Council Decided – 2 April 2024
Waste Tendering Requirements
It was resolved by Council, following presentation of a Mayoral Minute by Mayor Carolyn Corrigan, to write to the NSW Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Local Government and the State Member for North Sore expressing serious concerns in relation to recent legislative amendments regarding waste tendering. These amendments effectively mean that, if a council wishes to change providers for its waste services, the new service provider must offer the employees of the existing service provider a job on at least the same terms and conditions and with continuity and no loss of entitlement, regardless of whether the new provider requires the employees to deliver the service. Further, for waste services tenders to be successful, relevant industrial organisations must be consulted and satisfied, with no mechanism for dealing with disputes where one of the relevant industrial organisations is dissatisfied. Council also resolved to call on the NSW Government to reconsider the legislative amendments as a matter of urgency and to engage in proper consultation with all relevant stakeholders on an appropriate way forward.
Draft MOSPLAN and Budget
Council resolved to place its draft (revised) MOSPLAN Delivery Program 2022-2026 (incorporating a review of the 2022-2032 Long Term Financial Plan), and 2024-2025 Operational Plan, Budget and Fees and Charges on public exhibition for community comment. The draft documents will be available here from 5 April 2024 and can also be viewed at Council’s Customer Service Centre and at Barry O’Keefe Library.
Submissions on the draft documents will be received by Council up until Sunday 12 May and can be made by regular mail, email to council@mosman.nsw.gov.au or via the online submission form on Council's website.
Following receipt of submissions, all draft documents will again be considered by Council at the meeting of 4 June, and will take effect from 1 July 2024.
Climate Action Plan – Mitigation Strategy Update
A report was presented to Council outlining action taken over the past year to implement the Climate Action Plan – Mitigation Strategy adopted in April 2021. This document provides a framework for mitigation actions to reduce CO2 emissions for both Council operations and the Mosman community. The Strategy document has also been updated to reflect actions undertaken in the areas of energy use, biodiversity and trees, water cycle, waste, transport and the built environment, and to maintain currency of research and relevant legislative changes. As a high-level outcome, it was noted that, since the plan’s inception, Council has decreased its operational CO2-e emissions by 82.8%. After reviewing the report and the associated changes to the Mitigation Strategy, Council resolved to adopt the updated document. A further update will be provided to Council in 2025.
Review of Council Financial Model in NSW
At its March 2024 meeting, Council resolved to make a submission on Draft Terms of Reference for an upcoming review of the financial model for councils in NSW by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). This submission was lodged on 13 March 2024. Council noted subsequent advice received from the NSW Premier on 19 March 2024 that the NSW Government had withdrawn its request for the IPART review as the matter will now be considered by the NSW Parliament’s Standing Committee on State Development. According to the Premier’s advice, the Committee will inquire into and report on the ability of local governments to fund infrastructure and services, with its report scheduled to be provided ahead of the local government elections on 14 September 2024.
On-Road Disability Parking Assessments
Council’s preferred risk management approach to the provision of on-street disabled parking spaces has recently conflicted with that of Transport for NSW, resulting in Council being unable to obtain Transport for NSW approval for disability parking spaces that do not strictly meet Australian standards. In an effort to address this issue, Council resolved to write to Transport for NSW seeking a comprehensive review of the installation of disabled parking spaces on local residential streets, with a view to approving spaces not fully compliant with the relevant Australian Standard subject to an acceptable risk assessment. If this is unsuccessful Council will make representations to the Minister for Transport and Minister or Disability seeking their support to resolve this matter through a more pragmatic approach.
Nominations – Taronga Conservation Society Australia Board
Council is periodically requested to make nominations to the Minister for Environment for appointment of a Mosman representative to the Taronga Conservation Society Australia Board. Following a recent request for nominations, Council resolved to nominate two residents (one first preference and one second preference) for consideration by the Minister for appointment to the Board by 30 June 2024.