An update from the most recent Council Meeting that took place on 18 April 2023.
More information is available at 2023 Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes.
Draft Annual Budget and Draft Annual Action Plan (Year 3) 2023/2024
Council endorsed the release of the Draft Annual Budget 2023-2024 and Draft Annual Action Plan (Year 3) 2023-2024, for four-week community consultation from 20 April 2023 until 18 May 2023, and is inviting community feedback.
The Draft Annual Budget and Annual Action Plan play a critical role in achieving a beautiful, thriving, healthy and connected Brimbank.
The budget provides a blueprint for the delivery of essential services, programs and infrastructure.
As part of the budget, Council proposes to spend on sustainability projects and respond to climate emergency, to help protect natural environments for current and future generations.
The Draft Annual Budget also includes investment in key capital works, and initiatives that will support community health and wellbeing and contribute to the overall liveability of our city.
The total draft budget for 2023-24 is $251 million with a total operating expenditure of $244 million including $55.9 million on capital works projects.
The Draft Annual Action Plan outlines Council’s commitment to 102 actions that contribute towards implementing the Together We are Brimbank Council Plan, and Council’s vision for a transformed Brimbank.
The Draft Annual Budget and Annual Action Plan have been shaped by the thoughts and ideas shared during Council’s extensive community consultation, which included online and face-to-face engagement opportunities.
Almost 150 community members gave feedback in 2022 by ranking six Council priorities.
The top community priority identified during consultation was making Brimbank “sustainable and green’’ and help protect natural environments for current and future generations.
These results helped shape the Draft Annual Budget and Annual Action Plan 2023-2024, a key part of Council’s planning for the future.
For more details on information sessions and to have your say visit yoursay.brimbank.vic.gov.au
Planning Activity Update and Delegate Decisions including Planning Scheme Amendment Update – March 2023
This report provided Council with an update on:
- The status of planning permit applications and trends in planning approvals in March 2023
- Decisions made under delegated authority in March 2023 regarding planning permit applications and other matters
- The status of current Planning Scheme Amendments as at 31 March 2023.
In March 2023 Council made 71 planning determinations, 27 subdivision determinations and 73 new planning permit applications were received. The value of development for these applications is $76.3 million.
At the end of March 2023, there were 11 appeals lodged at VCAT that had not yet been determined. This is one more than at the end of March 2022.
Over March 2023, there were seven Planning Scheme Amendments where Council is the Planning Authority or has requested either the Minister or Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) for a response.
All amendments except one, are currently with the Minister for Planning or the Department of Transport and Planning for a response. On February 16 2023 Council received advice from the DTP that a Parking Overlay for Sunshine and St Albans Centres has been approved, but wound not be effective until it was gazetted.
Planning Compliance Activity Report – 1 January to 31 March 2023
This report showed:
- Council’s Planning Compliance Unit received 107 new requests for service between 1 January and 31 March 2023.
- The number of requests received is consistent with the previous quarter when 105 requests were received.
- 129 requests were resolved by Officers during the quarter.
The most common requests received related to contravention of planning permit conditions, which accounted for 37 per cent of the total requests. These requests were located throughout the municipality, with no one area dominating.
Use of land without a planning permit (18 per cent) and home-based business (14 per cent) were the next most common requests received.
Council issued 27 Planning Infringement Notices during this period. These related to:
-
- Building and works without a valid planning permit
- Failure to comply with planning permit conditions
- Use of the land without a valid planning permit
- Use of a residential property as a brothel
- Erection and display of real estate signage in breach of the Planning Scheme.
Draft Housing Strategy, Draft Neighbourhood Character Study & Residential Development Framework Background Report
Work on strategies about how best to develop Brimbank’s residential areas for a growing and changing city over the next 20 years are progressing.
The draft Background Report on the new Brimbank Housing Strategy, Neighbourhood Character Strategy and Residential Development Framework (the project) was presented at the 18 April Council Meeting.
It is estimated that at least 14,000 additional dwellings will need to be built by 2041 to meet Brimbank’s projected population growth. The project will provide direction on where and how new residential development should occur across the municipality to ensure Brimbank’s diverse neighbourhoods and housing supply will offer something for everyone.
The draft Background Report outlines key potential opportunities and constraints to housing growth that exist across Brimbank.
The early findings recommend that housing growth should be concentrated around areas near activity centres, key public transport routes, high quality open spaces and community facilities and where existing neighbourhoods are walkable and have access to cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.
Council also conducted preliminary community engagement on the project late last year and received 46 comments from the community.
The next stage of the project involves the preparation of the draft Brimbank Housing Strategy, Neighbourhood Character Strategy and Residential Development Framework, which will be presented to Council once completed. More extensive community consultation is planned following this.
The draft Brimbank Housing and Neighbourhood Character Background Report can be viewed on Council’s website Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategies | Your Say Brimbank
Brimbank Green Wedge Management Plan 2010 –Implementation Status Report
The Brimbank Green Wedge is a non-urban area of metropolitan Melbourne outside the Urban Growth Boundary as designated by the Victorian Government. Predominantly located in Keilor North, the Brimbank Green Wedge contains a mix of agriculture and low-density activities.
The Brimbank Green Wedge Management Plan 2010 (BGWMP) is a 20-year strategy that provides direction about sustainable use and development of land in the Brimbank Green Wedge.
Council noted an implementation status report for the BGWMP that showed that of the 96 actions in the report, 22 had been completed, 55 were ongoing or business as usual and 19 had not commenced.
Council also noted that further strategic work may be required to review and update the BGWMP subject to the outcome of State Government reforms, and that a report outlining the implications of the reforms will be provided to Council when guidance is provided.
Council will also write to the Hon. Sonya Kilkenny, Minister for Planning, requesting an update on State guidance for councils on the implications of the recent legislative changes for green wedges; and to Mr Lee Miezis, Chief Executive Officer Environment Protection Authority Victoria requesting an update and information on the status of PFAS contamination in the Brimbank area of the Sunbury Green Wedge.
In the meantime, Council officers will continue to implement the objectives of the BGWMP through consistent application of adopted green wedge policy in relation to land use planning decisions, environmental management and ongoing advocacy.
Planning & Environment Amendment Bill 2021 – Heritage Provisions Update
The report provided Council with an update on whether the new provisions to strengthen the protection of heritage buildings contained in the Planning and Environment Amendment Act 2021 included requirements for property owners to maintain heritage buildings.
It was in response to the Notice of Motion (Item 13.2) resolved at the Council Meeting of 21 March 2023 where Council considered a Notice of Motion brought by Cr Bruce Lancashire and seconded by Cr Sam David “that Council receives a report for the following Council meeting on requiring property owners to maintain their heritage buildings.”
This report responded to that Notice of Motion and decision of Council.
The Planning and Environment Amendment Act 2021 (the Amendment Act) came into operation on 1 February 2022 and introduced ‘provisions’ to strengthen the protection of buildings of local heritage significance in the Planning and Environment Act 1987, though they do not:
- impose a duty or obligation to maintain a heritage building
- enable a municipal council to require a property owner to carry out maintenance or repair, or
- enable a responsible authority to take planning enforcement in relation to disrepair.
The Amendment Act works by incentivising the maintenance of a heritage building at the risk of having planning controls potentially applied to the land on which the heritage building is located that restrict or prohibit its development.
The only option available to Council at this stage is for Council to note the provisions introduced by the Amendment Act.
Approval of Borrowings
Council endorsed delegation to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and any Acting CEO, the power to authorise and execute loan documentation, for the value of $7 million, to fund capital works projects carried out during 2022/2023.
Council further endorsed authorisation for the CEO and Mayor to sign and seal mortgage documentation, if required by the lender to secure the loan.
The borrowings are in line with Council’s adopted Financial Plan and Annual Budget
In 2022/2023 Annual Budget, Council made provision to borrow $7 million to fund capital works projects being carried out during the financial year. The borrowings, together with other factors such as operating surplus and government grants, fund Council’s capital works program.
It is important that Council maintains a healthy level of capital works expenditure to ensure maintenance of existing infrastructure and building of new infrastructure to meet the changing needs of the community.
Governance Report April 2023
Council considered a summary of recent Governance activity.
This included a report on the exercise of delegated authority, Councillor Representatives and delegates reports from committees and records of informal meetings of Councillors.
In addition Council also:
- Noted Mr Mark Davies has completed his final term as Independent Member of the Audit and Risk Committee 24 February 2023, and thanked him for his commitment to the Audit and Risk Committee.
- Appointed Mr Mick Jaensch as an Independent Member of the Audit and Risk Committee for an initial three-year term commencing 20 April 2023.
- Noted the Audit and Risk Committee Biannual Activity Report February 2023
- Noted the Minutes of Audit and Risk Committee Meeting No. 134 held 24 February 2023
- Noted and endorsed the officer submission which was submitted to Engage Victoria on behalf of Council in relation to the Watergardens Station Car Park Planning Consultation.
Memorandum of Understanding with Victoria University
Council has endorsed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed with Victoria University. Built on common areas of interest, the MOU outlines the intent to work together transparently and co-operatively for the benefit of the wider Brimbank community and Melbourne’s Western region.
Victoria University and Council have identified the following shared values to guide their collaborative efforts:
– Social equity and inclusion
– Multiculturalism as a strength
– Educational participation
– Caring for Country and Sustainability
– A thriving uplifted Community
The new MOU is scheduled to be signed on 11 May 2023 and will take effect until 11 May 2026.
Notices of Motion
At the Council Meeting on 18 April 2023, three Notices of Motion were carried:
- Ban on gambling advertisements – raised by Cr Virginia Tachos
- State funding for swim safe programs – raised by Cr Virginia Tachos
- Spurline, Sunshine Station Masterplan – raised by Cr Thomas O’Reilly
