Advisory committees slashed from previous year

Council staff’s replacement model unknown

A new cohort of community members who advise Council around planning and policy matters were appointed to Council’s advisory committees at last week’s meeting.

Yet the number of committees, totalling just seven, is greatly reduced from the 12 who advised Council in the previous term.

And prior to that term, there were 16 committees advising Council.

Councillors went into a closed door session during last week’s meeting to select the new members.

Given the apparent reduction of community input to Council, The Echo sought comment from Greens councillor, Elia Hague, who moved last week’s confidential motion.

She said, ‘As a former community representative on the Water and Sewer Committee, I understand that advisory committees are an essential step of our community partnership and oversight into Council decision-making’. 

‘The advice provided by our passionate and engaged community members is invaluable, and we are so lucky to have such a knowledgeable and skilled community willing to volunteer their time and energy to create a better Byron Shire for all of us’.

She said that establishing the committees for this Council term occurred in public session on October 24, 2024, ‘which also included representations and questions during public access on this matter’.

Cr Hague said councillors were concerned around the ‘dissolution of so many committees’.

‘In addition to establishing and calling for nominations for the community representatives on the eight committees, we requested an options report on engagement opportunities for Aboriginal engagement, heritage and housing. 

‘We have already been briefed and had workshops to move forward with a more robust, inclusive and culturally appropriate model for Aboriginal engagement, and this will be a priority for the new year.

‘I look forward to working with councillors and community to establish more effective, responsive models of engagement for heritage and housing as well; I can see how a quarterly meeting may not have been the most effective mode of engagement on these important issues when the planning system runs on its own schedule. 

‘The Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) was established in our first meeting on October 10, 2024 (report 5.1/ res 24-462). I was appointed as the councillor non-voting member to ARIC for this term.

Reps needed

‘The Finance Advisory Committee was established on October 24, and doesn’t have community representatives, so was not discussed in the December 12 meeting.

‘We did, however, agree with staff that 12 committees was an inefficient way to engage; committees require significant time and input from councillors, staff, and community members, and on some issues there are more effective and meaningful ways to engage’.

Cr Hague added, ‘We remain strongly committed to a sustainable and circular economy for Byron Shire, and certainly to improving communications between Council and community’. 

Member quits

In July 2023, an expert in their field quit from Council’s Affordable Housing Committee, and the Place Planning Collective. David Brown told The Echo part his decision to resign was because Council (councillors and staff) were ignoring the input of committees. 

Again in 2023, without a quorum to include the local business community, former mayor Michael Lyon held closed door meetings with staff – without business leaders – under the guise of a ‘Business and Industry Advisory Committee’.

Matt Williamson, president of the Byron Bay Business Chamber told The Echo at the time he was keen to be a part of those meetings, but never heard back from Council when he asked.

Moving forward, Mr Williamson told The Echo last week his team will now hold four informal meetings a year with Mayor Sarah Ndiaye and General Manager Mark Arnold.

Mr Williamson said he was keen to participate and collaborate with the new Council. 

Heritage Advisory Committee scrapped

Yet not everyone is happy.

Susan Tsicalas, secretary of the Brunswick Valley Historical Society, wrote to both Director Sustainable Environment & Economy, Shannon Burt, and Greens Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye, asking why the Heritage Advisory Committee was not on the list of committees for this term of Council. 

She wrote on October 27, ‘Two of our members were on the committee and kept us informed of what was happening with heritage aspects in the Shire’.  

‘We are worried that the ongoing protection of Indigenous and European heritage in the Shire will be neglected and also ignored by developers.

‘We wish to be advised as to what steps will be taken to protect this heritage if no committee is being formed.

‘Also we would like to know how Council is planning to supervise those buildings, already listed, [to prevent them] from becoming derelict and unloved. Does Council have the powers to ensure that buildings listed are maintained by their owners?’

Council staff to reframe ‘public engagement’

Ms Burt replied, ‘All committees of Council have now been reviewed with some staying, and others amalgamated and/or repurposed’.

‘A number of factors were considered by staff to inform this review for Council.

‘With the Heritage Committee/Panel it has been decided that a reframe of how we engage with historical society members, interested community, and landowners moving forward – outside a formal committee structure would be best.

‘What this looks like is a quarterly workshop/meeting/event with the above stakeholders, Council staff and heritage advisor to do, or learn about, local heritage. I would like to have each historical society host a meeting.

‘I have not worked through the exact details yet with Deb Wray, our Heritage Advisor, but will, for a further report to Council as per the resolution from the last meeting.

‘All other heritage services, and our annual grants program will continue as normal. We have annual grant funding for these from state government.

‘The current heritage listings in the LEP [local environment plan] remain with its protections. LEP and DCP [development control plan]updates as recommended will also continue to be reported to Council.

‘Our Heritage Strategy, as per the state grant remains, and is due for review this year, which the historical societies will be involved’.

Ms Burt added, ‘The new approach is not unlike what other councils do, and in my opinion, provides for better communications and collaborations by all interested in local heritage’.

Supported by mayor

Mayor Sarah Ndiaye told The Echo, ‘We haven’t seen the report outlining the proposed new format’.

‘It sounds like the new model will meet as many times as the committee did previously, but it will meet in different towns and villages.

‘I haven’t been on the Heritage Advisory Panel, so I’m not sure how the new model will compare, but I’m open to exploring new ways of engaging with community’.