Published on Tuesday, 1 October 2024 at 11:30:00 AM
Hello, I’m Vivienne MacCarthy, President of the Shire of Donnybrook Balingup. Welcome to this recap of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 25 September 2024.
Before I move on with the meeting agenda, I have several items of information to share with you. The first is that your rates notices will be issued on Friday 4 October, and should be in your mailboxes either on that day or shortly after.
On behalf of Council and the Shire Administration, I’d like to thank you for your patience while we used this time for an extensive review of the budget. You can find the detailed budget on the Shire’s website.
Next, I’d like to remind everyone to be safe when conducting a planned burn or fuel reduction burn.
Recently, several burns have escaped their containment area and become out of control. While they are no longer a threat, it is important to be prepared and to conduct these burns in the right way.
The Shire will be sharing advice and resources, primarily from the Department of Fire & Emergency Services, for your reference.
Fire & Emergency Management
Also, a reminder about the Community Citizen of the Year (COTY) awards. On Australia Day, we acknowledge local community members who make a notable contribution to the well-being of our local community.
If you would like to recognise a community member for their efforts, please take the time to nominate them before 31 October in any of the four categories:
- Community Citizen of the Year
- Young Community Citizen of the Year
- Senior Community Citizen of the Year
- Active Citizenship (Group or Event)
About the COTY (WA)
Finally, Council recently endorsed a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) and the establishment of an Access and Inclusion Reference Group (AIRG).
Community members with a lived experience of disability will be prioritized for membership of this group, and will provide input in Shire projects or programs where access and disability are factors to be considered. Expressions of interest to join the group are open until the end of October.
More information on each of these topics is available on the Shire’s website, social media or by contacting the Shire directly.
Item 9.1.1: Request for Consent to Mine by Kulu Gold Ltd
Item 9.1.1 of the September Ordinary Council Meeting, the Request for Consent to Mine by Kulu Gold Ltd, was withdrawn.
Following a need for additional information, the item will be presented and addressed at the October Ordinary Council Meeting (to be held 24 October, with the Agenda Briefing Session to be held the week prior on 17 October).
Upcoming Meetings
Item 9.1.2: The Wild Campout - Event Application
At item 9.1.2, Council considered an event application for the Wild Campout. While a multi-day events policy is being developed, multi-day music festivals are being referred to Council for determination. As such, this application was conditionally approved.
The Wild Campout is a New Years Eve celebration organised and hosted by Royal Jelly Productions and features music and camping over 3 days at Linga Longa Estate. This event has been held previously in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022, with this year being its 5th time running. Compared to the previous Wild Campouts, this year will see some early-access attendees camping at the event site for up to 4 days.
The main event itself is to take place from 26 - 30 December, with pack down commencing from 2 January 2025, and all works anticipated to be completed by 4 January.
Item 9.1.3: Interim Local Recovery Plan Update
At item 9.1.3, Council reviewed and adopted the Updated Local Recovery Plan as endorsed by the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC).
In preparation for the 24-25 bushfire season, the current Local Recovery Plan was provided to the LEMC members and relevant Shire staff for review, with a focus on ensuring that the information and terminology within the document are current. Whilst it is not mandatory to perform interim updates of the Local Recovery Plan, it is considered best practice to ensure that Local Emergency Management Arrangement (LEMA) documents remain accurate across all service providers and committee members.
Item 9.2.6: Windy Arbor Pty Ltd - Lease Agreement
At item 9.2.6, Council was requested to consider the lease assignment of the Goods Shed at 2 Collins Street, Donnybrook, from Windy Arbor Pty Ltd to Mac and Wood Pty Ltd.
Council authorised the CEO and Shire President to execute the Deed of Assignment of Lease and related documentation, subject to prior written consent being obtained from the Minister for Lands.
Item 11.1.1: Extension to Temporary CEO Clynch’s Contract
At item 11.1.1 of the Meeting, Council considered and approved an extension of our current Temporary CEO’s contract by 4 days. This will allow Mr Clynch appropriate time to conduct a handover with our incoming permanent CEO, Mr Nick O’Connor, who is set to start on Tuesday 8 October.
Item 11.1.2: Cessation of Custom Kill Services in South West
At item 11.1.2, Council approved Cr Davey’s motion to request the support of the Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils and the WALGA South West Country Zone of Councils to advocate to the Minister for Agriculture for the State Government to support local, small scale farmers in their efforts to locate or develop an alternative custom-kill service provider in the South West Region.
It is important to be aware that this recommendation is purely about advocacy, and does not seek a review of a commercial decision made by local businesses who provide custom kill services.
I will now take this recommendation to the Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils (WBAC) meeting on Tuesday 1 November, and then the South West Country Zone (SWCZ) meeting on 22 November. At this second meeting (SWCZ), the combined Councils will consider their support for the recommendation.
Item 12.1.1: RFT 03/2425 VC Mitchell Park, Carpark Upgrade
Item 12.1.1 was a confidential item that was considered behind closed doors. Council considered RFT 03/2324. Council approved the successful tender for the design and build of the Carpark Upgrade as a total, lump-sum price.
These works will contribute to the Community Club by implementing disabled parking and ramps, which will offer better access for vehicles and pedestrians of various needs, such as those with prams or those who use mobility aids. The Community Club will be an inclusive and welcoming location for all guests, locals and visitors alike, and you can browse the project information online at any time.
Thank you for listening to this recap of the Ordinary Council Meeting for September 2024 - you can find all agendas, attachments and minutes of our Council Meetings on the Shire website.
Back to All News