Jun 30, 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting

[1. Civic Affirmation and Acknowledgement of Country]

[00:00:04]

TO THIS ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF 30 JUNE, 2025.

COULD I CALL UPON COUNCILOR IMAD TO PROVIDE US WITH A CIVIC AFFIRMATION? WE, THE COUNCILORS OF AMAD, OUR REGION, DECLARE THAT WE WILL UNDERTAKE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND FAITHFULLY AND IMPARTIALLY CARRY OUT THE FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AUTHORITIES, AND DISCRETIONS VESTED IN US TO THE BEST OF OUR SKILL AND JUDGMENT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILOR.

I'M AB AND CAN I CALL UPON COUNCILOR WITTERS TO PROVIDE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY? YEAH, JUST, UH, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE MEET ON TRADITIONAL LANDS AND, UH, PAY MY RESPECTS AND OUR RESPECTS TO ELDERS BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, AND TO MY FELLOW COUNTRY MEN AND COUNTRY WOMEN, UH, WHO RESIDE WITHIN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL BOUNDARIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COUNCILOR WITTERS.

[2. Statement in relation to live streaming of Council Meeting]

UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

THIS MEETING IS BEING AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDED AND THE RECORDINGS OF THE NON-CONFIDENTIAL PARTS OF THE MEETING WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.

NO OTHER PERSONS ARE PERMITTED TO RECORD THE MEETING, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY COUNCILOR TO DO SO.

AND CAN I ASK THAT ALL MOBILE PHONES BE SET TO SILENT, PLEASE? THANKS, MR. MAYOR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM,

[3. Apologies and applications for leave of absence by Councillors]

BELIEVE, UH, I NOTE THAT COUNCILOR MCMICHAEL IS NOT HERE.

SHE'S BEING SHUFFLED AROUND BY QANTAS AND MAY JOIN US, UH, AT THE BACK END OF THE MEETING.

SO THERE IS THAT.

[4. Disclosures of Interests]

DO ANY OF YOU NEED TO DECLARE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? ALRIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

UM, THEN THE

[5. Confirmation of Minutes 5.1 Minutes of Previous Meeting held 28 May 2025]

I HAVE A MOVER, PLEASE.

THANKS.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD.

SECONDED.

COUNCILLOR IMAD, COUNCILLOR REDWOOD, ANYTHING TO, TO SAY? NO, THANKS, MR. ME.

EXCELLENT.

COUNCILOR IMAD.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

OKAY, LET'S PUT THIS TO A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, DR. MAYS MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

I DECLARE THAT ONE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM

[7. Reports - General Manager's Office]

THIS REPORT'S A STANDARD OR A STANDING ITEM AND IS A GUIDE TO COUNCILORS, UH, AND COUNCILORS ARE ASKED TO NOTE THIS REPORT.

COULD I HAVE A MOVER PLEASE? THANKS.

COUNCILOR GUTTERS AND A SECONDER.

THANKS.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD.

COUNCILOR GUTTERS, ANYTHING? COUNCILOR REDWOOD? NO.

ALRIGHT, COUNCILORS, LET'S PUT THIS TO A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF NOTING.

THANK YOU.

I DECLARE THAT ONE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 7.2 IS THE COUNCIL ACTIONS REPORT, WHICH SUMMARIZES THE ACTIONS TAKEN ON THE RE TAKEN ON THE RESOLUTIONS OF COUNCIL FROM OCTOBER, 2024.

AND COUNCILORS ARE BEING ASKED TO NOTE THE REPORT.

THE DETAILS OF THIS ARE FROM PAGE SEVEN OF THE AGENDA AND PAGE 17 OF THE ATTACHMENTS.

CAN I HAVE A MOVER PLEASE? THANKS.

COUNCILOR ANDREWS.

AND SECONDLY, COUNCILOR IMAD.

COUNCILOR ANDREWS, ANYTHING TO SAY? SORRY, IMAD.

OKAY, COUNCILORS.

LET'S PUT THAT TO THE FO UH, VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

THANK YOU.

I DECLARE THAT ONE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 7.3, THE NEW ENGLAND WEEDS AUTHORITY UPDATE.

SO THIS IS REALLY, IS WHAT I SUSPECT WILL BE THE LAST OF THESE NEW ENGLAND WEEDS.

AUTHORITY REPORTS COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO NOTE THAT THE DISSOLUTION OF THE WEEDS AUTHORITY TOOK EFFECT ON THE 16TH OF JUNE.

AND THE RES, THOSE BIOSECURITY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE NOW TRANSFERRED ACROSS TO ARMADALE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

UH, DETAILS.

PAGE EIGHT OF THE AGENDA.

AND PAGE 32 OF THE ATTACHMENTS.

DO I HAVE A MOVE? SOMETHING ON THE SCREEN? THANKS.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD AND THE SECONDER.

THANKS.

COUNCILOR GADI.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD? NO, I, THANKS, MR. MAYOR.

COUNCILOR GADI.

ALRIGHT, COUNCILORS, LET'S PUT THIS TO A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF NOTING THE REPORT.

UH, COUNCILOR WITTERS, WHERE DO YOU STAND? OKAY, I DECLARE THAT ONE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 7.4, WHICH IS, UH, RELATES TO A HAY DONATION TO FLOOD AFFECTED COMMUNITIES.

UH, THE REPORT IS SEEKING COUNCIL'S ENDORSEMENT OF A DELIVERY OF HAY TO FLOOD AFFECTED COMMUNITIES THAT TOOK PLACE IN MAY.

CAN I AS DETAILS OF PAGE 10 OF THE AGENDA? I HAVE A MOVER, PLEASE.

THANKS, COUNCILLOR TABOR SECONDER.

THANKS, COUNCILLOR.

IMAD, COUNCILLOR TABOR, ANYTHING TO SAY? UH, YEAH, LOOK.

UM, AND THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO, WHO ACTED VERY QUICKLY ON THIS ONE, UM, AS WE NOTICED SUCH AN URGENT THING, UH, FOR IT TO HAPPEN, UM, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO, TO ACCOMPANY THE LETTER OF HAY DOWN TO RE WITH, UH, WITH, UH, KELLY TRANSPORT AND,

[00:05:01]

UM, BUT WHEN I GOT THERE TO SEE THE DEVASTATION WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

SO, SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY, UH, FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILOR TAVER, COUNCILOR IMAN, ANYTHING, UH, MR. MAYOR? I JUST WANNA SAY THIS WAS A GREAT INITIATIVE BY A RC TO HELP, UM, UH, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS DOWN IN THE COAST, AND IT'S A GREAT INITIATIVE.

THANK YOU FOR COUNCIL THE TABLE FOR BRINGING THAT TO LIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL? YEAH.

YEAH.

UM, IT CONCUR WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID, HOPEFULLY OVER THE NEXT WEEK THOUGH, UM, WITH WHAT'S TO COME WITH THE WEATHER THAT THE, WHERE WE SENT THIS ISN'T IN NEED FOR SOME MORE.

UM, AND THAT THEY, UH, SPARED FROM, FROM THE CURRENT WEATHER, WEATHER EVENTS.

INDEED.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, COUNSELORS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENDORSING THAT DELIVERY SOMEWHAT RETROSPECTIVELY.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S COUNCILOR ROBINSON.

WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS VOTE? OKAY, THANK YOU.

I DECLARE THAT ONE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

COUNCILORS, I'M GOING TO, AS, AS WE DISCUSSED ON AT THE GM BRIEFING LAST WEEK, I'M GOING TO DEFER ITEM 8.1 BECAUSE IT'S LOGICALLY OUT OF ORDER.

WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT AFTER WE HAVE VOTED ON 10.1.

SO LET'S JUMP TO THE NINE

[9. Reports - Planning and Activation]

UH, WE'LL GO TO 9.1.

UH, THIS IS BOUNDARY REALIGNMENT OF FOUR BELL AVENUE IN ARMIDALE, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO INVOLVE A RC PURCHASING A SMALL PARCEL OF LAND.

UH, THERE.

SO DETAILS ARE FROM PAGE 17 OF THE AGENDA AND 40 OF THE ATTACHMENTS.

THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION ON THE SCREEN.

CAN I HAVE A MOVE PLEASE? THANKS, COUNCILOR WITTERS.

SECONDED.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD.

THANKS, COUNCILOR WITTERS, ANYTHING TO SAY? UH, HOPEFULLY THIS IS JUST A ONE OFF THIS LITTLE SMALL BIT OF LAND THAT LOOKS, UM, LIKE SOME SORT OF ADMINISTRATION ERROR.

BACKMAN TYPEWRITERS WERE PROBABLY USED AND SOMEONE FORGOT TO PRESS A BUTTON AND MOVE BIT OF LAND PARCEL BACKWARDS.

SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S NO MORE OF THESE LITTLE BITS AND PIECES FLOATING AROUND.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL REDWOOD.

ALRIGHTY, LET'S PUT THIS TO A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

THANK YOU.

I DECLARE THAT CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 9.2 IS THE COURTHOUSE WALKWAY.

SO THIS REPORT FOLLOWS ON FROM THE FEBRUARY ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING WHERE COUNCIL ADOPTED A PROCESS TO UPGRADE THE OLD COURTHOUSE WALKWAY AND COURTYARD.

THE ONLY MATERIAL CHANGE IS THAT THE GRANT FUNDING, UH, THAT WAS HOPED FOR OF $300,000 THAT WAS SOUGHT, BUT UNSUCCESSFUL.

AND THIS REPORT IS SEEKING COUNCIL ENDORSEMENT TO FILL THE GAP FROM THE SRV FUND AND DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS.

SO WE HAVE DETAILS ON PAGE 21 OF THE AGENDA, AND 43 OF THE ATTACHMENTS CAN MOVE.

THANKS, COUNCILOR REDWOOD AND THE SECONDER.

IT'S COUNCILLOR GATS, COUNCILOR REDWOOD, ANYTHING TO SAY? YEAH, THANKS, MR. MAYOR.

UM, I, I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S, IT'S A, A SHAME THAT THE GRANT FUNDING DIDN'T COME THROUGH AS WE EXPECTED, BUT AS IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US, THERE WERE SOME OTHER, UH, PROJECTS THAT CONSIDERED MORE IMPORTANT FROM A HERITAGE ASPECT TO THE ACTUAL ASSET ITSELF, RATHER THAN THE SURROUNDS.

MM-HMM.

HAVING SAID THAT, THE, UH, PROPOSAL THAT WAS PUT TO US AS A COUNCIL AND TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, REALLY PRESENTED A A FABULOUS, WELL, IT WILL PRESENT A FABULOUS RESULT FOR US.

AND WHEN YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL OF THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT CAME IN AND BLENDING THAT TOGETHER INTO THE, WHAT WE PUT FORWARD FOR THE GRANT FUNDING, UM, I THINK IT'S, YEAH, VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO SUPPORT THE, UH, THE FULL REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT AREA AND, AND REALLY OPEN UP THEM ALL AND, AND ACCESS DOWN TO MOORE STREET.

SO, UM, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILOR GUTTERS.

COUNCILORS.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK TO THIS? ALRIGHT, LET'S PUT THIS TO A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

THANK YOU.

I DECLARE THAT ONE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 9.3, UH, IS RELATES TO 22 POST WAY WHERE THE REPORT IS SEEKING COUNSEL TO, TO GRANT CONSENT TO DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.

WE HAVE DETAILS ON PAGE 21 OF THE AGENDA AND 49 OF THE ATTACHMENTS.

THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION ON THE SCREEN THAT IS QUITE DETAILED.

UH, COULD I HAVE A MOVER PLEASE? THANKS.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD AND SECONDED.

COUNCILOR WITTERS.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD, ANYTHING YOU WISH TO SAY TO THE MOTION? NO, THANKS MR. MAYOR.

COUNCILOR WHITTERS.

ALRIGHT, LET'S PUT THAT TO A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

THANK YOU.

I DECLARE

[00:10:01]

I, ITEM 9.4, UH, IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARMADALE REGIONAL LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN, WHICH, UH, IS SEEKING TO STRENGTHEN THE PLANNING ENVIRONMENT, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY INCREASE OUR HOUSING SUPPLY.

UH, DETAILS FROM PAGE 39 OF THE AGENDA AND 89 OF THE ATTACHMENTS.

UH, THERE IS A, AGAIN, A RECOMMENDATION ON THE SCREEN.

COULD I HAVE A MOVER PLEASE? THANKS.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD AND A SECONDER.

THANKS.

COUNCILOR IMAD.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD, ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY TO THAT MOTION? YEAH, THANKS MR. MAYOR.

UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, ENSURE THAT OUR PLANNING INSTRUMENTS KEEP UP WITH WHERE WE WANT TO GO.

WE'RE A REGION THAT'S DECLARED THAT WE WANT TO GROW AND TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, INSTRUMENTS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO IMPORTANT MOVE AND YEAH, FULLY SUPPORT THAT.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILOR .

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.

JUST, UM, NOTING THAT THIS AMENDMENT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM OF 9.2, 9.3 RECOMMENDATIONS HAVING COME TO COUNCIL.

WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? THAT RECOMMENDATIONS IN 9.4 FOR THE LEP CHANGES THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM THAT WE'VE HAD TO VOTE ON IN 9.2 AND 9.3.

I WOULD NEED TO DIVERT TO OUR PLANNING CHIEF OF PLANNING.

THAT'S THROUGH MR. MAYOR.

THANKS COUNCILOR.

YEAH, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS AMENDMENT TO THE LEP IS TO CORRECT THAT ANOMALY, WHICH, UM, WE DEALT WITH, UM, FOR THE DWELLING AT 22 POST WAY, SO THAT, UM, IN FUTURE, THOSE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS CAN BE DEALT WITH UNDER DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO THE STAFF.

THANK YOU.

GOOD PICK UP THERE.

COUNCILOR IMED.

UH, ANYONE, UH, ELSE WISH TO SPEAK TO THIS? ALRIGHT, LET'S PUT THIS TO THE VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

THANK YOU.

I HAD TO DECLARE THAT ONE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 10.1

[10. Reports - Corporate and Community 10.1 Adoption of the final Integrated Planning and Reporting documents for 2025-2026, the Delivery Program 2025-2029 and Making the Rates for 2025-2026]

SO THE ITEM COMES TO US AFTER A PERIOD OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN RELATION TO THE FOUR YEAR DELIVERY PROGRAM AND RESOURCING STRATEGY, THE 12 MONTH OPERATIONAL PLAN AND BUDGET, THE FEES AND CHARGES FOR THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR AND THE RES REVENUE POLICY FOR THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR.

DETAILS ARE FROM PAGE 42 OF THE AGENDA AND 148 OF THE ATTACHMENTS.

UH, THE RECOMMENDATION ACTUALLY CONTAINS SIX POINTS WITH EXTENSIVE SUB POINTS.

UH, CAN I HAVE A MOVE OF PLEASE? THANKS, COUNCILOR REDWOOD AND SECONDER.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILOR GUTTERS.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD, ANYTHING YOU WISH TO SAY? UH, YEAH.

THANKS MR. MAYOR.

UH, FIRSTLY, THANK YOU TO THE STAFF THAT HAVE DONE THIS EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF WORK.

I KNOW IT'S PART AND PARCEL OF WHAT, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO EACH YEAR, BUT IT IS, IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF WORK.

AND OF COURSE, THE CONSULTATION HAS GONE WITH IT, AND OF COURSE, TO US AS COUNSELORS AS WELL, FOR GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS TO, UM, TO ARRIVE AT WHAT WE CALL HERE THE FINAL, UM, THE PIECE TO RESISTANCE OF THE OF THE IPNR FRAMEWORK FOR THIS YEAR.

UH, AND MOVING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT FOUR.

UM, I, UH, YEAH, IT, IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

WE'VE HAD THE EXPERTS IN THE ROOM, UH, PRESENT TO US WHAT, UH, WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

UH, WE'VE HAD THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE CONSULTATION PROCESS.

AND, UH, NOW I THINK IT'S TIME TO MAKE THE, THE BRAVE DECISIONS BEHIND IT.

THANK YOU COUNCILOR GUTTERS.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UM, ECHOING, UH, WHAT, UH, THE DEPUTY MAYOR SAID, BUT LOOK, FOLKS, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS THE SET OF DOCUMENTATION THAT, UH, SETS, UH, THE STAFF, THE COUNCIL, AND THE DIRECTION FOR THE ENTIRE SHIP FOR THE YEAR TO COME.

UM, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND NUMBER CRUNCHING TO GET TO THIS PARTICULAR POINT.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE THAT WERE INVOLVED, UH, INCLUDING THE COUNCILORS.

WE'VE SAT THROUGH MANY, MANY WORKSHOPS, UH, ALONG THE WAY TO, TO GET TO THIS.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOTICING THAT ON THE LAST DAY OF FINANCIAL YEAR, WE'RE GONNA HOPEFULLY GET THIS LOCKED AWAY AND, UH, AND GIVE EVERYBODY THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU COUNCILORS.

DOES ANY, DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK COUNCILOR ROBINSON? WELL, I DID.

IF I CAN GET A SECOND OR WANT TO MOVE A SLIGHT AMENDMENT IN RELATION TO THE WATER CHARGES AND MAYBE THAT WILL COME UP ON THE SCREEN.

AND BASICALLY,

[00:15:01]

AND JUST THE IDEA THAT WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE PLANNED AS A COUNCIL, AS A GROUP OF COUNSELORS, UM, TO TWO YEARS AGO, OR JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE SET OUR IDEAL WATER CHARGES.

AND MAYBE THAT'S JUST SAYING THAT MAYBE WHEN WE DO THE CONSULTATION, WE'LL LOOK UP FAIR CHARGES AND LOOK AT ALL THE DETAILS AND DOT ALL THE I'S AND CROSS ALL THE T'S AND THAT WE HAVE THE CONSULTATION AS SOON AS PRACTICAL WITH HIM, WITH HIM VIEW TO IMPLEMENTING IT AS SOONER AS AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY.

SO, OKAY.

WELL MAYBE THE, THERE'S, THERE'S A FEW PATHWAYS TO THIS, FIRSTLY, TO SEE IF MOVE AND SECONDER ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT.

AND IF SO, WE CAN DO THAT.

IF, IF, IF, IF NOT SO MOVER AND SECONDER.

ANY, WE'LL START WITH NO, JUST WAIT.

COUNCILOR RYMAN MOVER AND A SECONDER JUST, I MEAN, FOR ME, ESSENTIAL, BUT BEFORE DEBATING IT, JUST DO YOU WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE IT? NO.

OKAY.

UH, BUT TO ARRIVE AT, MY KNOW, I WAS HOPING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FAIRA MEANT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW FAIRER TO WHO TO WHAT, WHAT WE, WE MIGHT DO, UH, COUNCILLOR REDWOOD IS, WE'LL JUST SEE IF WE CAN, IF YOU A KNOWS.

SO WE'LL JUST NEED TO SEE IF THERE IS A SECONDER.

YOU WERE, BUT IT WAS, WHETHER WE CAN, WE CAN SLOT COUNSELOR ROBINSON'S AMENDMENT INTO THE ORIGINAL MOTION AS THE MOVER HAS SAID NO, THEN NOW COUNCILOR ROBINSON IS SEEKING A SECONDER FOR HER AMENDMENT.

SO IS THERE A SECONDER FOR HER AMENDMENT? THANK YOU.

SO WE NOW, COUNCILOR WITS HAS SECONDED IT.

SO COUNCILOR ROBINSON, YOU'VE MOVED A MOTION.

UM, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK TO THAT A BIT FURTHER? AND THEN COUNCIL WITTERS, ANYONE ELSE? AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THIS AND SEE WHERE WE LAND.

WELL, THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS IS THAT YES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FULL CONSULTATION LATER IN THE YEAR, AND THAT WILL BE A GOOD, GOOD WAY TO TRY AND WORK OUT.

BUT AT THE MOMENT, WHAT WE'VE HAD WITH OUR WATER CHARGES IS THAT THE ACCESS CHARGE, WHICH PARTICULARLY AFFECTS THE LOW WATER USERS.

AND IF WE LOOKED AT THE FIGURES THAT WERE GIVEN TO ME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, 58% OF WATER USERS USE, UM, LESS THAN 30 KILOLITERS A YEAR.

THERE WILL BE OTHERS.

I MEAN, AND 90% ROUGHLY OF RESIDENTIAL USERS USE LESS THAN 70 KILOLITERS PER QUARTER.

SO I MEANT WHEN IS THAT A YEAR? I MEANT QUARTER.

AND THESE ARE THE ONES THAT IF HA AND THE, AND BECAUSE THE ACCESS CHARGE IS GOING UP AND UP AND UP EVERY YEAR SINCE 2021, THESE USERS HAVE BEEN BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A HIGHER AND HIGHER PROPORTION OF THE, UM, TOTAL WATER REVENUE.

WHEREAS THE HIGH WATER USERS, AND IF WE EVER WANT TO ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION AND ENCOURAGING CONSERVATION MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA.

IF WE DON'T REALLY GET OUR INTEGRATED WATER STRATEGY UP AND RUNNING BY, BY, BY, UM, WITHIN FIVE YEARS, THERE COULD BE ANOTHER DROUGHT.

AND ANOTHER DROUGHT COULD MEAN THAT WE RUN, RUN OUTTA WATER.

SO ENCOURAGING CONSERVATION IN THE HIGH WATER USERS WOULD BE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD THING TO DO IN CASE WE DO FIND WE'RE RUNNING SHORT AND THE WEATHER, WEATHER PLAYS, UM, TRICKS ON US.

SO REALLY THAT WAS JUST THE TWO THINGS.

ONE, IT'S FAIRER BECAUSE WHEN WE IN INCREASE OUR WATER SUPPLY, IT'S GOING TO PROPORTIONATELY BENEFIT THE HIGH WATER USERS RATHER THAN THE ONES WHO ARE USING A TINY FRACTION OF THE SECURE YIELD AFTER RAISING MAL PASS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, 'CAUSE 'CAUSE ONE THING, WHAT WHAT I WAS THINKING IS THAT LOOKING AT THE FIGURES, IF YOU LOOK AT INFLATION, THE ACCESS CHARGE HAS GONE UP BY WAY, WAY MORE.

IT USED TO BE TWO 50, UM, IN 2021, AND NOW IT'S GOING UP TO 3 55, WHICH IS WAY, WAY ABOVE THE RATE OF INFLATION WHERE, WHEREAS THE CONSUMPTION CHARGES, THIS IS THE FIRST INCREASE WE'VE HAD IN SINCE 2021.

SO IT'S JUST EVENING IN OUT OF 80.

IT WON'T, IT'LL HAVE A SLIGHT IMPACT ON THE REVENUE, BUT THEN WE CAN MAKE UP FOR THAT NEXT YEAR WHEN WE IMPLEMENT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHARGING STRUCTURE.

OR I HOPE WE'LL IMPLEMENT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHARGING STRUCTURE BECAUSE I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT WILL CERTAINLY HELP IF WE DO TO WITH

[00:20:01]

SO IT'S A WIN-WIN.

WE HELP THE LOW ONES, THE LOW INCOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THIS COST OF LIVING CRISIS.

UM, WE ENCOURAGE SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER CONSERVATION BY NOT INCREASING THE ACCESS BY, THEY WILL, UM, PRODUCE A SLIGHTLY HIGH PROPORTION OF REVENUE.

AND WE'LL ALSO SET OURSELVES UP BETTER FOR APPLICATIONS FOR, BECAUSE WE'LL THEN WE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT CONSERVATION AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.

SO IT, BECAUSE CONSERVATION SHOULD START WITH A REALLY HIGH WATER USERS AND THESE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE USING HALF OUR HALF OUR TREATED WATER AT THE MOMENT.

AND IF, IF THEY CAN CONSERVE WATER, THEN EVERYBODY ELSE WILL BENEFIT AND IT'LL BE CHEAPER IN THE LONG RUN OF WHAT ALL OUR WATER BILLS WILL BE CHEAPER IN THE LONG RUN.

'CAUSE WE WON'T NEED QUITE SO MUCH NEW INFRASTRUCTURE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU COUNCILOR WHITTERS.

COUNCILOR ROBINSON.

THANKS.

YEAH.

SECOND AT THIS TO GET IT ON.

A BIT OF A DISCUSSION HAPPENING, BUT JUST LISTENING TO COUNCILOR ROBINSON AND READING SOME OF THE SUBMISSIONS THAT WERE PUT IN, I KNOW IT'S A BIT OF HOT TOPIC, UM, IN REGARDS TO SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, AND I WAS JUST ALSO THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE BIG HIGH WATER USERS, UM, AND SOME OF THE PORCUP IES PLUS THEY TOLD THROUGHOUT THE DROUGHT, UM, AND HOW OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY MISSED OUT BECAUSE OF THEIR USAGE AND THEIR LIES ON THEIR USAGE.

UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO LISTEN TO THE DISCUSSION MORE ON WHY PEOPLE WOULD VOTE AGAINST THIS RECOMMENDATION FIRST.

SO ACTUALLY SECONDED SO I COULD HEAR A BIT MORE NUANCED CONVERSATION IN REGARDS TO WHY THIS AMENDMENT ALONG WITH SOME OF THE SUBMISSIONS PUT IN WOULD NOT BE BENEFICIAL COMPARED TO WHAT'S IN THE ORIGINAL PAPERS.

THANK YOU, COUNCILOR, WE JUST, WE WE MIGHT JUST CONTINUE WITH THE, UM, AUSTRALIA'S OPEN TO COUNCILORS BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE DETERMINING WHETHER I JUST WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DETERMINING WHETHER TO ACCEPT THIS AMENDMENT OR NOT.

SO WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK COUNCILOR IMAD? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UM, NOW I I, I'VE DONE THE CALCULATION ON THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL AND I ORIGINALLY AGREED THE SECOND THIS ON THE BASIS THAT IT'S REVENUE NEUTRAL.

SO THAT ORIGINAL PROPOSAL SHOWED A $700,000 HIT.

UM, NOW WITH LOST, YEAH.

UM, I KNOW WE'VE GONE TO A DIFFERENT PROPOSAL FOR WHAT I WAS GIVEN AND THAT'S A $341 CHARGE.

UM, I'LL LOOK AT IT IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS.

IT'S ONLY $14.

UM, AND WE GOT A LOT TO DO IN THE WATER SPACE BETWEEN, UM, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, GOT A WATER TREATMENT PLAN, ARMADALE WATER TREATMENT PLAN.

THEY ALL NEED UPGRADES.

AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN TAKE A HIT ON THE INCOME AS A COUNCIL.

UH, WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CHARGES WE LEVY ONTO THE RATE PAYERS, THEY HAVE NOT MOVED OVER THE PAST, I THINK FOUR YEARS, SOMEONE CAN CORRECT ME.

UM, USAGE CHARGE WITH THE EXTRA CHARGE HAS GONE UP SLIGHTLY, BUT THE VARIATION WE ARC'S PROPOSING IS A 5% INCREASE.

AND IF WE TAKE IT OVER THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS, THE AVERAGE IS LESS THAN 1% INCREASE.

NOW, I'VE TAKEN A, A CASE STUDY ON A FAMILY OF FOUR DIFFERENT SEASONS WITH A YEARLY AVERAGE OF 63.75 LITERS KILOLITERS.

UM, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, UM, DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

SO IT'S TOO MUCH WORK.

NOW, WHAT RAISED MY BLOOD PRESSURE THAT I'VE SEEN SOME COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE GREENS NOW AND THEY TALK ABOUT COST OF LIVING.

NOW, CAN I REMIND THE GREENS THAT THE PURSUIT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IS THE SINGLE MOST, A LITTLE OFF TOPIC COUNCIL, RIGHT? COST, I'M ADDRESSING THE COST OF LIVING PRESENTED IN THE EMAIL.

MM.

SO THE, THE PURSUIT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY HAS SENT POWER PRICES ROCKETED.

NOW THE GREENS ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT, UM, COST OF LIVING SAVINGS THERE.

SO I'M NOT SURE WHY A RC GONNA BE PUSHED ON $14

[00:25:02]

WE ARE UNFAIR TO THE RATE PAYERS.

I THINK WITH A $14 INCREASE IT'S, AND WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST LET IT GO WORK OVER THE NEXT PROPOSAL.

I'D LIKE TO SEE FAMILIES SAVE MONEY, BUT THIS PROPOSAL WILL BENEFIT PEOPLE OF ONE OR TWO.

BUT FAMILIES, THE REAL BATTLES WILL NOT SAVE.

THE FIGURES ARE THERE.

THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

THANKS, COUNCILOR IMAD.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILOR REDWOOD.

UH, THANKS MR. MAYOR.

JUST, UM, A A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IF I MAY, TO COUNCILOR ROBINSON.

YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH WATER USERS.

NOW I'M ASSUMING THAT HIGH WATER USERS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE BUSINESSES? YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TOP ONE.

WELL, IT SEEMS SENSIBLE TO CLASSIFY HIGH WATER USERS AS THE, UM, EXTREME 5% OF ALL WATER USERS, OR IN FACT, IT'S 4.6% I THINK, WHICH IS BASICALLY IN OUR CASE IN THE DATA THAT WE'VE HAD, IS, IS ANYBODY USING OVER A HUNDRED LITERS, UM, A QUARTER MEAN THAT THOSE, THOSE ARE THE STATISTICS THAT ONLY ONE, ONLY ONE IN 20 USERS USES THAT IF, IF, IF I COULD SURMISE THEN COUNCILOR REDWOOD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO, WHO ACTUALLY ARE THEY? SO THEY'LL, YEAH, I'M NOT NECESSARILY ASKING COUNCILOR ROBINSON TO NAME THEM, BUT ALRIGHT, SO NOT LIKE HOSPITALS AND WELL, YEAH, THE GROUPS, I MEAN, AND, BUT MY MY ASSUMPTION THEN I, I GUESS I'M THEIR EMPLOYERS AND THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT EMPLOY THE HARDWORKING PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

UM, NOW IF WE MAKE IT TOO DIFFICULT FOR THE EMPLOYERS TO BE HERE AGAIN WITH A GROWTH AGENDA, I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, UH, RECEIVED WELL BY THOSE PEOPLE THAT THEN ARE NOT EMPLOYED BY THE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE IT BECOMES UNFEASIBLE TO BE IN OUR REGION.

SO FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IF WE WANT TO HELP THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS, I THINK THE FIRST THING WE SHOULD DO IS MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE STAY IN JOBS AND TO STAY IN JOBS.

I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, REASONABLE ACCESS TO, UM, TO ONE OF THESE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF BUSINESS, WHICH IN THIS CASE, UH, TO THESE HIGH WATER USERS, I THINK IS WATER.

THANK YOU.

COULD I, COULD I JUST SAY NO, COUNCIL ROBINSON, UH, YOU, YOU WILL HAVE A RIGHT OF REPLY AT AT AT THE END BEFORE WE GO FOR A VOTE.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO COUNCIL? SO, YEAH.

UM, PROBABLY MORE TO, TO COUNCILOR WITTERS, UH, QUESTION.

JUST WANTING TO OPEN THE DEBATE IN THE DISCUSSION.

SO, UM, PUTTING IT QUITE SIMPLY, I'M AN ABSOLUTE HARD NO TO THIS AMENDMENT.

UM, FOR TWO REASONS.

UH, THE FIRST REASON IS, AS WE'VE MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, THE TIME, THE EFFORT, THE WORK, THE CALCULATIONS THAT HAVE GONE IN TO BUILDING THE IP AND R DOCUMENTS, WHICH ARE OUR BUDGETS FOR THE YEAR GOING FORWARD.

AND THEN AT THE 11TH 0.5 HOUR, WE'RE SUGGESTING A CHANGE WHICH WOULD UNDERPIN A LEVEL OF INCOME, WHICH THEN ROLLS THROUGH WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE YEAR AHEAD OF US ON A BUDGET POINT OF VIEW.

THESE SORT OF DISCUSSIONS COULD HAVE BEEN HELD EARLIER.

AND IF SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY AGREED AND THE WORK HAD BEEN DONE, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN BAKED IN BY NOW.

IS THE CORRECT ANSWER DOING THIS SORT OF THING ON THE FLY? I'M A HARD NO ON, ON THAT PARTICULAR ANSWER SPECIFIC TO, TO WHAT'S GOING ON.

I'VE, I'VE ALSO DONE MY CALCULATIONS AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE ON WHAT'S THE PUBLIC INFORMATION, WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED HERE BY THE COUNCIL FOR THE NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF WATER USAGE.

UH, THIS PUTS, YOU KNOW, I I'D CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE AN AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD.

UM, OUR KILOLITER UM, RATING WHILE SEASONAL IS, IS JUST ON 59 KILOLITERS A QUARTER, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ON EARTH SHATTERING WE'VE, WE, WE SEEM TO BE QUITE GOOD AND AVERAGE AT THAT POINT OF VIEW.

THE USAGE THAT'S PROPOSED HERE IN THE BUDGET WILL PUT MY WATER BILL UP BY 1.9%, WHICH IS LESS THAN $20 PER ANNUM.

UM, TO ME AS A RESIDENT, AN AVERAGE RESIDENT, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOOD VALUE TO BE ABLE TO TURN THE TAPS ON ALY TREATED WATER.

SO, UH, I'M A HARD NO ON THAT PURPOSE AS WELL OF, OF THIS AMENDMENT GOING FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL ROBINSON A WRITE A REPLY BEFORE WE, WELL, I THINK THE FIRST THING TO SAY IS THAT THIS MOTION DOESN'T PUT UP ANYBODY'S WATER BILL.

IT DOESN'T PUT UP ANY OF THE HIGH WATER, ANY OF THE WATER BILLS OF THE HIGH WATER USERS.

THEY'RE GONNA PAY MORE OR LESS THE SAME.

IT WILL SLIGHTLY REDUCE THE PRESSURE ON THE LOW

[00:30:01]

AND THAT BASICALLY IS ANYBODY, INCLUDING COUNCILOR GADDIS, WHO USES LESS THAN 70 KILOLITERS A QUARTER, WHICH HE, WHICH HE NOW SAYS HE HAS, HE MIGHT, HE MIGHT SAVE, YOU KNOW, 10 OR $20 A YEAR.

IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT BASICALLY THE IDEA IS THAT WE REDUCE THE STRAIN ON THE, ON THE LOW WATER USERS SO THAT WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT HAVE A FAIRER WATER CHARGE IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT, THAT'S ALL, I MEAN, I DO, I DO HOPE WE CAN DO THIS.

THIS, THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP SAYING YES.

OKAY.

IT'S ONLY $14 FOR EVERYBODY.

AND THAT WILL BASICALLY REDUCE THE STRAIN ON SOME OF SOME OF OUR WATER USERS.

AND THE IDEA IS THAT WE'LL DO THE CONSULTATION.

WE'LL TRY AND LOOK AT WHO GAINS AND WHO BENEFITS, AND HOW WE CAN MANAGE OUR INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT CYCLE IN THE FUTURE.

BECAUSE THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK TO DO.

AND WHAT I HAVEN'T SEEN YET, AND I HOPE I WILL SEE IN THE FUTURE, IS SOME ESTIMATES OR SOME ANALYSIS OF NEEDS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT'S MISSING.

WE ARE FINDING AT THE MOMENT THAT WE ARE TOLD THAT WE NEED 4.3 MEGALITERS A GIGALITERS A YEAR, AND WE'RE ONLY USING 2.2.

SO WHY IS IT WE'RE USING SO LITTLE AND NEED SO MUCH? IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO AND JUST, THIS IS A GOOD STEP ON THE ROAD TO ENCOURAGE, UM, THE, OR JUST PAY A LITTLE BIT BACK TO THE LOW WATER USES.

'CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN SLOWED.

WAIT, FROM TWO 50 TO 3 55 IS ABOUT A 33% INCREASE IN, IN USER IN ACCESS CHARGES AND ONLY 4% IN CONSUMPTION CHARGES.

SO LET'S RED REDRESS THE BALANCE BECAUSE THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT SAID THAT ONLY 25% OF THE TOTAL BILLS SHOULD, FOR RESIDENTIAL BILLS SHOULD BE ACCESS CHARGE.

AND WE ARE WAY, WAY OVER THAT.

AND THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT ALSO SAYS CONSULT THE COMMUNITY.

SO WHEN WE CONSULT THE COMMUNITY, I'M GUESSING THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WILL WANT, BUT WE'LL WAIT AND SEE, BUT WHY NOT STEP PUT THIS AS A STEP ON THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILOR ROBINSON.

UH, COUNCILOR GADI, WHAT? YOU'D ALREADY SPOKEN.

I HAVE, IF I COULD BE GRANTED ANOTHER 30 SECONDS.

I JUST THOUGHT OF SAY, COUNCILOR ROBINSON.

ROBINSON IS VERY RIGHT ON SOMETHING SHE JUST POINTED OUT.

I JUST WANNA BRING EVERYONE'S ATTENTION BACK TO THAT, IF I MAY.

WHAT WAS THAT? WELL, SHE'S QUITE CORRECT.

THE ONLY REAL NUMBER THAT'S UP IN THERE IS THE $341.

SO THIS, THIS DISCUSSION'S NOT ABOUT WATER USAGE CHARGE, IT'S NOT ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT THE 341.

SO THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT.

IT'S QUITE CORRECT.

AND, AND IF I MAY CONTINUE, MR. MAYOR, VERY BRIEFLY.

BRIEFLY.

WELL, SO AS YOU KNOW, L COLLEAGUE, I BELIEVE COUNCILOR IMAD HAS A SHARP MATHEMATICAL PENCIL AND SAID THAT IF WE WERE TO MOVE THIS DOWN TO $341, IT WOULD TAKE AROUND $700,000 OUT OF OUR INBOUND REVENUE FOR THE FUTURE YEAR.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO COUNCILOR ROBINSON AND THE OTHER COUNCILORS, IF WITH, WITH $700,000 LESS INCOME IN OUR POCKET GOING FORWARD IN THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR, WHICH PROJECTS WILL WE NOT BE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY? THANK YOU.

WE MIGHT TAKE THAT AS A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

YEAH.

OR CAN I, NO, I NEED TO CORRECT.

IT IS A $14, A USER IS ABOUT 150,000.

IT'S NOT 700 AND THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO, SO IT'S BASICALLY HE WAS, COUNCILOR IMAD WAS LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT SCENARIO.

IT'S, IT'S, WE, WE'VE GOT ABOUT NEARLY, NEARLY 11,000 USERS AND 14, $14 PER THANK YOU.

WE WE'RE PROBABLY DOING MATHS ON THE FLY, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE OUR CFO WHO'S INDICATED THAT IT'S ABOUT 550 WITH CHANGES IN ACROSS THE BOARD COUNCILORS, LET'S PUT THIS TO THE VOTE.

WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ONE THOSE AGAINST, SORRY, WHERE WERE YOU? COUNCILOR TAVER.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, I DECLARE THAT AMENDMENT HAS BEEN LOST.

SO WE'RE NOW BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, UM, THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH WE ONLY GOT AS FAR AS MOVING AND SECONDING.

UM, WE THEN OPENED THE FLOOR UP.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE IP AND OUR DOCUMENTS COUNCIL? YEAH, JUST ON THE ORIGINAL, UH, BASED ON THE CHATS THERE, UM, TALKED TO THE COST OF LIT.

ONE OF THE ISSUES ON THE, UM, AMENDMENT WAS THE COST OF LIVING.

UM, AND I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED, UH, IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME OF THE MONEY, UM, USED WITH THE FEES AND CHARGES, PUTTING, BEING PUT TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE, THE, THE SEWERAGE TREATMENT, PLANT, WATER TREATMENT PLANT, ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF.

UM, AND KNOWING THE CONDITION AND THE AGE OF THOSE, UH, FACILITIES,

[00:35:01]

UM, AND BY PUTTING MONEY INTO THOSE FACILITIES, I THINK WE'LL CUT DOWN ON THE COST OF LIVING, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THEN HAVING TO REPAY FOR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

SO I, I GATHER THE SENTIMENT FROM SOME OF THE, UM, SUBMISSIONS AND FROM COUNCILOR ROBINSON'S, UM, AMENDMENT, UM, PROPOSED AMENDMENT.

BUT IF WE CAN'T DROP AND LOOKING AT THE, THE FEES AND CHARGES ARE ONLY, UH, FOR A YEAR.

SO IT CAN BE, AGAIN, REASSESSED THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.

UM, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES, AND I'VE, UH, I'VE RUN ON THIS FOR TWO TERMS, IS GETTING THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, THINGS UPGRADED AND SORTED FOR THE COMMUNITY.

UH, NOTHING WORSE THAN HAVING A TOILET THAT WON'T FLUSH OR A TAP THAT ONE TURN ON OR WATER THAT SMELLS LIKE, UM, UH, BOVINE EXCREMENT.

UM, SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE COST OF LIVING ISSUES AND PRESSURES MAY BE ADDRESSED OVER THE NEXT SHORT TERM, SHORT TO MIDTERM.

SO, UM, AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THE SENTIMENT, SENTIMENT FOR, UH, THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON STRUGGLE STREET AND LOOKING FOR THE RELIEF.

BUT BY PUTTING IN THE WORK, UM, IN OTHER AREAS, I THINK WE'RE SAVING, UM, SOME OF THE COST OF LIVING PRECIOUS FAULT FOR THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, COUNCILOR, DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SEE COUNCILOR IMAD? NOW YOU TURN, YOU TURNED YOURSELF OFF THERE.

SORRY.

UM, I KNOW THAT THE $14 IS ONLY $3 50 PER QUARTER.

UM, IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT I WILL REMIND THAT WE ARE ROLLING OUT THE SMART METERS AND THOSE SAVINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED THANKS TO COUNCILOR ROBINSON, WHO WAS A PIONEER BEHIND THE SMART METERS, SO PEOPLE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE REALLY HIT ON THE POCKET OF $14.

UM, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, ANY, UM, DECREASE IN INCOME FOR US HERE AS A COUNCIL, WE CAN'T DELIVER THE SERVICES WE'VE PROMISED, ESPECIALLY IN THE WATERFIELD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, COUNSELORS.

UH, NOW COUNCILOR REDWOOD, YOU MOVE THE, DO YOU NEED A WRITE OF REPLY? NO, I WON'T.

CAN I JUST HAVE A QUICK COMMENT? OH, SORRY.

SURE.

I MEAN, I HAD QUITE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE, THIS WHOLE PROP PROCESS OF THE BUDGET AND THE DELIVERY PROGRAM BECAUSE EVERYTHING COMES TO COUNCIL SO, SO LATE.

THE SUBMISSIONS WERE CLOSED ON THE 22ND OF MAY, AND WE DIDN'T GET THEM TILL ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.

AND WHEN I DID SEE THEM, I SAW THAT REALLY THE, THERE WEREN'T ANY REALLY MATERIAL CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO ANY OF THOSE SUBMISSIONS, WHICH DID, DID DISCOURAGE ME QUITE A BIT.

AND I THINK THE SAME THING FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST TRYING TO GET SOME, YOU KNOW, HA HAVE A DIALOGUE AND GET THESE THINGS, IT'S ALL SORT OF JUST HANDED DOWN.

I MEAN, I FELT EVERYTHING WAS HANDED DOWN TO ME ON A PLATE AND I HAD, IT WAS EITHER TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT, AND THAT WORRIES ME AND EXPECT IT ALL.

AND IT ALSO WORRIES ME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE NOW HAVE, I EITHER HAVE TO HAVE A BUDGET NOW THIS DAY TODAY, OR WE, WE ARE STUCK.

SO MY FEELING IS I CERTAINLY CAN'T VOTE FOR A BUDGET WHERE YOU DON'T EVEN CONSIDER ANY OF, DON'T EVEN MAKE ANY CHANGES FOR ANY OF THE PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS.

AND I FELT THAT IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY AND HAVE A DIALOGUE.

SO, AND I, BUT I CAN'T VOTE AGAINST IT.

SO WHAT I'LL JUST DO IS WALK OUTTA THE ROOM AND LET EVERYBODY ELSE SUPPORT IT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UH, JUST, JUST FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, IT WOULD BE JUST BASED ON WHAT COUNSELOR ROBINSON SAID, IT WOULD BE WORTH HAVING A LOOK IF, IF, SORRY, HER COMMENTS RESONATE WITH YOU.

HAVE A LOOK AT, UM, PAGE 588 OR FROM PAGE 588 OF THE ATTACHMENTS.

AND THERE ARE THE, THERE ARE THE SUBMISSION RESPONSES IN THERE, SO MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND HAVING LOOKED AT THAT, WHETHER YOU THINK THAT THE RESPONSE TO SUBMISSIONS WERE FAIR OR NOT.

SO ANYWAY, I I THINK THAT'S, WE JUST NEED TO ROUND THAT CIRCLE OUT.

ALRIGHT, COUNSELORS, UM, LET'S PUT THIS TO A, OH, SORRY, I'LL NOTE, LET'S, SO WE'RE NOW, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING, UH, OF, OF, OF ADOPTING THE MOTION AS PER THE SCREEN.

THANK YOU.

I DECLARE THAT CARRIED BY SEVEN, UH, WITH COUNCILOR ROBINSON ABSTAINING.

MARK, YOU? YEP.

OH, SORRY.

THANK

[00:40:01]

I DECLARE THAT CARRIED.

SO JUST FOR, JUST FOR CLARITY, I CAN HEAR SOME, SOME, SOME DISCUSSION HERE FROM THE COUNCILORS AND ABSTENTION IS EFFECTIVELY A NO.

SO THAT'S HOW IT'S, THAT'S HOW THE, THE VOTE FALLS.

SO IT WILL BE SHOWN AS IT WAS PASSED SEVEN ONE OR CARRIED SEVEN ONE.

UM, COUNCILOR ROBINSON WASN'T IN THE ROOM SO THAT, NOT THAT VOTE WAS NEITHER OR NO NOR ABSENT.

IT WAS CARRIED OUT UNANIMOUSLY, I BELIEVE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

OH, THANK YOU.

THAT'S MY QUESTION AS WELL.

THOSE THREE , I MIGHT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CODE OF MEETING PRACTICE, BUT I MIGHT, I'LL BE ABLE TO SHORTCUT THAT HOPEFULLY.

YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.

MR. MAYOR, THAT'LL BE RECORDED IN THE MINUTES AS COUNCILOR ROBINSON NOT HAVING BEEN PRESENT FOR THAT VOTE.

UM, SEVEN ZERO THOSE PRESENT.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

IT WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU COUNCILORS.

COUNCILORS.

WE NOW

[8. Reports - Finance 8.1 Procurement Expemption for Expenditure Nominated in the Draft 2025-2026]

WE NEEDED THE BUDGET TO KNOW WHETHER THE BUDGET WENT THROUGH OR NOT.

UM, SO I TO 8.1 IS A PROCUREMENT EXEMPTION.

SO THE REPORT IS SEEKING ENDORSEMENT TO EXEMPT TENDER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DATNER GROUP AND TECHNOLOGY ONE AND TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE DELEGATION TO THE GENERAL MANAGER.

THE DETAILS OF THIS ARE FROM PAGE 13 OF THE AGENDA, WHICH, UH, SPELLS OUT Y AND THERE IS THAT RECOMMENDATION ON THE SCREEN.

SO TO GET THINGS LIVE, CAN I HAVE A MOVER FOR A MOTION EITHER ON THE SCREEN OR DIFFERENT? THANKS.

COUNCILOR GUTTERS AND SECONDED.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD.

COUNCILOR GUTTERS, ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY, SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION, JUST, UH, BRIEFLY, MR. MAYOR, FOR THOSE KEEPING SCORE AT HOME.

UM, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THIS ITEM AFTER THE PREVIOUS ITEM, WHICH IS TICKING OFF THE BUDGET.

UM, AGAIN, FOR THOSE AT HOME, THE NAMES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN HERE, DATTNER AND TECHNOLOGY ONE, ARE SUPPLIERS TO COUNCIL WHO OFFER VERY LARGE AND UNIQUE SERVICES TO THIS ORGANIZATION.

AND, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY BEING ASKED HERE TO ENDORSES THINGS LIKE SOLE SUPPLIERS.

UM, THERE'S LEVELS WHERE, UM, THEIR, THE EXPERTISE PROVIDED, UM, BY THESE PARTICULAR SUPPLIERS WILL CONTINUE TO, TO MOVE THIS ORGANIZATION FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILOR REDWOOD? NO, THANKS, MR. MAYOR.

COUNCILOR IMAD.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UM, LOOK, I'M GONNA TAKE A DIFFERENT TACK ON THIS ONE AND I'M GONNA RECOMMEND THAT WE GO OUT TO TENDER.

NOW I SAY THAT FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS WITH WHICH JUST GROUP, I'M NOT AWARE WHAT THE OTHER ONE IS.

NOW FOR THOSE LISTENING AT HOME, DATTNER GROUP IS A, UM, A GROUP ORGANIZATION THAT TEACHES ABOUT EMOTIONAL CONTROL, UM, CONTAINING EMOTIONS, ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, BUT MAINLY EMOTIONS.

AND I WANNA DRAW ATTENTION TO THE OWNER OF DATNER HAVING SAT IN A ROOM TEACHING US ABOUT EMOTIONS.

YET SHE CAN CON SHE COULDN'T CONTROL HER EMOTIONS.

UM, SHE BROUGHT IN HER POLITICS, PERSONAL OPINION, WHICH I PERSONALLY DON'T AGREE WITH.

AND, UM, TWO PEOPLE WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM THAT I HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO, BOTH HIGHLIGHTED THAT PROBLEM.

ONE OF THEM SAYING THAT WAS UNCALLED FOR.

NOW, I'M NOT GONNA, UH, DISCREDIT WHAT THEY'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE PAST THREE, FOUR MONTHS.

UM, CREDIT TO THE DEATH OF TRAINING, I WAS ABLE TO STAY IN THE BLUE, OTHERWISE I WOULD'VE GONE FLYING RED GRAIN AND RESPONDED TO FABIAN.

I THINK HER NAME WAS CORRECT.

YEAH, PROBABLY WAS NOT TO MENTION.

ANYWAY, UM, SO I STAYED IN THE BLUE AND ACTUALLY SAID NOTHING, BUT THAT WAS VERY UNPROFESSIONAL.

UM, BRINGING EMOTIONS,

[00:45:01]

UM, AND I SAID NOTHING OUTTA RESPECT TO THE EXECUTIVE, THE STAFF THAT WERE THERE.

UM, IF IT WAS US COUNSELORS, I WOULD'VE SAID SOMETHING, BUT STILL WITHIN THE BLUE.

UM, SO I THINK THEY SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY GET THE VOTE.

THIS SHOULD GO OUT TO TENDER.

THE OTHER THING IS IT'S A, IT'S A PRICEY PRICELY CONTRACT, SO, UM, WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET A BETTER DEAL.

THAT'S ONE THING.

AND I KNOW THERE'S TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE NOT DOING THAT TRAINING.

UM, I PROBABLY WON'T NEED IT, BUT THANK YOU COUNCILOR WITHERS FOR RECOMMENDING IT.

IT DID HELP.

UM, SO YEAH, I DO RECOMMEND THAT, UH, WE GO OUT TO TENDER.

POTENTIALLY WE CAN GET A NEW GROUP THAT COULD OFFER A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

THANKS, COUNCILOR.

IMAD.

COUNCILOR, DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SAY ANYTHING? COUNCILOR WHITTERS.

I'M JUST GONNA TEST MY MEMORY BREAKS HERE.

I THINK THIS HAPPENED LAST TERM AS WELL AND THERE WAS A BIT OF A DISCUSSION AROUND WHY IT SHOULD, IT SHOULDN'T GO OUT TO TENDER.

AND I THINK, AND I COULD BE MAKING THIS UP, I THINK A DISCUSSION AND CHAT FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER, UM, JUST IN REGARDS ON WHY, UM, THESE TWO COMPANIES, UM, ARE SEEING PULLED OUT OF THIS ONE AND THAT THIS MOTION IS THE WAY THAT IT IS OR RECOMMENDATION IS THE WAY THAT IT IS.

AND TAKING IN CONSIDERATION WHAT COUNCILOR IMAD SAID, UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST HEAR SOME GENERAL THOUGHTS PROBABLY, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER, UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, WHY THIS MOTION IS WRITTEN THE WAY IT IS AND, AND THE SERVICES THAT BOTH DATTNER AND TECHNOLOGY ONE HAVE PROVIDED, UM, TO COUNCIL PROBABLY OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, HOWEVER LONG WE'VE HAD THEM.

THANKS, COUNCILOR WITTERS, MR. JAN.

UM, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

THANKS.

COUNCILOR WITS, THE, THE, I'LL START WITH TECHNOLOGY ONE.

UM, AND IF YOU GO TO PAGE 14 OF THE, THE REPORT, IT, IT IS SPELLED OUT THERE.

UM, BUT TECHNOLOGY ONE IS, HAS BEEN, IS AND HAS BEEN COUNCIL'S COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR A LONG, A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

SO, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S CURRENTLY A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT BEING PUT INTO THAT IN TERMS OF GOING INTO WHAT THEY CALL ONE COUNCIL.

IT'S A NEW SYSTEM CLOUD-BASED.

UM, AND WE'RE ROLLING OUT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND, AND, UH, CAN'T THINK OF THE TERM BUT MODULES YEAH, ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE BUSINESS.