Meeting Name

Policy Review Committee

 

Date

20 February 2024

Time 5:31PM

Venue

Level 12 Boardroom + MS Teams

 

Attendees

Committee Members

·      John Angilley (Chair) – Executive Director Finance & Information

·      Gail Connolly – Chief Executive Officer

·      Lord Mayor, Clr Pierre Esber

·      Clr Michelle Garrard

·      Clr Sameer Pandey

·      Clr Patricia Prociv

·      Clr Georgina Valjak

·      Clr Phil Bradley (ex-officio)

 

Council Staff

·       Melissa McIsaac (Convenor) – Policy Officer

·       Roxanne Thornton – Chief Governance & Risk Officer

·       Gwen Hughes – Governance & Procurement Manager

·       Mark Leotta – Group Manager Development and Traffic Service

·       John Crawford – Chief Technology Officer

 

Apologies / Leave of Absence

Clr Lorraine Wearne

 

Secretariat

Melissa McIsaac

 

HPRM Reference

F2022/01409

 

 

 

No.

Item

1

Acknowledgement of Country

 

The City of Parramatta Council acknowledges the Burramattagal Clan of The Dharug, the traditional owners of land of Parramatta and pays its respects to the elders past, present and emerging.

2

Apologies

 

The Committee received an apology from Councillor Lorraine Wearne.

3

Disclosure of Interests

 

There were no disclosures of interest made for this Advisory Committee meeting.

4

Confirmation of Minutes

 

The Minutes of the previous Policy Review Committee meeting, held on 25 October 2023, were moved by Prociv and Pandey and CARRIED.

5

Consultation of Council Policies for Rescission

5.1

340 – Stormwater Disposal Policy

Description

The Committee were briefed by Mark Leotta, Group Manager Development and Traffic Services, regarding the recommendation to rescind Council’s Stormwater Disposal Policy. The Committee were advised that the Policy had become redundant after being superseded by the Parramatta Development Control Plan 2023. The Committee considered the recommendation and raised questions for clarification.

 

Councillor Valjak (5:33pm), Councillor Garrard (5:34pm), Gwen Hughes (5:37pm), and Roxanne Thornton (5:37pm) joined the meeting during discussion of Item 5.1.

Outcome

The Committee supported for the recommendation to rescind the Stormwater Disposal Policy be put to the next available Council Meeting to seek endorsement.

6

Draft Council Policies for Consultation

6.1

381 – Councillor Workshops Policy (deferred item OCM 6 November 2023)

Description

The Committee received an update from Gwen Hughes, Governance & Procurement Manager, regarding further amendments applied Schedule 1 Identifying Confidential Information of the Draft Councillor Workshops Policy, to address Councillor feedback following deferral of adopting the draft at the 6 November 2023 Council Meeting. The Committee reviewed the amendments and raised additional changes for Committee consideration.

 

Gail Connolly joined the meeting at 5:52pm, and Mark Leotta retired from the meeting at 5:49pm, during discussion of Item 6.1.

Outcome

·      The Committee supported to remove the references to the Local Government Act from Schedule 1, to clarify the meaning of confidential information from Councillor Workshops.

·      The Committee requested the following further amendments to the draft Policy:

·         Clause 3.2: Update “meeting” to be specified as “Councillor Workshops”, to clarify where minimum staff attendance requirements apply.

·         Clause 5.1: Add to options of where Councillor Workshops may be organised, “(b) as requested by a minimum of three Councillors, and as approved by the CEO”.

·         Clause 5.5: Add specification of outcomes “records”.

·         Clause 5.5.1: Regarding action items and outcomes records, add new sub-clause directing for Council to maintain an outcomes tracker or register, to be accessible for Councillors (e.g. via Councillor Portal).

·         Clause 5.7: Change the quorum requirement for Councillor Workshops from four to five Councillors.

·         Clause 5.12: To the procedural table, clarify that the Lord Mayor and CEO “may consider” cancelling a session if the confirmed number of attending Councillors is less than quorum, rather than state a requirement to cancel.

·         Add directive that Councillors are to be notified where there will be external participants at a Councillor Workshop, such as a procedural step in Clause 5.1.2 to note this in the calendar invite.

·         Schedule 1 section 4: Clarify that internal Council information may be made available at the time the relevant Council Agenda is published to the public, unless subject to other confidential constraints.

·      The Committee raised the following matters for staff to investigate following the meeting:

·         Clause 3.2: Verify with Group Manager Risk & Safety if clause phrasing can be amended, given this statement was added as an outcome of Council’s response to the SafeWork NSW Improvement Notice.

·         Clause 5.12: Verify that the stated timeframe to provide presentations to Councillors before the Workshop (48 hours) is consistent with the  previous Council Resolution on the matter.

·      The Committee noted that the revised draft Councillor Workshops Policy will be brought back to an upcoming Council Meeting.

 

Gail Connolly retired from the meeting at the conclusion of Item 6.1.

 

Committee Members raised the following additional matters for discussion:

·         Social Media Policy: Councillors requested an update on when the Social Media Policy will be brought to the Committee for discussion. Roxanne Thornton clarified that it is intended to hold a Councillor Workshop regarding legal advice on the requirements prior to taking the Policy to the Committee or a Council Meeting. Councillors provided feedback that it is preferred to bring the matter to the Committee for consideration first, and agreed to further enquire with the CEO, Gail Connolly.

·         Productive Partnerships Policy and Sponsorship Policy: Councillors requested an update on when these policies will be reviewed and brought to the Committee for consideration. John Angilley provided clarification that review is pending the outcomes of the upcoming Council Report on partnerships, sponsorships, and MOUs.

·         Update on Priority Review Program: Councillors requested a progress update on the Priority Policy Review Program, as developed in consultation with the Committee in 2022, and the anticipated schedule of items for upcoming Committee Agendas. John Angilley agreed to provide an update at the next Committee Meeting.

7

Next Meeting Date: 14 March 2024

 

Meeting Closed:  6:43pm