Late Items Agenda of Council - Monday, 4 December 2023

Council 4 December 2023 Item 15.1

QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

ITEM NUMBER 15.1

SUBJECT Questions Taken on Notice at the 20 November 2023 Council Meeting

REFERENCE F2022/03176 - D09226647

REPORT OF Council Secretariat & Policy Officer

CSP THEME: Accessible, Fair

questions with notice

Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Prociv asked a question on Item 12.1 Minutes of the Audit Risk and Improvement Committee held on 17 August 2023

· On page 32. Report on Parramatta Aquatic Centre. Currently there are two significant risks, but it doesn’t say what they are. Could you let us know what these two risks are?

Executive Director Finance and Information Response:

The two significant risks referred to for Parramatta Aquatic Centre were contained in the major projects report. They were:

· Significant inclement weather may affect the delivery of the external areas and project overall; and

· Satisfying DA conditions prior to an OC.

As both these risks relate to the construction phase, they can now be considered as no longer relevant.

Clr Bradley asked a question on Item 12.3 – City of Parramatta Annual Report 2022/23

· Can you please clarify how we arrived at the number of 1300 staff working at Council as noted in the report?

Acting Executive Manager People Culture and Workplace Response:

Under section 217 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, Wednesday 23 November 2022 was chosen as the ‘relevant day’ for councils to report on their labour statistics in their annual reports. The City of Parramatta had 821 employees engaged in paid work as at 23 November 2022:

680 permanent full-time employees

40 permanent part-time employees

41 casual employees

37 term contract employees

23 temporary employees

The 1,300 staff referred to in the “Message from the CEO” within the 2022/23 Annual Report, refers to both contingent and non-contingent staff, meaning it includes all permanent employees, temporary employees, term contracts, casuals, agency, and contractors in our system.

· On page 89. It says there has only been one Environmental Upgrade Agreement entered into by Council. Could staff advise what the barriers are and how could we encourage more businesses or property owners to engage in these arrangements?

Executive Director City Planning and Design Response:

Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUA’s) are finance arrangements provided to building owners to deliver building upgrades, secured against the land, and re-paid through Council’s rates process. EUA finance provides the opportunity to capture longer-term operational savings and environmental benefits for both building owners and tenants. EUA’s are facilitated through the NSW Government’s Building Upgrade Finance initiative.

Potential reasons why there has not been strong uptake include.

· Under the City of Parramatta policy only commercial non-strata buildings are eligible. Limiting EUA application.

· EUA finance is restricted to the delivery of environmental outcomes and so isn’t suitable for all types of renovation.

· EUA finance has been competing against low interest rates and reasonably easy to access cash over last few years which can be accessed without the restriction imposed by the upgrade agreement.

· In Parramatta we have generally seen owners looking at larger scale site redevelopment. EUA’s are more suited to smaller commercial upgrades and building owners with limited funds.

· The public is likely not to be aware of EUA’s or how they operate.

To improve uptake, in 2018, Council resolved to waive Council’s administration costs on 10 EUA’s. This did not result in any improvement.

A review, subject to available resources, could be undertaken to look at whether the scheme should be extended, for example to industrial sites, and whether further promotion and advocacy to streamline legalisation are possible next steps.

Clr Valjak asked a question on Item 12.3 – City of Parramatta Annual Report 2022/23

· There is an error in the statistics quoted for Councillor attendance, could this be corrected?

Executive Director City Planning and Design:

The error in the statistics quoted for Councillor attendance has been corrected.

Clr Valjak asked a question on Item 16.3 - Tender 09/2023 Hunts Creek Bridge Construction, North Rocks Road, North Parramatta

· Could the CEO please arrange an Urgent Briefing in order to provide further information to Ward Councillors (and any other Councillors) on this matter?

· Can a Communications Plan for Councillors to refer to/use be developed?

Acting Executive Director City Assets and Operations Response:

An Urgent Ward Briefing was conducted with North Rocks Ward Councillors on Monday 27 November, 4pm at PHIVE to discuss the Hunts Creek Bridge Construction. All Ward Councillors were in attendance. The Draft Communications Plan for this project was discussed. The communications plan is still under development due to the need to confirm dates and logistics with the construction contractor who is still being appointed. However, as with all major works programs which will cause significant disruptions, the communications plan will seek to explain to key stakeholders and the community the benefits of the work being undertaken, and clearly advise impacts and alternative arrangements. It was agreed at the ward briefing that a pack to assist Councillors respond to resident enquiries will form part of the communications plan.

An additional briefing can be arranged for any other interested Councillors by contacting the Acting Executive Director City Assets and Operations.

Clr Pandey asked a question on Item 16.3 - Tender 09/2023 Hunts Creek Bridge Construction, North Rocks Road, North Parramatta

· Was this matter identified and ‘picked up’ on the Risk Register?

· When will Council receive a report regarding the bridges across the LGA?

Acting Executive Director City Assets and Operations Response:

Council’s bridges are inspected using a Level 1 to Level 3 hierarchy. Level 1 inspections are simple visual inspections by trained specialists. Level 2 inspections involve a detailed investigation by structural engineers and Level 3 inspections involves an extensive condition assessment of all the major bridge components by structural engineers such as piles, deck, abutment, underside, handrails, guardrails.

Council undertakes the Level 1 inspection of all the bridges every year. They are visually inspected to develop the scope of work for the maintenance program.

Council has completed Level 2 inspection reports for 113 bridges, including culverts across the LGA, in 2021. It was undertaken by external consultants for the revaluation of the assets. These reports are undertaken every four or five years. Based on the Level 2 condition assessment recommendation, a separate list of bridges is developed for further detailed investigation, i.e., Level 3 inspections.

The Level 3 bridge inspections are carried out every 20 years or when Level 2 bridge inspection reports identify major defects. Based on the 2021 Level 2 bridge inspection reports, the following bridges require Level 3 inspection within 12 months.

· Bennelong Parkway Road Bridge – Underway

· Burnside Gollan Reserve Bridge Oatland Urgency 2: Within 12 months

· Calool Road Culvert Urgency 2: Within 12 months

· Good Street Granville Urgency 2: Within 12 months

· Ross Street Parramatta Urgency 2: Within 12 months

· Silverwater Road Bridge Urgency 2: Within 12 months

· Harris Street Parramatta Urgency 3: Within 2 years

A report summarising the Level 2 inspections of the 113 Bridges will be presented to Council by April 2024.

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

REFERENCE MATERIAL