Agenda of Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee Meeting

Notice of Meeting

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Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee Meeting

An Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee Meeting of Byron Shire Council will be held as follows:

Venue	Council Chambers, Station Street, Mullumbimby
Date	Thursday, 26 April 2018
Time	2.00pm

Shannon Burt

Director Sustainable Environment and Economy I2018/701

Distributed 20/04/18

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

What is a “Conflict of Interests” - A conflict of interests can be of two types:

Pecuniary - an interest that a person has in a matter because of a reasonable likelihood or expectation of appreciable financial gain or loss to the person or another person with whom the person is associated.

Non-pecuniary – a private or personal interest that a Council official has that does not amount to a pecuniary interest as defined in the Local Government Act (eg. A friendship, membership of an association, society or trade union or involvement or interest in an activity and may include an interest of a financial nature).

Remoteness – a person does not have a pecuniary interest in a matter if the interest is so remote or insignificant that it could not reasonably be regarded as likely to influence any decision the person might make in relation to a matter or if the interest is of a kind specified in Section 448 of the Local Government Act.

Who has a Pecuniary Interest? - a person has a pecuniary interest in a matter if the pecuniary interest is the interest of the person, or another person with whom the person is associated (see below).

Relatives, Partners - a person is taken to have a pecuniary interest in a matter if:

§ The person’s spouse or de facto partner or a relative of the person has a pecuniary interest in the matter, or

§ The person, or a nominee, partners or employer of the person, is a member of a company or other body that has a pecuniary interest in the matter.

N.B. “Relative”, in relation to a person means any of the following:

(a) the parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, lineal descends or adopted child of the person or of the person’s spouse;

(b) the spouse or de facto partners of the person or of a person referred to in paragraph (a)

No Interest in the Matter - however, a person is not taken to have a pecuniary interest in a matter:

§ If the person is unaware of the relevant pecuniary interest of the spouse, de facto partner, relative or company or other body, or

§ Just because the person is a member of, or is employed by, the Council.

§ Just because the person is a member of, or a delegate of the Council to, a company or other body that has a pecuniary interest in the matter provided that the person has no beneficial interest in any shares of the company or body.

Disclosure and participation in meetings

§ A Councillor or a member of a Council Committee who has a pecuniary interest in any matter with which the Council is concerned and who is present at a meeting of the Council or Committee at which the matter is being considered must disclose the nature of the interest to the meeting as soon as practicable.

§ The Councillor or member must not be present at, or in sight of, the meeting of the Council or Committee:

(a) at any time during which the matter is being considered or discussed by the Council or Committee, or

(b) at any time during which the Council or Committee is voting on any question in relation to the matter.

No Knowledge - a person does not breach this Clause if the person did not know and could not reasonably be expected to have known that the matter under consideration at the meeting was a matter in which he or she had a pecuniary interest.

Participation in Meetings Despite Pecuniary Interest (S 452 Act)

A Councillor is not prevented from taking part in the consideration or discussion of, or from voting on, any of the matters/questions detailed in Section 452 of the Local Government Act.

Non-pecuniary Interests - Must be disclosed in meetings.

There are a broad range of options available for managing conflicts & the option chosen will depend on an assessment of the circumstances of the matter, the nature of the interest and the significance of the issue being dealt with. Non-pecuniary conflicts of interests must be dealt with in at least one of the following ways:

§ It may be appropriate that no action be taken where the potential for conflict is minimal. However, Councillors should consider providing an explanation of why they consider a conflict does not exist.

§ Limit involvement if practical (eg. Participate in discussion but not in decision making or vice-versa). Care needs to be taken when exercising this option.

§ Remove the source of the conflict (eg. Relinquishing or divesting the personal interest that creates the conflict)

§ Have no involvement by absenting yourself from and not taking part in any debate or voting on the issue as if the provisions in S451 of the Local Government Act apply (particularly if you have a significant non-pecuniary interest)

RECORDING OF VOTING ON PLANNING MATTERS

Clause 375A of the Local Government Act 1993 – Recording of voting on planning matters

(1) In this section, planning decision means a decision made in the exercise of a function of a council under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979:

(a) including a decision relating to a development application, an environmental planning instrument, a development control plan or a development contribution plan under that Act, but

(b) not including the making of an order under Division 2A of Part 6 of that Act.

(2) The general manager is required to keep a register containing, for each planning decision made at a meeting of the council or a council committee, the names of the councillors who supported the decision and the names of any councillors who opposed (or are taken to have opposed) the decision.

(3) For the purpose of maintaining the register, a division is required to be called whenever a motion for a planning decision is put at a meeting of the council or a council committee.

(4) Each decision recorded in the register is to be described in the register or identified in a manner that enables the description to be obtained from another publicly available document, and is to include the information required by the regulations.

(5) This section extends to a meeting that is closed to the public.

BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL

Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy 4.1

Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy

Report No. 4.1 Projects Tabled To Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy and Northern NSW, The Hon. Ben Franklin.

Directorate: Sustainable Environment and Economy

Report Author: Ronnie Lawton, Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Officer

File No: I2018/687

Theme: Ecology

Planning Policy and Natural Environment

Summary:

This report provides details on information tabled with Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy and Northern NSW, The Hon. Ben Franklin.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee note the report.

Attachments:

1 Renewable Energy Projects Tabled With Ben Franklin - SERAC Update, E2018/33250 , page 6⇩

Report

A list of suitable sustainability and emission reduction projects with supporting information was tabled with the Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy and Northern NSW The Hon. Ben Franklin MLC. Please refer to Attachment 1 for details.

Council have been asked to deliver further detailed synopses of the sustainability and renewable energy projects, for provision to Ben Franklin. Council staff are currently working on this information, and will keep the Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Advisory updated.

Financial Implications

Nil

Statutory and Policy Compliance Implications

Nil

BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL

Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy 4.1 - Attachment 1

Renewable Energy Projects

Project	Description	Potential Schemes	Funds requested	Total Project Value (Indicative Estimates Only)
Solar-Hydrogen project	A Public-Private Partnership project to provide research and development of Solar-Hydrogen technology (i.e. the sustainable production of hydrogen using renewable energy), with potential to use the Byron STPs as a pilot project site. Partners include: Byron Shire Council, Byron Eco-park; Small Giants/Impact Investment Group; Institute for Future Environments (QUT). Stage 1 includes conducting a feasibility to optimise pilot project. Stage 2 includes pilot project delivery.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	Stage 1: $150k Stage 2: $3.5-$4M
Bioenergy Project	Pending viability, the installation of Dry or Wet Digesters and Thermal Power facilities. For example, Pyrolysis or Gasification at Byron and Brunswick Valley STP. Power and heat generated will be used on site to reduce Council’s power costs and reduce Councils carbon footprint. Multiple benefits: Reduce Landfill; Utilise Council Waste; Take trucks off the road; Delay STP upgrade.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$20M
Solar Farm at Myocum	Buffer land to the Myocum Resource and Recovery Centre is being considered for a large scale ground-mounted solar farm. A site feasibility assessment identified that the proposed site is suitable for a photo-voltaic solar facility of up to 2MW. This solar farm could offset Council’s electricity demand and potentially contribute green power to the broader community.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$6M
Mullumbimby Council Admin Building	This building is the highest non-utility energy user on Council’s asset register with approximately $105,000 annual electricity costs. The project installs >200KW on roof and 100KW in car park (pending feasibility) to reduce these costs.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$600K
Byron Shire council Depot (Byron A&I estate)	This building is the second highest non-utility energy user on Council’s asset register with approximately $44,000 annual electricity costs. The project installs 100KW on roof to reduce these costs.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$120K
First Sun Caravan Park (Byron Bay)	This building is the third highest non-utility energy user on Council’s asset register with approximately $41,000 annual electricity costs. The project installs 40KW on roof and various other energy efficiency measures to reduce these costs.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$80K
Suffolk Park Caravan Park	This building is the fourth highest non-utility energy user on Council’s asset register with approximately $29,000 annual electricity costs. The project installs 40KW on roof and various other energy efficiency measures to reduce these costs.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$80K
Byron Bay Pool	This building is the fifth highest non-utility energy user on Council’s asset register with approximately $24,000 annual electricity costs. The project installs 100KW on roof replaces pool pumps with high efficiency models to reduce these costs.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$180K
Mullumbimby Pool	This building is the sixth highest non-utility energy user on Council’s asset register with approximately $22,000 annual electricity costs. The project installs 100KW on roof replaces pool pumps with high efficiency models to reduce these costs.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$180K
Sewage Treatment Plants	The Byron Shire Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) are some of the highest energy users on Council’s asset register. Installation of Solar PV as follows: · Byron STP 100 – 150kW · Brunswick Valley STP 90-120kW · Bangalow STP – 100 – 150kW · Community Solar at Brunswick Valley 2MW	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$200-$250K per STP Community solar TBC
Prof Will Steffen presentation	Production of an Australian version of Prof Will Steffen’s (Climate Scientist and Climate Council member) presentation to Sustainable Business Council in NZ. This presentation would be held in the Byron Community Theatre or similar, with an invited audience, including Q&A. Please refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiHc8vbTOTI. Or search Understanding Climate Change - The Nature of the Challenge on YouTube.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$10K (Additional funding for marketing etc. may be required)
Development of a web-based consumer calculator to input all emissions generated	Upgrading existing Web-based consumer calculator to input all emissions generated from households and businesses to calculate how much solar will be needed to generate direct electricity to offset all that entity’s emissions. This tool could also identify and recommend other efficiency’s. This tool could be promoted at Will Steffen’s presentation.	NSW Climate Change Fund	Budget and Council contribution to be confirmed	$25-40K

BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL

Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy 4.2

Report No. 4.2 Resource and Recovery Team - Waste Management Initiatives Update

Directorate: Sustainable Environment and Economy

Report Author: Ronnie Lawton, Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Officer

File No: I2018/690

Theme: Ecology

Planning Policy and Natural Environment

Summary:

The Bryon Shire Council Resource and Recovery Team will be providing an update on waste related initiatives, to the Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee (SERAC).

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Sustainability and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee set a future agenda item to focus on options for sustainable waste management in Byron Shire.

Report

Byron Shire Council Resource and Recovery Team members Lloyd Isaacson and/or Lucy Wilson to provide an update on waste related initiatives. These include the following:

· Plastic Free Alliance Byron program with Boomerang Alliance.

· Regional kerbside recycling/contamination campaign.

· BRRC master plan upgrades (new composting system for self hauled garden waste)

· Other

It is recommended that the SERAC set up a future agenda item to focus on or workshop sustainable waste management in Byron Shire. This focus or workshop would bring together Council’s resource and recovery team, and sustainability team, with recycling professionals, community groups and invited forward thinking local business owners.

Financial Implications

Nil

Statutory and Policy Compliance Implications

Nil