Glen Innes Severn Council held its monthly Ordinary Meeting on May 22nd. Councillors addressed a range of items, focusing on internal governance, financial matters, and community services. Key discussions included proposed changes to waste charges, financial hardship policies, and the ongoing consultation regarding a potential Special Rate Variation.
Below is an overview of the main outcomes and discussions:
- Councillor Psychosocial Safety and Well-being: Council endorsed the development of a framework to identify, manage, and mitigate psychosocial hazards affecting elected members. This acknowledges the pressures faced by councillors, including public criticism and online issues. The General Manager was requested to prepare a draft framework for endorsement by August 2025, considering options such as access to mental health support, training in managing conflict, incident reporting procedures, communication protocols, and risk assessment guidance.
- Councillor Attendance Reporting: A decision was made to include a record of Councillor attendance at meetings and training sessions in the annual report. This aims to enhance transparency regarding councillor involvement.
- Discussion on the Special Rate Variation (SRV): A Notice of Motion was put forward proposing to separate the SRV discussion from the Community Strategic Plan consultation to allow more time, and to model additional scenarios for the SRV, including a 0%, 15%, and a 30% increase (with 50% quarantined for infrastructure). The rationale highlighted community confusion and anger, suggesting Council should consider cutting services before seeking more funds, and described local infrastructure as needing foundational work. The General Manager and Mayor responded that the current consultation process already exceeds minimum requirements and that reviewing further options should ideally occur after community feedback is gathered. This motion to separate and model new scenarios was lost.
- Proposed Waste Charge Increases: Council reviewed proposed waste charges for 2025-26. The draft operational plan includes a potential 100% rise in the Waste Management Facility charge and a 100% rise in bin collection charges over three years. Officers noted these proposed increases are under review following community feedback received during the public exhibition period. The total annual waste charge revenue after full implementation in 2027/28 is projected to be circa $4.8 million.
- Review of Financial Hardship, Pensioner Concession, and Debt Recovery Policies: Revised financial policies were adopted. Additionally, Council resolved to undertake an additional review after the SRV consultation concludes to explore further mechanisms to reduce the impact on pensioners and low-income residents. This includes exploring council-funded rebates, offset funds, expanded eligibility, payment flexibility, and targeted communication. An amendment was also accepted to ensure policies are more user-friendly, compassionate, and empathetic and provide for Council officers to exercise discretion on burdens of proof of financial hardship. Council further resolved to place the updated policy on public exhibition for 28 days for community feedback.
- Headworks Charges Discount for Not-for-Profits: Council approved a 50% discount on headworks charges (headworks charges are payments made by developers to cover the cost of upgrading and expanding trunk water supply and sewer infrastructure for new developments) for eligible not-for-profit organisations. This is intended to support community initiatives. Council will review the financial impact of this discount after 12 months. An amendment requiring all applications for discounts to be approved by Council was moved but lacked a seconder and was lost.
- Other Items Considered: Council also approved the Glen Innes Severn Learning Centre Plan of Management for public exhibition, noted the Quarterly Budget Review statement and progress on the Operational Plan, approved writing off a past bank variance, and authorised temporary overdraft access if required for cash flow. Updates to the Mayoral delegations and the Internal Audit Charter were also endorsed. Questions with notice regarding waste charge revenue, the Capacity to Pay report, depot works funding, and Highlands Hub technology costs were addressed.
- Confidential Session: Following a move into a confidential session, Council approved a two-year extension for the Domestic Kerbside Waste Management Contract with JR and EG Richards New South Wales Pty Ltd.
