March Ordinary Council Meeting notes

Read the business paper and report attachments

Draft Wagga Wagga Revised Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan

Wagga Wagga City Council has resolved to adopt the Wagga Wagga Revised Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan.

Please see the separate media release for further information.

Botanic Gardens capital works

More than $278,000 worth of works have been approved for the Botanic Gardens, which is marking its 50^th anniversary this year.

The works include the redevelopment of the donkey enclosure ($29,925), replacement of the security fencing at the Parks Depot (78,800), refurbishment of the Tree Chapel ($21,000), stage one replacement of security fencing of the Botanic Gardens Zoo ($119,300) and new information signage ($20,000).

A budget of $20,000 was also approved for the Botanic Gardens 50^th anniversary celebrations.

Skyworks New Year's Eve 2018 financial support

Council has increased its financial support for the Skyworks New Year’s Eve event to $50,000 in 2018.

Council has supported a New Year’s Eve event for the past five years to the value of $45,000 each year. The event, on average, has attracted a reported 12,000 attendees each year.

After an expression of interest process, Thomas Bros. delivered the 2017 New Year’s Eve event entitled Skyworks at Lake Albert.

Council voted to increase the funding amount to $50,000 for this year’s event, pending the funding commitment being place on public exhibition for 28 days.

The funding is being considered outside the normal 2018/19 budget process as the Thomas Bros Group require significant lead time to organise the event.

Council staff will also assist the event organiser with event facilitation, site preparation and event promotion, of which will form part of the event sponsorship agreement.

DA16/0595 - 24 Lot Subdivision, Best Street, Uranquinty, Lot 1 Sec 7 Dp 759024

Councillors have voted to defer consideration of a development application at Best Street, Uranquinty; and will hold a workshop to further discuss the proposal.

The $400,000 proposed development was for 24 lots on land owned by the Wagga Wagga Local Aboriginal Land Council. The lots would range from 666sqm to 1066sqm.

Section 356 donations

Council tonight endorsed two Section 356 donations - $3708 to the East Wagga-Kooringal Football and Netball Club and $85 to the Beechworth to Bridge Walk Committee.

The East Wagga-Kooringal Football and Netball Club’s donation is the cost of supplying a pressure sewer pump for the new amenities block at Gumly Oval, which is used by a number of sporting groups.

The Beechworth to Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk group requested the waiver of the hire fees for Bolton Park as part of its mental health awareness walk.

City representation at the annual RAF Memorial Ceremony in Belgium

Scott Cochrane has been endorsed to represent Wagga Wagga at the annual

RAF Memorial Ceremony to be held in Belgium in June.

The Diamond Anniversary will be held in the municipality of Hamont-Achel in Belgium to commemorate the courage of the fallen airmen who gave their lives including, in particular Robert Bruce Meiklejohn who is known locally as “the man from Wagga who saved our town” for his heroic act.

Petition - Dunns Road

Council tonight received a petition opposing the closure of Dunns Road, which will be included as part of the community consultation process once the technical investigations have been completed.

Council has previously received a petition to close the road to local traffic only.

At the August meeting last year, Council resolved to seek a report from a consultative engineer for a high level concept and estimate for the development required for Dunns Road.

Bomen Enabling Roads completion

The final cost of the Bomen Enabling Roads project is expected to be $1.4M under budget.

Council has satisfied the funding requirements of the Federal and NSW Governments, who contributed $14.5M and $8.3M respectively.

The budget for the project was $35.59M and the final cost is expected to be $34.19M.

Notice of Motion

Two Notice of Motions were put forward by Councillor Dan Hayes to the March Ordinary Council Meeting.

The first will see a report prepared on options to install an air compressor or similar resource at Wagga Beach.

In the Notice of Motion, Cr Hayes said it allow for floats, bikes and other items to be inflated at the beach rather than beforehand and would improve river safety by increasing the use of floatation products.

The second Notice of Motion will see a report prepared on the options available for the management of derelict houses and buildings.

Amendment to Wagga Wagga Development Control Plan 2010

An amendment to the Wagga Wagga Development Control Plan 2010 (DCP) will be placed on public exhibition from 31 March to 30 April.

The amendment is to reflect changes to legislation and to provide more flexible controls in relation to cut and fill.

Council is currently undertaking a review of the DCP to align the DCP with recent strategic documents, guides and directives.

The DCP rewrite is an extensive project and due to the timeframes associated with it, an interim amendment has been prepared to address pressing issues that need immediate attention.

Sister City Community Committee

The Mayor and General Manager, or their delegate, will lead a delegation from Wagga Wagga to Kunming to attend the 2018 South China Expo and Import/Export Fair in June following a recommendation from the Sister City Community Committee.

Council will seek expressions from the community to be part of the business delegation

A $2000 donation from the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest was also accepted for the development of Sister City signage to be erected at the Visitor’s Information Centre.

Mayoral Minute - NSW Government funding

Council will write to the Premier, Deputy Premier and the Member for Wagga Wagga to lobby for additional funding to be directed towards the maintenance and renewal of existing assets that are deteriorating.

The NSW State Government is currently rolling out an unprecedented level of funding as a result of the sale and lease of some of its key assets. The Mayoral Minute noted that while this funding is appreciated and needed, Council has $218M of unfunded project over the next 10 years and many are not eligible for the funding on offer.

A report to the April Council Meeting will detail a list of priority projects.

Council’s correspondence will also request Snowy Hydro stays a publicly owned asset.

Street sweeper stockpile: waiving of Gregadoo Waste Management Centre fees

The street sweeper stockpile on Narrung Street will be cleared and managed monthly.

The stockpile site was initially near the sewage treatment plant and settling ponds, but since then the Marrambidya Wetland has been developed and attracts a large number of people.

The stockpile, which is about 10 years old, will be cleared and the estimated $275,000 cost to dispose of the material at Gregadoo Waste Management will be waived.

Going forward, the material will be cleared monthly at an estimated cost of $3000. Staff are also investigating alternative stockpile sites and re-use opportunities for the material, which is mostly dust, leaves and some rubbish.