Council meeting preview: Ordinary Council Meeting – Monday 28 October
Published on 24 October 2024
Council’s next meeting will take place at the Administrative Centre at Speers Point on Monday 28 October 2024, with an Ordinary meeting starting from 6:30pm.
Members of the public have the option to watch the proceedings live online at webcast.lakemac.com.au
Below are some of the items listed for discussion. You can view the full agenda online.
Annual Report and State of our City Report
Councillors will consider endorsing the Lake Macquarie City Council Annual Report 2023-2024 and notify the Minister for local Government of Council’s decision.
The Annual Report records Council’s performance against the four-year Delivery Program and the annual targets set in the Operational Plan 2023-2024.
For the 2023-2024 financial year, 144 actions were achieved, totalling 97 per cent of assigned actions.
In addition, Councillors will consider endorsing the State of our City Report 2021-2024, which outlines the progress Council has made through its Delivery Program 2022-2026.
Councillor nominations
Councillors will consider approving the charters and the nomination of Councillors for various Council committees.
In addition, Councillors will consider approving nominations for the Property Advisory Panel and to nominate Councillors for the panel.
The Property Advisory Panel is a group set up to give the Council advice and ideas on important property and investment projects, helping to improve results and make use of outside expertise.
Furthermore, Councillors will seek to nominate members for 15 external committees, including the Hunter Sports Centre Advisory Board, the Lake Macquarie City Council and Rural Fire Service Liaison Committee and the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel.
Audited Financial Statements
Councillors will also consider adopting the financial statements for the year ending 30 June 2024 and authorise the presentation of Council’s audited financial statements to the public.
Financially, Council achieved a favourable operating surplus of $4.12 million against a revised March budget of a $1.3 million surplus.
Investment Report - August and September 2024
Councillors will consider adopting a report detailing Council's investments for August and September 2024 under section 625 of the Local Government Act 1993.
The report confirms that investments comply with legislation and Council’s Investment Policy, highlighting a diversified portfolio of term deposits, floating rate notes, managed funds and more.
Over August and September 2024, Council's investment portfolio consistently outperformed the benchmark, delivering strong returns of 6.01% and 6.62% per annum, respectively.
Planning Agreement – Teralba Conservation Land
Councillors will consider endorsing a Planning Agreement between Council, Twin Rivers Development Pty Limited, and two private landowners regarding a proposed residential subdivision at 80 Minmi Road and 3 Transfield Avenue, Edgeworth.
The agreement includes biodiversity offsets, with 5 Caravel Street, Teralba to be dedicated to Council as ecological land and a $761,000 endowment fund to be progressively paid.
SWITCH 2024 – NSW Public Libraries Association annual conference
Council will consider nominating Councillor Madeline Bishop to attend SWITCH 2024, the NSW Public Libraries Association annual conference which is going ahead in Coffs Harbour from 12-15 November 2024.
The conference themes are equality, inclusion and diversity, with sessions covering a broad range of topics relevant to Lake Mac Libraries and the wider community, such as health and wellbeing, lightning talks, and a State Library of NSW address.