MINUTES OF General
Meeting
Held at COUNCIL
CHAMBERS , HORNSBY
on Wednesday 8
July 2026
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 (remote), Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh,
McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons and Tilbury.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
OPENING PRAYER
Reverend James McFarlane from Hornsby Presbyterian Church
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 / Request for remote attendance
|
RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR McIntosh, seconded by COUNCILLOR Simons,
THAT the request to attend the General Meeting on 8 July
2026 remotely from Councillor Ball, be granted.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
Tilbury 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 McClelland, seconded by COUNCILLOR McIntosh,
THAT the Minutes of the General Meeting held on Wednesday
10 June 2026 be confirmed, a copy having been distributed to all Councillors.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
Tilbury and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
petitionS
Nil
presentations
Nil
Rescission Motions
Nil
Mayoral Minutes
|
7 MM6/26 Establishment
of the Financial, Asset and Improvement Working Group
(F2004/07056)
|
|
RESOLVED ON THE
MOTION OF COUNCILLOR WADDELL, seconded by COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH,
THAT:
1. Council
Establish the Financial, Asset and Improvement Working Group as an advisory
working group of Council.
2. Councillors
Waddell, Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove
and Simons be members of the Financial, Asset and Improvement Working Group.
3. The
Acting General Manager make the necessary administrative arrangements for the
Working Group to commence meeting, including preparation of agendas, working
papers and minutes.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
Tilbury 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 1 and 6 were withdrawn for
discussion.
|
RESOLVED ON THE
MOTION OF COUNCILLOR McIntosh,
seconded by COUNCILLOR Conley,
THAT the recommendations in
respect of items 2 and 3 be adopted.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
Tilbury and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
For the sake of clarity, the above
items are recorded in Agenda sequence.
Note: Items 4 and 5 were 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
|
1 GM7/26 Unreasonable
Conduct Policy
(F2016/00332)
|
|
Ms
Karen Benhar, on behalf of Friends of Berowra Valley provided a submission to
Council regarding this item.
Ms Jan Primrose, on behalf
of Protecting Your Suburban Environment Inc. addressed Council regarding this
item.
Mr John Inshaw, on behalf
of Galston Area Residents Association addressed Council regarding this item.
MOVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR BALL,
THAT the
Unreasonable Conduct Policy attached to General Manager’s Report No.
GM7/26 be adopted with an additional point 5 added to page 1 under the
heading of POLICY PURPOSE / OBJECTIVES being:
5. To affirm that every
decision should be tailored to each situation with extreme care taken in the
actions of Councillors and staff.
The Motion lapsed due to the lack of a Seconder.
_________________________
RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR Ball,
seconded by COUNCILLOR McIntosh,
THAT the
Unreasonable Conduct Policy attached to General Manager’s Report No.
GM7/26 be adopted.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
Tilbury and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
Corporate Support Division
|
2 CS26/26 Investments
and Borrowings for 2025/2026 - Status for the Period Ending 31 May 2026
(F2004/06987-02)
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RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR McIntosh, seconded by COUNCILLOR Conley,
THAT the contents of
Director’s Report No. CS26/26 be received and noted.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons, Tilbury
and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
Community and Environment Division
Nil
Planning and Compliance Division
Nil
Infrastructure and Major Projects Division
Nil
Confidential Items
|
3 CS29/26 Renewal
of Lease of Operational Land at Hornsby
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.
(F2025/00314#002)
|
|
RESOLVED
ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH, seconded by COUNCILLOR CONLEY,
THAT Council authorise the
Acting General Manager to progress the matter in line with the proposed next
steps outlined in the Discussion Section of Confidential Director’s
Report No. CS29/26.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
Tilbury and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
Questions with Notice
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4 QWN5/26 Active
Transport Strategy for Hornsby
(F2014/00505-002)
|
|
ASKED BY COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH
Could the General Manager advise:
1.
What steps have been undertaken to develop an Active Transport Plan as
outlined in the 2021 resolution and as discussed in subsequent Councillor
workshops?
2.
When will the broader community have the opportunity to participate in
developing the plan?
3.
How will the voices of specific groups and demographics
such as cycling and mountain bike groups, seniors, families and people living
with a disability have the opportunity to contribute to these plans?
Response
1.
What steps have been undertaken to develop an Active
Transport Plan as outlined in the 2021 resolution and as discussed in
subsequent Councillor workshops?
Since the adoption of the Walking and Cycling
Strategy in November 2021, Council has continued to progress active transport
outcomes through the delivery of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure
projects, integration of active transport considerations into major capital
works programs, and the establishment of dedicated internal capability. It
was this adopted strategy that formed part of the SRV submission to IPART in
2022 to enable more shared path funding ($13.930M over 10 years), for
projects prioritised under the Strategy. In addition, Council Officers have
continued to work closely with Bike North and Bicycle NSW on cycleway issues
and priorities and participate in Active Transport Surveys and grant
applications that promote shared user pathways and pedestrian linkages across
the Shire.
As previously discussed with
Councillors, Council has recently established an Active Transport Officer
position in early 2026 to strengthen Council’s capacity to plan,
coordinate and embed walking and cycling outcomes across the organisation.
The role is focused on integrating active transport opportunities into
existing infrastructure projects, coordinating initiatives across
Infrastructure, Traffic, Parks, and Bushland teams, and undertaking analysis
and preparatory work to inform future strategic options and reporting to
Council.
Recent and current initiatives
supporting this work include the delivery of footpath and shared path
projects across the Shire, including Bellamy Street, Ida Street, Willowtree
Road, Campbell Avenue, Purchase Road and other priority locations identified through
Council’s walking and cycling planning frameworks. Council has also
continued to improve active transport connectivity through major projects
such as the Brooklyn Boardwalk and public domain improvement programs.
A Councillor information
session focused on Active Transport has also been scheduled to provide
Councillors with a detailed update on work undertaken to date and future
directions towards the end of August 2026.
2.
When will the broader community have the opportunity to
participate in developing the plan?
Community consultation will
form a key component of any future Active Transport Strategy/Plan or network
development process. As active transport planning progresses, Council intends
to undertake engagement with the broader community to identify priorities,
network gaps, barriers to walking and cycling, and opportunities for improved
connectivity.
Any future strategy or network
development will be reported to Councillors and will be accompanied by
appropriate community engagement processes in accordance with Council’s
engagement framework.
3.
How will the voices of specific groups and demographics
such as cycling and mountain bike groups, seniors, families and people living
with a disability have the opportunity to contribute to these plans?
Council recognises that
different user groups experience the active transport network in different
ways and that targeted engagement is essential to developing an effective and
inclusive plan.
As part of future consultation,
Council proposes to combine broad community engagement with targeted
stakeholder engagement involving representative groups, including:
·
Road cycling and mountain bike user groups.
·
Seniors and older residents.
·
Families and school communities.
·
People living with disability and accessibility advocacy
groups.
·
Public transport users and pedestrian advocacy groups.
·
Sporting, recreation and bushland user groups.
This approach would assist
Council to understand a broad range of travel needs, accessibility
requirements, recreation opportunities, safety concerns and local knowledge.
It would also ensure that future active transport planning is informed
by both technical analysis and lived experience. Following the
Councillor briefing, Council will be in a position to confirm the proposed
scope, timing and engagement process for the Active Transport Strategy and
supporting Action Plan.
Targeted engagement will also
complement feedback gathered through Council’s broader community
consultation channels, including Your Say Hornsby and project-specific
engagement activities.
CALLED OVER AND NOTED
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Mayor's Notes
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5 MN6/26 Mayor's
Notes 01 June 2026 - 30 June 2026
(F2004/07053-002)
|
|
Wednesday 3rd June 2026
– The Mayor attended The Pride of Workmanship Awards Dinner, Beecroft
Thursday 4th June
2026 – The Mayor attended the Hornsby Chamber of Commerce –
Coffee catch- up, West Pennant Hills
Thursday 4th June
2026 – The Mayor attended the RFS 2026 Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai District
Medal Presentation Ceremony, Cowan
Wednesday 10th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended the Community Safety Precinct
Committee Meeting at Hornsby Police Station
Wednesday 10th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended the NSROC Mayor’s Lunch,
Chatswood
Thursday 11th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended Hello Hornsby Coffee and Chat,
Pennant Hills
Thursday 11th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended the Northern Sydney Regional
Organisation of Council’s meeting at Ku-ring-gai Council Chambers,
Gordon.
Friday 12th June
2026 – The Mayor attended the Neighbourhood Knit-In at Hornsby
Library
Sunday 14th June
2026 – The Mayor attended a rehearsal of Matilda Jnr by Boutique
Musical Theatre, Normanhurst
Tuesday 16th June
2026 – The Mayor attended the Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai Network Refugee
Week at Gordon Baptist Church, Sydney
Wednesday 17th
June 2026 – The Mayor hosted three Citizenship ceremonies in the
Administration Building, Hornsby
Thursday 18th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended Asquith High School Dance Night,
Chatswood
Friday 19th June 2026
– The Mayor attended the Studio ARTES Mid Year Show, Hornsby
Friday 19th June 2026
– The Mayor attended the Rotary Club of West Pennant Hills and
Cherrybrook – Changeover Dinner, Dural
Saturday 20th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended Granny Flat Foundation Charity Gala,
Epping
Monday 22nd June
2026 – The Mayor attended Beecroft Rotary Changeover 2026,
Cherrybrook
Tuesday 23rd June
2026 – The Mayor attended the Riverboat Postman Tour,
Brooklyn
Saturday 27th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended Pennant Hills High School –
Winter Carnival & 60th Anniversary, Pennant Hills
Saturday 27th
June 2026 – The Mayor attended Hornsby Multicultural Sangam
Australia Inc – Winter Festival, Hornsby
Tuesday 30th June
2026 – The Mayor attended Sod Turning for Galston Village Public
Domain Project, Galston
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.
CALLED OVER AND NOTED
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Notices of Motion
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6 NOM8/26 Improved
Transparency and Community Understanding of The Footpath Forward Program
(F2014/00505-002)
|
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RESOLVED ON THE
MOTION OF COUNCILLOR Simons, seconded
by COUNCILLOR TILBURY,
THAT Council:
Review the way the Footpath program is formulated, updated
and maintained to ensure best alignment with strategic objectives,
transparency and active community consultation, and requests the General
Manager to:
1. Review
the existing Footpath Forward Program prioritisation methodology Including:
a) The
current assessment framework and criteria used to prioritise footpath
projects;
b) Benchmarking
other Council’s on methodology used and prioritisation frameworks;
c) alignment
with Council’s place-based planning and forward schedule of community
facilities uplift/renewal;
d) Opportunities
to incorporate community input to the prioritisation process;
e) Processes
for amending priorities.
2. Investigate
opportunities to improve public access to and awareness of the Footpath
Forward Program, including the feasibility of publishing mapping and
prioritisation information through Council's website.
3. A
Feedback Session be provided to Councillors, outlining any resource
implications associated with implementing additional improvements to the
Footpath Forward Program.
FOR:
Councillors
Ball, Conley, Greenwood, McClelland, McIntosh, McSweeney, Seaglove, Simons,
Tilbury and Waddell
AGAINST: Nil
|
public forum – non agenda items
Mrs Alexi Boyd, on behalf of
Triple H FM radio addressed Council regarding Triple H’s vision and
strategic direction.
Ms Jan Primrose, on behalf of
Protecting Your Suburban Environment Inc addressed Council regarding Council’s
recent Planning Proposal notification letter for 328A Galston Road.
Mr John Inshaw, on behalf of
Galston Area Residents Association addressed Council regarding Council’s
recent Planning Proposal notification letter for 328A Galston Road.
Ms Katrina Emmett of Galston
addressed Council regarding Council’s recent Planning Proposal
notification letter for 328A Galston Road.
Mr Ed Harrison of Galston
provided a submission regarding Council’s recent Planning Proposal notification
letter for 328A Galston Road.
Supplementary Reports
Nil
MATTERS OF URGENCY
Nil
THE MEETING concluded at 7.47pm.
These Minutes were confirmed at the meeting held on Wednesday
12 August 2026, at which meeting the signature hereunder was subscribed.
CONFIRMED CHAIRMAN
______________________________________________________________________________