corporate services standing committee meeting final … · 2016-11-21 · final minutes corporate...

CORPORATE SERVICES STANDING

COMMITTEE MEETING

FINAL MINUTES

12 October 2016

FINAL MINUTES CORPORATE SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY 12 OCTOBER 2016

MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40169

Table of Contents

Folio Date Particulars

40170 12.10.2016 Corporate Services Standing Committee Minutes

40182 30.09.2016 Organisational Services Monthly Review - September 2016

40208 30.09.2016 Strategic Financial Report for the Month of September 2016

40224 12.10.2016 Policy - Draft Debt Recovery Policy

Declaration of Potential Conflict of Interest

Nil.


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40170

CORPORATE SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE

MINUTES

1. COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE:

Crs R D Walker (Chairperson), K L May, M J Bella, A R Paton and Mayor G R

Williamson were in attendance at the commencement of the meeting.

2. NON-COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE:

Also present were Cr L G Bonaventura, Cr K J Casey, Cr J F Englert, Cr R C Gee, Cr F

A Mann (nee Fordham), Mr C Doyle (Chief Executive Officer), Mr A Knight (Director

Organisational Services) and Mrs M Iliffe (Minute Secretary).

The meeting commenced at 3.00 pm.

3. ABSENT ON COUNCIL BUSINESS:

Nil

4. APOLOGIES:

Nil

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

Nil


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40171

6. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES:

6.1 CORPORATE SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE MINUTES -

21 SEPTEMBER 2016

THAT the Corporate Services Standing Committee Meeting Minutes

held on 21 September 2016 be adopted.

Moved Cr Bella Seconded Cr Paton

CARRIED

7. BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:

Nil

8. CORRESPONDENCE AND OFFICERS’ REPORTS:

8.1 ORGANISATIONAL SERVICES MONTHLY REVIEW -

SEPTEMBER 2016

Author Director Organisational Services

Purpose

To keep the Corporate Services Committee updated on Organisational Services

activities.

Background/Discussion

All departments within MRC prepare a monthly review which identifies activities

undertaken and progress made during the specific month.

Consultation and Communication

The report contains input from each and every Program within Organisational Services.

Resource Implications

As required to compile report, which is a routine task for multiple employees.

Risk Management Implications

Nil.


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40172

Conclusion

The Corporate Services Committee is kept informed of activities within Organisational

Services.

Officer's Recommendation

THAT the Corporate Services Standing Committee receives the Organisational

Services Monthly Review for September 2016.

Cr Bella commented he feels the current KPI results for grade of service and abandoned

calls for the external customer service is satisfactory as long as the other significant

work required is completed and these two KPI's should be considered together rather

than separately.

The Director of Organisational Services (DOS) advised customers also have the option

of receiving a call back rather than wait in the queue.

Committee Resolution

THAT the Officer's Recommendation be adopted.


CARRIED

8.2 STRATEGIC FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF

SEPTEMBER 2016

Author Director Organisational Services

Purpose

To adopt council’s Strategic Financial Report for the month of September 2016.


Under Part 9 Section 204 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, the Local

Government is required to prepare a financial report which the Chief Executive Officer

presents at a meeting of the local government once a month.

The financial report must state the progress that has been made in relation to the local

government’s budget for the period of the financial year up to a day as near as

practicable to the end of the month before the meeting is held.


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40173


Chief Executive Officer, Directors, Manager Financial Services


As this is early in the financial year no major variances have been identified.


Nil.

Conclusion

Council is tracking favourably for September, noting this is early in the financial year.

Council is cognisant of the current economic climate and will continue to closely

monitor how the various revenue streams are tracking throughout the remainder of the

year to forecast. There are no significant variances to report at this time and no reliable

indicators of any future potential issues.


THAT the attached Strategic Financial Report for the month of September 2016

be adopted.



Moved Cr May Seconded Cr Paton

CARRIED


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40174

8.3 PERMANENT ROAD CLOSURE APPLICATIONS: MT MARTIN

LOOP ROAD, MT MARTIN

File No SP134477/1&2

Author Manager Property Services

Purpose

To approve the below Permanent Road Closure Applications made with the Department

of Natural Resources and Mines (“DNRM”) for:-

1. the approximate area of 6230m2 being part of Mount Martin Loop Road, Mount

Martin for amalgamation with the adjoining Lot 1 on SP134477; and

2. the approximate area of 9070m2 being part of Mount Martin Loop Road, Mount

Martin for amalgamation with the adjoining Lot 2 on SP134477.


Mackay Regional Council (‘Council’) received two Permanent Road Closure consent

requests from the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (‘DNRM’) for closure

of approximate areas of 6230m2 and 9070m2 of Mount Martin Loop Road, Mount

Martin for separate amalgamation with adjoining Lots 1 and 2 on SP134477

respectively, as identified on the attached plan.

The collective area for closure incorporates the entire section of unformed road reserve,

including temporary road closure area, and if approved is for cane growing and cattle

grazing purposes.

Legal access to adjoining properties continues to be maintained off the constructed

Mount Martin Loop Road.

The matter was considered by the Land and Road Use Advisory Committee on 8

September 2016 with no objections being received by the Committee.

The due date for Councils response, originally 15 September 2016, has been extended

to 19 October 2017 to coincide with the Council meeting process.


Consultation with the Land and Road Use Committee occurred on 8 September 2016.

The committee consists of Manager Technical Services, Manager Strategic Planning,

Planning Officer, Central Area Maintenance Coordinator, Manager Planning and

Sustainability, Project Manager Water Infrastructure Delivery, Manager Development

Engineering and Manager Parks, Environment & Sustainability.


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40175


Nil. All costs borne by applicants.


Should the areas of road not be permanently closed Council may need to maintain the

section of unformed road and accept all current and future liability associated with such

maintenance.

Conclusion

The two applications for proposed permanent road closure adjoining constructed Mount

Martin Loop Road, Mount Martin have no adverse impact on Council’s current or

future road reserve requirements.


THAT the Committee advises the Department of Natural Resources and Mines

that it offers no objection to the Permanent Road Closure for:-

1. The approximate area of 6230m2 being part of Mount Martin Loop Road,

Mount Martin for amalgamation with Lot 1 on SP134477, as shown as

Area B on Drawing 15/641/CEN; and

2. The approximate area of 9070m2 being part of Mount Martin Loop Road,

Mount Martin for amalgamation with Lot 2 on SP134477, as shown as

Area A on Drawing 15/641/CEN.



Moved Cr Paton Seconded Cr Bella

CARRIED


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40176

8.4 DEBT RECOVERY POLICY - REVIEW AND AMENDMENT

File No MRC Policies

Author Revenue Co-ordinator

Purpose

To approve changes to Policy 086 – Debt Recovery Policy relating to pensioner

ratepayer with arrears and the write-off of uncollectible debtors as per the attached

amended document.


Pensioner Arrears

As the Committee is aware, eligible pensioners have an extended period of time to

claim discount on their rates and charges payment.

The extended discount date, combined with little or no collection action being taken, in-

turn results in an increasing number of pensioners having balances that they are unable

to manage. The proposed addition to the policy is an effort to address this and enhance

the engagement with our pensioner ratepayers. Our motivation is to engage with our

pensioner ratepayers who are experiencing difficulties to ensure that their position does

not deteriorate further to a point of being unmanageable, particularly for a person on a

low income.

Letters were sent out in early June to 111 ratepayers who have over 3 years of rate

arrears of these 28 were pensioners.

The proposed changes to the Debt Collection Policy will confirm that pensioner

ratepayers will face consequences for ignoring their obligations to pay their rates while

providing a concession so that the repayment burden is lessened and provide an

incentive to make an arrangement to reduce their arrears.

Eligible pensioners as a class are already granted a number of concessions to assist

them with the payment of their rates. They are granted remissions on the amount of

their rates from both Council and the State Government and they are allowed an

extended time to pay their rates and still receive an early payment discount.

Write-off of uncollectible debtors

The Debt Collection Policy currently contains a section that prescribes the authorisation

level for Bad Debts / Write Off as follows:

Authorisation levels are:

Write-off amount less than $5,000


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40177

Relevant Director with endorsement of Manager Financial Services

Write-off amount $5,000 - $100,000

Chief Executive Officer

Write-off amount greater than $100,000

Council resolution

For a write off under these provisions the amount needs to be uncollectible and does not

cover instances where an error has been made in charging or claims for hardship or

special treatment.

In the first instance the write off would be automatic depending on an assessment of the

error. In the remaining two a Council resolution would be required.

It will be recommended that a change should be made to the policy to recognise that

this provision covers an administrative accounting treatment of Bad Debts and does not

require a Council decision.

Other amendments

Some minor grammatical adjustments have been made to the policy along with a re-

wording of the third paragraph in section 6.2.2 Payment Schedules to better reflect

actual practice, and the inclusion of an additional principle around the probability of

recovery. It should be noted that this principle has been applied informally in the past.


Chief Executive Officer, Directors, Manager Financial Services.


Pensioner Arrears

Based on the current level of arrears for this group the maximum amount of interest

foregone (if all pensioner ratepayers with more than $1,000 of arrears entered into an

arrangement) would be approximately $65,000 per annum.


Nil.


There are no additional risk management issues for these proposed changes.


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40178

Conclusion

Pensioner Arrears

It is recognised that for a variety of reasons some pensioners will have difficulties in

availing themselves of the early payment discount by paying their rates by the due date.

The proposed amendments to the Debt Recovery Policy formalises the additional

concessions offered to pensioner ratepayers.


The proposed amendments to the policy include a more detailed description of an

uncollectible debt, an amended authorisation table along with a requirement that the

write-off detail will be provided to Council on a monthly basis. Details of any amount

written off will be advised to Council via the Strategic Financial Report to the

Corporate Services Committee.


THAT the Corporate Services Committee endorses the amended Debt Recovery

Policy and recommends that it be placed on the Ordinary Meeting agenda for full

Council adoption.

The Mayor advised Council has sent out 111 letters to ratepayers who have over three

(3) years of rate arrears and only 28 of those were pensioners.

The Director of Organisational Services advised that the pensioner ratepayer are far

more willing to engage and are more likely to call Council to make arrangements to

repay their rates.




CARRIED

9. TENDERS:

Nil


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40179

10. CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTIONS:

Nil

11. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:

Nil

12. LATE BUSINESS:

Cr Bonaventura advised during the Naidoc week celebrations the Qld Police were

dressed in colourful uniform that identified their role and in was keeping with the

design of the indigenous culture. Also many of the staff at the Mackay Base Hospital

wear uniforms along the same indigenous theme and Cr Bonaventura would like to

raise a suggestion of adding to Council's corporate unfirm line a shirt that will also fits

into this theme and would like to recommend it to the Committee for consideration.

The CEO advised requests have been received from employees following Naidoc week

around the inclusion of an indigenous themed shirt into Council's corporate uniform

line and Council is committed to investigate this matter further. Also an employee

suggested the shirt could be procured from the uniform allowance provided to staff.

The CEO confirmed a report will be prepared for consideration by the Committee.

Cr Bonaventura queried if there was a procedure in place of notifying impacted

residents of road closures.

The Director of Organisational Services (DOS) advised the road closure report

recommendations will be reviewed accordingly.

Cr May queried if the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) notified the

effected residents when road closure applications are lodged.

DOS advised that it is understood that DTMR notify residents that are directly adjust to

the proposed road closure.

13. CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS:

Nil

14. MEETING CLOSURE:

The meeting closed at 3.30 pm.


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40180

15. FOR INFORMATION ONLY:

Nil

Confirmed on Wednesday 16 November 2016

………………………………………

CHAIRPERSON


MIN/12.10.2016 FOLIO 40181

APPENDIX / ATTACHMENTS


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corporate services standing committee meeting final … · 2016-11-21 · final minutes corporate...

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