First General Meeting for the New Council

The Meeting was held in conjunction with a Citizenship ceremony where Council welcomed ten new Australian citizens.

The new Council has hit the ground running, with important items such as Kingaroy’s water quality being discussed with $100,000 secured to clean (air scouring) the Kingaroy water pipes.  Council portfolios were voted on, with portfolios to be removed to give Councillors more focus on their divisions.

“The General Meetings will be open to the public and livestreamed, these meetings are where decisions can and will be made.  The plan for the other Wednesdays will be to gather information only, with workshops being held in halls or venues across our region and can include road trips or catching up with community groups. The plan is for this Council to represent their communities and learn about all facets of Council rather than just being tied to a portfolio. Decisions cannot and will certainly not be made behind closed doors”, said Mayor Kathy Duff.

Discussions were held on the review of Council’s phone call systems including monitoring calls, the engagement of after-hours call service providers and lone-worker monitoring. The provision of these services is being reviewed and options are being considered.

A significant milestone was the adoption of the proposed major amendment to the South Burnett Regional Planning Scheme 2017.  This review of sections of the planning scheme has been conducted over the past two years and the intent of the planning scheme amendment is to refine planning policy and effectiveness of the planning scheme in facilitating growth and investment, guide good development outcomes, as well as respond to changing community needs across the South Burnett Region.  As this process concludes, Council also resolved to undertake a project which includes a land use investigation to assess:

1. the availability of land within the South Burnett region that may be suitable to incorporate into an expansion of the RR1 precinct to allow further subdivision of 5-acre (2ha) lots into one-acre (4,000m2) and/or two-acre (8,000m2) lots (smaller rural residential lots); and
2. the suitability and viability of, and options to facilitate the land identified in (a) above, to be able to be developed into smaller rural residential lots. 

2. A report outlining the outcomes and recommendations of the investigation referred to in 1. above be presented to Council.

This proposal will allow Council to consider and facilitate any opportunities for increased options for smaller lifestyle lots throughout the South Burnett region, to allow existing residents to age in place without having to relocate from their existing property or the region.

The public can access a live stream of Council meetings and view the recorded (archived) meetings by following the links to meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes here.

Pictured from left to right, Cr Heath Sander, Cr Danita Potter, Mayor Kathy Duff, Cr Linda Little, Cr Ros Heit,
Cr Deb Dennien and Cr Jane Erkens