Redland City Council news – 23 August 2015

The next Redland City Council meeting is on Wednesday 26 August, starting at 9:30 am.

Here is a link to the meeting agenda.

A few items which may be of interest to residents and ratepayers are discussed below.

Redland Investment Corporation

Councillors will be asked to approve minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on 16 July 2015. These Audit Committee Minutes state in item 4.3 that the Redland Investment Corporation “…was approved in November 2014 and is now established with corporate documentation being finalised.” The minutes go on to say that: “The first land sale transaction has also been completed.”

Council did not inform the community about the Redland Investment Corporation until June 2015 when it published a media release and webpage.

In its media release, which contained very little information that was specific or useful, the following statement was attributed to Councillor Mark Edwards:

It’s not about selling off surplus land to make a quick dollar.

Yet the Audit Committee was told in July that the first land sale transaction had already been completed, even before corporate documentation had been finalised.

The lack of transparency about the Redland Investment Corporation is of concern to many in the community. Which land parcels will be sold off next and why is the community being kept in the dark?

Will conservation areas purchased with funds raised through the ratepayer’s environment levy be sold off? What about land provided by developers as contributions to open space or as buffer zones like Teak Lane?

Redland Bay foreshore continuity and parking

Councillor Mark Edwards is putting forward motions that seek to:

• Acquire the foreshore section of 228-236 School of Arts Road Redland Bay to enable continuity of the foreshore park (Item 14.1.1)
• Permit temporary parking on land at 9A Meisner Street (Item 14.1.2)

Community Engagement

There are two motions from councillors about community engagement.

Councillor Wendy Boglary is proposing in Item 14.2.2 that Council form a Community Reference Group to provide community input into issues that impact the development, community and social planning matters for Redland City.

Councillor Alan Beard is proposing in Item 14.4.1 that Council have a report prepared on best practices in local government around the world on the use and application of community panels as reference, advisory and/or review groups. his motion goes on to ask that the report be brought back to Council for a workshop in November 2015 for guidance and direction prior to final report being considered by Council.

Heritage assessment of Commonwealth Land in Birkdale

Councillor Paul Bishop is proposing in item 14.3.1 that Council:

Commission a peer review of the recent Urbis heritage assessment on the Commonwealth Land located at 362-392 Old Cleveland Road, Birkdale, as part of the context analysis and technical studies that are currently being carried out for the purpose of identifying future land use opportunities and constraints over the site.

Redlands2030 assumes that the Urbis heritage assessment has not been made publicly available.

Bay Islands Golf Club

The Bay Islands Golf Club Inc holds a lease over an area of land at Gordon Road, Macleay Island that includes the Clubhouse. An application has been received from the club for the early surrender of their existing lease and approval for a new 10-year lease as they are now ready to commence a clubhouse extension. Councillors will be asked in Item 11.4.1 to approve these lease arrangements.

Community invited to Amity Point township meeting

The next Straddie Township meeting will be held at Amity Point Saturday 29 August. This is an opportunity to meet with Mayor Karen Williams, local Councillor Craig Ogilvie and State MP Mark Robinson and discuss the need for a plan for Straddie’s transition away from mining, transport planning for the island and updates on Straddie specific projects.

More information is available in this media release.

New exhibitions at Redland Art Gallery

The Council advises that:

Two new exhibitions at Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland, will showcase Australian culture from different perspectives, with one featuring iconic local island architecture and a second profiling traditional Japanese art techniques inspired by the Australian landscape and way of life.

More information is available in the Council’s media release. Or you could just drop in to the Redland Art Gallery which is located at the corner of Middle and Bloomfield Streets, Cleveland.

Report by Redlands2030 – 23 August 2015