MINUTES OF General Meeting
Held at Council Chambers, HORNSBY
on Wednesday 12
March 2025
at 6:30 PM
welcome to Country
A
Welcome to Country was given by the Darug and GuriNgai Traditional Owner
representative, Uncle Neil Evers.
PRESENT
Councillors Waddell (Chairman), Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland,
McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove and Simons.
NATIONAL
ANTHEM
OPENING
PRAYER
Pastor Andrew Starr
from Viva Vineyard Church , Hornsby opened the meeting in prayer.
Acknowledgement
of RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
Statement by the Chairman:
"We recognise our Shire's rich cultural and religious
diversity and we acknowledge and pay respect to the beliefs of all members of
our community, regardless of creed or faith."
Video and AUDIO RECORDING OF COUNCIL MEETING
Statement
by the Chairman:
"I advise all present that tonight's meeting is being video
streamed live via Council’s website and also audio recorded for the purposes of providing a record of
public comment at the meeting,
supporting the democratic process, broadening knowledge and participation in
community affairs, and demonstrating Council’s commitment to openness and
accountability. The audio
and video recordings of the non-confidential
parts of the meeting will be made available on Council’s website once the
Minutes have been finalised. All speakers are requested to ensure their comments
are relevant to the issue at hand and to refrain from making personal comments
or criticisms. No other persons are permitted to record the Meeting,
unless specifically authorised by Council to do so."
APOLOGIES
/ leave of absence
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RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR
MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR BALL,
THAT the apology and
request for leave of absence from Councillor Tilbury in respect of an
inability to attend the Council Meeting on 12 March 2025 be accepted and
leave of absence be granted.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
political donations disclosure
Statement
by the Chairman:
“In accordance with
Section 10.4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, any person
or organisation who has made a relevant planning application or a submission in
respect of a relevant planning application which is on tonight’s agenda,
and who has made a reportable political donation or gift to a Councillor or
employee of the Council, must make a Political Donations Disclosure Statement.
If a
Councillor or employee has received a reportable political donation or
gift from a person or organisation who has made a relevant planning application
or a submission in respect of a relevant planning application which is on
tonight’s agenda, they must declare a non-pecuniary conflict of interests
to the meeting, disclose the nature of the interest and manage the conflict of
interests in accordance with Council’s Code of Conduct.”
declarations of interest
Nil
confirmation of minutes
|
RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR
MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCCLELLAND,
THAT the Minutes of the General Meeting held on Wednesday
12 February 2025 be confirmed, a copy having been distributed to all
Councillors.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
petitionS
Nil
presentations
Nil
Rescission Motions
Nil
Mayoral Minutes
|
1 MM3/25 Striking
the Balance: Tree Protection and Safety in The Bushland Shire
(F2004/05828-024)
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|
Mr David Martin, on behalf of
Hornsby Conservation Society addressed Council regarding this item.
Ms Karen Behar, on behalf of Friends
of Berowra Valley Inc. addressed Council regarding this item.
Ms Jan Primrose, on behalf of Protecting
Your Suburban Environment Inc. addressed Council regarding this item.
Ms Katrina Emmett, of Galston addressed Council regarding
this item.
Mr John Inshaw, on
behalf of Galston Area Residents Association
addressed Council regarding this item.
Mr Ross Walker, on behalf of Beecroft Cheltenham Civic
Trust provided a submission to Council regarding this item.
Ms Kerrie Alexander, of Hornsby
Heights provided a submission to Councill regarding this item.
Mrs Trish Brown, on behalf of
Byles Creek Valley Union provided a submission to Councill regarding
this item.
RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF
COUNCILLOR WADDELL, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCCLELLAND,
THAT:
1.
The General Manager coordinate an informal Councillor briefing with
Councillors to discuss the process, priority, timeframes and resources
required to undertake a review of the effectiveness of Council’s tree
controls and tree management approach to community safety, protection of
assets (such as homes and public facilities), and confirm alignment with
Council’s existing objectives, strategies, targets and actions
contained in the Urban Forest Strategy 2021 and Biodiversity Conservation
Strategy 2021.
2.
The informal Councillor briefing is to include, but not be limited to,
consideration of the following:
a)
Opportunities to review planning controls to maintain Council’s
strong tree and vegetation protections, whilst balancing this with
residents’ reasonable expectations for their own developments and
safety.
b)
An integrated public awareness and education program focussed on the
benefits of tree canopy and sound arboriculture management.
c)
A costed, sustainable and ongoing public tree planting program
covering both rural and urban areas to maximise canopy and biodiversity as
outlined in Council’s Biodiversity and Urban Forest strategies.
d)
Options for improving Council’s proactive management of public
trees, particularly in high use areas such as those surrounding schools,
parks and heavily used footpaths, and including opportunities to seek better
outcomes from Ausgrid contractor’s pruning of public trees under
powerlines.
e)
Consultation methods to seek community views and feedback to help
inform any review.
f)
Opportunities and resourcing to improve community resilience, education
and preparedness for storms and extreme weather events, as well as options to
support our community with timely clean-up activities following such
events.
g)
Recognition that preservation of our tree canopy is of key interest to
our community and that a variety of engagement and consultation methods
should be employed to ensure that community views and feedback inform any
review.
3.
The informal Councillor briefing be scheduled to be undertaken within
the next three months with a further report to be presented to Council
outlining the outcomes of the discussion at the workshop.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
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10 MM2/25 General
Manager's Performance Review Panel
This report was deemed confidential , under
Section 10A (2) (a) of the Local Government Act, 1993. This report contains
personnel matters concerning particular individuals (other than
councillors)..
(F2013/00402)
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RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR WADDELL,
THAT a Performance
Review Panel comprising the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councillor McIntosh, and
Councillors Ball, Greenwood and Tilbury be formed to undertake the annual
performance assessment of the General Manager.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
ITEMS PASSED BY EXCEPTION / CALL FOR SPEAKERS ON AGENDA ITEMS
THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED
his intention to deal with the balance of the Business Paper by the exception
method and announced the items.
Items 4, 5, 6 and 7 were withdrawn for discussion.
|
RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR
MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCSWEENEY,
THAT the recommendations in respect of items 2, 3 and 8 be
adopted.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
For the sake of clarity, the above
items are recorded in Agenda sequence.
Note: Item 9 was called over and
noted.
Note: Persons wishing to address
Council on matters which were on the Agenda were permitted to address Council
or provide a submission prior to the item being discussed. The names of
speakers are recorded in the Minutes in respect of the particular item.
Note: Persons wishing to address
Council on Non Agenda items were permitted to speak after all items on the
Agenda in respect of which there was a speaker from the public were finalised
by Council. Their names are recorded in the Minutes under the heading
“Public Forum – Non Agenda Items”.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Office of the General Manager
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2 GM9/25 Draft
Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan - Adoption for Public Exhibition
(F2023/00306)
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RESOLVED ON THE
MOTION OF COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCSWEENEY,
THAT:
1. Council
adopts for the purposes of public exhibition the draft Hornsby Shire 2035
Community Strategic Plan attached to General Manager’s Report No.
GM9/25.
2. The
public exhibition period be between 13 March and 21 April 2025 and community
engagement initiatives listed in the consultation section of this report be
noted.
3. A
report summarising feedback received during the exhibition period be returned
to Council for consideration by the June 2025 General Meeting.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
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Corporate Support Division
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3 CS7/25 Investments
and Borrowings For 2024/2025 - Status For The Period Ending 31 January 2025
(F2004/06987-02)
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RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF
COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCSWEENEY,
THAT the contents of
Director’s Report No. CS7/25 be received and noted.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
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Community and Environment Division
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4 CE3/25 Community
Event Grants Program
(F2010/00630)
|
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Mr Keith
Roscarel, on behalf of Berowra Apex addressed Council regarding this item.
RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR GREENWOOD, seconded
by COUNCILLOR MCCLELLAND,
THAT:
1.
Council note that a comprehensive review of our current events
program, including the Community Event Grants Program, has commenced to
consider whether existing events meet Council’s strategic priorities
and the needs of our residents along with how Council may play a greater role
in encouraging collaboration.
2.
Whilst this review is underway, Council support the following events
under the Community Event Grants Program:
a)
$7,000 to Berowra APEX for the 2025 ‘Berowra Woodchop
Festival’.
b)
$1,000 to Hawkesbury River Childcare Centre for the 2025 ‘Brooklyn
Spring Fair’.
c)
$7,000 to Cancer Council for the 2025 ‘Hornsby Relay for
Life’ event.
d)
$1,000 to the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Community College for the 2025
‘Harmony in Tea, Blending Cultures, Sharing Stories’ event.
e)
$1,000 to the Normanhurst Boys High School Parents and Citizens
Association for ‘Project Green Revive, From Privet to Native
Pride’ in 2025.
f)
$7,000 to The Social Factory Community: 2025 Carols by Candlelight in
Fagan Park.
g)
$7,000 to Inala for the 2025 ‘Inala Fair’.
h)
$7,000 to the Brooklyn Community Association for the 2025
‘Blessing of the Fleet’ event.
3.
Prior to the event taking place, grant recipients must work with
Council’s Communications team to ensure that Council’s support is
appropriately recognised in all marketing/communication material, including
but not limited to:
a)
Opportunities for the Mayor or delegate to attend and speak at the
opening of the event.
b)
Council’s logo/branding to be included in all advertising or
marketing material associated with the event.
c)
Council’s support is recognised in all media releases associated
with the event.
4.
A condition of funding be included that within three months of the
event occurring, all grant recipients are required to submit a post event
acquittal report to Council addressing the following:
a)
Overview of the event.
b)
Assessment of the success or failure of the event.
c)
Attendance numbers.
d)
Financial report including all income and expenditure associated with
the event, as well as how Council’s grant funds were used.
e)
Impact and adequacy of any other Council in-kind support.
f)
Event learnings (improvements/changes) that could be made to increase
community participation/patronage.
g)
Any concerns that require addressing for future events.
5.
Post event grant acquittals be reported to Council.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
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5 CE2/25 Food
Organics and Garden Organics Recycling Services
(F2022/00302)
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RESOLVED ON THE
MOTION OF COUNCILLOR SIMONS, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH,
THAT Council:
1. Note
the information contained within and attached to the Director’s Report
No. CE2/25, including the NSW Government’s FOGO Mandate requiring local
councils to provide residents that have an existing residual (garbage)
collection service, with a weekly food organics and garden organics
collection and recycling service by 1 July 2030.
2. Implement
a new weekly food organics (FO) recycling service to commence 1 July 2027 by
way of introducing a fourth collection bin for food only and maintaining the
existing collection services to residential properties.
3. Note
the Domestic Waste Management budget implications and the need to increase
the Domestic Waste Management Charge (DWMC) to residential properties to fund
the introduction of a new food organics collection and recycling service.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
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Planning and Compliance Division
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6 PC5/25 Hornsby
Town Centre – Draft Public Domain Plan, Development Contributions Plan
and Development Control Plan Amendments
(F2018/00321-004)
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RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR
MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCSWEENEY,
THAT:
1. Council
endorse the draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines, draft Hornsby
Town Centre Precinct Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2025 and
draft amendments to Hornsby Development Control Plan 2024 attached to
Director’s Report No. PC5/25 for public exhibition.
2.
During exhibition period, the draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain
Guidelines be updated to include reference to Council’s Healthy Ageing
Hornsby Strategy, Disability Inclusion Action Plan and to reflect the
specific dementia friendly design and maintenance considerations and
references from the existing Public Domain Guidelines.
3.
Following exhibition, a report on submissions be presented to Council
for consideration.
4.
Council write to Transport for NSW and Department of Planning, Housing
and Infrastructure to express concerns about the traffic generating changes
to the proposed split bus interchange.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
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7 PC6/25 Design
Excellence Panel - Appointment of Panel Members
(F2014/00312-002)
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RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR
SIMONS, seconded by COUNCILLOR BALL,
THAT Council:
1. Endorse
the appointment of Stephen Collier, Andrew Stanic, David Epstein, Karla
Castellanos, Marc Deuschle, Matthew Taylor, Jared Phillips, Jim Koopman and
Vishal Lakhia as members of the Hornsby Design Excellence Panel for a period
up to three years.
2. Officers
review the panel advertising and selection processes to identify potential
changes that could be implemented to increase the likelihood of gender,
cultural and disciplinary balance on the panel, with options to be presented
to an informal Councillor briefing within six months.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
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Infrastructure and Major Projects Division
Nil
Confidential Items
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8 CS6/25 Proposed
Disposal of Operational Land Being Former Road Widening Land at Asquith
This report was deemed confidential, under
Section 10A (2) (c) of the Local Government Act, 1993. This report contains
information that would, if disclosed, confer a commercial advantage on a
person with whom the council is conducting (or proposes to conduct) business.
(F2024/00251)
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RESOLVED ON THE
MOTION OF COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCSWEENEY,
THAT Council:
1. Approve
the sale of the land identified within Confidential Director’s Report
No. CS6/25 in accordance with the terms of sale outlined in Confidential
Director’s Report No. CS6/25.
2. Authorise
the General Manager to use reasonable discretion to negotiate the detailed
terms and conditions of the sale agreement, generally in accordance with the
terms of sale outlined in Confidential Director’s Report No. CS6/25
and to execute documents in relation to the sale, as deemed appropriate by
Council's legal advisers.
3. Authorise
the use of its Seal on the Contract for the Sale of Land, Transfer or any
legal or other documents related to the sale of the properties identified
within Confidential Director’s Report No. CS6/25, as deemed
appropriate by Council’s legal advisers.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
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PUBLIC FORUM – NON AGENDA ITEMS
Mr Patrick Houlcroft, of Mount
Colah addressed Council regarding garden competitions.
Ms Jan Primrose, on behalf of Protecting
Your Suburban Environment Inc. addressed Council regarding the Natural Area
Recreation Strategy Study survey participation and feedback process, the NSW
government budget estimates and the powers of the Minister of Local Government.
Questions with Notice
Nil
Mayor's Notes
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9 MN2/25 Mayor's
Notes 01 February 2025 to 28 February 2025
(F2004/07053-002)
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Note: These are the functions
that the Mayor, or his representative, has attended in addition to the normal
Council Meetings, Workshops, Mayoral Interviews and other Council Committee
Meetings.
Wednesday 5th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended the Hornsby Chamber of Commerce
meeting, Hornsby.
Sunday 9th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended the Cherrybrook Chinese
Community Association, Chinese New Year Dinner, Castle Hill.
Wednesday 12th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended a walk around Normanhurst
Shopping Village, Normanhurst.
Wednesday 12th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended Chinese Australian Services
Society, Art Troupe and Hornsby Activity Group Lunar New Year Celebration, at
Hornsby Leisure and Learning Centre.
Thursday 13th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended the Glenorie Progress
Association Monthly Meeting, Glenorie.
Monday 17th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended the West Pennant Hills and
Cherrybrook Rotary Club Dinner, Dural.
Tuesday 18th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended the Commencement Service for the
Reverend Tim Mildenhall at St John’s Anglican Church, Asquith.
Wednesday 19th
February 2025 – The Mayor hosted three Citizenship Ceremonies in
the Council Administration Building, Hornsby.
Thursday 20th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended the grand opening of Monkey King
(Doodee King) Thai Restaurant, Hornsby.
Thursday 20th
February 2025 – On behalf of the Mayor, Councillor McIntosh
attended Asquith Girls High School Community Consultation Forum, Asquith.
Saturday 22nd
February 2025 – The Mayor attended Wisemans Court House Site Talk,
hosted by Darug and Lower Hawkesbury Historical Society, Wisemans Ferry
Community Centre.
Monday 24th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended a site inspection at Mount Wilga
Private Hospital, Hornsby.
Friday 28th
February 2025 – The Mayor attended the Commissioning of Nate Atkins
as Principal at Northholm Grammar School, Arcadia.
called over and noted
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Notices of Motion
Nil
MATTERS OF URGENCY
Nil
THE MEETING concluded at 8.10pm.
These Minutes were confirmed at the meeting held on Wednesday
9 April 2025, at which meeting the signature hereunder was subscribed.
CONFIRMED CHAIRMAN
______________________________________________________________________________