Four confidential items and a resubmitted report about the Shoreline development will be discussed at Redland City Council’s general meeting on Wednesday 16 March 2022.
In other Redland City Council news:
- Cr Tracey Huges was recently found to have engaged in misconduct; and
- Willard’s Farm has been added to the Queensland Heritage Register
Cr Tracey Huges misconduct finding
The Councillor Conduct Tribunal decided recently that Cr Tracey Huges engaged in misconduct involving misuse of information on 7 December 2019.
The Tribunal has ordered Cr Huges to:
- Attend (at her expense) training which must include proper consideration of the Councillor Code of Conduct and Dealing with Council Records appropriately; and
- Reimburse Redland City Council $300 of the cost arising from her misconduct.
The Redland City Bulletin previously reported that in December 2019 Cr Huges sent an email invitation to hundreds of people which inadvertently included an attached spreadsheet containing multiple names, addresses, phone numbers and details of dealings with Redland City Council.
The Bulletin reported that Cr Huges regretted the error.
“I am deeply distressed and sincerely apologise to all residents” she said.
Redland City Council said that they advised the Office of the Independent Assessor about this matter on 9 December 2019.
Why did it take so long for the Tribunal to make a finding of misconduct?
The outcomes of complaints against Redland City councillors are published on the Councillor Conduct Register.
Willard’s Farm gets state heritage listing
The Queensland Heritage Council decided recently to add Willard’s Farm in Birkdale to the Queensland Heritage Register with effect from 8 March 2022.
The heritage listing for Willard’s Farm includes a portion of the adjacent parcel of land.
The application for including Willard’s Farm on the Queensland Heritage Register was submitted by Ms Pam Spence, President of the Birkdale progress Association.
Confidential items on the agenda
Four confidential items have been included in the agenda for this general meeting.
19.1 Sale of Land for Overdue Rates and Charges
“To seek Council Resolution to Sell Identified Properties for Overdue Rates and Charges.”
19.2 Quandamooka Coast Native Title Federal Court Update
“To update Council on the Quandamooka Coast Native Title Federal Court Application.”
19.3 Class Action Kozik – Update
“To provide an update on Class Action Kozik.”
In September 2021 Redland City Council lost a class action case in the Queensland Supreme Court about the Council incorrectly imposing canal maintenance charges several years ago.
Soon after the Court made its decision, Redland City Council CEO announced that the Council would look at “all avenues of appeal” against this judgement.
It would be fascinating to learn how much the Council has spent on this matter.
19.4 Proposed Stormwater Improvement Works Program
“To recommend that Redland City Council (Council) progress the proposed actions and undertake the recommended capital works required to address some issues within stormwater networks in six locations across Redland City, identified prior to the 2022 rainfall events.”
Operational Plan 2021-2022
The agenda includes an update on the Council’s progress from 1 October to
31 December 2021 in completing objectives set out in the Operational Plan 2021-2022.
The report is filled with mainly green traffic lights but a few items may be of interest such as Council investigating options for its office accommodation in Cleveland.
Shoreline development application
Plans by LendLease for developing land in the Shoreline area were submitted to the Council at its February meeting but the matter was deferred to this meeting.
You can read about the plan to develop housing closer to the coast and the risks of biting insects in our preview of the previous meeting.
Heritage status to expire in 12 months
Changing the town plan to add about 40 properties to the Local Heritage Register, which councillors failed to deal with at the meeting in August 2021, is not listed for discussion at this meeting.
These historic properties are currently covered by Temporary Local Planning Instrument TLPI 01/21 but this is due to expire on 17 March 2023.
Council’s confidential white water plans
Redland residents are still questioning the Council’s plans to build a whitewater rafting facility in the Birkdale Community Precinct, as detailed in a story published recently by the Redland City Bulletin.
The linked story includes this sentence: “A Redland City Council spokesperson said the site was one of several in the Redlands being considered for the whitewater centre.”
The Council can prove that this statement is true by releasing its planning studies for a white water sports facility including all of the documents referred to in resolution 19.8 at the Council meeting on 18 December 2019:
Non confidential summary of court appeals
An officers’ report about appeals against Council’s decisions on development application used to be submitted to general meetings for noting by councillors. This practice was changed during this term of Council.
The report is still prepared each month and published on the Council’s website.
About Redland City Council meetings
This Redland City Council meeting is closed to the public except for public participation, due to the Council’s interpretation of the State Government’s COVID public health directions and Local Government Regulations. The Council website says:
“Statutory Meetings of Council will remain closed to the public, with the exception of Public Participation. Any members of the public wishing to address Council will need to apply via the Public Participation form on Council’s website.”
The ‘public’ version of the 16 March 2022 meeting agenda (including officers’ reports for non-confidential items) can be accessed on the Council website.
Meeting will be video recorded except confidential items
The meeting will be video recorded (except for confidential discussions) and this video recording will be posted to the meeting video recordings webpage on the Council website. Videos usually appear within 48 hours of the meeting.
The Council usually publishes the meeting minutes about one week after the meeting. Meeting minutes include the wording of all resolutions adopted and details of which councillors voted for or against every resolution – including the confidential items.
When published, the minutes will appear on the Council’s website.
Here’s the agenda contents for Redland City Council’s meeting on 16 March 2022:
Redlands2030 – 14 March 2022
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