March 25 Ordinary Council Meeting notes

Published: 25 Mar 2019 5:23pm

Business papers: https://meetings.wagga.nsw.gov.au/

Council supports initiative to bring medical professionals to city

Wagga Wagga City Council will continue to provide financial support to an initiative to bring medical professionals to the city.

The Riverina Medical Specialist Recruitment Committee will receive $10,000 each year for three years from Council.

Since 2004, a total of 166 medical specialists (including 91 resident and 75 visiting/locum medical specialists) have been recruited or supported in their move to work in Wagga Wagga by the committee.

The collaborative partnership includes representatives from Council, universities, the private health industry and NSW Government bodies.

Council has provided financial support to the committee since 2008/09.

  • RP-1 RIVERINA MEDICAL SPECIALIST RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COMMITTEE

Council to push for changes to payroll tax to support business growth

Council will actively lobby the NSW Government and Opposition to reduce payroll tax rates to support and develop new and existing businesses in the region.

When compared to Victoria and Queensland, NSW has the highest payroll tax rate. Council staff regularly receive feedback from local businesses that the addition of payroll taxes to their labour expenses impacts their growth.

For example, one local business advised Council staff that the impact of NSW payroll taxes with 17 fulltime employees was $28,000 per year.

The discrepancy in rates between states and the heavy cost to businesses make payroll taxes a critical factor when it comes to choosing where to locate a business and a disincentive to hire more staff, or increase wages.

Council will write to the NSW Treasurer, Minister for Regional NSW and Member for Wagga Wagga to lobby for a reduction in payroll taxes for businesses operating in regional areas to encourage relocation from congested cities, and to remove payroll taxes for blue-collar workers above the age of 55.

  • RP-3 PAYROLL TAX CHANGES TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESS GROWTH AND SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT OF MATURE AGED WORKERS

Crime Prevention Working Group moves forward

Expressions of interest for a total of four community members, one of which is to be under the age of 25, will be advertised for Council’s newly established Crime Prevention Working Group.

At the 25 February meeting, Council resolved to take immediate steps to set up the group, with the resolution tonight endorsing terms of reference and membership to the group.

Members of the group will include representatives from the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Housing and Family and Community Services, Department of Justice, the Aboriginal legal/justice service sector area, NSW Police Wagga Wagga Local Area Command, the Mayor and three Councillors, the Member for Wagga Wagga and the community representatives.

It’s hoped that over time the group will have a positive effect on community and business confidence. The group is also an opportunity for Council to increase partnerships and support, and strengthen the link between Council and community safety and crime prevention organisations.

  • RP-7  WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL CRIME PREVENTION WORKING GROUP

Flood management work earns Council staff member overseas scholarship

Project Manager Andrew Mason has earned a scholarship to attend a training course in the USA following his work on the Main City Levee Project.

Mr Mason was asked to present at the Statewide Mutual Risk Management Conference 2018 in Sydney in August, discussing Council’s management of floods from 2010 to 2016. Council’s risk minimisation and management strategies earned the organisation a Highly Commended award and Mr Mason was awarded the AFM Statewide Mutual Risk Management Scholarship.

As part of the scholarship, he will undertake Infrastructure Resilience, Loss Prevention and Risk Management training in May in Boston.

As it is a scholarship, there is no cost to Council.

  • RP-8 AFM STATEWIDE MUTUAL RISK MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP 2018

Council to ramp up its capital works program

Council resolved tonight to ramp up its capital works delivery.

For some years now, each yearly budget has aspired to delivering a large number of capital works projects. A large number of these projects have been pushed into the following year because the resources required to plan, oversee and deliver the work are not available.

Council tonight considered a report on what capital works will be delivered this financial year and forecasted a different approach to capital works delivery next year.

  • RP-9 RESETTING OF CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAM FOR 2018/19 AND PROPOSED CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAM FOR 2019/20

Events awarded funding by Council

Council has awarded a total of $32,500 to four events through the 2018/19 Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship Fund:

  • Pink Salt Production’s Salty Lemon Festival ($15,000)
  • Classic and Historic Automobile Club of Australia’s Wagga Swap Meet ($10,000)
  • ReAqua’s Renewables in Agriculture Conference ($4500)
  • Agricultural Societies Council of NSW Next Generation’s ShowSkills Seminar and ShowAll Ball ($3000)
  • CONF-3 MAJOR EVENTS, FESTIVALS AND FILMS SPONSORSHIP

Opportunity knocks for businesses at the Botanic Gardens

Expressions of interest will be taken for the Botanic Gardens café and restaurant.

The café recently closed, with Council advising mobile food vendors they can operate in the gardens to serve the community in the interim.

The Botanic Gardens is one of the city’s most popular destinations for families and visitors, featuring an adventure playground, zoo and aviary, multiple themed gardens, open spaces and more.

  • CONF-4 BOTANIC GARDENS RESTAURANT AND CAFE - EXPRESSION OF INTEREST