Late Items Agenda of Council - Monday, 27 May 2024

Council 27 May 2024 Item 8.1

MINUTE OF THE LORD MAYOR

ITEM NUMBER 8.1

SUBJECT Winning Design for Reimagined Riverside Theatres

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09463350

REPORT OF Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

CSP THEME: Thriving

workshop/briefing date: 20 May 2024

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this Lord Mayoral Minute is to congratulate the winning design team for the Riverside Theatres redevelopment, which will establish the venue as a world-class performing arts centre.

Recommendation:

(a) That Council note that a design consortium led by COX Architecture with 3XN Architects, Aileen Sage, Turf Design Studio and Bangawarra have been selected as the winning design team for the redevelopment of the iconic Riverside Theatres;

(b) That Council congratulate the winning consortium who have produced a bold and sophisticated design vision that will more than double current capacity and establish the venue as a world-class performing arts centre.

BACKGROUND

1. Thursday 23 May 2024 marked a monumental step in Parramatta’s transformation with the unveiling of the winning design for the reimagined Riverside Theatre. A design consortium led by COX Architecture with 3XN Architects, Aileen Sage, Turf Design Studio and Bangawarra were selected as the winning design team for the $188 million redevelopment.

2. The winning design is bold and sophisticated, incorporating First Nations inspired interiors and state-of-the-art facilities.

3. The Riverside redevelopment is a key part of Parramatta 2050’s vision to transform Parramatta into a global creative powerhouse and the epicentre of creativity. Core to this vision is the Headquarters District in our CBD, centred around the imminent redevelopment of the Riverside Theatres alongside Powerhouse Parramatta. These cultural institutions will be national and international cultural magnets, offering world-leading exhibitions and Broadway-level experiences.

4. The reimagined Riverside will more than double current capacity. Along with the new 1,500-seat lyric theatre, the venue includes a refurbished 760-seat Riverside Playhouse theatre, an all-new 420 seat black-box drama theatre and state-of-the-art 80 seat digital studio and cinema and enhanced public spaces.

5. The reimagined Riverside Theatres will attract talent to Parramatta as we become an epicentre for creativity with our deep roots in arts and culture alongside the new Powerhouse Parramatta. It will provide our community with access to a state-of-the-art facility that will attract major Australian works and the best of Broadway and the West End shows to Parramatta for the first time.

6. Construction of the reimagined Riverside Theatres will start in late 2025 with doors to the new multi-million performing arts facility set to open in 2028.

7. Council congratulates the winning consortium whose design will create an iconic architectural landmark that honours First Nations heritage and connects deeply with the cultural fabric of our city.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR COUNCIL

8. There are no financial implications from this Lord Mayoral Minute.

Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Council 27 May 2024 Item 8.2

MINUTE OF THE LORD MAYOR

ITEM NUMBER 8.2

SUBJECT Shirley Wehbe's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09455196

REPORT OF Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

CSP THEME: Fair

workshop/briefing date: Nil

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Lord Mayoral Minute is to note Shirley Wehbe's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea and seek Council’s support for a donation to Cancer Council through this community fundraising event.

Recommendation:

(a) That Council note Shirley Wehbe's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, an annual community event that raises funds for Cancer Council’s work in cancer research, advocacy, awareness and support services.

(b) Further, that Council commend event organisers, Shirley Wehbe and the Wehbe family, Maronite Ladies of the Gospel, Making a Difference for Christmas and Australian Blouza Assocation, for their excellent efforts.

(c) Finally, that Council donate $2,000 to Cancer Council through Shirley Wehbe's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea community fundraising event.

BACKGROUND

1. Shirley Wehbe's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is an annual community event that raises funds for Cancer Council’s work in cancer research, advocacy, awareness and support services. Cancer Council funds more cancer research than any other non-government organisation in Australia. With nearly $60 million invested in cancer research every year, cancer survival rates have improved to 69% today.

2. Shirley Wehbe's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea aims to raise $20,000 for Cancer Council and their efforts to fight cancer. This Lord Mayoral Minute proposes to donate $2,000 to Cancer Council through Shirley Wehbe's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea community fundraising event.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR COUNCIL

3. The proposed donation of $2,000 can be funded from the existing Lord Mayor and Councillor Support Donations Budget 2023/24. As of 27 May 2024, the Lord Mayor and Councillor Support Donations Budget 2023/24 has a total of $8,000 remaining until the end of the financial year. Following the proposed donation, the remaining balance would be $6,000. The donation amount is consistent with the donation made in 2022-2023.

Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Council 27 May 2024 Item 8.3

MINUTE OF THE LORD MAYOR

ITEM NUMBER 8.3

SUBJECT Parramatta Light Rail daylight testing

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09460812

REPORT OF Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

CSP THEME: Accessible, thriving

workshop/briefing date: Nil

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this Lord Mayoral Minute is to acknowledge the start of daylight testing of the Parramatta Light Rail and to encourage locals to “stop, listen and look around” whilst travelling in the CBD.

Recommendation:

(a) That Council note the start of daylight testing of the Parramatta Light Rail in both directions between Carlingford and Westmead via Parramatta CBD;

(b) That Council note that the testing is a vital step to ensure the safety and reliability of systems and vehicles before services start in mid-2024; and

(c) That Council note that the City of Parramatta is working closely with Transport for NSW to get the message out to “stop, listen and look around” whilst travelling in the CBD to ensure the safety of the community.

BACKGROUND

1. Daylight testing of the Parramatta Light Rail began on 13 May 2024 in both directions between Carlingford and Westmead via Parramatta CBD, giving locals an exciting glimpse of our future public transport network. The testing is a vital step to ensure the safety and reliability of systems and vehicles before passenger services start in mid-2024.

2. For the first time, Parramatta workers and residents are seeing the 45-metre trams travelling in the heart of Parramatta during off-peak times between 10am and 3pm.

3. Current activities include testing the full load capacities of vehicles and infrastructure, as well as testing network communications and vehicle operations.

4. This will be a major change for our City that will take some time for people to get used to. We’re going from no trams in Parramatta for 80 years, to one running every 7 minutes in the peak.

5. Safety is paramount and the NSW Government continues to engage closely with schools, businesses, stakeholders and the wider community to support safe behaviours around the light rail.

6. City of Parramatta is working closely with Transport for NSW to disseminate safety messaging across Council’s social media channels and website. This messaging reminds people that road conditions have changed, and that trams can’t stop quickly or easily. The communications campaign encourages everyone to “stop, listen and look around” to ensure the safety of the community whilst we adjust to the operation of our new light rail.

7. City of Parramatta is also sharing weekly updates of the Full Works Schedule and the changed traffic conditions on our website.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR COUNCIL

8. There are no financial implications from this Lord Mayoral Minute.

Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Council 27 May 2024 Item 8.4

MINUTE OF THE LORD MAYOR

ITEM NUMBER 8.4

SUBJECT National Volunteer Week 2024

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09455224

REPORT OF Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

CSP THEME: Welcoming

workshop/briefing date: Nil

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Lord Mayoral Minute is to recognise National Volunteer Week (20-26 May 2024) and to celebrate City of Parramatta’s volunteers for their significant contributions to the local community.

Recommendation:

(a) That Council recognise National Volunteer Week from 20-26 May 2024 and note the City of Parramatta celebrated with an event on 23 May to thank volunteers.

(b) That Council celebrate all volunteers across the City of Parramatta, whether they serve with one of Council’s teams or in local community organisations such as service clubs, not-for-profit organisations, faith-based groups, arts and culture groups, sports teams, recreation clubs, and charities.

BACKGROUND

1. National Volunteer Week (NVW) is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering, held from 20-26 May 2024. The week-long event recognises the vital support that millions of volunteers across Australia provide to their communities and encourages people to consider volunteering. The theme for NVM 2024 is ‘Something for Everyone’, promoting the vast range of volunteering opportunities across Australia.

2. Each year the City of Parramatta holds a National Volunteer Week event for those who volunteer at Council led activities. This year’s event was hosted on 23 May 2024 at PHIVE.

3. City of Parramatta has hundreds of active volunteers who support a variety of Council’s services and programs such as Bushcare, Meals on Wheels, Over 55s Leisure and Learning, Library Services, Food Services, Social Inclusion, or Council Committees, Community Care, Park Committees and Cultural Heritage and Tourism.

4. Local volunteers led the charge at Council’s 2024 Australia Day award ceremony at Parramatta Park. Melrose Park Football Club President, Julie Crane, was awarded Citizen of the Year for creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all players, particularly new refugees from Afghanistan, through forming dedicated teams and hosting the annual Street Football World Cup.

5. Community volunteer Nass Aoun was awarded Young Citizen of the Year in honour of David Shakespeare OAM for his efforts to mentor youth, maintain a community garden and address homelessness. Ronda Gaffey, a passionate advocate for Parramatta’s history and heritage, was named Senior Citizen of the Year, while Support Organisation for Homeless and Asylum Seekers (SOHAS) took out the Community Group Award following its tireless efforts assisting vulnerable people across the LGA.

6. There are a wide range of volunteering opportunities at City of Parramatta. The complete list of volunteer positions is available on Council’s website at https://www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/community/building-your-community/volunteering.

7. The City of Parramatta is appreciative of all volunteers and the vital role they play in the local community. Council celebrates our volunteers and thank all who give their time and energy to worthy causes across our City.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR COUNCIL

8. There are no new financial implications for Council as a result of this Lord Mayoral Minute.

Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Council 27 May 2024 Item 9.2

PUBLIC FORUM

ITEM NUMBER 9.2

SUBJECT PUBLIC FORUM 1: Item 14.3 Establishment of a Heritage Facility in Fleet Street Precinct

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09468451

FROM Cheryl Bates

Thank you for the opportunity to speak about heritage and Item 14.3. My name is Cheryl Bates, and I am the Chair of the National Trust’s Parramatta Branch and I speak on behalf of 1,000 National Trust members located in and around Parramatta.

The Parramatta Branch has worked over many years to advocate for the preservation and celebration of Parramatta’s significant heritage.

We appreciate this motion put forward by Councillor Valjak to highlight the need to have greater access to heritage information although we do not believe that the Fleet Street Precinct is best suited for a heritage facility.

In addition, we believe any decision is premature given the current development of Council’s Cultural Strategy looking at the opportunities to “promote Parramatta’s heritage, rich complex histories, and diverse communities”.

Prior to the construction and opening of PHIVE, the promotion of the area and its heritage resource management was well served by the Heritage and Visitor Information Centre whose friendly staff provided a unique starting point for discovering Parramatta. The Heritage Centre, adjacent to the Lennox Bridge, provided a two-pronged approach to the management of heritage assets as a repository for heritage resources and the opportunity for visitors to receive expert guidance for a meaningful visit to the area.

Interestingly, Council’s previous “Cultural Plan for Parramatta’s CBD 2017 – 2022”, produced with community consultation, highlighted the need to “ensure Parramatta’s heritage is a cornerstone of future development and a city which embraces its heritage legacy.” Sadly, the demise of the Heritage and Visitor Centre since the construction of PHIVE has seen many changes to how Council “embraces its heritage legacy”.

For your information I can report from my recent involvement in forums arranged by Destination NSW there is little acknowledgement of Parramatta as a heritage tourist destination despite having one UNESCO World Heritage Site and a second tentative UNESCO site on its doorstep. In addition, Parramatta has the second highest number of State Heritage listed items after the City of Sydney.

In the shorter term, and to achieve the goal of embracing its heritage legacy, we believe there is an urgent need for Council to re-establish a Visitor Information Centre with its location better suited in central Parramatta near the confluence of rail, Metro, and light rail transport links.

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

Council 27 May 2024 Item 9.1

PUBLIC FORUM

ITEM NUMBER 9.1

SUBJECT PUBLIC FORUM 2: Item 16.3 NOTICE OF MOTION - Progress Report - Grant Application for the Upgrade of Belmore Park (Richie Benaud Oval)

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09468447

FROM Greg Monaghan

Dear Councillors and Chief Executive.

I’ve requested the opportunity to speak at the Council Meeting this evening, firstly to seek Council’s support to include the previously approved Richie Benaud Oval Project in Council’s Delivery Program Operational Plan, and secondly, to accelerate the timetable to enable Stage 1 the project to begin as soon as practical.

When I reviewed the DPOP published for Community consultation I was alarmed that the Richie Benaud Oval did not appear amongst the list of projects see pgs 60/61 here.

A submission for its inclusion was made using the on line form provided.

Gail texted me to advise she is checking to see if the top up funds to complete Stage 1 are actually in the DPOP Capital Program for this/future years.

It has been 12 years since discussions about this project commenced.

· 9 years since Council staff reviewed all available locations in Parramatta and recommended Richie Benaud Oval for Council’s first turf wicket cricket facility.

· 5 years since Council appointed a consultant for the preparation of the Masterplan, 4 years later.

· 3 years since the 2^nd round of Community Consultation was presented to Council and unanimously endorsed.

· 2 years since Andrew Charlton first announced a $6.2M grant for Stage 1, subsequently incorporated in the Federal Budget, and

· 2 years since Cricket Australia approved $200K Infrastructure Grant for the project.

Since then only the extraordinarily lengthy process of formalising the Federal Grant.

Our Club is enormously proud to represent the City of Parramatta in the NSW Premier League Cricket Competition, in both Men’s and Women’s Cricket.

We have been a very successful Club, having won the Men’s First Grade Competition twice in the last 6 years.

Our Men’s and Women’s teams have also won a substantial number of lower Grade and Under Age Competitions.

We have helped many Parramatta players and officials on the pathway to the top, see images below, and have been forced to do so by hiring playing facilities from other Councils.

Our Men’s introductory Grade, this years on a ground borrowed from Bankstown Council. In the previous few years it was Hills Council, and before that the old Auburn Council.

Our Women’s 1^st and 2^nd grades play at Merrylands Oval in Cumberland Council.

Our Men’s 1^st/2^nd Grade play at Old Kings Oval managed by Greater Sydney Parklands Trust, which provides and excellent playing surface, however the practice facilities are some of the poorest in the NSW Premier League.

Parramatta the Global City is aiming higher.

Cumberland Council manages 6 turf wickets, Blacktown 5, Hills 3, Penrith 6, CoPC Nil.

Our young men’s first experience of representing Parramatta in open Competition is at Bankstown!

Parramatta’s top Women play in Merrylands.

We need to move forward.

The growing cricket loving population of Parramatta needs appropriate facilities.

We seek Council’s support to ensure the Richie Benaud Oval Project is formally included in the Council DPOP and Stage 1 commenced urgently.

Kind Regards,

Greg

STAFF RESPONSE

There is no staff response.

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

Council 27 May 2024 Item 14.4

NOTICE OF MOTION

ITEM NUMBER 14.4

SUBJECT Proposed Establishment of an Entrepreneur Grant Program

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09450792

FROM Councillor

MOTION:

(a) That Council gives 28 days public notice, pursuant to s356 of the Local Government Act 1993, of its intention to establish a new Financial Assistance Program to be titled ‘Entrepreneur Grant Program’ which will support aspiring entrepreneurs in the City of Parramatta.

(b) That following the establishment of the new financial assistance grant program, the inaugural round be funded with $50,000 from the current Parramatta Ward Initiative budget.

(c) That other ward Councillors be encouraged to contribute towards this financial assistance grant program from their ward initiatives budget.

BACKGROUND

1. Nil.

STAFF RESPONSE

2. Entrepreneurship, particularly entrepreneurial drive that leads to new start ups and social enterprise has long been established as important to the economic prosperity, innovation and acceleration that characterises Parramatta’s opportunity. This is articulated through endorsed (and draft) Economic Development Strategies and in Parramatta 2050, currently on exhibition.

Existing Grant Programs

3. In recognition of the above, Council has established various grant programs that support the growth of social enterprises, both through micro grants supporting initial business planning through to larger Growing Social Enterprise in Parramatta Grants. Council also operates a range of programs to support small businesses and new businesses, including but not limited to, Pitch for Good Parramatta.

Statutory Process to Establish a New Financial Assistance (Grant) Program

Local Government Act 1993 – section 356

4. Any grant program to specifically provide financial assistance to private individuals is required to be established in accordance with section 356 of the Local Government Act 1993 and also in accordance with Council’s Grants and Donations Policy.

5. Section 356 of the Act prescribes how Council could provide financial assistance to others (including private individuals). The financial assistance must be for the purpose of exercising Council’s functions.

6. Under section 356(2) Council is to provide at least 28 days public notice of a proposal to pass a resolution to grant financial assistance prior to doing so.

7. However, the Act provides that public notice is not required if all three points below are met:

i. the assistance is part of a specific program and program details have been included in Council’s draft operational plan for the year in which the financial assistance is proposed to be given; and

ii. the program’s budget does not exceed 5% of Council’s income from ordinary rates for the year; and

iii. the program is uniformly available to all or a significant group of persons within the area.

8. As none of the above legal requirements can be met, any new financial assistance program is required to provide at least 28 days notice to grant assistance, after Council officers have designed the grant program and it has been endorsed by Council.

Grants and Donations Policy

9. Council’s Grants and Donations Policy addresses the process by which grant programs should be developed, advertised, applied for and decided upon consistent with the obligations of s356 of the Local Government Act.

10. Council is required to undergo a process of program design to understand the specific need to be addressed or opportunity to build upon (the objectives of any grant program) and then design the program to best meet that need or opportunity.

11. Specifically, the Grants and Donations Policy requires Council to establish new programs by providing Council approval to grant making objectives, eligibility and assessment criteria, and methods for application, assessment pathway and decision making.

12. Therefore, should Council support the intention to establish a new grant program, a report is required to be provided to Council with officer recommendations that respond to the requirements of the Policy and address the parameters above.

13. It should be noted that Council is required to consider and assess the specific risks to be managed in providing financial assistance to individual or entities that are likely to be established as for-profit enterprises, prior to endorsing any new grant program.

14. An assessment will also need to be made of the increased administrative burden of designing and administering this new program and the additional employee costs that will be incurred.

Timeline to Establish a New Financial Assistance Program

15. Given the timeline of Council’s existing Grant Programs, due to be reported to Council at its meeting of 11 June 2024, a report to create a new financial assistance program will not be able to be returned to Council before the end of term without significant impact to the delivery of Council’s existing grant programs.

Alternatives to Financial Assistance Programs

16. Notwithstanding the above, there are alternative approaches beyond grant programs, that could be worthy of investigation that both support entrepreneurial drive, build the capacity and skills of individual entrepreneurs and achieve visible support from Council to the sector.

17. One such alternative would be to partner with a local, established entrepreneurial education provider on a pitch activity with young entrepreneurs looking to fund their business ideas. The additional education support and ongoing participation in a program would help manage the inherent financial risks. Such partnership opportunities can be explored and reported back to Council.

18. Council officers advise that this Motion is required to be amended to request a report be prepared for Council on effective and efficient program opportunities to support aspiring entrepreneurs in the City of Parramatta and strategies through which such a program might be funded by Council. Such a motion would comply with the Local Government Act 1993.

FINANCIAL AND RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

Ward Initiatives – Adopted Capital Expenditure Budget

19. Ward Initiative budgets are resolved by Council as capital expenditure within the capital works program each year as part of the annual budget/DPOP process and are shown as such in Council’s audited financial statements.

20. In 2023/24 Council resolved to include $750,000 for capital ward initiatives as part of the $286.9 million capital works expenditure budget.

21. Therefore, the ward funds are restricted to capital works only and cannot be used for any operational purposes.

22. However, it is anticipated that any program that would be established as a result of this Motion would need to include a significant component of operational expenditure. Therefore, ward funds could not currently be used to fund the proposed new grant program unless the funding was restricted to grants for capital expenditure only.

Resourcing

23. Should Council support the proposed motion, it will require the allocation of additional administrative employee costs, dependent on the scale and scope of any approved program. These additional employee costs are not currently budgeted for in the draft 2024/25 budget. The diversion of existing staff resources allocated to the design and development work of a new financial assistance program will also result in the delay of the scheduled Community Grant programs.

24. It is recommended that the CEO be requested to prepare a report on the establishment of a new Financial Assistance Program to support aspiring entrepreneurs in the City of Parramatta, and that the report address the matters raised in this staff response.

Sameer Pandey

Councillor

David Moutou

Acting Executive Director Community Services

Roxanne Thornton

Group Manager Office of the Lord Mayor and CEO

Gail Connolly

Chief Executive Officer

Attachments:

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Council 27 May 2024 Item 15.1

QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

ITEM NUMBER 15.1

SUBJECT Questions Taken on Notice at the 13 May 2024 Council Meeting

REFERENCE F2024/00282 - D09453892

REPORT OF Council Secretariat & Policy Officer

QUESTIONS TAKEN ON NOTICE:

Councillor Garrard asked two questions in relation to Item 13.3 – LATE REPORT: Public Exhibition: 'Parramatta 2050' - A Long Term Strategic Vision for the City;

· How much has the work that has already been undertaken cost to date including external consultants?

Executive Director City Planning and Design Response:

The cost to date is $84,000 funded from the 2023/24 City Strategy operational budget.

· There is no mention of consultation with youth?

Executive Director City Planning and Design Response:

As part of the preparation of draft Parramatta 2050, Council staff utilised the results of existing consultations, which included youth consultation undertaken as part of the refresh of the Cultural, Social, Economic, Environmental and Smart City and Innovation strategies. Additionally, representatives from Western SRC (WSU’s Student Representative Committee) have attended an external focus group session to provide feedback. The exhibition program for Parramatta 2050 also includes three activities specifically with young people: a youth-focused event, a primary school-focused event, and an engagement with young children in an early learning setting.

________________________________________________________________

Councillor Bradley asked a question in relation to Item 13.4: Public Exhibition: Draft Kleins Road Pedestrian and Cyclist Corridor Study;

· The location of the bridge, is there a reason why the bridge could not be designed to be a little further upstream?

Executive Director City Planning and Design Response:

The location of the bridge (red line on image below) is based on a number of factors:

1) The land identified in yellow (on the image below) is privately owned and therefore the bridge cannot be located on that land. The current proposed alignment is the furthest upstream the bridge could be located whilst remaining on publicly owned land.

2) The preferred location is close to existing power lines that have been kept clear of vegetation for decades (blue box on the image below), because of this it is the location likely to have the lowest ecological impact. Should the bridge be pushed further east, new paths at the top of bank would need to be cleared of vegetation to get users to the alternate bridge location.

3) In this location the creek narrows and has steep embankments, this makes the bridge shorter and simpler to build. Minimising the size of the new structure will decrease the visual and environmental impact (especially given an attempt to avoid putting piers in the creek).

4) It lines up with the existing and proposed street network. The advantages of this are best demonstrated by the Alfred Street bridge where as a user you walk towards the bridge on the approaching streets with clear sight lines. This makes following the path much easier for first time users.

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