Ordinary Council Meeting - 11 December 2013
LATE AGENDA Page
5 Notices of Motion
5.2 Notice of Motion - extension of Loan to Talarm Hall Committee of Management (SF335)..... 2
9 General Manager Report
9.10 Request that Councils collect rates for and pay rates to the new Local Land Services.......... 3
10 Assistant General Manager Corporate Services Report
10.9 High Priority Weed Management Grant - Council Acceptance Required................................ 6
Ordinary Council Meeting 11 December 2013
ITEM 5.2 SF1817 111213 Notice of Motion - extension of Loan to Talarm Hall Committee of Management (SF335)
AUTHOR/ENQUIRIES: Rhonda Hoban, Councillor
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Summary:
On 12 November 2013 the Mayor and General manager attended the Talarm Hall Committee of Management annual general meeting. At this meeting an overview of the telling the Tale of Talarm Project was given. The project involves two parts, the first part focussed on the collection of oral histories and the Talarm area and the establishment of a website www.talarmhall.com; funded by the Australian Government’s Your community Heritage Program. Council auspiced a grant application to retain local historian Carrolline Rhodes to compile an oral history of the Talarm Dairy District and Ion Newcombe designed the website.
The next stage of the project is the unfunded paperback publication Telling the Tale of Talarm which has been written by Carrolline Rhodes and is now ready for printing. Ms Rhodes is the author of acclaimed histories of the Nambucca, Macleay and Hastings Cooperatives, and the history of Limousin cattle in Australia.
The draft of the book is extremely professional and Ms Rhodes has donated her work in writing it to the Talarm Hall Committee. The committee is able to immediately fund some of the up front costs of printing 300 copies but are seeking an interest free loan from Council for a term of two years to fund the balance. The Committee is confident it have no trouble selling all of the copies, particularly as many local families are featured in the book. There will also be several functions celebrating Talarm Hall’s centenary where the book will be promoted and sold. All profit from th e sale of the book will go to the Talarm Hall Committee.
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That Council extend an interest free loan of $2,500 to the Talarm Hall Committee of Management for the purpose of assisting in the upfront cost of printing Telling the Tale of Talarm. The loan to be repaid in full within two (2) years.
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Ordinary Council Meeting 11 December 2013
ITEM 9.10 SF1856 111213 Request that Councils collect rates for and pay rates to the new Local Land Services
AUTHOR/ENQUIRIES: Michael Coulter, General Manager
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Summary:
It will be recalled that the NSW Government has established a new entity, Local Land Services (LLS) to provide services to landholders. There will be 11 regional LLS boards drawing together functions from 3 existing bodies – being Livestock Health and Pest Authorities, Catchment Management Authorities and parts of the Department of Primary Industries.
The LLS Board of Chairs have now made a submission to IPART’s recommending amongst other things that:
1. Councils utilise their existing processes and databases to collect the rates for areas below 2 hectares and 2. Public landholders, including Councils, pay rates to the LLS.
Council should support LGNSW is lodging a strong objection to the proposals from the LLS Board of Chairs.
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That Council lodge with IPART strong objections to proposals by the Local Land Services Board of Chairs that Councils firstly collect Local Land Services rates for properties with an area of less than 2 hectares and secondly that public landholders, including Councils, pay rates to the Local Land Services for the reasons indicated in the report.
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OPTIONS:
Council can choose not to make a submission to IPART or make a submission different to that recommended.
DISCUSSION:
It will be recalled that the NSW Government has established a new entity, Local Land Services (LLS) to provide services to landholders. There will be 11 regional LLS boards drawing together functions from 3 existing bodies – being Livestock Health and Pest Authorities, Catchment Management Authorities and parts of the Department of Primary Industries. The LLS boards will deliver a variety of services including:
· Advice on production for farm businesses
· Biosecurity including plant and animal health
· Plant and animal pest control
· Natural resource management
· Emergency response
The LLS boards will operate from January 2014.
In September 2013 the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) prepared a report on a cost recovery framework and complementary pricing system for use by the LLS. IPART made a number of recommendations about financing LLS activities. Not surprisingly, IPART recommended that where practicable, LLS should directly charge an individual landholder a fee for service as this provides the best link between the risk creator/beneficiary with the demand for the service. However it was recognised that circumstances will arise where the link to an individual is difficult to establish or may create a disincentive to comply. In these circumstances a broad based rate should be charged to a wider group of landholders.
IPART noted that notional stock carrying capacity can be linked with rates targeted at the livestock industry. However it is less relevant to activities unrelated to the number of livestock. Land area is an alternative in this case.
IPART recommended that LLS boards in setting non-livestock related rates should:
· Use land area as the rate base, where the minimum rateable land area is set at less than 10 ha.
· Have the option of using either land area or notional stock carrying capacity where the minimum rateable land area is 10 ha or greater.
IPART also recommended that in general, service fees should be collected by LLS for the activities it undertakes.
The LLS Board of Chairs have now made a submission to IPART’s draft report recommending amongst other things that:
1 Councils utilise their existing processes and databases to collect the rates for areas below 2 hectares and
2 Public landholders, including Councils, pay rates to the LLS.
Local Government NSW (LGNSW) has now written to Council advising they will be strongly objecting to these proposals from LLS Board of Chairs. LGNSW is also strongly encouraging individual Councils to lodge their own objections. Submissions in response to close on 20 December 2013.
Council should support LGNSW is lodging a strong objection to the proposals from the LLS Board of Chairs for the following reasons.
1. The proposal for Councils to collect rates for areas below 2 hectares is contrary to the central tenet of IPART’s recommendations that there be a clear nexus between the service, the service provider and the risk creator/beneficiary.
2. The use of a third party (Councils) to collect LLS rates for areas below 2 hectares will reduce LLS accountability for establishing and justifying their rates with the owners of the properties most likely to dispute the existence of a nexus. The small size of these properties will mean that in many instances they will be more akin to an urban garden than any type of farm.
3. There will be costs to Councils in coding LLS rates, maintaining the LLS rating database, answering enquiries and in debt recovery.
4. The use of a third party (Councils) to collect LLS rates will be confusing for LLS ratepayers.
5. There are already too many State Government taxes and funding requirements for different agencies providing non local government services “hidden” in local government rates and charges. The Waste Levy and Rural Fire Service funding are just two examples.
6. In terms of equity there are numerous exemptions to local government rates, particularly Crown Land, which should be dealt with before any consideration is given to the nil tenure approach to rating recommended by the LLS Board of Chairs.
CONSULTATION:
There has been no consultation in preparing this report, primarily because of the limited period which is available to make submissions.
SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT:
Environment
There are no implications for the environment.
Social
There will inevitably be misunderstanding and confusion about LLS rates appearing on a Council rate notice. Most ratepayers are unlikely to be aware that LLS rates levied by Council will not be used by Council and that Council is simply a collection agency.
Economic
There are no significant economic implications.
Risk
There is likely to be a loss of reputation to Council as a consequence of ratepayers believing that Council is in some way responsible for levying rates for LLS on small rural properties.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Direct and indirect impact on current and future budgets
The budgetary impact would depend upon any reimbursement of Council’s costs by the Local Land Services.
Source of fund and any variance to working funds
At this stage there is no impact on working funds.
Service level changes and resourcing/staff implications
There could be substantial resourcing and staffing implications in the required coding of any LLS rates, the maintenance of the database and answering any queries about the LLS rates which have been imposed. There are also likely to be significant costs in debt recovery.
Ordinary Council Meeting 11 December 2013
Assistant General Manager Corporate Services Report
ITEM 10.9 SF1391 111213 High Priority Weed Management Grant - Council Acceptance Required
AUTHOR/ENQUIRIES: Colleen Henry, Grants and Contributions Officer
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Summary:
The Council has been offered a grant of $18,000 through Crown Lands’ Public Reserve Management Fund (PRMF) for high priority weed control within Council-managed Crown reserves. The funding agreement requires a resolution of Council to accept the grant.
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That Council accept the funding offer of $18,000 through Crown Lands’ Public Reserve Management Fund (PRMF) for high priority weed-control within Council-managed Crown reserves.
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OPTIONS:
That Council decline the funding offer.
DISCUSSION
The funding will enable Council to meet the requirements of the Noxious Weed Act to target high priority invasive plant species within Vacant Crown Land within the Nambucca Shire Council. The weed control program will aim to treat declared Noxious Weeds and recognised environmental weeds, including Weeds of National Significance. The project will also protect various Ecological Endangered Communities and Threatened Species within the Nambucca Shire area. Species that will be targeted include Class 3 Noxious Weeds, Broad Leaf Pepper Trees and Groundsel Bush. Other species that will be targeted include Weeds of National Significance Bitou Bush, Lantana and Asparagus species. Environmental weeds including Gloriosa Lily, Senna, Turkey Rhubarb and Spiny Burr Grass.
Weeds will be treated using various methods including high volume spraying, bush regeneration and low volume spraying. Weed control methods will be chosen depending on the weed species, stage of growth, density of infestation and surrounding vegetation type/community. All weed control activities will be performed by highly trained staff / contract labour who have all appropriate safe work method systems and have all appropriate insurances
CONSULTATION:
Noxious Weeds Inspector
SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT:
Environment
This funding will enhance environmental assets by supporting conservation initiatives, bushfire management and weed and pest control on public reserves.
Social
There are no social impacts associated with this funding.
Economic
There are no economic impacts associated with this funding.
Risk
There are no risks associated with this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Direct and indirect impact on current and future budgets
The extra funds will supplement the work currently carried out by Council’s Noxious Weeds Inspector.
Source of fund and any variance to working funds
Not required.
Service level changes and resourcing/staff implications
There are no changes to service levels or resourcing/staff implications.
There are no attachments for this report.