An appeal against refusal of development plans for ten single bedroom units at 18 Chermside Street in Wellington Point is listed for confidential discussion at Redland City Council’s meeting, tomorrow.
This will be the last general meeting of Redland City Council before local government elections on 28 March 2020. The Council is in caretaker mode.
Apart from review of routine reports, councillors will also have the opportunity to discuss a detailed status report on the Birkdale Commonwealth lands (summarized below).
A copy of the meeting agenda contents is provided below, also.
18 Chermside Street in Wellington Point
Refusal of the 18 Chermside Street development application
The decision to refuse this development application, in a 7/4 vote, was made by Redland City Council at a Special Meeting on 7 January 2020:
Crs Wendy Boglary, Paul Gollè, Lance Hewlett, Murray Elliott, Tracey Huges, Paul Gleeson and Paul Bishop voted FOR the motion.
Crs Karen Williams, Peter Mitchell, Mark Edwards and Julie Talty voted AGAINST the motion
There were some interesting twists and turns during the meeting on 7 January, including disclosure that recently announced Division 1 election candidate Mr Todd Reinke had a financial interest in the 18 Chermside Street development application.
Todd Reinke emerges as a candidate for Division 1
Todd Reinke – Photo: Redland City Bulletin
Just three days before the Special meeting on 7 January, the Redland City Bulletin published a story announcing that Todd Reinke would be standing for the Council elections against incumbent Division 1 councillor Wendy Boglary.
Mr Reinke’s election pitch was to champion young peoples causes and campaign to set up a university in the Redlands.
The Bulletin’s story also said that Mr Reinke and a business partner are building units for first-home buyers at Wellington Point.
Candidate Reinke is discussed at the Council meeting
Before councillors considered the 18 Chermside Street development application, the interests of Todd Reinke and three councillors were discussed.
Firstly, Cr Boglary declared a perceived conflict of interest relating to Mr Reinke saying that she was led to believe that he was a potential candidate running against her and that he was a business associate of the developer.
Other councillors voted 9/1 that Cr Boglary had a perceived conflict but then voted 7/3 that Cr Boglary could stay in the room and vote on the matter.
Cr Talty then said that she had contacted Mr Reinke who had told her that he had a significant interest in the development application and would be “significantly financially impacted” if the application was refused.
A motion that Cr Boglary had a real conflict of interest was moved by Cr Talty, seconded by Cr Gleeson. This motion was lost 7/3, supported only by crs Julie Talty, Mark Edwards and Paul Gleeson.
Crs Edwards and Talty then each declared perceived conflicts of interest on the basis of their respective relationships with Mr Reinke.
Cr Edwards said that in his role as councillor he had discussed a number of building matters with Mr Reinke and Cr Talty said that she was acquainted with Mr Reinke.
In each case, other councillors voted that there crs Edwards and Talty did not have perceived conflicts of interest.
The discussion about this development application (and discussions about conflicts of interest) can be viewed on the Council Meeting video recording.
Here is a link to the council webpage where the 7 January 2020 meeting minutes can be found.
Candidate Reinke disappears from view
The deadline to nominate as a candidate for the local council elections was midday on 4 March 2020.
The name of Todd Reinke was notably missing from the list of nominated candidates for Redland City Division 1.
Why has this would be champion of young people’s causes abandoned his political career so suddenly, without explanation?
Status update for Commonwealth lands in Birkdale
Council now owns the southern part of the Birkdale Commonwealth lands, bought recently from the Federal Government for $4 million.
A nine page report updating councillors about the Commonwealth lands in Birkdale will be considered at the council meeting.
This status report includes information about:
- Environmental, planning and land assessments by a planning consultant,
- A Conservation Agreement between the Council and the Federal Government,
- Assessment of heritage issues, including an application for the receiving station building to be included on the Queensland Heritage Register, and
- Communication and engagement activities being carried out by the Council.
Agenda for Council’s meeting on 11 March 2020
The agenda for Redland City Council’s general meeting on 11 March 2020 can be downloaded from the Council’s website. This document includes including officers’ reports for all items, except those listed for discussion in closed session.
Shown below are the contents of the agenda:
Redlands2030 – 10 March 2020
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