Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scully, seconded by Councillor Thalis –

It is resolved that Council:

(A)        endorse the suite of Integrated Planning and Reporting documents for public exhibition for a period of 28 days, including:

(i)          the draft Operational Plan 2020/21 as shown at Attachment A to the subject report; and

(ii)         the draft Resourcing Strategy 2020 as shown as Attachment B to the subject report;

(B)        endorse the draft Operating and Capital Budget, and future years' forward estimates, as reflected in the draft Operational Plan 2020/21 and draft Resourcing Strategy 2020 including:

(i)          operating income of $592.0M, operating expenditure before depreciation of $514.3M for an Operating Surplus of $77.7M, and a Net Surplus of $2.6M after allowing for interest, depreciation and capital contributions;

(ii)         Capital Works expenditure of $234.2M;

(iii)        a capital contingency of $5.0M;

(iv)       Plant and Assets net expenditure of $11.5M;

(v)         Information Technology Capital Works of $14.6M; and

(vi)       Net Property Acquisitions of $121.4M; and

(C)       endorse the proposed Rating Structure and Domestic Waste Management Charges, Stormwater Charges and User Fees and Charges discussed within the subject report and included within the draft Operational Plan 2020/21.

Amendment. Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Forster –

That the motion be amended to include an additional clause (D), to read as follows –

(D)       the Chief Executive Officer be requested to seek community feedback during the public exhibition of the draft Operating and Capital Budget, specifically regarding:

(i)          the City borrowing money to ensure we continue to invest in infrastructure; and

(ii)         which of the possible future City infrastructure projects, identified in City policies and plans, or forecast in future City budgets, should be prioritised for completion in 2020/21.

The amendment was lost on the following show of hands –

Ayes (2)          Councillors Forster and Scott

Noes (8)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillor Chung, Kok, Miller, Phelps, Scully, Thalis and Vithoulkas.

Amendment. Moved by Councillor Phelps, seconded by Councillor Vithoulkas –

That the motion be amended to read as follows –

It is resolved that Council:

(A)        endorse the suite of Integrated Planning and Reporting documents for public exhibition for a period of 28 days, including:

(i)          the draft Operational Plan 2020/21 as shown at Attachment A to the subject report; and

(ii)         the draft Resourcing Strategy 2020 as shown as Attachment B to the subject report;

(iii)        but excluding the budget for the Office of the Lord Mayor pending an independent review;

(B)        not endorse the budget of $3.8M assigned to the Office of the Lord Mayor 2020/21, nor the forward estimates totalling $15.9M over the next four years, as proposed in the draft Operational Plan 2020/21 and draft Resourcing Strategy 2020;

(C)       direct the Chief Executive Officer to engage an external auditor to conduct an independent review of the effectiveness and transparency of the Councillors’ Expenses and Facilities Policy as applied to the Office of the Lord Mayor, including but not limited to:

(i)          an itemised account of the budget and all expenses attributed to the Office of the Lord Mayor;

(iii)        a review of the staffing requirements, benchmarked against other major cities in Australia;

(iv)       an investigation of the suitability of the placement of the City of Sydney’s Protocol Office by the Office of the Lord Mayor; and

(v)         suggestions for a reduction of the Lord Mayor’s Expense and Facility policy in view of Council’s budget restraints related to the current economic crisis;

(D)       direct the Chief Executive Officer to report the findings of the independent, external review to the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee and to Council;

(E)        endorse the remainder of the draft Operating and Capital Budget, and future years' forward estimates, as reflected in the draft Operational Plan 2020/21 and draft Resourcing Strategy 2020 including:

(i)          operating income of $592.0M, operating expenditure before depreciation of $514.3M for an Operating Surplus of $77.7M, and a Net Surplus of $2.6M after allowing for interest, depreciation and capital contributions;

(ii)         Capital Works expenditure of $234.2M;

(iii)        a capital contingency of $5.0M;

(iv)       Plant and Assets net expenditure of $11.5M;

(v)         Information Technology Capital Works of $14.6M; and

(vi)       Net Property Acquisitions of $121.4M; and

(F)        endorse the proposed Rating Structure and Domestic Waste Management Charges, Stormwater Charges and User Fees and Charges discussed within the subject report and included within the draft Operational Plan 2020/21.

The amendment was lost on the following show of hands –

Ayes (3)               Councillors Chung, Forster and Phelps

Noes (7)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Kok, Miller, Scott, Scully, Thalis and Vithoulkas.

Amendment lost.

The substantive motion was carried unanimously.

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