Glenorchy City Council held its second meeting for 2024 on Monday 25 March. 10 Elected Members were present.
Highlights from the meeting include:
Glenorchy War Memorial Pool – MI Global Project Update
In relation to the Glenorchy Pool Site engagement process, the Mayor gave an update and advised that MI Global are in the final stages of the first engagement phase, with community engagement strong and key stakeholders consulted. MI Global expects to close phase 1 of the engagement prior to Easter.
A stakeholder engagement report will capture all insights from the surveys and interviews and will provided to Council and published online for community review and comment.
MI Global will consolidate all information into an Options Assessment Presentation to assist with the second phase of engagement. This will include a Public Insights Session, in person, 2 -3 online workshops with key stakeholders. Dates for these engagement opportunities will be advised in due course.
Preservation of the Current Glenorchy War Memorial Pool Shell
The Mayor advised that Council has had aquatic engineering specialist, Lacus, inspect the pool in recent weeks in preparation for the repair works to be undertaken with the recent $5M State election funding commitments.
As part of this inspection, Council sought advice on whether the pool shell needed to be filled with water to protect its structural integrity. The advice received is that the risk associated with an empty shell is that ground water may build-up underneath, which could subsequently push the floor of the pool shell up (without the weight of the pool water to hold it down) and cause cracking.
However, rather than refill the pool, the advice from Lacus is to install a series of Hydrostatic Relief Valves on the floor of the pool. These valves will open if there is an excessive build-up of water pressure underneath the pool shell whilst it is empty, to mitigate any risk of cracking.
The technical specification for the installation of the relief valves is currently being prepared, and the installation works will be undertaken ASAP, using Council funds. The relief valves will also provide ongoing benefits for the pool, given it needs to stay empty during the planned repair works, and will be emptied each year for maintenance.
Audit Panel Charter and Code of Conduct
Council’s Audit Panel Charter sets out the objectives, functions, composition, administrative arrangements, reporting requirements, and tenure of Council’s Audit Panel.
The Charter was thoroughly reviewed, and a complaints management process was added in 2021. The Audit Panel recently provided feedback that:
• The Council review cycle be shifted from every two years to every four years in line with other Council policies; and
• The Charter be additionally reviewed following each Council election.
Council voted to make the two changes to the Charter review cycle.
The Audit Panel Code of Conduct outlines the standards of behaviour expected of Council’s Audit Panel members. These standards support the characteristics of good governance, which are outlined in the Good Governance Guide for Local Government in Tasmania. The Audit Panel Code of Conduct requires members to provide notification of conflicts of interest, act ethically, and perform their role in the best interests of Council and the community. The Code of Conduct remains unchanged.
Business Updates
Monthly financial performance updates for February were also provided which keep Council up to date with regular high level financial information.
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/