Minutes
Ordinary Meeting
Thursday, 28 April 2022
BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL
Ordinary Meeting Minutes
28 April 2022
The following items are listed in the order in which they were dealt with.
Report No. 13.1 Crown Reserves - Update on deferred classification and categorisation applications
Report No. 13.4 Council Investments - 1 March 2022 to 31 March 2022
Report No. 13.8 Definition Amendment to Byron Shire Community Gardens Policy
Report No. 13.9 Tender 2021-1131 - Water Reservoir Slope Stability Works.
Report No. 13.10 Tender 2021-1130 - Water Reservoir Roof Replacement Works
Report No. 13.12 Mullum to Bruns Cycleway - Route Options for Community Consultation
Report No. 14.1 Report of the Local Traffic Committee Meeting held on 12 April 2022
Notice of Motion No. 9.1 Land and Funds for Emergency Accommodation..
Notice of Motion No. 9.2 Non-compliant companion animals
Notice of Motion No. 9.3 Corporate Governance - Councillors
Notice of Motion No. 9.4 NSW Government - Flood Inquiry Response
Notice of Motion No. 9.5 Temporary Accommodation - Flood Response
Report No. 11.1 Grants March 2022
Report No. 13.2 Review of Organisation Structure
Report No. 13.6 Annual Emissions Inventory and update on Net Zero Emissions goal
Report No. 13.7 NSW Employment Zones Reform
Report No. 13.13 Integrated Water Management Strategies
Question With Notice No. 15.1 Suffolk Park Caravan Park
Question With Notice No. 15.2 Intersection of McGettigans Lane with Ewingsdale Road
Question With Notice No. 15.3 Peak water levels in Byron for the March 2022 flood event
No. 1 Response to North Byron District Flood and Drainage
BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL
Ordinary Meeting Minutes 28 April 2022
MINUTES OF THE BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL Ordinary Meeting HELD ON Thursday, 28 April 2022 COMMENCING AT 9.04AM AND CONCLUDING AT 4.53PM
I2022/398
PRESENT: Cr M Lyon (Mayor), Cr D Dey, Cr S Ndiaye, Cr A Pugh and Cr M Swivel
VIRTUAL: Cr A Hunter and Cr P Westheimer
Staff: Mark Arnold (General Manager)
Es Davis (Acting Director Corporate and Community Services)
Phil Holloway (Director Infrastructure Services)
Shannon Burt (Director Sustainable Environment and Economy)
Ralph James (Legal Counsel)
Julia Adams (Sustainability Team Leader) – item 13.6
Steve Daniels (Planner) – item 13.7
Cameron Clark (Manager Utilities) – item 13.13
Heather Sills (Minute Taker)
The Mayor opened the meeting and acknowledged that the meeting is being held on Arakwal Country and that we pay our respects to the elders past and present and extend our respect to the Bundjalung clans whose lands and waters are part of the Shire.
Prior to dealing with the circulated reports and associated information, a Public Access Session was held and Council was addressed on the following:
Public Access
Report No and Title |
Name |
For/ Against |
Submission Received in form of |
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9.3 |
Corporate Governance |
John Anderson |
For |
Read by staff |
13.7 |
NSW Employment Zones Reform |
Jack Dods |
For |
Pre-recorded video |
Question No. 1 – Legal Costs
John Anderson submitted the following question which was read by staff:
What has been the real annual cost to Council over the past three years of employing lawyers as salaried Council staff and other costs flowing from court cases and outside expert legal consultation?
The General Manager took the question on notice.
The meeting adjourned at 9.12am and reconvened at 9.16am.
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Procedural Motion |
Resolved that the apology from Crs Balson and Coorey be accepted and a leave of absence granted. (Lyon/Ndiaye) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
There were no requests for leave of absence
Declarations of Interest – Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary
There were no Declarations of Interest.
Tabling of Pecuniary Interest Returns
There were no Pecuniary Interest Returns tabled.
Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings
Resolved that the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 24 March 2022 be confirmed. (Lyon/Ndiaye) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Reservation of Items for Debate and Order of Business
The Mayor suspended standing orders to allow for items to be reserved for debate, being:
Staff Reports
General Manager
Report No. 13.2 Review of Organisation Structure
Corporate and Community Services
Report No. 13.3 Appointment of Community Representatives to the Housing and Affordability Advisory Committee
Report No. 13.5 Call for nominations for appointment to the Cape Byron Marine Park Advisory Committee
Sustainable Environment and Economy
Report No. 13.6 Annual Emissions Inventory and update on Net Zero Emissions goal
Report No. 13.7 NSW Employment Zones Reform
Infrastructure Services
Report No. 13.11 Tender 2021-1247 - Panel of Providers - Provision of Plumbing, Electrical, General Building & Maintenance Services
Report No. 13.13 Integrated Water Management Strategies
The remaining Recommendations and Committee Recommendation were adopted as a whole, being moved by Cr Lyon and seconded by Cr Ndiaye. Each recommendation is recorded with a separate resolution number commencing at Resolution No. 22-135 and concluding with Resolution No. 22-144.
Staff Reports - General Manager
Staff Reports - Corporate and Community Services
Staff Reports - Infrastructure Services
Reports of Committees - Infrastructure Services
There was no Mayoral Minute.
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Notice of Motion No. 9.1 Land and Funds for Emergency Accommodation File No: I2022/353
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Notice of Motion No. 9.2 Non-compliant companion animals File No: I2022/283
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Procedural Motions |
Resolved that Cr Swivel be granted a two minute extension to his speech. (Ndiaye) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that Cr Ndiaye be granted a two minute extension to her speech. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that Cr Pugh be granted a two minute extension to his speech. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
The motion (Swivel/Pugh) was put to the vote and declared lost.
Crs Hunter, Lyon, Ndiaye, Dey and Westheimer voted against the motion.
FORESHADOWED MOTION
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Procedural MotionS |
Resolved that Cr Swivel be granted a two minute extension to his speech. (Lyon/Ndiaye) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that Cr Dey be granted a two minute extension to his speech. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Cr Swivel left the meeting at 10.45am
Resolved that this matter rest on the table. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. Cr Swivel was not present for the vote. |
The meeting adjourned at 10.47am reconvened at 11.04am.
Cr Swivel returned to the meeting at this time.
FORESHADOWED MOTION:
1. Acknowledges the fantastic work by volunteers from the Mullumbimby District Neighbourhood Centre (MDNC) since the flood crisis hit, including in the accommodation space where much of the work in linking flood-affected people with accommodation and in the social wellbeing of members of the community 2. Includes an allocation of funds from a suitable grant funding source to the MDNC $1,000/week for the next 10 weeks to assist in the provision of emergency accommodation 3. Assists the MDNC in their accommodation activities through Council media releases and other communications in consultation with the MDNC 4. Receives a report on Council’s ability to enforce consent conditions existing or in the future which limit the use of short term rental use of residential accommodation |
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Procedural Motion |
Resolved that Cr Lyon be granted a two minute extension to his speech. (Ndiaye) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
The motion (Lyon/Ndiaye) was put to the vote and declared carried.
There were no petitions.
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Procedural Motion |
Resolved that Report No. 9.4 be lifted from the table. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Notices of Motion
1. Notes the NSW Flood Inquiry is required to report to the Premier on causation, land use planning and management, and related matters (see paragraphs 1(a), 2(e) and 2(f)) of the Terms of Reference by 30 June 2022, and on all other matters by 30 September 2022. 2. Notes that Council will be able to submit at least 2 submissions to the NSW Flood Inquiry. 3. Receives a draft of Council’s first submission to the NSW Flood Inquiry at an Extraordinary Meeting to be held on 19 May. 4. Encourages Councillors to submit concepts and materials towards Council’s submission to staff by 10 May. 5. In light of point 2, considers for the relevant submission, commentary on issues pertinent to Byron Shire the result of the recent flood events including but not limited to: flooding of buildings, landslip affecting buildings, cutting of access by water and by landslip, adequacy of evacuation centres and post-flood recovery centres, loss of telecommunications and of power supplies, impacts on tenants and landlords and the pre-existing housing emergency; 6. Acknowledges the work of our local community and businesses in response to the local flood event and recovery activities thereafter. 7. Invites a representative from each local community organisation and business chamber to a ‘Round Table’ meeting to share submission concepts and materials; 8. Coordinates and shares submission concepts and materials with other flood-affected local government areas in our region; 9. Encourages and supports organisations engaged during and after the 2022 flood events to make their own submissions; 10. Encourages individuals, businesses and communities affected by the 2022 flood events to make their own submissions; 11. Requests the co-chairs of the NSW Flood Inquiry Professor Mary O’Kane AC and Michael Fuller APM to hold a community meeting for the Tweed / Byron area, to be hosted by Byron Shire Council in May 2022. 12. Encourages individuals, businesses and communities affected by the 2022 flood events to make their own submissions. (Dey/Lyon) |
The amendment was put to the vote and declared carried.
The amendment upon becoming the substantive motion was put to the vote and declared carried.
Ocean Shores Flooding and Drainage
Crs Ndiaye, Swivel, Pugh, and Lyon provided a delegates’ report on the community meeting regarding flooding and drainage held on Tuesday, 26 April, at the Ocean Shores Country Club.
Richmond Tweed Regional Library
Cr Pugh provided a delegates’ report on the Richmond Tweed Regional Library Committee meeting.
Rous County Council
Crs Ndiaye and Lyon gave a delegates’ report on the Rous County Council meeting.
Staff Reports - General Manager
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Procedural MotionS |
1. That pursuant to Section 10A(2)(a) of the Local Government Act, 1993, Council resolve into Confidential Session to discuss the following report, namely Review of Organisation Structure. 2. That
the reasons for closing the meeting to the public to consider this item be
that: 3. That on balance it is considered that receipt and discussion of the matter in open Council would be contrary to the public interest, as it involves the discussion of individuals. (Dey)
The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that Council move into Committee to allow for free debate. (Dey) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that the meeting move out of Committee. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that the meeting move out of confidential session. (Lyon/Dey) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
The meeting adjourned at 1.30pm for a lunch break and reconvened at 2.20pm.
Staff Reports - Corporate and Community Services
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Procedural MotionS |
1. That pursuant to Section 10A(2a) of the Local Government Act, 1993, Council resolve into Confidential Session to discuss the following report, namely Appointment of Community Representatives to the Housing and Affordability Advisory Committee.
2. That the reasons for closing the meeting to the public to consider this item be that it contains personnel matters concerning particular individuals (other than councillors)
3. That on balance it is considered that receipt and discussion of the matter in open Council would be contrary to the public interest, as it involves discussion about individual nominations. (Ndiaye)
The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that Council move into Committee to allow for free debate. (Ndiaye) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that Council move out of Committee and resume the Ordinary Meeting. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Resolved that the meeting move out of confidential session. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy
Staff Reports - Infrastructure Services
AMENDMENT
The amendment was put to the vote and declared carried.
Crs Hunter and Westheimer voted against the amendment.
The amendment upon becoming the substantive motion was put to the vote and declared carried.
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Question With Notice No. 15.1 Suffolk Park Caravan Park File No: I2022/282
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Cr Dey asks the following questions: 1. How many sites does the Suffolk Park Caravan Park contain and how many are set aside for permanent occupation? 2. In what management plan or similar are such things defined? 3. Does that plan recognise or distinguish between Operational and Community classified land within the Park and, if so, where is the boundary shown on a plan or map? 4. How may permanent sites are owned by Council itself? 5. Are there plans to re-purpose sites within the Park and, if so, when and how many sites? 6. Why, during a housing crisis, are there empty sites in the permanent resident section? 7. Is any of the land that the caravan parks occupies impacted by Native Title issues? Response Director Infrastructure Services: Answers to the questions posed are provided below. These responses need to be considered relative to the complex history around the long-term sites at Suffolk Beachfront Holiday Park. Current processes in play to address historic anomalies around the long-term sites also need to be noted. To legally accommodate long term residents within the Holiday Park Council in 2018 finalised an extensive statutory process to reclassify a section of the Holiday Park from community land to operational land. This was required because residential use and long-term licences conflicted with the previous community land classification under the Local Government Act 1993. Once reclassification was approved, Council in September 2018 resolved to endorse a project plan and communication strategy to transition current permanent residents to new site agreements and to ensure regulatory compliance. This plan is progressing well and is being worked through in close liaison with permanent residents. A presentation is currently planned to be tabled at the Strategic Planning Workshop in June outlining actions currently underway and potential opportunities around long-term sites within the legislative requirements. Question Responses: 1. The current approval to operate for the park provides for a total of 82 sites; of these there are 19 long-term sites, 12 short-term sites and 51 campsites (Attachment 1). 2. There is no adopted Plan of Management (POM) for this land. A draft POM had previously been prepared in 2012, but this process identified the legislative conflict around utilising community land for long term sites and triggered the required process to reclassify a section of the Holiday Park from community land to operational land. The LEP land zoning for Suffolk Beachfront Holiday Park outlines permitted uses for RE1 zoned (Public Recreation). The LEP amendment in 2018 was actioned by Council to legally allow long term residents to occupy their own dwellings at the park and have some secure long-term tenure. The ATO for the Suffolk Beachfront Holiday Park outlines the approved site allocations within the park according to the size and site requirements outlined in the legislation. The ATO is renewed based on general compliance with the Local Government (General) Regulation, Local Government (Manufactured Home Estates, Caravan Parks, Camping Grounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulation, and for Suffolk Park special conditions for long term sites Long-term sites are also governed by the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act and Residential (Land Lease) Communities Regulation. 3. The 2018 Byron LEP amendment (Attachment 2) distinguishes between the Operational & Community Land. Attachment 3 contains the survey map referenced within the Byron LEP Amendment, with the grey areas indicating re-classification of operational land. This plan also shows the surveyed boundary lines and associated encroachments onto Crown land. 4. All the sites within the park are owned by Council. 19 sites are designated for long term occupancy. The long-term sites within Suffolk Holiday Park are effectively a land lease community, whereby the owner/occupier of the home rents the site on which the home sits from the operator, which in this case is Council. . The home may be a manufactured home or a moveable dwelling such as a caravan. The dwelling owner pays site fees (rent) for the right to occupy the site and is responsible for all maintenance and upkeep of the home. 6. The approval to operate allows 19 long-term sites at the holiday park. Of the 19 designated long-term sites; · 14 sites have owner occupier dwellings · One site with a privately owned dwelling has a sublet tenant · One site with a Council owned dwelling that is tenanted · One site with a Council owned dwelling tenanted to a community organisation. · Two sites are currently vacant and are used for overflow tourist sites. Compliance issues with the long-term dwellings, including the size of individual sites and encroachments onto crown land are currently being addressed through an engagement process with the dwelling owners. Once these compliance issues and encroachments are rectified, opportunity will arise for all long-term sites to be fully tenanted by residents. 7. The encroachments onto Crown Land have Native Title implications. This Crown Land encroachment has impacted available options for a number of both long-term and short-term sites. The SPW presentation planned in June will provide options to resolve the encroachments within legislative constraints. |
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Question With Notice No. 15.2 Intersection of McGettigans Lane with Ewingsdale Road File No: I2022/351
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Cr Duncan Dey asks the following questions: 2. When was the last traffic count undertaken and does it identify school related traffic volumes? 3. Has an intersection upgrade project been on Council’s works program in previous years? 4. Would such an upgrade be funded by Council or by the State, or a combination? 5. Is progress of this matter held up by questions around expanding Ewingsdale Road to dual lanes?
Response Director Infrastructure Services: The proposed roundabout on MR545 Ewingsdale Road and McGettigans Lane is one part of a much bigger project that has been submitted to Infrastructure Australia. There are known capacity issues associated with Ewingsdale Road and the M1 interchange. Council has been working with Transport for NSW on this issue since 2019. Council had previously made an application to Infrastructure Australia to have the upgrading of Ewingsdale Road identified as a priority project for Australian Government funding, this application was unsuccessful. A second application was subsequently made to Infrastructure Australia by Council and Transport for NSW that included updated traffic modelling and a new financial model to demonstrate that the project was of national significance. The second application was successful with the project moving though the first gateway of the Infrastructure Australia process. Detail of the project can be found here: https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/map/m1-pacific-motorway-byron-bay-interchange-capacity The full application including of all the traffic and financial modelling was provided to the previous Council and can be made available on the hub if requested. The next step in the process is the completion of an options study. Stakeholder engagement will be a key part of the options study and is a requirement of the Infrastructure Australia guidelines. The Ewingsdale community will be key stakeholders in this process. This is a process that will involve all three levels of government. Traffic modelling undertaken to date indicates that a roundabout constructed in isolation may not be an appropriate solution to the larger capacity issue in the network. Council does not hold sufficient developer contributions for fund the roundabout at this point in time. MR545 is also part of an application to the Independent Panel assessing the handover of regional roads to Transport for NSW. The outcome of this process has yet to be finalized. If MR545 becomes a State road then the responsibility for the upgrades reverts to Transport for NSW. A briefing for Councillors on the Infrastructure Australia project will be scheduled for a future strategic planning workshop. To answer the specific questions: 1. Council had engaged a consultant to prepare a preliminary 2D high level concept plan for the dual lane upgrade of Ewningsdale Road from McGettigans Lane to the interchange. Part of this concept design was a roundabout of similar specifications to that constructed at Bayshore Drive. An excerpt from the plan set is shown below. 2. Full classifier counts that include volumes by vehicle classification, hourly volumes, and speed profiles was undertaken on Ewingsdale Road west of the Hospital roundabout from 30 October 2019 to 9 November 2019 and on MCGettigans Lane 150m south of the intersection from 31 July to 28 August 2019. Both of these counts were undertaken during school term. 3. The intersection upgrade is in Council’s developer contributions plan. The preliminary concept work had been funded from developer contributions. The construction is not in the 10 Year capital plan as it is currently unfunded. As has been outlined above, a roundabout at this intersection will not be constructed in isolation as it is part of a much larger project. 4. The application to Infrastructure Australia is to seek Australian Government funding. The total project will likely be funded by all three levels of government. A roundabout at this location cannot proceed without funding. There are currently no suitable grants schemes for a roundabout in this location. Council does not hold sufficient developer contributions to fund the roundabout. Securing Australian Government funding though the Infrastructure Australia process is currently the best option to progress these works. This does mean that the roundabout is tied to the upgrade of the M1 interchange and the dual lane upgrade of Ewingsdale Road from McGettigans to the interchange. |
URGENCY MOTIONS
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Procedural Motion |
Resolved that the matter of Responding to North Byron District flood and drainage be considered at the meeting as the meeting was held on 26 April and a timely recognition is required. (Pugh/Swivel) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
The Mayor declared the item urgent.
AMENDMENT
Moved:
1. That Council acknowledges the community meeting regarding flooding and drainage held on Tuesday 26th April at the Ocean Shore Country Club organised by the Ocean Shores Community Association and the important and urgent nature of many of the issues discussed.
2. That Council considers each of the 21 requests, or ‘NoMs’, discussed at the meeting and listed as an attachment to this motion, and provides formal responses, including on actions taken, or planned to be taken following the Ordinary Council meeting on June 22nd at the latest.
3. That at least one hour be put aside for the June 2 Strategic Planning Workshop to discuss this matter. (Dey/Ndiaye)
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Procedural Motion |
Resolved that Cr Ndiaye be granted a one minute extension to her speech. (Lyon) The motion was put to the vote and declared carried. |
The amendment (Dey/Ndiaye) was put to the vote and declared lost.
Crs Swivel, Hunter, Lyon, and Pugh voted against the amendment.
The motion (Pugh/Swivel) was put to the vote and declared carried.
There being no further business the meeting concluded at 4.53pm.
I hereby certify that these are the true and correct Minutes of this Meeting
as confirmed at Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 26 May 2022.
….…………………………
Mayor Michael Lyon
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Attachment: Matter of Urgency - Response to North Byron District Flood and Drainage
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Schedule of Works Needed for the North Byron District
Encompassing the Ocean Shores community with surrounding villages including Billinudgel, South Golden Beach, New Brighton, The Pocket, Yelgun and Wooyung. Representing 10,000
residents, approx 1/3 of Byron Shire population – we are on Ngarakbal Gidjabul People land
Job Category |
Job Description |
Motions/Suggested Actions |
Priority |
DRAINAGE |
Opening the Capricornia Canal outlet overflow to the ocean as the first step in mitigating flood risk in the Ocean Shores district and surrounding villages |
Motion #1 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor to open the Capricornia canal flood overflow to the ocean, as per the request sent to Council on 28/3/22 by the Ocean Shores Community Association – this needs to be done before the next flood which is predicted in 3 weeks time
Background: The Ocean Shores community is very well aware that Council responds immediately if the Belongil Creek outlet at Byron Bay is blocked and flooding, or Tallow Creek. Council quickly bulldozes an opening to the ocean. However, the requests to open the flood outlet to the ocean of the Capricornia Canal via Yelgun Creek are always refused. The 1973 flood engineers constructed the flood outflow for the Capricornia Canal to use the existing Yelgun Creek as the opening to the ocean. Yelgun Creek is similar to Belongil and Tallow except for the high level of vegetation undergrowth present in the Billinudgel nature reserve through which Yelgun Creek struggles to exist. It is also silted up very heavily, because it has been blocked since 1976 and cannot escape to the ocean to clean itself. Opening the Capricornia Canal flood overflow will also benefit Yelgun Creek. |
Emergency immediate
See footnotei |
Dredging canals |
Motion #2 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor to dredge all canals, waterways, drains and creeks in the North Byron district especially Marshalls Creek, Yelgun Creek & Billinudgel Creek |
Emergency immediate |
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Cleaning and fixing storm water pipes |
Motion #3 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor to clean and fix all storm water pipes |
Emergency immediate |
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Country Club Pump House, Lakes and Weirs |
Motion #4 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor to enforce the Country Club to fix the failing pump house, dredge the Country Club lakes and restore the weirs to original heights |
Emergency immediate |
Job Category |
Job Description |
Motions/Suggested Actions |
Priority |
DRAINAGE contd |
SGB Pump Redirection |
Motion #5 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor to redivert the two SGB pumps from the canal to the ocean |
Emergency immediate |
SGB Pump Upgrade |
Motion #6 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor to install the following for the two pumps at SGB:- automatic moisture detection, remote and/or automatic operation, higher positioned electrics on both pumps, continuous operation, a backup power source and a separate power supply to residential |
Emergency immediate |
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SGB & New Brighton drains |
Motion #7 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor to clean and repair the drains in front of houses in SGB and New Brighton and to connect these drains together so that they funnel storm water into the canals |
Emergency immediate |
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Byron - Tweed joint flood plan |
Motion #8 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor for Byron Council to approach Tweed Council to work with them again on updating the joint flood plan with a view to adding more storm outlets before flood waters reaches us |
Emergency immediate |
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Roundhouse |
Suggest Council divert the drainage from the roundhouse development into the golf course |
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New Brighton |
Suggest that Council add storm outlets to the New Brighton area to funnel storm water to the ocean |
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Removing Singapore Daisy weed |
Suggest that Council remove the Singapore Daisy weed from all waterways as it chokes and impedes the natural flow of water |
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SEWERAGE |
Sewer pipes replaced |
Suggest that Council clean, repair and replace the failing sewer pipes throughout the Ocean Shores district and surrounding villages |
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Septic man holes |
Suggest that Council stop the septic man-holes from routinely bubbling raw sewerage into residential gardens |
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Treated effluent running through the wetlands to the river |
Suggest that Council provide a detailed report showing the water quality throughout the wetlands |
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Removal of Tree roots from pipes |
Suggest that Council remove tree roots from sewer and storm pipes |
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Job Category |
Job Description |
Motions/Suggested Actions |
Priority |
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Tree removal |
Suggest that Council remove the trees which are choking storm pipes |
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Ocean Shores Sewerage treatment plant |
Suggest that Council does not close the ocean shores sewerage treatment plant |
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DAs |
Fast track DA’s for flooded houses |
Motion #9 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that Council fast track the processing of DA’s for flood affected houses |
Emergency immediate |
Increase Flood height levels |
Motion #10 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that Council increase the floor heights to reflect new flood levels when approving DA’s for Marshall’s Creek DCP area |
Emergency immediate |
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Building Materials unsuitable for flood prone areas |
Motion #11 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that Council review the building materials allowed to be used for DA’s in flood prone areas |
Emergency immediate |
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Drainage restrictions per household block |
Motion #12 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that Council restrict the % of a block which can be concreted as well as enforcing mandatory DA’s for drainage in concreted areas |
Emergency immediate |
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Roads |
Potholes and road surfacing |
Motion #13 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that Council acquire their own in- house pothole repair and roads surfacing teams
Background: Ballina Council do this successfully |
Emergency immediate |
Representation at Council |
Flood Committee |
Motion #14 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that Council add a representative to the Flood Committee for these areas – one rep per village of Ocean Shores, SGB and New Brighton as these all have varying drainage issues |
Emergency immediate |
Major Works Scheduling |
Motion #15 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that major works for the North Byron district be included in Council’s current capital works program |
Emergency immediate |
Job Category |
Job Description |
Motions/Suggested Actions |
Priority |
Representation at Council contd |
Ongoing Maintenance Scheduling |
Motion #16 Given that the North Byron district encompasses more than 1/3 of Byron Shire’s population and housing, we request a notice of motion from a Councillor that a minimum of 30% of all Byron Shire’s major works funding to be utilised in the Ocean Shores district and surrounding villages |
Emergency immediate |
Council Town Plan |
Motion #17 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor for Council to work with the community to develop a Town Plan for Ocean Shores district and surrounding villages, north of the Brunswick River |
Emergency immediate |
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Phase 3 of 1969 Planned Works |
Suggest that Council build a high school and complete the remaining civic works as outlined in the 1969 Phase 3 Schema of works |
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Opening the national parks |
Suggest that Council open the 1,000 hectares of nature reserves and allow these to be used recreationally by the community |
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Internet |
Starlink |
Motion #18 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor for Council to seek government funding to subsidise Starlink satellites across the community to help address the total Telco comms failures during major crises (1 per 2 households will be sufficient as coverage is broad) |
Emergency immediate |
Comms |
Vital comms for Council |
Suggest that Council consider alternative communications where SES and Telcos have failed. This could be a Council driven database containing the mobile numbers of all Byron Shire residents – this could be used to trigger vital SMS comms during an emergency regarding evacuation centres, disaster recovery centres and procedures such as emergency accommodation registration with Services NSW |
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Village alerts |
Suggest that Council consider other comms channels such as an old-school fog horn per village to alert of an imminent flood or tsunami |
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Job Category |
Job Description |
Motions/Suggested Actions |
Priority |
Power |
Battery hubs |
Suggest that Council seek funding to subsidise battery hubs for every few streets in each village |
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Backup power |
Suggest that Council seek funding for diesel generators per household |
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Insurance /Financial |
Suncorp |
Motion #19 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor that Council seek funding to subsidise flood insurance for residences with insurers such as Suncorp who have flood cover embedded as a mandatory basic inclusion (but are expensive) |
Emergency immediate |
Rental support |
Motion #20 We request a notice of motion from a Councillor for Council to seek a rental support payment higher than $7,200 for our region
Background: This $7,200 is funded by the NSW Dept of the Premier and the Cabinet and is based on the average weekly rent in Australia of $450 per week – this is does not cover rent in our very expensive shire, the most expensive rent in Australia, more than Sydney. Byron Shire house rental average $1,000-$1,400 per week |
Emergency immediate |
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Education |
Education is needed |
Suggest that Council engage a flood emergency evacuation plan for all residents with periodic practice drills |
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i See https://www.facebook.com/groups/byronbay/permalink/5266118756752780