Council this week endorsed several measures to strengthen transparency and integrity in response to issues highlighted in the Municipal Monitor’s report of February 2020 and issues that have come to light at the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission’s Operation Sandon (‘IBAC Sandon’) public hearings.
While the hearings have been adjourned until further notice due to COVID-19, work has continued to make improvements, particularly in the planning space to strengthen local planning policy environment, amend Councillor protocols and update planning delegations.
These changes, endorsed by Council at Tuesday’s meeting, are in support of the Municipal Monitor’s recommendation that “a thorough review and embedding of policies, procedures and processes for more effective decision-making and responsibilities” be undertaken.
A new and expanded policy called ‘Protocols for Councillors – Land Use Planning’ now gives greater clarity, guidance and transparency in decision-making, including:
- On the differing roles and responsibilities of Council in land use planning matters, reflecting the separation of power between the important role of Council in setting direction and policy, and the role of officers clearly being to implement policy and decisions in accordance with the Casey Planning Scheme effectively.
- Providing Councillors with greater guidance on how to approach land use planning matters to ensure integrity in decision-making is upheld.
- Clearly outlining the opportunity for community engagement in the application and decision-making processes. Notably, this policy now includes an opportunity for objectors, submitters and proponents to be able to be heard by the Council in a structured and coordinated way and in advance of a Council meeting. Parties that have upcoming matters due to be determined by Council, whether that be a planning application or planning scheme amendment will be contacted to discuss it further. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions the means of community engagement in decision making will need to be tailored and modified accordingly.
Council also reviewed and updated planning delegations in support of the new policy. This included two substantial changes to delegations, including the delegation of authority to officers to refuse all applications that do not meet strategic policy or statutory requirements and secondly to increase the delegation of officers to determine applications where there are up to and including twenty (20) objections. This ensures that there is an appropriate separation of powers to enable Council to focus on policy and direction setting and only consider matters that are of broader community interest rather than localised matters.
Council also considered and endorsed a number of other significant reports, including a report by the Interim Administrator; Council meeting changes; instruments of delegation from Council to the CEO; and the CEO’s performance plan and policy to name a few. More information is available in the agenda and minutes of the meeting.