Lismore City Council’s general manager says preliminary internal circulation of four policies flagged as ‘obsolete’ and worthy of elimination has not raised any official objections.
The council’s 2011 Arts and Cultural Policy is included in the list, along with a policy overseeing greenhouse gas emissions and one outlining rent for non-profits with buildings on council land.
Independent Councillor Big Rob says on agenda notes for this week’s ordinary council meeting the policies are old and obsolete and need to be withdrawn.
Current policy documents can be created, if needed, going forward, his notes read.
‘No objections’ to Cr Big Rob’s policy removals, says GM
The council’s general manager has included copies of the four policies featured on Cr Big Rob’s notice of motion in this month’s meeting agenda.
Their official titles are:
1.5.1 Annual rental applicable to non-profit organisations with buildings on council land;
5.2.1 Administration of private covenants;
5.17.5 Atmosphere Policy; and,
8.5.1 Arts and Cultural Policy.
The council has ‘too many’ old and obsolete policies, Cr Big Rob says.
The general manager has noted in response that ‘following circulation to officers, no objections have been received’.
It’s unclear how many officers received or responded to circulation of the list, nor which departments they represented, nor how experienced they were in the areas potentially impacted.
While it’s possible some or all of the policies have been superseded since their creation by more recent related policies, the point is not mentioned in agenda notes.
A search on the council’s website for similarly titled policies shows some that may relate to the rental policy and one concerning public art.
There is, however, mention in website search results of $15 million in arts and culture grant funding the council received from the NSW government, raising the question of whether the council would continue to receive such support in future without a specific policy in place.
Council’s commitment to greenhouse gas reductions on the line
It’s unclear from agenda notes when the council’s Atmosphere Policy was first adopted or most recently reviewed.
The policy is aimed at managing greenhouse emissions, air quality and noise in the Lismore LGA and is part of the council’s Environmental Health program.
It applies to ‘all sections within Council having an impact on and/or regulatory role in managing the atmosphere’, a policy description attached to this month’s meeting agenda shows.
The ‘atmosphere’ is defined as noise, odour, greenhouse gas and air emissions including smoke, dust and other pollutants.
‘Air quality and noise emissions are an important community and environmental issue within the LGA,’ the policy reads, ‘there is also increased community concern about the effects of greenhouse gases at a global level’.
The policy is divided into three objectives, the first being to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Key towards achieving a reduction is the council’s participation in a Cities for Climate Protection Program.
The policy says the program includes an extensive range of actions, with the council to implement strategies mostly focussed on improved access to public transport, walking and cycling facilities.
A second objective is to limit the impact of noise and odour within the LGA, while a third is to manage and improve its air quality.
The last two objectives rely on mostly indirect strategies, such as ensuring best practice and compliance, monitoring and reporting data and providing industry updates.
Elsewhere in agenda notes for this month’s meeting, staff say they are working on a climate resilience policy to be presented to the council before the end of the year.
Support for non-profits reconsidered
A 1988 policy on annual rent applicable to non-profit organisations with buildings on council land was most recently reviewed by councillors and staff in 1996.
It says all non-profit community organisations are to be charged an annual rental equivalent to the total of charge for sewerage based on the number of water closets, the actual water usage, a licence fee and a garbage charge, if the service is used.
It’s unclear how many, if any, community organisations in the LGA have leases with the council that fall within the definitions of the policy.
Another policy concerning council rates and policies was created in 1999 and most recently reviewed in 2018.
The council’s Fees and Charging Policy includes reference to property management for ‘facilities or hirers where there is a recognised community service obligation’.
The policy says prices are to be competitive with similar facilities but reviewed annually to ensure the hirer’s revenue generated is enough to cover their operational costs.
The policy doesn’t specifically refer to leases on council land where buildings are owned by non-profits.
A 2014 Leases of Council Properties Policy doesn’t apply to leases ‘or other arrangements involving buildings that are owned by other parties, but which have been constructed upon land owned or managed by Council’.
Council to consider abandoning 14 commitments to arts and culture
The 2011 Arts and Cultural Policy was linked to the council’s stated aim of developing and supporting art, cultural, sporting and tourism activities.
Arts and culture represent a growing sector of the local economy, the policy says, raising the question of how the council sees the sector fourteen years later.
It says arts and cultural activity in Lismore, Nimbin and other villages foster community cohesion, well-being and local identity through creative practice and participation.
The policy features fourteen commitments, with the first being to recognise and value the traditional arts and cultural heritage of the Bundjalung people.
Another is advocacy, promotion and communication to raise the profile of existing and emerging arts and cultural organisations.
Creating opportunities for coordination and partnerships between existing and emerging organisations is listed.
There is also a commitment to increasing opportunities for all sections of the community, including young people, people with disabilities, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, low-income earners and transport disadvantaged to access and participate in arts and cultural activities.
Enlivening public spaces by creating opportunities for everyday arts and cultural encounters is on the list, as well as preserving and investing in the City of Lismore art collection.
The policy also commits the council to capitalising on the LGA’s arts and cultural identity in Lismore’s marketing campaigns.
Separate to this policy is one from 2004 called the Public Art Policy.
It’s aimed at acquiring and managing high quality public artworks that enrich and vitalise the public domain and enhance Lismore’s identity and isn’t included on the list of policies up for debate.
Private covenants barely registered
A fourth policy included in Cr Big Rob’s notice of motion for Tuesday’s ordinary meeting relates to administration of private covenants.
The policy, created in 1980 and reviewed in 2014, simply states that the council will not accept nomination as administrator of private covenants.
The NSW Registrar General says there is no material difference between a covenant and a restriction on the use of land.
Further detail shows there are few administrative tasks associated with the transference of land restrictions besides title certification.
Lismore’s Policy Making Policy vague on policy removal
Incidentally, there is a Lismore City Council 1990 Policy Making Policy, most recently reviewed in 2013.
The PMP was aimed at setting up a process to make sure the development and review of council policies would be consistent and based on full knowledge of their implications, including cost, and of all related policy options.
It’s unclear in the policy whether removal of policies would count as review and whether removal would also require full knowledge of subsequent implications, including costs, nor if so, costs to whom.
Lismore City Councillors are due to meet on Tuesday from 10am.
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