Decision details

Minute by the Lord Mayor

To Council:

The City of Sydney responded quickly to the impacts of the coronavirus epidemic, acting on the direction and advice of the Commonwealth and State governments.

We responded to the initial shock, protecting the community and staff from risk, by closing and adjusting facilities and services - and moving 1500 staff to working from home arrangements.  We have maintained critical services to our community, and expanded others such as homelessness and meals on wheels. And we released our first support package to address urgent business and community needs.  Our second support package provided a targeted grants program which will provide support to small businesses, cultural groups and artists, and community services – amongst other initiatives. These response packages worth $72.5 million have been welcomed by business and the community. 

It is a credit to the people of Australia that we have made a strong response to contain and suppress the pandemic, centred on the evidence and advice provided by our health experts and action by governments. While we have had considerable success, there is a still a long way to go before our lives can return to normal.

I believe that it is now time for the City to start work on planning for the recovery from Covid-19.  Our first priority is to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the organisation, to enable us to continue to provide the critical services our community needs.

I propose that the Chief Executive Officer develops a comprehensive City Recovery Plan for Council to consider that covers how our organisation will operate (including how we manage the reopening or adaptation of our facilities and services), how we will support our businesses and community to recover and, given the impact on our City budget, how the City will manage the financial recovery for Council over the next three years to ensure our Long Term Financial Plan is sustainable.

While there is still a lot of uncertainty about the future, developing a plan for recovery is important to build trust and confidence. This plan must be informed by health advice from State and Federal government, and be guided by principles which are consistent with Sustainable Sydney 2030 including inclusive and equitable social and economic sustainability, underpinned by environmental sustainability, and the critical contribution of artists and the creative sector to recovering a strong society. The plan should also address how Council considers and develops Sustainable Sydney 2050 in light of the pandemic.

I note that the NSW Government has established a new agency, Resilience NSW, which commenced work on 1 May 2020. The City has been working with all levels of government, with business and the community throughout these crises. The development of this plan must be undertaken in collaboration and consultation with Resilience NSW to be complementary with State plans and initiatives.

COUNCILLOR CLOVER MOORE

Lord Mayor

Note – at the meeting of Council, the content of the minute was varied by the Chair (the Lord Mayor). Subsequently it was –

Moved by the Chair (the Lord Mayor), seconded by Councillor Scully –

It is resolved that:

(A)        the Chief Executive Officer be requested to prepare a City Recovery Plan to present to Council at the June Council meeting, which includes:

(i)          a financial recovery plan;

(ii)         an organisational recovery plan; and

(iii)        a community and economic recovery plan.

(B)        the development of the City Recovery Plan is informed by consultation with businesses and the community.

Carried unanimously.

S051491