Decision details

File No: S062388

Memorandum by the Chief Executive Officer

To Council:

The Central Sydney Planning Committee (CSPC) is constituted by the City of Sydney Act 1988 (the Act).

Section 34(1) of the Act provides that the Committee shall consist of seven members:

(a)        the Lord Mayor of Sydney;

(b)        two councillors of the City of Sydney elected by the City Council; and

(c)         four persons (two of whom are senior State government employees and two of whom are not State or local government employees) appointed by the Minister administering Part 4 of the Planning Act, each having expertise in at least one of architecture, building, civic design, construction, engineering, transport, tourism, the arts, planning or heritage.

The persons currently appointed by the Minister pursuant to clause (c) are Mr Peter Poulet, Mr Gary White, the Hon. Robert Webster, and Ms Gabrielle Trainor (resigned from the Central Sydney Planning Committee on 31 January 2019). The term of office of all State appointed members and alternate members of the Central Sydney Planning Committee will expires on 30 September 2019. The Lord Mayor has written to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces seeking advice on the appointment of members and their alternates.

Previously, the Council has chosen to hold a separate election for each of the two Council-elected members; the elections were by open, exhaustive voting (that is, by a show of hands or similar means for candidates duly nominated).

At the Council meeting of 17 September 2018, Council elected Councillors Philip Thalis and Jess Scully to the two positions on the Central Sydney Planning Committee, effective immediately until 30 September 2019.

The Act provides that Council may appoint an alternate for each of the elected members. At the Council meeting of 17 September 2018, Council appointed Councillor Robert Kok as alternate to Councillor Thalis and Councillor Linda Scott as alternate to Councillor Scully until 30 September 2019.

As elections are scheduled to be held in September 2020, it is recommended that Councillors be elected to the Central Sydney Planning Committee for the new term of office commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council.

Recommendation

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council elect two Councillors to be members of the Central Sydney Planning Committee effective immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(B)        the method of voting be open, exhaustive voting;

(C)       the Chief Executive Officer conduct the election forthwith; and

(D)       Council appoint alternates for each member elected.

MONICA BARONE

Chief Executive Officer

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

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council elect two Councillors to be members of the Central Sydney Planning Committee effective immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(B)        the method of voting be open, exhaustive voting;

(C)       the Chief Executive Officer conduct the election forthwith; and

(D)       Council appoint alternates for each member elected.

Carried unanimously.

At this stage of the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer, as Returning Officer, called upon the Council Business Co-ordinator to assist with the conduct of the ballot.

The Council Business Co-ordinator invited nominations from Councillors for the first position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee.

The Council Business Co-ordinator announced that two nominations had been received, namely –

Councillor Christine Forster (nominated by Councillor Phelps, seconded by Councillor Vithoulkas)

Councillor Philip Thalis (nominated by Councillor Scully, seconded by Councillor Miller)

Councillors Forster and Thalis in turn indicated acceptance of their nominations.

An election for the office of the first position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee was then conducted, in alphabetical order, and resulted as follows –

Councillor Forster – 3 votes

Councillor Thalis – 6 votes

The Council Business Co-ordinator then declared Councillor Thalis duly elected to the first position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council.

The Council Business Co-ordinator invited nominations from Councillors for the second position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee.

The Council Business Co-ordinator announced that two nominations had been received, namely –

Councillor Kerryn Phelps (nominated by Councillor Vithoulkas, seconded by Councillor Forster)

Councillor Jess Scully (nominated by Councillor Thalis, seconded by Councillor Kok)

Councillors Phelps and Scully in turn indicated acceptance of their nominations.

An election for the office of the second position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee was then conducted, in alphabetical order, and resulted as follows –

Councillor Phelps – 3 votes

Councillor Scully – 6 votes

The Council Business Co-ordinator then declared Councillor Scully duly elected to the second position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day apopinted for the next ordinary election of Council.

The Council Business Co-ordinator invited nominations from Councillors for the first alternate position (to Councillor Thalis) on the Central Sydney Planning Committee.

The Council Business Co-ordinator announced that two nominations had been received, namely –

Councillor Christine Forster (nominated by Councillor Phelps, seconded by Councillor Vithoulkas)

Councillor Robert Kok (nominated by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Thalis)

Councillors Forster and Kok in turn indicated acceptance of their nominations.

An election for the office of the first alternate position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee was then conducted, in alphabetical order, and resulted as follows –

Councillor Kok – 6 votes

Councillor Forster – 3 votes

The Council Business Co-ordinator then declared Councillor Kok duly elected to the first alternate position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day apopinted for the next ordinary election of Council.

The Council Business Co-ordinator invited nominations from Councillors for the second alternate position (to Councillor Scully) on the Central Sydney Planning Committee.

The Council Business Co-ordinator announced that two nominations had been received, namely –

Councillor Linda Scott (nominated by Councillor Scully, seconded by Councillor Thalis)

Councillor Angela Vithoulkas (nominated by Councillor Forster, seconded by Councillor Phelps)

Councillors Scott and Vithoulkas in turn indicated acceptance of their nominations.

An election for the office of the second alternate position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee was then conducted, in alphabetical order, and resulted as follows –

Councillor Scott – 6 votes

Councillor Vithoulkas – 3 votes

The Council Business Co-ordinator then declared Councillor Scott duly elected to the second alternate position on the Central Sydney Planning Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day apopinted for the next ordinary election of Council.