Summary of Council’s 14 October 2024 Ordinary Meeting
Published: 15 Oct 2024 1:58pm
City’s new leaders elected
Councillors last night elected the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga.
Cr Dallas Tout was elected the Mayor and Cr Georgie Davies was elected the Deputy Mayor at the first meeting of the new Council. The Mayoral election was contested by Cr Tout and Cr Amelia Parkins, with Councillors voting 7-2 in favour of Cr Tout.
There were two nominees for the position of Deputy Mayor – Cr Davies and Cr Parkins. The vote favoured Cr Davies 6-3.
Council currently elects the mayor from within its numbers every two years, as provided for under Section 227 of the Act. The mid-term mayoral election will be held in September 2026.
Council also resolved to shorten the term of the Deputy Mayor to a one-year term, with the next election to be held in September 2025.
All Councillors also took either an oath or affirmation at the start of last night’s meeting.
MM-1 OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS OF OFFICE & MM-2 ELECTION OF MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR
Support for community cost of living pressures
Council acknowledges it has a community which is currently confronted by a cost-of-living crisis.
Council will receive a preliminary report from staff which identifies where Council might be able to provide cost-of-living relief both in term of current practices and policy changes.
The report is to be presented to Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 16 December 2024.
NOM 1 NOTICE OF MOTION - COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY COST OF LIVING PRESSURES
Review of road ownership and maintenance
Council will receive a report from staff identifying Council-owned roads which should be reclassified from ‘Local’ to ‘Regional’, and which Council roads should be transferred to the NSW Government to own and maintain.
The report will also identify the length in kilometres of each road and provide a timeframe for when the roads will need significant capital restoration, as well as their average annual maintenance cost.
NOM 2 NOTICE OF MOTION - REVIEW OF COUNCIL’S ROAD OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE
Riverina Water representatives elected
Riverina Water County Council provides water to four Local Government Areas (with four constituent councils) and operates under the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW).
The governing body is a board of nine members, comprising councillors from each of the constituent councils.
The following Wagga Wagga City Councillors have been elected to the Board: Tim Koschel, Georgie Davies, Allana Condron, Dallas Tout and Jenny McKinnon.
RP-1 ELECTION OF MEMBERS TO RIVERINA WATER COUNTY COUNCIL
Countback election
Council resolved to declare that any casual vacancies occurring in the office of a councillor within the first 18 months of this new four-year-team be filled by a countback of votes cast at the election on 14 September 2024, rather than through a by-election.
Section 291A of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) allows a recount of the ballot papers from the last ordinary election to be used to fill a vacancy created by an elected councillor vacating their office.
Under this process, Council would ask the NSW Electoral Commission to conduct a countback which would see a redistribution of the votes cast for the councillor creating the vacancy.
RP-3 COUNTBACK ELECTION
LGNSW conference delegates
The Mayor Cr Dallas Tout and Crs Richard Foley, Jenny McKinnon, and Allana Condron have been elected as delegates to attend the Local Government NSW Annual Conference 2024, being held from Sunday 17 to Tuesday 19 November 2024 at Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre.
RP-4 2024 LOCAL GOVERNMENT NSW ANNUAL CONFERENCE – ELECTION OF DELEGATES AND MOTIONS
NSW Libraries conference representative
Cr Amelia Parkins has been endorsed as Council’s representative to attend NSW Public Libraries Association SWITCH 2024 Conference and Annual General Meeting, to be held in Coffs Harbour from 12-15 November 2024.
RP-5 NSW PUBLIC LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION (NSWPLA) SWITCH 2024 CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Pavement rehabilitation-stabilisation package of works
Council has accepted the offer of Fulton Hogan Industries Pty Ltd for a package of pavement rehabilitation-stabilisation works on various roads across the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area in the lump sum amount of $1,047,228.52 including GST.
The locations will include Vincent Road, Kyeamba Avenue, Featherwood Road, Raye Street, Main Street, Reddoch Drive, and Miller Avenue.
CONF-1 PAVEMENT REHABILITATION-STABILISATION
Giants Netball to return to the city in 2025
Council endorsed the General Manager or their delegate to enter into an agreement with Giants Netball to host a pre-season match at Wagga Wagga Multi-Purpose Stadium in February or March 2025.
This event provides a unique opportunity to host an elite level netball event in Wagga Wagga with potential opportunities for future Giants Netball content and engagements to occur.
This game would be part of a regional tour with other games to be played within regional NSW.
CONF-2 PROPOSED SPORTING EVENT
Settlement of Class 3 proceedings against Transgrid
Council endorsedaffixing the Council seal to documents recording the settlement of litigation commenced against Transgrid in relation to the compulsory acquisition of an easement at the Gregadoo Waste Management Centre (GWMC).
Terms in relation to the settlement are confidential.
CONF 3 SETTLEMENT OF CLASS 3 PROCEEDINGS (CASE NO. 2023/227116) COMMENCED AGAINST TRANSGRID