ordinary meeting agenda - ssroc · ssroc ordinary meeting agenda date thursday, 21 february 2019...

SSROC Ordinary Meeting Agenda

Date Thursday, 21 February 2019 Time 6:00 pm for 6:30 pm Venue Burwood Council Chambers Address Level 2

1-17 Elsie StreetBURWOODParking will be available in the George Street public car park (beneath Council building) which is metered parking (free from 6.00 pm). Please catch the lift to Level 2.

Section 1 Presentation – no presentation this meeting

Section 2 Apologies

Section 3 Declaration of Conflict of Interest

Section 4 Confirmation of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting 1

Section 5 Matters Arising from Minutes 5.1 Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastic Dog Waste Bags 7

Section 6 Advocacy and Issues Management 6.1 Recent Submissions 8

6.2 Submissions under Consideration 9

6.3 Cities for Us Summit 10

6.4 Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) and new Smart Communities Working Group

18

6.5 Hypothecation of the Waste Levy 30

6.6 Affordable Rental Housing SEPP: Boarding Houses and Secondary Dwellings

35

6.7 SSROC Feasibility Study into a Council-Owned or Operated Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) or Transfer Station (TS)

37

Section 7 Administrative Matters 7.1 Secretariat’s Relocation to Campsie 38

7.2 Proposed 2019 meeting dates 39

7.3 SSROC News 40

Section 8 Joint Activities Within SSROC 8.1 Shared Services Update 53

8.2 Projects Update 54

8.3 Procurement Activity 56

Section 9 Externally Funded Projects

9.1 Street Lighting Improvement Program Update 60

9.2 NSW Public Lighting Code Update 62

9.3 Regional Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 64

Section 10 General Business

Section 11 Next Meeting The next meeting date will be confirmed.

Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) held at Inner West Council (Ashfield) on Thursday, 16 August 2018

Councillor John Faker (Mayor, Burwood Council), SSROC President, welcomed attendees and declared the SSROC Ordinary Meeting of Thursday, 16 August 2018 open at 6.34 pm.

1. PRESENTATION

There was no presentation at this meeting.

IN ATTENDANCE

Burwood Council Councillor John Faker (Mayor) (SSROC President)

City of Canada Bay Councillor Marian Parnaby (Deputy Mayor) Councillor Michael Megna

City of Sydney Councillor Christine Forster

Inner West Council Cr Rochelle Porteous Cr Lucille McKenna

Randwick City Council Councillor Lindsay Shurey (Mayor) Councillor Kathy Neilson

Sutherland Shire Councillor Ray Plibersek

Waverley Council Councillor Marjorie O’Neill

Woollahra Council Councillor Nick Maxwell

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE

Bayside Council Ms Meredith Wallace (General Manager)

Canterbury Bankstown Council Mr Matthew Stewart (General Manager)

Inner West Council Mr Rik Hart (General Manager)

SSROC

SSROC ORDINARY MEETING, 21 FEBRUARY 2019 1

Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) held at Inner West Council (Ashfield) on Thursday, 16 August 2018

Ms Namoi Dougall (General Manager) Ms Helen Sloan (Program Manager) Ms Natasha Anderson (Office Manager) Ms Colleen Stretton (Executive Assistant)

2. APOLOGIES

Bayside CouncilCouncillor Bill Saravinovski (Mayor)Councillor Ed McDougall

Burwood CouncilCouncillor George MannahCouncillor Ernest ChanCouncillor Heather Crichton

City of Canada BayCouncillor Angelo Tsirekas (Mayor)Councillor Charles Jago

Canterbury Bankstown CouncilCouncillor Khal Asfour (Mayor) (SSROC Junior Vice President)Councillor Clare RaffanCouncillor Nadia Saleh (Deputy Mayor)Councillor Linda Eisler

City of SydneyCouncillor Jess Miller (Deputy Lord Mayor)Councillor Robert KokCouncillor Craig Chung

Georges River CouncilCouncillor Kevin Greene (Mayor)Councillor Kathryn Landsberry (Deputy Mayor)Councillor Con HindiCouncillor Rita Kastanias

Inner West CouncilCouncillor Darcy Byrne (Mayor)Councillor John Stamolis

Randwick CityCouncillor Anthony AndrewsCouncillor Carlos Da Rocha

Sutherland ShireCouncillor Kent Johns (SSROC Senior Vice President)Councillor Jack BoydCouncillor Daniel Nicholls


Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) held at

Inner West Council (Ashfield) on Thursday, 16 August 2018

Waverley Councillor John Wakefield (Mayor) Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak (Deputy Mayor) Councillor George Copeland Woollahra Council Councillor Peter Cavanagh (Mayor) Councillor Susan Wynne (Deputy Mayor)

OTHER APOLOGIES

Burwood Council Mr Bruce Macdonnell (General Manager) City of Canada Bay Mr Peter Gainsford (General Manager) City of Sydney Ms Monica Barone (Chief Executive Officer) Georges River Council Ms Gail Connolly (General Manager) Randwick City Council Mr Ray Brownlee (General Manager) Sutherland Shire Council Mr Scott Phillips (General Manager) Waverley Mr Ross McLeod (General Manager) Woollahra Mr Gary James (General Manager)

SSROC resolved to accept the apologies, as submitted.

3. DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST No conflicts of interest were noted.

4. CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Resolved that Delegates:

1. Adopt the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Thursday, 24 May 2018 held at Georges River Council.




5. SSROC RELOCATION 5.1 Secretariat’s Relocation to Campsie Resolved by Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report.

6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT 6.1 Recent Submissions Resolved that Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report and endorse the recent submissions. 6.2 Cities for Us Summit

Resolved that Delegates: 1. Receive and note the report.

6.3 Affordable Rental Housing SEPPs and Affordable Housing

Resolved that Delegates:


7. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 7.1 SSROC Membership Fees Resolved that Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report. 2. Approve the membership fees for 2018/19.

7.2 SSROC 2018/19 Budget Estimates and Results for 2017/18 Resolved that Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report. 2. Endorse the 2018/19 Draft Budget Estimates and results for 2017/18.

7.3 SSROC 2018/19 Work Plan




Resolved that Delegates:

1. Endorse the 2018/19 Work Plan. 7.4 SSROC Staff Update Resolved that Delegates:


8. JOINT ACTIVITIES WITHIN SSROC 8.1 Shared Services Update Resolved that Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report. 8.2 Projects Update Resolved that Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report. 8.3 Procurement Activity Resolved that Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report. 8.4 Program for Energy and Environmental Risk Solutions (PEERS) Resolved that Delegates:


9. EXTERNALLY FUNDED PROJECTS 9.1 Street Lighting Improvement Program Resolved that Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report. 9.2 Regional Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy Resolved that Delegates:





10. GENERAL BUSINESS

1. Ms Helen Sloan gave a brief update on the China recycling issue.

2. Councillor Lindsay Shurey (Randwick) queried whether SSROC could explore an alternative to the biodegradable plastic dog waste bags currently being used as once they get into the ocean, these biodegradable plastic bags end up as small beads which are eaten by fish and, consequently, we are then eating.

There was discussion on compostable plastic bags and bags made from cornstarch and sugar cane. Ms Sloan agreed that SSROC could certainly do more work in this area.

3. There was discussion on abandoned trolleys and solutions used by some councils for this problem.

Councillor Marjorie O’Neill (Waverley) agreed to send a briefing to Councillor Faker on the process used by Waverley Council.

NEXT MEETING Councillor Faker advised that the next meeting will be held on Thursday, 15 November 2018. Councillor Faker thanked Inner West Council for hosting and thanked all in attendance. MEETING CLOSE There being no further business Councillor Faker declared the meeting closed at 7.00 pm.


SECTION 5. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES ITEM 5.1 Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastic Dog Waste Bags RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:


Purpose of the report:

To provide information to Delegates of progress on the request for an investigation into the viability of biodegradable alternatives to plastic dog waste bags.

Background This question was raised at the last Ordinary Meeting of SSROC.

Current Status: The secretariat has been in touch with an officer at the City of Canada Bay who is currently looking into trialling corn- and potato-starch alternatives to plastic dog waste bags, who has kindly agreed to report on the progress of the trial. Bags being considered are either:

• compostable, which will biodegrade under composting conditions, or • biodegradable, which will rot in landfill conditions.

Other considerations include cost, bag reliability, durability in outdoor conditions, dispensers, and design (for example, whether or not the bag has handles). The bag with the lowest price would cost $10,000 per annum more that the current plastic bags. The first trial will begin shortly. The secretariat will continue to liaise with the City of Canada Bay.


SECTION 6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT ITEM 6.1 Recent Submissions

RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:

1. Receive and note the report and endorse the recent submissions.


To inform Delegates of recent submissions by SSROC.

Background: • 8 August 2018 – submission to General Manager, Networks, Australian Energy Regulator on Ausgrid Public Lighting Pricing Proposal 2019-24.

• 5 October 2018 – submission to National Waste Strategy Taskforce, Department of the Environment and Energy on Update of the 2009 National Waste Policy.

• 30 October 2018 – submission to NSW Department of Fair Trading on Improving Certifier Independence: Options Paper.

• 13 November 2018 – submission to Waverley Council on Draft Waverley Sustainable Visitation Strategy Survey.

• 20 November 2018 – submission to Special Advisor – Government and Community Relations, Sydney Airport on Preliminary Draft Sydney Airport Master Plan 2039.

• 6 December 2018 - submission to NSW Environment Protection Authority on the Too Good to Waste – Discussion Paper on a Circular Economy for NSW.

• 19 December 2019 – submission to Director, Housing and Infrastructure Policy, Department of Planning and Environment on Proposed Amendment to State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 boarding house provisions.

• 19 December 2019 – submission to Director, Housing Policy, Department of Planning and Environment on Proposed Amendment to Environmental Planning Policy No 70 (State-wide application).

• 31 January 2019 – submission to Transport for NSW on Older Persons Transport and Mobility Plan 2018-2022.

• 5 February 2019 – submission to General Manager, Networks, Australian Energy Regulator on Ausgrid Revised Public Lighting Pricing Proposal 2019-24.

• 6 February 2019 – submission to CDS Policy and Compliance Team, NSW EPA on Draft Alternative Waste Treatment Facility Processing Refund Protocol.

Current Status: These submissions have already been made. To download these submissions, go to: http://www.ssroc.nsw.gov.au/submissions


http://www.ssroc.nsw.gov.au/submissions

SECTION 6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT ITEM 6.2 Submissions for Consideration


1. Receive and note the report. 2. Offer any comments in relation to the consultation.


To identify submissions currently being developed, and provide an opportunity for Delegates to offer comments.

Background: SSROC Secretariat develops submissions in relation to priority issues as resources permit, usually to a deadline imposed externally. Whenever the deadline allows, Delegates’ views on the submissions are sought.

Current Status: The following submissions are currently being developed and expected to be submitted prior to the submission deadlines, where applicable: • Proposed new Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) registration and RPAS operator

accreditation scheme (commonly known as Drone Regulation) to the Australian Government Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Closes 22 February 2019. See https://consultation.casa.gov.au/regulatory-program/pp1816us/

• Issues Paper: Barriers to the safe use of innovative vehicles and motorised mobility devices to the National Transport Commission. Closes 28 February 2019. The paper considers vehicles other than cars, motorcycles and bicycles, such as electric skateboard and Segway e-Skates, as well as motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooters. See: https://www.ntc.gov.au/current-projects/barriers-to-the-safe-use-of-innovative-vehicles-and-mobility-devices/

• NABERS five-year strategy 2019 – 2023. Closes 28 February 2019. See: https://www.nabers.gov.au/about/news/nabers-strategic-plan-2019-2023-open-consultation


SECTION 6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT ITEM 6.3 Cities for Us Summit RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To update Delegates on the success of and actions arising from the Summit.

Background: The Cities for Us Summit was held on 25 July 2018, in collaboration with Shelter NSW and with support from the Planning Institute of Australia, City Futures UNSW, and the Committee for Sydney. Sponsorship was provided by Mirvac, City West Housing and SGCH. One hundred and forty-seven (147) attendees, from a range of councils, NGOs, consultancies and academia, participated in facilitated discussions and by on-line feedback. A copy of the Joint Cities for Us Communique approved by the Executive is attached.

Current Status: The NSW Planning Minister met with the SSROC General Manager, SSROC Strategic Planning Manager and the Chief Executive Officer of Shelter NSW on 13 September 2018 to discuss the key messages of the Communique. The SSROC Executive was unable to attend. Four recommendations of the Communique were presented to the Minister. Bringing together the finances to get community infrastructure in place sooner

• Recommendation 1: Move to establish a Growth Infrastructure Compact by District and key Precincts between the Greater Sydney Commission, Infrastructure NSW, Department of Planning and Environment and Sydney councils to make sure local community infrastructure keeps pace with growth. Extend the current pilot of the Growth Infrastructure Compact in the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Park area to other locations like the Sydenham to Bankstown Urban Renewal Corridor.

• Recommendation 2: Seek transparent, holistic reform to local and state development contributions and VPA regimes to ensure that contributions for a place are predictable and serve their different purposes. Clearly configured contribution regimes will transparently demonstrate how they are calculated and how they are spent.

Tackling cost of living pressures by providing more affordable rental housing • Recommendation 3: Strategically extend SEPP 70 to all Sydney councils

to consistently and more fairly meet Sydney’s pressing problem of housing unaffordability. The provision of regional housing affordability data, policy guidelines and model submission arrangements from DPE will enable Councils wanting to come under SEPP 70 to streamline their application process and reduce the wasteful duplication of public resources.

Making equitable growth happen with genuine community engagement


• Recommendation 4: Pilot Local Renewal Agencies in neighbourhoods

undergoing intensive redevelopment, not currently being led by a State agency. These council led pilots would endeavour to deliver place sensitive models supported by strong community engagement.

The Minister welcomed the discussion and expressed particular interest in the proposal to pilot a local renewal agency working in neighbourhoods undergoing major redevelopment. The Sydenham to Bankstown transit corridor was referred to as one possibility. Of particular appeal was the ability for such a Council-led agency to deliver a place sensitive collaborative model shaped by strong community engagement. The Minister offered words of support for inclusion in the Communique’s press release. A copy of the joint press release is attached. The Joint Cities for Us Communique, an outline of recommended directions and a press release are on the SSROC website. Steps to Progress the Cities for Us Recommendations Recommendations 1 and 4: local renewal partnership supported by an infrastructure compact

• In October 2018, SSROC has convened a project working group to develop the concept and explore options for a local renewal partnership. The group includes senior strategic planners from Canterbury Bankstown and Inner West Councils, the Director of City Futures UNSW and senior representatives from PIA and Shelter NSW. The group is exploring options for a local government urban renewal partnership model, involving growth infrastructure funding and strong community engagement, for application in communities undergoing intense redevelopment like the Sydenham to Bankstown transit corridor.

• The group is researching and developing options for engaging with the General Managers and other key stakeholders.

Recommendations 2 and 3: Affordable housing contributions and the wider application of SEPP 70

• In November 2018, the NSW Government proposed to amend SEPP 70 to include all local government areas in the state. This would mean that that councils no longer needed to seek the Minister’s approval to be included in SEPP 70. The changes along with new guidelines are intended make it easier for councils to prepare affordable housing contribution schemes and increase affordable housing across NSW.

• In line with the Cities for Us Communique recommendations, the SSROC Secretariat made a submission in support of the proposed changes. A Government determination on the proposed planning change is yet to be made. The consultation period ended on 19 December 2018.


SUPPORTED BY: IN COLLABORATION WITH:

CITIES FOR US COMMUNIQUÉ DENSITY, LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND LIVEABILITY

25 JULY 2018 DOLTONE HOUSE, HYDE PARK


The Cities for Us Summit was organised by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) and Shelter NSW, supported by the Committee for Sydney and Planning Institute Australia. It was delivered in collaboration with UNSW City Futures with sponsorship from Mirvac, SGCH and City West Housing.

Presenters and participants were from the State and Local Governments sectors, community housing providers, non-government organisations, the development industry, research, and planning professionals. This communique highlights the key points emerging from the Summit.

BACKGROUNDSSROC’s interest in the Summit originated from it growing increasingly concerned that rapid development was not delivering any benefit to local communities. The missing element was essentially“liveability”, this intangible quality was articulated as a series of benchmarks, mapped spatially and analysed in Liveability Indicator Mapping1. The work highlighted that some suburbs lack key characteristics of liveability, and some are at risk of losing them.

Shelter NSW’s interest in the summit stemmed from concern that, even in an environment of fast-tracked housing supply intended to relieve affordability pressures, increasing the density of housing can have adverse impacts on already disadvantaged households. Researchers considering Equitable Density2 found that when density is not done well, vulnerable and low income households are disproportionately affected by a range of factors that other households may be better equipped to adapt to. These include a changing neighbourhood composition, loss of accessible and affordable services, and displacement.

1 Liveability Indicator Mapping, Final Report, SGS Economics and Planning, February 2017. Available: www.ssroc.nsw.gov.au/publications

2 Shelter Brief 61: Equitable Density – the place for lower income and disadvantaged households in a dense city at the Building, Neighbourhood and Metrololitan Scales, July 2017. Available: https://shelternsw.org.au/publications/urban-policy-%26-planning

THEME 1 – Implementation: integration, collaboration, governanceRAPID CHANGE

• Major emphasis on the need for collaboration, and commitment to collaboration in the future – State agencies, Greater Sydney Commission, Commonwealth and Local Governments, as well as local communities and those typically not heard.

• Dramatic and fast changes are occurring to strategic planning approaches in urban areas, with increasing neighbourhood density driving the need to accommodate this change – we need to reverse this so that the desired change drives the development.

• The shared vision of a place must be central to planning – jobs close to home, strengthening local communities, participation that engenders enthusiasm for change – our statutory controls need to implement the vision.

• Local agencies & authorities should take on more leading roles in strategic planning as well as in the delivery of change – local agencies and local communities want to realise their own shared vision, within an agreed city-wide framework.

A FRAGILE OPPORTUNITY

• We have a great opportunity to develop our community: with housing affordability concerns driving new supply at increasing levels of density we have the chance to catch up; to create liveable, place-based cities with good amenity. Local community infrastructure – parks, libraries, playgrounds – are essential to good places, particularly in higher density neighbourhoods.

• But our community is under stress: extensive rejection of development is an expression of pain, a clear sign that the process is not working for everyone. Existing infrastructure faces increased pressure.

• Social outcomes are as important as economic ones, and we now have a starting point for achieving them with the Greater Sydney Commission and larger Local Government Areas. As well as investment, we need active participation in genuine processes, consensus and long-term partnerships built on trust; and champions for this approach to change, to help maintain its focus and impetus.


THEME 2 – Who pays, who benefits?FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE IS ESSENTIAL

• We need a way to fund local community infrastructure, so that we can balance economic and social outcomes with commercial outcomes, without negatively affecting housing supply.

• Local Government’s fiscal power is severely limited, with capped rates, a restricted and opaque local contributions regime, and ad hoc Voluntary Planning Agreements. There is no clear path for using these to implement the District Plans, and they send no clear price signal to investors. The current approach is complicated and lacks consistency, falling far short of what is needed.

• To successfully fund necessary community infrastructure, we need good place-based strategic planning to develop a justification that is costed, and the financial feasibility demonstrated. Local communities need to benefit from growth through improved amenity.

• Councils are critical to local development. We need robust local structures and authorities. Councils could lead Local Renewal Agencies, and work with a Sydney Metropolitan Authority.

CONFIDENCE AND FAIRNESS IN FUNDING MECHANISMS

• Inclusionary zoning for affordable housing is mandatory in some places – why not for all development? Why limit SEPP 70 to just a few Councils? Alternatives are beneficiary pays, impact mitigation, value sharing and licensing fees.

• Current arrangements are not transparent, consistent or comprehensive: this needs to change. Whichever mechanism is used, it must be transparent, consistent and applied to all development, not limited to particular precincts. Industry and the community need certainty.

• Like affordable housing, funding for local infrastructure to make great and liveable places will fall through the gaps without such funding mechanisms being made available to council for a broader range of purposes.

THEME 3 – who wins, who loses?A NEW NARRATIVE TO REPLACE THE OLD WAYS

• The new challenge of growing our city quickly and fairly requires a new narrative, listening to all different voices, as everyone has different needs and expectations of amenity. This means a two-way narrative, not the “tick-the-consultation-box” approach that so many communities have experienced.

• Build trust. Seek a social licence. Build confidence that the result has not been decided, that voices will be heard, and the planning process will respond. Make decisions locally wherever possible, with the community’s active participation.

• Recognise and manage displacement and its flow-on effects that can destroy an existing community. Our current approach is transferring the risks of urban development to the most vulnerable, and this must stop. Offer existing residents the opportunity to rent or buy into lower cost housing in new development, and ensure affordable rental housing is always produced as part of an urban renewal project.

ENGAGEMENT REQUIRES TRUST AND RESPECT ON ALL SIDES

• Poor engagement is currently rife. Communities want to, and should, set agendas for change. Urban redevelopment without a community’s support risks destroying that community and all the social benefits that go with it.

• Confidence is destroyed when promises are not delivered: we are not always seeing the design excellence that should be delivered. Community confidence needs to be restored before there will be trust and respect.

• There will be winners and losers. All views are valid and tell us a great deal about expectations and pain. All concerns must be respected.

• Plans that will create a good city must combine liveability and productivity while actively working to reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience.


THE FUTURE All levels of government work together with real participation and influence from local communities to achieve development that delivers a shared vision, and that benefits existing and well as new residents. The whole process is governed by an enabling set of statutory controls.

Local community infrastructure is funded through a new, universal and transparent mechanism that shares the increase in value created through changes in zoning and density controls. Developer risk continues to be rewarded, but it also delivers for all. Councils lead Local Renewal Agencies, and Sydney Metropolitan Authority enables them to deliver.

Affordable rental housing is treated as a component of community infrastructure as part of good place – based planning and managing the inevitable displacement of vulnerable households that arise from rapid redevelopment processes. Along with other essential community infrastructure – parks, libraries and playgrounds – it will help restore trust and keep our communities as inclusive, welcoming places to live.

Plans are collaboratively developed between trusted partners in government, community and industry. They are delivered to a high standard of design excellence, with housing to meet multiple different needs, a strong local economy, community identity and healthy environment.

THE PATH• Move to establish a Growth Infrastructure Compact by District and key Precincts

between the Greater Sydney Commission, Infrastructure NSW, Department of Planning and Environment and Sydney councils. This long-term partnership would assure councils access to a dedicated funding mechanism geared to their housing supply targets to make sure local community infrastructure keeps pace with growth. With understanding across all parties of the elements needed to make communities liveable, funding mechanisms could tailored to ensure the necessary investment is in fact delivered.

• Seek transparent, holistic reform to local and state development contributions and VPA regimes – to both ensure that contributions for a place are predictable and that they reflect the different purposes that they serve (i.e. value capture, inclusionary requirements, meeting demands for infrastructure and impact mitigation).

• Strategically extend SEPP 70 to all Sydney councils to consistently and more fairly meet Sydney’s pressing problem of housing unaffordability. A comprehensive, transparent and streamlined approach will ensure that value sharing includes renters, mitigates risks to the most vulnerable residents and provides consistency and certainty to investors, development proponents and assessment bodies.

• Pilot Local Renewal Agencies in neighbourhoods undergoing intensive redevelopment, not currently being led by a State agency. These council led pilots would endeavour to deliver place sensitive models characterised by grassroots collaboration and strong community engagement.

CITIES FOR US INCLUSIVENESS. AFFORDABILITY. ENGAGEMENT. SUBSIDIARITY. VALUE-SHARING.SSROC ORDINARY MEETING, 21 FEBRUARY 2019 15

CITIES FOR US JOINT COMMUNIQUEOUTLINE OF RECOMMENDED DIRECTIONS


Sydney has one of the fastest growing populations of any global city and that this pace of change has inevitably put pressure on the city’s infrastructure.

All stakeholders should have greater certainty and assurance about the funding for new infrastructure, including affordable housing, so community infrastructure keeps in step with growing and changing needs.

Adoption of all of these four recommendations from the Cities for Us Summit will improve the planning and delivery of infrastructure and so improve the lived experience of our communities grappling with the many challenges of rapid population growth. Initially they will help to inform and improve the outcomes achieved by the Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) being remade within the SSROC area and beyond.

It will also involve treating affordable rental housing as a component of community infrastructure as part of good place-based planning and managing the displacement of vulnerable households when there is rapid redevelopment.

These recommendations involve us all acting with unity of purpose to:

BRING TOGETHER THE FINANCES TO GET COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE SOONER

• Move to establish a Growth Infrastructure Compact by District and key Precincts between the Greater Sydney Commission, Infrastructure NSW, Department of Planning and Environment and Sydney councils to make sure local community infrastructure keeps pace with growth.

• Seek transparent, holistic reform to local and state development contributions and VPA regimes to ensure that contributions for a place are predictable and serve their different purposes.

TACKLE COST OF LIVING PRESSURES BY PROVIDING MORE AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING

• Strategically extend SEPP 70 to all Sydney councils to consistently and more fairly meet the pressing problem of housing unaffordability especially for lower income renters adversely affected by redevelopment, while cutting red tape and costly duplication for those joining.

MAKE EQUITABLE GROWTH HAPPEN WITH GENUINE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

• Pilot Local Renewal Agencies in neighbourhoods undergoing intensive redevelopment, as an alternative to State agency led partnerships. These council led pilots would endeavour to deliver place sensitive collaborative models supported by strong community engagement.

The recommendations will promote the community’s confidence in the Government statements about inclusive, productive, neighbourhoods into good access to parks, schools and libraries, affordable rental housing and community services especially in new denser redevelopments.

Long term strategic goals of the NSW Government’s Greater Sydney Region Plan now need to be matched with long term funding commitments. The progressive roll out of Growth Infrastructure Compacts to areas undergoing rapid growth will be timely. Well-structured and funded infrastructure compacts will help bake in a more productive city, and for that matter state, that promotes equal opportunity for the current and future generations whatever part of NSW people live in.


CITIES FOR US JOINT COMMUNIQUEOUTLINE OF RECOMMENDED DIRECTIONS


Sydney has one of the fastest growing populations of any global city and that this pace of change has inevitably put pressure on the city’s infrastructure.

All stakeholders should have greater certainty and assurance about the funding for new infrastructure, including affordable housing, so community infrastructure keeps in step with growing and changing needs.

Adoption of all of these four recommendations from the Cities for Us Summit will improve the planning and delivery of infrastructure and so improve the lived experience of our communities grappling with the many challenges of rapid population growth. Initially they will help to inform and improve the outcomes achieved by the Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) being remade within the SSROC area and beyond.

It will also involve treating affordable rental housing as a component of community infrastructure as part of good place-based planning and managing the displacement of vulnerable households when there is rapid redevelopment.

These recommendations involve us all acting with unity of purpose to:

BRING TOGETHER THE FINANCES TO GET COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE SOONER

• Move to establish a Growth Infrastructure Compact by District and key Precincts between the Greater Sydney Commission, Infrastructure NSW, Department of Planning and Environment and Sydney councils to make sure local community infrastructure keeps pace with growth.

• Seek transparent, holistic reform to local and state development contributions and VPA regimes to ensure that contributions for a place are predictable and serve their different purposes.

TACKLE COST OF LIVING PRESSURES BY PROVIDING MORE AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING

• Strategically extend SEPP 70 to all Sydney councils to consistently and more fairly meet the pressing problem of housing unaffordability especially for lower income renters adversely affected by redevelopment, while cutting red tape and costly duplication for those joining.

MAKE EQUITABLE GROWTH HAPPEN WITH GENUINE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

• Pilot Local Renewal Agencies in neighbourhoods undergoing intensive redevelopment, as an alternative to State agency led partnerships. These council led pilots would endeavour to deliver place sensitive collaborative models supported by strong community engagement.

The recommendations will promote the community’s confidence in the Government statements about inclusive, productive, neighbourhoods into good access to parks, schools and libraries, affordable rental housing and community services especially in new denser redevelopments.

Long term strategic goals of the NSW Government’s Greater Sydney Region Plan now need to be matched with long term funding commitments. The progressive roll out of Growth Infrastructure Compacts to areas undergoing rapid growth will be timely. Well-structured and funded infrastructure compacts will help bake in a more productive city, and for that matter state, that promotes equal opportunity for the current and future generations whatever part of NSW people live in.

ORDINARY MEETING, 21 FEBRUARY 2019 17

SECTION 6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT ITEM 6.4 Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) and new Smart Communities Working

Group RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To report on SSROC’s General Manager’s attendance at the SCEWC and to recommend the establishment of a Smart Communities working group.

Background: During the period 10 to 18 November 2018, SSROC’s General Manager attended the SCEWC in Barcelona as a member of the delegation organised by the Institute of Public Works Engineers (IPWEA) and supported by the Smart Cities Council ANZ (SCCANZ), Australian Smart Communities Association (ASCA) and Austrade. Attached is her report on the event.

Current Status: Listed below are the key take outs from SCEWC put together from the feedback of all delegates participating in the IPWEA led delegation. A new Smart Cities Working Group would enable the sharing of strategies and experiences of member councils in this fast-changing environment such as the City of Canterbury Bankstown’s Closing the Loop on Waste which received more than $1 million in grant funding from the Smart Cities and Suburbs Program. The strongest feedback from delegates was the need for a long-term strategy. The new working group should be tasked to develop a common smart communities’ strategy for the region, as well as, considering important issues such as how ‘open data’ can be achieved and used effectively. Key Takeaways from the Smart City Expo World Congress 1. Articulate where your community is headed A successful smart city needs an ambitious long-term strategy articulating what it

wants to achieve in the future to make its community a better place. To build support, it then needs to implement projects that deliver demonstrable short-term wins consistent with that strategy.

2. Transformational change relies on superb communications More than most changes delivered by government, a successful smart city requires

an excellent internal and external communications strategy because of the transformational nature of the changes that smart cities usher in.

3. Senior champions needed A successful smart city requires a senior champion to regularly, loudly and

enthusiastically communicate its strategy internally and externally so that everyone understands the benefits it will bring.

4. Governance reform Again, and again, the message was clear that a successful smart city requires

fundamentally new approaches to governance that allows for innovative collaboration with suppliers and a more open, inclusive and participatory relationship with community. Indeed, the need for fundamentally new procurement approaches that allow for co-development of initiatives and longer-term partnerships was a recurring priority across many countries. And, the need to put respect for personal


privacy at the heart of every community’s strategy and governance approach to smart cities was also a common theme.

5. Mobility, energy & data In terms of the projects being discussed and implemented, urban mobility, energy

usage and successfully managing data were consistently at the top of the list. As leading advisor Josep Ramon Ferrer Escoda, International Director of DOXA and former CIO Barcelona City Council, said to the delegation at a briefing before the Congress, “Our increasingly urban society has no option but to become dramatically more efficient in how it uses all forms of resources”.

6. It’s about the people, not the technology A successful smart city must, above all else, use technology to solve real problems

and facilitate a better community. While the array of smart city technology available is dazzling (and only set to accelerate as 5G comes to fruition), deploying technology is not the goal just the enabler. Improving people’s lives is the goal and must never be forgotten when pursuing a smarter city.

Overall, one of the most important take-aways was that Australian and New Zealand local governments are not as far behind our overseas counterparts as many imagine. We could well be though if we do not get the transition underway here soon.


Smart City Expo World Congress


OVERVIEW The Institute of Public Works Engineers (IPWEA), supported by the Smart Cities Council ANZ (SCCANZ), Australian Smart Communities Association (ASCA) and Austrade led an escorted immersion tour of Australian and New Zealand delegates to the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona from 10 – 18 November 2018. The Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) is the largest event of its kind in the world with over 20,000 delegates, over 400 speakers, and 800 exhibitors. SCEWC has grown since it started in 2011, to be now the worlds’ leading smart city event where delegates can see the latest smart city solutions and technologies and learn from City counter-parts from around the world and leading keynote speakers on improving life in cities. In 2018, the event reflected on what makes a city liveable and how to transform the way a city operates so that it can become more sustainable, resilient, inclusive and, of course, smarter with a focus on its people. To do so, the 2018 edition concentrated on five main topics responding to the key issues facing cities:

Digital Transformation5G Technology

Internet of ThingsData‐Driven Cities & Cloud

Blockchain & CryptocurrenciesArtificial Intelligence

Safe Cities

Urban EnvironmentEnergy

Resilient CitiesClimate Change

Public Space & Green DistrictsUrban Planning

Cleantech

MobilityFuture Mobility

RailwayConnected Vehicles

Public TransportSustainable Mobility

Disruptive Models & Payment Systems

Governance & FinanceFunding

Multilevel GovernanceMulti-StakeholderE-Gov & Open-GovData Governance

Standards & Indicators

Inclusive & Sharing CitiesSharing Cities

Social InclusionCollaborative Policy

Gentrification & HousingCircular Economy

Innovation Ecosystemss


Additionally, the Smart Mobility Congress, the International Integrated Water Cycle Show (Iwater), the Circular Economy European Summit and the Sharing Cities Summit were held in parallel to the SCEWC, thus creating great synergies between the co-located events and contributing to the major objective of creating a better future for our cities. To maximise the benefit each delegate derived from SCEWC, IPWEA organised a series of meetings, briefings and other side events with leading international suppliers and innovators with proven credentials and exemplars of implemented systems. SUMMATION OF KEY THEMES At the end of the week, tour participants gave IPWEA their feedback on SCEWC and all the side meetings organised by IPWEA. Based on that feedback and some of the best presentations and side meetings, Graham Mawer of Next Energy summarised the six recurring smart city themes from SCEWC, Barcelona: 1. Articulate where your community is headedA successful smart city needs an ambitious long-term strategy articulating what it wants to achieve in the future to make its community a better place. To build support, it then needs to implement projects that deliver demonstrable short-term wins consistent with that strategy. 2. Transformational change relies on superb communicationsMore than most changes delivered by government, a successful smart city requires an excellent internal and external communications strategy because of the transformational nature of the changes that smart cities usher in. 3. Senior champions neededA successful smart city requires a senior champion to regularly, loudly and enthusiastically communicate its strategy internally and externally so that everyone understands the benefits it will bring. 4. Governance reformAgain and again, the message was clear that a successful smart city requires fundamentally new approaches to governance that allows for innovative collaboration with suppliers and a more open, inclusive and participatory relationship with community. Indeed, the need for fundamentally new procurement approaches that allow for co-development of initiatives and longer-term partnerships was a recurring priority across many countries. And, the need to put respect for personal privacy at the heart of every community’s strategy and governance approach to smart cities was also a common theme. 5. Mobility, energy & dataIn terms of the projects being discussed and implemented, urban mobility, energy usage and successfully managing data were consistently at the top of the list. As leading advisor Josep Ramon Ferrer Escoda, International Director of DOXA and former CIO Barcelona City Council, said to the delegation at a briefing before the Congress, “Our increasingly urban society has no option but to become dramatically more efficient in how it uses all forms of resources”.


6. It’s about the people, not the technologyA successful smart city must, above all else, use technology to solve real problems and facilitate a better community. While the array of smart city technology available is dazzling (and only set to accelerate as 5G comes to fruition), deploying technology is not the goal just the enabler. Improving people’s lives is the goal and must never be forgotten when pursuing a smarter city. MONDAY 12 NOVEMBER - BARCELONA BRIEFING WITH DOXA & PRE-CONFERENCE DEEP DIVE The delegation attended a Barcelona briefing by Doxa, led by Josep Ramon Ferrer and supported by Anna Grau.Until June 2015, Josep Ramon was CIO and Smart City Director of the Barcelona City Council and CEO of the Barcelona Institute of Technology (BIT), where he planned and executed the Barcelona Smart City project that ranked the city to be the first Global Smart City Worldwide and European Capital of Innovation (European Commission, 2014). Key takeaways from the Doxa presentation include: Whilst Barcelona implemented a comprehensive Smart City strategy and deployed smart connected initiatives in the early 2010’s, the total percentage of City rollout is still less than 10%. The important messages from the presentation are listed below. Emphasised was the need for an open, inclusive and participatory long-term strategic plan, good governance, strong communication and long-term sustained leadership and vision for any success.

Smart cities are an opportunity to transform communitiesMobility, energy and data at the three key aspects of smart citiesSociety has no option but to become dramatically more efficient in how it uses all forms of resourcesTechnology provides the enabling tools, not the driver: but, that said, everything will be connectedClear objectives: 1) Citizen welfare; 2) Fostering economic growth; and, 3) Sustainability (eg triple bottom line)Barcelona 5.0 is: 1) Inclusive City; 2) Productive City; 3) Self-Sufficient City; 4) Smart and Innovative City; and 5) City of Communities and Public SpacesThinking long-term but acting in the short-term was key to success of transformative aspects of preparing for Olympics and led to revitalising many aspects of the CityOlympics were a useful catalyst for engaging a wide spectrum of stakeholdersA clear long-term vision is highly valuable and must address the question of, “What do we want to become, as a city, in 20-30 years’ time?”Strategic transformational plan needed that presents a holistic model and helps break silos. Starting with a generic smart city program canvas covering smart government, smart living, smart infrastructure, smart economy, smart environment and smart people. This is then customised for each city, then cascades into project plans for business units in each area.Citizen engagement is essential: “no smart city without smart citizens”. Do it in an open, inclusive and participatory way to develop projects with the citizenship and, in particular engaging them on the definition of what we want


Measuring the impact in economic, social and environmental terms will help generate a supportive tool for the political narrative and help foster new projectsAlliances essential across a range of stakeholdersProcurement is a mess everywhere and new frameworks are needed under different governance models. Bring in procurement early to ensure engagement in the processCommunications need to be at the heart of every smart city initiative but must be led by the clear story-telling by the most senior figures (eg Mayors)Governance model needed that brings together new procurement approach, alliances, communications and championsThree big challenges: 1) changing the model of energy use; 2) changing mobility; and, 3) big data (how can data really be integrated)

DOXA Presentation #1

DOXA Presentation #2

A guided walking tour of Passieg de Gracia was undertaken where various Smart City infrastructure deployments were demonstrated including EV Charging stations, City WiFi and LED Lighting.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/pr1e1oilrhj8azm/Decalogue%20for%20building%20Smart%20Cities.pdf?dl+=0

TUESDAY 13 NOVEMBER - SCEWC DAY 1 Smart City Expo World Congress opened its doors and very quickly the delegation began to attend presentations and business meetings, as well as, networking. The themes for the Congress’s debates today were 5G, IoT, sharing economy, urban resilience and social inclusion. Highlights of Day 1 included:

Australian Delegation meeting with Cisco to discuss the Australian market landscapeDelegation meetings with Dutch booth, Signifiy (Philips) and Mastercard (City Possible)

The last event of the day was the Convercities meet up. Convercities is an organisation that provides links between city managers around the world who are progressing smart city projects and innovative agendas. The event was hosted at the Catalan Government’s office by Daniel Marco, Director of SmartCatalonia. Fantastic first day at Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona. #SCEWC18 #CitiesToLiveIn The Smart City Expo World Congress has started with great energy. Attendees have learnt about the latest innovations in the smart city field and what building an all-inclusive society means. Experts have underlined the need to empower people to drive change. Watch the recap video of day one.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cnfWx83RoQ

WEDNESDAY 14 NOVEMBER - SCEWC DAY 2 Day 2 was another day packed full of deep-dive conversations at #SCEWC18, with climate change, autonomous vehicles, blockchain, e-gov, gentrification and many more key issues being discussed by worldwide experts, international mayors and high-level government officials. Over in the Expo, meanwhile, the delegation and thousands of delegates continued to discover new innovative infrastructure, technology to connect and together build better cities. Highlights of Day 2 included:

Keynote presentation by Andrew Keen author of ‘How to Fix the Future’·Delegation meetings with Itron, Schreder and Israel Pavilion.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rWNhg8zg0Q

THURSDAY 15 NOVEMBER - SCEWC DAY 3 DAY 3 Smart City Expo World Congress wrapped up its third day of networking, activities and challenging debates, marking the end of a brilliant 8th edition that has strengthened this platform as the world’s greatest meeting point for cities and companies working towards a better urban future. Highlights of Day 3 included:

Keynote presentation by Rufus Pollock – a Robot Revolution for the 1%Delegation meetings with Nordic Pavilion and Ferrovial.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiwOJ4IYsc

FRIDAY 16 NOVEMBER

The Delegation meet with of Mastercard for a post conference debrief.City Possible – Wanted to co-create program with cities because the learnings are stronger if cities connect with cities. Mastercard committed to developing a revenue model that shares benefits with citiesCommon Themes:

Ambitious long-term plan/strategy essential but also need short-term wins consistent with the plan and good comms strategy from the outset (internal and external)Privacy concerns a common themeSCEWC was a powerful networking opportunitySpeakers in Congress often disappointing; content often did not relate to titles; many repeating common smart city mantras; speakers on stands and at Agoras betterSubstantive governance discussions were missing and badly neededOverall, a fantastic learning opportunityStrong interest to keep up networks and learning to help overcome roadblocksTechnology must work for people – customer first

What is a smart city? Connected, more efficient, better service levels/new services, better quality of lifeWhat were your learnings? What do you want to implement 3, 6 & 9 months? How do we stay connected with the group? What other groups should we join?


SECTION 6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT ITEM 6.5 Hypothecation of the Waste Levy


1. Receive and note the report. 2. Endorse the SSROC position on the use of revenue generated from the landfill levy. 3. Offer views on the campaign to advocate for this change.


To seek Delegates’ support for revenue raised from the Waste Levy to be hypothecated to the waste and resource recovery sector.

Background: As a response to the permanent shifts in the waste industry over the last year, NSW and Australia will need significant investment and forward vision in order to build a strategic framework across industries, governments and communities. A levy is paid by councils (and ultimately the communities that they represent) on every tonne of the waste disposed of in landfill. The levy, under section 88 of the Protection of Environment Operations Act 1997, is set at $141.20 per tonne for 2018-19. In 2017-18 the NSW Government collected $727 million in waste levy, $300 million of that from Councils across NSW. Only 18% of that was returned to Councils, much of it through competitive grant funding schemes. Councils estimate that the percentage returned directly, without a competitive application process, is closer to 2%. Hypothecation of the waste levy to the waste and resource recovery sector would enable industry and State and Local government to begin to proceed confidently with strategic planning and implementation.

Current Status: A position paper in relation to the use of the revenue generated through the s88 landfill levy (Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, section 88) has been drafted by the secretariat in consultation with councils. Our proposed position is to advocate for the hypothecation of all the funds to the development of the waste and recycling sector. Please see attachment.


Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) Inc.

ABN 54 485 603 535

Level 7, 1 Lawson Square REDFERN NSW 2016

PO Box 3138, REDFERN LPO NSW 2016

T 02 8396 3800F 02 8396 3816E [email protected]

XXXX 2019 Re: SSROC Position on Hypothecation of the Waste Levy to Better Manage the NSW

Waste Crisis

Summary and Recommendation As a response to the permanent shifts in the waste industry over the last year, NSW and Australia will need significant investment and forward vision in order to build a strategic framework across industries, governments and communities. Hypothecation of the waste levy to the waste and resource recovery sector would demonstrate that stable commitment, so that industry and State and Local government could confidently proceed with strategies and implementation.

Recommendation: A 100 per cent hypothecation back to the waste industry, sending a profound signal to the public and to investors that governments, the commercial resource recovery sector, social enterprises and charities can together solve the impending waste crisis.

About us The Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) is an association of 11 Councils spanning Sydney’s southern suburbs, eastern suburbs, CBD, and inner west. The area includes about one third of Greater Sydney’s population, or 1.7m people. Our Councils manage around 655,000 tonnes of household waste each year, roughly 20 per cent of all NSW household waste. SSROC provides a forum through which our member councils can interact, exchange ideas and work collaboratively to solve regional issues and contribute to the future sustainability of the region. We advocate on behalf of our region to ensure that the major issues are addressed by all levels of government. SSROC Councils’ vision for the Regional Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy is “to manage waste for the highest level of environmental and social benefit though cost-effective resource recovery, including reducing the environmental impact of waste and using resources more efficiently.”i We are keenly interested in the direction that the Australian and NSW Governments are taking following China’s policy decisions on importing waste materials. We are concerned about the level of commitment shown at all levels of Government, and by multiple industry sectors to solve the domestic waste and resource recovery crisis, and to send serious market signals about creating and sustaining a circular economy. In this instance, we specifically highlight the missed opportunity to invest the funds raised through the NSW Waste and Environment levy back into the development of the NSW’s own waste and resource recovery sector. The NSW context The last two years have been difficult ones for the waste industry in NSW, and local government is under pressure to improve environmental and waste management outcomes but is at the same time severely constrained in what it can achieve. In particular:

• the last three major landfills servicing Sydney metropolitan councils are filling up, • China is no longer importing Australia’s waste, • councils’ contracts and negotiations with recyclers were thrown into disarray following

China’s policy,


• mixed waste organic outputs are now banned as a result of the revocation in October 2018 EPA compost order and exemption,

• there is a lack of residual and recycling competition in the Sydney basin, • councils have been through a difficult period of refund-sharing negotiations after the first

year of ‘Return and Earn’.

NSW Councils are extremely concerned that their waste management and resource recovery options are few and dwindling. Meanwhile, Sydney and other parts of NSW are densifying and diversifying to a degree that waste management and education systems are struggling to cope with rising waste generation rates and servicing. SSROC estimates conclude that by 2036, 79 percent of housing in the region will be classified medium-high density – up from 64% in 2016 (KMH 2017)ii This is most acutely characterised by five ‘growth corridors’ in the SSROC region, identified in the Greater Sydney Commission’s District Plans for the South and the Eastern City. As well as increasing population, per capita waste generation is also increasing: the same study shows total waste tonnage will rise to 881,102 by 2036 – up from 693,027 tonnes in 2016. But Council efforts to respond to the increasing waste management challenge are increasingly hampered by regulations. Planning processes have not prioritised or expedited waste facility projects, energy from waste is not a developing sub-sector in NSW despite proven technologies and increasing electricity prices, and infrastructure for processing general putrescible waste into compost can no longer operate effectively. Per capita waste generation rates are high and rising, and social research indicates that the public wants better reuse, repair and recycling alternatives. SSROC has welcomed and actively supported the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) Waste Less Recycle More program, which represents an $802 million investment into a broad range of waste, recovery and education initiatives. The program now reports that 2.39 million tonnes of waste id diverted annually, and that 1,000 jobs since 2014 have been created. We commend the EPA for the impact that the program is having. We also commend the EPA’s intention to prepare a 20-year waste strategy for NSW. However, the developing crisis in the waste sector in the context of success of the program signals that Waste Less Recycle More is not enough. The significant, long-term investment that the industry needs cannot be delivered be delivered through this program alone. The industry requires investment in research and development, policy frameworks, technology, infrastructure and strategic planning. As a public health and sustainability issue, waste management is an essential service. More fundamental resourcing is needed urgently with a clear, non-partisan recognition of the crisis facing the industry. Levy re-investment in NSW According to the Sydney Morning Heraldiii, the State Government’s half-yearly budget review released last year shows that Treasury will collect an extra $133.4 million this fiscal year from its waste and environment levy, and an additional $726.7 million over four years. Increases in the waste levy, currently $141.20 per tonne and expected to increase, will affect householders through their domestic waste management charges (especially those whose Council has invested in processing that is no longer deemed to be acceptable). Councils are also concerned that there is a very real risk of increased dumping and illegal landfilling. Last year the NSW Government collected $727 million from the waste levy, of which $300 million was from local governments across NSW. Only 18% was returned to local government for the management of wasteiv. Local Councils (whose residents ultimately pay the levy) participate greatly in the WLRM grants, and strive to meet the NSW resource recovery targets, yet their communities do not gain commensurate improvements in waste services or resource recovery.


Instead, Councils receive a small amount from the Better Waste and Recycling Fund, and compete with each other for the pool of remaining funds through the various grant programs. While these funds are welcome, they are generally only sufficient for incremental changes. They will not deliver the kind of strategic overhaul of the sector that is needed. The Review of the NSW Waste and Environment Levy (KPMG 2012)v commissioned by NSW EPA found that waste diverted from landfill increased as the levy increased. However, the scale of that increase in diversion has been over-estimated, leading to greater revenue from the levy than its forward estimates of the value. The 2015-16 revenue estimate was $509 million, increasing each year on average by $23 million. This indicates that according to the Government’s own estimates for 2018/19, it is earning up to $149 million more levy revenue than was projected. In March 2018, the Parliamentary Planning and Environment Committee enquiry into ‘Energy from waste technology’vi established 36 recommendations. Of particular relevance:

Recommendation 4: That NSW Government hypothecate 100 per cent of the waste levy funds contributed by local councils back to these organisations to provide waste management services, including waste reduction, avoidance and re-use programs….and to encourage the development of innovative waste management technology.

Recommendation 5: That the NSW Government investigate opportunities to hypothecate a proportion of waste levy funds contributed by the waste industry back to the industry to support waste management solutions and the development of innovative waste management technology.

Recommendation 6: That the NSW Government urgently consider attaching the waste levy to the waste generator in NSW, particularly for large waste generators or operators of large sites.

Recommendation 30: That the NSW Government investigate opportunities to enhance the collaborative powers of Regional Organisations of Councils to encourage investment in waste facilities, to be funded by the waste levy.

A full or partial hypothecation of the waste levy back to waste industry, of which local governments are a major element, is a rational, perceptive and achievable response that matches the reach and enormity of the recycling and residual processing crisis. It is also an investment that does not have to be ‘found,’ as it is already agreed to, and being collected. SSROC Position NSW and Australia will need significant investment and forward vision to drive the coordinated, transformational shifts that are needed. Industries, governments and community attitudes and behaviours all need to change to achieve a viable and transparent circular economy. Hypothecating the waste levy to the sector would be a strong signal of stable economic commitment, enabling industry and State and Local government to confidently deliver and implement strategic plans for waste management and resource stewardship. In taking this position, SSROC aligns with the Local Government NSW Save Our Recycling campaign, the Waste Management & Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR), the NSW Parliamentary Enquiry into Energy from Waste Technology’, and our own member councils in requesting that the government give effect to this recommendation as a matter of urgency. For any enquiries, please contact me or Helen Sloan, Program Manager SSROC on 02 8396 3800. View the SSROC Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2014-2021 on our website www.ssroc.nsw.gov.au


Yours faithfully Namoi Dougall General Manager Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils

References i SSROC Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2014-2021 www.ssroc.nsw.gov.au/publications ii SSROC Waste and Population Growth Projections, unpublished report, KMH 2017 iii NSW ‘waste crisis’ looms even as government collects ‘huge’ levy gains, Sydney Morning Herald 6 January 2019. https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/nsw-waste-crisis-landfill-levy-gains-20190104-p50pp3.html iv NSW councils call for more investment in recycling with funds raised from waste levy, Inside Waste 22 December 2018, https://www.insidewaste.com.au/index.php/2018/12/22/nsw-councils-call-for-more-reinvestment-in-recycling-with-funds-raised-from-waste-levy/ v Review of the NSW Waste and Environment Levy, KPMG June 2012, https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/~/media/EPA/Corporate%20Site/resources/wasteregulation/waste-levy-review-report.ashx vi ‘Energy from Waste’ technology, Legislative Council Portfolio Committee No. 6 – NSW Planning and Environment, printed 28 March 2018


SECTION 6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT

ITEM 6.6 Affordable Rental Housing SEPP: Boarding Houses and Secondary Dwellings

RECOMMENDATION:

That Delegates: 1. Receive and note the report.


To update Delegates on phase 2 of SSROC’s research into the effectiveness of the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP (ARHSEPP) related to secondary dwellings and new generation boarding houses.

Background: SSROC commissioned the City Futures Research Centre, UNSW to deliver phase 1 of the research into the effectiveness of the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP in delivering affordable housing in the Eastern City and South Districts. The NSW Government introduced the ARHSEPP with the central aim of increasing the supply and diversity of affordable rental housing in the state.

The phase 1 initiative delivered its final report in June 2018. The study examined the scale and regional pattern of affordable housing facilitated by the SEPP, for example, secondary dwellings and new generation boarding houses and the extent that secondary dwellings filter into the rental market. The report found the SEPP has delivered little genuinely affordable rental housing, particularly for very-low and low-income households since it was introduced.

The Phase 1 study highlighted that little was known about who was living in the boarding houses and secondary dwellings.

Additional post occupancy research was considered to require separate proposals for boarding houses and secondary dwellings. Both projects in phase 2 of the research aim to provide robust evidence to strengthen advocacy to the Greater Sydney Commission and the Department for Planning and Environment to support recommendations for improvements to the NSW Government’s approach to the affordability of rental housing.

Overall 8,212 secondary dwellings (granny flats) were approved across the SSROC region between July 2007 and June 2017. The disparate nature of secondary dwelling development, and the processes that have enabled their growth - such as complying development certificates - makes it difficult and costly to get access to occupants and gain a deep insight into the role this housing segment plays. Many secondary dwellings

ARHSEPP Phase 1 Research • Boarding houses• Secondary Dwellings• Infill Affordable Housing

Secondary Dwellings Phase 2 Post occupancy survey

Boarding Houses Phase 2 Post occupancy survey


do not have a separate address. The Department of Planning and Environment has recently confirmed that secondary dwellings will now contribute to meeting local government housing supply targets.

Current Status: Boarding House Resident Survey City Futures has been contracted to undertake a Post Occupancy Survey of Boarding Houses in Central and Southern Sydney. The surveying of boarding house residents was completed in December 2018. A project report is to be delivered by March 2019.


SECTION 6. ADVOCACY AND ISSUES MANAGEMENT ITEM 6.7 SSROC Feasibility Study into a Council-Owned or Operated Materials Recovery

Facility (MRF) or Transfer Station (TS) RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To report on the feasibility study into a council-owned MRF or TS (or sorting facility for clean-up waste materials).

Background: Over the years, inner-city Councils have chosen to outsource the processing and collection of waste. Industry down-turns and disruptions recently have exposed commercial providers and their clients to legal and financial risk. This is an opportunity to assess the business justification for local governments to take control of processing outcomes, to explore alternatives to down-cycling, and to collectively re-consider what a waste facility can do. General Managers responded to scoping questions in December, generally noting key risks, avenues and opportunities of continuing with feasibility. All responses were positive and agreed that SSROC should continue to investigate the business justification for further planning.

Current Status: A steering group of council waste managers met on 30 January 2019 to agree a draft scope of works for a consultant to make an initial assessment of business justification: • Overview of current conditions and drivers • Desktop summary of existing contract and ownership models • Initial Business Case

o The Strategic Case: the Case for Change, covering project need, priority, indicative benefits and costs, timing, stakeholders and assumptions

o The Finance Business Case: covering investment models, risks, sustainability, technical requirements, legislative requirements, planning, contestability and commercial strategy options,

o Approach: governance, project team, sites/planning, stakeholder commitment. • Procurement: contract alignments, planning, licences, costs of participation. SSROC has approximately from Better Waste and Recycling Funds (NSW EPA’s Waste Less, Recycle More program) to carry out Phase One consultant works. SSROC General Managers will act as Steering Committee, initially focusing on the scope of works for the consultancy procurement. Thereafter the secretariat will start procurement, in perhaps April 2019. If this initial Feasibility Study demonstrates the business justification, Phase Two would include soft market testing, deeper consultation and engagement with councils, site analysis (commercial real estate) and a procurement strategy. This next phase would require financial commitment from participating SSROC councils.


Removed confidential information

SECTION 7. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS ITEM 7.1 Secretariat’s Relocation to Campsie RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To advise member councils of the SSROC Secretariat’s move from Redfern to premises adjoining the Canterbury Bankstown Campsie Administration building.

Background: SSROC’s lease for the premises in Redfern expired on 30 August 2018 and the Secretariat moved to its new location in Campsie on 13 December 2018.

Current Status: Our new address is: 139-145 Beamish Street CAMPSIE Otherwise, our other contact details remain the same: General email: [email protected] Telephone: 8396 3800 Delegates are more than welcome to visit our new premises.


[email protected]

SECTION 7. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

ITEM 7.2 Proposed 2019 Meeting Dates

RECOMMENDATION:

That Delegates: 1. Receive and note the report.2. Adopt the meeting dates and location for Ordinary meetings for 2019 as shown in the report.


To propose dates and locations for Ordinary Meetings for 2019.

Background: The meeting schedule proposed below provides for three further Ordinary Meetings, with the final meeting date of the year also hosting the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The proposed meeting schedule for 2019 reflects these arrangements, and takes into consideration:

• Public holidays• School holidays• Canterbury Bankstown Council meeting dates• National General Assembly of Local Government (16-19 June 2019) • Local Government NSW Annual Conference (14-16 October 2019)

Proposed 2019 Ordinary Meeting dates:

Dates • Thursday, 16 May 2019• Thursday, 15 August 2019• Thursday, 14 November 2019

In the future, it is the intention to hold all Ordinary meetings at Canterbury Bankstown Council (Beamish Street, Campsie). However, there are currently some building issues at the Campsie site and until these are rectified, Canterbury Bankstown Council has offered to host all future meetings at its Bankstown Chambers.


SECTION 7. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS ITEM 7.3 SSROC News RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To advise Delegates of the latest update that is being provided to councils and other stakeholders.

Background: SSROC issues a periodic update of its activities to councils and other stakeholders for information. It is included here so that Delegates are aware of what is communicated about our work to a broader stakeholder group.

Current Status: The current update is attached.


SSROC NEWSF E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Dear SSROC community,

Looking back on 2018 as President of

the Southern Sydney Regional

Organisation of Councils (SSROC), I

have been, and continue to be, struck

by the impressive results that can be

achieved when we work together.

Our joint procurement initiatives

continue to bring real financial savings

to all the member councils, and our

other shared services enable great

work to be done through collective

advocacy, joint projects and shared

resources.

As we look forward to the rest of 2019,

I can’t wait to see what is next. Please

read on to find out about the current

projects and great work the SSROC

team has been undertaking on your

behalf.

Warm regards,

SSROC President

Mayor John Faker

Burwood Council

WELCOME

SSROC Junior Vice President

Mayor Khal Asfour

Canterbury Bankstown

SSROC Senior Vice President

Position Vacant until SSROC

Executive Election on

21 February 2019

SSROC President

Mayor John Faker

Burwood Council


Welcome to SSROC's first 2019 edition of

the quarterly SSROC News.

I am impressed by how much SSROC has

achieved in 2018, particularly our work on

the Renewable Energy Power Purchase

Agreement which was the first of its kind

in Australia, and the Cities for Us

Summit which delivered

strong recommendations that are

supported by the NSW Planning Minister

Anthony Roberts.

We welcome feedback on our publications

- please contact Kate Hannan on

[email protected] or phone

02 8396 3811.

If there is anything regarding the work of

the Secretariat that you would like to

discuss, please call me on 02 8396 3800.

Warm regards,

Namoi Dougall

General Manager

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Following on from the successful Cities

for Us Summit in July, the summit

produced four key recommendations:

Bringing together the finances to get

community infrastructure in place sooner

• Recommendation 1: Move to establish a

Growth Infrastructure Compact by District

and key Precincts between the Greater

Sydney Commission, Infrastructure NSW,

Department of Planning and Environment

and Sydney councils to make sure local

community infrastructure keeps pace with

growth. Extend the current pilot of the

Growth Infrastructure Compact in the

Greater Parramatta and Olympic Park area

to other locations like the Sydenham to

Bankstown Urban Renewal Corridor.

• Recommendation 2: Seek transparent,

holistic reform to local and state

development contributions and VPA

regimes to ensure that contributions for a

place are predictable and serve their

different purposes. Clearly configured

contribution regimes will transparently

demonstrate how they are calculated and

how they are spent.

Tackling cost of living pressures by

providing more affordable rental housing

PLANNING AND ADVOCACY

• Recommendation 3: Strategically extend

SEPP 70 to all Sydney councils to

consistently and more fairly meet Sydney’s

pressing problem of housing unaffordability.

The provision of regional housing

affordability data, policy guidelines and

model submission arrangements from DPE

will enable Councils wanting to come under

SEPP 70 to streamline their application

process and reduce the wasteful duplication

of public resources.

Making equitable growth happen with

genuine community engagements.

• Recommendation 4: Pilot Local Renewal

Agencies in neighbourhoods undergoing

intensive redevelopment, not currently being

led by a State agency. These council led

pilots would endeavour to deliver place

sensitive models supported by strong

community engagement.

Citie

s fo

r Us

Sum

mit


These recommendations of the

Communique were then presented to the

Minister in September. The Minister

welcomed the discussion and expressed

particular interest in the proposal to pilot

a local renewal agency working in

neighbourhoods undergoing major

redevelopment. The Sydenham to

Bankstown transit corridor was referred to

as one possibility. Of particular appeal

was the ability for such a Council-led

agency to deliver a place sensitive

collaborative model shaped by strong

community engagement.

The Minister expressed his support for the

work of the Summit in the Communique’s

press release. The Joint Cities for Us

Communique , an outline of recommended

directions and a press release are on the

SSROC website.

In October 2018, SSROC convened a

project working group to develop the

concept and explore options for a local

renewal partnership. The group is

exploring options for a local government

urban renewal partnership model, involving

growth infrastructure funding and strong

community engagement, for application in

communities undergoing intense

redevelopment like the Sydenham to

Bankstown transit corridor.

In November 2018, the NSW Government

proposed to amend SEPP 70 to include all

local government areas in the state. This

would mean that that councils no longer

needed to seek the Minister’s approval to

be included in SEPP 70. The changes

along with new guidelines are intended

make it easier for councils to prepare

affordable housing contribution schemes

and increase affordable housing across

NSW.

In line with the Cities for Us Communique

recommendations, the SSROC Secretariat

made a submission in support of the

proposed changes. A Government

determination on the proposed planning

change is yet to be made. The

consultation period ended in 19 December

2018

NSW

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The regional joint programs and projects

that SSROC manages for member councils

have been continuing over the last few

months. Here are few of the main recent

achievements.

Program for Energy and Environmental

Risk Solutions

The Program for Energy and Environmental

Risk Solutions (PEERS) has proved to be

immensely popular, with 20 other councils

in addition to our own members

participating. The highlights are the price

for grid electricity around 10 per cent

below market rates, and the Renewable

Energy Power Purchase Agreement (RE

PPA) that is a national first.

The innovative PPA enables councils to

source between 20 and 50 per cent

(depending on council preference) of

energy consumption from renewable

sources, without taking on any

unacceptable risk on price or supply, at

less than market rates, for 11.5 years. In

the coming year SSROC will begin the

process of procuring further renewable

energy so that councils can increase the

proportion further.

Other elements of the project cover the

procurement of gas, and services to

increase energy efficiency so that overall

consumption can be reduced.

PROGRAMS ANDPROJECTS

Regional Waste Education Project

Part of the implementation of the Regional

Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy,

SSROC community waste educators have

delivered 167 workhops to over 2,780

residents, covering issues like food waste

and recycling.

This program was designed, at the request of

member councils, to reach communities that

have been difficult for council officers to

reach. Workshops can be delivered in

Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Spanish

and Arabic, and target existing community

groups and English language classes for

non-English speaking migrants.

The project is subject to evaluation, and

feedback from participants after the events

indicates that the sessions have brought

about behaviour changes among attendees

and their immediate families and networks.

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Model Public Lighting Strategy

Our Model Public Lighting Strategy for

Council-owned lighting was developed this

year.

Councils can easily adopt it to help bring

more rigour to their lighting standards and

procurement. The model strategy includes

minimum lighting and electrical design

requirements across the LGA, a list of

approved luminaires and columns, as well

as procedures for ensuring compliant

lighting designs for safety and

standardisation.

Our Energy Future

Our Energy Future, our regional program

designed to increase the proportion of

energy consumed that is derived from

renewable sources, has achieved a major

milestone this year.

The community energy service, estalished

under the program, provides advisory

services to residents and vetts suppliers

and products used for solar installations

and energy efficiency measures. That

service has now achieved more than 330

solar pv systems, which represent an

extraordinary 1.5MW of electricity

generation capacity, and more than 24,000

t/CO2e/kW abated.

Waste and Recycling

As the national (and global) waste sector

continues to respond to the global impacts

of China’s new policies, SSROC has been

closely involved in the steering of the NSW

Government’s response.

We are working to develop the recycling

industry in NSW through several strategic

initiatives, including specifying use of

recycled materials in civil works tenders, and

seeking tenders for innovative approaches to

the kerbside clean-up collection to increase

its reuse value. More on these exciting

initiatives in future updates!

Pape

r Rec

yclin

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Circular Civil Works Forum

SSROC generated some interest with civil

engineers and assets managers around

the topic of using recycled glass sand and

other recycled products (such as tyre

rubber, plastics, ink toner) in asphalt and

pavement, as a local government response

to China’s recycling reforms.

On 18 October, SSROC hosted a cross-

sector forum to stimulate the conversation

by reviewing current methods and case

studies. SSROC is engaging a working

group to develop a civil works tender

specification that allows for recycled

content for SSROC councils.

WASTE AVOIDANCE AND RESOURCE RECOVERY

Responsible Citizenship

1. Community Education Program

This is the third year of running the regional

education program. Our educators work

within existing community groups to improve

residents use of kerbside bins and the clean

up service. This year sees the addition of

two new workshop topics to reflect the

behavioural priorities of the Regional Waste

Avoidance and Resource Recovery strategy.

Workshop offerings are:

Recycle Right: – this popular session is all

about right thing right bin and focusses on

the main contaminants of the yellow bins.

Avoiding Food Waste – this practical session

shows residents how to avoid food waste

and save money.

The two new sessions are:

Buy / Swap / Sell Online – Available from

March this session shows residents how to

get the most out of the reuse economy.

Why Plastic? – This session reminds

residents about ‘right thing right bin’ and,

whilst recognising its important role in some

parts of the economy, encourages residents

to rethink their day to day relationship with

avoidable single use plastic items.

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Since October 2018 we have run 53

workshops reaching 940 people. This

takes the reach since the start of the

program to 5,842 residents. TAFE and

private colleges have incorporated this

program into their English teaching

schedule. In the coming months

communities that we are reaching will

include National Council of Jewish Women

of Australia, Chester Hill Community

Garden, St George & Sutherland

Community College, and youth event

Twilight Sports at Riverwood. If you know

of a community group in the SSROC region

who would like to host a workshop please

contact: [email protected] or

[email protected]

2. Marketing and Communications

Unbag Your Recyclins campaign

SSROC launched its newest waste

marketing campaign Unbag Your Recyclins

on National Recycling Week, which

featured a 1-minute original animated

video. The campaign approach, coupled

with positive user engagement with the

quirky and memorable video gave councils

huge exposure to the issue, with a key

tagline “Recycling left in plastic bags

doesn’t get recycled.” The 7-week

campaign was featured on Channel 7

Sunrise program, online on Pedestrian TV,

Mamamia.com, Yahoo Lifestyle,

Huffington Post and across Facebook and

Spotify.

Advocacy

We have made three submissions during

this period: On the draft National Waste

Policy, the draft NSW Circular Economy

Policy and, as part of the NSW Container

Deposit Scheme, the draft Alternative

Waste Treatment (AWT) CDS Protocol.

SSROC remains in close contact with the

NSW EPA regarding the Mixed Waste

Organic Outputs (MWOO) Exemption

announced late last year and its

implications for Councils and their service

providers.

Bin Audits

The regular SSROC bin audits program will

be underway over the coming months.

Every effort will be made to minimise

disruption and disturbance when samples

are being collected in the evening and

sometimes at night.

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In the past quarter the SSROC

procurement team has engaged and

finalised multiple procurement projects.

Here are some of the highlights:

Model Public Lighting Strategy and

Council-Owned Lighting Tender (COLT)

The strategy objective is to assist councils

in ensuring that they engage only certified

suppliers and contractors to work on

council-owned lighting infrastructure. The

strategy covers lighting, electrical and

lighting design standards; installation,

testing and inspection standards.

To assist councils in the implementation

of the strategy, an SSROC contract called

Council-Owned Lighting Tender (COLT) is

available. This contract provides councils

with access to suppliers qualified to

supply certified products such as LED

luminaires; columns/poles supply;

installation and maintenance.

Civil Works Forum for Supply Chain – a

response to China Sword

SSROC successfully delivered a cross-

sector Forum on 18 October 2018

highlighting current methods, technologies

and products in civil works that use

recovered glass and plastics as

alternatives to virgin materials.

PROCUREMENT SSROC welcomed 48 attendees, including 30

council engineers, supply, assets and

strategic waste staff, 7 agency and industry

body delegates, and 9 commercial supply

representatives.

The purpose of the forum was to create a

market by building demand for products, and

subsequently by highlighting that demand to

suppliers by seeking tenders. Presentations

and discussion aimed to build confidence in

existing technologies and products that use

crushed glass and plastics, explore the legal

and regulatory framework that enables or

obstructs, and hear about projects that have

successfully used recycled content.

Recruitment

SSROC is pleased to announce the

appointment of Yamini Agarwal to the role of

Procurement Project Officer. Yamini has

expertise in procurement and project

management. We wish Yamini all the very

best in her new role.

Civi

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Mattress Collection and Processing

Mattress Collection and Processing

contract has been completed. Other than

price, the procurement objective is to

increase recycling and other positive

environmental outcomes.

It is estimated that approximately 54,000

mattresses are collected across the region

from the 8 participating councils

per annum. The process involves

collection, deconstruction and on-sell of

the components collected. The steel

springs are recycled into building products

like roofing materials, the foam into carpet

underlay, and the timber is mulched,

leaving nothing or very little to landfill.

One of the suppliers also focuses on

social responsibility: they provide

employment and training opportunities for

people experiencing disadvantage.

The Program for Energy and Environmental

Risk Solutions (PEERS)

PEERS program is aimed to improve energy

efficiency, achieve the best value pricing for

electricity and gas, reduce the risk of future

price shocks, and increase the proportion of

energy consumed that is derived from

renewable sources. We extended the

opportunity to aggregate our spend to other

councils, and that invitation was

enthusiastically embraced by 18 councils.

The contracts have been awarded.

PEERS Renewable Energy PPA and Grid

Energy

The purchase of renewable energy has been

completed through a successful Power

Purchase Agreement (PPA). The purchase of

grid electricity for large and small sites has

also been completed. The contracts were

entered into as follows:

Large Market (3 years) and Renewable

Energy (PPA) (11.5 years) is with Origin

Energy.

Small Market (3 years) is with ERM Retail

Power.

The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

procurement strategy managed the financial,

environmental and contractual risk for the

councils.

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to b

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The PPA achieved a 20% financial savings

over the current electricity market pricing

in the first year. It committed a fixed load

of renewable energy each year that is

equivalent to 20% (or a council’s

nominated percentage) of electricity load

in 2017/18.

The PPA contractual terms will manage

the price risk for both higher or lower than

expected electricity pricing during the

contract period. SSROC and Sourced

Energy partnership provided councils with

purchasing volume and industry expertise

that lead to the road of success.

The SSROC successful Program Energy

and Environmental Risks Solutions

(PEERS) program was launched on

Tuesday, 2 October 2018. The program

was heavily featured throughout national,

state and local news outlet including print,

online and radio.

Should you have any questions or want to

find out more about the joint procurement

program, including current contracts and

tenders, please visit our WEBSITE or contact

us on 02 8396 3800 or

[email protected]

Questions?

SSROC will continue to keep your councils

updated on the status of the ongoing

projects tabled above Should you have any

questions about any of the projects, feel free

to contact Cathy Dizon on 02 8396 3802 or

[email protected].


Staff Profile: Mark Nutting

Preferred name: Mark

Q: What is your role with SSROC?

Strategic Planning Manager. I am

responsible for advocating for SSROC's

strategic planning agenda and the delivery

of key projects.

Q: How long have you worked for SSROC?

I have just completed my first sixth

months in the job.

Q: What is your experience and skill set? I

have extensive experience in delivering

strategic policy advice across a diverse

range of human services and areas of

planning. Before joining SSROC, I worked

as a private consultant and advocate and

prior to that had a career managing

strategic policy development for the NSW

Department of Family and Community

Services, primarily with a focus on

affordable and social housing.

GET TO KNOW YOUR SSROC

Q: What do you enjoy about your work at

SSROC? Since I have been in the role, I have

been able to work in such a diverse and

interesting part of Sydney that offers up

surprises, new angles, huge opportunities

and enormous challenges for a strategic

thinker. I am also very much enjoying

working with a talented and friendly team of

SSROC staff and meeting new colleagues in

each of SSROC’s 11 councils.

Q: Tell us one ‘Fun Fact’ about you: After a

lot of trepidation, I have grown to enjoy the

thrill of driving on LA’s spaghetti Freeways at

120 km/hr.

Q: Tell us a highlight story about your work:

Advocating for policies and programs that

will affect how a third of Sydney’s

communities face the challenges of the

future. The key is finding and then promoting

the elements that will help them to flourish

while their neighbourhoods change and

experience unprecedented growth.

All photographs used are the property of or licensed for use by Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) Inc. Some images have been sourced from Unsplash and Pexels.

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SECTION 8. JOINT ACTIVITIES WITHIN SSROC ITEM 8.1 Shared Services Update RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To provide Delegates with an update on SSROC shared services: • Procurement • Internal Audit and Business Consulting.

Background: The SSROC Procurement Service (2.0 FTE) provides ongoing support for tendering and contract management, bringing tangible benefits to councils through adopting a strategic approach to procurement and by aggregating spend. SSROC provides internal audit services (1.6 FTE) to councils and can also provide: probity advisory services; conducting compliance reviews; and special reviews on the request of management. Team members are highly qualified (CPA, CA, IIA), very experienced (corporate, state, local government) and greatly skilled in further supporting member councils.

Current Status: The Procurement Service continues to deliver savings and expertise to councils. In 2018/19 we are focusing on the top, largest categories of goods and services where it will deliver procurement value, innovation and efficiencies for the region. Where feasible, SSROC will collaborate with prescribed bodies, such as LGP, PA and state contracts. All our IABCS resources are fully deployed, so if any council is likely to require services in the near future the secretariat would need to source additional resources. Currently 1 FTE (Bindu Mathews) is allocated to Canterbury Bankstown, and 0.6 FTE (Umayal Sivanandan) is allocated to Waverley.


SECTION 8. JOINT ACTIVITIES WITHIN SSROC ITEM 8.2 Projects Update RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To inform Delegates on progress on major SSROC projects.

Background: SSROC plans, manages and delivers a range of projects in response to the needs of member councils. These may be initiated by the ROC Committees, General Managers, officers in working groups, or in response to opportunities that arise

Current status: Mixed Waste Organic Output (MWOO) Exemption Waste processing facilities that generate MWOO, a compost-like material, for application to land have been licensed to operate under a Resource Recovery Exemption from clauses 91 and 92 or the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2014. This covers the facilities operated by Veolia and SUEZ. In October 2018, that exemption was revoked by the Minister following a review of research into the impacts of the outputs on the land where it had been applied. As a result, facilities that generate MWOO are currently prohibited from using their output to apply to land and are either stockpiling or sending the product to landfill. MWOO that is landfilled currently does not attract the landfill levy. The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is now waiting for a Hazardous Effects Risk Assessment (HERA) report. Concerns raised in the research to date have related to the application of MWOO to agricultural land. The output from Veolia’s facility at Woodlawn is intended for mine-site rehabilitation, not agricultural use. The EPA has assured councils using Veolia’s Woodlawn facility that it will be a priority for review once the HERA report is available: the situation may be resolved by late 2019. Eight (8) SSROC member councils are affected: Bayside, Burwood, Georges River, Inner West, Waverley and Woollahra (Veolia) and City of Sydney and Randwick (SUEZ). Councils’ major concerns are that they are effectively now paying for a service that cannot be delivered, and that they will not meet the EPA’s target for diversion from landfill. There is also a concern that the handling of the response to the problems identified in the research, and the subsequent overnight revocation, will jeopardise the entire industry sector in NSW, which could effectively force councils to revert to landfilling general waste. SSROC and councils are monitoring this situation very closely. A protocol has been released to contractors to claim Phase 1 of a support package to cover expenses incurred as a direct result of the revocation of the exemption. Workshops for metropolitan councils to raise their consequent funding needs and to discuss Phase 2 financial support are to be held in late February 2019. SSROC Regional Kerbside Waste Audit Project planning has been completed and the process of collecting statistically valid waste samples from kerbside bins begins on 18 February 2019. Collections continue until late June (with a two-week break over Easter). Separate audits of high-rise unit blocks will be conducted in late June and July. Analysis of the data and report-writing for


each council will be done continually, and the final regional report will be completed after councils’ individual reports are complete. Participating Councils: Bayside, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury Bankstown, Georges River, Inner West, Randwick, Sutherland, City of Sydney and Woollahra. Clean Up Processing Contract This innovative project aims to increase the material from kerbside clean-up. The ACCC has given interim authorisation for the procurement, and a request for tenders is at final draft and will soon be released to the market. Participating Councils: Bayside, Burwood, Georges River, Inner West, Waverley and Woollahra. Strathfield Council is also participating, since they were keen and the additional tonnage will add to the appeal for potential suppliers. Waste Advocacy A position paper in relation to the use of the revenue generated through the s88 landfill levy (Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, section 88) has been drafted by the secretariat in consultation with councils. Our proposed position is to advocate for the hypothecation of all the funds to the development of the waste and recycling sector. Please see report at item 6.5. Our Energy Future The advisory service provided to residents by Positive Charge under this program continues to deliver more solar energy installations in the region with more than 1.5MW of generating capacity now installed directly through the program. A roundtable with the advisory service participating councils was held on 7 February 2019. An additional planning session will be scheduled for participating councils to review the Renewable Energy Master Plan and to identify what project(s) will be the next priority. Participating Councils: Bayside, Canterbury-Bankstown, Canada Bay, Georges River, Inner West, Randwick, Waverley, Woollahra, Parramatta, Hornsby, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, Willoughby. Connected Corridors for Biodiversity The second annual updates to the corridor mapping has been completed by Greater Sydney Local Land Services, which hosts the mapping for councils.


SECTION 8. JOINT ACTIVITIES WITHIN SSROC

ITEM 8.3 Procurement Activity

RECOMMENDATION:



To advise Delegates of progress with major SSROC procurement activity.

Background: SSROC maintains forty (40) regional contracts on behalf of member Councils and aims to continuously improve its offer through better value, business alignment and service improvement.

Current status: Civil Works Forum for Supply Chain – SSROC response to China Sword SSROC successfully delivered a cross-sector Forum on 18 October 2018 highlighting current methods, technologies and products in civil works that use recovered glass and plastics as alternatives to virgin materials.

SSROC welcomed 48 attendees, including 30 council engineers, supply, assets and strategic waste staff, 7 agency and industry body delegates, and 9 commercial supply representatives. There were presentations from Gayle Sloan, Waste Management Association of Australia, Jason Gordon, NSW Roads and Maritime Services, Andrew Doig, Australian Sustainable Business Group, Mick Savage, Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, Mark Wood, Sutherland Shire Council, Jim Appleby, Downer, and the NSW EPA.

The purpose of the forum was to create a market by building demand for products, and subsequently by highlighting that demand to suppliers by seeking tenders. Presentations and discussion aimed to build confidence in existing technologies and products that use crushed glass and plastics, explore the legal and regulatory framework that enables or obstructs, and hear about projects that have successfully used recycled content.

A key finding from the Forum is that sufficient demand for crushed glass is required to validate a supplier’s business case for advanced technologies.

The SSROC Procurement team has since received sufficient endorsement from engineers and supply officers to embark on a regional civil works tender process. SSROC will prepare a specification in the last quarter of 2018/19.

Procurement Planning Day SSROC Supply Working Group held a successful planning day. As a result, the group agreed that where possible they are committed to making the aggregation purchasing work. The group acknowledges that there are benefits in regional aggregation. The group agreed on the future meetings format, information to be covered and what they want to get out of the meetings. The working group also agreed on future projects.

SSROC is very pleased with the outcome of the day and will be working towards those improvements suggested and requested by the members.


SSROC Procurement Governance Framework SSROC Procurement Governance Framework was completed and approved.

As a shared service provider and procurement aggregator, it is necessary for SSROC to have and to follow a procurement governance framework. This will provide some comfort and trust from our member councils and suppliers alike that we are serious and transparent about our obligations under the role.

Gross Pollutant Trap and Ancillary Services Tender Engineers across councils participated in the specification building and evaluation of this environmentally friendly contract. The environmental initiative of this tender is about taking the GPT waste to a resource recovery facility where it can be processed and re-used. This strategy will reduce the waste going to landfill and save cost. Also, this contract includes 14 categories that will cover council procurement compliance and improved process efficiency by having a panel of qualified contractors for each category of service. 10 out of 11 Councils participated.

The Program for Energy and Environmental Risk Solutions (PEERS) PEERS program is aimed to improve energy efficiency, achieve the best value pricing for electricity and gas, reduce the risk of future price shocks, and increase the proportion of energy consumed that is derived from renewable sources. We extended the opportunity to aggregate our spend to other councils, and that invitation was enthusiastically embraced by 20 councils. The contracts have been awarded.

PEERS Renewable Energy PPA and Grid Energy The purchase of renewable energy has been completed through a successful Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The purchase of grid electricity for large and small sites has also been completed. The contracts were entered into as follows:

• Large Market (3 years) and Renewable Energy (PPA) (11.5 years) is with OriginEnergy.

• Small Market (3 years) is with ERM Retail Power.

The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) procurement strategy managed the financial, environmental and contractual risk for the councils. The PPA achieved a 20% financial saving over the current electricity market pricing in the first year. It committed a fixed load of renewable energy each year that is equivalent to 20% (or a council’s nominated percentage) of electricity load in 2017/18. The PPA contractual terms will manage the price risk for both higher or lower than expected electricity pricing during the contract period. SSROC and Sourced Energy partnership provided councils with purchasing volume and industry expertise that lead to the road of success.

The SSROC successful Program Energy and Environmental Risks Solutions (PEERS) program was launched on Tuesday, 2 October 2018. The program was heavily featured throughout national, state and local news outlets including print, online and radio.


See all PEERS coverage below:

Canterbury Bankstown to save more than $90,000 in three years with renewable energy - The Express

Campbelltown Council’s renewable energy deal earns praise – Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser

Landmark renewable energy deal to slash emissions - Government News

NSW councils sign up for Moree solar farm to slash electricity costs - One Step Off The Grid

Randwick, Bayside councils sign up for solar - The Southern Courier

The bush powers the city as Sydney councils sign deal to buy solar energy from Moree - ABC News

Sydney councils go solar in Origin deal as Visy wins $30m for waste recycling - The Financial Review

NSW councils sign up for Moree solar farm to slash electricity costs - Renew Economy

Campbelltown Council’s renewable energy deal earns praise - Wollondilly Advertiser

Southern Sydney councils sign long-term solar energy contract - Energy Matters

Vendor Panel Contract signed off. Contracts will be set up and maintained by SSROC to be available for use by all staff of our 11 council members in conducting their quotation process.

SSROC Regional Kerbside Waste Audit The contract was awarded to APC and the project plan is almost completed for this logistically complex project. Participating Councils are Bayside, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury Bankstown, Georges River, Inner West, Randwick, Sutherland, City of Sydney and Woollahra.

Clean Up Processing Contract This innovative project aims to increase the material from kerbside clean-up. The ACCC has authorised for the procurement, and a request for tenders is at final draft and will soon be released to the market. Participating Councils: Bayside, Burwood, Georges River, Inner West, Waverley and Woollahra. Strathfield Council is also participating, since they were keen and the additional tonnage will add to the appeal for potential suppliers.


https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/the-express/canterbury-bankstown-to-save-more-than-90000-in-three-years-with-renewable-energy/news-story/be76cc30502aed3fc61f89a73f4d80c0

https://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/story/5693808/campbelltown-councils-renewable-energy-deal-earns-praise/

https://www.governmentnews.com.au/landmark-renewable-energy-deal-to-slash-emissions/

https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/nsw-councils-sign-moree-solar-farm-slash-electricity-costs/

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/southern-courier/randwick-bayside-councils-sign-up-for-solar/news-story/bc2359c47058efd85de752b0a47749e7

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-04/moree-solar-farm-to-power-sydney-councils/10336952

https://www.afr.com/news/sydney-councils-go-solar-in-deal-with-origin-as-visy-wins-30m-for-waste-recycling-20181002-h164q3

https://reneweconomy.com.au/nsw-councils-sign-up-for-moree-solar-farm-to-slash-electricity-costs-46049/

https://www.wollondillyadvertiser.com.au/story/5693841/campbelltown-councils-renewable-energy-deal-earns-praise/

https://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/local-government-solar-energy-agreement/

Current Sourcing Activity


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SECTION 9. EXTERNALLY FUNDED PROJECTS

ITEM 9.1 Street Lighting Improvement Program Update

RECOMMENDATION:



To inform Delegates of progress and to highlight current program priorities.

Current Status: The SSROC SLI Program, numbering 29 councils and 90% of the street lights in the Ausgrid region, has been involved in several on-going street lighting activities in recent months. The status of key activities is as follows: 'Lighting the Way' Project to Replace Up To 104,000 Street Lights with LEDs Overall,SSROC believes that councils have sufficient clarity on all the key queries that councils and SSROC have raised and, should feel broadly comfortable accepting Ausgrid’s LED upgrade proposal.

SSROC’s understanding is that more than half of all councils have formally accepted Ausgrid’s proposal with several others in the late stages of decision making. A couple have indicated they may wish to defer deployment for budget reasons, but no council has formally declined Ausgrid’s proposal. Ausgrid has commenced deployment in some areas.

Main Road LEDs and Smart Controls SSROC will be meeting with Ausgrid management in March. While progress on residential road LEDs is strongly welcomed, the delayed procurement processes for main road LEDs and smart controls is at the top of the list for discussion. Ausgrid has been expected to tender for main road LEDs for some time but has yet to comment on the proposed SSROC specification or release a draft specification for comment.

AER 2019-2024 Pricing Review Councils in the SSROC SLI Program collectively spend over $60m a year on street lighting services from Ausgrid. The Program has therefore played an active role in each of the last three Australian Energy Regulator pricing reviews saving councils more than $20m each time as compared to initial Ausgrid proposals.

SSROC made an initial submission some months ago commenting on the need for the AER to focus on LED pricing, identified some pricing anomalies in Ausgrid’s submission and made comment on a number of other matters. In its November draft decision, the AER accepted a number of points made by SSROC about some pricing anomalies in Ausgrid’s proposal and asked for revisions to its proposal.

On 5 February 2019, SSROC made a submission to the AER on Ausgrid’s revised proposal strongly supporting some key changes to Ausgrid’s proposal that would see maintenance charges for both old lighting and new LEDs reduced and reductions in the capital charges for street lighting columns. These changes, if approved by the AER may save councils over $40m in the coming regulatory period compared to Ausgrid’s initial proposal. A final decision of the AER is expected in April.


AER Remittal of 2014-2019 Pricing Decision Complete in Customer’s Favour On 24 January, the AER announced that it had remade its 2014-2019 regulatory pricing decision for Ausgrid. This followed a successful 2015 appeal by Ausgrid to the Australian Competition Tribunal. As many councils are aware, this lengthy process resulted in considerable uncertainty about Ausgrid electricity distribution pricing for all classes of council electricity accounts including street lighting and other bills. However, the final AER decision largely re-instates the original AER decision to cut almost $3bn from Ausgrid’s proposed revenues. There will therefore be no large retrospective recovery of ‘undercharging’ from councils.


SECTION 9. EXTERNALLY FUNDED PROJECTS ITEM 9.2 NSW Public Lighting Code Update RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To inform Delegates of the new NSW Public Lighting Code.

Current Status: On 16 October, the Department of Planning & Environment published an updated NSW Public Lighting Code to take effect from 1 July 2019. This is a big win for the 29 councils in the SSROC Street Lighting Improvement Program that led the advocacy for this change for some years. Following a detailed review of what has been published by SSROC, the clear gains for councils in the new Code as summarised below: 1. Code Mandatory - The new Code has been made a mandatory licence condition of

the electricity distributors from 1 July 2019. There has been no clear regulatory or contractual basis of the street lighting service in NSW for several decades until this new Code.

2. Average & Maximum General Fault Repair Times Set - The Code sets both a maximum average repair time of 8 business days for any one council and an absolute maximum of 10 business days for any individual general fault (not involving an underground repair or a site-specific Road Occupancy Licence).

3. Maximum Average Underground Repair Times Set - The Code sets a maximum average repair time of 20 business days for any one council for faults involving underground repairs or a site-specific Road Occupancy Licence. The previous voluntary Code contained no such maximum and was a frequent source of council complaints.

4. Higher Penalties for Non-Compliance - Penalties for general faults have been raised to $25 from the current voluntary $15 penalty and both residents and customers (eg councils and RMS) are eligible to receive the penalty. There are also modest additional penalties for exceeding average maximum repair times over the year.

5. Focus on Priority Repairs – The utilities are required to prioritise repairs for cases of multiple lights being out on main roads and at pedestrian crossings.

6. Technology Choice – The Code includes new requirements that the utilities consult with councils on luminaire technology choice and the utilities cannot unreasonably decline to offer new technologies if a majority of councils request it.

7. Expanded Reporting - The Code includes new reporting requirements and, notably, substantially more detailed quarterly reporting of performance in repairing all types of faults.

8. Increased Limit on Infill Lighting - The Code requires that the utility responds to council requests for up to 10 new standard luminaires without it falling under costly and cumbersome contestability arrangements.

9. Responsibility for Columns Now in Code - Responsibility for inspection, testing, repair and replacement of equipment now explicitly extends to street lighting columns


https://energy.nsw.gov.au/government-and-regulation/legislative-and-regulatory-requirements/public-lighting-code

/ poles.

10. Shorter Limits on Inventory Query Response Times - The utility must respond to inventory queries from councils within 20 days.

11. Mandatory & More Frequent Reviews - The Code is to be reviewed 18 months after commencement and 3 years prior to each regulatory pricing review. It will therefore be particularly important for councils to document any concerns about non-performance under the Code and the areas for improvement.

While there are many council wins in this, there is always room for improvement. With a review forthcoming 18 months after implementation, SSROC will be closely monitoring several aspects of the Code. Of particular note is that the Code has not tackled any aspects of general street lighting contestability or access rights to the columns as advocated for in SSROC, other ROC/RJO, RMS and IPWEA submissions last year. It seems inevitable that general contestability will have to be re-visited in the near term as pressure builds from many stakeholders to deploy not just LEDs of their choosing but also a wide variety of smart controls, smart city devices and to rollout 4G/5G mini-cells on many street lighting columns.


SECTION 9. EXTERNALLY FUNDED PROJECTS ITEM 9.3 Regional Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy RECOMMENDATION: That Delegates:



To advise Delegates of progress on the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) funded waste and resource recovery projects.

Background: SSROC receives funding from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) from the Waste Less, Recycle More program: • Regional Coordination Support funds, (the exact figure not yet advised for 2018/19); • Better Waste and Recycling funds of $395,019 for 2018/19; Currently SSROC receives no other grant funding.

Current status: Regional Waste and Resource Recovery (WARR) Strategy 2017-21 The secretariat continues with implementation of the revised strategy. Two Regional Strategic Coordinators are responsible for coordinating and managing the projects delivered with Better Waste and Recycling Funds, monitoring and evaluation, and liaison with the NSW EPA. (A summary of the strategy is available at www.ssroc.nsw.gov.au/ publications.) NSW EPA Better Waste and Recycling Fund Implementation of the Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy, including responses to the China Sword, continues. Highlights of the last month: • Circular economy opportunities from the domestic waste stream. UNSW has been

selected as the preferred supplier for the regional thinktank. The project approach and plan is being collaboratively developed. The focus on the identification of new potential channels for diverting materials that are currently treated as waste, back into the productive economy, and to find ways to commercialise those new processes.

• Regional Materials Recycling Facility Feasibility Study – General Managers have given their support to an initial investigation into the business justification for council investment in recycling infrastructure. The SSROC General Managers (GMs) have formed a sub-group to review the project scope, and a final draft will be presented to the next GMs’ group meeting.

• Establishing a panel of service providers for waste and sustainability education – a call for expressions of interest from potential education services providers will shortly be released. Successful applicants will be included in the pre-qualification scheme to be delivered by the Australian Association of Environmental Educators. Councils will be able to use a database of suppliers and the services that they offer. Over time the database will include feedback from councils on their performance.

• Recycling Contestability – NSW Treasury Commissioning and Contestability Unit (CCU) and EPA plan to develop a new contestability strategy for the waste and recycling sector. SSROC supports this initiative and plans to work with councils to contribute to the project with a pilot procurement, possibly for Inner West Council’s next recycling procurement. It is hoped that the project plan will be ready for the


http://ssroc.nsw.gov.au/

next General Managers’ meeting.

• Civil works tender targeting use of recycled materials - see Item 8.3 - Procurement Activity.

1.6 FTE Waste Educators have been retained to run waste education workshops targeted at culturally and linguistically diverse community groups, which have in the past been difficult for council education programs to reach. The workshops can be delivered in multiple languages through the use of the services on the Ethnic Communities Council, as well as our own multi-lingual staff. This builds on the success of 2017/18 which reached 2,700 participants at 152 workshops with 140 different community groups.


ordinary meeting agenda - ssroc · ssroc ordinary meeting agenda date thursday, 21 february 2019...

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