Moved by Councillor Forster, seconded by Councillor Chung -
It is resolved that:
(A) Council note:
(i) it was recently reported in the media that the New Year's Eve Party held in the Dawes Point viewing area has been cancelled after the Lord Mayor bowed to protests about the high costs associated with the event ($621,500);
(ii) the party in the Dawes Point viewing area had been hosted by the City of Sydney annually since 1996 for guests of the sponsors and agencies who support the City of Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations; and
(iii) in May 2017, the Lord Mayor cancelled The Lord Mayor's New Year's Eve Party, held at the Sydney Opera House, and announced that the funding for the party would be reallocated to non-specific projects aligned with the Environmental Action Strategy 2016-2021; and
(B) the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i) reallocate the $621,500 from the 2018-19 budget that would have been spent on the New Year’s Eve party in the Dawes Point viewing area to the creation of additional Public Space Liaison Officer roles, with a view to providing additional outreach and support assistance to people sleeping rough in the City of Sydney local government area; and
(ii) allocate the same amount of annual funding, reflecting CPI increases, for additional Public Space Liaison Officer roles over the ten years of the Corporate Plan.
Amendment. Moved by Councillor Scully, seconded by Councillor Thalis –
It is resolved that Council note:
(A) The approved budget for 2018/19 of $586,690 for the Dawes Point New Year’s Eve event has been reallocated as follows:
(i) $93,000 towards an increase in the Picnic catering, due to a new supplier;
(ii) $60,000 towards a new Christmas concert in Green Square;
(iii) $218,226 towards the installation, dismantling and maintenance of new Christmas trees and decorations;
(iv) $139,000 towards the cost of Bridge projections, based at Dawes Point (which had previously been included in the Dawes Point event budget;
(v) $45,000 towards an extension of the NYE Accessibility Officer and additional production requirements;
(vi) $31,464 to provide for potential increased crowd management and security costs;
(B) the City of Sydney’s Homelessness Unit has three full time equivalent Public Space Liaison Officer positions which, between them, provide a seven day per week service; and
(C) a grant agreement has been finalised with NSW Family and Community Services to fund additional specialist homelessness services in the inner city that contribute to reducing the risk of, and breaking the cycle of homelessness, with $1.2 million being provided in 2018-19, comprising:
(iii) $700,000 to Neami to deliver assertive outreach services supporting people from street to home along with post crisis support once people have been housed;
(iv) $300,000 to Launchpad to coordinate flexible brokerage funds and shared case management to prevent young people from becoming homeless and support those who are homeless to access safe and secure accommodation;
(v) $100,000 to lnnari Housing Inc; and
(vi) $100,000 to ACHRCS (Aboriginal Corporation for Homelessness and Rehabilitation Community Services) to deliver Aboriginal Specific outreach services.
Foreshadowed motion. Councillor Forster foreshadowed that, should the amendment moved by Councillor Scully be lost, she would move an alternative amendment.
The amendment was carried on the following show of hands –
Ayes (7) The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Kok, Miller, Phelps, Scott, Scully, Thalis
Noes (3) Councillors Chung, Forster and Vithoulkas.
Amendment carried.
The substantive motion was carried unanimously.
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