Council met for the first time in 2023 on Monday 30 January, at the new meeting time of 3:30pm. Nine (9) Aldermen were present.
Council considered 10 reports at the meeting. Notable outcomes are as follows:
Review of Council Services Update
An update was provided to Council for noting on the outcome of the independent review of Council’s Community Development function. The aim of the review was to ensure this area is best structured to deliver on Council’s Community Strategy and demonstrate the department’s contribution to Council’s objective of “making lives better”, in delivering for the community.
Several recommendations were made around communication, structure of the department and identity. The review is now complete, and Council adopted the action plan setting out how the Community Development area will deliver on the Community Strategy.
Code of Conduct Panel Determination
Council was presented with a recent determination by the Local Government Code of Conduct Panel which found Alderman Kelly Sims had breached the Code of Conduct. The sanction imposed by the panel was to suspend Alderman Sims from her duties on Council for three months.
The determination followed a complaint made by the member of the pubic against Alderman Sims. The Panel also referred a matter to the Director of Local Government for further consideration.
The General Manager is required by the Local Government Act to table a code of conduct panel determination at the first meeting of the Council which it is practicable to do so, and which is open to the public.
Expectations of Behaviour
A letter from the Director of Local Government was tabled regarding expectations of behaviour for elected members. The letter makes reference to specific behaviours that won’t be tolerated across councils. The Director sent the letter to all Tasmanian Councils and requested it be tabled at each Council’s next meeting.
Glenorchy Jobs Hub Strategic Plan, Steering Committee Terms of Reference and Workplan
Jobs Hubs are an initiative of the State Government that operate at a local level (out of St Matthew’s Church in Glenorchy) and bring together job seekers, employers and training providers to connect local people to local jobs and help meet local demand for workers.
The Glenorchy Jobs Hub was established by Council in August 2021, with $1m in State Government funding providing for the establishment and one year of operations. In 2022, Council received further State Government funding of $1,950,000 over three years to continue the operations of the Glenorchy Jobs Hub.
The State Government funding agreement requires Council to develop a Jobs Hub Steering Committee Terms of Reference, Strategic Plan and Workplan to guides the governance and direction of the Jobs Hub over the next three years and Council endorsed these documents at its meeting.
Local Government Elections Review Process
The Minister for Local Government in Tasmania, Nic Street MP has written to all Tasmanian councils asking for feedback on the October 2022 local government elections, following the introduction of compulsory voting.
Council endorsed a submission making several suggestions, including the consideration of a single polling day, improved systems to confirm voter identity, reviewing the requirement to vote for a minimum of 5 candidates with a view to increasing the minimum to the number of members to be elected, and the transfer of responsibility of the General Manager’s Roll to the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.
Motion – Ald Molly Kendall – Aldermen or Councillors
A notice of motion was considered from Alderman Molly Kendall that the elected members of the Glenorchy City Council choose to be known as Councillors, rather than Aldermen.
The motion was lost, however it was noted that as per the Local Government Act a person elected to a city council is a Councillor but may be known an Alderman, so Glenorchy City Council elected members are able to choose their preferred title.
You can view the full agenda and minutes on Council’s website, via the following link: https://www.gcc.tas.gov.au/council/council-meetings/minutes-and-agendas/