Published on Tuesday, 2 April 2024 at 4:30:00 PM
Transcript:
Hello, I’m Vivienne MacCarthy, President of the Shire of Donnybrook Balingup.
Welcome to this summary of the Ordinary and Special Council Meetings held on 27 March 2024.
You can listen to the whole recording by logging on to our website.
Before the meeting started, I announced that the Draft Local Planning Strategy is now available for public comment. It outlines a 15-year vision of how land use, change, and development will happen in our Shire.
The plan draws from broad community feedback from a survey conducted back in March 2022, and it provides a base for State planning requirements to be implemented locally.
I encourage you to look at the strategy and contribute your feedback for consideration. The Shire has until the end of the month to capture your comments which will then go back to the WA Planning Commission for final endorsement.
At the start of the Meeting, Council received the minutes from five (5) different Meetings, including the Annual General Meeting of Electors where four (4) motions were put to Council for consideration.
Council noted the motions and agreed to request the CEO present a detailed report for each motion for Council to consider at the April Ordinary Council Meeting.
Another of the Minutes received last night was from the Audit & Risk Committee with a recommendation to accept the Compliance Audit Return (CAR) for 2023.
This return is about internal governance and I am pleased to report that the Shire achieved compliance in 89 of 94 items.
This was a 95% result in a year of significant change. The Audit & Risk Committee will now support the Executive Team in monitoring the five outstanding items through to completion.
Moving into the body of the meeting, the Director of Operations presented a summary debrief of the Meliora New Years Arts and Music Festival that was held in Newlands.
Council accepted the Executive Recommendation to note that the CEO would present a report to Council in June this year, to outline improved governance and approval processes for future events.
The Shire Administration recognises there are lessons learnt from the event and that a more sophisticated approach is required for the future. The proposed report does keep the door open for continued success in meeting the objectives of our Council Plan, which is based on broad community feedback in 2022.
Council approved the application for a new Veterinary practice on Bridgetown Road in Balingup.
The practice will operate in conjunction with an existing mobile veterinary service.
The applicant plans to open the clinic during normal working hours and modify the building to include a reception area, treatment rooms and a laboratory.
The Kirup Progress Association raised a very important petition to reduce the speed limit on the Highway through the Kirup townsite.
Council supported the recommendation for Councillor Mitchell to take the petition to the next meeting of the South West Regional Road Group, so that they can then put the request to Main Roads WA for consideration.
Moving on to Finance, the Director of Finance & Corporate presented the monthly financial Report which achieves a February surplus of $3.2m.
Total cash is sitting at $13m, and of this, $11.7m is held in investments.
Council also received a review of the Annual Budget, with adjustments taking us to a projected surplus of $124k for the close of the financial year at 30 June 2024.
At the end of the Meeting, in a Confidential item, Council adopted a list of items for the Talison Community Investment Program, which were allocated to specific components of the VC Mitchell Park Project.
The most significant items were the completion of Pavillion II (or Tennis Club), then the carparking area and oval lighting.
We also agreed to engage a quantity surveyor to independently assess contract variations.
And then, following the Meeting, Council met for a Special Council Meeting to accept a request for quote for a specialist recruitment firm to support the CEO Recruitment Committee in the selection of the new CEO.
Thank you for watching - we’ll be back on 24 April for the next Ordinary Council Meeting.
If you would like more information on any of the items mentioned here, please view the Council Meeting Minutes.
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