of action, or it may decline to pursue any course of action.

4.      The decision of the Council becomes the resolution of the Council, and is recorded in the Minutes of that meeting.

5.      The Minutes of each Council meeting are published in draft format, and are confirmed, with amendments by Councillors if necessary, at the next available Council Meeting.

If you require any further information or clarification regarding a report to Counci, please contact Council’s Executive Assistant who can provide you with the appropriate contact details

Phone (6499 2104) or email execassist@begavalley.nsw.gov.au.

 


Ethical Decision Making and Conflicts of Interest

A guiding checklist for Councillors, officers and community committees

Ethical decision making

·      Is the decision or conduct legal?

·      Is it consistent with Government policy, Council’s objectives and Code of Conduct?

·      What will the outcome be for you, your colleagues, the Council, anyone else?

·      Does it raise a conflict of interest?

·      Do you stand to gain personally at public expense?

·      Can the decision be justified in terms of public interest?

·      Would it withstand public scrutiny?

Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest is a clash between private interest and public duty. There are two types of conflict:

·         Pecuniary – regulated by the Local Government Act 1993 and Office of Local Government

·         Non-pecuniary – regulated by Codes of Conduct and policy. ICAC, Ombudsman, Office of Local Government (advice only).  If declaring a Non-Pecuniary Conflict of Interest, Councillors can choose to either disclose and vote, disclose and not vote or leave the Chamber.

The test for conflict of interest

·         Is it likely I could be influenced by personal interest in carrying out my public duty?

·         Would a fair and reasonable person believe I could be so influenced?

·         Conflict of interest is closely tied to the layperson’s definition of ‘corruption’ – using public office for private gain.

·         Important to consider public perceptions of whether you have a conflict of interest.

Identifying problems

1st       Do I have private interests affected by a matter I am officially involved in?

2nd     Is my official role one of influence or perceived influence over the matter?

3rd      Do my private interests conflict with my official role?

Local Government Act 1993 and Model Code of Conduct

For more detailed definitions refer to Sections 442, 448 and 459 or the Local Government Act 1993 and Model Code of Conduct, Part 4 – conflictions of interest.

Agency advice     

Whilst seeking advice is generally useful, the ultimate decision rests with the person concerned.Officers of the following agencies are available during office hours to discuss the obligations placed on Councillors, officers and community committee members by various pieces of legislation, regulation and codes.

Contact

Phone

Email

Website

Bega Valley Shire Council

(02) 6499 2222

council@begavalley.nsw.gov.au

www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au

ICAC

8281 5999

Toll Free 1800 463 909

icac@icac.nsw.gov.au

www.icac.nsw.gov.au

Office of Local Government

(02) 4428 4100

olg@olg.nsw.gov.au

http://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/

NSW Ombudsman

(02) 8286 1000

Toll Free 1800 451 524

nswombo@ombo.nsw.gov.au

www.ombo.nsw.gov.au

 

Disclosure of pecuniary interests / non-pecuniary interests

Under the provisions of Section 451(1) of the Local Government Act 1993 (pecuniary interests) and Part 4 of the Model Code of Conduct prescribed by the Local Government (Discipline) Regulation (conflict of interests) it is necessary for you to disclose the nature of the interest when making a disclosure of a pecuniary interest or a non-pecuniary conflict of interest at a meeting. 

The following form should be completed and handed to the General Manager as soon as practible once the interest is identified.  Declarations are made at Item 3 of the Agenda: Declarations -  Pecuniary, Non-Pecuniary and Political Donation Disclosures, and prior to each Item being discussed:

Council meeting held on __________(day) / ___________(month) /____________(year)

Item no & subject

 

Pecuniary Interest

 

   In my opinion, my interest is pecuniary and I am therefore required to take the action specified in section 451(2) of the Local Government Act 1993 and or any other action required by the Chief Executive Officer.

Significant Non-pecuniary conflict of interest

   – In my opinion, my interest is non-pecuniary but significant. I am unable to remove the source of conflict. I am therefore required to treat the interest as if it were pecuniary and take the action specified in section 451(2) of the Local Government Act 1993.

Non-pecuniary conflict of interest

   In my opinion, my interest is non-pecuniary and less than significant. I therefore make this declaration as I am required to do pursuant to clause 4.17 of Council’s Code of Conduct. However, I intend to continue to be involved with the matter.

Nature of interest

Be specific and include information such as :

·         The names of any person or organization with which you have a relationship

·         The nature of your relationship with the person or organization

·         The reason(s) why you consider the situation may (or may be perceived to) give rise to a conflict between your personal interests and your public duty as a Councillor.

If Pecuniary

  Leave chamber

If Non-pecuniary  (tick one)

 Disclose & vote        Disclose & not vote          Leave chamber

Reason for action proposed

Clause 4.17 of Council’s Code of Conduct provides that if you determine that a non-pecuniary conflict of interest is less than significant and does not require further action, you must provide an explanation of why you  consider that conflict does not require further action in the circumstances

Print Name

 

I disclose the above interest and acknowledge that I will take appropriate action as I have indicated above.

Signed

 

NB:  Please complete a separate form for each Item on the Council Agenda on which you are declaring an interest.


Council

9 August 2017

 

Agenda

Statement of Commencement of Live Streaming

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners of Bega Valley Shire

1       Apologies and requests for leave of absence

 

2       Confirmation Of Minutes

Recommendation

That the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting and Closed session held on 28 June 2017 as circulated, be taken as read and confirmed.

3       Declarations

Pecuniary, Non-Pecuniary and Political Donation Disclosures to be declared and tabled.  Declarations also to be prior to discussion on each item.

4       Deputations (by prior arrangement)

 

5       Petitions

 

6       Mayoral Minutes

 

7       Urgent Business

 

8       Adjournment to Standing Committees

Recommendation

That the Ordinary meeting of the Council be adjourned for the purpose of dealing with staff reports to Standing Committees.

9       Staff Reports – Planning and Environment (Sustainability)

In accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice, this section of the agenda will be chaired by Cr Seckold.

Nil Reports

10     Staff Reports – Community, Culture and Leisure (Liveability)

In accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice , this section of the agenda will be chaired by Cr Griff.

Nil Reports

11   Staff Reports –Economic Development and Business Growth (Enterprising)

In accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice, this section of the agenda will be chaired by Cr Nadin.

Nil Reports

12     Staff Reports – Infrastructure Waste and Water (Accessibility)

In accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice, this section of the agenda will be chaired by Cr Fitzpatrick.

Nil Reports

13   Staff Reports – Governance and Strategy (Leading Organisation)

In accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice, this section of the agenda will be chaired by Cr Tapscott.

Nil Reports

14     Staff Reports – Finance (Leading Organisation)

In accordance with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice, this section of the agenda will be chaired by Cr Bain.

Nil Reports

15     Adoption of Reports from Standing Committees

Recommendation

That all motions recorded in the Standing Committees, including votes for and against, and acknowledging declarations of interest already made, be adopted in by the Ordinary Council meeting.

 

16     Councillor Reports

 

17     Rescission/alteration Motions

 

18     Notices of Motion

 

19     Questions On Notice

 

20     Questions for the Next Meeting

 

21     Confidential Business 

 

Representations by members of the public regarding closure of part of meeting

Adjournment Into Closed Session, exclusion of the media and public............................ 8

21.1              Code of Conduct Matter

This report is confidential in accordance with section 10A (2) (i) of the Local Government act 1993 as the report contains alleged contraventions of any code of conduct requirements applicable under section 440.

 

Statement of Cessation of Live Streaming for the period of the Closed Session.

Statement of Re-Commencement of Live Streaming

22     Adoption of reports from Closed Session

23     Resolutions to declassify reports considered in closed session  

 


Council

9 August 2017

 

Confidential Business

Adjournment Into Closed Session

In accordance with the Local Government Act 1993, and the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005, in the opinion of the General manager, the following business is of a kind as referred to in Section 10A(2) of the Act, and should be dealt with in a Confidential Session of the Council meeting closed to the press and public.

 

Recommendation

That Council adjourn into Closed Session and members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting of the Closed Session, and access to the correspondence and reports relating to the items considered during the course of the Closed Session be withheld unless declassified by separate resolution. This action is taken in accordance with Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act, 1993 as the items listed come within the following provisions:

21.1    Code of Conduct Matter

Reason for Confidentiality

This item is classified CONFIDENTIAL under the provisions of Section 10A(2) of the Local Government Act, which permits the meeting to be closed to the public for business relating to (i) the report contains alleged contraventions of any code of conduct requirements applicable under section 440.