GE Governance

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August 5, 2013

News Flash: Newton’s Legacy

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Governance, GE Planning, GE Service Performance
[20] Comments

The following Media Release in our view exemplifies everything that is wrong with Glen Eira City Council. It typifies the secrecy, failure to inform much less consult, and the complete over-riding of resident aspirations. The inequity which is the Housing Diversity and Minimal Change areas are now ostensibly cemented via this announcement and it has been done without even the courtesy of informing the public. At the time of writing there is nothing on Council’s website. Councillors who silently sat by and allowed this to happen must be called to account.

PS: As an example of the deviousness of this council, we alert readers to the public questions which raised these issues and the blatantly dishonest answers. It is inconceivable that Council did not know what it claims not to have known, designed, and implemented.

“This evening 1 July, 2013 there was a news item on the 7p.m. news which featured a story about the new residential zone reforms in this state. It was stated that the Boroondara Council along with Glen Eira were the first two councils to be implementing these new residential zones.
Could you please explain to me why residents in this municipality have to learn these things via the media?
1. Has this council already submitted an amendment of the draft to the Minister? If this is the case then why were residents not told anything of the change?
2. The City of Boroondara has had this amendment C108 for discussion since March. What consultation is this council planning to carry out?”
The Mayor read Council’s response. He said:
“Council is not responsible for what is broadcast on any news program. Council does not know why the ABC reporter chose to mention Glen Eira, any more than we know why a similar story in today’s Age nominated neighbourhoods in Stonnington and Boroondara as the first to come under the new zones but did not mention Glen Eira. It demonstrates that you can’t always fully trust what you hear or read in the media, although, of course, the media is far more reliable than an anonymous blog.

Council has not submitted an amendment of the draft to the Minister. Boroondara City Council’s Amendment C108 proposes to apply planning controls to neighbourhood activity centres, which are shopping strips, and to enterprise
corridors, which are mixed commercial areas. It implements strategies and plans adopted or amended in 2011, and has nothing to do with the new residential zones. Council has not yet decided what consultation will be carried out in relation to the residential zones.”

Question 2 – “Given the significance of the proposed Residential Zone Reforms, when will council begin its public consultation on the introduction of the zones into the Glen Eira municipality?”

“Council has not yet decided.”

Question 3: (July 23rd, 2013)

“Will Council be undertaking community consultation on the residential zone reforms?”
The Mayor read Council’s response. He said:
“The extent of consultation would depend on the extent of any departures from the current Housing Diversity/Minimal Change arrangements and that is not known at this time.”

August 4, 2013

Newton: Time Is Up?

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

We found that CEO tenure affects performance through its impact on two groups of stakeholders—employees and customers—and has different effects on each. The longer a CEO serves, the more the firm-employee dynamic improves. But an extended term strengthens customer ties only for a time, after which the relationship weakens and the company’s performance diminishes, no matter how united and committed the workforce is.

But as CEOs accumulate knowledge and become entrenched, they rely more on their internal networks for information, growing less attuned to market conditions. And, because they have more invested in the firm, they favor avoiding losses over pursuing gains. Their attachment to the status quo makes them less responsive to vacillating consumer preferences.

These findings have several implications for organizations. Boards should be watchful for changes in the firm-customer relationship. They should be aware that long-tenured CEOs may be skilled at employee relations but less adept at responding to the marketplace; these leaders may be great motivators but weak strategists, unifying workers around a failing course of action, for example. Finally, boards should structure incentive plans to draw heavily on consumer and market metrics in the late stages of their top executives’ terms. This will motivate CEOs to maintain strong customer relationships and to continue gathering vital market information firsthand (http://hbr.org/2013/03/long-ceo-tenure-can-hurt-performance/ar/1)

A weak board will often after a period of seemingly successful management, effectively abdicate power to a CEO whose drive, charisma and ruthlessness have contributed to the earlier success. Lulled into a false sense of security by rising share prices and earnings, the board becomes reluctant to challenge the CEO’s judgement and falls into the habit of rubber-stamping his decisions. It stops scrutinizing detailed performance indicators, may allow executive compensation to spin out of control, and be content to accept management figures and explanation without serious question. Bruggisser, the CEO of Swissair, is a case in point. Here, a board of distinguished businessmen failed to challenge the flawed strategies that led to Swissair’s collapse. At the same time, as his power base expands, the dominant CEO begins to behave as though the company is his own creation, believing his own PR and no longer distinguishing between personal ambitions and those of the company. Senior management becomes packed with like-minded executives who owe their position to the CEO, and who are unlikely to challenge him. This compounds the lack of scrutiny and debate. The problem is exacerbated if the CEO role is combined with that of Chairman, removing another check and balance (http://www.imd.org/research/challenges/TC053-08.cfm)

…most evidence shows that CEOs stay too long, and can end up destroying value in a company. (http://www.ceoforum.com.au/article-detail.cfm?cid=6174&t=/Claudio-Fern%E1ndezAr%E1oz-Egon-Zehnder-International/The-timeserving-trap)

….after about 5 years, many execs start doing what they like to do and not what the organization needs them to do (http://www.transitionceo.com/news.php?id=41)

CEOs who also chair their boards naturally invite their cronies to serve on the board. Eventually you have a CEO surrounded with puppets who are only interested in preserving their board pay and privileges. They are not likely to welcome disruption or innovation, because that might mean more work.( http://www.lindabernardi.com/2011/10/03/when-should-a-ceo-leave)

August 2, 2013

C60: Compare & Contrast

Posted by gleneira under Caulfield Racecourse/C60, Councillor Performance, GE Governance, GE Planning, GE Service Performance
[7] Comments

The following is taken from the Moonee Valley Council website. Comparisons between Glen Eira’s and Moonee Valley’s attempts to safeguard social amenity for residents is self-evident.

Planning & Building

Draft master plan and rezoning for Moonee Valley Racecourse

Moonee Valley Racecourse

29 July update

The State Government’s Advisory Committee has commenced a six week consultation process on the Moonee Valley Racecourse revised Master Plan and Council’s proposed heritage controls for the site. Residents living around the site would have received something in the mail from the Advisory Committee.

The community is encouraged to view the documents and put in a submission to the Advisory Committee.

Council is currently working on its own submission as part of this process.

Information sessions

To help the community stay informed and to understand the process, we are holding information sessions at the Clocktower Centre on Mt Alexander Road Moonee Ponds.

Sessions are:

Sunday, 11 August, 2pm-4pm
Thursday, 15 August, 6.30pm-8.30pm

To RSVP contact 9243 8888 or email mvrcmasterplan@mvcc.vic.gov.au

Council continues to be concerned about the major information gaps in the revised version of the Master Plan. These gaps and concerns are summarised below in the 18 June update.

More information on consultation process, how to have your say as well as copies of the Master Plan and heritage amendment documents can be found on the DPCD website.

18 June update

Council has responded to the questions asked by the State Government’s Advisory Committee about the revised racing club’s master plan.

While the revised master plan does make some concessions in terms of the scale of the proposed development, it still does not address some key issues that Council previously raised with the club. There are still concerns that the proposed master plan does not provide enough detail. Some of the gaps include:

Car parking and traffic congestion
The revised plan does not adequately show how the substantial increase in vehicles in the area will be managed. This includes both daily vehicle movements and vehicle movements when events and races are taking place.

Public access and safety
Council has concerns over the proposed access to the racecourse, where the majority of patrons would be funneled through a single entry point.

Layout of the site, new residential buildings and the new grandstand
Council doesn’t feel that the proposed layout is the best outcome for the site, and it is of concern that there would potentially be a negative impact on neighbouring properties.

Lack of significant open space
The location and size of open space within the site is insufficient.

Public transport capacity
The revised plan has still not addressed how the significant increase in demand for public transport in the area would be managed.

Drainage and infrastructure impacts
The site has significant drainage issues that have not been considered in the design of the master plan.

Heritage and significant trees
The proposed development would not retain any important heritage features of the site.

We are now waiting for the Advisory Committee to confirm the next stages in the process and dates of when they will undertake community consultation.

July 29, 2013

Some ‘Inconvenient Truths’

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Governance, GE Planning, GE Service Performance
[11] Comments

Council has mastered the technique of not answering all aspects of a public question. What is responded to often becomes a game of semantics, half-truths and not so subtle acts of omission. We illustrate this from the following examples of public questions tabled at last week’s council meeting. The bolded sections represent those aspects that have been entirely ignored.

QUESTION: The residential development at 175 Balaclava Road, North Caulfield, is a toxic site which was not comprehensively remediated. The amount of permeable surface, if any, is much less than the minimum required. There is zero setback from Balaclava Road where the standard is six metres. There is zero setback from the side street, Elmhurst Street. Balconies and awnings extend from this development over both Balaclava Road and Elmhurst Street, and no fees, rents or other charges are applied to this occupation of public space. How does council account for this generous flexibility in application of the planning rules, and what is the estimated financial benefit that has accrued to the developer from this?

ANSWER: “The Town Planning Application in relation to the residential development at 175 Balaclava Road which incorporated balconies that extended beyond the title boundary was refused by Council. An appeal against Council’s decision to refuse the application was lodged at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). VCAT directed the grant of a permit which retained the balconies beyond the title boundary. This was not Council’s preferred town planning position given that Council had refused the application. However, VCAT did apply a permit condition requiring the applicant to enter into an agreement which, amongst other things, acknowledges Council’s ownership interests and would absolve Council of any risks associated with the balcony overhangs.

A condition of the VCAT directed permit related to the provision of a Statement of Environmental Audit prior to the commencement of the development. In order to comply with this condition, the Applicant was required to submit a Statement of Environmental Audit that confirmed that the site is suitable for the use and development allowed by the planning permit. In December 2008 the Statement of Environmental Audit was received and, as a result, the abovementioned condition was met.”

COMMENT: What is not stated is that the VCAT order was not the result of the first appeal, but the result of ‘mediation’ between Council and the developer. In other words the VCAT decision merely formalised what council agreed to previously.

++++++++++++

QUESTION: What is Glen Eira Council’s current policy on rooms, balconies, and awnings that extend over public space from a/. residential buildings, and b/. commercial buildings? Is the public space so occupied leased or sold or is it a gift of space to developers? What legal liabilities might accrue to ratepayers from this use of public space?

ANSWER: Council does not support developments with balconies and rooms that overhang the title boundary. However, as was the case with 175 Balaclava Road, Council does not always make the final decision in relation to these matters. In those situations, it is Council practice to advocate for VCAT to require, via a permit condition, that the applicant enter into a Section 173 agreement with Council.

Section 173 agreements apply in those circumstances where controls are required outside title boundaries. Typically Section 173 agreements address property rights and protect Council, and in turn ratepayers, from risk.

A Section 173 agreement in such cases would explicitly state that ownership of the area outside the title boundary does not pass to the owner of the land being developed. The agreement also sets out restrictions on the owner’s use of the balcony /encroaching area. These restrictions allow Council to tightly control use and minimise risk. Generally, Council does not charge owners for use of the airspace, unless there is a commercial use. Owners are required to have appropriate insurance for public liability in relation to their use of the airspace. Section 173 agreements are placed on the title of the property and bind current and successive owners of the property.

Section 173 agreements are not required for awnings.

Council may enter into a licence or lease of the airspace above Council land.

Decisions of this nature are made on a case by case basis.”

COMMENT: what a wonderful word ‘generally’ is. It can encompass a multitude of sins without disclosing a single thing. This response makes it clear that:

There is no formal policy on gifting the public realm to developers
Nor are they asked to always pay for this largesse
Contradictions do not appear to worry Council either – for example, please compare the opening and penultimate sentences in this response (underlined)!

++++++++++++

QUESTION: Will Council be undertaking community consultation on the residential zone reforms?

ANSWER: The extent of consultation would depend on the extent of any departures from the current Housing Diversity/Minimal Change arrangements and that is not known at this time.”

COMMENT: Here is further evidence that there will NOT BE ANY PUBLIC CONSULTATION on the residential zones, except in the most trivial and unavoidable areas such as amending the East St.Kilda student housing areas from Minimal Change to Housing Diversity since this is already fait accompli with 5 storey permits granted and Council’s failure to adhere to its own policy as pointed out several times by VCAT members. As for the rest of the municipality it is clear that council intends to rubber stamp the current scheme without community input!

July 27, 2013

Where Are We Headed?

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

In what must be considered the most reactionary and one sided ‘discussion paper’ that this government has ever produced we now have the Councillor Conduct and Governance Reform effort. Public submissions are called for – yet we note that the submission period is less than 3 weeks; that the ‘call’ received practically no publicity; and that the authors of the report are most likely to be CEOs and other bureaucrats.

We have uploaded the full paper and the relevant link to the department’s site may be accessed at: http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/localgovernment/news-and-events/news/conduct-and-governance-discussion-paper

A taste of what is ‘suggested’ follows:

July 26, 2013

Consultation Committee: Terms of Reference

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Consultation/Communication, GE Governance
[5] Comments

Item 9.8 involved the terms of reference for the community consultation committee. We urge all readers to pay careful attention to the stated ‘function and role’. It reads:

“To make recommendations to Council in relation to the ways in which Council consults with residents,ratepayers and other stakeholders in the community to ensure maximum participation, communication and value to the community”.

In other words, the committee’s function is basically to partake ONLY in the mechanics of consultation, rather than providing direct input into any form of decision making as to the outcomes of these consultations. This important area of course, will be left first to the administrators and then councillors we presume. Thus only the first step in the ‘consultation’ continuum is being met and that is how to ‘engage’ with people – full stop. This committee is not granted any powers beyond that. It will presumably have no say in assessment, review, or participation in any decision making on the results of the ‘consultation’.

Nor do we believe it’s an ‘accident’ that the very important word REVIEW is now missing from these new terms of reference. The term was present in the original 2011 version. Also gone is the requirement that the committee meets at least 4 times a year. This has now been replaced with “as and when required”. Not that most committees do meet 4 times a year, but the omission we believe is significant in that it further erodes any formal structures and rules that should govern the running of such committees. Finally, as we’ve already noted, there is mention of ‘agreed criteria’ for the selection of community reps, but these are not provided, and definitely not made public. We can only speculate as to whether or not they even exist!

Following is the actual ‘debate’ on this item. Readers should carefully consider comments made by councillors and how the very notion of ‘consultation’ is watered down to practically nothing. Hyams’ hallmarks of ‘success’ such as the e-newletter and the notice boards are damning in themselves. Residents are lucky to receive 2 newsletters per year, and as a previous post pointed out, the notice boards were discussed, and discussed, and discussed for at least 2 years before little plastic boxes appeared in Glen Eira streets. Great achievements we say in open consultation, transparency and accountability!

Delahunty moved the motion and Lobo seconded.

DELAHUNTY: said that they had ‘long discussions’ about the number of community reps. She would like to ‘see more’ but happy with the current recommendation of 4. Went on to say that the ‘role and function is quite important’ in that recommendations about ‘the way we talk to residents’ is included and can then become the basis for ‘conversations’ with a ‘broad range of people’. Thought that ‘this is great’ and will help keep things ‘relevant’.

LOBO: couldn’t add much to Delahunty, and said this was ‘just streamlining’ of the terms of reference. Noted that the only thing that’s changed is ‘that the chair does not have the extra vote’. ‘So that will be a very interesting committee meeting’. Hoped that once the community reps were appointed they would be able to ‘steer this committee to heights that” the community would like in ‘the name of transparency’.

SOUNNESS: asked whether the terms of reference have ‘to follow certain forms’ and why this seemed to be different?

WAIT: answered that ‘they don’t’ have to follow any form and that each committee’s terms of reference can be different.

HYAMS: said that the committee began in ‘last term of council’ ‘at my suggestion’. Said that ‘most issues were decided by consensus’. Said that it’s important to ‘consult with the community’ but also that they ‘do so effectively’ and keep on improving. Claimed there were a ‘number of good initiatives’ from the committee such as the ‘e-newsletter’ and ‘community notice-boards’ and hoped to see ‘future improvements’.

MOTION PUT AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

July 24, 2013

Community Consultation & The Veracity of ‘Minutes’

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Consultation/Communication, GE Council Meeting(s), GE Governance, GE Service Performance
[6] Comments

Below is the ‘debate’ on accepting the various committees’ ‘minutes’ and their recommendations. We’ve focused on the Community Consultation ones.

Delahunty moved to accept and seconded by Lobo.

DELAHUNTY: stated that the consultation committee ‘sets the standards‘ for consultation and seeks to ‘widen, broaden, deepen’ and make consultation ‘appropriate’ so it’s an ‘important committee’. Related what had been discussed: terms of reference; and EOI from people wanting to be community reps as well as reviewing engagement strategy. Said that one submission from a resident was ‘very helpful’ (on disability). Vouched that this ‘was a true and accurate’ record of what happened at the meeting.

LOBO: said that 4 EOIs had been received by council. One was from a ‘very senior’ and ‘experienced resident’ and was in the ‘format’ that they were asked to submit. Went on to say that there were no ‘qualifications’ or ‘requisites’ given to people. Claimed that the committee decision was to ‘hold the applications on ice’ until advertising again. Said that in his view it’s the ‘right of ratepayers’ to both ‘represent the community’ and ‘contribute to a council that they finance and pay our salaries’. People who apply are community minded and spend ‘their own time’ in the effort to ‘make a difference’. Re-advertising creates the impressions that ‘we are not a transparent council’. Community reps for this committee is different to the environmental one where some professional expertise is required. Quoted Ghandi about ‘greatness’ and no correlation to ‘education’ and that these applications should be ‘viewed’ in the same way. “Barriers’ to ‘perceived transparency’ have to be removed. Asked the rhetorical question as to precisely what they’re looking for – ‘a rocket scientist’, ‘psychiatrist’ or ‘a doctor of philosophy’. The Local Government Act compels councillors to act ‘impartially’ in carrying out their duties. Said that these would be ‘just words’ if not acted upon.

OKOTEL: spoke about the Violence against Women day and how council supports two groups in this area.

HYAMS: told the gallery that with this motion it’s not just about receiving and noting the minutes but also ‘adopting the recommendations’ so if councillors agree with Lobo that council shouldn’t be readvertising for community reps ‘they would vote against this motion’. Said that he didn’t think that readvertising was a ‘slight’ on those who applied and that they had hoped to ‘attract a slightly broader range of applicants’. Readvertising was ‘just a way of trying to achieve a broader range’ and doesn’t mean that those who already submitted won’t be selected. Went on to discuss the grants committee.

DELAHUNTY: endorsed Hyams comments on the Legal Service then went on to say that the minutes ‘tell the story’ of how council is ‘spending your money’ and they also tell the story about issues being discussed and ‘values and how we impart those values onto things we deem to be important’. People need to ‘keep track of these minutes’ and ensure that councillors are ‘held to account’ and ‘not discussing ourselves’ in these meetings and ‘not having a go at each other’. All that’s happening is ‘we’re discussing the issues and doing what local government’ should be doing. Finished by saying that some of the things she isn’t proud of but others she is and urged people to read the minutes.

MOTION PUT AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (NOTE: Lipshutz and Magee were absent)

July 23, 2013

Are They Worth $300,000+ Per Annum?

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Council Meeting(s), GE Governance, GE Service Performance
[14] Comments

Residents have every right to question why we are paying over $300,000 per annum for a bunch of councillors who continually fail to fulfil their legal and representative roles. Glen Eira councillors, as evidenced at tonight’s meeting are entirely superfluous to the running of council.

Tonight was an absolute talk fest. Phrases such as ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’ were repeated ad nauseum – perhaps in the false belief that repeating such terms has some correlation to the lack of transparency and accountability that is the hallmark and most distinguishing feature of this council.

We will report in detail in the days ahead. However, the lowlights are:

Not one single word about delegations and how councillors are literally unnecessary appendages in the entire process when all control and power is delegated to officers. Not one word about councillor ‘call-in’ and not one word about how nebulous and vague the criteria which govern decision making for the Delegated Planning Committee is.
Public questions and the non-answers were again allowed to go through to the keeper with no councillor making any comment on any of the responses
No questioning of the community consultation terms of reference, except for Pilling’s aside that it appears to be different to other committees’ terms of reference. Lobo waxed lyrical regarding the selection of the community reps, implying that he was opposed to re-advertising, and then voted to accept.
An admission that the Open Space Review has not yet landed in the arms of councillors, but officers somehow manage to include some points from the review in the report on the ABC potential land sale.

July 21, 2013

What’s Safety Worth?

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

Most readers will have seen the Leader’s articles on council’s steadfast refusal to implement CCTV cameras in Bentleigh and how this has been contrasted to the actions of Kingston. (see: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/glen-eira-council-wont-take-cash-for-cameras-despite-residents-support/story-fni0fit3-1226680390247

AND

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/glen-eira-council-says-position-unchanged-on-bentleigh-cctv-cameras-for-two-years/story-fngnvmhm-1226681231971

Several things need to be pointed out:

As with the alcohol free zone in Bentleigh, this is another instance of repeated buck passing.
The looking of a gift horse in the mouth is unconscionable where public safety is concerned. This council repeatedly complains that it receives less in government grants than other councils. Yet, when $155,000 is handed to them on a platter, the money is refused.
The issue of CCTV cameras has now been dragging on for years.

There’s a wonderful irony that next Tuesday the Municipal Health & Well Being plan is up for ratification. Here are some quotes from this very policy which should be read in conjunction with this refusal to enact what countless other councils and government regard as ‘safety initiatives’

“Community safety

During consultations it was identified that feeling safe to go out at night would lead to more opportunities for physical activity and social activities which were both key priority areas for health.”

We are fortunate that Glen Eira residents enjoy a health status above the state average. However risk factors for our community are expected to increase with population ageing. The provision of information, services and programs and the continued provision of a safe environment enables residents to make healthy lifestyle decisions ensuring a healthy future for Glen Eira.

Council will focus activity on improving social, physical and economic environments”.

Then there are the following 2 quotes:

“A safe environment where people can live work or play has a direct impact on the community’s physical, social and emotional wellbeing (Better Health Channel, 2013).

Promoting safety and safe practices within the community can contribute to increasing the confidence of residents about safety (Victoria Police, 2013).”

And how will Council ensure that these ‘vision statements’ are fulfilled? With their usual nonsense objectives and indicators!

Objective: “Promote and implement a range of community safety information and programs during community safety month.

Measures: “Three community safety initiatives held during Community Safety Month.”

Finally, there is another issue of governance. On the 14^th August 2012, the following resolution was passed –

Cr Magee/Forge

a. That Council notes the report;

b. That Council writes to the Chief Commissioner of Police requesting the

Police review their decision not to monitor CCTV in Bentleigh

c. That a report come back to Council at the next Ordinary Council Meeting

after the response is received.

The MOTION was put and CARRIED.

To the best of our knowledge no such report has surfaced. We also find it difficult to believe that there has not been anything coming back to council, especially since the Records of Assembly report that Hyams spoke with the Minister.

We can even go back to the 18^th March 2008 when graffiti and the call for CCTV cameras in Elsternwick hit the news. The final sentence in this news report read: “Glen Eira spokesman Paul Burke said the council used CCTV cameras at problem hot spots, with the next area for focus to be the public toilets in Bentleigh.”

We do not know whether CCTV cameras are installed at the toilets. If they are, then clearly it is possible to do what is required in the interests of public safety. If they aren’t installed, then once again this council is full of promises, hot air, and no action!

July 19, 2013

Agenda: Delegations & Community Reps

Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Council Meeting(s), GE Governance, GE Planning, GE Service Performance
[13] Comments

Agenda items for Tuesday night feature several important items

DELEGATIONS

Once again councillors are largely sidelined when it comes to planning matters and the most important powers are ceded to officers. We reiterate what we’ve said in the past:

No councillor ‘call-in’ on applications – ie. countless other councils deem it essential that a councillor be given the right to insist that a planning application be decided by a full council rather than 3 bureaucrats as happens in Glen Eira under the Delegated Planning Committee (DPC) structure
The criteria for determination remains vague and unquantified. For example: the Schedule to the DPC states that this committee may decide upon applications when “There has been significant objection/s in terms of substance or number received to an application, amendment or any other matter”. Precisely what ‘significant’ entails is of course not stated. Are we talking 5 objections, 10 objections, 50 objections? We note again that numerous other councils specify the number of objections that will automatically see the application go to a full council meeting.
There are other nebulous phrases contained in this schedule for the DPC: ‘significant departure from policy”. Again, what does significant mean in this context, and who is to decide? Certainly not councillors!
We refer readers to a previous post where the significance of such delegations is outlined in greater depth: https://gleneira.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/delegations-the-glen-eira-way/
We also note that Newton’s spending power has now reached $750,000. This amount does not require a council resolution!

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION COMMITTEE

The farce of ‘consultation’ in Glen Eira continues with the minutes for this meeting. The positions for community reps will be readvertised since according to the spin – “The committee discussed the lack of diversity of applicants in relation to young people and families and thought that it was important to seek applicants from a broader range of community members.” Strange that we happen to know of at least 2 applications from well versed residents who just happen to also be ‘family’ members with young children. Their ‘rejection’ has more to do with whom council doesn’t want representing the community voice than with whom they do want. Intelligent, articulate, and pro-community people we suspect would be anathema to the powers that be!

There’s also a paragraph on the review of the overall consultation strategy itself. We find the following particularly relevant: “In section on engagement tools and techniques include: disadvantage to meetings and forums as ‘can be dominated by interest groups, and disadvantage of social media as ‘individuals may submit multiple times’. Does this augur the demise of ‘multiple methods’ of community consultation?

Finally, the proposed terms of reference for the committee when it is eventually reconstituted with community reps includes the rider that VOTING POWER will only be granted to councillors! Reps will be selected on ‘agreed criteria’. Of course, these criteria remain top secret!

RECORDS OF ASSEMBLY

See the following as items of real interest:

“Cr Lipshutz – a development in Inkerman Road that has a Condition requiring that a laneway be properly made that will cost the developer. Asked that this Condition be reviewed.”

“Cr Delahunty – advised that she had met with the Chairperson of the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust who had updated her on thek Trust’s current deliberations. Said that she understood that there is nothing preventing the Councillor Trustee members keeping the full Cpouncillor group updated on the Trust’s deliberations.”

Readers should also peruse the report on the ABC studios site and its potential sale for residential development.

PS: A very quick search has revealed some further fascinating comparisons between Glen Eira Council and its neighbours regarding the delegation to the CEO. Unlike Glen Eira, these other councils have imposed certain limitations on the powers of their CEOs. Glen Eira appears to set no limits!

Stonnington – without the concurrence of the Mayor communicated to the delegate at a meeting or conference convened by him or the Mayor for the purpose of informal discussion (http://www.stonnington.vic.gov.au/your-council/about-council/council-delegations/)

Bayside – If the issue, action, act or thing is an issue, action, act or thing which involves:

4.1 awarding a contract exceeding the value of $300,000 for an annual capital works contract;

4.2 awarding a contract exceeding $100,000 per annum for the supply of goods and services for a period exceeding 5 years;

4.3 approving a contract variation that exceeds 20% of the original contract sum, where the original contract sum is $250,001 or greater;

(http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/10.15_Instrument_of_Delegation_to_CEO_-_2013.pdf)

Boroondara – A new power to acquire or dispose of other interests in land to the value of $500,000 or less (excluding GST) is inserted.

Under the existing delegation, the Chief Executive Officer also has the power to vary contracts which were approved by Council. The power is conditional upon expenditure limits, being: [if] the value of the contract is greater than $500,000, the aggregate value of the contract (taking into account the value of expenditure for the further term and the value of the variation) may not increase by more than or 10% or $100,000 whichever is lesser.

(http://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/~/media/Files/Your%20Council/Meetings%20and%20Agendas/Council/20130527/Report7%20Instruments%20of%20Delegation.pdf)

Monash – Increase the maximum value of contracts that can be awarded by the Chief Executive Officer, to $250,000.

(http://www.monash.vic.gov.au/reports/pdftext/cp28may13/6.1.pdf)

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Glen Eira Debates