Zucco questions Salamanca Christmas tree design process

A Hobart City Council alderman has questioned the process around the controversial Salamanca Christmas Tree and the fact that another design approved by the Council, was changed and the tree constructed without Council’s final approval.

Alderman Marti Zucco said Council originally approved a design estimated to cost $30,000 that was quite different to the one that was finally constructed.

“While I was not at the Council meeting in question as I was overseas, I understand Council was presented with a ‘fabricated tree’ concept which is quite different to the one we see in Salamanca today. That concept was presented to Council and estimated to cost $30,000 to construct. Council approved the concept design and the associated expenditure.

“I now understand that when that design was then properly costed for construction, the estimate jumped from $30,000 to $70,000.”

Without the authority of Council, that design was revised to reflect the budget.

The Council decision was “to endorse a bespoke, illuminated tree (concept shown in Attachment A to Special item 2 of the Economic Development and Communications Committee agenda of 13 April 2015), to be fabricated in 2015 and installed in Salamanca Square in 2015, 2016 and 2017”

“My questions are:

Given that Council approved another design and budget, why was there such a huge fluctuation in the estimate from $30,000 to $70,000?
Again given that the full Council approved the original concept and budget why was the new design and budget not brought back to the full Council for approval before construction?
Who approved the new design? “Council decision can only be changed by the Council”

Ald Zucco said that while the General Manager does have authority to spend up to $50,000 he does not have nor was provided delegation to change this a Council decision.

“My other question is:

Did the General Manager consult with any Alderman on the changes to the original bespoke design (concept design that was approved by council) prior to making unauthorised changes? If so who?

“I am totally gobsmacked how the Council has ended up being the ridicule of the country and its dignity tarnished”

“In the interests of transparency we need to know why these matters occurred and why the full Council was not given the final approval of what has been constructed. As a Council we may have decided to go in another direction. In both the type of tree to be installed and the end cost, if the design had been presented to Council again,” Ald Zucco said.

Notes:

This decision to create a bespoke Xmas tree has cost Hobart its “dignity” as stated the Chasers Media Circus programme aired last week.

The decision approved by Council in April 2015 was for a Xmas tree which actually looked like a tree and was of a size and scale suitable for Salamanca Square.

The Council minutes for 13 April meeting record the following decision:

The Council endorse a bespoke, illuminated tree (concept shown in Attachment A to Special item 2 of the Economic Development and Communications Committee agenda of 13 April 2015), to be fabricated in 2015 and installed in Salamanca Square in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Council aldermen were never asked to approve a modification to the original concept which raises serious governance concerns around the approval of the new design and its production.

The original decision was delegated to Council.
How was it possible for Council’s original decision to be ignored and a decision for a completely new design to be taken without referring the matter back to Council?

It would appear that this decision was taken out of the hands of the Aldermen and as far as I am aware approved by the General Manager Mr Nick Heath. I am not sure whether the General Manager consulted with any of the Aldermen prior to commissioning a new concept, not approved by Council.

Council is very familiar with approval processes for planning and building structures. Should any applicant wish to significantly amend the original plan, once approved, it must come back to Council for further approval. Council would never allow a developer to change an approved design without referring it back to Council simply because the approved design was more expensive than originally thought.

Council aldermen are currently being berated and ridiculed for a decision they did not make.

It is unfortunate that hard working and talented Council staff responsible for the fabrication of the tee-pee have become embroiled in a poor decision made under questionable governance.

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Xmas_Tree_approval.docx
Alderman Marti Zucco