Margot Giblin
The chairs of Council’s six committees are now: Darlene Haigh, Development and Environmental Services. Eva Ruzicka, Strategic Governance. Marti Zucco, Community Development. Jeff Briscoe, Parks and Customer Services, Ron Christie, City Services. John Freeman, Finance and Corporate Services.
Hobart City Council
Open Meeting
Monday 12 November 2007
5pm
Election over, two new councilors in place and the seating is as follows around the horseshoe. The Chair (Mayor Rob Valentine), General Manager (Brent Armstrong) and Director of Corporate Services (John Warner) sit on a dais above the open end.
Deputy Mayor Eva Ruzicka is beside Marti Zucco followed by Peter Sexton, Ron Christie, Philip Cocker, Bill Harvey, Elise Archer, Helen Burnet, John Freeman, Jeff Briscoe and Darlene Haigh.
Amiability in abundance, but it didn’t survive the first item.
With the Council acting as Planning Authority the application for partial demolition, extension and re-development of nine flats at 20 Ellerslie Road Hobart was debated.
Ruzicka couldn’t support this unless amended to remove level 7 of the building, to better meet the requirements of the planning scheme.
No-one seconded her motion, which meant, as Valentine stated, that it lapsed.
I’m not surprised, said Ruzicka.
Point of order, said Zucco. This comment implied an insult to all alderman present.
Not intended, replied Ruzicka. It was merely an expression of my opinion that I wouldn’t get support.
In sorting out the split hair separating insult from personal opinion Valentine undertook to be firmer in dealing with those whose comments or interjections are unacceptable in this newly convened council.
A revamped Code of Conduct, adopted on 27 August this year, may help him in this. The difficulty of nailing tone of voice and motivation will remain a problem until all councilors act without guile.
Burnet said she had been unable to support Ruzicka’s motion as it would not be defensible in a tribunal situation. She did however want to move an amendment that would ensure the building had a more sympathetic finish.
Harvey seconded her motion.
Valentine then spoke to the lapsed motion on height. His error was pointed out by Briscoe, and all except Ruzicka then voted aye to the application with Burnet’s amendment intact.
30 Clarke Ave Battery Point has applied for partial demolition, dwelling additions and alterations, a boat shed, fencing and landscaping.
While the front fence and glass conservatory were described as most acceptable by the Development and Environmental Services Committee chair, Haigh, it was felt that the boatshed may impact on neighbours. Conditions applied.
Ruzicka noted that the applicants may not be happy with these changes. Given the contentious nature of the area involved, however, she felt it was a good result.
Freeman said that while he knew nothing of the applicant’s identity or strength he was curious to know how anyone could get a boat that needed such a sizeable boatshed across the rocky surface between it and the water.
Officer advice was that the applicant was happy with the location of the boatshed. Perhaps a canoe was planned.
Freeman wanted to be certain that, having received approval for a boatshed, the applicant would not come back and demand a slipway to go with it. He wanted approval of the boatshed deleted.
Briscoe seconded this motion.
Sexton wondered whether Council would have to approve access and suggested an alternative solution – that a condition be added that no slipway would ever be approved for the property.
This suggestion was unanimously agreed to.
Perhaps the ‘Hang your clothes on the gooseberry bush, but don’t go near the water’, scenario wont ever arise if Sexton was right in suggesting the ‘boatshed’ description of the structure was the easiest way to get planning approval.
Code of Conduct Panel members will be Ruzicka (Chair), Freeman and Elise Archer. A report will be prepared on appropriate changes to the legislation to avoid the need for three councilors to be involved. Some councilors including Haigh, find the present situation problematic.
Briscoe felt that councilors should be able to monitor their own behaviour. He asked how a complaint against a councilor would be dealt with, if made by a member of the public. The choice, to be made by the councilor concerned, would be judgement by a panel of peers or by the LGAT standards panel.
Meeting times were reviewed as was Council representation on various internal and external bodies and special committees. The names of Lyn Archer and Eric Hayes needed to be replaced, although in the case of the latter it was suggested by Zucco that he be asked to continue his involvement with the 50 and Better Centre.
Perhaps the demands of the very few representations taken on by some councilors weigh up to the same amount of work as those who take on many. Three for Zuccco compared to twelve for Elise Archer is at the least interesting, especially as it was he who nominated her for many of them. This despite Archer’s demonstrated willingness to put her own hand up, which was all that was required.
The chairs of Council’s six committees are now: Darlene Haigh, Development and Environmental Services. Eva Ruzicka, Strategic Governance. Marti Zucco, Community Development. Jeff Briscoe, Parks and Customer Services, Ron Christie, City Services. John Freeman, Finance and Corporate Services.
Committee membership along with the Council’s new Code of Conduct, details of aldermanic allowances and lots of other interesting stuff can be found at www.hobartcity.com.au
The next open Council meeting is at 5pm on Monday 26 November upstairs at the Town Hall. The Annual General Meeting will be held at the same place, same day at 7.30pm.
(NB: Elise Archer will be referred to by her full name for as long as it takes for her not to be confused with Lyn Archer, which could be ages.)
