Tuesday 3 February 2009

Council Meeting 3 February 2009

The 3rd February 2009 Council meeting was a mixed bag of issues.

Apart from the Code of Conduct complaints against the Lord Mayor and other Councillors about political donations referred to here and here, the meeting dealt with road closures, the meeting cycle, expenses and investments, an urgent report tabled at the meeting about the waste services and two notices of motion about cycling.

Waste

On the night, the General Manager distributed a late report to Councillors entitled Industrial Action - Waste Collection Service and she requested that the report be considered on the basis of urgency and importance. Councillor Claydon also had an Urgency Motion with regards the dispute.

MOTION: (The Lord Mayor/Councillor M Osborne)

The late report regarding the matter of the Industrial Action - Waste Collection Service and Councillor Claydon's Urgency Motion be heard as a matter of urgency in accordance with the Code of Meeting Practice, Clause 10 which states,

10.7 Council may consider items not listed for consideration on the business paper subject to the following:
· the item is of sufficient urgency and importance to merit consideration;
· it was not possible to provide information on the item in accordance with the notice of meetings and preparation of business papers background image

The procedural motion was put to the meeting and a show of hands was requested.

For the procedural motion 7
Against the procedural motion 5

The Lord Mayor declared the procedural motion carried on the result of seven votes to five votes.


Following discussion of the report, the conservative Councillors Luke and Sharpe moved that the report be received. Councillor Claydon was then asked to move her Urgency Motion.

MOTION: (COUNCILLORS S CLAYDON/M OSBORNE)

Council receive the report and move that this Council rescinds part B of the motion passed in Item 24 - CITYS - Supply and Delivery of Three Side Loading Waste Compactor Trucks - Tender for Contract NO. 2009/011T - of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on Tuesday 18 November 2008 and requests the Council Administration to work in close consultation with Newcastle City Council's workforce and their union representatives to ensure continuous improvement of services and agreed benchmarking standards.

With the view to combining the motions, the Lord Mayor was uncertain of the legality of Councillor Claydon's motion as it appeared contrary to the motion moved by Councillors Luke and Sharpe.

Councillors Luke and Sharpe then withdrew the motion before the Chair and Councillor Claydon was requested to move her Urgency Motion.

MOTION: (COUNCILLORS S CLAYDON/M OSBORNE)

Council receive the report and move that this Council rescinds part B of the motion passed in Item 24 - CITYS - Supply and Delivery of Three Side Loading WasteCompactor Trucks - Tender for Contract NO. 2009/011T - of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on Tuesday 18 November 2008 and requests the Council Administration to work in close consultation with Newcastle City Council's workforce and their union representatives to ensure continuous improvement of services and agreed benchmarking standards.

Following further discussion Councillor Luke gave notice of a foreshadowed motion that being his original motion that the report of the Industrial Relations Manager be received.

Following lengthy discussion the motion was put to the meeting and the Lord Mayor called for a division which resulted as follows:

For the motion Councillors S Claydon, T Crakanthorp, M Jackson, N Nelmes and M Osborne.
Against the motion The Lord Mayor, Councillors G Boyd, A Buman, B Cook, M King, B Luke and S Sharpe.

The Lord Mayor declared the motion defeated on the division of five votes to seven votes.

Cycling

Following brief discussion the two notices of motion were combined and added to and put to the meeting and declared carried unanimously.

RESOLVED: (COUNCILLORS M KING/M OSBORNE)

A. Council complete a feasibility analysis on converting a portion of existing council owned and operated Parking station(s) to a bicycle storage and showering facility. The items to be explored are
1) Scale, scope, and associated costs of construction
2) On going costs for running such a facility
3) Potential usage and what charge for this service the market will bear
4) Whether leasing such a facility out for operation by a third party is viable.

B. Council includes as part of the specifications for future parking stations facilities of this type for bike commuters.

C. Council to receive a report regarding amending the current dual purpose parking/cycle lanes to exclusive cycle lanes during designated peak periods.

The initial lanes suggested are
a) King St inbound between Stewart Ave and Darby St from 7.00am to 9.00am weekdays
b) King St outbound between Darby St and Stewart Ave from 4pm till 6pm weekdays.

The scope of the report should not be limited to the above lanes if additional viable options are identified in the review process, and should be extended past the nominated intersections if viable.

D. Council to receive a brief providing and update on all outstanding cycle ways projects, including the Fernleigh Track, the Wallsend to Glendale and the Stockton to Fern Bay cycle ways, detailing all outstanding actions of Council and strategies that Council should adopt to expedite the completion of these projects.

E. Council to form a working group consisting of relevant stakeholder groups (eg. NCM, Transition Towns Newcastle, Bicycle NSW) to review the Cycling Plan of 1996, upgrade same, and make recommendations for implementation by Council. The working party should complete the upgraded plan by 30th June 2009

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