Questioning the future of Waratah-Wynyard Council

Hello all,

Below is list of questions and motions that I have on tonight's Council agenda.

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Cr Robby Walsh

Mayor
Waratah-Wynyard Council
PO Box 168
WYNYARD TAS 7325

Dear Robby,

I write to request that these questions on notice and notices of motions, listed below, be put to the March 2011 Council meeting. The amount of questions on notice relate to the impending budget timeframes. I do not expect or encourage lengthy answers to the questions, just an answer.


QUESTION ON NOTICE 1:


"In following up on questions from the December 2009 and March and September 2010 Council meetings, I must state that Council’s website is now over six years out of date. Two examples, as previously noted in my previous questions on notice, are that the ‘Facts and Figures’ page still refers to Council activities from the 2004/2005 financial year and the Weed Management Strategy of 2005 is still listed as ‘DRAFT’.


I ask the General Manager, has Council not allocated the appropriate resources to manage the currency of Council’s online presence?


• If not, what do Council need to provide to fulfil the obligation of maintaining currency of the Council’s online presence?


• If so, why are these resources not being utilised to maintain currency of the Council’s online presence?”


QUESTION ON NOTICE 2:


"In regard to the proposed Communications Strategy that is due for implementation by 30th June 2011, I ask the General Manager:


1. when will the Communications Strategy be presented to Council for adoption;


2. when is it estimated that a person will be employed in a communications role; and


3. what is the money being used for that was allocated to a communications role in the 2010/2011 budget?"


QUESTION ON NOTICE 3:


"In regard to the Youth Policy 2009-2011:


1. as the Policy is in its final year of delivery, how is Council tracking in regard to achieving the outcomes stated in the Policy?;


2. what is the current status and what are the current activities/initiatives of the Waratah-Wynyard Youth Council?;


3. when will Councillors be able to meet the 2011 Youth Council as per a requirement of the Policy?; and


4. should Council consider the role of a Youth Development Officer in the 2011-2012 budget to fulfil our obligations to the Policy as it appears from a distance that the Policy deliverables are beyond the already stretched capacity of Council’s Community Development Officer?"


QUESTION ON NOTICE 4:


"How is Council tracking in regard to developing a Positive Ageing Strategy that is due for implementation by 30th June 2011?"


QUESTION ON NOTICE 5:


"What is the current status of the ‘Committee’s Review’ as Council is well overdue to assess relevance and structures and resolve its strategic direction in this regard and it has budget implications for 2011-2012?"


QUESTION ON NOTICE 6:


"How is Council tracking in regard to implementing functionality to provide Councillors (for those who opt in) with electronic correspondence, including agendas? This has budget implications for 2011-2012 as it reduces staff time and required office resources."


MOTION 1:


"THAT Council asks the General Manager to provide an estimated cost on the development of an Inglis River Precinct Masterplan, incorporating the Wharf and surrounds, Camp Creek, the southern side of the Wynyard Golf Course, the Yacht Club and Richard Gutteridge Gardens, for the 2011/2012 budget deliberations.”


RATIONALE:


Much discussion has been held in recent times amongst Councillors regarding what is the community’s vision for the Inglis River Precinct (e.g. from the mouth of the river to the eastern end of Jenner Street).

The building of the Wharf aside, currently:


• The Wharf surrounds are extremely dated and aesthetically not in character with new developments;

• There is no guide to the future of Richard Gutteridge Gardens;

• The southern side of the Wynyard Golf Course is an untapped opportunity due to its visibility from the southern side developments; and

• Camp Creek is simply a disgrace and an issue that we need to deal with as a matter of urgency for environmental, social and economic opportunity and/or obligation


Much work has already been completed and is a credit to Council staff. A Masterplan to guide future development is paramount to the enhancement of Wynyard, obligation to law and community expectation and to guide future Council works in this Precinct.


MOTION 2:


"THAT Council asks the General Manager to:


1. conduct an review of the ‘Business Strategy Unit’ initiative including what has been achieved and learned to date;


2. conduct a skills audit of the current and potential capacity of the BSU;


3. prepare a strategy document to guide the scope, profile and sustainability of the BSU; and


4. present all three documents to Councillors for the 2011/2012 budget deliberations.”


RATIONALE:


The Business Strategy Unit (BSU) is in its infancy and I recognise and acknowledge that it’ll develop its identity as it evolves. For myself as a Councillor I see $200k going toward a project that I am virtually unaware of what milestones have been achieved and what the vision for it is. A level of trust has been placed in this experiment and I question the return on investment (the equivalent of 4% of the rate income) on a project with no reporting mechanism to Council or to its shareholders (the local community). I believe it is time for analysing the achievements and learnings and to identify whether it’s operating at a ‘strategy’ level or an ‘administrative’ level. It is also time for a skills audit of the current capacity of the BSU to identify strengths but also gaps so that Councillors are aware of the scope of projects, initiatives and conceptual ideas that could be referred to the BSU.


I support the BSU as a concept but I question the productivity and output of the BSU if it does not have guiding principles, an articulated forward vision, reporting mechanisms and a clearer understanding of what it is.


MOTION 3:


"THAT Council;


1. asks the Mayor to invite the Councillors of Burnie City Council to a facilitated joint meeting of both Councils to discuss issues that do or could affect both Councils and schedule a convenient time before 31st August 2011;


2. asks the General Manager, if Burnie City Council has been receptive to a joint meeting,


 to work with the General Manager of Burnie City Council to prepare a questionnaire that will assist with focusing discussions at the joint meeting;
  to provide to each of the Councillors of both Councils the questionnaire to be completed; and
  to have the completed questionnaires returned and results collated and distributed to Councillors at least four weeks prior to the joint meeting; and


3. asks the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and General Manager to make an invitation to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and General Manager of the Burnie City Council to a ‘goodwill’ introductory meeting to be held by 30thJune 2011.”


RATIONALE:

To be honest, the Burnie and Waratah-Wynyard communities share common interests that affect both local government areas. For too long has the Cam River divided two communities that seem to rarely talk to each other, unless through courtesy or the functions of the Cradle Coast Authority.

Numerous issues collectively shape the sustainability and liveability of both communities. Many of these are not within the scope or capacity of the Cradle Coast Authority to mediate. These issues cannot be solved by one Council alone. Issues include:

1. The future of transport mechanisms and infrastructure such as the:


a. negotiation of connection of the ‘Coastal Pathway’ (as per Strategic Plan reference 2.1.3)
b. advocating for the extension of the National Highway Network west of Burnie
c. potential for a new highway that is actually a highway not a slowway
d. the dire economic, educational, environmental and social impacts of the ‘Cooee Crawl’
e. Burnie Regional Airport
f. Burnie Port
g. future of the Cam River Bridge (as per Strategic Plan reference 3.1.4.)
h. rail network


2. The planning and supporting of and advocating for facilities and programs supporting the catchment area of both municipalities such as the:


a. Burnie Aquatic Centre
b. growing community enthusiasm for a BMX Park
c. growing desire for educational facilities and programs
d. growing desire for infrastructure at the Burnie Regional Hospital
e. water and sewerage infrastructure
f. industrial development
g. the attraction of higher level sporting events
h. the development of iconic tourism (e.g. the Aboriginal trail between St Valentine’s Peak and the Pieman River, ‘Gateway to the Tarkine’ initiatives, interpretive signage for tourism ventures across the two municipalities etc.)

3. The need to attract and retain skilled professionals, especially those in local government who appear to ‘Council-hop’. As witnessed by the Resource Sharing Agreement with Circular Head Council, pooling resources to employ ‘excellent staff’ can be achieved. Rather than seeing current and potential staff see our small Councils as a stepping stone, it is critical for local government to develop serious strategies to offering legitimate and financially sustainable professional career paths.

This list only scratches the surface. Smaller towns like Wynyard, Somerset and the like are feeder/commuter towns for regional centres like Burnie and each relies on each other for survival. Burnie’s regional centre focus is integral to the community members of Waratah-Wynyard for employment, retail, education, recreation and social and health services. Two Councils working together may have a stronger impact on building on these.

Fellow Councillors, you only need to reflect on our recent budget process and the obligations that we couldn’t fund this year to realise that we are not sustainable if we continue down the path that we’re going. From my estimates, rates will have to at least double to cover anticipated expenses arriving on our door within the next ten years (let alone new initiatives and/or opportunities). Imagine a ratepayer being landed with a $3,000+ rates invoice. Our Strategic Plan 2009-2014 has numerous references to sustainability, efficiencies, quality, responsibility etc. that I do not feel that we’re currently achieving.

To what level do we need to collaborate? Who knows until we talk? It is my understanding that the future of both of our Councils is based on this question: Do we work with our neighbours or do we still continue to recognise each other as a competitor? This collaboration could range from joint advocating to joint planning to joint projects to resource sharing to, dare I say it, ‘amalgamation’. Like it or not, economies of scale and collaboration/partnerships are often criteria of State and Federal funding opportunities. This motion allows Waratah-Wynyard to enter into non-committal and non-threatening discussions with the Burnie City Council to identify and attempt to resolve issues affecting both Councils that can’t be solved alone. Both Councils are continuing to hold joint discussions around the Burnie Aquatic Centre and it appears that both Councils are receptive to having open and transparent discussions with each other. Our Strategic Plan 2009-2014 refers to our Council having a regional voice – here’s an opportunity to do this.

If Waratah-Wynyard and Circular Head can come to the table to find mutual ground then surely Waratah-Wynyard and Burnie City can too. Maybe the three, as a Hellyer Cluster of Councils, could work together somewhere down the track? I can only hope.

I strongly urge you all to adopt this motion so that we can open the channels of discussion. If this motion is lost then I strongly urge other Councillors to provide an alternative for long-term sustainability of our wonderful municipality as we’re heading in the wrong direction, financially, with increasing speed.

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Thank you for your time.

Yours Sincerely,

Cr Clayton J Hawkins
Councillor for Waratah-Wynyard