Video of the Redland City Council meeting on 10 August - Crazy Day in Cleveland

The 10 August council meeting can be viewed on this video recording

Crazy Day is when lots of Brisbane folk spend their Ekka holiday shopping in Cleveland.

With so many visitors to the Cleveland CBD it was hard to find a car park on Crazy Day. Next year it may be a bit harder, after Redland City Council’s Crazy Day decision to approve a plan to turn the Cleveland Library car park into a food market.

Other matters discussed by Council on 10 August include:

  • Aquatic center redevelopment plans and an agreement with Surf Lifesaving Queensland
  • Sale of properties because of overdue rates and charges
  • Cycle network route maps

Food market development application approved

After other councillors had spoken about the car park redevelopment application, Mayor Williams described their comments as “natter” then spoke at length in favour of the food market proposal.

She dismissed the concerns of many local businesses and residents and defended Council’s one on one confidential negotiation of a lease up to ten years, saying:

Unfortunately local government has to go through certain processes and we heard about the tender process before…we should have gone through a tender process. I can tell you now that every tender process kills an element of innovation in our city because you cannot expose a good idea.

The application by Chefs Inc to redevelop the Council’s Cleveland Library car park for up to ten years was approved by 8 votes to 3.

  • Crs Mitchell, Hewlett, Edwards, Elliott, Huges, Talty, Gleeson and Williams voted FOR the motion.
  • Crs Boglary, Gollè and Bishop voted AGAINST the motion.

Crs Golle and Bishop declared perceived conflicts of interest in the item (11.1.1).

Council’s discussion of this item is also covered in a Bulletin report.

Aquatic precinct redevelopment

In ‘closed session’ (without the public or media present) councillors discussed a confidential report about the Redland Aquatic Precinct Redevelopment.

A business case prepared by Deloittes was endorsed as the “project case” and councillors resolved to sign a memorandum of understanding with Surf Lifesaving Queensland.

Sale of properties due to non-payment of rates

Again in closed session, Council resolved to sell various lands for overdue rates and charges. The minutes record that:

Cr Edwards declared a material personal interest in … item [16.2.1], stating that a company he has interest in may be considering purchasing property at the auction. Cr Edwards left the room at 11.27am while the item was being discussed in confidential session and returned at 11.33 am after discussions had taken place.Cr Edwards also left the room at 11.34am while the item was being put to the vote and returned at 11.36am after the item had been voted on.

Cr Gleeson declared a material personal interest in … item [16.2.1], stating that he may be a potential buyer of one of the blocks going to auction. Cr Gleeson left the room at 11.34am while the item was being put to the vote and returned at 11.36am after the item had been voted on.

The Local Government Act 2009 says in section 172 (5) that if a councillor has a material personal interest in an item the councillor must:

inform the meeting of the councillor’s material personal interest in the matter; and

leave the meeting room (including any area set aside for the public) and stay out of the meeting room while the matter is being discussed and voted on

In November 2015 the Council sold 28 properties on Russell and Macleay islands to recoup more than $240,000 in unpaid rates, as reported in the Bulletin.

Council CEO Bill Lyon has previously said “The auctioning of properties with rates at least three years in arrears is done across many councils in Queensland, including on other occasions in Redland City”.

Priority routes for cycle network

Route maps were endorsed by councillors to guide the planning, design and investment in the principal cycleway network by Redland City Council (RCC) and the Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) over the next 10 years. The maps are attached to the officers report for item 11.4.3.

More information about Council’s meeting on 10 August

Here’s a link to the meeting minutes.

You can also view a video recording of the meeting or listen to an audio recording,

 

Redlands2030 – 15 August 2016

8 Comments

Robert Pendrey, Aug 17, 2016

With an open tender the existing Raby Bay Restaurants may have tendered to provide exclusive parking for their customers. Apparently the lease is really cheap compared to expanding the existing underground car park at the harbour.

My Inner Cynic, Aug 16, 2016

What?!! Closed session again! …. mmm … must be “commercial in confidence”

Mary, Aug 16, 2016

Thanks so much for your report.
It’s great to receive locals input on the plans for the Redlands.
Keep up the great work.
Mary.

Amy Glade, Aug 16, 2016

Ekka Crazy Day shopping in Cleveland. Driving home along Finucane Rd from Capalaba shops couldn’t understand why traffic was bumper to bumper heading towards Brisbane to where I turn into Elmhurst St just short of Alex Hills grounds. Now I know on reading about people coming from elsewhere to shop in Cleveland. With food markets opening up behind the library, yes one can expect to see gridlock when its time to head back home from Cleveland in future. Trust provision will be made for adequate car parking in Cleveland in readiness for the hordes expected to arrive for the next Crazy Day shopping in Cleveland.

N Deacon, Aug 15, 2016

We have to be really careful about who we delegate traditional govt controls and powers to. Not happy to see Tender processes abandoned and third party entities gifted with exclusive control over rate-payer funds.

Rather than beat my own chest about why tenders are so important about ensuring high yield, responsible, accountable and transparent results in the best public interest, and informing public officers (who are not industry experts by any means) in the key points to be negotiated upon, available options, considerations and costs for comparison, I thought I would google “Reasons and Purpose for Government Conducting Tenders”. I strongly recommend Redland residents and our office bearers and elected representatives do the same. Apart from glaring constitutional and legislated references bearing significant penalties for non-compliance, there’s a lot of good commercial and community-minded reasons too. Some of the references (government issued) include: Government contracts and tenders

Information for business about government contract and tender opportunities.

AusTender – The Australian Government Tender System – external site
Provides centralised publication of Australian Government business opportunities, annual procurement plans, multi-use lists and contracts awarded. You must be a registered user to download tender documents, receive business opportunities and addenda notifications and lodge tenders.
Department of Finance

Government tenders – states and territories
Provides information about state and territory government procurement opportunities for businesses.
Privacy obligations for Commonwealth contracts – external site
Advice on the privacy obligations which contractors to Commonwealth Government agencies have under the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Procurement – external site
The Australian Government procurement policy establishes the principles for the government’s acquisition of property and services.
Department of Finance

Tenders and contracts – external site
Selling goods and services to government is an important opportunity for all businesses. Provides information about finding tender opportunities in Australia.
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Big Boy, Aug 15, 2016

Really miffed!
I didn’t know there were blocks of land coming up for auction to pick up rates.
But appears Cr Edwards and Cr Gleeson well know.
Is that the equivalent of “insider trading”?
But it’s OK. Everyone knows now.

Me Too, Aug 15, 2016

Skating on thin ice to thumb nose at tender process! Dangerous stuff indeed.

Lynn, Aug 15, 2016

Seems this Council is untouchable. I haven’t seen any investigation or report by either State or Federal Government into this or similar Councils’ questionable processes or lack thereof.

Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net

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