An update from the most recent Council Meeting that took place on 16 April 2024.
More information is available at 2024 Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes.
Draft Council Plan Annual Action Plan (Year 4) & Draft Annual Budget (including draft Financial Plan & draft Capital Works Budget)
Council endorsed the release of the draft Council Plan Action Plan for 2024-2025, Annual Budget 2024-2025, and Financial Plan 2024-2034 for community consultation from 22 April until 16 May 2024.
The draft Annual Action Plan includes 81 actions that respond to what Council heard and understand is important to the community.
The draft budget outlines Council’s financial commitments to deliver its Council Plan, Together We are Brimbank 2021-2025, and a range of important services, programs and infrastructure.
In November and December 2023, Council asked over 120 community members to share their insights about community priorities.
They told Council that public realm and roads and footpaths are of highest importance, while climate and conservation were the top priorities for young people.
Council’s total budget for 2024-25 is $264.9 million with a total operating expenditure of $263.2 million. Council is proposing to spend $58.7 million on capital works projects for essential infrastructure and assets, such as improving sports, community and early learning facilities, roads, parks, playgrounds and drainage rehabilitation.
For more information and to have your say from 22 April, visit yoursay.brimbank.vic.gov.au
Governance Report April 2024
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 the Minutes of Audit and Risk (ARC) Committee Meeting No. 137, held on 24 February 2024
- Noted the Biannual ARC Activity Report 2024-2024
- Endorsed changes to the Brimbank Economic and Employment Advisory Committee Terms of Reference and noted the committee has appointed 12 members
- Agreed to write to Melbourne Water, advising of Council’s in principle support for Melbourne Water to request the Minister for Planning to apply interim planning controls designating the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay (LSIO) in Flora Street, Keilor, noting that third party appeal rights will remain for property owners when Melbourne Water progress the permanent LSIO.
Keilor Sports Club Social Room Extension
Council will provide the Keilor Sports Club with funding of $550,000 in the 2024-2025 financial year for the expansion of the Keilor Sports Club Social Rooms, subject to the club-appointed builder successfully completing a Corporate Score Card Report. Council requires Keilor Sports Club guarantors to provide bank guarantees of $650,000 prior to the commencement of construction.
Planning Activity Update and Delegate Decisions including Planning Scheme Amendment Update – March 2024
This report provided Council with an update on:
- The status of Planning Permit Applications in March 2024
- Decisions made under delegated authority in March 2024
- The status of current Planning Scheme Amendments over the same period
In March 2024 Council made 34 planning determinations, 22 subdivision determinations, and 48 new planning permit applications were received. The value of development for these 48 applications is $24.7 million.
At the end of March 2024, five planning appeals lodged at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) that had not yet been determined. This is six less than at the end of March 2023.
Three amendments including Amendments C219brim (Heritage Update), C225brim (Planning Policy Framework) and C227brim (Heritage Overlay Sunshine Silos) are with the Minister for Planning for either authorisation or approval.
Planning Compliance Activity Update – 1 January to 31 March 2024
This report showed:
- Council’s Planning Compliance Unit received 105 new requests for service between 1 January and 31 March 2024.
- The number of requests received is higher than the previous quarter, when 92 requests were received.
- 109 requests were resolved by Officers during the quarter.
The most common requests received related to contravention of planning permit conditions, which accounted for 24 per cent of the total requests. These requests were located throughout the municipality, with the majority being in the central and eastern areas.
Home based businesses were next, being 21 percent of total requests, and uses without a planning permit being 15 percent of the most common requests received.
Council issued 24 Planning Infringement Notices during this period.
Application to Amend Planning Permit P772/2014 for 697 – 703 Ballarat Road, Ardeer
Council agreed to issue a Notice of Decision to Amend Planning Permit P772/2014 for use and development of the land for a childcare centre and creation of access to a main road, at 697 – 703 Ballarat Road, Ardeer, subject to certain conditions.
The childcare centre was constructed in 2019/2020 and commenced operation around July 2021.
The original planning permit allows the centre to operate from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and includes a condition which prevents children from using the outdoor play areas before 9am and after 5pm. The amended permit has approved a change in the hours of operation to 6.30am to 6.30pm and amended another condition to allow children to use the outdoor play areas after 8am instead of after 9am.
An acoustic report submitted with the application that assessed the noise impact of earlier drop-offs of children and arrival of staff, concluded that there would be no material change in surrounding noise amenity if the centre opened at 6.30am instead of 7am due to the noise already created by traffic on Ballarat Road. While the acoustic report did not consider the proposal to remove the condition that restricts children from playing outdoors before 9am and after 5pm, this was the aspect of the proposal that resulted in an objection being lodged. Following consideration of the objection, the applicant advised that they were happy to have this condition amended to restrict outdoor play before 8am instead.
The assessment indicates that:
- there is policy support for this proposed amendment and
- that it will not have an adverse impact on the surrounding properties
Final Draft Brimbank Housing Strategy, Neighbourhood Character Strategy and Residential Design Framework
Council adopted the Brimbank Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategy at its April 2024 Council Meeting.
Sustainable growth, enhanced liveability, the protection of heritage and neighbourhood character, and responding to the need for more affordable housing is part of Brimbank’s strategy to meet its housing needs into the next 20 years.
The strategy sets a vision for how Council should plan for at least an additional 34,000 residents and 14,000 dwellings by 2041.
It includes a vision for Brimbank to be a city of green, connected and diverse neighbourhoods offering a range of high quality, sustainable housing choices for everyone at every stage of their lives.
Council consulted with the community on the draft strategy from 18 October to 13 December 2023. It received 33 submissions from different parts of the community including residents, residents’ groups, local developers, the Melbourne Airport, and government authorities.
The top issues identified from the submissions were protecting heritage and character, and also support for higher density developments. Other important issues raised were about sustainability, more action on tree coverage, and climate change. The need for more action on housing affordability and diversity were also raised.
Submission to Inquiry into the impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Brimbank Council has endorsed a submission to the Commonwealth Rural and Regional Affairs Transport References Committee Inquiry into the Impacts and Mitigation of Aircraft Noise.
The inquiry is focused on the impact and mitigation of aircraft noise on residents and business in capital cities and regional areas.
About 3,547 Brimbank homes are within the Melbourne Airport Environs Overlay and this includes the suburbs of Keilor, Keilor Park, Taylors Lakes, St Albans, Sunshine North and Sunshine.
Council’s recommendations in its submission to the enquiry includes but is not limited to:
- Undertaking a review of the aircraft noise system to minimise harm to human health and provide health impact guidance to protect the community from aircraft noise
- Requiring airports to prepare a Health Impact Assessment for the development and expansion of runways that are assessed against Worth Health Organisation Noise Guidance, publicly available and independently reviewed
- Addressing aircraft noise levels beyond the WHO Noise guidance with measures like a federally funded noise insulation program, a noise curfew, voluntary property acquisition or other measures to ensure that the impacts are adequately addressed and minimised.
The due date for final submission to the inquiry is 30 April 2024.
Submission to Inquiry into securing Victoria’s food supply
Brimbank Council has endorsed a submission to The Victorian Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee inquiry into Securing Victoria’s Food Supply.
The inquiry is focused on the peri-urban food system, which encompasses the production of food on the urban fringe, including the impacts of urban sprawl and population growth on the farming industry, the use of planning controls to protect agricultural land in green wedge and peri-urban areas and the resilience of the Victorian food system.
Brimbank includes land outside the Urban Growth Boundary, which is used in part for agricultural purposes and forms the Brimbank portion of the Sunbury Green Wedge. Within this area Council seeks to achieve sustainable land management and the protection of the environmental biodiversity, cultural heritage and scenic landscape values.
Council’s submission to the inquiry includes that:
- Agricultural land in the Brimbank portion of the Sunbury Green wedge is constrained by factors including access to affordable and appropriately treated water, and this is likely to be exacerbated by climate change
- The State Government should provide funding opportunities and support to landowners to encourage ongoing agricultural uses that are sustainable, innovative, productive and viable
- The State Government should prioritise road transport projects that will secure the safe and efficient transportation of food across the western region, such as improvements to the Calder Freeway.
The submission will be submitted to the Committee in April 2024.
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 $6 million, to fund capital works projects carried out during 2023/2024.
Council further endorsed authorisation for the CEO and Mayor to sign and seal mortgage documentation, if required by the lender to secure the loan for the value of $6 million.
The borrowings are in line with Council’s adopted Financial Plan and Annual Budget.
In the 2023/2024 Annual Budget, Council made provision to borrow $6 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.
These borrowings are included in Council’s adopted Financial Plan and approved as part of the annual budget process.
Green Gully Reserve Northern Precinct Enhancement Plan Project Update
After considering the full impacts of any further development in the Northern Precinct of the site, including uncertainty relating to the cost and feasibility of the project, Council has decided to not proceed with planning or development of the site for sports purposes. Instead, the site has been referred to the upcoming Creating Better Parks Open Space and Playground Policy and Plan update to determine the most suitable use of the site in future.
Proposed Additional Accessible Parking in front of Brimbank Community & Civic Centre
Council deferred this item to be discussed at the next Council Meeting.
Municipal Maintenance Agreement (Department of Transport formerly VicRoads), request for increased contribution
Council will write to the Hon. Minister Roads and Road Safety, local members and Department of Transport to ask for an increased contribution as part of the Municipal Maintenance Agreement, which funds the maintenance and upkeep of various arterial roads. Council’s current total annual spend to meet the obligations of the Maintenance Agreement is around $475,000, of which the State Government contributes around $109,090. The response to this request will be tabled at a future Council meeting.
Final Draft Alfrieda Street Public Realm Master Plan
Council has adopted the Alfrieda Street Public Realm Master Plan to guide the future planning, design, maintenance and associated budget allocation for the development of Alfrieda Street, St Albans.
The Master Plan sets out the community’s vision for the transformation of Alfrieda Street’s public realm into a greener, safer and better-connected urban environment. This strategic document outlines the transformation of Alfrieda Street over the next decade underpinned by sustainability principles and community-focused urban design.
The Master Plan envisions Alfrieda Street as a vibrant community-focused corridor that prioritises pedestrians and active living, enhances public spaces, improves mobility and safety, creating safer pedestrian crossings, and better cycling infrastructure.
The Master Plan aims to improve the design of Alfrieda Street from Main Road East to Taylors Road, including the potential for a Civic Walk in the St Albans Town Centre.
