Meeting Name	Policy Review Committee
Date	14 March 2024	Time 5:31 PM
Venue	PHIVE – Level 4, Civic Reception + MS Teams
Attendees	Committee Members · Lord Mayor, Clr Pierre Esber · Clr Michelle Garrard · Clr Sameer Pandey · Clr Patricia Prociv · John Angilley – Executive Director Finance & Information (Chairperson) Council Staff · Roxanne Thornton – Chief Governance & Risk Officer · Gwen Hughes – Governance & Procurement Manager · Melissa McIsaac – Policy Officer (Convenor) · Jonathan Greig – Executive Director Community & Culture · George Bounassif – Executive Director City Assets & Operations · David Moutou – Group Manager Social & Community Services · Rodrigo Gutierrez – Community Capacity Building Manager · Terry Johnson – Group Manager Parks & Open Space · Amit Sharma – Chief Financial Officer · Anna Maunder – Rates & Receivables Manager · Megan Ryan – Coordinator Parks & Open Space Planning · Adam Cummins – Strategic Recreation Planner · Gregory Radford – Recreation Facilities & Programs Manager · Robert Cologna – Group Manager City Strategic Planning · Sarah Baker – Strategy Manager · John Crawford – Chief Technology Officer
Apologies / Leave of Absence	· Clr Georgina Valjak · Clr Lorraine Wearne · Gail Connolly – Chief Executive Officer
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 noted apologies from Clr Georgina Valjak, Clr Lorraine Wearne, and the Chief Executive Officer, Gail Connolly.
3	Disclosure of Interests There were no disclosures of interest for this Advisory Committee meeting.
4	Confirmation of Minutes The Minutes of the previous Policy Review Committee meeting, held on 20 February 2024, were resolved by Esber and Garrard and CARRIED.
5	Consultation of Council Policies for Rescission
5.1	346 – Social Investment Funding
Description	The Committee received a briefing from David Moutou, Group Manager Social & Community Services, regarding the recommendation to rescind Council’s Social Investment Funding Policy. The Committee were advised that the Policy had become redundant after being generally consolidated into Council Grants and Donations Policy in 2021, and is further addressed by Council’s Social Investment Action Plan. The Committee considered the recommendation and raised questions for clarification. Terry Johnson joined the meeting at 5:37pm, during discussion of Item 5.1.
Outcome	· The Committee supported for the recommendation to rescind the Social Investment Funding Policy to be put to the next available Council Meeting for endorsement. · David Moutou took a question on notice from Clr Pandey to advise of the outcomes of a key $100,000 social investment donation made by Council, which predated the Policy. Rodrigo Gutierrez retired from the meeting at 5:39pm, at the conclusion of Item 5.1.
5.2	81 - Playgrounds
Description	The Committee received a briefing from Terry Johnson, Group Manager Parks & Open Space, regarding the recommendation to rescind Council’s Playgrounds Policy. The Committee were advised that the Policy is redundant as it presents duplication of Council’s Community Infrastructure Strategy, and the direction established by the NSW Government’s Everyone Can Play best-practice guideline. The Committee considered the recommendation and raised questions for clarification.
Outcome	The Committee supported for the recommendation to rescind the Playgrounds Policy to be put to the next available Council Meeting for endorsement.
6	Draft Council Policies for Consultation
6.1	327 – Debt Management and Hardship Assistance
Description	The Committee reviewed the draft Debt Management and Hardship Assistance Policy and provided feedback on the proposed updates. The Committee noted that the draft Policy had been supported by the Finance Committee on 6 March 2024. Amit Sharma, Chief Financial Officer, and Anna Maunder, Rates & Receivables Manager, attended the meeting to address any Committee questions.
Outcome	· For clause 5.1.1, the Committee requested to clarify application submission option (c) as being the PHIVE Customer Service Desk. · The Committee supported the draft Debt Management and Hardship Assistance Policy to be put to the next available Council Meeting to endorse public exhibition. Megan Ryan, Adam Cummins, and Gregory Radford joined the meeting at 5:47pm, and Anna Maunder retired from the meeting at 5:48pm, at the conclusion of Item 6.1.
6.2	New – Sportsground Allocation
Description	The Committee received a presentation from Terry Johnson, Megan Ryan, and Adam Cummins from the Parks & Open Space team, regarding the proposed Sportsground Allocation Policy. The Committee considered the proposed policy and raised questions for staff clarification. Clr Bradley joined the meeting at 5:55pm, and Sarah Baker joined the meeting at 6:15pm, during discussion of Item 6.2.
Outcome	· The Committee supported the draft Sportsground Allocation Policy to be put to the next available Council Meeting to endorse public exhibition. · The Committee were advised to encourage stakeholder sports clubs to submit any feedback for Council’s consideration during the upcoming public exhibition, including any interested new groups looking to secure an allocation under the proposed policy. · Jonathan Greig took a question on notice to provide Councillors with information regarding Council’s portfolio of sportsgrounds and current hire allocations. · Jonathan Greig agreed to further discuss with Clr Pandey following the meeting regarding how the proposed policy could assist new or emerging community groups with securing sportsground hire allocations. · George Bounassif agreed to take a question notice to confirm Council’s processes for monitoring that hire groups are maintaining Council’s facilities to a satisfactory condition, and to further discuss with Clr Garrard following the meeting regarding enforcement process improvement opportunities, to be considered outside of the scope of the policy. Jonathan Greig, George Bounassif, Terry Johnson, Megan Ryan, Adam Cummins, David Moutou, and Gregory Radford retired from the meeting at 6:26pm, and Robert Cologna joined the meeting at 6:27pm, during discussion of Item 6.2.
6.3	298 – Affordable Rental Housing
Description	The Committee received a presentation from Robert Cologna and Sarah Baker from the City Strategic Planning team, regarding the outcomes of the Affordable Rental Housing Policy review following initial consultation with the Committee on the direction in December 2022. The Committee considered the draft and raised questions for staff clarification. Clr Bradley retired from the meeting at 6:51pm, and Clr Pandey retired from the meeting at 6:54pm, during discussion of Item 6.3.
Outcome	· The Committee supported for the draft Affordable Rental Housing Policy to be put to an upcoming Council Meeting to endorse public exhibition. · The Committee supported for a Councillor Workshop to be held on 18 March to further discuss broader considerations regarding Council’s Voluntary Planning Agreement processes and strategy. · Robert Cologna took a question on notice to clarify for Councillors at the Workshop about Council’s current Voluntary Planning Agreement processes, particularly regarding at which stage Councillors are to be advised about received letters of offer and engaged in negotiations. · Robert Cologna invited Clr Garrard to provide following the meeting any cases of concern where applicants for Council’s Affordable Rental Housing were not accepted, for staff to obtain further information regarding the considerations in determining the specific application(s).
7	Update on Policy Review Program
Description	The Committee received an update on the status of Council’s Policy Review Program from John Angilley, Executive Director Finance & Information, as requested at the previous meeting. The Committee noted the progress outcomes since the introduction of the priority program in late 2022, and discussed operational considerations for scheduling the outstanding policies due for periodic review. Sarah Baker and Robert Cologna retired from the meeting at 7:09pm, and Clr Prociv retired from the meeting at 7:10pm, during discussion of Item 7.
Outcome	The Committee noted the provided updates.
8	Next Meeting Date: 24 April 2024

Meeting Closed:  7:13 PM