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Minutes of the Sustainability Committee Meeting held on Wednesday, 20 February 2008.

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PRESENT

Cr. Main (Chair)

Crs Kay and Strewe

Ms Dunford, Mr Eyre, Mr Gower, Mr Jones, Ms McGee, Mr Mobbs, Mr Nardi

and Mr Newhouse

At the commencement of proceedings at 7.07 pm those present were as listed above with the exception of Cr Strewe and Mr Newhouse who arrived at 7.11pm and 7.39pm respectively.

SUS-0802.A

Apologies

Apologies were received and accepted from Cr Copeland, Ms Graham and Mr Taper.

SUS-0802.DI

Declarations of Interest

The Chair asked for any Declarations of Interest and the following was received:

1.           Mr Mobbs declared a pecuniary interest in Item SUS-0802.10 – Update on Regional Ecological Footprint Project  (A05/2057).  Mr Mobbs informed the Committee that his company has been contracted for the first stage of work on Barrett House.

SUS-0802.CT

Confirm Times Allocated to Items on the Agenda

The allocated times for Items on the agenda were confirmed by the Committee.

SUS-0802.CM                                                                                                                              

Confirmation of Previous Minutes by Council – 21 November 2007

The Minutes of the Sustainability Committee Meeting held on 21 November 2007 were confirmed and the Committee’s recommendations adopted by Council at its meeting on 18 December 2007.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Mobbs / Strewe)

That the Committee receive and note this information.

SUS-0802.1                                                                                                                                  

Review of Proposals on Water Conservation – WDCP 2006 (Amendment 3) and Update on Draft Sustainable Transport Action Plan  (A05/2057)

Report dated 5 February 2008 from the Director, Planning & Environmental Services about business arising since the last Sustainability Committee meeting of November 2007.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Mobbs / Main)

That:

1.             The Committee receive and note each reported update.

2.             All documentation for the Bondi Road Bus Lane Workshop be forwarded to the members of the Sustainability Committee.

SUS-0802.2

Looking Forward in 2008  (A05/2057)

Report dated 5 February 2008 from the Director, Planning & Environmental Services about the Management Plan program of works for 2008.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Main / Jones)

That:

1.           The Committee receive and note this report and the tentative timetable for comment upon the draft Waverley Management Plan.

2.           A suggested date for the conduct of a workshop session on the Draft Management Plan be circulated by email to the Committee members.

3.           A Confidential Draft of the Management Plan be circulated to the Committee members as soon as possible, followed by a group email discussion being held for either the conduct of a workshop on the suggested date or whether Committee members will provide feedback on the Plan by email only.

SUS-0802.3

Multi-Unit Development Project Working Group Status Report  (A05/2057)

Report dated 5 February 2008 from the Director, Planning & Environmental Services about the status of the Sustainability Committee Project Working Group Multi-Unit Development project.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Main / Gower)

That the Committee receive and note this report and that Council seek priority funding to undertake this project.

SUS-0802.4

Sustainable Choice Program Status Report  (A07/1222)

Report dated 5 February 2008 from the Director, Planning & Environmental Services about Waverley Council participating in the NSW Local Government and Shires Association (LGSA) Sustainable Choice Program.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (McGee / Nardi)

That the Committee receive and note this report.

SUS-0802.5

Sustainable Building Incentives for the Waverley Development Control Plan 2006 (WDCP 2006) (Amendment 4) Project  (A05/2057)

Report dated 5 February 2008 from the Director, Planning & Environmental Services about the Sustainability Committee’s participation in the Waverley Development Control Plan 2006 (WDCP 2006) (Amendment 4) project.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Strewe / Mobbs)

That the Committee:

1.             Receive and note this report.

2.             Participate in a workshop and provide out of session advice to Council’s Strategic Planning division to assist the incorporation of sustainable building initiatives into the WDCP 2006 (Amendment 4).

3.             Note that Ms McGee, Mr Mobbs and Mr Nardi expressed interest in attending and assisting in this project.

SUS-0802.6

Draft Waverley Sustainability Plan (DECC’s Urban Sustainability Program)  (A05/2057)

Waverley Council is currently developing the Waverley Sustainability Plan in partnership with the local community and with assistance from DECC’s Urban Sustainability Program in the form of a 20k grant. The purpose of the plan is to define and deliver a more detailed vision for environmental sustainability in Waverley. Council is currently at the stage of developing the methodology for undertaking community consultation. A tentative outline for developing the plan is outlined as follows:

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Nardi / Dunford)

That the Committee:

1.             Receive and note this report and draft timetable.

2.             Provide comment on the proposed consultation methodology for this project when it is distributed as an out of session email at the end of February 2008.

3.             Request Council to forward a letter of concern to the Local Government Association regarding the requirements by DECC to have a stand alone Plan for the program.

SUS-0802.7

Blue Groper Research Project – Bronte-Coogee Aquatic Reserve  (A05/2057)

DECC are co-ordinating a research program in co-operation with Waverley and Randwick Councils on the extent of the habitat of the eastern blue groper (see attachment 1). The aim is to document the range of this protected species to inform policy on the proposed extension of the Aquatic Reserve and the prohibition zone for spear fishing. The project is part of an overall protection strategy for the eastern blue groper, which is one of the state symbols for NSW. Waverley is contributing to environmental education on this significant project for the locality. The research team is expected to be on site from early April 2008.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Mobbs / Kay)

That the Committee receive and note this report.

SUS-0802.8

Active Living  (A05/2057)

The Premier’s Council for Active Living is seeking the greater involvement of local councils to encourage ‘active living’, encompassing active travel and active recreation. The Department of Local Government are preparing guidelines on this topic to support their forthcoming report on integrated planning (covering council management plans, state of the environment plans, social plans, and possibly LEPs and possibly public domain and road-related plans).

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (McGee / Eyre)

That the Committee receive and note this report.

SUS-0802.9

Draft Waverley Local Environment Plan (LEP) 2010  (A05/2057)

Council’s Strategic Planning Division recently began development of the draft Waverley LEP 2010. This instrument sits between the Draft East Sub-Regional Strategy (intended as the guide for planning by state government until 2031), Council’s Strategic Plan and the Waverley DCP 2006 (WDCP 2006). Given the LEP includes specific aims towards environmental issues the Sustainability Committee should provide comment on the draft Waverley LEP 2010.

Strategic Planning have established a tentative timeframe which encompasses the two year process until gazettal. Key dates include November 2008 when the final draft LEP 2010 will be submitted during a proofing meeting with the DoP. The final LEP 2010 will then be prepared and submitted in February 2009. Environmental Services will continue to work closely with Strategic Planning (including sitting on a project control group) and will inform the Sustainability Committee of arrangements for the inclusion of their input as the project develops.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Newhouse / Nardi)

That:

1.           The Committee receive and note this report.

2.           A workshop be conducted to provide comment to the Draft LEP 2010.

SUS-0802.10

Update on Regional Ecological Footprint Project  (A05/2057)

Waverley is collaborating with Randwick and Woollahra Councils on a group of projects funded by a three year Urban Sustainability Grant from the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

The Sustainable House occupies part of Barrett House that is located in Randwick, at 6 Barratt Place; it is close to the Waverley area and is accessible by public transport.  In addition to being used as a demonstration of sustainability practices applied to an existing residential building, other uses are being considered, e.g. a meeting venue and/or a shopfront for products that support sustainable practices.

The first stage of work on Barrett House is a scoping exercise for which Michael Mobbs & Associates have been contracted, following an advertised expression of interest.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (McGee / Main)

That:

1.             The Committee receive and note this report.

2.             An updated report on the Regional Ecological Footprint Project be prepared for the Committee’s consideration at its May 2008 meeting.

Mr Mobbs declared a pecuniary interest in this item and was not present at, or in sight of, the meeting at any time during which the matter was considered or voted on by the Committee. Mr Mobbs informed the Committee that his company has been contracted for the first stage of work on Barrett House.

SUS-0802.11                                                                                                                                

Addressing Sustainability in Council and Committee Reports  (A02/0649)

At its meeting on 18 December 2007, Council considered a Mayoral Minute in relation to addressing sustainability in Council and Committee reports. It subsequently resolved as follows:

That the General Manager investigates and reports back early in 2008 on a proposal to alter the standard reporting format for all Council and Committee reports so that issues of environmental and/or triple bottom line sustainability are addressed in all reports.

An extract from the Council meeting outlining the background to the Mayoral Minute was attached to the agenda.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Nardi / Dunford)

That the Committee:

1.             Receive and note this information.

2.             Provide out of session input (e.g. on merits and examples of practice by other organisations in NSW) to assist staff in Council’s Environment Services Division to formulate well-considered advice to Council.

SUS-0802.12                                                                                                                                

Results from survey of Sustainability Committee members December 2007 and suggested improvements to the operation of the Committee  (A08/0079)

Report dated 4 February 2008 from the General Manager regarding feedback from Committee members about the first twelve months operation of the Committee.

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Dunford / McGee)

That the Committee:

1.             Continue to meet quarterly from 7pm-8.30pm.

2.             Receive its agenda two weeks in advance of its meetings by email prior to hardcopy distribution.

3.             Utilise a range of methods to achieve its purpose:

(a).        Quarterly Committee meetings using a mixture of formal meeting procedure and/or workshop formats as appropriate.

(b).        Working group meetings between Committee meetings, with reports back to the Committee.

(c).        Group email conversations on agreed topics.

(d).        The identification at a Committee meeting of one or more individual Committee members with specific expertise to provide advice to staff on specific projects or issues.

4.             Regularly review and agree a set of administrative procedures to enhance its operation. These procedures in 2008 will include agreeing major agenda items at the end of each meeting for the next meeting; agreeing preferred time allocations for all items at the commencement of each meeting; restricting presentations to 15 minutes.

5.             Review the Committee’s purpose statement and priorities in mid 2008 as part of the Council evaluation of the Committee’s first year of operation.

6.             Provide input to the draft Management Plan for 2008-2012 and then review the draft Plan once on exhibition, identifying and agreeing the targets on which the Committee can add most value.

7.             Request that data from the State of the Environment report, Management Plan quarterly report and other relevant sources be circulated as background material for the Committee.

SUS-0802.13

Matters for Consideration at the May 2008 Meeting

MOTION / RECOMMENDATION  (Dunford / McGee)

That the following matters be included as items for consideration on the next Committee agenda:

1.           Review of the Committee Charter.

2.           Updated Report on the Regional Ecological Footprint Project.

3.           Discussions on Data and Information – Trends.

4.           Management Plan.

5.           Public Facilities Programs.

6.           Draft LEP 2010 and Draft DCP Amendment (No.4).

7.           Update on Draft Sustainability Plan.

At this stage of the meeting, the Chair expressed on behalf of the Committee, a vote of thanks to all Council staff who contributed to the improvements to the operation of the Committee.

SUS-0802.14

Other Business

There was no other business.

SUS-0802.NM

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to be held from 7.00pm-8.30pm on Wednesday, 21 May 2008.

THE MEETING CLOSED AT 8.40PM

SIGNED & CONFIRMED                        MAYOR

18 MARCH 2008

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