ITY COUN OUNCIL LO LOGAN CI AN CITY CO Y COUNCIL Logan City Council Why do we need it? PART 1 Why do we need Council? There are three kinds of government in Australia: Federal government (also called the Commonwealth Government) • Decides on matters that affect the whole country. • The leader is the Prime Minister. • Examples of responsibilities include: - telecommunications - postal services - foreign affairs - immigration - pensions - customs - defence and - trade. State government • Decides on matters that affect each state (is called the Territory Government in the Northern Territory and the ACT). • The leader is the Premier (states)/Chief Minister (territories). • Examples of responsibilities include: - public hospitals - conservation - fire brigade - main roads - emergency services - education and - railways. Local government 1 • Each individual local authority area is governed by a council. • Each council plays an important role in improving the livability of their communities by providing a range of important services and facilities. • The leader is the Mayor. • Examples of responsibilities include: - community facilities - libraries - parks - sewerage - waste disposal - animal control - planning - local roads and - building approvals. The federal and state governments are established under the Australian Constitution. Councils are set up by state legislation. In Queensland, their powers come mainly from the Local Government Act, which is administered by the Queensland Department of Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience. Traditionally, councils have provided services such as roads, water supply and sewerage, but more and more they are becoming involved in the social, economic and cultural development of their communities, and in improving local living environments. Looking after essential infrastructure Roads, parks and public works • • • • building new roads and bridges controlling traffic flow providing and maintaining car parks building and maintaining community/neighbourhood centres and other public facilities and • caring for parks and gardens. Water and sewerage Councils collect and treat sewerage and trade waste from industries. Councils care for the local water supply by: • storing and treating water for drinking • piping water to homes, businesses and factories and • removing stormwater through drains. Flood control Councils reduce the risk of flood damage by: • building drainage systems • constructing levee banks and • controlling development on flood plains. 2 Looking after the environment Environmental protection Councils are responsible for regulating activities that affect the quality of the environment. Land use Councils control and regulate how land is used in their area. They decide: • where commercial development takes place • where housing developments should go • what areas are protected as bushland and reserves and • how many buildings can go in a certain area. Waste disposal Our communities generate large amounts of waste. Councils: • arrange for waste to be collected and recycled • operate tips and landfills and • clean streets, footpaths, parks and other public areas. Control of declared pests and noxious weeds Councils play an active part in controlling declared pests and noxious weeds. It is important to keep harmful plants and pests under control. Building control Plans for all new buildings must be approved. This is to make sure they are safe and well built. Anyone who wants to build or alter a house or building must first obtain approval. Councils can give this approval. 3 Looking after people Community development Councils work with their communities to provide a wide range of services, including community and neighbourhood centres and activities for young people. They also work in partnership with other levels of government through programs designed to enhance community wellbeing. Recreation and cultural development Some councils support arts activities, festivals and other special events. Many councils provide: • libraries and art galleries • community events • public spaces for community use • entertainment centres • parks, public gardens and playing fields • swimming pools and tennis courts • boating facilities and • sports centres. Public health and safety Councils help keep their communities healthy by: • controlling mosquito breeding • destroying rats and mice • making sure public buildings are clean • providing public toilets • registering dogs and collecting stray animals • running immunisation programs and • ensuring buildings are safe and well built. Promoting economic growth Councils also encourage and attract businesses to establish in their area, which in turn creates jobs for local people. 4 Who works for Council? Chief Executive Officer Every council employs a chief executive officer, who is the link between council and its employees. Their job is to: • provide executive leadership to the organisation • implement council policies and decisions • manage council operations and • keep councillors informed. Other occupations Councils are often the biggest employer in their respective communities. Occupations include: • planners and engineers • accountants and clerical officers • road workers and gardeners • development and health officers • librarians and animal control officers • laboratory technicians and • computer programmers and surveyors. Paying for what councils do There are four main ways in which councils raise money to fund their facilities and services. Rates: a form of general taxation by which revenue is raised, based on valuations of land, to finance the general functions of council. Utilities charges: usually consumer-based. In other words, they are charges paid for services received such as water, sewerage and rubbish collection. Grants and subsidies: Councils receive money from state and federal governments. This may be via grants. On some occasions councils can decide how that money will be spent; on other occasions the grant is for a specific purpose. Councils also receive funding to help them meet some of the costs of providing infrastructure such as water supply and sewerage systems. Those subsidies usually represent a percentage of the cost of the project. Administration fee: Some council services involve a fee, including dog registrations, building approvals and rubbish tip charges, to defray the cost of administering and processing licences etc. Loans: Like individuals and businesses, councils often have to borrow money for major projects. 5 What do Councillors do? Councillors are elected to represent the interests of everyone in the community. Their role is to make decisions relating to facilities and services in their local area. They make local laws to help provide a safe and orderly community. Councillors have regular meetings at which they make decisions and discuss local issues. Meetings are held at the council chambers. The Mayor presides at council meetings and represents the council on formal occasions. As well as council meetings, Councillors attend committee meetings. Each committee deals with specific matters, (see p.8). Members of the public can attend all council and committee meetings. Electing your council A council consists of a Mayor and Councillors. The people who live in each local government area choose who they want to be on their council. Local government elections in Queensland are held every four years (the next one is due in 2016). Voting As with state and federal elections, voting is compulsory at council elections. Any person on the electoral roll must vote. Who can stand for council? Anyone can stand for election as a Councillor if they: • are an Australian citizen on the electoral roll • live in the area and • are not disqualified for specific reasons such as bankruptcy. How can I have my say? Councils represent the interests of everyone in the community. It is important for councils to work together with their communities to decide what is needed locally. Councils must consult their communities on local laws, as well as on their corporate plan, the document which sets the directions for what each local council is planning to do. Locals can have their say when their council asks for feedback. They can also attend council meetings, inspect public documents, and meet with their local Councillor. 6 How do I find out more? • • • • • Obtain a copy of Council’s Corporate Plan or Annual Report. Attend a council meeting. Speak to your local Councillor. Visit the Council website (for Logan, this is www.logan.qld.gov.au). Check with your local library for books and publications. Useful websites • Local Government Association of Queensland www.lgaq.asn.au • Queensland Government www.qld.gov.au • Australian Government www.australia.gov.au Logan City Council Administrative Council is established under the Local Government Act 2009. The elected council is the law-making body and consists of the Mayor and 12 other Councillors. The administration is headed by the Chief Executive Officer. Logan City Council currently has more than 1,600 staff and an annual budget of more than $775 million. The administration of Council is divided into the following four streams: (each stream has specialised areas of responsibility.) 7 • Organisational Services - Administration - Finance - Governance - Information Services - People and Culture - Plant Fleet Services • Community and Customer Services - Animal and Pest Services - City Standards - Community Engagement and Marketing - Major Venues and Facilities - Community Services - Customer Service - Libraries and Cultural Services - Parks • Strategy and Sustainability - Development Assessment - Economic Development - Environment and Sustainability - Outcomes and Performance - Strategy and Planning - Waste Services • Infrastructure Services - Disaster Management and Specialist Engineering Support - Road Infrastructure Planning - Road Construction and Maintenance - Road Infrastructure Delivery - Water Operations, Business and Infrastructure Committees To help with the enormous amount of business Council has to consider, there are six standing committees: • • • • • • Parks, Sport and Customer Services Animals and City Standards Planning and Development Health, Environment and Sustainability Roads and Water Infrastructure Governance, Finance and Economic Development These committees are made up of all Councillors (one of whom is chair), who meet with senior staff in the lead up to the full council meetings (held every three weeks). The committees discuss specific matters placed before them by staff from relevant council departments, and make recommendations to the full council. Committee meetings are open to the public. They are attended by the committee members, the Chief Executive Officer (or representative), the Deputy CEO of the relevant stream, and, where necessary, other Council officers. The Mayor is a delegate member of all committees. Matters discussed at Committee level do not become resolutions of Council until the recommendations of the committee are adopted and carried at a council meeting. 8 PART 2 Elected members Twelve Councillors and the Mayor, all of whom are elected, represent the community. Logan City Council is not dominated by a political party. Each Councillor (except the Mayor) represents a division. Mayor: The Mayor leads the Council. Division 1: Daisy Hill, Springwood, Rochedale South, Underwood and Priestdale Division 2: Woodridge, Underwood, Kingston and Logan Central Division 3: Daisy Hill, Kingston, Slacks Creek, Springwood and Underwood Division 4: Bahrs Scrub, Bannockburn, Belivah, Buccan, Cedar Creek, Holmview, Jimboomba, Logan Village, Mt Warren Park, Mundoolun, Tamborine, Waterford, Windaroo, Wolffdene and Yarrabilba Division 5: Berrinba, Browns Plains, Kingston, Loganlea, Marsden and Waterford West Division 6: Bethania, Cornubia, Loganholme, Meadowbrook and Tanah Merah Division 7: Boronia Heights, Forestdale, Greenbank, Hillcrest, Munruben, North Maclean, Park Ridge, Park Ridge South Division 8: Heritage Park, Regents Park, Park Ridge and Browns Plains Division 9: Chambers Flat, Crestmead, Jimboomba, Logan Reserve, Logan Village, Munruben, North Maclean, Park Ridge South, South Maclean, Stockleigh and Waterford West Division 10: Carbrook, Cornubia, Daisy Hill and Shailer Park Division 11: Cedar Grove, Cedar Vale, Greenbank, Jimboomba, Kagaru, Lyons, New Beith, North Maclean, South Maclean, Undullah, Veresdale, Veresdale Scrub and Woodhill Division 12: Beenleigh, Eagleby, Edens Landing and Holmview For more information on the current Mayor or to find out who your Divisional Councillor is, visit www.logan.qld.gov.au. 9 How a Council meeting is conducted The Mayor acts as the impartial chair of all Council meetings. During the meeting, Council considers reports from the committees, delivered by the respective committee chairs. Items are discussed and debated, with Council deciding whether to adopt the committee’s recommendations or carry an alternative recommendation. It is usual practice for Councillors to raise any recommendations from committees that they wish to be discussed. All committee recommendations that have not otherwise been amended by Council are then carried in a block resolution. Some items may be deferred, and others may have recommendations amended. Some report items are included “for information”. These items do not represent a decision, and do not require action by Council, they are simply an update on an issue Council is following or investigating. Once the report has been adopted, all recommendations become resolutions that will be implemented by staff. A motion: All decisions must start as motions. A motion is simply a proposal. Councillors can move a motion relating to a recommendation, which may involve an amendment or deferment. Once a motion has been outlined by a Councillor, the Mayor will call for another Councillor to “second” it. Without a “seconder”, the motion does not proceed. This in an initial test of support for the proposal. Once it has been seconded, the motion is open to discussion. If there is no discussion, it is put to the vote. If there is discussion, Council moves into the rules of debate, during which time speakers for and against the motion are given time to air their views in order (ie one for, then one against). Councillors may speak once, for up to five minutes. The Councillor who moved the motion is given the final say through “right of reply”. The vote is taken. Each Councillor, including the Mayor, has one vote. For a motion to be successful (or “carried”), it must be approved by the majority of Councillors. If carried, a motion becomes a resolution. In other words, Council has resolved to carry out the recommendation. Point of order: During a debate, a Councillor may call a point of order. This relates to the behaviour of the person speaking and is a claim that person has strayed from the rules of debate. (These agreed rules for the conduct of debate are called “standing orders”.) 10 PART 3 A brief history of Logan City and its Council The early years The Logan region was originally inhabited by Aborigines from two major language groups; the Yugambeh and the Jaggera. Their first contact with Europeans occurred when the Commandant of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement, Captain Patrick Logan, explored the river in 1826. He described the river as running through the finest track of land he had seen in this or any other country and he named it the Darling, in honour of the Governor. However, the Governor returned the compliment by renaming the river the Logan, in recognition of Logan’s enthusiasm and efficiency. Once the penal settlement in Brisbane was closed in 1841, land was quickly taken up by squatters. Cedar-getters were soon extracting the best of the timber from along the Logan and other rivers in the region. The first leases of land in the Logan area were issued from 1849 and immigration was encouraged following the separation from NSW in 1859. The declaration of the Logan and Eight Mile Plains Agricultural Reserves in 1862 led to extensive settlement of the area, particularly by Irish and then German immigrants. There are still many reminders of early settlers. Numerous historic cemeteries are located in Logan including Tygum, Kingston, Carbrook, Logan Reserve, Slacks Creek, Bethania, Mundoolun, Tamborine and Woodhill. The oldest remaining buildings in the district include the slab hut in the grounds of Mayes Cottage and the Kruger house at Carbrook. 11 Council in focus Logan City has come a long way in its short history and today is one of the most dynamic young cities in Australia. In 1979, the new local government area was created from a collection of merged fringe suburbs and farming districts of Beaudesert Shire Council and the then Albert Shire Council, in the heart of South East Queensland. While the early years were spent providing basic infrastructure, the past decade has afforded the opportunity for the city to gain millions of dollars worth of new facilities: aquatic centres, libraries, an indoor sports centre, regional art gallery and a purpose-built entertainment centre. The city has also gained a major public hospital, TAFE and a Griffith University campus. Neighbourhoods and major roads have been revitalised with colourful landscaping, streetscaping and public art programs. These have been so successful, other Queensland councils are now following Logan’s lead. The road, water and sewerage networks have been upgraded, expanded and vastly improved. New parks have been created, old ones revitalised, and environmentally sensitive areas protected for future generations. In 2008, Logan’s boundaries changed again with the inclusion of suburbs from the former Beaudesert Shire and the northern suburbs of Gold Coast City. It now has more than 290,000 residents and 63 suburbs. People Logan has a young, vibrant community, making its people its greatest asset. The city is home to people from 215 different cultural backgrounds, who live together with a warm spirit of cooperation and unity. As a young city, Logan’s residential neighbourhoods are predominantly fresh and contemporary. New estates continue to flourish, giving locals a wide range of lifestyle options, from leafy suburbs to bushland acreage. Many older suburbs pre-dating the city’s short history have been revitalised through urban and community renewal partnership projects between Logan City Council and the Queensland Government. 12 Economy Logan City’s economy is largely centred around the manufacturing, construction, retail and the property and business services sectors, as well as boasting a large contingent of home based business. A number of other key industries are emerging as economic drivers in the city as well, such as health and wellbeing, creative industries, sustainable industries, education and lifestyle industries. Through the development of these industries, coupled with a real sense of entrepreneurialism, Logan City is developing a culture of innovation and creativity. The city also has a diverse range of established and emerging business centres providing a variety of services to the community, including Springwood, Logan Central, Meadowbrook, Beenleigh, Park Ridge, Crestmead, SouthWest 1 and Browns Plains. Each of these centres service the local community and regional economy in a unique way ranging from major manufacturing, professional and retail services to neighbourhood shopping precincts. Logan City is ideally located between Brisbane, Ipswich, Redlands and the Gold Coast, and has easy access to the national highway and rail networks and the Brisbane Port, which provides the city with infrastructure and accessibility competitive advantages as well as tangible regional and global connections. In the past 15 years, the city’s business interests have expanded to incorporate trade agreements and export opportunities to Asia, boosted by sister city relationships with Hirakata and Shibukawa in Japan, Xuhui and Wenling in China, Taoyuan in Taiwan and a friendship city agreement with Suzhou in China. 13 Recreation A young city is an active city, and there is plenty to do in Logan for lovers of sport and recreation of all ages. There are more than 200 sporting and recreation clubs in Logan, a multi-million dollar indoor sports centre, aquatic centres as well as a privatelyowned world class cable ski water park and a privately-owned go-kart raceway. Logan has 924 environmental and recreational parks, many featuring dog off-leash areas, exercise facilities, play equipment and skate ramps. There are pristine bushland reserves and wetlands, as well as manicured waterfront parks along the Logan River. The natural environment is an important facet to life in Logan, and a popular place to enjoy the bush and its wildlife is the Daisy Hill Conservation Park and Daisy Hill Koala Centre. Culture and food One of Logan’s best kept secrets is the city’s restaurant and café scene. From award-winning coffee, Mediterranean fare, fresh seafood and contemporary Australian cuisine, to the best Asian, Indian and European delights, Logan has dining options to suit all tastes. The city also has a range of attractions that capture the city’s history and cultural diversity. Visitors can step back in time at Logan’s oldest home, Mayes Cottage, in Kingston, which has been converted into a house museum circa 1930s, or they can wander through the gardens of the Chung Tian Buddhist Temple at Priestdale, tucked away in a natural bushland setting. The Logan Art Gallery showcases the best works by local and visiting artists, and the historic Kingston Butter Factory and Community Arts Centre also hosts exhibitions and showcases a range of hand-made crafts. The Kingston Butter Factory is also home to the Butterbox Theatre (used by local performing groups), the Buttermaid’s Kitchen and the Logan Historical Museum. The Beenleigh Historical Village is another valuable reminder of our city’s history, with a wealth of architecture and artefacts on display for visitors. The Beenleigh Visitor Information Centre is located next to the village and offers information on the many attractions in the area. The opening of the Logan Entertainment Centre in 2002 ushered in a new era for events and entertainment in the city. Finally the city had its own venue for conferences, seminars and major functions. The centre’s arrival also meant locals would have the opportunity to see major touring acts without having to leave the city. 14 Environmental responsibility Logan City Council has a range of mechanisms in place to protect environmentally-significant land, and has a reputation for environmentally responsible waste management practices. Logan uses world class recycling methods and processes, and Logan Waste operates from environmentally sustainable headquarters. Council adheres to the waste hierarchy of waste reduction, reuse, recycle, energy production and residual wastes to landfill. Electricity is generated from methane gas collected at the Browns Plains landfill, and used to power 2,000 homes as one of the city’s waste-to-energy initiatives. The concept of a recycling market (“one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”) was pioneered by Logan and continues to be popular with residents. Logan is looking to the long term, with effective planning underway find alternate waste treatment options for the city and meet the waste management requirements when the city’s current landfill closes in 15 to 20 years time. Logan: The Illuminated City One of the toughest challenges for a large urban council on a capital city boundary is to forge an identity separate from its more recognisable neighbour. For many years Logan City Council has worked hard to differentiate itself from not only Brisbane City on its northern boundary, but also Gold Coast City to the south. In recent years a sense of identity has been created for Logan through effective city image campaigns, however these have focused on the diversity of the Logan community, rather than emphasising the city’s physical boundaries. An innovative project launched in 2003 changed all that by illuminating a series of landmarks. Three large water towers and four major overpasses across the city were lit up in Logan’s corporate colours of blue and gold, as part of the Logan: The Illuminated City project. The project has three key aims: to give Logan a stronger identity, enhance the city’s profile in the region, and boost the pride of residents and businesses in their city. Community meetings were held to involve and 15 engage local residents. Overwhelmingly the response was positive, with locals quickly gaining a sense of ownership by becoming involved in the lighting design process. An ongoing success, the project gives Logan residents their own sense of place. By strengthening Logan’s identity, Council hopes new business will be attracted to the city, which will boost the economy and, in turn, create jobs. Lights on the towers are lit from dusk until 11pm, and on the overpasses from dusk until dawn. Logan: The Illuminated City represents a partnership between Logan City Council and private enterprise, with support from the Queensland Government’s Main Roads Department (the latter critical for the overpass lighting portion of the project). Looking ahead Logan has its sights firmly on the future. Logan City Council has staked its claim as a regional leader, providing input into the Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan. It is particularly interested in the plan’s identification of a regionally significant area in the city’s south-west corner bordering with Scenic Rim Regional Council. In looking to the future, the focus for Logan City will remain on community lifestyle and wellbeing, and the provision of quality infrastructure, services and facilities. Hand in hand with quality lifestyles is a strong economy, and the city’s business sectors will continue to reap the benefits of convenient location and available workforce. Economic sectors are expected to continue to grow with the further development of industrial land and strengthening industry sectors such as food production and manufacturing. The concept of revitalising old, ‘70s style shopping centres into multi-purpose town centres will continue, providing central points where people can live, work, shop, dine, use public transport, and be entertained. Logan will also continue down the path of city beautification and city image campaigns, programs that have already changed the face of the city and will continue to do so as it moves ahead in the 21st century. 16 Important milestones 1879 Local government in the Logan region is administered by the Tingalpa and Waterford Divisional Boards. 1902 Divisional Boards become Shire Councils. 1928 Royal Commission of inquiry into local government recommends a reduction of the numbers of local councils in Queensland. 1949 Albert Shire is formed by incorporating parts of Beenleigh, Waterford and Tingalpa Shires. (Much of Waterford was incorporated into Beaudesert Shire. Most of Tingalpa was incorporated into the new Redlands Shire.) 1960s Queensland Housing Commission begins purchasing land in Woodridge and Kingston to build public housing. 1965 Brisbane Transportation Study is released, which recommends the construction of the South East Freeway. 1968 Springwood is planned as a satellite development at the end of the freeway, which is intended to be completed by 1970. Extensive urban development occurs along the freeway corridor and the Pacific Highway. 1978 Local Government Minister Russell Hinze introduces the Local Government (Adjustment of Boundaries) Bill on 8 June in order to form the Logan Shire. This is required because of the extent of urban development in the northern parts of the Albert and Beaudesert Shires. 1979 Local government elections are held in March and a council of mostly inexperienced people is elected. On 17 April the first meeting is held and on 15 May the new council resolves to borrow $1 million to finance activities including the construction of an administration centre in Wembley Road. 1980 Construction begins on the administration centre. Builders F C Upton and Co signed the contract for $1.1 million on 16 April. 1981 Logan City is declared on 1 January, and the City Administration Centre opens on 21 February. 1982 Glen Shailer is appointed by the Local Government Minister as the first Mayor of Logan City, after the councillors fail to make a decision on the matter. 1984 Extensions are made to the administration centre. 1986 New bridge is built at Loganholme and original bridge decommissioned. 1993 Further extensions are made to the administration centre to cater for the council’s expanding operations. 2000 Pacific Motorway is built, including further bridges over Logan River. 2002 Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, officially opens the Logan Entertainment Centre. 2007 Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, officially opens the Logan City Council Administration Centre expansion. 2008 New council boundaries are formed after state government introduces local government reform process. Suburbs from the former Beaudesert Shire and parts of Gold Coast City become part of Logan on 15 March 2008. 2008 Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh, officially opens the SouthWest 1 development and Berrinba Wetlands. A wealth of local historical resources is available at the Logan Central Library. 17 Files of news-cuttings and other documentation complement a comprehensive collection of published works. Original photographs may be viewed in hard copy or on CD-ROM, as well as at www.logan.qld.gov.au. There is also a range of genealogical indices including the Family Search CD-ROM. A detailed history of Logan can be found in Logan...The Man, The River and The City, by Joan Starr; Logan: Rich in History, Young in Spirit by Robyn Buchanan. How to contact Logan City Council Telephone: Call our Customer Service team on 1300 1LOGAN (1300 156 426)* (business hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm, except public holidays) In person: City Administration Centre 150 Wembley Road Logan Central QLD 4114 (business hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm, except public holidays) Beenleigh Customer Service Centre 58-60 Manila St Beenleigh QLD 4207 (business hours: Monday-Friday, 8.15 am-4.30 pm, except public holidays) Jimboomba Customer Service Centre 18-22 Honora Street Jimboomba QLD 4280 (business hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am-4.45 pm, except public holidays) Post: PO Box 3226 Logan City DC QLD 4114 Email:[email protected] Fax: (07) 3412 3444 The information in this booklet is accurate as of July 2013. For the latest information about Logan City Council, please visit www.logan.qld.gov.au. *Council’s 1300 number is only for use by customers within the city from a landline. 18 LOGAN CI AN CITY CO COUNCIL L NCIL LOGA GAN CITY www.logan.qld.gov.au
© Copyright 2024