Agenda of Sustainable Economy Committee Meeting

Notice of Meeting

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Sustainable Economy Committee Meeting

A Sustainable Economy Committee Meeting of Byron Shire Council will be held as follows:

Venue	Conference Room, Station Street, Mullumbimby
Date	Thursday, 2 June 2016
Time	11.00am

Shannon Burt

Director Sustainable Environment and Economy I2016/594

Distributed 26/05/16

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 5.1

Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy

Report No. 5.1 Industry Development Discussion Topics

Directorate: Sustainable Environment and Economy

Report Author: Jane Laverty, Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator

File No: I2016/538

Theme: Economy

Economic Development

Summary:

This report outlines the various discussion topics for the Sustainable Economy Committee meeting to be held on Thursday 2 June 2016.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Sustainable Economy Committee note the report and discussion topics.

Attachments:

1 Project Brief - Byron Region Food Advantage (simple budget), E2016/34796 , page 6

Report

The following items relating to ‘Industry Development’ are listed for discussion at this meeting:

Item	Time allocation	Discussion led by
1. Renewable Energy Sector in the Byron Shire	20 minutes	Cr Simon Richardson & Sandi Middleton
2. Agriculture (non food related)	20 minutes	Cr Simon Richardson & Jane Laverty
3. Byron Region Food Advantage	20 minutes	Jane Laverty

1. Industry Development - Renewable Energy in the Byron Shire

Renewable Energy has been identified in the draft Economic Development Strategy (EDS) – Enterprising Byron 2025 as a ‘Game Changer’ primarily due to the positive impact cleaner energy can have on business operations for energy savings and for increasing regional business competitive advantage.

However, Byron Shire could also facilitate the establishment of renewable energy businesses as an emerging industry and potentially create new jobs for the Shire within key sectors.

The purpose of this report is to provide an opportunity for the SEC group to discuss the future of renewable energy employment generation including in the business services and trades sector e.g. solar installation, the knowledge sector with new product innovation/consultancies e.g. CORUM.

Also, to look at possibly taking it up a notch by promoting an independent emerging industry sector under the banner of Renewable Energy economy which could include energy retailing, biochar/bio energy production enterprises.

2. Industry Development – Agriculture (non food related)

The ‘Food Economy’ has featured in the EDS – Enterprising Byron 2025 as an industry priority for the diversity of employment and increasing income levels and skill sets. Whilst this does include primary industry in the agriculture sector we have not specifically focussed on other agriculture opportunities that are non food related.

As such the opportunity to explore the importance of the non food related agriculture e.g. hemp, bamboo, cabinet timbers etc. to our economic development strategy for the Shire with the SEC and the role that Council and the SEC can play in facilitating employment generation in this area is important to discuss.

3. Industry Development – Food Economy, Byron Region Food Advantage project

This project was developed in response to an invitation from QLD Department of Industry and Gold Coast City Council to facilitate a connection between Byron region food producers and manufacturers with the 2018 Commonwealth Games food supply project.

In the short term the 2018 Commonwealth Games is a catalyst for a greater industry development opportunity. Council has been successful in attracting funds to deliver the Byron Region Food Advantage Project that will, in the first instance, develop industry business development and profiling tools and capacity but in the long term open up new markets for domestic and export supply chains as proposed in the draft EDS.

Insights from the SEC regarding the 3 deliverables outlined in the attached project brief would be appreciated in the meeting discussion.

Financial Implications

NIL

Statutory and Policy Compliance Implications

NIL

BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL

Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy 5.2

Report No. 5.2 Council resolution of 3 March SEC Minutes

Directorate: Sustainable Environment and Economy

Report Author: Jane Laverty, Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator

File No: I2016/588

Theme: Economy

Economic Development

Summary:

The attached is provided to the Sustainable Economy Committee (SEC) as a record of the 26 May Council Meeting where a resolution was recorded relating the 3 March Meeting Minutes and recommendations.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Sustainable Economy Committee note the 26 May 2016 Council resolution relating to the 3 March 2016 meeting minutes and recommendations.

Attachments:

1 Resolution 16-264 reported to SEC Meeting 2 June, E2016/34797 , page 10

Report

The attached resolution from the 26 May 2016 Council meeting relates to the 3 March 2016 Sec Meeting minutes and recommendations.

It is recommended that the SEC note the resolution.

Financial Implications

NIL

Statutory and Policy Compliance Implications

NIL

Report No. 14.1 Report of the Sustainable Economy Committee Meeting held on 3 March 2016

File No: I2016/383

16-264

Resolved:

1. That Council note the minutes and recommendations of the Sustainable Economy Committee Meeting held on 3 March 2016 amended to show that Cr Cameron was an apology and not in attendance.

2. That Council:

a) not adopt the Committee Recommendation and instead receive the advice provided by the Sustainable Economy Committee and considers the matter of a Food and Innovation Park at Bangalow as part of the 2016/17 Budget process;

b) continues to liaise with the Department of Industry in relation to the Bangalow RMS Depot site’s future status and seek funding from the Department for the development of a business case study and site masterplan to ensure that any future project is representative of best practice architecture, with sustainability principles embedded;

c) ensures that the business case study look to qualify the need for this development;

d) ensures that community expectations are assessed and that the project and features of it fit with those expectations including an assessment of likely costs to rehabilitate the site;

e) advocates for community consultation in relation to any progression in the development of the site by State Government. (Cameron/Dey)

The motion was put to the vote and declared carried.