Meeting Name	Heritage Advisory Committee
Date	7 November 2023	Time 5:00PM
Venue	Level 12 Boardroom, 126 Church Street, Parramatta + MS Teams
Attendees	Committee Members: Stephanie Licciardo (Chair) Graham Shirley (Deputy Chair) Cheryl Bates Jeff Allen Laurie Bennett Suzette Meade Terrence Smith Tim Owen Wei Li Ex-Officio Clr Phil Bradley Clr Kellie Darley Clr Lorraine Wearne Council staff Paul Kennedy – Project Officer, Strategic Land Use Planning (Convenor) Issa Trad – Team Leader Strategic Land Use Planning Andrea Giusa – Senior Heritage Specialist Mark Leotta – Group Manager Development and Traffic Services Robert Cologna – Group Manager Strategic Land Use Planning Christopher Snelling – Group Manager 5/7 Parramatta Square and Community Hubs Sasha Allen – Senior Project Officer, Place Services Bruce Mills – A/Executive Director Property & Place Augusta Supple – Project Team Lead, City Strategy Sarah Baker – A/Strategy Manager, City Strategy Roxanne Thornton – Chief Governance and Risk Officer
Apologies / Leave of Absence	Julie Jones Michele Grande Scott Hill
Secretariat	Melissa McIsaac
HPRM Reference	F2022/01409

No.	Item
1	Acknowledgement of Country
	Tim Owen provided an Acknowledgement of Country to open the meeting. Cheryl Bates accepted the Chairperson’s request to provide an Acknowledgement of Country at the next meeting.
2	Welcome & Apologies
	The Chairperson, Stephanie Licciardo, welcomed everyone to the meeting. The Committee noted that members Julie Jones, Michele Grande, and Scott Hill were not in attendance.
3	Disclosure of Interests
	There were no disclosures of interest made for this meeting.
4	Confirmation of Minutes
	RESOLVED (Bates/Shirley) That the Minutes of Heritage Advisory Committee meeting held on Tuesday, 12 September 2023 be received and noted as a true record of the meeting.
5	Business arising from Minutes of previous meetings
Description	The Committee received an update from Paul Kennedy regarding the outcomes of the following items from previous meetings: · Subiaco Columns (12 September 2023): The Committee noted that Council staff are yet to establish a completion date for the concept design, due to focus on other priority projects (e.g. Westinvest), and that funding for the project has not been included in Council’s 2023/23 budget. · St John Cemetery (4 July 2023): The Committee noted that Council staff have engaged with the Anglican Church Trust, who will liaise with the local parish regarding conservation and provide a response in due course.
Outcome	The Committee noted the updates provided.
6	Naming of contemporary function space at Parramatta Town Hall
Description	The Committee received a presentation from Christopher Snelling, Group Manager 5/7 Parramatta Square and Community Hubs, with an update on Parramatta Town Hall Room naming. The Committee noted that Council is working to name the function space in the southern extension adjoining Parramatta Town Hall. Council has engaged a Dharug Cultural Knowledge Holder to consult for the naming project, who has recommended the name Ngurra Gunya Room. Council staff will further seek to consult with the First Nations Advisory Committee and Councillors.
Outcome	The Committee supported the proposed name of Ngurra Gunya Room for the function space in the southern extension of Parramatta Town Hall.
7	Update on road naming projects: Parramatta Square
Description	The Committee received a presentation from Sasha Allen and Bruce Mills, from Council’s Place Services unit, regarding current road naming projects in the LGA. The Committee noted that Council is working to formally name a laneway next to Town Hall and PHIVE. Council’s Research team has proposed to name the laneway to address current under representation of the Colonial Market Place. The Committee considered five name options representing this theme, which have been pre-approved by the Geographical Names Board (GNB), as follows: · Bushel Lane · Merino Way · Stock Keepers Way · Livestock Lane · Gingerbread Lane The Committee noted that it is intended to put the list of name options to the community for popular vote, to determine which name to propose for the laneway.
Outcome	The Committee supported the selection of names to be put to the community for popular vote. Roxanne Thornton retired from the meeting during discussion of Item 7.
10	Updates from Strategic Land Use Planning
Description	The Committee noted that the order of business had been amended to proceed with Item 10. The Committee received a presentation from Paul Kennedy regarding updates from the Strategic Land Use Planning Unit, as follows: · Willow Grove commemoration: The Committee were advised that a Notice of Motion was presented to the 25 September Council Meeting advocating the establishment of a Willow Grove commemoration fund, however consideration of the matter was deferred until after a Councill Workshop on 15 November. The Committee provided feedback that the commemoration should also acknowledge the community advocacy campaign to save Willow Grove, and that individuals involved in the campaign should take a lead in developing commemoration proposals. · Comprehensive Heritage Review: The Committee were advised that on 23 October Council resolved to prepare a scope for a comprehensive heritage review for the Parramatta LGA. Scoping is now underway. The Committee considered the concept scope and consultation plan, including a Councillor Workshop scheduled for 15 November. The Committee noted that an update on scope development will be presented at the first meeting of 2024. The Committee provided the following specific feedback: · There was generally strong support for undertaking a comprehensive heritage review. · Recommended to provide for First Nations cultural heritage sites on listings. · Raised concern as to the accuracy of heritage data held by Council. · Advised that State and Federal Government agencies should be looked at as potential benefactors for funding a review. · Raised that a community engagement plan is of key importance. · Recommended to also consult with Museums of History NSW on the scope. · Heritage communications plan: The Committee were advised that on 4 July Council resolved to develop a communications strategy to promote Council’s heritage program, including the Local Heritage Fund. The Committee noted that progress on this plan will be reported at each meeting, and that the strategy is set to be reviewed by the Committee after twelve months. The Committee were invited to provided comment on the draft. Councillor Darley joined the meeting at 5:50pm during discussion of Item 10, Willow Grove commemoration. Councillor Wearne joined the meeting at 6:10pm during discussion of Item 10, Comprehensive Heritage Review.
Outcome	· The Committee requested for Council officers to put to Councillors, at the 15 November Workshop on Willow Grove commemorations, a proposal for Councillors to receive a briefing from the Committee before any final decision on commemorations is made. · The Chairperson recommended for members to send any proposed collateral or advocacy regarding Willow Grove commemorations to Paul Kennedy. · The Committee were requested to provide any feedback on the presented example scope for the Comprehensive Heritage Review by COB Friday, 10 November, to inform staff preparations for the Councillor Workshop on 15 November. · The Committee requested for a copy of the draft Integrated Heritage Strategy to be circulated to members and Councillors. · The Committee resolved the following in response to the update on the draft Heritage Communications Strategy: RESOLVED (Shirley/Bennett) That the Committee supports the draft Heritage Communications Strategy, but with the following points of feedback for staff consideration: · The Committee raised concern over the closure of Council’s Heritage Centre, in that there is no longer a public facility available for undertaking in-person research. The Committee recommended for Council to consider in the plan alternatives for providing physical research services and tourist information, such as providing resource hard copies at PHIVE, or engaging community organisations which may be able to offer in-person research services to the public. · The Committee recommended that Council’s AT Parramatta website should include focus on providing heritage marketing and tourism information. · The Committee recommended that Council’s website should provide information on all heritage listed sites in the LGA. · The Committee recommended that the strategy should focus on attracting more visitors to Parramatta for its heritage items. Bruce Mills, Christopher Snelling, Sasha Allen, and Robert Cologna retired from the meeting during discussion of Item 10.
8	Update on Cultural Strategy refresh
Description	The Committee received a presentation from Augusta Supple and Sarah Baker, from Council’s City Strategy Unit, regarding the update to Council’s Cultural Strategy. The Committee noted that Council is reviewing the Culture and Our City Plan, including considering achievements and further opportunities.  Drafting is due to commence following preliminary stakeholder engagement and community engagement events, and focus group research. A Participate Parramatta survey is currently seeking feedback submissions.
Outcome	· Committee members were invited to complete a Participate Parramatta survey to provide any preliminary feedback by 13 November 2023. · The Committee noted that Council staff will return to the Committee for further consultation once the draft is developed. Wei Li retired from the meeting during discussion of Item 8. August Supple and Sarah Baker retired from the meeting at the conclusion of Item 8.
9	Heritage interpretation plaques (Consideration of material prepared by Laurie Bennett and previously circulated)
Description	The Committee were reminded of the briefing previously circulated by member Laurie Bennett, recommending for Council to establish a Parramatta LGA Heritage Plaques Program. Laurie Bennett advised the Committee regarding further considerations for establishing the program, and requested the Committee’s support to propose for Council to allocate required funding and implement the program. The Committee discussed with Council officers potential options for funding the proposed program, such as through reallocation of funding for Willow Grove, or as part of Council’s upcoming Comprehensive Heritage Review.
Outcome	· The Committee supported the proposed Parramatta LGA Heritage Plaques Program in principle, and requested for Council staff to report back to a future meeting regarding available funding options and the operational feasibility for Council to implement the program. Tim Owen retired from the meeting during discussion of Item 9, but provided support for the proposal.
11	Updates from Senior Heritage Specialist
Description	The Committee received updates from Andrea Giusa, Senior Heritage Specialist, on the following matters of interest previously raised by the Committee: · Parramatta Club 2 Macquarie Street - Heritage Fence: Council has engaged with the developer, and will share the response with the Committee. · Broughton House 43A Thomas Street - Heritage item condition: The planned site visit with the compliance team from Heritage NSW has been cancelled and will need to be rescheduled. · 200^th anniversary of Hambledon Cottage: Some heritage conservation works have been planned in preparation for the anniversary, scope is currently being investigated. · Ada Street, Harris Park unapproved works, unkept properties: Staff have obtained clarification that Council could only intervene where there is a public health risk. However, the updated harmonised DCP provides improved heritage and archaeology controls. · Heritage Staff and CoP Council officers: Adequate staff resourcing levels will be considered as part of the Comprehensive Heritage Review scoping. · Heritage NSW inventory navigation (question raised by Laurie Bennett): Staff provided a demonstration of performing an effective search using the database.
Outcome	The Committee noted the updates provided.
12	Auditor General’s report of July 2023 on management of State Heritage assets
Description	The Committee received a briefing from Laurie Bennett regarding the Auditor General’s report on management of State Heritage assets, and expressed concern for the report outcomes. The Committee were requested to consider recommending for Council to make representation to local members for the State Government, to provide funding and resources to address the matters in the report.
Outcome	The Chairperson requested for Laurie Bennett to circulate the Auditor General’s report in full to Committee members for review, and recommended to reconsider the matter at the next meeting to determine the Committee’s position.
13	General Business
Description	The Chairperson invited the Committee to raise any other matters of concern, with the following matters being raised: · St Georges Terrace state significant development: The Committee discussed what lessons learnt from the handling of Willow Grove may be applicable, or options for Council to seek compensation. · Laurie Bennett raised for Committee consideration the suggestion to pursue heritage listing for the Rosehill Racecourse. · Laurie Bennett raised for Committee consideration the appropriateness of the Powerhouse Museum name.
Outcome	· The Committee resolved the following in response to the St Georges Terrace state significant development: RESOLVED (Meade/Bennett) That the Committee recommends that Council, in its conversations regarding Willow Grove, additionally consider how the State Government looks at development compliance for other similar projects, such as the St Georges Terrace state significant development. · Council staff agreed to add Rosehill Racecourse to the draft list of items to be investigated under the Comprehensive Heritage Review for heritage listing consideration. · The Chairperson recommended for members to send through any requested discussion items for the next meeting to Paul Kennedy, for consideration to add to the Agenda. Councillor Bradley retired from the meeting during discussion of Item 13.
14	Next Meeting date: February 2024 (TBA)

Meeting Closed:  7:24PM