Sky's Vic Park Newsletter #11: July and August Meetings, why won't my councillor say how they're voting, and bringing nature into the city
This newsletter includes more about how council works, ways to get involved, a not-so-brief summary of the July Ordinary Council Meeting, a not-at-all-brief overview of items for the 20th August Ordinary Council Meeting, including the proposed development at Miller’s Crossing, and inspiration from elsewhere.
Kaya!
I’m now back from leave, and slowly working my way through my email inboxes and to-do lists. It’s a lot! It was lovely to see family, and the trip also helped me deeply appreciate getting home to a vibrant neighbourhood with great playgrounds and the ability to get around without a car.
This newsletter includes:
More about how council works: why don’t councillors ever assure you they’ll vote for/against something?
Ways to get involved,
A not-so-brief summary of the July Ordinary Council Meeting, including a petition about the proposed development at Miller’s Crossing, updates on the electors’ meeting, our big advocacy priorities for the coming year, funding for Christmas decorations, and grant funding,
An overview of items for the 20th August Ordinary Council Meeting, including the proposed development at Miller’s Crossing, and
Inspiration from elsewhere.
Behind the scenes
One aspect of council that you may not be aware of is that there are limited times when councillors can firmly commit to a particular position.
In the lead-up to each Ordinary Council Meeting, councillors cannot commit to voting a particular way on any items. We need to be open to listening to other perspectives during the debate, as well as being prepared for the possibility that amendments or alternatives will make us more or less willing to support a particular item.
After an item has been voted on, we have to accept the outcome and we’re not allowed to make public statements criticising it. Even if the vote didn’t go the way we wanted it to, we have to demonstrate that we trust that the process was fair. At most, we might refer people to our speech during the debate.
This is quite different from how things work at other levels of government! I think it’s possible that it encourages a more collaborative process, although it very much depends on how elected members work together and listen to each others’ ideas.
Get involved
On Saturday 24th August there’ll be a group ride and community celebration for the official opening of the Archer Street protected bike lane. Everyone is welcome to bring bikes and scooters for the ride, or just to join in for snacks and entertainment.
We need better public transport to give people more choice about how they travel. Use the Climate Council’s simple tool to email the State Transport Minister to say you want better access to shared and active transport.
As always, there’s a bunch on including events from the Vic Park Collective (and their new collective shed!); the Vic Park Community Centre; and also the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial at the Curtin art gallery (and beyond).
July Ordinary Council Meeting
I was on leave for this meeting, so I’ve had to catch up on it myself. As always my summary just highlights a few key issues that I think might be interesting - you can read the full minutes or watch the livestream for the full overview.
Item 9.1: Council received a from Mrs Bambi Roberts requesting that Council reject the proposed development application for the three-storey building containing 24 multiple dwellings at 6 Raleigh Street and 45 Bishopsgate Street, Carlisle, in its current form.
Item 11.1: Council received a report on completed and outstanding resolutions. Still outstanding includes the Carlisle Traffic Management Review and the Public Lighting Plan. Completed resolutions include the development of a ‘recreational space’ multi-use option in addition to the tennis courts at Koolbardi Park, and the appointment of Hugo Jorge to Urban Forest Implementation Working Group.
Item 11.2: Outcomes of the Meeting of Electors. This part of the minutes including replies to questions taken on notice about Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (p. 20) and the dangerous Berwick St/Kent St crossing (p. 21). Deputy Mayor Ife passed an amendment calling for a concept forum on water sensitive design, and Councillor Devereux passed an amendment calling for the administration to prepare by October 2024 to discuss what the creation of an Integrated Transport Strategy Implementation Working Group.
Item 11.5: this sets our advocacy priorities for 2024/25 (“for major infrastructure, social issues and legislative change”). These are:
a. Kent Street Sand Pit - Banksia woodland restoration
b. Mid-Tier Transit Planning
c. Archer Street and Mint Street Streetscape Improvement Plan
d. Burswood Station East Public Realm Upgrade and the Burswood Station Redevelopment
e. Urban Forest Program
In addition to this, Mayor Vernon passed an amendment adding a sixth priority:
f. Rutland Avenue Principal Shared Path
Item 12.1: Council awarded the contract for Christmas Decorations, for the lump sum price of $360,000 excluding GST over two years.
Item 12.4: Community Funding Program Art, Sport and Sport Equipment Grants. This includes a lot of great projects and groups, including support for community sports clubs, more art to go up around the town, and work to provide help for people having a tough time. Several amendments were proposed, including an amendment by Mayor Vernon to require that the mural on the Hive Emporium remain in place for at least five years (passed); one by Cr Hamer not to fund the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial Community Engagement grant (lost); one by Mayor Vernon not to fund the Riverview Community Services Incorporated – Community Christmas Lunch 2024 (lost); one by Cr Hamer not to fund the Victoria Park Primary School 130th Anniversary Community Fete (lost); and one by Cr Hamer not to fund the AFW Ducks – Player wellness, injury prevention and fitness management grant (lost).
August Ordinary Council Meeting
This meeting is tomorrow evening, so apologies for not doing my usual summary in advance.
Item 5: Responses to previous questions taken on notice, including one about funds for eco-zoning between Edward Millen Park, Kent Street and the Duncan Street Reserve (page 11).
Item 11.3: Elected Member Superannuation. Currently, council aren't paid superannuation - this can change either by unanimous vote, or if super becomes legislated by the Minister for Local Government. Issues like this have an impact on who can afford to run for council.
Item 12.1: Application for Development Approval - 24 Multiple Dwellings at 45 Bishopsgate & No 6 Raleigh Street, Carlisle. This has attracted considerable community attention. The development is aimed at housing mothers with small children and older women, groups that are particularly vulnerable to housing insecurity and homelessness. At the Agenda Briefing Forum, the architect Michelle Blakely spoke about the reasons that women might end up needing this housing (see 31 minutes on in the recording).
The staff recommendation is that this be approved, with conditions put in place including around the contribution of funds towards public art, that visual and noise impact on the surrounding area is managed, that some aesthetic and energy efficiency changes are made, that at least 20% of dwellings meet accessible housing guidelines, that there's a plan for stormwater drainage, that trees are retained and replaced if necessary, and that the area around the apartments is maintained.
Item 12.2: Integrated Transport Program Working Group. This is the outcome of a motion put forward at the Meeting of Electors. The current suggestion is for the group to include up to three elected members, and up to six community members.
Item 12.3: Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) - Small Grants Application. If accepted, this means that council supports the application for state funds to replace the existing cricket training nets at Harold Rossiter Reserve.
Item 13.1: Proposed Access Licence for Blackoak - Hillview Bushland. This bushland area has an access track which Blackoak propose to use during the construction of the Millen precinct. The staff have made recommendations about the conditions that should be put in place to limit damage to the area.
Item 15.2: Risk Management Framework Review. This sets out the categories of risks that are evaluated when making decisions (such as financial and environmental risk) and how much risk we are generally open to in each area.
Item 15.4: Quarter 4 Progress Report 1 April 2024 - 30 June 2024. This includes a report on progress in different areas, including the Urban Forest Strategy (page 96), Reconciliation Action Plan (page 97), Access and Inclusion Plan (page 99), and Climate Emergency Plan (page 99).
Item 17.1: Feasibility Report to resurface the Kensington Bushland portion of the Jirdarup Bushland Precinct. Cr Anderson’s motion aim to improve accessibility for Jirdarup Bushland.
Item 17.2: WALGA Annual General Meeting – Motion for
Accessibility. Mayor Vernon’s motion aims to improve accessibility at WA Local Government Association (WALGA) events, and to call on WALGA to adopt an Advocacy Position calling for the WA Government to adopt the Livable Housing Design Standards for accessibility.
Inspiration from elsewhere
I’m often a fan of the Green Urbanist podcast, and I particularly enjoyed this episode in which (my cousin!) Dr Thami Croeser discusses how we might bring more nature into cities - and help plants and animals thrive. Carefully planning where you add green spaces, and including understory as well as trees, can make a huge difference in allowing a more diverse range of animals to live well in the city.
We are all connected
We impoverish ourselves when we limit our care within narrow borders. You might extend your care by sending an esim to people within Gaza desperate to connect, calling on your political representative to issue visas for Palestinians fleeing genocide, or helping to send desperately-needed aid to Sudan.
That's all folks!
Thanks for reading! As always, I encourage you to get in touch if there's anything you want to ask about or discuss.
best wishes,
sky.
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