City of Canning Minutes – SMRC RRRC WCF Odour Issue – 20 July 2010
4. DECLARATION OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS INTERESTS
Declaration of Interest
Cr Elliott SRS-221-10 – Odour Register – Regional Resource Recovery Centre – Canning Vale
Nature of Interest: My daughter lives in the area affected by the odour.
ET-113-10 Shelley Bridge and Fern Road, Wilson Traffic Issues Nature of Interest: Lives close to Fern Road
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ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING Mayor
TUESDAY 20 JULY 2010 Dated
The Mayor suggested that the above items be considered at the same time, it was then;
MOVED Cr Barry, Seconded Cr Dowsett, that Items SRS-221-10 and ET-113-10 be considered at the same time.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Cr Elliott then sought a ruling on his interest in these items of business on the grounds that his daughter lives in the area affected by the odour and he lives near Fern Road. Cr Elliott withdrew from the Council Chambers at 6:02pm.
MOVED Cr Barry, Seconded Cr Dowsett, that the interests declared by Cr Elliott in SRS-221-10 – Odour Register – Regional Resource Recovery Centre – Canning Vale and ET-113-10 Shelley Bridge and Fern Road, Wilson Traffic Issues is common to a
significant number of electors or ratepayers.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
For: The Mayor, Crs Barry, Clarke, Mason, Olsen, Wheaton and Dowsett
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5.2 QUESTIONS TAKEN FROM PUBLIC GALLERY ON 6 JULY 2010
ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING Mayor
TUESDAY 20 JULY 2010 Dated
Mr R Petterson,
I have a series of questions in regards to the SMRC.
Statement: As you would be aware since the commencement of the SMRC in 2003, Willetton and Leeming residents have been adversely affected by foul and putrid odour. They started a denial campaign in about 2006, deflecting the source of the odour and then trying to justify their existence and the impact they had on community by spruiking off about the amount of waste they were keeping out of Landfill. Canning has recently received a letter signed by all other remaining Mayors, highlighting the importance of diverting waste from landfill.
Question: Is the City going to provide or give an understanding of their previous annual contribution to the SMRC is no longer going to be provided, will that have to be picked up by other ratepayers that remain within the SMRC?
Answer: The Mayor. This particular Council and partners except Rockingham and Kwinana, they haven’t got the same obligation with the guarantee of the loan.
Question: In regards to the SMRC, are you able to advise who is the current chair and deputy chair, which Councils they come from?
Answer: The Mayor. One is from Cockburn and one from Rockingham or Kwinana, one of the two.
Question: In regards to the remaining six Councils is the City of Canning aware of how many are actually using the Waste Composting facility in Canning Vale to deposit their green bins and how many are actually using landfill and are using landfill the past 7 years?
Answer: The Mayor. That is a question to be forwarded to the SMRC.
Question: Is the City of Canning aware that the City of Cockburn and Rockingham currently having operating landfill sites that they have used since the Waste Composting Site.
Answer: The Mayor. Yes, we are aware of it.
Question: In regards to the Waste Composting Facility, we have known for sometime it has been a white elephant, it doesn’t produce what it claims to do seven years, we know that only 20% of the waste going in there is being converted into compost, it either dries out, fairly expensive drying area or goes to landfill. Is the City of Canning aware, other than the City of Rockingham or the Town of Kwinana, who is the largest single entity taking waste to landfill at Rockingham?
Answer: The Mayor. I think from my own research, it would show that Melville takes the most rubbish to SMRC.
Question: The City of Rockingham still has a functioning landfill site, which has been going since the commencement of the Waste Composting Facility, they take their waste there, the Town of Kwinana takes their waste there, would the City know the next largest entity that takes waste to Rockingham?
Answer: The Mayor. No I don’t.
Question: Is the City of Canning aware that the landfill site at the City of Rockingham at the current rate of fill intends to run for the next 22 years?
Answer: The Mayor. I am not aware of that, but I believe that Rockingham and Kwinana are doing their own study regarding waste.
Statement: They have 22 years left to operate and it appears that a lack of commitment on their behalf or alternatively hypocrisy on their behalf in sending a letter to the City of Canning regarding the need to keep landfill use down to a minimum.
Question: The remaining Member Councils of the SMRC have written recently, or as you are aware are requesting permission to rebuild their Recycling facility on the SMRC site in Canning Vale, due to the perceived commitment by City of Rockingham, has the City of Canning written to them suggesting the site to be relocated down to their landfill area?
Answer: The Mayor. No, Council did have a say at their Council meeting, but the SMRC have decided to rebuild on that particular site and it is under dispute with the State Administrative Tribunal.
Question: The SMRC has recently released information that they intend to study or examine the possibility of pyrolysis gasification plant on the site.
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5.3 QUESTIONS TAKEN ON DEBATE FROM MEETING HELD ON 6 JULY 2010
AF-083-10 ACCOUNTS PAID AND PAYABLE
(File: AA/3/10)afrpt083 (Council Meeting 6 July 2010)
From : Executive Finance and Client Services
Question: Executive Finance and Client Services took on notice Cr Barry’s query in relation to transaction number 4207976 for the amount of $400,663.49 on page 7 of the Warrant of Payments, payable to the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council for the June Quarter Repayment-Principal & Interest and why the amount had increased.
Answer: Executive Finance and Client Services. The above payment request was accompanied by a Repayment Schedule issued by the SMRC that included the following:
Total Outstanding Loan Balance: $53,129,629.26
Total Quarterly Payment Amount Due by all Members $ 1,689,160.56
The City of Canning’s payment is based on 27.98%: $364,239.54 (GST exclusive). It should be noted the 27.98% calculation has only been applied to the Regional Resource Recovery Facility (RRRC) and excludes loans for Office Accommodation and the MRF, which are recovered via gate fees and separate Invoicing for the Office Accommodation. As a comparison the City’s last quarterly loan repayment was paid on 22 March 2010 for $335,304.55 (GST exclusive). This is based on the total outstanding loan balance of
$50,288,632.66. The increase in the payment amount is attributed an increase in total Loan Liability and also potential increases in interest rates for existing loans that have been re-set.
Question: Executive Finance and Client Services then took on notice Cr Clarke’s query in relation to Cheque Number 198773 for the amount of $1,398.43 on page 1 and Cheque Number 198889 for the amount of $1,208.21 on page 11 of the Warrant of Payments, payable to Cabcharge Australia and what these amounts relate to.
Answer: Executive Finance and Client Services.
Cheque Number 198773 for $1,398.43 is taxi fees payable to Cabcharge for Client Transport for Community Aged Care Packages.
Cheque Number 198889 for $1,208.21 is taxi fees payable to Cabcharge for Client Transport for the Multicultural Centre
AF-084-10 DONATIONS/FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTS FROM VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS
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5.4 QUESTION RECEIVED ON NOTICE FOR THE ORDINARY MEETING HELD ON 6JULY 2010
The Chief Executive Officer received by facsimile on Monday 19 July 2010 at 1.45pm, questions from Mr John Harding (Doc Id: 1638174) Mr Mayor and CEO Dacombe, in the last Canning Times there was two full pages of City advertising and information pages, instead of the normal one. Giving consideration to the number of biased and one-sided articles, by the Papers Reporters,
of late, that have, during past eight months, appeared in the Canning Times, supporting criticism of City, Mayor and Council, over the Shelley Gull, SMRC, and Bentley Container, issues, plus the misinformed Letters to the Editor, generated from Residents within the RRSRA Suburbs.
With the latest example, from Norm Snell, Vice President of RRSRA, filled with totally incorrect facts and figures, similar to the Shelly Gull Fiasco, which, this Ratepayer responded to, and which has not been printed by Canning Times, similar to several others over the past six months, suggesting, Canning Times is not interested in any support for City of Canning , or criticisms of RRSRA.
However, other letters are being printed in Canning Times, with similar views etc, but from other Readers. I have attempted to speak with the Editor, to question why mine are excluded, left messages, but no response. And I note no Article was printed in Canning Times, of the leaking of Confidential Council Business to RRSRA, in Nov 2009, nor the recent revelation, of a second instance, during
Council Meeting 6 July, again to a perceived RRSRA Member or Associate, despite the Canning Times Reporter, being in attendance.
Question: In view of the weekly advertising in Canning Times, should City question or challenge, Executives of Canning Times over the negative and one-sided articles about City and Council, e.g. Shelley Gull, SMRC (continually), Salvo Sea Container, and request, in future they print impartial articles, or both sides of the story. Otherwise, lose City’s advertising to another Newspaper, or alternatively, City consider producing its own weekly Ratepayer Newsletter, distributed, through various Shopping Centre Outlets, to the Ratepayers. Answer: Chief Executive Officer. Most journalistic codes of ethics include a requirement to maintain independence between editorial (and reporting) comment and commercial considerations. Conversely some people might consider it unethical to attempt to influence a newspaper’s editorial approach, regardless of the merits (or not) of the situation, by using
advertising as leverage. The independent production and distribution of a weekly newsletter would not be economically viable.
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10. TABLING OF COUNCILLORS MINUTES WITHOUT DISCUSSION
Wednesday 14 July 2010 attended Citizenship Ceremony Civic Function Room
Thursday 15 July 2010 Electronic Odour Monitoring Device ¡§e-nose¡¨ demonstration and a Council Forum.
Friday 16 July 2010 commenced a Bus Tour of various facilities that include designs or features that are being incorporated into the City’s proposed Multipurpose Recreation and Community Facility to be constructed in Cannington. Monday 19 July 2010 Attended a working party meeting in regard to the construction of the HACC office extension project. Tuesday 20 July 2010 attended the Canning Early Years Group meeting at the Eco Education Centre. Va Bola presented the Australian Early Development Index results for Canning.
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13.2 EXECUTIVE STRATEGIC AND REGULATORY SERVICES
SRS-221-10 ODOUR REGISTER – REGIONAL RESOURCE RECOVERY CENTRE CANNING VALE
(OCM: 20.07.2010; File: ECH/2/18); j:ssrpt228/eg
From: Executive Strategic and Regulatory Services ID: 80
RECOMMENDATIONS
SRS-221-10
That Report SRS-221-10 Odour Register Regional Resource Recovery Centre, Canning Vale, be received.
MOVED Cr Mason, Seconded Cr Wheaton, that the recommendation contained within the Report of the Executive Strategic and Regulatory Services, No 222, be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
For: The Mayor, Crs Barry, Elliott, Clarke, Mason, Olsen, Wheaton and Dowsett
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15 NOTICES OF MOTION GIVEN AT THE MEETING FOR CONSIDERATION DURING
THE FOLLOWING MEETING
Cr Barry
That the Chief Executive Officer seek legal advice over the legality of the SMRC drawing down loan funds in advance of incurring relevant expenditure for physical works, with a view to initiating a dispute under the relevant provisions of the Establishment Agreement and that, subject to legal advice, the City of Canning give consideration to withholding any loan payments
deemed to be for loans drawn down in the 2009/10 financial year in advance of relevant works being carried out.
Following the legal advice, the Chief Executive Officer provides a Confidential Report to Council.
Behind Closed Doors At 8.09pm, it was:
MOVED Cr Clarke, Seconded Cr Elliott, that the Meeting proceed behind closed doors to consider confidential items.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
For: The Mayor, Crs Barry, Elliott, Clarke, Mason, Olsen, Wheaton and Dowsett
