Town of Bassendean: Minutes

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TOWN OF BASSENDEAN

MINUTES

ASHFIELD STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

HELD IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM, 48 OLD PERTH ROAD, BASSENDEAN

ON WEDNESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2009, AT 7.02PM

1.0 DECLARATION OF OPENING/ANNOUNCEMENT OF VISITORS

The Presiding Member declared the meeting open and welcomed all those in attendance.

2.0 ATTENDANCES, APOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Present

Her Worship the Mayor, Cr Tina Klein, Presiding Member

Cr Pule Town of Bassendean

Mr Peter Gilberthorpe Community Representative

Mr Gary Butler Community Representative

Mr John Quaglier Community Representative

Mr Ian Thorn Acting Regional Manager, Department of Housing

Officers

Mr Graeme Haggart Acting CEO

Mrs Cathy Muraszko Minute Secretary

Apologies

Snr. Sgt. John Waghorn OIC, Kiara Police

Public

6 members of the public were in attendance at the meeting.

Press

No members of the press were in attendance at the meeting.

3.0 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

Mr Leo Travis, 73 Hardy Road, Ashfield

Mr Travis, through the Chair, asked the Acting Regional Manager for the Department of Housing when they would be reducing the density of public housing in the Ashfield area.

The Acting Regional Manager confirmed advice given by Mr Greg Cash at the previous two meetings that the Department will enter into discussions with Council and stakeholders when a review of zoning is completed in the Ashfield area, and this situation has not changed.

Resident – Ashfield (Name and Address withheld)

The resident expressed concern at what he believes is a drug trafficking network operating in a public housing dwelling in his street which results in a very high volume of traffic in the area at all times of the day and night, and some very anti-social behaviour, and queried what Council or the Department of Public Housing could do to rectify the situation.

The Mayor sympathised with the resident, however, advised that Council has no jurisdiction in this regard. She suggested that the resident persist contacting the police and lodging formal complaints. The resident’s fear of retribution was noted, and the Director Community Development undertook to speak to the OIC Kiara Police to ensure confidentiality. The Acting Regional Manager for the Department of Housing further undertook to talk to his Department about the problem, and also ensured confidentiality. It was also suggested that the resident copy the Town’s CEO on all complaints to enable him to prepare a log on the matter for future reference.

4.0 DEPUTATIONS

Nil

5.0 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

5.1 Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2009

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION - OFFICER RECOMMENDATION – ITEM 5.1

MOVED Mr Gilberthorpe, Seconded Mr Butler, that the minutes of the Ashfield Stakeholder Advisory Committee meeting held on 10 June 2009, be confirmed as a true record.

CARRIED

6.0 ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE PRESIDING PERSON WITHOUT DISCUSSION

The Mayor announced that this was the last meeting prior to the Local Government Elections and thanked all members of the public and community representatives on the Committee for their valuable input.

7.0 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Nil

8.0 BUSINESS DEFERRED FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

Nil

9.0 REPORTS

9.1 Ashfield Precinct Plan

At the last meeting, the Committee was informed that the consultation process had been completed and that GHD Planning Consultants were in the process of preparing a Report on Submissions, which will identify all of the submissions that have been received, including a response to the submission, and where it is proposed to change the Plan as a result of the submission.

Following this process, the Report on Submissions and recommendations for changes to the advertised plan will then be submitted to the two Councils and the Western Australian Planning Commission for endorsement.

Mr Reed, Manager Development Services, informs that the final version of the Ashfield Precinct Plan Report has now proceeded through the Officers’ Project Control Group of the Department for Planning and is to be signed off by the Department imminently.

The Report is expected to be referred to both the City of Bayswater and Town of Bassendean during September for adoption and released to the public on adoption.

Mr Reed confirmed that Department for Education and Training have committed to retaining Cyril Jackson Senior Campus site for future educational needs. Whether the concepts of an agglomerated campus delivering K-12 education services will be a feature of the Report has not been substantiated.

COMMITTEE/OFFICER RECOMMENDATION – ITEM 9.1

ASAC – 1/09/09 MOVED Mr Butler, Seconded Mr Gilberthorpe, that the report on the Ashfield Precinct Plan be received.

CARRIED

9.2 Ashfield CAN

The Ashfield Community Action Network (Ashfield CAN) has completed an application for incorporation and advertised intent to proceed to process the application.

The draft Constitution includes the following Objectives:

To encourage the well being, education, life outlook and personal development of individuals and community groups that are within or identify with, the community of Ashfield.
To support and promote activities within or relating to the local community of Ashfield
To enhance, protect and promote the natural environment within the suburb of Ashfield
To enhance, protect and promote the built environment within the suburb of Ashfield.
To raise funds for the purpose of promoting any of the foregoing objects.

The inaugural Ashfield CAN executive office bearers are:

Bill Busby - Inaugural President

Lucy Bromell – Secretary

Darryl Bonny - Treasurer

Membership fees have been set at $2.

The Ashfield CAN has now conducted two events and hosted a series of energy efficiency workshops.

A program of activity has been set for the coming period and includes:

The development of a social walking group/gathering for residents with dogs titled: “A Dogs Breakfast” with the first staging on Sunday 27 September at 9.30am on Ashfield Flats; and
Support for a series of personal development workshops on “Playing with patterns on cloth” and “Unlock the creative within”.

Ashfield CAN is continuing to be formalized and will continue to require officer logistical support from the Town for the foreseeable future. Never the less the group has made significant progress in developing an administration from scratch. Their greatest challenge is to become a relevant community development portal for residents.

The CAN is currently in the process of synthesising the Ashfield Community Action Plan to establish a strategic plan of action with short term and long term activities toward determined strategies as the means to this end.

Committee is asked to determine whether to recommend to Council the appointment of a Councillor to the Ashfield CAN.

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION – ITEM 9.2

That:

1. The Committee recommends that Council appoints a member to the Ashfield Community Action Network when making members in October; and

2. The report on the Ashfield Community Action Network be received.

The Director Community Development suggested that Point 1 of the Officer Recommendation maybe premature, and perhaps the Ashfield CAN should approach Council directly. Accordingly, it was agreed to remove point 1 from the Officer Recommendation.

COMMITTEE/OFFICER RECOMMENDATION – ITEM 9.2

ASAC – 2/09/09 MOVED Cr Pule, Seconded Mr Thorpe, that the report on the Ashfield Community Action Network, be received.

CARRIED

9.3 Ashfield Parade Reserve Foreshore Redevelopment Plan

Funding has been approved in the 2009/10 Budget for the program of works to continue with the rehabilitation works program at the Ashfield Pde Res Foreshore as following:

Installation of the balance of the a temporary “ring lock” fencing;
Installation of three (3) bench seats on the concrete pads;
Stage 2 & 3 erosion control to the lower and upper embankments, weed control, foreshore and bush area restoration works, and
Planting up the evapo-transpiration swales.

Activity has commenced on this program of works.

COMMITTEE/OFFICER RECOMMENDATION – ITEM 9.3

ASAC – 3/09/09 MOVED Cr Pule, Seconded Mr Butler, that the information on the Ashfield Parade Reserve Foreshore Redevelopment Plan be received.

CARRIED

9.4 Members Items

It is customarily at this Committee to afford Committee Members opportunity to raise items of importance for consideration that are not included elsewhere in the agenda.

At her discretion, the Presiding Member may invite members to raise any issues.

At the last meeting, Mr Butler queried the regularity of the street cleaning program in the Town.

The DCD can advise that all roads in the Town are cleaned four times annually and the contractor is in the Town on a weekly basis completing a predetermined program of streets each week. Should there be an issue at any particular location, the contractor will amend the program and attend to that site.

Mr Gilberthorpe queried what action could be considered with the footpath on Hardy Road.

The Director Community Development advised that there is an issue with it crossing over a sensitive seasonal wetland and environmentalists do not consider a causeway as an acceptable solution.

Following a query from Mr Gilberthorpe with regard to the property up for auction in Iveson Place, the Mayor advised that there is a Geotechnical Report which forms part of the tender document, and that whilst the land is not contaminated it does have uncontrolled fill. Council was unaware of any problems when the land was purchased, however, is able to sell it now through a tender process that includes a geotechnical report disclosing this problem.

Mr Gilberthorpe advised of a recent radio announcement warning the local community that a lady was attacked near the Cyril Jackson Recreational Centre. The Director Community Development undertook to follow this up.

9.5 Committee Tenure

Council established the Committee as a two-way communication tool in response to a perceived need as articulated by residents in the Ashfield community frustrated that their concerns for a deteriorating social fabric in the community was “falling on deaf ears”.

The Ashfield Stakeholder Advisory Committee has produced the Ashfield Community Action Plan that provides Ashfield community aspirations based on the Victorian Neighbourhood Renewal Program framework, including the need for the community to own and drive the Plans implementation and accomplishment. The Ashfield CAN is the vehicle to this end.

As with all Committees of Council, the Committee’s tenure ceases with the Ordinary Council Elections in October.

Council at its absolute discretion may retain, discontinue or amend the Committee thereafter.

Members were thanked for their commitment to enhancing the lives of all residents in the suburb and for the contribution made to the Committee process.

COMMITTEE/OFFICER RECOMMENDATION – ITEM 9.5

ASAC – 4/09/09 MOVED Cr Pule, Seconded Mr Quaglier, that the information on the Ashfield Stakeholder Advisory Committee tenure be received.

CARRIED

10.0 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME (PART TWO)

Ms Lucy Bromell, 27 Ashfield Parade, Ashfield

Ms Bromell expressed concern at the amount of water surrounding the swales in Ashfield Parade, attracting mosquitos and asked what could be done to rectify this.

The Mayor advised that his question has been raised in the past and will be followed up.

Ms Bromell further queried if consideration could be given to providing parking at the kayaking access area and the fishing platform in Ashfield Parade.

The Mayor advised that this request would be bought to attention of the Engineer.

Mr Michael Mophett, 34 Margaret Street, Ashfield

Mr Mophett asked about the proposal of moving the Ashfield train station and whether it is still under consideration.

The Mayor advised that this was part of the submission and will be unknown until the report is received.

Mr Mophett further queried if there was a possibility of the carpark in Colstoun Road being cleaned more regularly and perhaps the surrounding area beautified with garden beds or streetscapes.

The Mayor advised that the Town sets a cleaning program at budget time. The street sweeper is engaged four times annually, so it is not possible to clean the area bi-weekly as suggested by Mr Mophett. She took Mr Mophett’s request on notice, advising that it would be looked at, however, advised that it was likely that nothing will be done until the next budget is set.

Following brief discussion, it was noted that the carpark is owned by the Town.

11.0 MOTIONS OF WHICH PREVIOUS NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN

Nil

12.0 ANNOUNCEMENTS OF NOTICES OF MOTION FOR THE NEXT MEETING

Nil

13.0 CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS

Nil

14.0 CLOSURE

Council is to determine whether any further meetings are to be held.

There being no further business, the Presiding Member declared the meeting closed, the time being 8.17pm.