December 8, 2011

Compare & Contrast: Mayoral Speeches

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Service Performance
[7] Comments

From Port Phillip Council minutes – 5th December 2011

ADDRESS BY THE NEWLY ELECTED MAYOR OF THE PORT PHILLIP CITY COUNCIL

The Mayor, Cr Powning assumed the Chair, and addressed the gallery as follows:

Good evening all and thank you for coming along tonight. I’d like to acknowledge the presence of parliamentary representative Sue Pennicuik.

Thank you Councillors for your support.

So we now find ourselves in the last year of our four year term, feeling weary no doubt. And though we have achieved much over the past 3 years, I know you all have a strong desire to achieve much more and of course faster.

But on this occasion I think it’s important that we pause and look at what we have achieved over the past year, which is a great deal. We have continued with our commitment to the principles of good governance – maximum transparency (no confidential matters), extensive consultation (so much time and energy, but of course worth it) and have encouraged local participation through our numerous reference committees, again which take enormous amounts of councillor time and energy but so important.

We entered the year with a new State government to work with, and in the interests of Council and our community as a whole, we have struck a respectful and I hope effective working relationship with this new State government, despite some clear differences at times on our respective views of the world.

This has been much supported by a number of our Liberal local members, and we have been impressed by their professionalism and keenness to work with us to achieve the best for our communities.

At this point I must also comment on the vigour and passion shown by Martin Foley in his new role as Labor opposition member – Martin has made the transition from government to opposition with the greatest of skill, and I can only imagine it must be a very difficult transition to make. Your commitment to achieving the best for our community and your long term vision for Albert Park is as clear as ever.

Councillors this third year of our term has seen us achieve some significant milestones, and though its tempting to read through them all, but for the benefit of you and the gallery, I will resist and focus on the highlights.

This year has seen Council adopt a Responsible Gambling Policy and a Social Justice Charter for the first time ever. These critical pieces of policy express this Council’s long standing and fundamental support for the principles of social equity, and also our willingness to challenge those social factors which we know create disadvantage and injustice.

We have made some real progress in the area of climate change, and have adopted several important strategies, which will drive our response to this critical issue, including the Walk Plan, the Cycling Plan and our Greenhouse Action Plan.

Our last budget saw us increase our expenditure on climate change to $8.5 million. Although there is more we can and will do Councillors, money talks and we are now starting to shout.

2011 also saw Council continue down the path with many critical infrastructure projects, including the development of our two children’s hubs in St Kilda and Port Melbourne, and when completed these centres will mean new childcare places for hundreds of our local families.

We have also achieved much in Emerald Hill, with the Emerald Hill Vision project, and as early as next week we hope to be ready to start the detailed design of the new Emerald Hill Library and Heritage Centre.

We are of course all excited by the possibility of a skatepark for Port Phillip being finished in 2012, and we have made more progress on the Triangle with the release of a new vision and principles document, which reflects what our community want for this important site.

We will soon see the design process for a new aged care facility in Port Phillip, again a great outcome for our community and one which Council has made a significant contribution to.

Next week we will release the draft urban design framework for the critically important Port Melbourne precinct, and of course I can’t resist gloating about our advocacy skills Councillors which resulted in the bi-partisan commitment to fund the upgrade of the Balaclava Station – which was a real win for this community.

There’s so much more I would like to highlight Councillors, not because it’s a chance to brag, but because I think it’s so important that all here understand how hard you have all worked to achieve these things on their behalf. Being a councillor at Port Phillip is a really very tough job, often unacknowledged, and I have been consistently impressed by the level of energy and enthusiasm each councillor has brought to their role, it is a fortunate community indeed which has this level of dedication from its local representatives. We are a great Council and we are doing great things.

Over this final year of our term, we will work hard to continue to deliver our vision for Port Phillip as detailed in our four year plan.

Naturally we will be presented with new challenges as we head into the election year – we will be subject to more criticism than usual, especially from potential candidates, as we all know one doesn’t get elected to council by saying what a great job the current council is doing.

So during the year ahead Councillors I urge you to continue to treat one another with the respect of which I have been so impressed again and again. The local government model of governing means we can only be effective if we work together – not one of us can achieve anything much alone.

And speaking of working together, I would like to acknowledge the dedication of our CEO Kay Rundle and Council’s executive management team. We Councillors know that you all put in a huge amount of time and energy to your roles, and I think I speak for all when I say we have been impressed by the unfailing respect you have shown us as the elected representatives of this fine municipality.

To my good friends, some of you here tonight, – can I ask you to hang in there – hopefully one day I’ll be able to go out and just have fun again for a change, instead of just inviting you to events where I give yet another wretched speech.

And in closing can I thank my family for their unfailing support. To Michael and Bridget, I know that you are both proud of my work but it doesn’t make it any easier when I am out for four nights of the week, or working all day on the weekends. Without your encouragement of course I wouldn’t be able to do this job. And by this time next year our new little Tommy rocket will be running around this chamber and creating total chaos at home, so plenty more challenges ahead.

But as one political leader once said, life wasn’t meant to be easy, (we all know who that was), and as another said more recently, when presented with 2 paths to choose from, always take the more challenging – (which is what we’ve done for sure). I’ll buy a drink for the first person to guess who said that.

Thank you.

December 7, 2011

Another 10 Storeys For Elsternwick

Posted by gleneira under GE Planning
[8] Comments

The original application was for a 14 storey development at 221-229 Glen Huntly Rd. Council granted a permit for 7 storeys. In this decision, VCAT approved the amended plans by the developer and granted a permit for 10 storeys. Below are some extracts from the decision. The full transcript may be read at: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/vic/VCAT/2011/2203.html

“The officers considered that the proposed development at 10 storeys was appropriate given the location of the site within the housing diversity area, having had regard to the VCAT decision acknowledging the strong policy support for high density development with regard to a development at 233-247 Glenhuntly Road Elsternwick in February 2010^[. Therefore, it is the Tribunal’s position that a multi-storey mixed-use development is appropriate on the site. However the three groups of conditions that have been appealed by the Permit Applicant in this case revolved around height and external appearance of building and the objectors concerns relate to car parking, access to the site and off-site amenity impacts

We consider that a multi-storey development on this site is consistent with the vision of the Elsternwick Urban Village where the statement for the retail hub requires:

The height of residential development be determined by:

Site context, including the scale and character of surrounding development.
Site characteristics, including area, dimensions, orientation and topography.
Existing development on the site, including height, bulk and site coverage.

Council in its final decision required the overall building height to be reduced to seven storeys and amended plans were then prepared. The Permit Applicant prepared amended plans for a 10 storey building generally in accordance with the recommendations of Council’s officers”.

AND FROM TODAY’S ‘AGE’

Building permits system damned

Clay Lucas and Adam Carey

December 7, 2011

VICTORIA’S building permit system is broken, with little evidence to show even minimum construction and safety standards are being upheld, according to a report by state Auditor-General Des Pearson.

The report, to be tabled today in Parliament, will reveal that 96 per cent of 401 building permits examined by the Auditor failed to comply with basic standards. It provides a damning critique of the Building Commission, the state agency that regulates construction standards in everything from home extensions to major city towers.

The $24.3 billion-a-year construction industry, instead of being properly regulated, ”depends heavily on trust which is neither guided nor demonstrably affirmed by reliable data on the performance of building surveyors”, says a leaked draft of the report obtained by The Age.

”Our results have revealed a system marked by confusion and inadequate practice, including a lack of transparency and accountability for decisions made. In consequence, there exists significant scope for collusion and conflicts of interest,” the draft report states.

Building Commissioner Tony Arnel – who has been in his position for 11 years – is legally prohibited from commenting on the report before it is tabled.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy, who oversees the Building Commission, would wait to read the report before commenting, a spokesman said.

The Building Commission was established 17 years ago to regulate council and private building surveyors, and to monitor how effectively surveyors enforce building laws.

The Auditor found that damning reports on the commission’s work in 2000 and 2005 had been ignored, and that it had fundamentally failed to do its job. ”The commission cannot demonstrate that the building permit system is working effectively, or that building surveyors are effectively discharging their role to uphold and enforce minimum building and safety standards,” the draft report says.

It also finds that while the commission monitors the number of complaints against builders, little is done to monitor whether surveyors do their jobs properly.

Surveyors assess and approve building permits and check that work meets the standards of building laws.

Speaking ahead of the report’s release, the president of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors’ Victorian chapter, Con Giazi, admitted the Auditor had highlighted ”deficiencies”. But he said the failures were a case of poor administration, not lax safety standards.

The report warns of possible collusion between surveyors and clients because of ”inadequate monitoring and enforcement” by the commission.

The Auditor randomly selected 401 building permits lodged with Melton, Monash and Mitchell councils.

Audit office inspectors found ”the vast majority” of permits examined failed to adequately document whether buildings met all requirements. They found far more problems with commercial buildings than with new houses. The report also found serious problems with:

■Adherence to town planning requirements.

■Site plans inconsistent with properties in 167 of 319 cases.

■Fire safety standards.

■Demolition works, with little evidence of adequate precautionary measures.

Big builders this week rallied around Mr Arnel and the commission before the release of the report. Grocon chief Daniel Grollo said Victoria’s building industry was ”as efficient, if not more efficient [than anywhere] in Australia. Any process can be improved, but we don’t see any evidence that the system is broken. Is the issue one of record keeping or is it [problems] with the building itself?”

Executive director of the Housing Industry Association Gil King said the problems identified were about paperwork, not safety. ”Very rarely do we see major faults in the structure of buildings,” he said.

December 5, 2011

The ‘Clayton’s Agreement’

Posted by gleneira under Caulfield Racecourse/C60, GE Service Performance
[16] Comments

Numerous angry residents have contacted us in regards to another event held today at the Caulfield Racecourse. This time it was the CFMEU (construction workers) annual picnic. By all reports traffic was mayhem, noise unbelievable, and of course, cars parked in the racecourse itself. Entrance for union members was $30!

We raise this issue since events at the racecourse are proliferating at an incredible rate. In fact the Glen Eira News itself is featuring a large advertisement for a ‘food’ spectacular early next year.

Residents were lead to believe that an ‘agreement’ exists between Council and the MRC as to the number of events permissible per year outside of racing. But what has never been made clear is WHEN this agreement is supposed to actually start! There’s up to a 5 year leeway for removal of fences. Again, when does 5 years start – in three years’ time? All appears to be in favour of the MRC and council sits silently by and allows public amenity to be abused time and time again. Either there is an agreement with a specific starting date or there isn’t. It’s about time that this Council fessed up to what is really going on.

December 5, 2011

More Records Gone!

Posted by gleneira under Miscellaneous
[5] Comments

We’ve smashed another record! Our weekly hits tallied 5,071 – making it an average of over 720 hits per day. Obviously our posts are reaching an increasingly growing audience who are interested in local affairs and what is happening in this Council.

We reiterate out commitment to providing readers with an outlet for their views and opinions and in the process ensuring that this council is made accountable for all its decisions and actions.

December 4, 2011

How Long Is Too Long?

Posted by gleneira under GE Governance, GE Service Performance
[3] Comments

Change management and succession planning are some of the buzz words found in the corporate world. Those at the top generally recognise that they have time limits on their tenure and for the company to flourish and advance new blood must be continually groomed, sought and introduced. This is also true of local government. In order to attract all the new bright things, people with talent and ambition and who thrive on challenges, the old must make way for the new. With no chance of advancement anyone worth a cracker from within the organisation will seek positions elsewhere whilst attracting outside talent is a forlorn task – especially if they perceive there is no room for advancement.

In Glen Eira, as opposed to numerous other councils, we seem to be stuck with the old. There just isn’t any space at the top. Some might argue this means “stability”. Others may see this as stagnation and a detriment to the organisation. It all depends on results and point of view. Bayside obviously welcomes new blood – in droves. According to their website, the most senior officers have ALL been at the council for less than 3 years – that is, not just in their current positions, but newly arrived at Bayside. They are listed as:

Heather Johnson – Director community services – arrived 2008

Shiran Wickramasinghe – Director City Strategy – arrived 2010

Guy Wilson-Browne – Director Infrastructure Services – arrived 2008

Sharon Pearsons – Director Corporate Services – arrived 2008 –

Andrew Robb CEO – 2008

Glen Eira’s story stands in stark contrast. Note that the following years DO NOT NECESSARILY SIGNIFY WHEN THESE INDIVIDUALS FIRST ARRIVED AT COUNCIL – ONLY WHEN THEY ACQUIRED THEIR CURRENT ROLES.

Paul Burke –2001

Peter Jones – 2003

Peter Waite –2006

Jeff Akehurst – 1996

Peter Swabey –2004

Andrew Newton – 2000

Gibbs & McLean (Audit Committee) – at least since 1998!

So we can only ask: How long is too long? – especially when it is the CEO alone who has control over his lieutenants!

December 3, 2011

Councillor Courses

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Governance
[9] Comments

On 28^th November 2011 a public question at Bayside City Council asked for information on each councillor’s academic qualifications and the courses each had undertaken since becoming a councillor. Information was also requested on the cost of these courses to Council. We’ve copied the responses and provide them in the public interest. We note specifically the number of councillors who have undertaken Director courses and wonder how many, if any, of our councillors have completed similar courses.

Academic Qualifications

Del Porto – B.A. (Hons) M.A Melb; Post Grad Sec. ACU

Hayes – Adv. Dip App. Sci. (Farm Management)

Long – B.A. (Multidiscipline)

Norris – M.A, M. Sc (Econ)

Frederico – B. Bus. (Mktg) Certificate of Business (Tourism)

Cooper-Shaw – B. Comm, B-Ed. Grad Dip Criminology; M.A. (applied Psych) M. Ed.

Russell – Nil

Councillor	Course	Year	Cost	Course Completed	Certificate Issued
Del Porto	Australian Institute of Company Directors	2011	$5,900	Completed	Yes
Hayes	Media Training Presentation Training Australian Institute of Company Directors	2009 2009 2011	$1,350 $800 $5,900	Completed Completed Completed	Yes Yes Yes
Long	Media Training Presentation Training	2009 2009	$1,350 $800	Completed Completed	Yes Yes
Norris	Media Training Presentation Training	2009 2009	$1,350 $800	Completed Completed	Yes Yes
Frederico	Media Training Presentation Training Australian Institute of Company Directors	2009 2009 2011	$1,350 $800 $5,900	Completed Completed Not Completed	Yes Yes No
Cooper-Shaw	Australian Institute of Company Directors	2011	$5,900	Not Completed	No
Russell	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil

December 2, 2011

A New ‘King Maker’ In Town?

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Governance
[25] Comments

Things are hotting up and becoming really interesting. With the mayoral election just around the corner we can lay bets that the phones have been running hot and little clandestine meetings going on all over the place, with lobbying at its most intensive. Promises are being made left right and centre; favours called in, and all kinds of pressures brought to bear. The way we read the situation, is that the race is well and truly on between Hyams and Magee. Speculating a little further, we believe that the gang will of course vote for Hyams (ie. Lipshutz, Tang, Esakoff and Hyams himself) whilst Magee will possibly have the votes of Forge, Pilling, Penhalluriack and himself. That leaves dear Oscar – the new ‘king maker’.

What a turn around from last year when Lobo nominated himself and got no support. His continual cry of ‘4 plus 1’ fell on deaf ears. Well, this year things are vastly different. Lobo is that pivotal ‘1’! The question of course is: will he succumb to the wiles of Hyams et al or the wiles of Magee et al? How will he vote? Will past animosity against ‘the gang’ suddenly be fresh in his memory, or will his current (inexplicable) embrace of the group remain firm? From last year’s ‘nowhere man’, Lobo is suddenly thrust into the limelight – the real ‘kingmaker’.

December 2, 2011

Council Leads The Way – As Most Expensive!

Posted by gleneira under GE Kindergartens/Childcare, GE Service Performance
[6] Comments

Hefty price rises hit family hard

by: Susie O’Brien
From: Herald Sun
December 02, 2011 12:00AM

Tasman and Brigid Tudor with Jasper, 2, and Maddison, 10 months. Picture: Jason Sammon Source: Herald Sun

DAD Tasman Tudor is furious that Carnegie Childcare Centre is about to become one of the state’s most expensive.

Run by Glen Eira Council, it will charge parents of children under two $116 a day before government subsidies. Mr Tudor’s children Jasper, 2, and Maddison, 1, both attend the centre, which will have two price increases after changes to government regulations.

The daily fee increased in July from $85 to $91 and will go up again next month to $116 for babies and younger children.

“The council is clearly profiteering from this centre and covering costs at head office,” he said. But council director of community relations Paul Burke said it had put in a $100,000 subsidy to keep the centre operating. “The simple fact is that an increase in standards has led to an increase in costs,” he said.

Parents from the two Bayside Council-run centres due to close by the end of 2013 are also angry. “It’s very sad for parents and staff … there’s just shock and disbelief,” Hampton East mother of two Sheri Haby said.

December 1, 2011

Once More With Feeling Mr Burke!

Posted by gleneira under GE Service Performance
[4] Comments

Public Relations

Service profile:

Public Relations provide a consistent, cohesive, positive and professional image of the Council to the community. It also imparts key messages about Council services and activities to the community.

Review outcomes:

Quality and cost standards

The quality and cost standards identified for Public Relations relate to customer satisfaction, communication effectiveness and responsiveness.

• Internal communications survey revealed that most clients felt the service had improved vastly in the past 12 months in terms of accessibility, approachability and responsiveness.

• Annual customer satisfaction survey indicated a high level of satisfaction.

Other standards met during 20010–11 include:

• Providing an annual report to the Minister for Local Government by 30 September.

• Issuing a minimum of one press release per week.

• Publishing 11 issues of Glen Eira News annually.

• Per hour service provision lower than external suppliers.

• Applying three quote processes to external project work valued at more than $3,000 to ensure best value service.

• Increasing printing on recycled and FSC approved paper stock, which is cost-comparable to non-recycled paper stocks.

Responsive:

Through consultation, the current needs of the community and service users are identified and, where appropriate, we make suggested changes to the service to ensure best ongoing use.

Accessible

The service is accessible to the community by:

• Regular communication including Glen Eira News, website updates, community resource guide and a fortnightly information column in local newspapers.

• Publishing materials in printed format and alternate formats where appropriate and promoting the availability of alternate formats in languages other than English.

• Providing appropriate distribution of communication materials.

• Promoting contact details in Glen Eira News, on the website and on all media releases.

Continuous improvement

Public Relations ensure continuous improvement of its services by:

• Testing the website for accessibility and useability, to ensure it meets community needs.

• Regularly reviewing Glen Eira News and other Council publications to ensure they deliver key messages to the community correctly and on time.

• Increasing the number of publications printed on recycled or FSC approved stock to make Council publications more environmentally friendly.

Regular consultation

Regular consultation includes periodic external stakeholder satisfaction surveys on key communication tools; ongoing internal consultation and formal feedback processes after major projects are completed; regular feedback from the senior management group and through PR staff appraisals; strategy meetings, weekly team meetings and service reviews.

Quality and Cost Standards	Target	Performance
High quality Annual Report.	An award	Gold Australasian Reporting Award.
Publications delivered to budget.	100%	100%
Glen Eira News produced on time and to budget, 11 editions per year.	100%	100%

December 1, 2011

How Good Is ‘Best Value’ Reporting?

Posted by gleneira under GE Service Performance
[11] Comments

From the Local Government Act: 208B. Best Value Principles

The Best Value Principles are-

(a) all services provided by a Council must meet the quality and cost standards required by section 208D;

(b) subject to sections 3C(2)(b) and 3C(2)(e), all services provided by a Council must be responsive to the needs of its community;

(c) each service provided by a Council must be accessible to those members of the community for whom the service is intended;

(d) a Council must achieve continuous improvement in the provision of services for its community;

(e) a Council must develop a program of regular consultation with its community in relation to the services it provides;

(f) a Council must report regularly to its community on its achievements in relation to the principles set out in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e).

208G. Report on Best Value Principles compliance – At least once every year a Council must report to its community on what it has done to ensure that it has given effect to the Best Value Principles.”

Thus sayeth the law! How Council responds to the law via its compulsory ‘Best Value Report’ is another matter. We’ve uploaded the full document here and note that it is again well hidden on council’s website – so much for ‘reporting to the community’!!!

There are many services included. We’ve decided to highlight the ‘Traffic Management’ section and ask readers to contemplate whether the intent of the Local Government Act is indeed fulfilled via the following –

Service profile:

The Traffic Management Unit manages the Council’s traffic and parking responsibilities. This includes developing policies/strategies on traffic management planning; investigating concerns/issues relating to road safety, traffic efficiency, parking allocation, etc. and managing the capital works program.

Review outcomes:

Quality and cost standards

The major quality standard set for the service is customer satisfaction, in accordance with the Annual Community Satisfaction Survey conducted by the State Government.

The service achieved a rating of 58%. Whilst this result is lower than last year, it is in the top bracket of scores for “all Councils”, which ranged from 53% to 61%.
All capital works projects completed improved identified safety issues.
The service has met all cost standards except for the amount for the Traffic Engineering contract which was reflective of extra resources being employed for projects such as the C60 Amendment (MRC), and the preparation of Council’s Towards Sustainable Transport Strategy.

Responsive

The Service has been responsive to community needs by:

Meeting with external stakeholders e.g. Municipal Association Victoria, Department of Justice, Department of Transport and Department of Planning and Community Development.
Implementing the Road Safety Strategy to achieve safety outcomes.
Implementing the capital works program to achieve safety outcomes.
Conducting regular meetings with internal and external stakeholders to respond to emerging issues.
Reviewing the Annual Community Satisfaction Survey conducted by the State Government to understand community views.
Efficiently responding to complaints and enquiries.
Involvement with Metropolitan Transport Forum to tackle transport issues.
Preparing Council’s Towards Sustainable Transport Strategy.

The above measures enhanced service delivery in the following ways:

Improved residential amenity and safety in local streets.
Educating drivers about speeding, by using the speed advisory trailer.
Improved shopping centre safety (Elsternwick).
Improved school safety through the employment of 63 school crossing supervisors assisting approximately 15,000 school children per day.
Improved road safety under the capital works program.
Application of Council policy restricting the issue of residential parking permits to residents in new developments in high parking activity locations.
Resolving residents’ parking concerns through careful readjustment of the critical balance between parking supply and demand.

Accessible

The service is available Monday to Friday 8.30am–5pm at the Council offices.

Continuous improvement

Capital projects completed	14
Traffic & Parking Management customer requests	4255
Traffic counts and surveys	133
Council applications for VicRoads funding	8
Council funded improvements	$767,055
Community consultations	50
Court prosecutions handled	74
Supervised school crossings	63

Regular consultation

Consultation during the year included the Annual Community Satisfaction Survey; surveys of interested parties on specific issues; feedback via Council’s Customer Tracking System, highlighting issues and concerns raised by the community; regular meetings with internal and external stakeholders, and meetings with shop owners in local shopping centres.

Quality and Cost Standards	Target	Performance
Customer Satisfaction.	60% or above in the Annual Community Satisfaction Survey.	58%
Job requests actioned and completed.	100% of responses to customer requests completed within five working days.	100%
	90% of detailed investigations completed within one month.	98%
Cost of managing job requests.	Contract amount in tender is not exceeded.	Contract amount exceeded by 17.9%*

*In order to deliver the Transport Strategy a three day a week staff member was increased to full time to ensure delivery of all Strategy actions.

Glen Eira Debates