April 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting Recap - Councillor Trembath

Published on 06 May 2025

The meeting was opened in prayer at 5:30pm by Janet Clayton.

There were no presentations or questions from the public and the rest of the meeting was quite uneventful with much of the meeting covering Policies to be put on public exhibition.

A request to circulate the previous meeting’s minutes to all Councillors prior to the Council meeting for comment/corrections was taken on notice.

Notices of Motion

10.1 Council Sealing Policy

Councillor Tucker put forward the Motion that Council discontinues the previous practice of giving priority to sealing 1-2km of roads each year. The motion was successful as there will be no real change to the practice other than consideration for the funding allocation be based on the perceived needs and available funds within the IP&R framework annually.

10.2 Trees on Council Reserves – Policy 4109

The motion by Councillor Tucker for Policy 4109 be reviewed, and discussions be held with Essential Energy to ensure trees are left in a healthy and attractive condition was successful.

Reports for Decision.

The following Policies will be put on public exhibition for 28 days with an invitation for submissions from the public: -

13.1 Policy 2213 – Financial Reserves Policy

13.2 Policy 1103 – Payment of Expenses and Provision of Facilities to Councillors

13.3 Policy 2110 – Workplace Health and Safety

13.5 Policy 1113 – Enterprise Risk Management

13.8 Policy 1120 – Community Engagement Strategy

13.9 Policy 2142 – Closed Circuit Television Policy (New)

13.4 Community Energy Upgrade Fund (CEUF) Round 2 Application.

The report identified the Oberon Water Treatment Plant, Council Administration Building and Depot as priority projects and endorsed the preparation of an application under CEUF Round 2 with commitment of co-contributions to support the application from the Water Funds Reserve ($130,000) and ($70,075) from the Council Buildings renewal reserve. Councillor Tucker amended the Motion for Council to note the report as presented and a further report be brought back to the May Meeting outlining the proposed payback periods (best case/worst case) and this will form the basis for a final decision prior to submitting a funding application.

13.6 DA 2025.016 – New Shed, 5 Phillip Street, Oberon variation to the Part C5.5 Building Height Plane was endorsed.

13.7 The Waste Transfer Operations motion was amended by Councillor Hayden to trial opening the Transfer Stations 24/7 at Burraga and Black Springs free of charge with remote supervision by signage or CCTV for a period of 28 days and if unsuccessful terminate the trial prior to 30 June 2025 and provide a report back to Council. An alternate motion by Councillor Tucker focussing on a broader Waste Strategy, establishing a Waste Charter, trialling hours of operations for the Transfer Stations at Burraga and Black Springs and forming a Waste Working Party to work towards the statewide mandate for Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) recycling to reduce food waste and stop food waste going to landfill to be in place by July 2030 was successful. Councillors Tucker, Trembath and Hayden were appointed to the Waste Working Party.

13.10 Quarterly Budget Review Statement 3 – January – March 2025 was endorsed with the following Operational Plan budget adjustment movements to the 2025/2026 financial year: -

Defer $584,871 under the Roads to Recovery program
Defer $678,300 Albion Street Project under the Regional emergency Road Repair Program
Defer Plant and Equipment purchases totalling $395,000
Defer $60,000 capital project for survey, concept development and detailed design of a new landfill cell funded from Waste Fund Reserves
Cancel the UV Filtration project and return the allocated $150,000 to Water Fund Reserves
Defer the Sewerage Treatment Plant project totalling $11.5million to future financial years
Increase the consultancy budget by $6000 to cover the costs of conducting a second countback election due to a Councillor relinquishing their position.

13.11 DA10.2024.28.1 Thirty-one Lot Subdivision at 10a Blenheim Avenue Oberon was refused on the basis that additional information requested repeatedly by Council for the following was not provided.

Environmental Assessment
Insufficient information addressing issues raised in submissions
Insufficient information to determine suitability of the site for development
Insufficient information to determine public Interest
Insufficient information to determine suitability in context and location of the development

In Confidential the following recommendations were endorsed.

16.1 Water Write Off Request

Council endorsed the recommendation to not write off water consumption charges for Assessment 1237001. Approve the write-off of $2389.38 in sewer discharge consumption fees reflecting the portion of excess water that did not enter the sewage network and note the request to consider the implementation of Smart Water Meter Technology in future operations and infrastructure planning.

16.2 Debt Collection Update

Council noted the report on the current status of debt recovery actions, specifically relating to large, aged debts identified for recovery through the sale of land process.

Meeting closed at 9:45pm

Next meeting Tuesday 20 May 2025 @ 5:30pm

All meetings are also available via Teams Webinar, recorded and available on the Council website