Clr. Saville has asked the following question of the General Manager”

“It would appear that there is a decrease in level of service and extent of infrastructure
due to decrease in staff numbers. Is this correct?”

The General Manager’s response: NO.

High customer satisfaction ratings, an increase in staff since 2017/18 and declining vacancy rates do not support the assumption of declining services and staff levels.

During 2018 Council undertook a Community perception Survey. Results of this survey highlighted an overall performance satisfaction index score of 72. This compared favourably with available comparisons (Sydney Metropolitan Councils satisfaction index 61 and Victorian Councils satisfaction index 64). This indicates a high level of satisfaction with Council’s performance.

Since the 2017/18 financial year Council’s staffing establishment full time equivalent (FTE) from 406 FTE to 410 FTE. These positions have been allocated to facilitate more roadside vegetation trimming (two positions), improved urban design (one position) and other minor staffing adjustments.

Since the adoption of the budget, staffing turnover (staff departures as a percentage of establishment staffing) has fallen from 9.21% as at December 2017 to 7.88% as at December 2018. This does not support the assertion of a decrease in staff numbers.

The reduction in expenditure in staff costs is a combined result of the fact that Council budgets for full employment of its 410 FTE as well as the time taken to recruit new staff following a departure from the organisation. In some cases, short term labour hire/agency staff or contractors are engaged to maintain service levels during these periods.

Infrastructure spend and the number of infrastructure projects has increased, rather than decreased over recent years.

Council is considering changes to its Code of Conduct. The new Model Code consolidates all ethical standards for local government into a single document resulting in a better understanding of compliance with ethical standards. It will allow pecuniary interest breaches by councillors to be treated as ‘misconduct’ and afford greater flexibility and efficiency by allowing amendments to be made by way of Regulation amendments.

In adopting a new code of conduct and procedures, Council may include provisions that are supplementary to those contained in the Model Code of Conduct and Procedures. These requirements may be more onerous than those prescribed under the Model Code of Conduct. However Council must not dilute the standards prescribed under the Model Code in the adopted code of conduct.

The draft WCC Code of Conduct incorporates the mandated provisions of the Model Code not in our current code or policies. It also contains the inclusion of supplementary clauses from existing council policies and those regarded as best practice provisions.

New mandated standards relate to discrimination and harassment, bullying, work health and safety, behaviour at meetings, access to information and maintenance of Council records. They also contain new rules governing acceptance of gifts including mandatory reporting and ongoing disclosure requirements for councillors and staff.

Supplementary provisions recommended by the draft Code of Conduct include standards relating to fraud and corruption prevention and internet access and use of social media provisions. The draft also includes clauses / wording from existing council policies.

In 2018, as part of the Master Plan for Chatswood Park, Council resolved to upgrade the Skate Park. Tenders for the work were called. Council Officers are recommending that Council that a tender for $190,00 be accepted to undertake the works.

After over a decade of operating a service to get mainly elderly people to important appointments, it looks like Council may cease operations of its Council Cab service.

Council Cab is a free point to point transport service provided to residents, via a Council fleet
vehicle driven by a professional taxi driver employed by Council as a casual.

Historically, Council Cab required a $5 fee for a commercial taxi, booked through Council on the resident’s behalf. Advice from RMS in December 2015 identified that the fee for service model did not comply with the Transport Passenger Act 1990. In order to comply with the Transport Passenger Act 1990, the service has been provided since January 2016 via a Council fleet vehicle operated by casual staff with no fee charged to users.

Amongst other things, Council Officers are recommending: “The transition of Council Cab users to alternate transport providers, including Council’s At Home with Willoughby services, and the introduction of additional conditions of use from 31 March 2019 to increase equity.”

A full report can be accessed as Item 17.1 in the Council Agenda papers for 11 March, 2019

A member has made the following observations:

I have recently registered to participate in the Local Centres Design Roundtable to consider growth and development issues out to and beyond the next 20 years.

A key input to those considerations must be the forecast impacts on our existing infrastructure and institutions. Those impacts do not come from population influx alone.

Mapping to Reflect Impact of Tidal & Waterway Inundation from Global Warming

There are grave predictions of global warming consequences and associated sea-level rise and tidal inundation which in turn will affect large areas of Willoughby LGA in the East and West. Those impacts are rooted in climate science which has been proven irrefutable.

I would appreciate, and will be pressing for, evidence of “Climate Change Adaptation” planning measures underway by WCC which will reveal strategic adaptive countermeasures facing the community. This could range from:

• extensive additional air-conditioning of public and private infrastructure to ensure habitability in the presence of hotter days,
• vital relocation of roads and pedestrian pathways inundated by rising tidal variation,
• loss of public park areas adjoining waterways due to higher mean tidal levels,
• loss of trees due to a drying climate and imposition of water restrictions and associated loss of habitat,
• consequential loss of private real estate in the riverine and estuary areas and consequential relocation of families elsewhere within the Willoughby LGA or beyond,
• the consequential impact on residents of the Willoughby LGA of the loss of associated amenity, and
• the consequential impact on Willoughby LGA Ratepayers of Council’s future operating budget.

It is inconceivable that any Design Roundtable could begin to consider the issues without such information.

 Residential Growth Projections

Moreover, any further residential growth development in the Willoughby LGA should be immediately suspended or deferred until all public infrastructure has been resized to redress current overcrowding and additional capacity provided ahead of any future residential growth. I refer here particularly, but not only, public school capacity, off-street parking, public parks, and electric vehicle (EV) recharging points.

9 Centennial Avenue

At the last meeting of the Association, members moved the following resolution which was forwarded to Willoughby Council:

It was moved, seconded and carried that the Association write to Council to “express concern about the variances in the Council report and resident’s records, in particular to the number of community supporters in favour of listing the property as a Heritage Item”

Below is the Council Officer’s response:

I have been asked to respond to your email below.

As stated in the response to Councillor Saville’s Question on Notice on the Agenda Paper last Monday (Item 21.1) 96 submissions were received in response to the notification of the draft Local Environmental Plan (draft LEP) to list 9 Centennial Avenue as a Local Heritage Item. Of these submissions 85 objected to listing the property as a Local Heritage Item and 11 supported listing. These numbers have been checked in Council’s system and confirmed. Consideration of the listing of the property as a Heritage Item was not the subject of the report to Council at Item 13.3 of last Monday’s Agenda Paper and as such these submissions were not referred to in the report. A separate report will come before Council (intended for meeting of 25 March) in respect to listing of the property.

Reference has regularly been made to a petition containing over 400 signatories in support of the listing of the property. As stated in Item 21.1 a search of Council records has not located a petition of 400 or more signatories. When addressing Council, one of the residents made reference to this petition referring to it as ‘on-line’. This has since been investigated and I can confirm that there is an on-line Change.org petition regarding 9 Centennial Avenue headed ‘Save this Historic Home’ which has 432 supporters. This is not a document lodged with Council and access to signatories is not available and therefore cannot be considered an official submission in response to the exhibition of the draft LEP. Nevertheless, this petition will be referred to in the report to Council in March under ‘Discussion’. Correspondence and a petition (containing 61 signatories) received prior to exhibition of the draft LEP for listing will also be noted in the report.

I trust you appreciate that the reports to the Council meeting of Monday 25 February 2019 in respect to 9 Centennial Avenue did not contain inaccuracies and was not intended in any way to mislead. The report at Item 13.3 was specifically related to Councillor Saville’s Notice of Motion for weather protection to the building and was not concerning the potential listing of the building as a Local Heritage Item.

 Your email, together with this response will be forwarded to all Councillors as requested.

The recently implemented state-wide boat trailer parking legislation may not have achieved its desired outcomes.

Council is being asked to consider another measure to control the problem – the use of a No Parking Motor Vehicle Excepted sign. This would have the impact of banning the parking of any type of trailer, boat, box, horse float, caravan etc.

Initially this is proposed for one small area of Willoughby. However, the vast majority of residents around the area are against the proposal as they fear the trailers will simply be parked outside the restricted area in front of their homes.

After representations by CWWPA the Traffic Committee adopted the suggestion that the proposal be conducted as a trial (like on the Northern Beaches).

The State Government is expected to review the existing legislation in the second half of the year.

Note: The proposed sign would not be as clear in meaning as the one shown.

A local resident has initiated a register of wildlife sightings. If you observe an indigenous animal near your home (or elsewhere) please report the sighting (date, time, location, animal details) to diana_pryde@optusnet.com.au.

Our Green City Plan 2028 (Sustainability Action Plan) is now open for comments at haveyoursaywilloughby.nsw.gov.au.

Comments needed before Sunday 24^th February 2019.

Four key themes have been developed:

• Reducing Carbon and greenhouse gases;
• Promoting sustainable lifestyles and practices;
• Enhancing, protecting and respecting waterways, bushland, nature, wildlife and ecological systems; and
• Reducing energy, water and resource waste.

The Federation of Willoughby Progress A is hosting a ‘Meet the Candidates” session for the upcoming State Election. The event will be held in the Function Room of the Dougherty Centre commencing at 7 PM on Tuesday 5^th March 2019.

Please note: Entry is restricted to pre-paid-up members of Progress Associations.

Membership cannot be paid on the night.

If you have questions for candidates, please send them to secretarycwwpa@gmail.com by 3 March 2019.

Questions must be succinct.