TENTERFIELD Shire Council General Manager, Lotta Jackson, has denied public access to several folders containing un-actioned resolutions believed to date back to 2010.
Speaking with the Free Times, Ms Jackson described the matter of un-actioned resolutions as complex, but added that the folders in question contained “nothing out of the ordinary”.
Her comments followed several questions calling on Tenterfield Shire Council to investigate the contents of the folders and provide councillors with a resolution audit.
It is believed the folders contain motions which were carried by former and current councillor’ votes – but have to date not been enacted in the community.
The Free Times requested access to the folders but was denied by Ms Jackson and will subsequently submit a Freedom of Information request (known in NSW as a Government Information Public Access request) to determine the folder’s contents.
During the council’s general meeting on 27 March, Councillor Maxwell tabled a question demanding an investigation into the matter of past motions.
“As governance is the role of councillors and their decisions, in the form of past, present and future motions, I would like a list of all un-actioned motions from the start of the last term of council to now,” Cr Maxwell said.
“I would also like an explanation as to why these motions have not been actioned until now or not at all.
“It is important for this council to know what past motions have not yet been dealt with so we do not double up or create new motions where passed ones already exist.
“It is also in the community’s best interest for councillors to know what the present status of old motions are and why?”
Mr Maxwell also noted Act 335 – Functions of General Manager.
“The general manager is generally responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the council’s organisation and for ensuring the implementation, without undue delay, of decisions of the council,” he quoted.
In response, Ms Jackson said council resolutions were complex and it was not possible to provide a list of outstanding resolutions, and any such activity would demand unreasonable time from senior staff, including the general manager and professional specialists.
“A much more efficient and user-friendly system is already in place whereby councillors can view the resolution folders if they so desire and whereby staff can update their actions of resolutions as they are executed,” the report said.
Ms Jackson said she had assessed that unreasonable time and resources would be required in order to answer Mr Maxwell’s question and therefore the matter needed to be decided by the full council.
Should councillors wish to monitor the progress of council resolutions, council’s current system is that all councillors have access to a set of folders, held at the administration building, with council resolutions and “actions taken” for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date 2013.
Minutes of council resolutions for 2008 and 2009 are available on council’s website.
The report said that should councillors wish to have more information on any of the past resolutions and the actions taken, they should submit a councillor action request.
In order to highlight the complexity of resolutions and as to why it was not a straightforward process to list outstanding resolutions, Ms Jackson provided the following examples.
“As councillors would appreciate, some resolutions will take considerable time, such as the selling of the blocks in the industrial estate, selling off other properties such as residential blocks and the service station. The outcome of these resolutions will be reported back to council on completion,” she said.
“A number of resolutions have several actions included in them and subsequently they are partially resolved and in progress.
“For example the internal audit committee has terms of reference and councillor representatives nominated, however, we are yet to advertise for independent members and approve the budget for their costs within the 2013-’14 budget.”
Resolution and progress examples
2010
*818/10 Reconstruction for Bruxner Highway West of Tenterfield (3.8 km)
Brief prepared, design plans prepared. Scheduled for 2013-’14.
*859/10 Crown Street Drainage Project
Matter is complex and with council’s solicitor since November 2012.
*351/10 Unmanned Garbage Sites
Security cameras still to be fitted. Has not been a priority as other waste matters have been more urgent to attend to.
Draft Waste Management Strategy address the issues raised.
*476/10 Cemetery Expansion
Land secured, currently in process of contracts to be signed.
2011
*260/11 Flood damage December 2010, January 2011
Final projects to be completed in 2013-’14
*38/11 Memorial Hall Bollards
Included in the draft Operational Plan for 2013-’14
*214/11 Mount Lindsay Road realignment
Referred to council’s local solicitor for transfer of titles to the current owners of the adjacent properties in compensation for the road realignment which is consistent with the Local Roads Act 1993.
*235/11 Historic Town and Village Signage – referred to Traffic Committee and VIC for recommendations back to council.
Will be taken to the Local Traffic Committee on the 3 May 2013
*498/11, 655/11 Liston, Legume, Dalman Installation of Camera – Tenterfield Waste Transfer Station
Still to be completed – part of the draft Waste Management Strategy
*385/11 Prepare Community Land Management Plan
Plans of Management for Community Land still to be addressed and are included in Operational Plan 2012-’13 and 2013-’14.
