Saturday 24 November 2007

Annual Report for Council

The Annual Report for Newcastle Council has finally been released.

Again, the Annual Report does not comply with section 339 of the Local Government Act 1993 which requires that the general manager must report to the council on the contractual conditions of senior staff.

In fact, section 339 is not even mentioned in the report.

The Annual Report does contain some information about senior staff. They are mentioned on page 12:



and again on page 28:



The full report can be found on the website here: NCC Annual Report 0607

Friday 22 June 2007

Keith's Letter to The Herald

The Herald's cartoon "A Guide to Newcastle Council Meeting Procedure" (Friday 22nd June 2007) appears to be designed to create the impression that Council meetings are violent, full of abuse and out of control; and to further create the perception that Newcastle City Council is "dysfunctional".

It is a damaging and totally false impression and an insult to the Lord Mayor and 12 councillors. I challenge the Herald to provide hard evidence that the cartoon has any basis in fact.

Further, The Herald article "Rate rise slips by meeting"(Friday 22nd June 2007) claimed that "it emerged yesterday that the 4 community submissions that several councillors said they had not seen, prompting Tuesday night's deferral had been available in the councillors' tearoom for more than a month".

In fact, the deferral was the result of the late delivery of a detailed staff report analysing 2 comprehensive submissions (by Hunter Business Chamber and Throsby Community Forum). The report should have been in the business papers given to councillors and released to the public the week before the meeting.

It was e-mailed to councillors' homes at 4.28 pm on Tuesday afternoon, after most had left to attend the meeting. Most had not seen the report. They needed adequate time to read and digest it and discuss it among their political groups.

The article also claims that "several members of the city's community forums described the councillors' latest pickle as a joke and a circus". Executive members of the affected forums have told me that they supported the councillors' actions and were outraged at the staff's treatment of their submissions.

Many cheered the decision to defer from the public gallery and have sent councillors supportive e-mails.

No doubt staff pressures resulted in the late delivery. Council's deferral, however, was the appropriate and proper decision and the only way to give the 2 community submissions the respect they deserve.

Cr Keith Parsons.
1/161 Scott St, Newcastle, 2300.
0408446022.

Wednesday 13 June 2007

Council's response to GM outburst













Last night Newcastle City Council unanimously resolved the following regarding the General Manager's outburst:

1 Having obtained from the General Manager an explanation of her actions in this matter and on the basis of its legal advice Council:

(a) is satisfied that by making certain statements attributed to her in the Newcastle Herald on Saturday 5 May 2007, the General Manager has acted in breach of clause 11.3 of her contract of employment - terms of the said clause 11.3 are attached as a Appendix A; and

(b) expresses its disappointment and serious concern about the General Manager’s breach of her contract of employment and the resulting negative publicity for Council and warns the General Manager against any further breaches in her dealings with the media.

2 Council acknowledges the General Manager has expressed regret about her comments and the negative impact those comments have had on Council.

3 Council further directs the General Manager to develop, for Council's consideration, a draft Policy on “Public Comment by Council officials on Council Affairs” and as an interim measure, pending the General Manager’s further report, the Council proposes to adopt the draft Policy on those matters as prepared by its solicitors.

4 Council further notes that in accordance with the terms of her contract of employment, the General Manager’s annual performance review will be conducted in July 2007 (with an experienced facilitator as allowed by the contract, preferably appointed by the Local Government & Shires Association) which Council sees as an opportunity to address some of the issues referred to by the General Manager in recent statements.

5 Council reaffirms its commitment to continue building a professional and constructive partnership with the General Manager and Council’s Strategic Management Team.

Appendix A

Clause 11.3 of the General Manager’s Contract of Employment:

11.3 The employee covenants that in all dealings with the media the employee will use their best endeavours to ensure positive publicity for the Council in accordance with Council’s communication policy.

Tuesday 8 May 2007

Better Practice Review



Newcastle Greens
MEDIA RELEASE
8 May 2007

Greens to request Local Government Department to undertake a ‘Better Practice Review’ of Newcastle City Council

Newcastle Greens Councillor Michael Osborne said today that he will ask for support from fellow Councillors to take up the Local Government Minister’s idea for his Department to undertake a ‘Better Practice Review’ of the Council administration.

The Minister for Local Government, The Hon. Paul Lynch, MP, raised on Newcastle radio yesterday the idea of getting the Department of Local Government to undertake a ‘Better Practice Review’ of the administration of Newcastle City Council.

“The idea of getting the Department to undertake a ‘Better Practice Review’ of the Council administration is a good idea because it will not only act as a ‘health check’ and perhaps restore some confidence in the Council but it will help focus attention on the key priorities,” Councillor Osborne said.

Under the Local Government Act 1993, one of the roles of the elected Council, as the governing body of the City, is to review the performance of the Council administration. The Department has reviewed more than 40 councils so far including Port Stephens, Maitland, Cessnock, Dungog, Muswellbrook, Gosford, Wyong, Penrith and Wollongong.

“The General Manager’s outburst in The Herald over the weekend, just before she went on a holiday to China, is of a great concern and certainly an inappropriate and unprofessional way to behave,” Councillor Osborne said.

“Promoting good governance and ethical conduct principles is one of the objectives of the Local Government Department’s ‘Better Practice Review’.

“At the same time, Councillor Buman’s constant attacks on the Council administration are not a constructive way to improve the performance of the council and its delivery of services.

“The elected Council needs to work with the Council administration to achieve the best outcomes for the City. The Greens on Newcastle City Council were elected to represent the interests of the residents and ratepayers of Newcastle and we will continue to do just that,” Councillor Osborne said.

More information about the Department of Local Government ‘Better Practice Review’ can be found on their website Local Government Better Practice

Wednesday 11 April 2007

The Council administration

Council has about 1,000 employees and an annual budget of around $150 million.

Council is responsible for looking after public facilities and providing community services. Newcastle City Council provides more than 150 services such as:
Town planning
Construction and maintenance of local roads, streets and bridges
Preservation of historic places
Food and public health services
Waste management and recycling
Supervision of building and development control
Parking control
Maintenance of parks, golf courses, sporting fields, pools and beach facilities
Provision and servicing of libraries, community centres, theatres and art galleries
Pet registration and control
Tourism services
Promotion of economic development
Child care facilities
Fire prevention enforcement and many more

The administration is located in the "mushroom" building at 282 King Street, Newcastle NSW 2300. The phone is 02 4974 2000 and the email address is mail@ncc.nsw.gov.au

Your elected Council

Newcastle City Council was formed in April 1938 with the merger of Adamstown, Carrington, Hamilton, Lambton. Merewether, Newcastle, New Lambton, Stockton, Wallsend, Waratah and Wickham Councils.

Newcastle is divided into 4 wards for Council elections, with each ward electing 3 Councillors. The Lord Mayor is elected on a separate ballot for the entire four-year term of Council. So your elected Council has 12 Councillors and the Lord Mayor. The next local government election is in September 2008. I was elected in March 2003.

The full list of Councillors are...
Councillor Dr Cassandra Arnold - Ward 4
109 Marmong Street
MARMONG POINT NSW 2284
Phone: 4958 9958
Fax: 4950 8709
Mobile: 0409 446 121
Email: ncc-carnold@pacific.net.au

Councillor Aaron Buman - Ward 1
54 Gipps Street
CARRINGTON NSW 2294
Phone: 4962 4753
Fax: 4940 0721
Mobile: 0411 248 934
Email: aaronbuman@smartchat.net.au

Councillor Marilyn Eade - Ward 1
45 Parry Street
COOKS HILL NSW 2300
Phone: 4929 3198
Fax: 4929 6249
Mobile: 0411 644 742
Email: ncc-meade@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Barbara Gaudry - Ward 2
15 Cram Street
MEREWETHER NSW 2291
Phone: 4969 4625
Fax: 4969 1487
Mobile: 0413 754 136
Email: ncc-bgaudry@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Sonia Hornery - Ward 4
45 Robert Street,
WALLSEND NSW 2287
Fax: 4955 8982
Mobile: 0411 874 667
Email: ncc-shornery@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Ian McKenzie - Ward 1
24 Nevill Street
MAYFIELD NSW 2304
Phone: 4960 3066
Fax: 4960 3033
Mobile: 0414 682 001
Email: ianmck@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Gwen Jackson - Ward 4
35 Galway Bay Drive
ASHTONFIELD NSW 2323
Phone: 4934 4072
Fax: 4936 6621
Mobile: 0408 446 111
Email: ncc-gjackson@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Helene O'Neill - Ward 2
23 Randall Parade
ADAMSTOWN HEIGHTS NSW 2289
Fax: 4957 9737
Mobile: 0417 446 343
Email: ncc-honeill@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Michael Osborne - Ward 2
36 Margaret Street
TIGHES HILL NSW
Phone: 4940 8149
Fax: 4940 8143
Mobile: 0439 442 984
Email: ncc-mosborne@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Keith Parsons - Ward 3
1/161 Scott Street
NEWCASTLE NSW 2300
Phone: 4926 5301
Fax: 4927 1457
Mobile: 0408 446 022
Email: ncc-kparsons@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Paul Scobie - Ward 3
40 Queens Road
NEW LAMBTON NSW 2305
Phone: 4957 0458
Fax: 4957 2196
Mobile: 0413 754 073
Email: djps@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor Barry Scully - Ward 3
136 Springfield Avenue
KOTARA NSW 2289
Phone: 4957 5200
Fax: 4957 6821
Mobile: 0413 753 806
Email: ncc-bscully@hunterlink.net.au

Councillor John Tate - Lord Mayor
190 Croudace Street
NEW LAMBTON HEIGHTS NSW 2305
Phone: 4974 2233
Fax: 4974 2202
Mobile: 0407 017 154
Email: jtate@ncc.nsw.gov.au

Newcastle City Council Area



Newcastle City Council covers an area of 183 square kilometres and has a population of more than 145,000.

The Council area includes the suburbs of Adamstown, Adamstown Heights, Beresfield, Birmingham Gardens, Broadmeadow, Carrington, Cooks Hill, Elermore Vale, Fletcher, Georgetown, Hamilton, Hexham, Islington, Jesmond, Kotara, Lambton, Maryland, Maryville, Mayfield, Merewether, Merewether Heights, Minmi, New Lambton, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, Rankin Park, Shortland, Stockton, Tarro, Tighes Hill, Wallsend, Waratah and Wickham.

Tuesday 10 April 2007

Newcastle's Acknowledgement


"Newcastle City Council acknowledges that we are meeting on the traditional country of the Awabakal and Worimi peoples.

We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and continuing relationship with the land, and that they are proud survivors of more than two hundred years of dispossession.

Council reiterates its commitment to address disadvantages and attain justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this community."