Agenda item

In accordance with Chapter 3, Rules 57 and 59, of the Governance Rules developed by Council in accordance with section 60 of the Local Government Act 2020.

In accordance with Chapter 3, Rules 57 and 59, of the Governance Rules developed by Council in accordance with section 60 of the Local Government Act 2020.

QUESTION 1

Jonathon Knudsen of Launching Place asked;

In watching the recording of the last Council Meeting held on 8 April, I noted that Councillor Higgins spoke for nearly 14 minutes on Item 10.1.

To uphold transparency, integrity, consistency, and good governance, could the Council please advise.

What steps will be taken to ensure councillor speaking times remain within the limits outlined in the Governance Rules? And how will instances of non-compliance be monitored and addressed?

Mayor, Councillor Jim Child.

Thank you for your question, Jonathon.

I acknowledge that the Councillor speaking times during the Council meeting of 8 April 2025 exceeded the Governance Rules.

To ensure this doesn't reoccur I have remined all Councillors of their obligations under the Governance Rules. To further ensure compliance I have also requested the Governance Team display a timer for Councillors as we do for public submissions.  

Please know I take the role of Mayor with the upmost importance and our goal as a Council is to reinforce compliance, uphold transparency, integrity, and consistency in meeting procedures.

Thanks again for your question.

QUESTION 2

Anonymous asked;

When will Works that were allocated in 2024-2025 budget for works to mitigate flooding at the corner of 20A Nimblefoot Way and Delta Close commence and what are the chances of the said works failing to do the job of decreasing the flooding at that point or the possibility of making it worse as at some of the other rectification works in Lilydale have happened ?

Director Built Environment & Infrastructure, Hjalmar Philipp

Thank you for your question,

Council is currently progressing the design of a drainage solution at the drainage reserve at 20A Nimblefoot Way, aimed at addressing water ponding at the Delta Close/Nimblefoot Way intersection.

Stakeholder engagement on the proposed design has commenced, and the design is being refined based on the feedback received. Broader community notification will occur following these updates.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the 2024–2025 financial year.

QUESTION 3

Belinda Bernardini of Lilydale asked;

I refer to the Mayors announcement regarding the requirement to pre-register when speaking to an agenda item. The change is in breach of s60(4) of the LGA and s87 isn't appliable as the proposed change has been made on a whim and without consultation of those who regularly attend council. The amendment must be put to the community for discussion.

Acting Director Corporate Services, Ben Waterhouse

Belinda, thank you for your question.

Section s60(4) of the 2020 Local Government Act refers to amendments to Governance Rules. I can confirm that Yarra Ranges Council has made no changes to its Governance Rules.

The Mayoral announcement was to advise community members that wish to speak to an item listed on the agenda that they are required to register with the Governance Team prior to the Council Meeting. This practice is required to ensure that Council conducts an orderly meeting in line with the Governance Rules and our broader statutory obligations.

Further information on registering to attend a Council meeting is available on Council’s website.

QUESTION 4

Anonymous asked;

Is the council doing anything to address dirt bikes being ridden in close proximity to houses? Many councils have rules regarding dirt bike usage’s restricting the size of land, needing permits or a simple solution such as not allowing dirt bikes within 500m of a residential dwelling owned by another person. We live in Yarra Ranges for peace and quiet, and enjoyment of the environment.

Director Communities, Leanne Hurst

Thank you for your question.

Yarra Ranges Council does have a Neighbourhood Amenity Local Law which restricts the use of recreational vehicles being used on private land, where it creates a nuisance or risk to safety. Similarly, the Local Law prohibits certain activities on Council land, which may apply depending upon the particulars of an alleged activity.

I would encourage anyone experiencing issues with recreational vehicles which they believe are being used in contravention the Local Law to contact Council, and this applies even if a previous compliant has been made and it is occurring again.

QUESTION 5

Wendy Wright of Wandin North asked;

Agenda Item 10.4 [Quarterly Financial Report - March 2025]

Commentary notes that income related to planning fees is $400k less than budgeted due to lower than anticipated number of planning applications.

Related to this, Public open space contributions are down $600k.

I assume this means that less houses are being built - what is the impact on the council's housing targets and what is the volume of reductions in new builds that this reduction reflects?

Acting Director Planning and Sustainable Futures, Amanda Kern

Thank you for your question, Wendy.

Council is committed to supporting housing development across the Yarra Ranges through the implementation of our Housing Strategy. In line with the State Government’s recently established housing targets, we anticipate the number of houses in the Yarra Ranges will grow to approximately 72,000 by 2041. This equates to around 11,000 new homes over the next 15 years—an average of 730 new homes per year.

However, recent trends do show a slowdown in development activity. In the last quarter, we’ve seen a decline in planning applications being lodged across all categories, including multi-unit developments and subdivisions. This has led to a corresponding drop in planning fees and public open space contributions. In 2024, 434 building occupancy permits for new dwellings were issued by private building surveyors. So far in 2025, 115 occupancy permits have been issued.

Because public open space contributions are collected at the time of subdivision, the reduced number of developments being constructed and subdivided has also impacted these contributions.

While recent reforms to Planning in Victoria introduced by the Minister for Planning are designed to help meet our housing targets, it’s important to note that the approval of planning permits does not guarantee construction. Council plays a key role in facilitating appropriate development approvals, but ultimately, the market conditions, and other factors beyond Council’s control will determine the pace and feasibility of construction.