ORANGE CITY COUNCIL

Finance Policy Committee

 

Agenda

 

6 June 2017

 

 

Notice is hereby given, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993 that a Finance Policy Committee meeting of ORANGE CITY COUNCIL will be held in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Byng Street, Orange on  Tuesday, 6 June 2017.

 

 

Garry Styles

General Manager

 

For apologies please contact Michelle Catlin on 6393 8246.

    

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 6 June 2017

Agenda

  

1                Introduction.. 3

1.1            Declaration of pecuniary interests, significant non-pecuniary interests and less than significant non-pecuniary interests. 3

2                General Reports. 4

2.1            Statement of Bank Balances as at 4 May 2017. 4

2.2            Request for Financial Assistance. 6

2.3            Audit Office - Update on Process. 21

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 6 June 2017

 

1       Introduction

1.1     Declaration of pecuniary interests, significant non-pecuniary interests and less than significant non-pecuniary interests

The provisions of Chapter 14 of the Local Government Act, 1993 (the Act) regulate the way in which Councillors and designated staff of Council conduct themselves to ensure that there is no conflict between their private interests and their public role.

The Act prescribes that where a member of Council (or a Committee of Council) has a direct or indirect financial (pecuniary) interest in a matter to be considered at a meeting of the Council (or Committee), that interest must be disclosed as soon as practicable after the start of the meeting and the reasons given for declaring such interest.

As members are aware, the provisions of the Local Government Act restrict any member who has declared a pecuniary interest in any matter from participating in the discussion or voting on that matter, and requires that member to vacate the Chamber.

Council’s Code of Conduct provides that if members have a non-pecuniary conflict of interest, the nature of the conflict must be disclosed. The Code of Conduct also provides for a number of ways in which a member may manage non pecuniary conflicts of interest.

Recommendation

It is recommended that Committee Members now disclose any conflicts of interest in matters under consideration by the Finance Policy Committee at this meeting.

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 6 June 2017

 

 

2       General Reports

2.1     Statement of Bank Balances as at 4 May 2017

TRIM REFERENCE:        2017/949

AUTHOR:                       Kim Thompson, Accounting Officer - Management    

 

 

EXECUTIVE Summary

Council operates one Bank Account and is required to carry out a Bank Reconciliation at the end of each month. As at 4 May 2017 the Cash Book Balance was $335,995.30.

Link To Delivery/OPerational Plan

The recommendation in this report relates to the Delivery/Operational Plan strategy “1.2 Our City - Information and advice provided for the decision-making process will be succinct, reasoned, accurate, timely and balanced”.

Financial Implications

Nil.

Policy and Governance Implications

Nil.

 

Recommendation

That the information provided in the report by the Accounting Officer – Management on the Statement of Bank Balances as at 4 May 2017 be acknowledged.

 

further considerations

Consideration has been given to the recommendation’s impact on Council’s service delivery; image and reputation; political; environmental; health and safety; employees; stakeholders and project management; and no further implications or risks have been identified.

 

Attachments

1          Bank Reconciliation as at 4 May 2017, D17/28788

  


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.1                       Statement of Bank Balances as at 4 May 2017

Attachment 1      Bank Reconciliation as at 4 May 2017

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Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 6 June 2017

 

 

2.2     Request for Financial Assistance

TRIM REFERENCE:        2017/1058

AUTHOR:                       Josie Sanders, Management Accountant    

 

 

EXECUTIVE Summary

Council is in receipt of requests for financial assistance under section 356 of the Local Government Act 1993. The report provides details of applications received.

Link To Delivery/OPerational Plan

The recommendation in this report relates to the Delivery/Operational Plan strategy “3.3 Our City – Recognise that members of the community will take different leadership pathways, the Council will support this growth and development through appropriate activities, initiatives and assistance”.

Financial Implications

None of the applications are recommended to be funded because there are no uncommitted available funds for the applications attached to the report given both the General Donations and Major Promotions budget have been fully expended.

The Donations Policy is promoted widely as part of the budget process and all applicants (successful or not) who have sought donations in the past couple of years, are individually written to with an invitation for them to make submissions for donations/sponsorships so their allocation is more certain given it is included in the budget processes.

$2,000 for each Councillor has been reserved to enable Councillors to allocate up to $2,000 each to requests as they arise throughout the year. If any of the attached are supported by a Councillor, an allocation can be made from their remaining allocation. A table is provided below and it will be updated with each report to show how much each Councillor has apportioned to their supported projects.

The overall donations/sponsorship budget for 2016/17 is as follows:

 

Program

Adopted Budget

Actual/Committed

Remaining balance

General Donations

$84,378

$84,378*

Nil

Major Promotions

$72,127

$72,127

Nil

* The allocation of 19 x $100 reserved for school prize giving is accounted for in the actual/committed column of the table. The actual/committed column also includes the Councillor allocation of $24,000 ($2,000 per Councillor) which is available to be allocated by Councillors throughout the year.

Process for the application of the remaining budget allocation

A Council resolution is required to allocate funds to any external entity, including as a donation. Hence, the provision of donations can only occur upon a Councillor’s request being specifically included in a resolution. 

Applications are considered against the criteria outlined in the Donations Policy. There is an application form that should be submitted to commence the process of making a donation to another entity. The form contains details that inform Council that the donation aligns with the intentions the Council has established in the Community Strategic Plan.

Where a Councillor has advised they wish to pledge money to a particular cause, the pledge will be noted in the financial assistance report. 

The steps to have donations considered are as follows:

1        Applicant completes donations form – available on the Council website or can be sent to the applicant.

2        Application is assessed against the criteria in the Donations Policy and reported to Council in the financial assistance report.

3        Council considers applications at a Council Meeting with Councillors specifically including in a resolution the amount and recipient of any donations supported.

4        In accordance with s356 of the Local Government Act, some donations require advertising and then a report back to Council of any submissions is required (i.e. where the recipient acts for financial benefit for example).

Individual Councillor allocations are as follows:

Councillor

Adopted Budget

Actual/Committed

(as resolved)

Remaining balance

Councillor Davis

$2,000

$2,000 – Forbes Flood Appeal

Nil

Councillor Hamling

$2,000

$500 – Canobolas High School

$500 – Orange White Ribbon

$500 – Clontarf Foundation

$500 – Orange Bush Nippers

Nil

Councillor Brown

$2,000

$2,000 - Leukaemia Foundation

Nil

Councillor Duffy

$2,000

$500 – Come Together Choir

$500 – Foodcare Orange

$500 – Fusion

$500 – Carewest Preschool

Nil

 

Councillor Gander

$2,000

$1,500 – Foodcare Orange

$500 - Fusion

Nil

Councillor Gryllis

$2,000

$500 – Canobolas High School

$500 – Carewest Preschool

$1,000 – Forbes Flood Appeal

Nil

Councillor Jones

$2,000

$2,000 - Riding for the Disabled

Nil

Councillor Kidd

$2,000

$2,000 – Light it Red for Dyslexia

Nil

Councillor Munro

$2,000

$2,000 – Anson St School

Nil

Councillor Taylor

$2,000

$500 – Community Christmas Lunch

$500 – Blossoms Rescue

$500 – Historical Society

$500

 

Councillor Turner

$2,000

$500 – Come Together Choir

$1,500 – At The Vineyard

Nil

Councillor Whitton

$2,000

$350 – Riding for the Disabled

$500 – Community Christmas Lunch

$200 – Tiarah Jade Fisher

$950

 


 

Policy and Governance Implications

Nil

 

Recommendation

1        That Council approve the donation request to Lions Club of Orange of $200.64 from Councillor Taylor’s allocation.

2        That Council determine if a $500 donation will be made to the Red Shield Appeal and determine the funding source.

3        That Council determine if funding will be provided to Mr Eid for the demolition of the Kurim shops, and if supported, determine the funding source and place the request on public exhibition.

4        That Council consider the four submissions received regarding the tree removal at DuntryLeague Golf Club, and determine if funding will be provided.

 

further considerations

Consideration has been given to the recommendation’s impact on Council’s service delivery; image and reputation; political; environmental; health and safety; employees; stakeholders and project management; and no further implications or risks have been identified.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Lions Club of Orange - The Lions Club are seeking a retrospective donation to cover costs incurred with JR Richards for waste disposal relating to their Camel Racing Event, held at Easter. The Policy does not allow retrospective funding to be approved hence the need for Council to resolve an outcome contrary to the Policy. Cr Taylor has pledged $200.64 from his remaining allocation.

Red Shield Appeal – The Mayor has asked that Council consider a donation to the charity. A funding source will be required to be identified as the donations vote is fully expended.  

Mr Eid – Has asked for financial assistance of $11,050 in relation to the tipping fees, resulting from a Council order to demolish Kurim Shops. A summary of the request is provided as an attachment. Development Services staff and Waste Management staff do not support the request to waive the waste fees. The request is outside the Donations Policy provisions so cannot be supported by staff. If Council does wish to support this request it will need to be advertised. The cost would need to be funded from the waste services budget as the donations vote has been fully expended.

DuntryLeague Golf Club – The original request of $2,700 (ex GST) for tree removal, was placed on exhibition and Council has since received four submissions, two in favour and two against. The submissions are presented to Council in order to determine if the donation should be given. Council’s report on 18 April 2017 contained the detail for how the $2,700 (ex GST) would be funded if approved after exhibition.


 

Council is provided with the resolution on this matter, which was as follows:

RESOLVED - 17/001                                                                        Cr C Gryllis/Cr J Davis

That Council place on exhibition the intention to donate to Duntryleague Golf Club, the costs of the removal of a tree for a value of up to $2,700 (ex GST) to be paid for from $850 from the Waste Budget for Materials and Contracts and the balance from the Urban Street Tree Care budget, bringing a report back to Council on any submissions received.

 

 

COMMENT FROM DIRECTOR CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL SERVCIES

One submission makes a suggestion that Duntryleague has had to go through a more onerous process than other clubs. This is rejected.

Where applications are made for a donation, the Council is required to consider the request to assist another entity financially where there is no provision of services in accordance with the Local Government Act. 

Council has formulated a policy for financially assisting other entities and the provisions of the policy are being applied in this case as were applied for the Racing Orange donation and the Waratahs donation. In both cases, the requests were advertised and Council considered submissions in exactly the same process as has been used when Council considered the Duntryleague request. 

This is the process the policy requires for any business acting for profit as Council is required to undertake this process to comply with the Local Government Act.

 

Attachments

1          Donation Table, D17/31084

2          Lions Club of Orange, IC17/9982

3          Submission 1, D17/32018

4          Submission 2, D17/32019

5          Submission 3, D17/32020

6          Submission 4, D17/32021

7          Mr Eid - Kurim Shops, D17/32022

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                                           6 June 2017

2.2                       Request for Financial Assistance

Attachment 1      Donation Table

 

No

Applicant

Amount Sought

Policy Position

Purpose

Comment

Recom-mended

To be advertised

A.1

 

Lions Club of Orange

$200.64

Is retrospective request which is outside the policy position.

 

If it had complied,  the category for General Requests would be appropriate section of the policy which has a  maximum of $500

Lions Club of Orange – Camel Races to support local charities. Requesting reimbursement of waste removal charges

Cr Taylor has pledged to support this request from his remaining allocation.

No

No

A.2

Eid Eid

$11,050

Outside Scope of the Donation policy.

 

Financial assistance to help cover costs of tipping fees in relation to the demolition of Kurim Shops

Mr Eid has accepted an order from Council to demolish the building.

No

Yes

A.3

Red Shield Appeal

$500

Within the Policy provisions

Fund raising by Salvation Army

Council has made an annual donation to the charity.

Yes

No

 

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.2                       Request for Financial Assistance

Attachment 2      Lions Club of Orange

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Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.2                       Request for Financial Assistance

Attachment 3      Submission 1

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Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.2                       Request for Financial Assistance

Attachment 4      Submission 2

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Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.2                       Request for Financial Assistance

Attachment 5      Submission 3

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Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.2                       Request for Financial Assistance

Attachment 6      Submission 4

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Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.2                       Request for Financial Assistance

Attachment 7      Mr Eid - Kurim Shops

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Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 6 June 2017

 

 

2.3     Audit Office - Update on Process

TRIM REFERENCE:        2017/1043

AUTHOR:                       Kathy Woolley, Director Corporate and Commercial Services    

 

 

EXECUTIVE Summary

The Audit Office has supplied the attached correspondence which is provided to the Council for information. The same information has been prepared as a report to the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Link To Delivery/OPerational Plan

The recommendation in this report relates to the Delivery/Operational Plan strategy “1.2 Our City - Information and advice provided for the decision-making process will be succinct, reasoned, accurate, timely and balanced”.

Financial Implications

Nil

Policy and Governance Implications

Nil

 

Recommendation

That the Audit Office information be acknowledged.

 

further considerations

Consideration has been given to the recommendation’s impact on Council’s service delivery; image and reputation; political; environmental; health and safety; employees; stakeholders and project management; and no further implications or risks have been identified.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

The attached is provided to the Council for information.

 

Attachments

1          Mayoral correspondence - initial local government performance audits, IC17/8568

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     6 June 2017

2.3                       Audit Office - Update on Process

Attachment 1      Mayoral correspondence - initial local government performance audits

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