Issue - decisions

Memorandum by the Chief Executive Officer

To Council:

In accordance with the provisions of section 360 of the Local Government Act 1993, the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 and clause 18.2 of the City of Sydney Code of Meeting Practice (the Code), the council may establish such committees as it considers necessary.

In 2019, Council resolved to adopt meeting times, functions, policies and procedures of the following Committees and Sub-Committees:

·                Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee, inclusive of the Economic Development and Business Sub-Committee, commencing at 2.00pm.

·                Environment Committee, commencing at the conclusion of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee.

·                Cultural and Community Committee, comprising two Sub-Committees: the Cultural and Creative Sub-Committee and the Healthy Communities Sub-Committee, meeting consecutively at the conclusion of the Environment Committee.

·                Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee, commencing at the conclusion of the Cultural and Community Committee.

The administrative arrangements associated with Council’s Committees and Sub-Committees are detailed in the 'Functions, Delegations, Policies and Procedures of Council Committees' (refer Attachment A). No amendments are proposed to these documents.

Election of Deputy Chairpersons

Council may elect a Deputy Chairperson of each Committee and Sub-Committee and, if the Lord Mayor does not wish to be the Chairperson of any Committee, elect the Chairperson of each such Committee and Sub-Committee (clauses 18.15 and 18.16 of the Code).

Previously, the Council has chosen to hold a separate election for each of the Deputy Chairperson positions. Elections were conducted by open, exhaustive voting (that is, by a show of hands or similar means for candidates duly nominated).

At the Council meeting of 9 September 2019, Council elected Deputy Chairpersons for each of Council’s Committees and Sub-Committees for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council, with the Lord Mayor chairing all Committees.

Postponement of Local Government Elections

In March 2020, the Minister for Local Government announced that the September 2020 local government elections would be postponed to address the risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Local Government Act 1993 has been amended to confer on the Minister, a time-limited power to postpone council elections.

The official Order under the Local Government Act 1993 deferring the local government election from 12 September 2020 for twelve months was made on 12 June 2020. The NSW Government has announced that the local government elections will be held on 4 September 2021.

Accordingly, given the postponement of the local government election, it is appropriate that Council declare the offices of Deputy Chairperson vacant to enable it to elect a Deputy Chairperson for each of the following Committees and Sub-Committees for the new term of office commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council, currently scheduled to be held in September 2021.

(1)        Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee;

(2)        Economic Development and Business Sub-Committee;

(3)        Environment Committee;

(4)        Cultural and Creative Sub-Committee;

(5)        Healthy Communities Sub-Committee; and

(6)        Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee.

Recommendation

It is resolved that:

(A)      the Functions, Delegations, Policies and Procedures of Council Committees, as shown at Attachment A to the subject Memorandum, be endorsed and adopted;

(B)      Council declare the offices of Deputy Chairperson of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee, Environment Committee and Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee vacant effective immediately;

(C)      Council elect the Deputy Chairpersons of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee, Environment Committee and Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee for a term commencing immediately following the election and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(D)      Council declare the offices of Deputy Chairperson of the Sub-Committees of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee and Cultural and Community Committee vacant effective immediately;

(E)      Council elect the Deputy Chairpersons of the Sub-Committees of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee and Cultural and Community Committee for a term commencing immediately following the election and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(F)      if the Lord Mayor does not wish to be the Chairperson of any Committee, Council elect the Chairperson of each such Committee for a term effective immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(G)      the method of voting be open, exhaustive voting; and

(H)      the Chief Executive Officer conduct the election forthwith.

MONICA BARONE

Chief Executive Officer

Attachments

Attachment A.           Functions, Delegations, Policies and Procedures of Council Committees

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

It is resolved that:

(A)      the Functions, Delegations, Policies and Procedures of Council Committees, as shown at Attachment A to the subject Memorandum, be endorsed and adopted;

(B)      Council declare the offices of Deputy Chairperson of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee, Environment Committee and Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee vacant effective immediately;

(C)      Council elect the Deputy Chairpersons of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee, Environment Committee and Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee for a term commencing immediately following the election and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(D)      Council declare the offices of Deputy Chairperson of the Sub-Committees of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee and Cultural and Community Committee vacant effective immediately;

(E)      Council elect the Deputy Chairpersons of the Sub-Committees of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee and Cultural and Community Committee for a term commencing immediately following the election and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(F)      if the Lord Mayor does not wish to be the Chairperson of any Committee, Council elect the Chairperson of each such Committee for a term effective immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(G)      the method of voting be open, exhaustive voting; and

(H)      the Chief Executive Officer conduct the election forthwith.

Carried unanimously.

The Chair (the Lord Mayor), in accordance with clause (F) of the resolution, confirmed that she wished to be the Chair of all Committees.

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

The Council Business Coordinator invited nominations from Councillors for the positions of Deputy Chairs of Committees and Sub-Committees.

Nominations were made and accepted as follows. Elections were conducted, in alphabetical order, with the results as follows –

(1)       Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee

Two nominations for the Deputy Chairperson were received, as follows –

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

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

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

An election for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee was then conducted and resulted as follows –

Councillor Phelps – 4 votes

Councillor Scully – 6 votes

The Council Business Coordinator then declared Councillor Scully duly elected to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Corporate, Finance, Properties and Tenders Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council;

(2)       Economic Development and Business Sub-Committee.

Two nominations for the Deputy Chairperson were received, as follows –

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

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

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

An election for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Economic Development and Business Sub-Committee was then conducted and resulted as follows –

Councillor Kok – 6 votes

Councillor Vithoulkas – 4 votes

The Council Business Coordinator then declared Councillor Kok duly elected to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Economic Development and Business Sub-Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council.

(3)       Environment Committee

Two nominations for the Deputy Chairperson were received, as follows -

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

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

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

An election for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Environment Committee was then conducted and resulted as follows –

Councillor Miller – 6 votes

Councillor Vithoulkas – 4 votes

The Council Business Coordinator then declared Councillor Miller duly elected to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Environment Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council.

(4)       Cultural and Creative Sub-Committee

Two nominations for the Deputy Chairperson were received, as follows –

Councillor Craig Chung (nominated by Councillor Forster, seconded by Councillor Vithoulkas)

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

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

An election for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Cultural and Creative Sub-Committee was then conducted and resulted as follows –

Councillor Chung – 4 votes

Councillor Kok – 6 votes

The Council Business Coordinator then declared Councillor Kok duly elected to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Cultural and Creative Sub-Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council. 

(5)       Healthy Communities Sub-Committee

Two nominations for the Deputy Chairperson were received, as follows -

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

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

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

An election for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Healthy Communities Sub-Committee was then conducted and resulted as follows –

Councillor Phelps – 4 votes

Councillor Scott – 6 votes

The Council Business Coordinator then declared Councillor Scott duly elected to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Healthy Communities Sub-Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council.

(6)       Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee

Two nominations for the Deputy Chairperson were received, as follows –

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

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

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

An election for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee was then conducted and resulted as follows -

Councillor Forster – 4 votes

Councillor Thalis – 6 votes

The Council Business Coordinator then declared Councillor Thalis duly elected to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Transport, Heritage and Planning Committee for a term commencing immediately and ending on the day appointed for the next ordinary election of Council.

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