Glenorchy City Council held its second meeting for 2023 at 3:30pm Monday 27 February with nine (9) Elected Members present.
At the meeting Council considered 10 reports with the highlights from the meeting as follows:
Draft Glenorchy City Council Strategic Plan 2023 – 2032
Every local government in Tasmania needs to develop and maintain a Strategic Plan. The purpose of the Strategic Plan is to set Council’s direction over the next 10 years. The draft Plan considered by Council contains the purpose, values, community goals, objectives, strategies and measures of success to define that future direction. The plan is to be reviewed every four years and the newly elected Council have just completed this through an intensive period during January and February this year.
The draft plan was considered and has been released for public comment open from 28 February until 19 March. We would love to hear what you think.
You can find the Draft GCC Strategic Plan at letstalk.gcc.tas.gov.au or collect a hard copy from Council offices in Main Rd Glenorchy, or from the Moonah Arts Centre on Albert Rd, Moonah.
Feedback on the draft Strategic Plan will be presented to Council at the March 2023 meeting for final consideration.
Capital Works Update
Council was also updated on the large Capital Works program for 2022/2023 that is aiming to spend over $20m this financial year. As we move into the third quarter of the year progress was reported on the following projects:
- Giblins Reserve Playspace – works on this much anticipated project will commence during March 2023. Keep an eye out for contractors moving onto the site.
- Montrose Bay Foreshore Skatepark – As per the above project we are expecting contractors to move on to the site during March 2023 to commence works and are hopeful of this project being completed by the end of June 2023.
- Solar Panel Installation on Council Offices – Main Rd Glenorchy – with an estimated annual saving of $25,000, works to install solar panels on Council Chambers roof are well underway with the roof upgrades now complete ready for solar panel installation.
- Prince of Wales Bay Sports Ground Drainage – This project has made great progress after some initial setbacks and is now on track to be completed during March 2023. The finished project will see much improved and drained play surfaces for the incumbent soccer, softball and baseball clubs.
- Football (Soccer) Packages – KGV has seen a new synthetic pitch laid with the associated lighting upgrades nearing competition. North Chigwell is expecting to see newly completed grounds sown with grass seed shortly with designs on the new pavilion being finalised and about to be submitted for planning application with the support of the tenant clubs.
- BMX Track Relocation – After lengthy negotiations with the Southern City BMX Club, Sorell Council and the Tasmanian Government the relocation of the BMX track to Pembroke Park in Sorell will deliver a brand new, state of the art BMX facility to Southern Tasmania while allowing Glenorchy to progress its vision for the area under the Berriedale Peninsula Master Plan. Now that Sorell Council have agreed to construct the track it is estimated the completed track will be ready in the October/November 2023 period.
- Tolosa Park Dam Reintegration Project – residents would have seen initial earth moving works have been started with TasWater about to call for tenders in late February 2023. The project is on schedule to be completed by April 2024.
- Playground Renewal – work has started on the replacement of playgrounds at Collinsvale and Cairnduff Reserve, with works at Cairnduff expected to be completed by April and Collinsvale by June 2023. This follows the completion of Booth Ave. Officers have also started on the community engagement process and preliminary concept planning for the Benjafield Park playspace in Moonah.
Investigations into the Potential Sale of 23a Norman Circle, Glenorchy City Council
After resolving in March 2022 to undertake an engagement process with local residents about the proposed sale of 23a Norman Circle in Glenorchy, a report was considered with the engagement outcomes. Responders ranged from supportive of the sale to allow infill development to assist with the housing crisis to rejecting sale based on the retention of green space.
Council resolved to move forward on this sale by advertising through the formal section 178 process of the local government act. This requires a range of advertising process and for another chance to object to the sale with Council needing to consider this at a future meeting.
Council Quarterly Report – Oct – Dec 2022
Council received the second financial year edition of the quarterly report on Council’s progress against the annual plan for 2022/2023. There is a large amount of detailed information for residents to review and be heartened that Council is working hard to deliver for the community, including some highlights below of the quarter:
- Welcome to the newly Elected Council
- Appointment of those newly elected members to committees of Council
- Update on the work for safety in the Glenorchy CBD
- An annual update on Council Customer Service Centre
- The Annual General Meeting and Annual Report
- Half yearly Capital Works Report inclusive of Major Projects
- A funding allocation for an upgraded playspace at Benjafield Park, Moonah
- A funding submission to the State Government for the Multicultural Hub in Moonah.
Future of Local Government Review Options Paper
Readers will be familiar with the Future of Local Government review currently underway. In relation to this review, Council resolved to make a submission to the Review Board addressing questions posed. The detail of the submission can be found in the Council agenda papers but three points summarise the submission;
- Council looks forward to continuing to engage constructively with the Review process as it proceeds.
- Council intends to remain open to potential reform opportunities while honouring its duty to look after the best interests of its community
- As there is not yet enough specific detail about the structural reform pathways, it would be premature of Council to form a concluded view. However, Council looks forward to exploring options and moving towards informed consent.
You can view the full agenda and minutes on Council’s website, via this link https://www.gcc.tas.gov.au/council/council-meetings/minutes-and-agendas/