SUPPLEMENTARY

BUSINESS PAPER

(Mayoral Minutes MM2/26 & MM3/26)

General Meeting

Wednesday 11 March 2026

at 7:00 PM

Hornsby Shire Council                                                                                           Table of Contents

Page 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUPPLEMENTARY ITEMS

Item 11   MM2/26 General Manager Recruitment........................................................................ 1

Item 12   MM3/26 Update on Draft Planning Proposal - Rezoning at 1 and 3 Johnson Road, Galston.................................................................................................................................. 3

Mayoral Minute No. MM2/26

Date of Meeting: 11/03/2026

11 GENERAL MANAGER RECRUITMENT

Following on from Council’s decision at the 11 February 2026 General Meeting to commence the recruitment process for a new General Manager, proposals were sought from three recruitment consultants who specialise within the local government industry. 

Councillors met on Wednesday 25 February 2026 to consider the proposals, and it was concluded that LG Services Group should be appointed as the Recruitment Consultant to progress the matter in line with their proposal for the work.

Selection Process

The following process has been recommended and agreed on:

·              Recruitment Consultant and Councillor Panel will review all applications and shortlist candidates for interview

·              Recruitment Consultant and Councillor Panel will conduct first stage interview with all shortlisted candidates and agree on who to move to second stage

·              Presentation to elected Council from further shortlisted candidates

Psychometric personality assessments will be included and standard reference, background checks will be completed.

Panel

The Councillor panel to assist the Recruitment Consultant in the shortlisting and first interview round is as follows:

·              The Mayor – Cr Waddell

·              The Deputy Mayor – Cr McClelland

·              Councillor from Ward A – Cr Simons

·              Councillor from Ward B – Cr McIntosh

·              Councillor from Ward C – Cr Greenwood

Position Description

The position description for the General Manager has been updated (attached).

At the conclusion of the selection process, a further Mayoral Minute will be submitted for Council’s consideration recommending the preferred candidate for the General Manager position.

RECOMMENDATION

THAT:

1.         LG Services Group be appointed as the Recruitment Consultant to undertake the recruitment of Council’s new General Manager.

2.         The interview process proposed in Mayoral Minute No. MM2/26 for the recruitment of Council’s new General Manager be approved.

3.         The updated Position Description for the General Manager position which is attached to Mayoral Minute No. MM2/26 be approved.

4.         When the recruitment process has been completed, a further Mayoral Minute be submitted for Council’s consideration recommending the appointment of the preferred candidate for the General Manager position.

Cr WARREN WADDELL

Mayor

Attachments:

1.	General Manager - Position Description

File Reference:           F2017/00267

Document Number:     D09326251

Mayoral Minute No. MM3/26

Date of Meeting: 11/03/2026

12 UPDATE ON DRAFT PLANNING PROPOSAL - REZONING AT 1 AND 3 JOHNSON ROAD, GALSTON

At the General Meeting of Council held 10 December 2025, I put forward a Mayoral Minute regarding the Draft Planning Proposal to rezone land at 1 and 3 Johnson Road, Galston owned by Council. I requested that the Acting General Manager review the financial assessments completed to date for light industrial use at these sites.

The requested evaluation has now been finalised. With this, I am able to provide the community with an update on the progress and status of the project.

As identified in the Mayoral Minute the following points were addressed to me:

·              A reduced layout for industrial use, primarily focused on 1 Johnson Road, Galston, while allowing for increased passive open space.

·              The reasonableness and risks associated with the payback period for capital investment, especially when compared to the returns currently being generated from invested funds.

·              Enhancements to open space on the site can be realised through revenue generated from light industrial activities, based on the proposed reduced layout.

Although the Acting General Manager's financial assessment projected a positive return over 20 years, I believe it would not generate enough revenue from light industrial activities on the proposed layout to fund open space improvements. Rising interest rates could further reduce this return. Enhancements to open space at this site rely entirely on commercial activity; without implementing light industrial use, these improvements cannot proceed.

In addition to what is a modest positive return albeit insufficient to fund open space improvements on this site, I also consider that the time required to payback funds and the comparison to returns generated from Councils invested funds is such that it does not appear reasonable to proceed with this initiative. 

I will recommend to Councillors that the draft planning proposal to rezone Council land at 1 and 3 Johnson Rd, Galston for light industrial activities no longer proceed and the site remain in its current use to meet Council's operational needs.

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the Draft Planning Proposal to rezone land at 1 and 3 Johnson Road, Galston no longer proceed.

Cr WARREN WADDELL

Mayor

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

File Reference:           F2023/00047-003

Document Number:     D09334893