OUTCOMES OF THE JUNE 22 ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING
Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) met on Thursday 22 June, 2023 at 5.30pm in the Dubbo Council Chambers for the June Council meeting. The following outcomes were made:
Matters Considered by Committees:
Report of the Infrastructure, Planning and Environment Committee: Councillors adopted the report of the Infrastructure, Planning and Environment Committee meeting held on 8 June 2023.
Report of the Culture and Community Committee: Councillors adopted the report of the Culture and Community Committee meeting held on 8 June 2023. It was noted the request for funding assistance from DCFM was officially withdrawn.
Report of the Corporate Services Committee: Councillors adopted the report of the Corporate Services Committee meeting held on 8 June 2023.
Notices of Motion:
AUDIT OF SIGNS ACROSS THE URBAN AREAS OF THE LGA: A report will be provided to Council in September 2023 on the accuracy and quality of the signage for which Council has responsibility across the urban areas of the Local Government Area.
RESILIENCE ACTIONS: A report will be provided to Council that sets out strategies implemented and infrastructure projects completed by Council which will provide greater resilience for our region should it move back into drought conditions. Also included in the report are to be any other strategies or projects which are being considered or should be considered to further enhance the drought resilience within the LGA.
ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS REHABILITATION CENTRE: Council noted it support for the construction of an Alcohol and Other Drugs Rehabilitation Facility for the Dubbo region and called for a report to be provided to the July 2023 Council meeting addressing the financial, regulatory and legal matters around the provision of land for such a facility.
Reports From Staff:
2023/2024 Draft budget, operational plan and associated documents – results of public exhibition: Councillors noted the draft documents were placed on public exhibition during May and received 67 submissions on 197 topics. Councillors elected to amend the Budget documents to include a footpath along Sheraton Road, with funding to be reallocated from the Brisbane and Gipps Street curb and gutter works. They also elected to change the $370,000 allocation for highway mowing and put $100,000 extra into street trees and leave the remaining $270,000 in highway mowing entrances. Councillors also elected to increase fees at Rainbow Cottage Childcare and look at a Christmas Activation Fund. The fees and charges in respect of the Statutory Fees for Building and Development Services and Financial Operations were amended to charge the approved fee and the fees and charges in respect of the Ground Preparation Fee for Cricket Dubbo seniors and juniors be adjusted.
Council will also undertake a community engagement and education program regarding Council’s financial position and the potential for a special rate variation to IPART. Under the recommendation the community will be consulted on options that include no special rate variation and the need to reduce operational costs though the reduction of services, a special rate variation to address current service delivery and a special rate variation to increase service levels in areas identified by the community.
THE MAKING OF RATES AND CHARGES: Council resolved to make the rates and annual charges for the year 2023/2024 the amount specified in the report, subject to the minimum amount per assessment specified in the Ordinary Rates table in the report from the revenue accountant dated 9 June 2023, and resolved to make the user charges for the year 2023/2024 as referred to in the report of the revenue accountant on 9 June 2023.
2023 DREAM FESTIVAL LANTERN PARADE: Councillors granted approval for a temporary road closure of Talbragar Street between Bligh Street and Memorial Drive (Victoria Park) in Dubbo on Saturday 9 September for the DREAM Festival Lantern parade between 7pm and 7.45pm subject to a number of conditions.
DRAFT DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PLAN NORTH-WEST URBAN RELEASE AREA: Councillors resolved to adopt the draft North-West Urban Release Area Development Control Plan for the purpose of public exhibition. The plan will be placed on public exhibition and consultation will be undertaken with precinct landowners and those people who have previously made submissions to Council during the development of the plan. A report will be brought back to council following the completion of the public exhibition period.
DRAFT SOUTHLAKES ESTATE DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PLAN – RESULTS OF PUBLIC EXHIBITION: Councillors resolved to adopt the draft Southlakes Estate Development Control Plan which will come into effect on 26 June 2023 when Council will repeal the Southlakes Development Control Plans 1 and 2. Council received one submission during the public exhibition period which ran from 8 March 2023 to 11 April 2023.
DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION D23-155 WAREHOUSE, INDUSTRIAL BUILDING (11 units) and café: Councillors approved the DA for a warehouse, industrial building (11 units) and café at 14 Fiscal Way, as per conditions. With an estimated value of $6,755,000, the application is being reported to Council for determination in accordance with Council’s resolution of 9 May 2022 to limit the Chief Executive Officer’s delegation, in the case of development with an estimated value higher than $5 million. Council received no public submissions during the exhibition period.
OPEN SPACE MAINTENANCE DEED BETWEEN DUBBO REGIONAL COUNCIL AND MAAS GROUP PROPERTIES SOUTHLAKES PTY LTD: Councillors resolved to enter into an Open Space Maintenance Deed with Maas Group Properties Southlakes Pty Ltd for stage 33 of Southlakes Development. Councillors noted a playground will be installed as part of the agreement with the developers in the future.
PLAN OF EASEMENTS FOR OVERHEAD POWER LINES FOR BORE INFRASTRUCTURE ON BUNGLEGUMBIE ROAD: Councillors delegated to the CEO the power to execute any documents that may be required to facilitate the registration of the plan of easements for overhead power lines affecting bore infrastructure on Bunglegumbie road with Essential Energy.
QUESTION ON NOTICE – COUNCILLOR PAM WELLS: Clr Wells asked the CEO to provide a timeline regarding the history of Council’s public commitment to provide land for a proposed Alcohol and Other Drugs Rehabilitation Facility, including the North Bunglegumbie site. A timeline looking at resolutions of council and other items in relation to the history of the land was provided and can be found in the Business Papers for the June Ordinary Council meeting.
Confidential:
WRITE OFF OF UNRECOVERABLE DEBTS: Councillors resolved to write off the accounts receivable of $16,720.00 and the accounts receivable debt of $11,428.68.
ACQUISITION OF MACQUARIE LODGE (95L BUNGLEGUMBIE ROAD DUBBO) CONSISTING OF LOT 9 AND 10 FOR DUBBO GROUNDWATER SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE: Councillors resolved to pursue the purchase of the lots of the maximum value as outlined in the report and authorised the CEO to negotiate the terms of purchase in accordance with the details outlined in the report. Upon acquisition the land will be classified as ‘operational’.
DUBBO REGIONAL COUNCIL AQUATIC LEISURE CENTRE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP): Councillors noted the recommendation regarding the preferred proposal being Belgravia Leisure and determined to delegate the CEO to undertake negotiations with Belgravia Leisure to confirm costings regarding their proposal. Council will hold an extra ordinary meeting at noon on 30 June for the purpose of determining either the operator of the Dubbo ALC facilities or that DRC continues to operate the three aquatic centres (Dubbo, Wellington and Geurie) as fully internal.
COMPULSORY ACQUISITION CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO THE SOUTHERN DISTRIBUTOR ROAD: Councillors delegated the CEO the power to negotiate an agreement with the relevant parties and for the maximum amounts.
LITTLE RIVER BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION – ADDITIONAL ROAD WIDENING ACQUISITION AGREEMENT – LOCATION OF BENOLONG: Under the Roads Act 1993 Council will proceed to acquire 394m2 of land as specified in the body of this report from the adjoining landowners for the amount specified in the body of this report and to accommodate telecommunications and stormwater infrastructure within the public road reserve. Upon acquisition of the land it will be dedicated as Operational Land.
Last Edited: 17 Jul 2023