ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE HUME CITY COUNCIL … · Council (Town Planning) Meeting of 28 September 2015, including Confidential Minutes, be confirmed. 6. RECEIPT OF COUNCIL

ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE HUME CITY COUNCIL

MONDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2015

7.00 PM

COUNCIL CHAMBER, HUME GLOBAL LEARNING CENTRE, BROADMEADOWS

OOUURR VVIISSIIOONN::

Hume City Council will be recognised as a leader in achieving social, environmental and economic outcomes with a common goal of connecting our proud community and celebrating the diversity of Hume.

Hume City Council Page 1

HUME CITY COUNCIL

Notice of an ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE HUME CITY COUNCIL to be held on Monday, 12 October 2015 at 7.00 PM at the Council Chamber, Hume Global Learning Centre, Broadmeadows

To: a: Council Cr Adem Atmaca

Cr Alan Bolton Cr Chandra Bamunusinghe Cr Casey Nunn Cr Vic Dougall Cr Helen Patsikatheodorou Cr Geoff Porter Cr Drew Jessop Cr Jack Medcraft Cr Jack Ogilvie Cr Ann Potter

Mayor Deputy Mayor

b: Officers

Mr Domenic Isola Mr David Fricke Mr Daryl Whitfort Ms Margarita Caddick Mr Kelvin Walsh Ms Kylie Ezzy

Chief Executive Officer Acting Director City Infrastructure Director City Governance and Information Director City Communities Director City Sustainability Director Organisation and Community Learning

ORDER OF BUSINESS

1. PRAYER

Hume City’s religious diversity strengthens and enriches community life and supports the well-being of the citizens of Hume City. Hume City Council acknowledges the importance of spiritual life and the leadership offered by the Hume City Inter Faith Leaders Network. In recognition of the religious diversity of residents in Hume City, Council has invited the Inter Faith Leaders Network to take responsibility for the opening prayer at Council meetings. This evening’s prayer will be led by by Rev. Peter Weeks of St Thomas’ Uniting Church, Craigieburn.

Creator God, author of abundant and eternal life, we give you thanks for the wonder and beauty of this earth, and all that lives upon it in interdependence.

We give thanks for the love and grace and mercy that is expressed through the lives of men and women in every age, and made known to us in ordinary, vulnerable and precious relationships in which we live day by day.

May love, grace and mercy be the trademarks of all our dealings with one another: within families and between neighbours; within the workplace and between companies; within institutions and between departments; within the community and between cultures.

May God bless with love, grace and mercy the Councillors this night as they make decisions of governance; the Council Officers and Staff as they work to serve this city and all its citizens, that they may live in peace and security and joy.

In the name of Christ,

Amen

12 OCTOBER 2015 NOTICE OF MEETING ORDINARY COUNCIL


2. APOLOGIES

At the Council Meeting on 27 July 2015, Cr Jack Ogilvie was approved a Leave of Absence from Council for the period 10 August 2015 to 23 October 2015 (inclusive).

3. DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST

Councillors' attention is drawn to the provisions of the Local Government Act 1989 in relation to the disclosure of conflicts of interests. Councillors are required to disclose any conflict of interest immediately before consideration or discussion of the relevant item. Councillors are then required to leave the Chamber during discussion and not vote on the relevant item.

4. ASSEMBLIES OF COUNCIL

In accordance with section 80A(2) of the Local Government Act 1989, Council is required to report, as soon as practicable, to an Ordinary Meeting of Council, a record of any assemblies of Councillors held. There are no records of assemblies to report on this section of the Agenda.

5. CONFIRMATION OF COUNCIL MINUTES

Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting of 14 September 2015 and Ordinary Council (Town Planning) Meeting of 28 September 2015, including Confidential Minutes. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting of 14 September 2015 and Ordinary Council (Town Planning) Meeting of 28 September 2015, including Confidential Minutes, be confirmed.

6. RECEIPT OF COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY COMMITTEE MINUTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL TO BE ADOPTED

Nil

7. PRESENTATION OF AWARDS

7.1 Resident of the Month – David Puddefoot

8. NOTICES OF MOTION

Nil

9. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME



10. OFFICER’S REPORTS

The Mayor will ask the Councillors and gallery at the commencement of this section, which reports they wish to speak to. These reports will then be discussed in the order they appear on the notice paper. Reports not called will be dealt with in a block resolution at the end. Item No Title Page

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

ED009 2016 Hume and Aileu Education Scholarship Program ................................... 5 ED010 6th Session of China (Linyi) International Trade and Logistics Fair

("CLITLE") - Linye City, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China - 18 - 20 October 2015 ............................................................................. 10

HEALTHY AND SAFE

HE024 Draft Sports Aid Grant Review 2015 ................................................................. 12 HE025 Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy .................................................. 22

CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

CC018 Emergency Response and Recovery Planning in Hume City ........................ 36

GOVERNANCE AND ENGAGEMENT

GE085 2014/2015 Grants Announcements .................................................................. 43

11. PETITIONS AND JOINT LETTERS

PJL254 Petition objecting to Planning Permit application P18942 for the development of 3 dwellings at 11 Bateman Street, Attwood

A petition has been received containing 46 signatures, objecting to Planning Permit application P18942 for the development of 3 dwellings at 11 Bateman Street, Attwood.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Petition be received, circulated to Councillors, and the first named signatory of the Petition be advised that the matter has been referred to the Manager Statutory Planning for consideration in the assessment of planning permit application P18942.

12. DEPUTATIONS

13. URGENT BUSINESS

14. DELEGATES REPORTS

15. GENERAL BUSINESS



16. CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS

The Meeting may be closed to members of the public to consider confidential matters.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Council close the meeting to the public pursuant to Section 89(2) (sub sections as listed), of the Local Government Act 1989 to consider the following items, which are confidential for the reasons indicated:

Report No. Title Reason for Confidential

COGE42 Assembly of Councillors (h) any other matter which the Council or special committee considers would prejudice the Council or any person

COGE43 Personnel Matter (d) contractual matters

17. CLOSURE OF MEETING

DOMENIC ISOLA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 8/10/2015

REPORTS – EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL


REPORT NO: ED009

REPORT TITLE: 2016 Hume and Aileu Education Scholarship Program

SOURCE: Romany Amarasingham, Coordinator Community Capacity Building - Southern; Christine Newman, Community Grants Officer

DIVISION: City Communities

FILE NO: HCC14/69

POLICY: -

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: 1.1 Support and enhance skill development and educational opportunities to reduce disadvantage, improve employment prospects and quality of life.

ATTACHMENT: 1. 2016 Hume and Aileu Education Scholarship Program

1. SUMMARY OF REPORT:

This report details the proposed recipients of the 2016 Education Scholarships as nominated by each Primary School in Hume City. The report also recommends a contribution to the Aileu Friendship City 2016 Education Scholarship Program.

2. RECOMMENDATION:

That Council:

2.1 awards a 2016 Education Scholarship to each of the students named in Attachment 1, in recognition of their demonstration of good citizenship and high scholastic achievements throughout their primary education.

2.2 authorises the payment of the Council contribution of $3,600 under the 2016 Aileu Friendship Education Scholarship Program to Moreland City Council. The Scholarship monies are to be distributed to secondary students in the District of Aileu, East Timor in recognition of their demonstration of good citizenship and high scholastic achievements.

3. LEGISLATIVE POWERS:

Provision for the scholarships is within Council’s powers under the Local Government Act 1989.

4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

Provision has been made within the 2015/2016 budget to enable the 2016 Hume Education Scholarship Program to be implemented. $47,000 is available for distribution to students attending schools in Hume City, which includes a new school, Jacana School for Autism, and $3,600 for distribution to students attending schools in Aileu.

5. CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS APPLICATION:

5.1 Hume City’s Education and Aileu Scholarship Program typifies Council’s commitment to Social Justice supporting the principles of equitable access and inclusion to learning opportunities and participation in education.

5.1.1 The Education Scholarships are designed to assist local families with expenses associated in the transition from primary to secondary education.

5.1.2 The Friends of Aileu Scholarship Program enables Council to support young people from our Friendship City to continue their education.


REPORT NO: ED009 (cont.)


6. COMMUNITY CONSULTATION:

Hume City Education Scholarship Program

6.1 Hume City Primary Schools were consulted regarding the scheduling of the Presentation ceremony. The proposed ceremony date of 25 November 2015 has unanimous approval from the local representative sample of both State and Independent Primary Schools.

7. DISCUSSION:

7.1 Since its establishment in 1999, the year six student Education Scholarship Program has become a feature of the Council calendar. Over a period of 15 years the Council has awarded a total of 721 Scholarships equating to $383,500. The Scholarships highlight Council’s commitment to improving learning outcomes and education completion rates, as outlined in Council’s Learning Together 2030 Strategy.

7.2 Primary schools are requested to nominate a recipient of a Scholarship with consideration of the following criteria:

(a) Demonstration of good qualities of citizenship;

(b) Requires financial support in the transition from primary to secondary education;

(c) Has a record of progress in all areas of the school curriculum; and

(d) Is a current resident of Hume City.

7.3 47 Schools including primary and special development schools in Hume City were invited to nominate a candidate for the 2016 Education Scholarship Program. Students who best satisfied the selection criteria were nominated by their respective schools and are detailed in Attachment 1.

7.4 All of the 47 primary schools within Hume City have nominated one student to receive a scholarship. Scholarship funds will be paid to the secondary school nominated by the recipient as the school they will attend in 2016. The secondary school will administer the Scholarship on Council’s behalf.

Aileu Friendship Education Scholarship Program

7.5 In support of the Aileu Friendship Agreement, Council created an Education Fund for secondary students in the Aileu District of East Timor in 2004.

7.6 Reviewed by Council in 2010, $3,600 was awarded by Council under the 2014 Education Program, allowing for the grant of 30 Aileu Friendship Scholarships. In accordance with the review, Council further endorsed the continuation of the Scholarship Program and determined that the value of each scholarship be no greater than 150 per cent of locally based Timor Leste education scholarship programs or approximately $US120. Given the relative strength of the Australian dollar and its buying power in Timor Leste, this measure allows the scholarships to be both of a scale that ensures they are of a great enough value to provide real and meaningful support to students whilst also ensuring that they are not inappropriately large.

7.7 The Aileu District Administration manages the Scholarships on behalf of Council and is requested to nominate students who demonstrate:

(a) Good qualities of citizenship;

(b) Need for support;

(c) A good record of progress in all areas of the school’s curriculum;

(d) Long-term residency within the Aileu District; and

(e) Agree to return to work within Aileu on completion of their studies for a specified period.




7.8 The Timor-Leste Government decided that from 2013, the East Timor school year will revert back to the arrangement which was in place some years ago, and will run from October/November to July/August. Given that the 2015 school year is still underway, it has not been possible for the local authorities to process the nominations for the 2016 scholarships at this time. A report will be brought before Council in February, 2016, presenting recommendations for the Education Scholarship Program in Aileu, including listing of the 2016 nominees.

8. CONCLUSION:

The Hume City Council’s Education Scholarships for year six students are examples of Council’s continued effort to advance social, environmental and economic outcomes. By enhancing learning opportunities within Hume City, Council’s Hume and Aileu Friendship Education Programs not only embrace Hume City’s responsibilities as part of the global community but significantly benefit our local Hume Communities.

REPORTS – EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 1 - 2016 Hume and Aileu Education Scholarship Program


2016 Hume and Aileu Education Scholarship Program

STUDENT NAME NOMINATING SCHOOL AMOUNT 1 Tahlia Plant Aitken College

$1,000

2 Niklesh Sharma Aitken Creek Primary School $1,000

3 Abdullah Tiba Bethal Primary School $1,000

4 Monique Rayson Broadmeadows Primary School $1,000

5 Jorjah-Jade Macarcio

Broadmeadows Special Developmental School

$1,000

6 Amber Rose Broadmeadows Valley Primary School $1,000

7 Maryan Dawood Campbellfield Heights Primary School $1,000

8 Ammar Abdo Coolaroo South Primary School $1,000

9 Juel Tanuvasa Craigieburn Primary School $1,000

10 Madison Stanfield Craigieburn South Primary School $1,000

11 Hamd iMohamud Dallas Brooks Primary School $1,000

12 Shaida Rich Gladstone Park Primary School $1,000

13 Izel Kursat Gladstone Views Primary School $1,000

14 Ramiz Kalyana Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School $1,000

15 Alicia Robinson Goonawarra Primary School $1,000

16 Christian Lagana Greenvale Primary School $1,000

17 Zevondoussa Cardoso-Tilman

Holy Child Catholic Primary School $1,000

18 Harjot Kaur Hume Anglican Grammar $1,000

19 Mustafa Al Ali Hume Valley School $1,000

20 Meriam Terbah Ilim College of Australia $1,000

21 Stefani Zivkovic Jacana School for Autism $1,000

22 Lachlan Roberts Killara Primary School $1,000

23 Tamara Cross Kismet Park Primary School $1,000

24 Guney Genc Meadows PS $1,000

REPORTS – EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 1 - 2016 Hume and Aileu Education Scholarship Program


STUDENT NAME NOMINATING SCHOOL AMOUNT 25 Amal Chami Meadow Heights Primary School $1,000

26 Luke Shaw Mickleham Primary School $1,000

27 Lillian Tarrant Mount Ridley P-12 College $1,000

28 Krystal Polorotoff Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School $1,000

29 Fadi Suliman Our Lady's Primary School $1,000

30 Declan Berne Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Primary School

$1,000

31 Joshua Osborne Redrock Christian College $1,000

32 Alize Vake Roxburgh Homestead Primary School $1,000

33 Jade Hangan Roxburgh Park Primary School $1,000

34 Nadine Ma'a Roxburgh Rise Primary School $1,000

35 Fadi Esho School of the Good Shepherd $1,000

36 Senanur Kuyruk Sirius College $1,000

37 Holli Williams St Anne's Catholic Primary School $1,000

38 Angelica Daniele St. Carlo Borromeo Catholic Primary School

$1,000

39 Milad Namrood St. Dominic's Catholic Primary School $1,000

40 Carlos Qoja St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox College $1,000

41 Thomas Kraft White Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School

$1,000

42 Chelsie Hendahewa Sunbury Heights Primary School $1,000

43 Sianah Broadbent Sunbury Primary School $1,000

44 Tahlia McDorman Sunbury West Primary School $1,000

45 Braydon Pratt Tullamarine Primary School $1,000

46 Charity Tii Westmeadows Primary School $1,000

47 Alisha Mwangi Willmott Park Primary School $1,000

Total $47,000



REPORT NO: ED010

REPORT TITLE: 6th Session of China (Linyi) International Trade and Logistics Fair ("CLITLE") - Linye City, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China - 18 - 20 October 2015

SOURCE: Domenic Isola, Chief Executive Officer

DIVISION: Executive

FILE NO: ---

POLICY: ---

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: 1.2 Create conditions which support business growth and create local jobs for Hume residents.

ATTACHMENTS: Nil


Council has received an invitation from Linyi Municipal People’s Government to attend the 6th Session of China (Linyi) International Trade and Logistics Fair (“CLITLE”) in Linyi City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China from 18 to 20 October 2015 (inclusive) to advance economic and trade relations between Hume and Linyi City.

2. RECOMMENDATION:

That Council endorses the Mayor, Councillor Adem Atmaca to attend the 6th Session of China (Linyi) International Trade and Logistics Fair (“CLITLE”) in Linyi City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China from 18 to 20 October 2015 (inclusive) on behalf of Hume City Council.


It is estimated that the cost to Council will be approximately $5,000 to cover the cost of airfares, meals and incidentals. As part of the invitation, the accommodation and registration costs will be paid for by Linyi Municipal People’s Government.

4. DISCUSSION:

4.1 Council has a strong basis of developing business opportunities in Hume that will foster jobs and economic growth in Hume City.

4.2 There have been discussions with representatives of Linyi Municipal People’s Government over the past few months with a view to enhance business opportunities that exist with China.

4.3 The International Trade and Logistics Fair to be held from 18 to 20 October 2015 (inclusive) is another opportunity for Council to promote Hume, in particular:

4.3.1 The Hume Central precinct and the opportunities for development close to Melbourne International Airport;

4.3.2 Land development and business opportunities throughout the City, particularly in growing areas in Merrifield;

4.3.3 The tourism and trade opportunities that exist within the Sunbury region with the wineries and other attractions, together with the growth that will occur in this region; and

4.3.4 Building on the many strengths of Hume City in the food and manufacturing sectors and promoting these business opportunities with China.




4.4 It is expected that the visit will also provide an opportunity to officially sign-off on an Memorandum of Understanding with Linyi Municipal People’s Government to provide greater relationship building with this prominent City.

5. CONCLUSION:

As part of Council’s long-term planning for greater business and job creation in Hume, the International Trade and Logistics Fair in China is seen as an opportunity to promote Hume to a wider economic community.

REPORTS – HEALTHY AND SAFE 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL


REPORT NO: HE024

REPORT TITLE: Draft Sports Aid Grant Review 2015

SOURCE: Jarrod Smith, Sports Development & Inclusion Officer; Luke Maguire, Coordinator Sport and Recreation

DIVISION: City Infrastructure

FILE NO: HCC07/110

POLICY: -

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: 2.1 Foster a community which is active and healthy.

ATTACHMENTS: 1. Sports Aid Grant Program Application Guidelines 2. Australian Sports Commission Recognised National

Sporting Organisations


1.1 A review of Council’s Sports Aid Grant Program was a recommendation of the Hume City Council Leisure Strategy 2013-18 and is an action in the Hume City Council Plan 2013-2017.

1.2 The review considered the existing program objectives, criteria and administration procedures via consultation with past recipients and benchmarking against similar programs offered by other Local Government Authorities.

1.3 As resolved at the Council Meeting on 27 July 2015 the Draft Sports Aid Grant Program Guidelines were placed on public display for a period of 4 weeks (30 July – 26

August 2015). Feedback received has been utilised to refine the draft guidelines.

2. RECOMMENDATION:

That Council:

2.1 approve the revised Sports Aid Grant Program Application Guidelines (Attachment 1).


Not Applicable to this report.


Funding of $19,200 is allocated from the 2015/2016 Leisure and Youth Services Department recurrent operating budget for the Sports Aid Grant Program.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no direct environmental implications as a result of this report.

6. CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no direct climate change implications as a result of this report.


The recommendations within this report are aligned to Council’s commitment to Social Justice and Human Rights.


REPORT NO: HE024 (cont.)



8.1 The Draft Sports Aid Grant Program Application Guidelines were uploaded to the Hume City Council website for public feedback for a period of 4 weeks (30 July – 26

August 2015).

8.2 The Draft Sports Aid Grant Program Application Guidelines and a summary of the changes were sent to contacts from Hume Sports Club (129), Schools (65) and recipients from the past four funding rounds (42).

8.3 Five responses were received, three via email and two via telephone. Submissions were from two sports associations and three previous recipients.

9. DISCUSSION:

9.1 Background

9.1.1 Hume City Council’s Sports Aid Grant Program has been running since 1993. The program has provided assistance to many Hume residents to help them to reach their goals in representative level sport.

9.1.2 The Sports Aid Grant Program was last reviewed in April 2005. The only significant change implemented at this time was the funding allocation moving from once per year to twice per year.

9.1.3 Over the last 5 years 222 athletes have been awarded grants of $71,355.

9.2 Current Program Guidelines and Application Process

9.2.1 The Sports Aid Grant Program is run in two rounds each financial year.

9.2.2 To be eligible for a Sports Aid Grant applicants must:

(a) be individual sports people;

(b) be Hume residents;

(c) be under 21 years of age at the date of application;

(d) be participating in amateur sports which are recognised by State and National Accreditation Bodies;

(e) not have received Sports Aid Grant funding on more than 3 occasions.

9.2.3 Grant funding can be applied for:

(a) competition and tournament entry fees;

(b) travel and/or accommodation costs;

(c) specialist coaching activities;

(d) equipment costs.

9.2.4 Level of funding:

(a) Maximum of 50% of applicants total expenses.

(b) No more than 20% of total available funds per round available to any individual sport.

9.2.5 Application and awarding process

(a) The grant program is promoted via Hume News, Sports Express and Council’s website. Information is also sent to Hume sports clubs and schools.

(b) Applicants complete an application form available on the Council website and submit this via post or email by the closing date.




(c) Applicants are awarded a grant based on the level of event that they are attending. A sliding scale of funding is applied ranging from local events at the lowest end to international events at the highest end.

(d) The amount of funding received in each category is adjusted depending on the number of applications for that funding round and based on the budget allocation for the round.

(e) Council officers assess the applications based on the application guidelines and provide a report to council for endorsement.

(f) Following endorsement from Council, successful athletes attend a presentation evening to receive their cheques and a certificate of achievement.

9.3 Sports Aid Grants Review Findings

9.3.1 The average funding provided per athlete over the last 5 years is $321.00. A desktop review indicated that this amount is comparable to sports funding to individual athletes provided by other Council and State Government Grant programs.

9.3.2 The current program guidelines do not clearly outline events and sports that will not be funded.

9.3.3 There is evidence that sports and individuals that have a high awareness of the grant are over represented as recipients. For example, Taekwondo participants have received $14,330 of the $71,355 distributed in Sports Aid Grants over the last 5 years, approximately 20% of funding.

9.3.4 Applications are currently accepted for sports that are not recognised by the Australian Sports Commission.

9.3.5 The two funding rounds per year can result in applicants having to wait up to 3 months to receive funding. Funding is often distributed after the athletes have returned from their sporting event. Feedback provided by recipients indicates that the funding could be provided in a timelier manner.

9.3.6 Sporting events that occur at times that do not fit neatly into the funding rounds can result in athletes missing cut off dates for funding altogether.

9.3.7 Hume athletes competing at interstate and international events are likely to be eligible for funding programs provided by other State and Federal Government agencies and/or their respective Sporting Association.

9.3.8 The length and complexity of the application form may be a barrier to members of the community from a non-English speaking and/or CALD background applying for the grant.

9.4 Recommended Changes to Sports Aid Grant Program

9.4.1 Revise criteria to ensure funding is provided to athletes competing in sports that are recognised by the Australian Sports Commission (Attachment 2). This ensures that the sports organisations are not for profit and have adequate governance and risk management procedures in place.

9.4.2 Provide funding to athletes that are competing in events that are supported by the relevant State or National Sports Association. This ensures that fair and transparent selection procedures are in place.

9.4.3 Cease funding private national and international sports tours. Tours of this nature are not considered an essential development pathway and are not required to have a fair and transparent selection procedure based on merit. Some organisations run tours to generate profit.




9.4.4 Simplify the application form to ensure this grant is accessible to all sectors of the community and explore development of an online application form.

9.4.5 Provide further information on how prospective applicants can receive support and training on completing the application process.

9.4.6 Provide a set maximum funding amount for each level of sports achievement.

(a) International event - $750

(b) Interstate event - $400

(c) Regional or State event - $150

9.4.7 Limit eligibility to one application at each level per athlete. This limitation maximises the number of athletes that are able to receive funding whilst ensuring that athletes who are progressing through recognised development pathways continue to receive support.

9.4.8 Promote other Federal and State funding options available to individual athletes via Council’s media options.

9.4.9 To provide funding to members of the community who need it most it is recommended that applications are open throughout the year to ensure that funding is provided to applicants in a timely manner. Applicants must submit their application seven days prior to the date of their event.

9.4.10 Cap yearly funding for any single sport at $2000. This cap ensures that there is an equitable distribution of funding across different sports.

9.5 Feedback from Stakeholders on Draft Sports Aid Grants Program Application Guidelines

Organisation Comment Response

Hmong Association of Australia

Our organisation is a community based organisation and is not recognised by the Australian Sports Commission.

No change to guidelines. Some community groups organise competitions that are not affiliated with any State or National sporting organisations. These competitions are not eligible for Sports Aid Grants.

Sunbury Basketball Association

Can more flexibility in criteria be added for all abilities athletes. Not sure how many elite competitions are available and/or sanctioned by national and state sporting organisations.

The guidelines have been amended to specifically mention the eligibility of Disability Sports Organisations. Any regional competition that is supported by the state body or association would be eligible. A letter that details that the event is supported and that the athlete was selected for this competition would suffice as evidence. The Australian Sports Commission also lists Disability Sports Organisations as a part of their recognition process.




Organisation Comment Response

Past Sports Aid Grant Applicant

Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc. is not listed on the Australia Sports Commission listing - Dance Sport Australia is (but they are not the same).

No change to guidelines. The Australian Sports Commission maintains the final Authority for recognising if an activity meets the definition of a sport. The stipulation that Sports must be recognised by the Australian Sport Commission ensures that Council funding is supporting not for profit organisations that have adequate Governance and Risk Management procedures in place.


Happy that the timing of the grant has been improved. Would like to think my son’s tour of England, connected to the Victorian Schoolboys Rugby Union Team would be eligible for funding. It is not clear if this would still be eligible given the stipulation that international tours will not be funded.

The guidelines have been amended to recognise the eligibility of School Sport Australia and School Sport Victoria events. The school sport system is an important development pathway for Hume residents. International competitions are eligible if it can be demonstrated that the competition has a selection process and is a part of a recognised development pathway. A support letter from the governing body detailing the athlete’s selection and their support of the tour would need to be supplied as evidence.


Set amounts are good for planning. Is there assistance for domestic competition? Some young people just need the chance to begin playing.

No change to guidelines. The Sports Aid Grant program aims to assist residents that are progressing from domestic competition to representative level competition at a regional, state or national level. Sport and Recreation Victoria and VicHealth have other grant programs that are available to assist grassroots participation. Further information on these funding options will be added to the Sports Aid Grant application page.




9.6 Presentation Arrangements

Applicants that are successful in receiving a Sports Aid Grant will be invited to the next available Council meeting to receive their award. The awards will be presented at the beginning of the meeting, where possible coinciding with the resident of the month presentation.

9.7 Reporting

A quarterly report will be included in the City Infrastructure Directors update advising of the number of eligible and ineligible grant applications received.

10. CONCLUSION:

Hume City Council is committed to assisting Hume residents compete at recognised Regional, National and International level sports events. The proposed changes to the Sports Aid Grant Program ensures that the program will continue to meet the needs of Hume athletes whilst also ensuring that council is providing timely funding to individuals that are competing in sports and events that are not for profit and have governance, risk management and athlete selection procedures in place.

REPORTS – HEALTHY AND SAFE 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 1 - Sports Aid Grant Program Application Guidelines


REPORTS – HEALTHY AND SAFE 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 1 - Sports Aid Grant Program Application Guidelines


REPORTS – HEALTHY AND SAFE 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 2 - Australian Sports Commission Recognised National Sporting Organisations


REPORTS – HEALTHY AND SAFE 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 2 - Australian Sports Commission Recognised National Sporting Organisations




REPORT NO: HE025

REPORT TITLE: Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy

SOURCE: Nick Varvaris, Acting Manager Engineering and Assets

DIVISION: City Infrastructure

FILE NO: HHCC12/429

POLICY: -

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: 4.3 Create a connected community through efficient and effective walking, cycling, public transport and car networks.

ATTACHMENT: 1. Draft Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy


This report is in response to a Council resolution (NUN 015) on 8 July 2013 regarding parking on nature strips.

2. RECOMMENDATION:

That Council:

2.1 Revoke the existing Indented Parking Bay Cost Share Scheme.

2.2 Place the draft Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy out for community consultation for a four week period between 2 November and 30 November 2015.

2.3 Consider funding up to $100,000 in the 2015/16 Capital Works Program for Council’s contribution towards works and/or special charge schemes for the construction of indented parking bays under the proposed policy.

2.4 Consider a new allocation of $200,000 in the 2016/17 Capital Works Program for Council’s contribution towards work and/or special charge schemes for the construction of indented parking bays under the proposed policy.

2.5 Note that the timing of any works is subject to available Council funds. If all the funds are exhausted in a financial year the works will be listed for consideration in the following financial year pending funding.

2.6 Review the Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy and funding allocation after one year of operation.


3.1 Council has an obligation to enforce section 197 of the Victorian Road Safety Road Rules 2009 (Road Rules), which prohibits parking on nature strips. The Victoria Police can also inforce parking on nature strips.

3.2 Section 208 of the Road Rules requires the motorist to park the vehicle so that there is at least 3 metres of the road alongside the vehicle that is clear for other vehicles to pass. This can be enforced by Council or the Victoria Police, however it is difficult to establish the offending vehicle when two vehicles park opposite each other and there is less than 3 metres for traffic to flow.

3.3 Council has the power under the Local Government Act 1989, Road Safety (Traffic Management) Regulations 2009, Road Safety Road Rules 2009 and the Road Safety Act 1986 to install and modify parking restrictions.

3.4 Council has the power under Section 163 of the Local Government Act 1989 to recoup contributions from property owners for works that provide special benefit to affected properties.





4.1 Council’s current Indented Parking Bay Cost Share Scheme requires a contribution of 50% from the property owner and 50% from Council. Council’s contribution is funded from the Capital Works Program under the ‘Responsive Road Safety Works’ allocation. In the previous 5 years, 7 residents have participated in the scheme at a cost of $10,500 to Council.

4.2 The proposed Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy is expected to lead to a significant increase in the construction of indented parking bays than the current Indented Parking Bay Cost Share Scheme.

4.3 It provides for Council to fund indented parking bays where the warrants are met for road lengths. At individual locations where the warrants are met for an indented parking bay the property owner is required to contribute a set amount of $1,000 with the balance of the costs funded by Council, up to the limit of annual budget allocations.

4.4 To enable implementation of the Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy, Council would need to consider a new allocation of $200,000 in the 2016/17 Capital Works Program for Council’s contribution towards special charge schemes for the construction of indented parking bays.

4.5 The continued implementation of the Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy would require further funding. After one year in operation the scheme and subsequent budget allocation will be reviewed.

4.6 The timing of any works is subject to available Council funds. If all the funds are exhausted in a financial year the works will be listed for consideration in the following financial year pending funding. The priority of any request for the installation of indented parking bays will be based on on-street parking demand, safety and history of parking infringements.

4.7 As a guide the average cost of a single indented parking bay is $2,500 and for a partially indented bay is $1,500.


5.1 Vehicles parking on the nature strip lead to damage of the grassed area and compaction of the soil which can damage the root zone of nature strip trees.

5.2 The location of an indented parking bay needs to take into consideration any existing or proposed nature strip tree.


There are no direct environmental implications as a result of this report.


The recommendations in this report do not limit any of the protected rights under the Victoria Charter of Human Rights.


Consultation with affected residents and property owners is undertaken prior to the implementation of any parking restrictions or installation of indented parking bays.




9. DISCUSSION:

9.1 Background

9.1.1 This report is in response to a Council resolution (Report No. NUN 015) on 8 July 2013 “That a report be prepared regarding the issue of parking on nature strips in Hume City and Metropolitan Councils particularly in relation to:

(a) State laws that apply to this matter.

(b) How other Councils enforce these laws, including the City of Casey and whether other approaches are legal.

(c) How many fines were issued in 2012/13 for vehicles parked on nature strips and where these occurred (by Hume postcode).

(d) Any history of recorded damage to infrastructure that has resulted from vehicles parking on nature strips.

(e) Alternative parking options available to our residents, including the use of the indented car parking scheme. In addition to this the financial implications of Council sharing a larger burden of costs in specific situations related to the scheme.

(f) Options available for Council to advocate for future residential developments to include indented parking including raising this matter with the MAV.”

9.1.2 Two presentations have been made to Councillors on 2 June 2014 and 16 February 2015. Feedback from Councillors at these presentations has informed the development of the approach proposed in this report.

9.1.3 Council in September 2008 adopted an Indented Parking Cost Share Scheme where a contribution a 50% from Council and a 50% from the property owner is required for the construction of an indented parking bay if all the criteria are met.

9.2 Alternative Parking Option - Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy

9.2.1 The width of some roads in the municipality limits the amount of on-street parking with some residents choosing to park on the nature strip. The Road Rules prohibit parking on nature strips due to the problems it can cause, including safety and damage to vegetation and underground services. This results in residents who park on the nature strip being liable for an infringement notice from Council or Police.

9.2.2 The Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy as detailed in Attachment 1 has been developed to provide alternatives to residents with limited on-street parking opportunities. The key conditions and where it applies to are detailed below.

(a) Applicable Roads:

(i) On narrow local roads where if vehicles parked kerb side opposite each other less than 3 metres of road was available for through traffic.

(ii) On local collector roads where if vehicles parked kerb side opposite each other less than 6 metres of road was available for two through lanes (one in each direction).

(iii) All other local roads that do not meet the criteria do not qualify for the Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy.

(b) Installing Parking Restrictions on one side of the road:




(i) Requires supporting evidence that the on-street parking demand restricts traffic flow that can be solved by restriction parking on one-side of the road.

(ii) Requires majority of support from affected residents.

(c) Installing Indented or Partially Indented Parking Bays along a road length:

(i) Requires supporting evidence that the on-street parking demand restricts traffic flow, with demand so high that it cannot be solved with parking restrictions, and requires indented parking.

(ii) Requires the majority of support from affected residents.

(iii) Construction of the indented or partially indented parking bays will be funded 50% by Council and 50% by property owner contributions as part of a special charge scheme.

(d) Installing Indented Parking Bay at an individual location:

(i) There is no supporting evidence that the on-street parking demand restricts traffic flow.

(ii) The property owner is required to forward a written request.

(iii) Council will make an assessment if the location is suitable.

(iv) If all the assessment criteria is met the property owner is required to make a contribution cost $1,000 with the balance of the costs met by Council.

(v) Upon receipt from the property owner of the $1,000 contribution payment Council will arrange for the construction of the indented parking bay.

9.3 Legislation

9.3.1 Parking on the nature strip is illegal under the Victorian Road Safety Road Rules 2009 (Road Rules). The Road Rules are statutory rules made under section 95D of the Road Safety Act 1986.

9.3.2 Section 197 (1) of the Road Rules states that ‘A driver must not stop on a bicycle path, footpath, shared path or dividing strip, or a nature strip adjacent to a length of road in a built-up area, unless:

(a) the driver stops at a place on a length of road, or in an area, to which a parking control sign applies and the driver is permitted to stop at that place under these Rules; or

(b) the driver’s vehicle is a motor cycle and the driver stops in a place where the motor cycle does not inconvenience, obstruct, hinder or prevent the free passage of any pedestrian or other vehicle; or

(c) the driver is using a vehicle for the purpose of the operation of a detection device prescribed for the purposes of section 66 of the Road Safety Act 1986.’

9.3.3 Clause (a) of Section 197 (1) above may appear to give Councils the ability to permit parking on the nature strip. However, it is not feasible to effectively designate an area for parking on the nature strip without constructing the area in some way. No examples could be identified in Victoria where parking has been permitted on a standard grassed nature strip utilising standard parking control signs. Further, the use of signs to allow parking on a standard grassed nature strip is contrary to the intent of Section 197.




9.3.4 Section 165 of the Road Rules provides three possible defences to parking on the nature strip, as follows:

(a) to avoid a collision; or

(b) when a driver’s vehicle is broken down; or

(c) to deal with a medical or other emergency or to assist a disabled vehicle.

9.3.5 Section 208 of the Road Rules outlines the requirements for parallel parking on a road. Sub-rule (3) of section 208 specifies that on a two-way road, the driver must position their vehicle parallel and as near as practicable to the far left side of the road.

9.3.6 Sub-rules (6) and (7) of section 208 both relate to the requirement for a driver to leave at least 3 metres from their parked vehicle for other vehicles to pass. Sub-rule (6) requires a motorist to leave 3 metres between their vehicle and a continuous dividing line or dividing strip. Sub-rule (7) requires a motorist position their vehicles so that there is at least 3 metres of the road alongside the vehicle that is clear for other vehicles to pass.

9.4 Other Councils

9.4.1 Other middle and outer metropolitan municipalities have been investigated on their approaches to parking on the nature strips. Out of 26 councils that were investigated only 4 acknowledge or promote any leniency towards parking on nature strips.

9.4.2 Casey City Council previously took a ‘no tolerance’ approach, however this was reviewed in April 2013. In consideration of community feedback, Council amended its procedures to allow officers to use discretion in regard to a resident parking their vehicle on their nature strip in cases where the width of the road is 5.5 metres or less. Officers still need to consider whether a vehicle parked on a nature strip poses a safety risk to other motorists or pedestrians. Residents are required to repair any damage to the nature strip.

9.4.3 Moonee Valley City Council is undertaking a review of narrow streets to identify possible traffic and parking arrangements that would make it easier for residents to park on the road safely and not park on the footpath or nature strip. Such arrangements may include restricting parking to one side of the street or the construction of indented parking bays.

9.4.4 In response to resident’s concerns that some streets are too narrow and parking on the roadway would restrict access for through traffic, a short term measure was adopted that would allow people in specific approved streets to park on the nature strip until the investigation had been completed for their street.

9.4.5 Whitehorse City Council Parking on Nature Strip Policy has been adopted, which promotes compliance with Road Rules. The policy allows nature strip parking to be approved under special circumstances such as for events.

9.4.6 Where nature strip parking is to be permitted permanently, the area must be constructed and signed to the appropriate standard. In this case, the owner of the abutting property is required to pay all costs associated with paving the nature strip to an appropriate standard.

9.4.7 This is an interim measure while other options to provide parking are investigated, such as special charge schemes for the construction of parking bays.




9.4.8 The inner metropolitan municipalities of Melbourne, Yarra, Stonnington and Port Phillip are very different from Hume in terms of both streetscape and management of parking. For example, streets typically do not have nature strips, there are relatively few driveways and virtually all kerbside parking has some form of restriction. While none of them claim to allow parking on nature strips, they are not relevant in relation to parking conditions in Hume.

9.4.9 Out of the 26 relevant Council areas that were investigated, there are only 3 that acknowledge or promote any leniency towards parking on nature strips. Of these, Casey and Moonee Valley City Councils are both specific in only tolerating parking on nature strips in narrow streets. Both Councils also advise that this tolerance is only temporary until other options can be investigated and implemented.

9.4.10 Whitehorse City Council only permits parking on regular grass nature strips for special approved events. The situation that they refer to as permanent approval requires the property owner to pay the full cost of constructing the nature strip to an appropriate standard (i.e. indented parking bay).

9.4.11 The fact is that the Road Rules prohibit parking on the nature strip and Council has a legal obligation to carry out enforcement. Therefore, failure to enforce this particular rule would place a Council in a questionable legal predicament. Failure to enforce the rule would only be anticipated to be a problem (i.e. legal exposure to liability) under two circumstances.

9.4.12 Firstly, if a Council chose not to enforce the Road Rules after a complaint, the complainant may have cause to challenge the Council’s lack of action. Therefore, Council is effectively forced to act on complaints about parking on nature strips.

9.4.13 Secondly, a claim resulting from parking on the nature strip could expose Council to liability for damages. It could be argued that Council had the ability (obligation) under the Road Rules to deter vehicles from parking on the nature strip and failed to act. Examples of where a Council could face liability for damages could be where compaction of the nature strip caused damage to underground services or a pedestrian injury where nature strip parking was a contributory cause.

9.4.14 In relation to this assessment of the legal situation, the position taken by Casey and Moonee Valley Councils is reasonably defensible. While there are some specific streets where these Councils are not currently upholding their obligation to enforce the Road Rules, they have identified the reason for this. They have also made it clear that this position is temporary and have advised of a planned approach to identify and implement solutions so that the exemption on enforcement is no longer required.

9.5 Enforcement

9.5.1 In the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013 there were 7,869 infringements (PINs) with a value of $655,446 issued in Hume for vehicles parked on nature strips. This is out of a total of 25,408 infringements with a value of $2.26 million for all parking related offences.

9.5.2 The following table indicates the breakdown of infringements by suburb:




Suburb Number of PINs

Percentage within

Municipality

PINs as rate per 1,000

households

Percentage in terms of PINs

per 1,000 households

Attwood 54 1% 53 2% Broadmeadows 594 8% 149 6% Bulla 24 0% 98 4% Campbellfield* 1066 14% 660 28%Coolaroo 246 3% 232 10% Craigieburn 1575 20% 125 5% Dallas 301 4% 141 6% Fawkner 1 0% 10 0% Gladstone Park 98 1% 30 1% Greenvale 213 3% 56 2%Jacana 48 1% 59 3% Meadow Heights 746 9% 164 7% Roxburgh Park 1513 19% 271 12% Somerton* 87 1% - -

Sunbury 690 9% 53 2% Tullamarine 420 5% 144 6%Westmeadows 193 2% 86 4%

TOTAL 7869 100% 2331 100% * Primarily industrial areas. Most PINs issued in these suburbs are not in residential areas.

9.5.3 From these figures it can be seen that Craigieburn and Roxburgh Park stand out with 20 percent and 19 percent of infringements respectively. Campbellfield is the next highest with 14 percent of infringements.

9.5.4 However, this is not necessarily a reasonable comparison as suburbs are not all equal in size or population. For example, while Craigieburn has a high proportion of infringements, it also has a much larger population than other areas with an estimated 12,550 dwellings compared with 3,987 in Broadmeadows (number of dwellings from June 2013 Household Estimates by Suburb – HCC Research Department). It is also noted that the majority of infringements in Campbellfield tend to be in industrial areas rather than residential areas. To compensate for this, the table also shows PINs in terms of the rate per 1000 households.

9.5.5 Where relevant, infringements are also assigned to categories including After Hours, Acting on Complaint, Evening Shift, DashCam, Saturday/Sunday Shift and School Crossings. The following table shows data for the categories other than suburb that infringements have been categorised as:




Category Number of PINs

Percentage

After hours 230 3%

ALL (generic) 55 1%

Acting on complaint 1,643 21%

Evening shift 59 1%

DashCam (all areas included in this figure) 2,709 34%

Saturday/Sunday shift 480 6%

School crossings 1,209 15%

Other (no reference other than suburb) 1,484 19%

TOTAL: 7,869

9.5.6 From this table it can be seen that acting on complaints about parking on the nature strip is a significant component, making up 21% of all infringements.

9.5.7 Another key component is the infringements detected through DashCam, which account for 34% of all infringements for parking on nature strips. These devices tend to be used in areas that are difficult to enforce such as busy areas around activity centres, industrial areas or around schools. City Laws officers advise that DashCams would not generally be used in residential areas with narrow streets such as Roxburgh Park and Craigieburn except in response to a request.

9.5.8 Parking on nature strips in the vicinity of school crossings is also significant, making up 15% of infringements.

9.5.9 The infringements that relate to busy areas and areas near school crossings are significant, in that parking on the nature strip in these areas is more likely to cause safety problems. For example, these areas have higher numbers of pedestrians and cars parked on the nature strip may make it more difficult to see pedestrians.

9.5.10 City Laws officers see on a daily basis the situations where nature strip parking takes place and have significant anecdotal knowledge of some of the issues. One of their key observations is that where cars park on the nature strip because residents claim there is insufficient parking, there is often parking available on the property that is under-utilised. For example, officers regularly observe garages that are used for storage or have been converted to home gyms, studios and even additional bedrooms. They also observe a general reluctance to park in driveways. This may be due to the inconvenience of having to shuffle vehicles when they are parked in a tandem arrangement (e.g. one in driveway and another in garage) but it is not an acceptable reason to park on the nature strip.

9.6 Infrastructure and Safety Issues

9.6.1 Nature strips typically consist of a grassed area that extends from the edge of the road (back of the kerb) to the footpath. Where there is no footpath, the nature strip area extends to the property boundary.

9.6.2 Being an unconstructed grassed area, the nature strip is not intended to carry the weight of vehicles. Therefore, use of the nature strip for parking will inevitably lead to damage, particularly where there is repeated use.




9.6.3 Initially, driving on the nature strip will damage the grass and repeated use means that the grass does not have any chance to recover. This leads to unsightly bare patches within the nature strip. As well as destroying the grass, repeated driving on the nature strip also leads to compaction of the soil. This can result in depressions that are unsightly and dangerous for pedestrians.

9.6.4 Compaction of the nature strip also affects street trees, as it can damage the root zone of trees and prevent them from accessing sufficient water.

9.6.5 Council’s Parks Department advise that approximately 20 per cent of the customer requests that they receive are for damaged nature strips and that most of this damage appears to be caused by parking. It is estimated that these repairs cost approximately $85,000 per year.

9.6.6 Underground services such as water, sewer, drainage, gas, electricity and telecommunications are also commonly located within the nature strip and are at risk of damage when vehicles park on the nature strip. When these services are located under the nature strip, the required cover (depth) is less than for the roadway. Therefore, compaction of the soil over time is likely to lead to eventual damage. Where a Council has allowed vehicles to park on the nature strip, service authorities may have a legal case against the Council involved.

9.6.7 Council’s Services Department also advises that drainage pit lids are commonly damaged by cars driving onto the nature strip to park. Property drainage outlets to the kerb which are common in older areas are also easily damaged by the weight of vehicles on the nature strip, as they are located just below the surface. Footpaths in older areas are also more likely to be damaged if driven over by vehicles, as they are not reinforced. This is less of a problem in newer areas where footpaths are reinforced, but aside from infrastructure damage it is clearly not desirable for vehicles to be driving over the footpath in an uncontrolled manner.

9.6.8 Nature strips should not just be seen as an unconstructed part of the road or somewhere that could be used for parking. They serve an important duel function.

9.6.9 Firstly, the nature strip is an area for locating services such as water, sewer, drainage, gas, electricity and telecommunications. The long-term cost to the community of providing these services is reduced if they can be located in a grassed nature strip where they can be accessed more easily than if they are located in a hard paved area of the road reserve. Cars parked on the nature strip may also prevent emergency personnel from accessing this infrastructure in an emergency.

9.6.10 Secondly, the nature strip has an important amenity function. A well maintained nature strip with healthy street trees can greatly enhance the appearance of the streetscape. Streets should be thought of as forming part of a continuous open space network, rather than just as somewhere to drive and store cars. A grassed nature strip with trees can have a cooling effect on the immediate area, particularly where trees can be established that will provide shade. This in turn helps to create a more pleasant environment that encourages people to walk for both recreation and active transport. As outlined previously, it is difficult to establish large trees when their root zone is compromised.




9.7 Future Development

9.7.1 The Metropolitan Planning Authority (MPA) has a design guideline that there should generally be one on-street parking space per lot. Recent developments are generally in line with the MPA’s PSP Guidelines Notes – Our Roads: Connecting People. This guideline specifies cross sections for various categories of roads. The lowest category of road being Access Place/Access Street Level 1 has a width of 7.3 metres, which is wide enough for cars to park on both sides with one lane for traffic. However this is a guideline used in preparation of the PSP and consideration can be given to reduce pavement width in short courts or where roads abut reserves with parking provision still being achieved with one on-street space per lot.

9.7.2 However, prior to the development of these guidelines in 2011, 5.5 metre wide access streets were common in earlier developments. This means that it is only possible to park on one side of the road. As road widths are set at the time of development plans being approved, changes to guidelines can take time to filter through i.e. some recent developments are being done under development plans that were approved under earlier guidelines.

9.7.3 There is no need for Council to advocate for additional parking in the development of typical residential subdivisions, as the MPA now requires roads that allow for parking on both sides in most streets and where a reduced width is applied parking provision is still achieved with one on-street space per lot.

9.7.4 While the Policy does not directly apply to development requirements, streets that meet the warrants under the scope may benefit from construction of indented parking bays. There may be an opportunity to seek developers to provide such parking bays.

10. CONCLUSION:

10.1 There is a sound basis to the Road Rules prohibiting parking on nature strips due to the problems it causes, including safety concerns and damage to vegetation and underground services.

10.2 It is recognised that the width of many streets means that on-street parking is limited. However, a significant amount of infringements take place on streets that are wide enough for cars to park on at least one side of the road.

10.3 The proposed Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy provides road types that it applies to and criteria that can be used to provide solutions to parking on the nature strip that include:

10.3.1 The installation of parking restrictions on one side of the road.

10.3.2 The construction of indented parking bays by Council where the parking demand exceeds the parking available.

10.3.3 A resident contribution of $1,000 for Council to construct an indented parking bay where there is not sufficient evidence of on-street parking demand restricting traffic flow.

10.4 Pending adoption of the Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy after community consultation, it is proposed that Council could commence consultation with streets where special charge schemes are proposed for the construction of parking bays. This process would take up the balance of the 2015/16 financial year, which would enable construction to commence in 2016/17.

REPORTS – HEALTHY AND SAFE 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 1 - Draft Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy








REPORTS – CULTURE AND COMMUNITY 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL


REPORT NO: CC018

REPORT TITLE: Emergency Response and Recovery Planning in Hume City

SOURCE: Martha Martin, Emergency Recovery Project Officer; Emma Ellis, Emergency Management Officer

DIVISION: City Communities

FILE NO: HCC12/702

POLICY: -

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: 2.2 Strengthen community safety and respectful behaviour.

ATTACHMENTS: Nil


Hume City Council has obligations under the Emergency Management Act Victoria 2013, to ensure that it is equipped to respond to a range of emergency events and incidents that may vary in scale, risk and severity. The Hume Municipal Emergency Management Plan (MEMP) together with associated sub-plans, outlines the responsibilities of Council and other emergency Agencies. The development and review of the MEMP and associated sub-plans is the responsibility of the Hume Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee, who have recently adopted the ‘Municipal Emergency Recovery Plan’, the ‘Municipal Emergency Animal Welfare Plan’ and updated the MEMP to reflect various legislative changes. Through planning, preparation and building community capacity and resilience, Council has and will be able to continue to respond appropriately and quickly to emergencies.

During the 2013/14 summer season, Victoria experienced its most significant fire season since 2009. On February 9th 2014, 220 properties within the Hume boundaries were affected by two fire fronts in Sunbury and Mickleham. Three homes were completely destroyed and other properties experienced significant damage to outbuildings, fencing and stock losses. The lessons drawn from this experience have been used to guide the planning and preparation for the 2015/16 summer season.

2. RECOMMENDATION:

That Council

2.1 notes the programs and activities that have occurred in Emergency Management and the planned community resilience activities for the 2015/16 Fire Season.

2.2 notes the Municipal Emergency Recovery Plan.

2.3 notes the Municipal Emergency Animal Welfare Plan.

2.4 notes recent updates to the Municipal Emergency Management Plan.

2.5 acknowledges that the aforementioned plans have been presented and adopted by the Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee on 12th August 2015.


Local Government have 62 key obligations under the Emergency Management Act 2013 which include activities associated with:

Prevention and Preparedness.

Response to events.


REPORT NO: CC018 (cont.)


Relief and Recovery.

Relevant Acts are as follows:

Emergency Management Act 2013

Local Government Act 1989

Emergency Management Manual Victoria

Country Fire Authority Act 1958

Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1958

Planning and Environment Act 1987

Road Management Act 2004

Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008

Bushfires Royal Commission Implementation Monitor Act 2011

Victorian State Emergency Services Act 2005

Water Act 1989

Water Industry Act 1994


4.1 Resources are funded from the Emergency Management account in Council’s Operating Budget and the Municipal Emergency Resourcing Program funding provided by the State Government.

4.2 Departments from across the organisation contribute to emergency management through ongoing work in prevention and preparedness activities. These activities are absorbed in to various departmental operating budgets.


The Municipal Emergency Management Plan, Municipal Emergency Recovery Plan and Municipal Emergency Animal Welfare Plan address environmental and sustainability considerations associated with the impacts of emergency events and incidents. These include issues that arise in the five areas of response, relief and recovery which encompasses:

5.1 Social Environment – people, health and wellbeing of the community.

5.2 Economic Environment – the impact of the emergency on the local and wider economy.

5.3 Natural Environment – the societal, commerce and biodiversity impacts on the eco-systems.

5.4 Built Environment – the impacts on infrastructure including public and private community services.

5.5 Agricultural Environment – the welfare of livestock, companion animals, wildlife and rural communities impacted by the emergency.


The Municipal Emergency Management Plan and its related sub plans address incidents and emergencies that may occur. This is managed through preparedness activities for the organisation and the community and response and recovery to emergency events. These events include severe storms, heatwave, flooding and fires.





This report and its recommendations align with the intention of and do not limit any of the protected rights under the Victoria Charter of Human Rights.


Community consultation and interaction will continue to occur throughout the duration of programs and activities undertaken in planning for Emergency Management and the preparation for the 2015/16 Fire Season. This is done through:

8.1 Liaison with the North West Metropolitan Region Collaboration group.

8.2 Working with Emergency Services.

8.3 Liaising with community groups and organisations.

9. DISCUSSION:

9.1 A program of planning, preparation and building community capacity activities has been developed to ensure that Hume City Council meets its Emergency Management and Recovery obligations and that the organisation has the capacity to respond to emergencies as needed.

9.2 Staff Training:

Hume currently has 110 staff that are registered to assist in an emergency incident.

Sixty-five staff undertook further training pertaining to their emergency management role in the last year. Training was provided by the North West Metropolitan Region Collaboration, CFA, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Red Cross, Victorian Council of Churches and State Emergency Services.

Training undertaken included: Emergency Management Awareness, Introduction to Emergency Management, Working in an Emergency Relief Centre, Municipal Emergency Control Centre Training, Personal Support Psychological First Aid, Fire Ground Training, Emergency Management Liaison Officer, Communicating in Recovery, Municipal Secondary Impact Assessment and Managing in a Crisis Situation.

The facilitation of the training is provided at no cost to Council by emergency service agencies and the North West Metropolitan Region Collaboration. Councils contribute staff time, facilities and catering costs for training sessions that take place in their municipal area.

A pre-fire season briefing was held for all staff on December 10th 2014 outlining the predicted forecast for the upcoming fire season. Emergency Relief Centre Managers and Team Leaders also attended a refresher session at Boardman Stadium on 4th December 2014. Furthermore, twelve staff attended a Crisisworks (Emergency Management Software) exercise on 26th February 2015.

Thirty two staff attended ‘Exercise Persephone’ on 20th August 2015. The exercise was conducted at the Broadmeadows Aquatic and Leisure Centre and included a desktop scenario and a tour of the facility to inform how an emergency relief centre would be activated and set up at this centre.

Staff will be attending further training throughout October which includes Emergency Management Awareness and Understanding the Recovery Cycle. There are currently 28 staff registered to attend both sessions.




9.3 Communication Planning:

Communication, both before and after an emergency, was highlighted as important at the 2014 Grassfires debrief. Consequently, the following strategies have been put in place:

9.3.1 A 2015/16 Emergency Management Communication Plan has been developed to address key messages to the community in relation to preparing for emergency events, what Council’s role is in emergencies and what activities are undertaken prior to the fire season.

9.3.2 A Council Emergency Management Facebook Page is currently being considered to assist in the dissemination of key messages to the community, as well as warnings from the control agencies when an event is occurring.

9.3.3 A Recovery Communication Plan has been developed, with pre-approved documents and strategies for information dissemination to the community, if an incident should occur.

9.3.4 An SMS Portal has been developed to alert staff of predicted extreme events and to ensure their availability. The portal can also be utilised to contact residents following an emergency incident.

9.4 Vulnerable People in Emergencies:

In 2012 the Vulnerable People in Emergencies Policy was developed by the Department of Human Services. The Policy applied to 64 municipal councils which are located on the rural, regional and urban fringe, within CFA Districts. The purpose of the policy is to improve the safety of vulnerable people in emergencies, this includes persons who have cognitive and physical disabilities, have limited social and family connections and who may need assistance to evacuate in an emergency. The criteria is very limited, therefore only the most vulnerable community members are registered. Hume City Council currently has 15 residents who qualify to be on the register.

Council hosted a Vulnerable People in Emergencies Forum in December 2014 with participants from a variety of organisations attending. Outcomes from the forum identified that there was a greater need for collaboration around working with vulnerable community members, who did not fall into the DHHS criteria of vulnerability, but who may need assistance in preparing for emergencies. The Hume Emergency and Resilience Disaster Network has been established to address these key issues.

9.5 North West Metro Region Collaboration:

The North West Metro Region Collaboration (NWMRC) is a partnership between the fourteen North Western Councils to create standard operating and resource sharing protocols and guidelines in relation to emergency management. Council staff attended a variety of working groups including heatwave and pandemic planning, recovery and resilience, relief, project planning and Municipal Secondary Impact Assessments working group. The NWMRC also arranges a yearly exercise for staff from the fourteen Councils to enable them to practise their skills in an emergency relief centre scenario.

9.6 Fire Management Plan:

Fire Hazard Management Guidelines were developed to ensure that Council is consistent and transparent in its approach to managing fire hazards on private and public land.

In response to the February 2014 fires, the annual Fire Hazard Inspection Program was expanded from only pro-actively inspecting vacant residential and semi-rural blocks, to include all blocks that are in an area identified as high-risk in the Victorian Fire Risk Register (whether vacant or occupied).

The Municipal Fire Management Plan was audited by the CFA on 9th June 2015 and found to meet the requirements of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958.




The Municipal Fire Management Plan is being reviewed, and will be presented at the next Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee in October 2015.

9.7 Inspector General of Emergency Management Case Study:

The Inspector General of Emergency Management (IGEM) has undertaken a case study of Council’s recovery actions following the 2014 fires. The case study aims to enable continuous improvement and share learnings to assist in future emergency incidents. The IGEM have gathered information from Council staff, visited affected properties and spoken to emergency service personal. The IGEM have conducted phone calls to 400 residents who were both affected or in the vicinity of the fire. Council will have the opportunity to review the report findings prior to it going to the Victorian Minister of Emergency Management in December 2015.

9.8 Internal Audit of Emergency Management:

Hume has recently undergone an internal audit of Emergency Management. The audit reviewed the effectiveness of Hume City Council’s procedures for managing emergency events.

Findings from the audit are being finalised and will be reported to the Audit Committee on completion.

9.9 2015/16 Fire Season:

Craig Lapsley, the Commissioner of Emergency Management Victoria released a Pre-season Update – 2015/16 Summer Season which states:

Having been in the grip of El Niño for a number of months now, Victoria can again expect to see a significant summer in the way of heat and dryness. While some areas received much welcomed rain over the winter months, others, such as parts of north and western Victoria, continued to face drought-like conditions.

The CFA has made observations that the season may be declared early; however there has been no indication of when that may be. The Emergency Management Officer is attending the CFA Regional Pre-Season Briefing on 15th October 2015, where it is expected we will receive more information about the upcoming season, and will then review the appropriateness of the preparation timelines.

9.10 Legislative Changes:

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has previously been responsible for the coordination of Relief and Recovery for the State. From the 1st September 2015 this coordination has been transferred to Emergency Management Victoria’s Director of Relief and Recovery. DHHS will maintain regional responsibilities for relief and recovery with local government at the incident level. Further information will be available in regards to the changes next year.

Municipal Emergency Coordination Centres (MECC’s) are currently under review and references to these will be removed from the Emergency Management Manual Victoria (EMMV) by April 2016. This change however does not restrict or prevent Councils from opening a MECC if they wish to do so, but it is no longer a requirement under the EMMV Guidelines.

9.11 Fire Preparedness Activities:

Preparations are currently occurring for the 2015/16 fire season. Advisory letters are being sent out in early October to advise vacant land owners that they must cut their properties prior to fire season. Fire Hazard Inspections and the roadside slashing program will commence in early November. Property developers on the urban fringe have been invited to a meeting with Council to discuss fire prevention matters, and an internal pre-season briefing for all Council staff involved in fire prevention will be held on 20th October 2015.




Council applied for and was awarded funding for three projects under the Fire Access Road Subsidy Scheme. These projects, which will be completed prior to the 2015/16 fire season, are:

9.11.1 Installation of two 35,000L water tanks at Woodlands Park and Somerton Road Greenvale.

9.11.2 Continuation of the Fire Access Track from rear of Heritage Way to Mt Ridley Rd, Mickleham.

9.11.3 Upgrade of Fire Access Track at Mr Ridley Rd West, Mickleham.

The Fire Hazard Inspection Program will commence in November 2015.

Roadside slashing will be completed in accordance with the Municipal Fire Management Plan. The program will commence in late October with the aim to finish by late November 2015.

9.12 Community Education and Resilience Activities:

An Emergency and Safety Expo will be held on 31st October 2015 at Craigieburn Central. Emergency service agencies will be in attendance to give demonstrations as well as information and education about preparing yourself and your community for emergencies. The aim of the Expo is to:

9.12.1 Engage community organisations within Hume City Council with Emergency Services to assist with information provision around emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

9.12.2 Provide an opportunity for emergency service organisations to promote their emergency management message and community safety programs.

9.12.3 Prepare for the upcoming fire season through information dissemination and education.

9.12.4 Provide opportunity for the community to become involved in volunteer roles with emergency services.

Officers have also been working with the Islamic Council of Victoria Emergency Assist Program to develop educational programs for the Muslim community in emergency management.

‘Are You Prepared?’ workshops are being offered to seniors groups to address home safety, emergency planning and heatwave education. The Red Cross, CFA/MFB and Council Officers will be delivering these workshops over October and November.

Council and the DHHS are currently planning an information forum for residential accommodation service providers. It is anticipated that the forum will assist in planning for emergencies and evacuations of these facilities.

Stickers showing the CFA’s ‘Step Back’ message are to be attached to bins in areas around the Urban Fringe. Magnets are also being designed with this message to distribute to the community. The ‘Step Back’ message is aimed at residential properties on the urban fringe, and directs residents to ‘step back’ one or two streets rather than completely evacuating.

Communication for preparedness activities are currently being developed in collaboration with the CFA to assist communities to identify preparedness activities that need to be taken prior to summer season in accordance with where they live (i.e. rural or urban).

9.13 Municipal Emergency Recovery Plan:

The Municipal Emergency Recovery Plan is a sub-plan and supporting document of the Municipal Emergency Management Plan. The plan’s aim is to facilitate the recovery of




affected individuals, communities, infrastructure and environment as quickly and efficiently as possible following an emergency event.

The purpose of emergency recovery planning is to assist the affected community towards managing its own recovery. This is to be done through:

9.13.1 Outlining of recovery management structures and processes at a municipal, regional and state level.

9.13.2 Identification of key tasks and responsibilities of key agencies.

9.13.3 Ensuring community participation in the recovery process.

9.13.4 Identifying appropriate resourcing arrangements in the event of an emergency.

9.13.5 Development of a consistent approach towards emergency recovery within Hume City Council and the North West Metropolitan Region.

9.14 Municipal Emergency Animal Welfare Plan:

The creation of a Municipal Emergency Animal Welfare Plan is listed as an action in the 2015/16 Council Plan and in Hume’s Domestic Animal Management Plan. The Municipal Emergency Management Animal Welfare Plan outlines how Council would manage animals in an emergency, including:

9.14.1 Animals that present at an Emergency Relief Centre.

9.14.2 Animals that are uncontained due to an emergency.

9.14.3 Disposal of animal carcasses.

9.15 Municipal Emergency Management Plan – Updates:

The Municipal Emergency Management Plan was reviewed in August 2015. The changes that were made to the document include:

9.15.1 Updating Government Departments (Names and Acronyms).

9.15.2 Replacing the Community Emergency Risk Management (CERM) information with the more current Community Emergency Risk Assessment (CERA) information.

9.15.3 Updating community profiles, history of emergency and exercise information.

9.15.4 Updated references to legislation and the Emergency Management Manual Victoria.

9.15.5 Updated Glossary and contact list.

10. CONCLUSION:

Following the February 2014 fires, activities have been undertaken to ensure identified key learning have been implemented across the Council. Through the implementation of a range of programs / training / processes Council will be able to maintain and improve on their responsibilities pertaining to emergency management as well as enhancing the preparedness and resilience of communities, throughout Hume City.

REPORTS – GOVERNANCE AND ENGAGEMENT 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL


REPORT NO: GE085

REPORT TITLE: 2014/2015 Grants Announcements

SOURCE: Joel Kimber, Grants Coordinator

DIVISION: Chief Executive Officer

FILE NO: HCC10/315

POLICY: -

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: 5.3 Provide responsible and transparent governance, services and infrastructure which responds to and supports community needs.

ATTACHMENTS: 1. Contributions towards funded projects 2. 2014/2015 Grants Announced 3. Source of grants


1.1 This report outlines the number and total value of grants announced for Hume City Council in the 2014/2015 financial year.

1.2 These grants were announced for priority projects and services identified in the Hume City Council Plan 2013 – 2017 as evidence of Council’s commitment to deliver strong outcomes for the Hume City community.

2. RECOMMENDATION:

That Council notes the report.


3.1 Many of the grants announced for Council in 2014/2015 have required a financial contribution from Council either through allocations in the Council budget, Capital Works Program or both.

3.2 As a priority, efforts are made to seek funding where there is a minimal contribution required from Council or where Council can bring forward projects within the Council budget or Capital Works Program and leverage funds where appropriate.

3.3 Contributions towards grants in 2014/2015

3.3.1 Of the grants announced in 2014/2015 (Attachment 1), Council funding of $18 million was leveraged to secure:

(a) $10.93 million in grants.

(b) $9.11 million in other financial contributions and;

(c) $0.74 million in in-kind contributions.

3.3.2 This will result in the delivery of over $37 million in projects and services in Hume City (Attachment 2).


Many of the projects highlighted in this report have either undergone an environmental sustainability consideration or are environmental projects.


REPORT NO: GE085 (cont.)



Many of the projects highlighted in this report are linked to Council’s commitment to the Charter of Human Rights as outlined in the Social Justice Charter 2007.

6. DISCUSSION:

6.1 Grants awarded to Hume City Council are the direct result of the successful endeavours of officers and Councillors to assist in the delivery of priority Council projects and services. This is through:

6.1.1 The preparation of high quality grant applications by Council officers from

across the organisation.

6.1.2 Council undertaking strategic advocacy on behalf of the Hume community and;

6.1.3 A combination of both. 6.2 A number of these grants have been reported to Council as a demonstration to their

strategic alignment to Council’s core business. 6.3 2014/2015 Grants Announced

6.3.1 Thirty-three (33) grants (Attachment 3) were announced for Hume City Council in the 2014/2015 financial year totalling $10.93 million. This included:

(a) Twenty-one (21) grants announced by the Victorian Government totalling $1.47 million, including $200,000 for the Sunbury Town Centre Placemaking project which will see an upgrade of the O’Shannassy Street streetscape in Sunbury.

(b) Three (3) grants announced by the Australian Government totalling $9.39 million, including $9.091 million for the Craigieburn Regional Aquatic and Leisure Centre project which will see Council undertake its largest ever community infrastructure project and deliver an indoor 50 metre indoor pool, warm water program pool, Learn to Swim pool, waterslides, meeting spaces, creche facilities and other fitness elements.

(c) Six (6) grants announced by organisations other than the Victorian and Australian Governments totalling $85,000, including $10,000 for the Walk to School project which will encourage Hume City Council schools to participate in the Walk to School program.

6.3.2 For many years, Councillors and Council officers have promoted the importance of the Craigieburn Regional Aquatic and Leisure Centre to the Victorian and Australian Government.

6.3.3 Council’s successful endeavours to secure funding for this project from both the Victorian and Australian Government evidences Council’s strategic advocacy in action.

6.4 Council officers will continue to work diligently to engage with Government departments and other organisations to secure grants to deliver projects and services for the Hume City community.


REPORT NO: GE085 (cont.)


7. CONCLUSION:

7.1 In summary Council has been proactive in its efforts to improve the delivery of key services to ratepayers through securing grants from the Victorian and Australian Government and from other funding agencies.

7.2 Grants announced in 2014/2015 have strong links to the Hume City Council Plan 2013 – 2017 and will inject over $37 million into projects and services in the local community.

7.3 Council officers and Councillors will continue to advocate to all levels of Government and other organisations for grants to assist in meeting the needs of our ever growing community.

REPORTS – GOVERNANCE AND ENGAGEMENT 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 1 - Contributions towards funded projects


REPORTS – GOVERNANCE AND ENGAGEMENT 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 2 - 2014/2015 Grants Announced


























REPORTS – GOVERNANCE AND ENGAGEMENT 12 OCTOBER 2015 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF COUNCIL Attachment 3 - Source of grants


Documents

ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE HUME CITY COUNCIL … · Council (Town Planning) Meeting of 28 September 2015, including Confidential Minutes, be confirmed. 6. RECEIPT OF COUNCIL